NASH'S PRE-TESS HISTORY

NOTE: Nash first aired on OLTL on July 7th, 2005. This page covers what backstory viewers later learned about what Nash's life was like before that day.

Nash Brennan had a difficult childhood -- he never knew his biological parents and was raised in the foster-care system. As a result, he never had a family to call his own.

By the time Nash was in his early 20s, he had decided that his dream in life was to travel to Napa Valley, California, where he wanted to run a vineyard. But as a young man, he didn't have the funds to make that dream a reality. He instead lived a modest life in New York City.

One night, when he was out clubbing, he met a wealthy socialite named Claudia Reston, who was in quite a partying mood -- Nash soon found himself in theback of her limo, downing expensive champagne. Nash quickly realized that Claudia was spending her family's money as if it didn't even matter and that if she wanted to throw some his way, he wouldn't complain. So he decided to hook up with her for easy sex and money.

Nash and Claudia dated for six months, but during that time, Nash did not fall in love with her. In fact, he never took their relationship seriously because he didn't like her most of the time on account of her spoiled, selfish attitude. That attitude was part of the reason he didn't mind using her for her family's wealth. But he was also motivated to stay with her because the Restons were a wine family and had been for generations. He learned a lot about the business from Claudia's father, George.

What Nash failed to realize was that Claudia was genuinely in love with him and that that was why she so eagerly gave him money. When George found out how much Claudia was giving Nash, he became outraged and cut off Nash's funds. Then, with no incentive to stay in the relationship, Nash dumped Claudia. Claudia was devastated and attempted suicide by downing a bottle of pills. Though she ultimately survived, she had a nervous breakdown and became further dependent on medication. George then had Claudia admitted to a rehab clinic, where she remained for several months.

Nash, shaken by his experience with Claudia, beat himself up over the way he'd hurt her. And the Restons certainly were not going to let him forget it -- they were out for his blood. Nash realized that he would need a powerful lawyer to go up against the Restons on his behalf. Using his connections, he learned one day about a party in the Hamptons being thrown by just such a lawyer: Bruce Bartlett, a friend of one of Nash's buddies. Nash resolved to go to the party to ask for Bruce's help.

On the way there, however, he was waylaid by a beautiful woman named Tess, who tried to sweet-talk him into buying her lunch....


To read about Nash's relationship with Tess/Jessica Buchanan, click here.