. ▁She ▁takes ▁over ▁as ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁company ▁after ▁her ▁brother ▁Jack ▁Abb ott ▁( T er ry ▁L ester , ▁later ▁Peter ▁Berg man ) ▁is ▁shot ▁on ▁his ▁one - year ▁anni versary ▁by ▁his ▁wife , ▁Pat ty ▁Williams . ▁Ash ley ▁comm ences ▁an ▁un l ucky ▁stre ak ▁of ▁relationships ; ▁starting ▁with ▁French ▁artist ▁Eric ▁G arrison , ▁who ▁sle pt ▁with ▁her ▁mother , ▁and ▁Marc ▁Mer ger on , ▁who ▁is ▁revealed ▁to ▁be ▁her ▁former ▁step bro ther . ▁Capital izing ▁on ▁her ▁un l uck iness , ▁it ▁is ▁revealed ▁that ▁Ash ley ' s ▁bi ological ▁father ▁is ▁Br ent ▁Davis , ▁not ▁John ▁Abb ott , ▁who ▁remains ▁una ware ▁of ▁Ash ley ' s ▁true ▁pat ern ity . ▁Tra uma ▁leads ▁Ash ley ▁to ▁become ▁missing ▁with ▁am nes ia , ▁where ▁she ▁is ▁found ▁by ▁business ▁ty co on ▁Victor ▁New man ▁( Er ic ▁Bra eden ), ▁who ▁takes ▁her ▁back ▁to ▁Gen oa ▁City . ▁Ash ley ▁has ▁an ▁affair ▁with ▁Victor , ▁who ▁is ▁married ▁to ▁Nik ki ▁New man ▁( M el ody ▁Thomas ▁Scott ). ▁To ▁spite ▁Ash ley , ▁Nik ki ▁eng ages ▁in ▁an ▁affair ▁with ▁Jack ▁and ▁tries ▁to ▁have ▁Victor ' s ▁brother , ▁Matt ▁Miller , ▁un success fully ▁s edu ce ▁Ash ley . ▁Ult imately , ▁Victor ▁cho oses ▁to ▁be ▁with ▁Ash ley , ▁anger ing ▁Nik ki . ▁When ▁Ash ley ▁falls ▁pre