What happened to Cole on The Young and the Restless? Explained

Cole Howard is getting on with his romantic relationship with his former wife Victoria Newman on The Young and the Restless. Despite Victor's firm warning to stay away from his daughter, as seen in the episode dated September 12, 2024, Cole and Victoria went on a date and ended up getting intimate. Moreover, Cole claimed to Victoria that he wasn't afraid of Victor anymore while the coy lady assured him he was doing everything right.

Cole Howard has been part of The Young and the Restless storyline since 1980 but was actively seen in Victoria's life between 1993 and 1999 when the duo married and separated. They had other relationships and also shared a baby, presumably dead at birth. In 1999, Cole left his life in Genoa City to go to Oxford. He suddenly returned in 2023 due to Jordan's manipulation and decided to stay back.

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A quick look at Cole Howard's history on The Young and the Restless

Cole Howard was born to Eve Howard, Victor's former secretary as per The Young and the Restless storyline. While Eve claimed that Cole was Victor Newman's son after they had an affair, he turned out to be the son of Rick Daros, a fellow she ran away with from her mental institution.

Cole returned with his mother to Genoa City in 1993 but Victor was away, so Nikki employed him at the stable. While Nikki showed romantic interest towards Cole, Victoria, fresh from her breakup with Ryan, also took interest in him. This led to their eloping to Las Vegas to marry.

His mother, Eve had a stroke while rushing in to stop the marriage and ended in a coma. However, Victor managed to dissolve the marriage, fearing Cole and Victoria were siblings. The later revelation that Cole was not Victor's son pushed the romantic duo to remarry.

However, over the next few years, Cole and Victoria had to fight to hold on to their marriage. While Victoria stayed out of town for long periods, Cole started seeing Ashley Abbott about a book he was writing. Soon Ashley filled the void left in Cole's life. While the two women fought over Cole, after his divorce, Cole married Ashley.

However, Victoria's pregnancy had complications, leading to a caesarean delivery of the baby. But they were informed that the baby died due to an infant infection. Viewers of The Young and the Restless saw the mourning parents supporting each other during this grief.

While settling down with Ashley in a happy marriage, Cole was upset when Ashley pestered him for a baby. He divorced her and took up a position as a professor in Oxford. Cole, played by J Eddie Peck, left The Young and the Restless in 1999.

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What plot dynamics brought Cole back to Genoa City?

November 2023 of The Young and the Restless saw J Eddie Peck's Cole after almost two decades, at the Lake House looking for Nikki. However, the text message he received was sent by Jordan, who already had Nikki in the house and wanted to assemble the rest of the family and kill them as her revenge plan.

Held captive by his aunt, Jordan, along with his former wife Victoria and her family, Cole was introduced to his daughter, Claire, long-presumed dead. When the cops came, Jordan escaped but Claire was arrested for aiding the crime. As the DNA tests proved Claire to be his and Victoria's child, the estranged parents connected with their newly discovered daughter.

Since the start of 2024 on The Young and the Restless, Cole has been catching up with lost time with his daughter alongside Victoria. Claire has also brought the once-married couple close. In June 2024, Cole took Victoria out for a date followed by many more of their interactions. As mentioned before, recently, on September 12, 2024, the couple became intimate, sealing their romantic relationship.

Watch out for Cole on The Young and the Restless as he navigates Victor's anger and Victoria's love in the upcoming episodes on the soap.