What was supposed to be the happiest day of Hope Logan’s life turned into the most devastating. Hope had always dreamed of a love that was steady, secure, and strong. She found that in Carter—his love unyielding, his heart pure. But what she couldn’t predict was how deeply the ghost of her past would cling to her wedding veil.

In the weeks leading up to the wedding, Hope had been split between loyalty and love. Liam Spencer, once her rock, now lay dying from an illness no one seemed able to control. He had become a shadow of himself, still sharp of mind but weakened in body. Despite their divorce, Hope still loved Liam deeply, and part of her heart had never stopped beating for him.

When Carter proposed—yet again—Hope didn’t immediately accept. It wasn’t hesitation over Carter’s love. It was the knowledge that Liam might not live to see her move on. After several tear-filled conversations with her mother, Brooke, and a heartfelt blessing from Liam himself, she made her decision: she would marry Carter, but only if Liam could witness it.

With urgency pulsing through their every step, the Forresters and Logans prepared a whirlwind wedding. It was intimate, elegant, and filled with family. But behind every floral arrangement and string quartet note was the lingering knowledge that time was not on their side. Liam’s condition was deteriorating quickly, yet he vowed to be present. He told Wyatt that he didn’t want pity—he wanted to see Hope smile again, even if it meant watching her marry someone else.

The wedding day arrived under a golden California sky. Guests gathered with mixed emotions—some skeptical of Hope’s readiness to remarry, others simply praying Liam would make it through the day. When he arrived, frail and pale but wearing a suit and determined expression, the crowd fell silent. Even Ridge—normally stoic—had to wipe away a tear.

Hope walked down the aisle with her father by her side and her eyes locked on Liam, not Carter. Her heart twisted with guilt, but she pushed forward. The ceremony was beautiful. Vows were exchanged, rings slid onto trembling fingers, and the audience erupted in applause. But the celebration was short-lived.

As guests moved to toast the couple, Liam rose to give a speech. His words were moving, laced with grace and acceptance. He praised Carter’s integrity and Hope’s courage. He joked gently about being “the world’s most emotionally involved wedding guest,” before ending with: “I may not be here tomorrow, but today… I’ve never felt more alive.”

Seconds later, his body betrayed him.

Liam collapsed in front of everyone—his champagne glass shattering beside him. Panic set in as Finn and other guests rushed to his side. Paramedics were called. CPR began. And in the chaos, Hope knelt beside him, her wedding dress pooling in blood and spilled champagne, whispering Liam’s name as if she could hold him here with her voice.

But it was too late. Liam Spencer was gone.

The aftermath was unbearable. Hope didn’t speak for days. Carter, heartbroken for her and himself, tried to stay strong, but even his love felt like an intruder in her grief. Bill Spencer, shattered beyond recognition, nearly had to be sedated at the hospital. Brooke blamed herself—wondering if she’d encouraged Hope to rush the wedding. Steffy stood like a stone—mourning the man who was once her own husband, and the father of her daughter.