In a devastating twist that has left fans of The Bold and the Beautiful reeling, Ridge Forrester’s romantic hopes are shattered when Taylor Hayes not only turns down his heartfelt proposal but confesses to having fallen in love with someone else during her time abroad. What Ridge envisioned as a fresh start quickly unravels into an emotional catastrophe.

After weeks of pressure from both Eric and Brooke to rekindle his relationship with his former flame, Ridge attempts to take control of his destiny by proving his devotion to Taylor. He organizes a beautiful, intimate evening under the stars with the intention of proposing. As he speaks from the heart about love, second chances, and building a future together, Ridge drops to one knee, hoping Taylor will say yes.

However, what follows is not the fairy tale ending he imagined. Taylor’s demeanor shifts from touched to tense, and she gently declines his proposal. Her refusal stuns Ridge, but the true blow comes when she reveals she has been seeing another man—Michael, a fellow doctor she met in South Africa. Their connection was genuine, and Taylor admits that part of her decision to pursue the relationship stemmed from unresolved anger toward Ridge’s history of emotional inconsistency and betrayal.

Her confession is laced with guilt, not only because she hid the relationship but because she used it, at least initially, as a form of emotional retaliation. This revelation cuts Ridge deeply, as he realizes the woman he believed in has mirrored the very manipulation he once condemned Brooke for.

Ridge silently walks away, overwhelmed by heartbreak and betrayal. He withdraws from Forester Creations, leaves his family behind without a word, and disappears from Los Angeles entirely—eventually surfacing in a quiet Oregon town under a new identity, working anonymously with a small fashion startup. It’s there he finds peace, solitude, and unexpectedly, a new connection with Mara, a local artist who has no idea about his turbulent past.

Meanwhile, back in L.A., the fallout continues. Taylor steps away from the Forester family, and her children—Thomas and Steffy—struggle to process her actions. Eric blames himself for pressuring Ridge toward Brooke, and Brooke is left confused and conflicted about Ridge’s disappearance. Despite the chaos, Ridge slowly rebuilds his life in Oregon. He embraces the simplicity, sketching designs, walking the beach, and bonding with Mara over art and honesty—two things missing from his past relationships.

But the peace doesn’t last forever. A crisis at Forester Creations pulls Ridge back to L.A., where he’s met with a storm of emotions, apologies, and unspoken questions. Taylor tries to explain, but Ridge makes it clear that he has closed that chapter. He also meets with Brooke, acknowledging their shared past but firmly expressing his desire to escape the cycle they keep repeating.

Choosing his newfound peace, Ridge returns to Oregon, where he continues working remotely. His relationship with Mara deepens, and for the first time, he’s in a romance that isn’t tied to history, obligation, or rivalry. The show hints that while Ridge has left L.A., his story is far from over—this break may finally be the beginning of something real.