Part 5 - The Portofino Challenge

The death of Taylor Hamilton Hayes Forrester Forrester had put an end to Ridge's ego trip. For now anyway …

Eric was right there along side his grieving son at the hospital during that long night after his wife died, and later when Ridge told his children about their mother's death.

Eric was also the only one who knew that a "swift kick in his butt" is what Ridge needs to rejoin the land of the living. As he told both Stephanie and Brooke when they were in his office bickering about Ridge's needs.

Armed with a fasion mag, Eric stormed Sally's office with a furious Stephanie at his heels trying to stop him. Pointing at a Spectra ad, Eric accused Sally of again knocking off his designs.

An indignant Ridge claimed that it is not a rip off, but a Ridge Forrester original. Eric "refused" to believe that Ridge is capable of producing such a design without Eric's guidance, and challenged Ridge to come to Portofino, Italy with 7 of his best designs, to compete against Eric's 7 best designs. The fire was ignited in Ridge's eyes and he accepted the challenge.

It didn't take Ridge long to realize that Eric was not being selfish but selfless, and he rushed over to Eric's office to thank his dad for giving him a reason to get up in the morning.

Eric & Ridge playfully kept the pretence of competing in press conferences and in private.

But at the end of the fashion show, when the judges were ready to announce the winner, Ridge stopped them. In a very emotional speech, Ridge announced himself as the winner for having Eric as his father. He thanked Eric for helping him to go through the worst time of his life, and named Eric as the real champion. Father and son bonded to Massimo's dismay.