Exclusive: Jacqueline MacInnes Wood On The B&B Twists That Leave Steffy 'Betrayed'

Howard Wise/jpistudios.com

Three's A Crowd: Ridge's (Thorsten Kaye) announcement leaves Steffy (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) furious — and hurt.

Steffy is left reeling when she learns that Sheila is back on the streets once again, released after being questioned about her possible role in the murders of Tom and Hollis. Sums up Jacqueline MacInnes Wood (Steffy), "Steffy is like, 'Come on !' She’d like to think this can’t be happening but by now she knows that with Sheila anything is possible."

Steffy is further rankled when Finn relays to her that he now believes that his biological mother is, indeed, innocent. "In Steffy’s opinion, for being so damn smart, Finn can sometimes be clueless," MacInnes asserts. "He, of course, broaches this very carefully with Steffy, in a very 'what if she is innocent?' kind of way. And asks Steffy to consider what Sheila’s motive would be for killing them." But, Wood says, "Steffy doesn’t think Sheila needs a motive. She’s clearly a murdering sociopath."

While being on the opposite side of a Sheila-related issue isn't ideal for Steffy, it's also nothing new. "It doesn’t make her view their marriage differently," Wood says. "She knows that until Sheila is gone for good Finn will always be pulled towards her. This has frustrated Steffy, but she doesn’t love Finn any less." The actress adds, "Steffy does love Finn. But how many times can Steffy go through this with Finn before being completely worn down by it?"

Steffy has yet more fish to fry as the week continues and she learns that Ridge is making Brooke the face of Brooke’s Bedroom. "Furious would not begin to describe it," Wood teases of Steffy's reaction. "Steffy has made it clear how she feels about Brooke and the Logans regarding Ridge and her family. She does not hold back from Ridge at how frustrated she is. Clearly, this is not a good week for Steffy in terms of feeling betrayed by the two men she loves more than anything."

Certainly not — particularly as Ridge reveals to Steffy that he is taking Brooke to the upcoming fashion summit in Monte Carlo. Steffy "absolutely" finds this hurtful, since she was expecting the trip to be a special one for her and her dad. "She thought that she and her dad would be representing Forrester Creations by day and, by night, having much-needed father-daughter time together in beautiful Monaco without the pressing issues of real life surrounding them," Wood notes. So, she says, Brooke's sudden inclusion leaves Steffy feeling "frustrated, hurt, and very disappointed."

According to Wood, "This [development with Brooke] hurt a lot because she didn’t see it coming. She wasn’t consulted, and she’s still co-CEO. And on the heels of Finn and Sheila, it is just a lot."

Ridge urges Steffy to put the past in the past, and to give both Brooke and the Brooke's Bedroom line a chance. In response, says Wood, "She does speak her mind to Ridge, but she tones it down from the internal, 'Ummm… No !' she’s screaming in her head." Wood doesn't believe Steffy could bring herself to fulfill Ridge's request and move forward with a clean slate, explaining, "Given the history, it’s doubtful. Steffy sees Brooke as the one who has consistently come between her parents and broken up her family. There is that saying, 'Insanity is repeating the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.' Steffy doesn’t feel Brooke will ever change."

By week's end, all of this mounting tension leads to a heated showdown between Steffy and Hope. "It’s really good story," Wood enthuses. "Brad [Bell, head writer/executive producer] and the writing team deliver great material for Steffy and Hope’s ongoing feud. I don’t want to give too much away because I hope fans will tune in to see everything that leads up to this and how it plays out."

As for the developing attraction that Hope is harboring toward Finn, thus far, Steffy is in the dark about it — but if that were to change, it seems clear that the Steffy/Hope animosity would balloon to a whole new level. Says Wood, "I think that Steffy feels that Hope is attempting to influence Steffy and Finn’s marriage because of Sheila, and Hope’s insane thinking that Sheila and Hope’s father, Deacon, have both turned a new leaf. But I don’t think Steffy has any clue that Hope is regularly fantasizing about Finn. When that truth is revealed to Steffy…. Hope better be far, far away!"