“If it’s real, you won’t run. But if you run… you’ve already told me everything I need to know.”
— Victoria Newman
It began with a whisper. A small knot of doubt tangled in Victoria Newman’s gut — the kind of intuition that had carried her through corporate battles and family betrayals alike. Cole Howard’s illness had brought them closer than they’d ever imagined. She nursed him, listened to his fears, shared late-night whispers about mortality, about hope. And now, it all felt false. Beautifully choreographed. Painfully hollow.
So she demanded truth. But she got a chase instead.
The Diagnosis That Wasn’t — And the Escape That Changed Everything
In a sterile, high-tech diagnostic suite at Newman Enterprises — a place meant to save lives, not dismantle lies — Victoria waited for confirmation. She had scheduled a full oncology panel for Cole. No more evasion. No more romantic delusions. Just facts.
He arrived pale, cautious, not in pain… but in fear.
When she demanded the truth — clinical, medical, undeniable truth — he flinched. When the technicians stepped forward to guide him through the tests, he ran. Literally. Shoving aside medical staff, his gown flaring behind him like a ghost, Cole bolted from the facility, setting off alarms and triggering a manhunt across the Newman complex.
Through back hallways and service corridors, past stunned nurses and confused interns, Cole fled the truth like it was a burning building.
And by the time Victoria reached the security desk, he was gone.
A Fugitive of His Own Lie
Cole Howard didn’t leave a note. No apology. No explanation. No trace. Just silence. But in that silence, Victoria heard the truth louder than any confession.
And she was done playing his game.
Back at her penthouse, she sifted through every piece of fabricated documentation he’d given her — fake scans, doctor’s notes typed with too much precision, and a timeline that crumbled under scrutiny. The man she had opened her home and heart to had never needed chemotherapy. He needed attention. Sympathy. Power.
And now, he needed to run.
Victoria’s War Begins
This isn’t just heartbreak. This is war.
Victoria launched an investigation with the precision of a seasoned strategist. She gathered forensic accountants, private security analysts, international tracking teams. Every fingerprint, flight record, offshore transaction, and medical expense was laid bare. One clue led to another. A secret clinic in Southeast Asia. A falsified identity. A passport stamped under an alias.
And then… Miami.
According to intel from Nick, Cole had resurfaced at the Coral Bay Hotel under a fake name. Caught on camera at a beachfront diner, still disheveled, still haunted. But no longer hiding quite so well.
Victoria’s expression didn’t waver. “He thinks I’m done with him. But I’ve only just begun.”
The Court of Public Opinion Is Next
Behind closed doors, Newman Enterprises prepared for the next blow — potential lawsuits, public scrutiny, media fallout. Victoria, ever unflinching, orchestrated a flawless strategy. Publicly, she honored Cole’s supposed “courage.” Privately, she gathered the knives.
Legal affidavits were drawn. Cole’s assets were frozen. Investigators were dispatched to his known contacts and ex-lovers. The narrative would not be his to control anymore.
“You can run,” Victoria whispered from her penthouse window. “But not from me.”
Meanwhile: Clare’s Hope, and Victor’s Doubt
As Victoria hunted down Cole’s final lie, another storm brewed closer to home. Clare, eager to earn Victor Newman’s approval for her engagement to Kyle, confessed her fears. He doubted the union. Thought it rushed. Too romantic. Too weak.
But Victoria, wiser now, offered Clare the tools to win not just love — but legacy. “At Nikki’s gala,” she advised, “show him your strength. Speak from the heart. Then show him the strategy.”
Because in Genoa City, emotion means nothing unless it serves power.
Final Moves: The Trap Is Set
Victoria gave Cole one final choice: return and confess, or face global exposure and legal ruin. Her reach extended beyond borders, and her resolve was titanium.
She didn’t chase for love anymore. She pursued justice — and vengeance — with the full force of the Newman name.
And still, late at night, she wondered:
Where is he hiding now?
What new mask is he preparing to wear?
And when he finally surfaces, will he beg forgiveness — or dare to lie again?
Because in Genoa City, no one gets away forever.
Not from Victoria Newman.
