Charles Victor Howard
Actor History
J. Eddie Peck (April 2, 1992 to November 16, 1999)
Lifeline
Born 1974
Returned in 1992 and was said to be 18.
Occupation
Professor at Oxford University
Novelist
Resides At
Oxford, England
Last known Marital Status
Single
Past Marriages
Victoria Newman [Married in 1994,Divorced 1998]
Ashley Abbott [Married in 1998, Divorced 1999]
Relatives
Eve Howard (mother)
Rick Daros (father)
Children
Eve Howard (daughter; with Victoria; deceased)
Flings & Affairs
Nikki Newman
Nina Webster
Ashley Abbott
Crimes Committed
Unknown
Brief Character History
Victor Newman got jealous of his wife, Julia, and had a one-night stand with his secretary, Eve Howard, in retaliation. Not long afterward, Eve was banished to one of Victor's companies in another city. Then years later, in 1980, Eve returned to Genoa City and became roommates with Jill Foster. Eve and her friend Max plotted to kill Victor by poisoning him so that her son Charles, who she claimed was Victor's son, could inherit his wealth. Julia overheard the plot and informed Victor. Too late, he had already been poisoned, but an antidote was found. To entrap Eve, Julia told her that Victor was dead and that his body was going to be exhumed for an autopsy. Victor and the police caught them both digging up his fake grave. Max was impaled by a pitchfork when he fell against it in shock, and Eve ended up in a mental hospital. Eve escaped and returned again in 1984, attempted to interrupt Victor's wedding to Nikki, was captured, and again incarcerated.
In 1992, Charles arrived in Genoa City, a young aspiring novelist, who went by his middle name of Cole. Victor was then presumed dead (but was really in Kansas with Hope Adams), his grieving "widow," Nikki, hired Cole as a stable hand, and he took up residence in the tack house. It wasn't long before Nikki accepted consolation from Cole. To show her appreciation to Cole, Nikki introduced him to Tracey Abbott's New York Publisher, Steve Connelly, who agreed to publish Cole's first novel. Victoria told Cole she was interested in him, but instead Cole pursued an affair with Nikki. When Victoria learned of their involvement, she told Cole of her love for him and he realized it was mutual. Soon after, Cole wrote to his mother, Eve, saying he had fallen for Victor Newman's daughter. Eve was upset at receiving Cole's letter because she believed Cole had fallen for his half-sister. She quickly arranged a trip to Genoa City, but became ill and slipped into a coma. Although Cole was worried about his mother's health, he proceeded with his plans to elope with Victoria. Eve briefly regained consciousness, but died before she had a chance to tell Cole that Victor was his father. Not long after Eve's funeral, Cole and Victoria eloped to Las Vegas.
Victor and Nikki were shocked at the elopement, and when they returned Victor was forced to tell them that Cole was Victor's son, so they regretfully annulled their marriage. While going through Eve's belongings, Victor discovered a letter from Rick Daros to her, which cast doubt on Victor being Cole's father. Victor immediately arranged to have blood tests run on Cole, Rick, and Eve's corpse. When Nikki tried to resume her romance with Cole, a devastated Victoria left town before she had learned that Cole had rebuffed her mom. Receiving confirmation that he was not Cole's father, Victor and Cole immediately tracked Victoria down. Cole shared the good news with Victoria and they returned to Genoa City, where they arranged to remarry. Vickie had to admit that while in New York she had posed for a centerfold, one she was notified had been published. Cole still married her, and daddy Victor brought up all the issues of the magazine and had them destroyed. He then purchased the company that published the magazine and fired the publisher. Rather than attend college, Victoria opted to take a job at Jabot, working with Ryan.
Victoria and Cole lived in the Newman Ranch tack house where Cole had been living while working as the Newman stable hand. Cole helped Victoria get over her sexual inhibitions she had with her annulled husband Ryan. A year later, Victoria became jealous of the time that Cole spent with his editor, Jeri Paulsen, on a writing project. But Jeri became a non-issue when Cole made it clear that he loved Victoria. Jeri, who actually had been making advances to Cole, accepted this and returned to her life in New York. Then it wasn't long before Victoria began enjoying secret kisses with Ryan at work. Ironically, Cole was also falling for Ryan's wife, Nina, who was working as his research assistant. When Nina witnessed Ryan kissing Victoria, she ordered him out of their home. Meanwhile, following Victor's orders, Cole asked Victoria to give their marriage another chance and she agreed. Even though Cole made it clear to Nina that he wanted to remain married to Victoria, Nina struggled to fight her attraction for him.
