The Young And The Restless Explainer: Diane's Complicated Love Life
Diane Jenkins' (Susan Walters) love life on "The Young and the Restless" has been a rollercoaster with its fair share of twists and curveballs. Currently engaged to Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman) in the latest July 2023 episodes, their relationship seems stable and faithful, a departure from Diane's past relationships. Their love story began when Diane, a model for Jack's company, fell for him, but his reputation as a womanizer made commitment seem unlikely. Despite her efforts to pursue a deeper connection, Jack's family disapproved of their relationship, leading him to marry someone else.
However, that didn't stop Diane and Jack from having an affair, which had devastating consequences when Jack's then-wife, Patty Williams, suffered a miscarriage when she discovered their infidelity. Jack remained reluctant to commit despite the affair, prompting Diane to give up. Enter Andy Richards (Steven Ford), who became the first of Diane's husbands on "The Young and The Restless." But the problem was both Diane and Jack couldn't let go of their feelings for each other, and their affair continued, even after Diane's marriage.
Diane inevitably left Andy to be with Jack, hoping he might finally be ready to commit. Unfortunately, Diane discovered that he had been encouraging her to leave Andy while having an affair with another woman. Faced with this painful truth, Diane attempted to reconcile with Andy, but he had moved on. She left Genoa City, choosing to start afresh.
Diane Jenkins returns to Genoa City
When Diane Jenkins returned to Genoa City, Jack Abbott pursued her, finally intending to commit to a relationship. However, "Y & R" fans watched his sworn enemy, Victor Newman (Eric Braeden), intervene and exploit Diane's doubts about Jack's intentions. Victor pushed the right buttons and married Diane, but the union didn't last long as Victor divorced her when Nikki Newman (Melody Scott) was available and on her deathbed. He promised to marry her after Nikki's supposed passing, but when Nikki survived, Victor remarried her, leaving Diane scorned once again.
She attempted artificial insemination using Victor's frozen sperm, but Nikki sabotaged the plan by swapping the vials. A subsequent DNA test revealed that the child was not Victor's, so a frustrated and heartbroken Diane left Genoa City again. Diane eventually returned and discovered that Jack was the father of her baby. However, by then, Jack had moved on with Phyllis Summers, Diane's longtime enemy.
Determined to break them apart, Diane used their son Kyle as leverage, but her tactics took a darker turn when she attempted to frame Phyllis for attempted murder. When she was caught, Phyllis and Jack used this opportunity to blackmail her for custody of Kyle. Struggling financially and emotionally, Diane found herself seeking comfort in the arms of Victor Newman once again. However, things got complicated when Victor's son, Nicholas Newman (Joshua Morrow), also developed feelings for her.
Diane Jenkins struggles to make up her mind
Diane Jenkins began a secret relationship with Victor Newman while involved with Nick Newman. When Victor discovered the truth, he proposed to Diane, and she accepted. However, Diane soon caught Victor and Nikki Newman cheating for the second time. She took matters into her own hands and shot incriminating pictures of their affair. Meanwhile, Victor discovered Nikki on a platonic date with her ex-husband and attempted to reconcile with Diane, who was planning to meet another man.
In anger, Victor stripped her of her financial security, leaving Diane desperate for money again. She resorted to blackmailing some of her old flings for money, but when that plan failed, she went to extreme lengths and faked her own death. Diane made a comeback from the dead in 2022 and soon, Jack and Phyllis Summers split, paving the way for Diane and Jack to rekindle their relationship. Despite facing disapproval from their friends and family because of their complicated history, Diane and Jack didn't let it deter them.
They embarked on a relationship free of secrets, a rarity in Genoa City, and seemed determined to make things work this time. Jack surprised everyone by proposing to Diane, who rejected him due to the disapproval they faced. Eventually, Diane accepted and they set their sights on a future together. While we wait in anticipation, we can't help but hope that Diane finally becomes Mrs. Abbot and makes it to the list of Jack Abbott's wives on The Young and The Restless.