Scenes From a Soap Opera

Victor Confronts His Demons

Victor slowly opened his eyes, suddenly pain free from the splitting headache he'd been dealing with. He looked around and realized he was surrounded by white walls. "Where am I?" He asked out loud. He stood up with an ease he hadn't felt in years. Was he dead?

"Relax, you're not dead." A voice said from behind him. The mustache turned to see Brad Carlton walking towards him. "But I wouldn't shed a tear if you were."

"Bradley?" Victor was confused. If he wasn't dead, how was he talking to Brad Carlton?

"Yes it's me." Brad answered. "Or a hallucination of me from your coma induced brain. Call me your conscience."

Victor was even more confused. "Coma?" He was in a coma? And Brad Carlton of all people was who his brain manifested to be his conscience. That wasn't the voice he heard in his head trying to stop his worst impulses. He was pretty sure he and Adam shared that voice... Hope.

"You had a stroke after your argument with Victoria. But you'll be fine eventually." Brad sounded bitter and very hostile. "My daughter's heart still beats in your undeserving chest." Ah, that explains the hostility.

"Brad, I..." Victor was cut off by a pissed Brad.

"Stop it, I know what you're going to say and I don't want to hear it." He was screaming now. "My daughter is dead because of you. She had her whole life ahead of her and you stole it. All because of your petty, childish grudge against Jack. You're lucky I was already dead because if I was there you would have never gotten that heart."

"I'm sorry. Truly. Colleen was a wonderful girl." Victor apologized and he meant it. He had promised her that he would live his life in honor of her and had broken that promise.

Brad scoffed. There was nothing Victor could say or do to make up for that one. "She was." It took him a moment to gather up his thoughts. "Now, the powers that be have decided that you've earned another chance at redemption. Why I'll never understand, but this is your last chance."

"What does that mean?" The old man asked.

"It means you have one more chance to show why you don't belong in hell." The room briefly flashed red before returning to its usual white.

"He's going to fail." A new voice filled the room. Ashley appeared seemingly out of nowhere. "Victor Newman is destined for hell. I accepted that fact long ago." She walked over to Brad and gave him a hug. "Good to see you again."

"Likewise." Brad returned her sentiments with a smile. It was always nice to see a beautiful face.

"Ashley, how can you say that?" Victor asked his ex-wife, outraged.

Brad and Ashley both rolled their eyes. Typical Victor making it all about him. "Because I've met you." Ashley answered slowly. "I've heard this all before. You promise you'll change and do better, but you backslide you always do." She sighed as she walked around the room. "I don't know why you're even getting this chance. It's a foregone conclusion."

Brad turned to Ashley, "You know you're right. He is going to fail. Victor Newman, good man? Never, not in a million years." They both burst into hysterical laughter.

Victor narrowed his eyes in anger. How dare they assume he would fail? He was Victor Newman, he never failed. "I don't fail, I'm Victor Newman." He replied with much more confidence than he deserved.

Brad and Ashley shared an amused look. "I'll give you the business world, but everywhere else. Uh, you're a failure. A huge failure." Brad stated.

Ashley nodded her head, "It's true. Your personal life is a disaster. I mean you've been married more times than Elizabeth Taylor. Congrats on making it this long with Nikki by the way. And your kids. Your kids are screwed up messes, especially Adam." She was never forgiving him for what he put her through, the sick bastard. "I don't know what I was thinking when I stole your sperm to make Abby. Thank God she had Brad in her life. We might not have made it, but I'll never regret making him her dad."