Feeling backed into a corner, Victoria left town for a while to sort out her life. Upset by his wife's extended absence, Cole decided to move out, but changed his mind when Victoria suddenly returned home from Europe and seemed committed to saving their marriage. However, a few months later, Victoria suddenly left town again, this time for business reasons. Meanwhile, Ashley Abbott agreed to let Cole create his new novel around her. During the time spent together researching the book, Ashley and Cole became close and shared several kisses. Cole eventually confided to Ashley that he didn't know how much longer he could accept Victoria's extended absence. Victoria returned home unexpectedly and was surprised to see Cole and Ashley kissing through the window. Victoria separated from Cole and moved back into her old bedroom in the ranch house. Meanwhile, she and Ashley competed for Cole's affections.
Victoria then found herself pregnant with Cole's child, and they got a divorce without him knowing. Later, when Cole learned of Victoria's pregnancy, he had a hard time believing that the baby was not his. Cole confronted Victoria with his suspicion, but she lied and said she wasn't pregnant. Later, having a sudden change of heart, Victoria told Cole that she was pregnant and that he was the father. Soon after, Victoria suffered stomach cramps and was rushed to the hospital by Neil Winters, who had become her confidant. When Cole visited Victoria at the hospital, she told him she lost the baby. After Cole left, Victoria thanked her doctors for keeping her secret. Later, Victoria confided to Neil that she was still pregnant. Victoria was touched when Neil offered to marry her and be the father of her baby.
Olivia urged Victoria to tell Cole she was pregnant. Ashley started to tell Cole about Victoria's condition but changed her mind when he surprised her with a marriage proposal. Cole personally broke his engagement news to Victoria. Neil showed his support by offering for her to move in with him. Later, Neil confided to Malcolm that he wanted to divorce his estranged wife, Dru, so that he could marry Victoria. Meanwhile, Victoria admitted to Cole that she was still pregnant with his baby. Upset by the turn of events, Ashley warned Victoria not to use the baby to manipulate Cole. After sharing a hug with Victoria, Nikki realized Victoria was pregnant. Alone with Victoria, Cole said he intended to be a father to their baby, but added he was following through on his plans to marry Ashley.
Victoria stunned Cole and Ashley by showing up at their wedding. Later, Victoria interrupted Cole and Ashley's wedding night to say that Cole could use the tack room as an office and told him that she felt the baby kick for the first time. After giving Neil's marriage proposal thought, Victoria accepted. Victoria began suffering from abdominal pains, her appendix ruptured, and she was rushed into surgery. The doctors also delivered Vicki's baby girl by cesarean. After regaining consciousness, Victoria learned that her baby's health was in jeopardy. Neil watched as Cole comforted a nervous Victoria. Later, Victoria confessed to Cole that she had deliberately gotten pregnant. While their baby struggled for her life, Victoria told Cole she wanted to name her Eve, after his mother. When the doctors refused to let Victoria see the baby in the nursery, a tearful Victoria persuaded Cole to carry her there. Soon after, their baby died. Neil left Victoria and Cole alone to grieve. Victoria and Cole held a memorial service for their baby. When Victoria was released from the hospital, Neil wanted her to come home with him. Instead, Victoria chose to recuperate at Nikki's. Victoria felt comfortable with Nikki because she had also suffered the pain of losing a baby. Victoria and Neil broke off their engagement shortly afterward, with Victoria reassuring Neil that her decision didn't have anything to do with her feelings for him.
Then Ashley went to Paris on business, but when Cole arrived to surprise her for New Years Eve, she was nowhere to be found. Ashley turned up in Madrid where she got involved rescuing her stepbrother, Rafael. She sold some stock to buy back forged paintings he had painted and sold. Since Cole was following her around Europe, always a step behind, he assumed she was having an affair with this unknown man, Rafael. Victoria, bent on breaking up their marriage, joined them in Europe and hooked up with Rafael. When everyone finally returned to Genoa City, Victoria left Rafael a ticket to follow them, which he did. In a last-ditch attempt to save her jeopardized marriage, Ash decided to have a baby. Cole instead took a teaching position at Oxford University in England, and divorced Ashley.
