She and Michael were convinced the child was his, but Ryan continued to insist that she was pregnant with his child and stayed involved in her life. As Vanessa tried keeping Ryan at bay, she also began to notice the odd infatuation that Alexis Lopez had for Ryan. When Alexis left her diary in Vanessa's classroom with journal entries professing her love for Ryan, Vanessa discovered it and brought the diary to the school guidance counselor, Allison Gellar.

No one believed that there was truly anything going on between Ryan and Alexis, except for Vanessa and Allison. When Samantha ended up in a coma and Vanessa noticed Ryan becoming increasingly agitated with Alexis, she resolved to get to the bottom of whatever was going on.

Vanessa finally agreed to a paternity test to determine whether or not Ryan was the father of her child after he continued harassing her. Little did Vanessa know, Ryan switched the test results and made himself appear to be the father. Michael discovered the truth and they both keep the secret from Vanessa.

From Episode #56, "Guilty Conscience"
Dr. Collins repeated himself, and Vanessa heard him perfectly this time. He said that Ryan was her father's child, and that meant that…she was never going to be rid of him.

"No," Vanessa said, shaking her head. "No! He can't have my baby, he can't!"

"Calm down, Vanessa," Dr. Collins said, touching her arm.

"Don't touch me!" Vanessa shouted, pulling her arm away. "He's going to take my baby, can't you see that? The tests are wrong! They have to be!"

"No," Dr. Collins said. "I'm afraid they're correct. Ryan Phillips is the —"

Vanessa doubled over in pain, clutching her pregnant stomach as Dr. Collins' voice trailed off. Vanessa cried out in pain and tried clutching the edge of the desk next to her, but she missed it, losing her balance. Dr. Collins rushed to Vanessa's side as she collapsed on the floor in the hospital.

Now with Ryan as the father of her unborn child, she agreed to marry him all the while trying to figure out whether or not Ryan and Alexis were involved in Allison's disappearance. Her sister Nikki, and Nikki's husband Marcus, arrived in town for the wedding and were convinced that Vanessa didn't really want to marry Ryan.

She convinced them otherwise and married Ryan. After the ceremony, they departed for their honeymoon in San Francisco. An earthquake caused Vanessa to go into early labor, and she was grateful that Ryan was there as she gave birth to their son Eamon. But Alexis followed them, and the amnesiac young girl regained enough of her memory to reveal that she and Ryan slept together.

Vanessa immediately left San Francisco with Eamon and returned home. She convinced Michael to have Ryan fired and charged with statutory rape. But when Eamon was snatched from his crib, she accused Ryan of the crime until the police discovered that Alexis was responsible. Horrified after discovering that Alexis had just killed her father, Vanessa joined forces with Ryan to get their son back.

Eamon was eventually rescued and Ryan managed to convince the police that Alexis fabricated all of the allegations against him. Vanessa didn't fully believe Ryan though, and made a decision to move to Paris with her sister. She said goodbye to Michael, and then told Ryan that he would always have a role in his son's life, but she needed time to herself for now.

From Episode #145, "Redirection"
Vanessa: "I'm not taking your son away from you, I'm not living there indefinitely, but I need some time to myself. Away from this town."
Ryan: "I'll come with you."
Vanessa: "No, you won't. And I'll forget your near admission of guilt during our honeymoon."
Ryan: "This is blackmail. You're blackmailing me to keep me away from my son? That's disgusting, Vanessa."
Vanessa: "Then I learned from the best... goodbye, Ryan."

Since leaving Marquette Cove, Vanessa has worked as an English tutor in Paris. But she has now returned to Marquette Cove, seeking Michael's help to save Nikki from trouble she recently got into. What has happened to Nikki? Will Vanessa be able to find the help she needs in Marquette Cove? And how will she react when she discovers that Ryan is also back in town?

Back to "300th Week"