her estranged husband Liam. But this isn’t the simple, joyous new beginning fans might have hoped for. Instead, the drama intensifies with a gripping custody battle,

a tangled web of paternity tests, and emotions running raw between Hope, Liam, and Carter Walton, the man who might be the father.

A Pregnancy That Changes Everything

Hope’s pregnancy announcement comes at a moment charged with heartbreak and tentative reconciliation. After severing ties with Carter Walton, a man who has played a complex role in her life, she’s determined to mend her fractured marriage with Liam Spencer. The couple’s relationship has been battered by betrayals, loss, and grief—most painfully the devastating loss of their daughter, Beth.

Despite the fragile hope of a fresh start, Hope chooses brutal honesty. She tells Liam the truth about her pregnancy immediately. The timing is uncertain. The baby could be Liam’s—or it might be Carter’s. This revelation cracks open old wounds and tests the limits of their fractured trust.

Liam, who has endured unimaginable grief, listens with a tight jaw and a heart hardened by loss. The pain of losing Beth has carved deep scars, making every moment fragile. Yet, he demands clarity, asking for a paternity test not later, but now.

The Legal and Emotional Tug-of-War

Carter Walton, ever the pragmatic strategist, already suspects the paternity timeline. When Hope calls him, Carter arrives with a calmness forged from years of navigating chaos at Forrester Creations. He doesn’t fight for labels or demands. Instead, he insists on a transparent, impartial process—an independent lab, strict chain of custody, and no room for error.

But the first test result shocks everyone: Carter is named the biological father. The sterile office holds the heavy silence of a verdict as Hope’s hand trembles with the printout. Liam, devastated but composed, processes a second crushing loss.

Yet suspicion lingers. Subtle discrepancies emerge—time stamps don’t match, signatures seem off, courier logs conflict. The cracks in the test’s integrity force Hope, Liam, and Carter to agree on a second test, this time with even tighter controls and oversight.

Two Labs, Two Results, and a Town Ablaze

When the second test returns, it names Liam as the father—directly contradicting the first. The fallout is instant and explosive. The private heartache becomes a public spectacle as gossip spreads like wildfire through the Forrester and Spencer families.

Legal teams circle. Bill Spencer vows to protect his son’s interests fiercely, while Ridge Forrester readies his defense. The courtroom becomes a battlefield where love, trust, and family loyalties are contested fiercely.

Hope despises the legal wrangling but hires counsel to protect her child’s future. Carter follows suit but maintains a surprisingly restrained approach, emphasizing kindness and narrow focus in the fight.

The Shadow of Sheila Carter

As tensions escalate, the ever-looming presence of Sheila Carter casts a dark shadow over the case. Known for her manipulative machinations, Sheila’s fingerprints are found in the sabotage of the paternity tests.

An inside source reveals a bribe was paid to a lab technician to alter test results, causing the conflicting reports. While Sheila’s name never appears directly, the evidence points to her as the architect behind the chaos—aiming to divide the Logans and Forrester alliances and ignite a war of trust and betrayal.

Court Orders a Final, Watertight Test

The judge overseeing the case refuses to be fooled. She orders a supervised, court-monitored paternity test with a neutral lab, strict chain of custody, and tamper-evident procedures.

This final test clears the air: Carter Walton is confirmed as the biological father beyond doubt. The verdict is definitive, bringing an end to the courtroom drama but opening a new chapter for all involved.

A New Family Dynamic Emerges

Hope, resolute and clear-headed, announces that she will raise the child on her own terms. She declines to pull Liam into the daily complexities of parenting this baby, wanting to protect all involved from further pain. She extends an olive branch to Carter—not a romantic one, but an invitation to be present in the child’s life on terms that respect her role as primary caregiver.

Carter accepts this mature stance, stepping back from aggressive custody battles and focusing on earning a meaningful place in the child’s life through steady, respectful involvement.

Liam’s Journey: Love Beyond Biology

Though not the biological father, Liam chooses to stay engaged. Battling jealousy and grief, he vows to be there for every prenatal appointment and milestone. The struggle is real—between honoring the memory of Beth and embracing a new life that carries Carter’s DNA but needs all their love.

Hope encourages Liam to join a support group for bereaved parents, helping him process his loss while building a relationship with a child who represents hope and renewal.

Healing, Hard Choices, and the Road Ahead

As the families adjust, the scars of betrayal and loss linger but are met with a commitment to rebuild. Brooke Logan stands firmly by Hope, while Ridge protects Carter, aware of the personal growth his friend is striving for. Meanwhile, hospital security tightens and legal investigations continue into the sabotage scandal.

Amid the turmoil, Hope’s pregnancy remains a powerful symbol—one she claims as her own story, not just a device in the men’s drama. She carefully crafts a parenting plan that balances Carter’s rights with her desire to provide a stable home. The agreement includes visitation, mediation for disputes, and a promise to revisit arrangements as the child grows.

A Fragile Peace and Enduring Hope

The Bold and the Beautiful closes this chapter on a note of cautious optimism. Hope is pregnant and determined. Carter has chosen a harder, quieter path of proving himself. Liam embodies love as a verb, grappling with grief while committing to this new family structure.

Sheila’s chaos leaves fractures but not collapse. The Logan-Forrester alliance, though bruised, endures with new boundaries and an understanding that peace must be nurtured daily.

Ultimately, this is not just a story about paternity—it’s about redefining family, healing from loss, and choosing love in its most complex, imperfect forms. The road will be bumpy, but Hope’s pregnancy has ignited a hope that even heartbreak cannot extinguish.