Credit: Howard Wise/JPI

The question is, will she take it?

What happens next on The Bold and the Beautiful is not going to seem to Brooke like a good thing. In fact, she’s going to see it as catastrophic. The end of the world. Complete and total disaster. But it is, in fact, a golden opportunity wrapped in a bow and laid at her feet.

Katherine Kelly Lang"The Bold and the Beautiful" Set CBS Television City Los Angeles, Ca. 11/17/21 © Howard Wise/jpistudios.com 310-657-9661 Episode # 8680 U.S.Airdate 01/04/22

No, Brooke, you shouldn’t drink to that.

Credit: Howard Wise/JPI

Destiny Shmestiny

The week of October 10, Brooke arrives in Aspen intent on bringing Ridge home. Rather than tell her that he heard a phone call in which she sicked CPS on Thomas, the dressmaker just asks if she has anything to say to him, per Soap Opera Digest. Since she doesn’t know what he does, she has no clue that she should be defending herself. That being the case, he informs her that he’s staying with wife No. 2, Taylor.

“This has blindsided her,” Katherine Kelly Lang tells the magazine, “and she doesn’t know where it is coming from… She is heartbroken.” And OK, being dumped by your husband in mystifying fashion would be pretty devastating. But, being as keenly aware of Ridge and Brooke’s past, and present, we see in the turn of events the chance of a lifetime.

Katherine Kelly Lang, Thorsten Kaye, Vincent Irizarry"The Bold and the Beautiful" Set CBS Television City Los Angeles, Ca. 08/28/19 © Howard Wise/jpistudios.com 310-657-9661 Episode # 8184 U.S.Airdate 09/24/19

“The test results came back positive, Ridge. You are fickle. Very.”

Credit: Howard Wise/JPI

What Happens Next… and After *That*

Eventually, Brooke will learn about the recording of the call to CPS, right? Her response should be fury. Ridge played games with her rather than just come out and tell her what he thought he knew. At that point, she will surely protest her innocence just as surely as he won’t believe her. Her heard what he heard with his own ears.

Eventually, though — yes, another “eventually” — Ridge is sure to discover that Brooke didn’t place the call. At that point, he’ll go crawling back to Brooke with egg on his face, leaving behind him Taylor with a heart that’s been broken so often that it’s only held together by band-aids. Here’s where things could get surprising.

Brooke outraged B&B

“I shoulda done this ages ago!”

Credit: CBS screenshot

Brooke 2.0

Instead of accept that her “destiny” is a fickle fellow with a mile-wide jealous streak and a tenuous relationship with honesty, Brooke could seize the opportunity to let Ridge stay cut loose and declare herself the most badass solo act in all of L.A.

More: Ridge and Brooke’s tempestuous romantic history [PHOTOS]

How cool would that be? Imagine if Brooke finally realized that she doesn’t need him, or any man, and chose to stand on her own two feet. She could still take lovers, mind you. But they’d be mere playthings. She’d no longer define herself by the couple she’s in.

Also, what an amazing, powerful message for The Bold and the Beautiful to send out into the world! “You are wonderful enough on your own! It doesn’t take another person to make you wonderful! Take charge of your own happiness!”

What do you think? Hit the comments, and on your way, review Brooke’s life story, from “the slut from the Valley” to the mistress of the manor, in the gallery below.