me ... Me ... MEEEEEE !!!
If Eric believed that son no. 1 is satisfied with being head designer (Isn't Eric supposed to be Forrester's head designer ???), and one day owning less then 10% of the company, there came Mass and proved him wrong.
After receiving a mysterious package with a very small slice of pie, Ridge barged into Eric's office and demanded to be given 50% of Forrester's stock (Scuse me Ridge, but did you forget that your parents own only 49% of the said shares thanks to your incompetence ???). So he will be the one calling the shots and not Rick and Bridget. (Hey, since when Rick & Bridget became the enemy ???).
Stephanie of course sided with Ridge, but Eric was adamant. As much as he appreciates Ridge's hard work and contribution to the company, the shares will be divided equally between ALL his children.
Ridge's promotion to temporary CEO should have dissolved the tension, if only it hadn't gone to Ridge's head.
Eric was proud in his son the CEO, but at the same time he was upset at the way Ridge "handled" baby brother Rick. No wonder that Eric applauded Rick when he bested Ridge in a later board meeting.
Ridge's tenure as Forrester's CEO ended when he staged a failed coup attempt, trying to transfer control from Brooke to the board members. Initially Eric voted with Ridge in spite of Rick's pleadings.
But after Massimo tipped Rick to Ridge's plans and Brooke succeeded in preventing the coup, Eric crossed the lines and sided with Brooke & their children in the name of family unity.
Ridge started drifting away from Eric as an aftermath of Ridge's failed coup attempt, because of Eric's refusal to contest Ridge's demotion from CEO to "only" head designer. Eric's farther refusal to join Ridge's "war" against Brooke & her "new face of Forrester" earned Eric the pleasure NOT of being accused by his eldest son of betrayal and back stabbing. (Well Ridge, it serves you right for forcing your father to choose between you and your half brother.)
Later Ridge had the gall to blame Eric for loosing the control over Forrester Creations to Brooke, and to announce that he feels like the blood in his veins isn't Eric's.
Is that right Ridge ??? Let me remind you of a few historical facts that you have conveniently forgotten:
1. If your dear mother was a loving caring wife instead of the cold witch that she was back then, and still is - then Eric wouldn't have looked for greener pastures;
2. If during Eric's marriage to Brooke you would have kept your paws off of Brooke, and dear Stephanie would have kept her nose out of their marriage - maybe they would have stayed married and the whole issue of who owns the right to BeLieF would have been mute;
3. And last but not least - wasn't it you dear, the one who forgot to sign Brooke on 2 copies of the rights agreement and left with her the only signed copy after dumping her for Taylor ???
Eric couldn't understand where Ridge's talk about "war is good" came from. It wasn't something he taught him. So Eric decided to teach his errand son a lesson.
Ridge's childish ultimatum over Amber's sleazy design "make me CEO or I'll resign", gave Eric the perfect opportunity for that lesson. Looking Ridge in the eye, Eric put the resignation to a vote.
Brooke, Thorne & Kristen voted in favor of accepting the resignation, and Stephanie voted against. Still looking Ridge in the eye and daring him to back off Eric voted "aye".
Ridge was stunned. He couldn't believe that his own father will vote him out of the family's company.
Looks like Ridge dear was too absorbed in his own quest for glory, to hear Eric berating him for being a spoiled brat and causing all this mayhem for his own ego, and not to restore Eric's dream. (Good for you Eric, I'll scream if I'll have to hear Ridge whining one more time about Eric's dream, and him being Forrester's blood & soul.)
Later that day, Ridge got into a fist fight with Rick & Deacon and injured his drawing hand. (It's not smart to call your half SIL "trailer trash" to her face, even if it's true.)
Eric hurried to the hospital to be at his injured son's side, but he shouldn't bothered. Mass already talked Ridge & Stephanie into leaving Eric for him. Eric pleaded with them but to no avail. The intoxicating smell of the power that Mass offered Ridge, overwhelmed his loyalty to the man who raised and loved him for the last 40 years.
