An explainer for The Bold and the Beautiful viewers after the episode of Friday, October 9, 2026.
When Ridge asked Zende if he understood how lucky he was, Zende said he thinks about it every day — the orphanage, the birth parents and little brother he watched waste away, and the woman who walked in and changed his life. “She saved me,” he said of Kristen. Minutes later he gave his notice.
Zende says the family does not talk about it. Here is all of it, in order.
The timeline
2001 — a honeymoon in Africa. Kristen Forrester, daughter of Eric and Stephanie, is on her honeymoon with designer Tony Dominguez when the couple meet a boy named Zende, who leads them to the orphanage where he lives. His parents had died of AIDS, and then his younger brother did too. Zende is first seen on December 11, 2001, played by Daniel E. Smith.
2001–2002 — the adoption. Back in Los Angeles, Kristen and Tony cannot leave him behind. They return to Africa and adopt him, and he takes both their names: Zende Forrester Dominguez. Soap Central’s character history puts him at 10 years old in March 2002.
The detail Friday’s speech never spelled out: Tony had recently learned he was HIV-positive. In the show’s history, that is part of why he felt such a strong connection to a boy who had lost his whole family to the disease.
2002 — Florida. The family moves away from Los Angeles; Smith’s run ends on May 16, 2002.
October 21, 2005 — a visit. Zende is back for his father’s AIDS benefit and meets his cousins Steffy and Phoebe.
June 29, 2015 — the adult Zende. Now played by Rome Flynn, he returns as an intern at Forrester Creations, falls for Nicole Avant and gets tangled up with Sasha Thompson.
2017 — the wedding and the exit. Zende marries Nicole at the Forrester mansion, with Kristen and Tony there for it. A job at Forrester International takes the couple to Paris; Flynn’s last episode airs September 8, 2017.
October 7, 2020 — the third Zende. Delon de Metz takes over as Zende comes home without Nicole. He pursues Zoe Buckingham, then falls for her sister Paris — who chooses Carter. Later he and R.J. compete for Eric’s mentorship.
2024 — the low point with R.J. Soap Central’s history records that Zende slept with Luna Nozawa, R.J.’s girlfriend at the time, and that she had not consented. It is the darkest chapter of the cousins’ rivalry.
October 9, 2026 — the speech. Zende tells Ridge and Eric that favorites have always existed at Forrester, that R.J. was handed a line in record time, and that despite his gratitude he still feels like an outsider. Eric’s answer: “You’re Kristen’s son. You’re my grandson.” Michael Fairman TV named de Metz its Power Performance of the Week for the scene.
Almost 25 years after that honeymoon, Zende’s question is bigger than one design line: did being adopted into this family ever put him on equal footing with Ridge’s sons?
What’s next
According to Soaps.com’s spoilers, Zende rethinks his decision to leave Forrester for Logan on Monday, and on Tuesday he gives Ridge an ultimatum. Soaps.com has also wondered whether all this talk of his parents could lead to a visit from Kristen and Tony — a question, not an announcement. Nothing has been confirmed.
Your turn: After everything in this timeline, is Zende right to feel like an outsider — or is Eric right that he has always belonged?
Sources: The Bold and the Beautiful, CBS, episode of October 9, 2026 (our recap); Soaps.com on Zende’s origin story; Soap Central character history; Michael Fairman TV; Soaps.com weekly spoilers.