In the high-stakes world of The Young and the Restless, where betrayal is as common as broken hearts, a shocking new twist is about to shake Genoa City to its core. What began as a seemingly innocent work trip to Paris has spiraled into a nightmare of repressed memories, devastating secrets, and a potential paternity scandal that could destroy lives.

Mariah Copeland, emotionally drained and mentally fragmented, had hoped that a change of scenery might offer her a brief escape from her turbulent past. Paris, with its charm and distractions, promised just that. She had no idea that one intoxicating evening would lead her down a path filled with regret and fear. That night, hazy with laughter, wine, and blurred judgment, now haunts her—especially since the man beside her was none other than Cole Howard.

Cole, mysterious and charismatic, has long danced on the fringes of Genoa City drama, but nothing prepared fans for this connection to Mariah. What they shared in Paris seemed accidental—until Mariah began piecing together the fragments. She woke up in an unfamiliar bed with no memory of how she got there, only to find Cole sleeping peacefully beside her. What was once brushed off as a mistake has grown into a looming fear: something happened, and she may now be carrying his child.

But Mariah isn’t the only one unraveling. Cole has returned from Paris with more than emotional baggage. He’s visibly unwell—pale, feverish, weakened—but instead of seeking help, he hides behind the illusion of a simple illness. Victoria, ever protective, has pleaded with him to see a doctor, but he remains stubborn and evasive. Is it pride? Or is Cole concealing something far more dangerous?

As the story unfolds, the lines between physical illness and moral sickness begin to blur. Victoria grows increasingly concerned, not just for Cole’s health, but for what he might be hiding. Meanwhile, Mariah’s intuition becomes impossible to ignore. Her body is changing. Her heart is racing with suspicion. And a conversation with a friend and a glance at an old medical report open her eyes to a terrifying truth: she might be pregnant, and the baby could be Cole’s.

When Mariah confides in Victoria, the fallout is immediate. The woman who once saw her as a potential daughter-in-law is now stunned by betrayal, disbelief, and rage. Victoria can’t reconcile the charming man she once trusted with the manipulative predator Mariah describes. Her anguish is compounded by the horrifying idea that Cole, a man not much older than her own daughter, may have taken advantage of a vulnerable young woman.

As if that weren’t enough, Cole continues to feign ignorance. He insists he’s just “under the weather,” but it’s clear to everyone—especially Nick Newman—that something much darker is at play. Once Nick learns of Mariah’s suspicions, his protective instincts kick in. This isn’t just a scandal. It’s personal. And he’s determined to make sure Cole pays for what he’s done.

Behind closed doors, Cole’s world is collapsing. He can no longer outrun the truth—neither about his deteriorating health nor about the potential life he’s created. He hides behind symptoms and shrugs off responsibility, but even he knows that the storm is coming.

A DNA test looms, and it promises to answer the question that’s tearing everyone apart: is Cole the father of Mariah’s child? But the test is just the beginning. What it truly threatens to expose is a man willing to manipulate, deny, and destroy anything to protect his fragile image.

As tensions rise, and alliances shift, the truth becomes unavoidable. Genoa City is no stranger to secrets, but this one could tear apart families, shatter trust, and change everything fans thought they knew about Cole Howard. Mariah is no longer the wide-eyed victim. She’s determined to seek justice, no matter the cost. And when the results of the DNA test finally arrive, no one will be left unscathed.