Is Steffy Forrester right? Is Hope Logan manipulating Carter Walton on Bold and the Beautiful? (Speculation)

When Hope Logan and Carter Walton started getting more than friendly on The Bold and the Beautiful, it seemed like a genuine (if rushed) relationship was getting off the ground. And, while that could still be the case, the past few episodes have been raising red flags for me regarding Hope's true intentions when it comes to Carter and this sudden play to take Forrester Creations.

The recently fired Logan wasn't the one to come up with the idea to have Carter sign his name on the LLC documents to take control of the company, he was the mastermind behind that plan, but she's certainly been pushing it every time he wavers. On Monday, Nov. 18's episode, Hope repeatedly put the contract before Carter and made her case for why they should steal the fashion firm right from under Steffy and Ridge.

Then, on Tuesday, Nov. 19's episode, she couched her reasoning in the belief that she and Carter were really fighting back against Steffy's supposed tyranny and Ridge's allowance of it. Hope made assumptions about why Carter's idea to turn FC into a global conglomerate was shut down, stating that in truth they weren't moving forward with his business plan because they didn't come up with it themselves.

It was a galling claim considering Steffy, Ridge, and Eric Forrester have given Carter the same speech, more than once, on why they don't want to be a conglomerate. They've mentioned the freedom they find in being independent and that they're not beholden to a board. They're proud that they're not in debt and are wary of taking on loans and investors to make Carter's plans possible. Finally, they actually have no interest in delving into different markets or expanding their reach.

Every reason they gave is valid, and they did actually listen to him, they just don't agree with his ideas for the future of the company, which should be fine. Yet, somehow it's not and it's leading to Carter truly contemplating taking Forrester instead of simply leaving to build the business he clearly wants. For Hope to also say Carter is undervalued and unappreciated when he's the COO, making him the second-in-command at FC, is wild.

But he ate up everything she was saying like it held truth and left the cabin to try one more time to convince the father-daughter duo to see things his way while Hope anxiously awaited news. It's hard not to see this as Hope trying to get her line back through Carter's efforts. The two of them keep saying "we" but he's the only one with something on the line. She lost her job and her brand. Carter is still employed by the company and only his name is on the contract that makes it possible for "them" to launch a coup.

She very well could plead ignorance if this blows up in Carter's face and, if she does, so much for him having her heart. They're simply hoping that neither Ridge nor Steffy look at the paperwork because they trust their COO. The whole storyline is galling especially as Carter accuses Steffy of making a personal decision when she fired Hope when the only reason he's fighting so hard for her is because he's interested in her. The same goes for why he's really about to try to steal Forrester Creations, they don't agree with him.

It's been a ride and a half listening to the Logans bring up Hope's "life work" via the Hope for the Future line while she and Carter are discussing reaping the benefits of Eric's life work and taking it from him. As well as the concern over the backlash the company could get if they move forward with publicly acknowledging Hope's dismissal but there being not a word on how bad it would be for both Carter and Hope to stage a coup as if the fashion world would just accept it without a lot of bad press and longtime vendors cutting ties with FC under their regime.

We'll soon learn how this storyline will shake out, but I do hope the Forresters prevail because what Carter and Hope have planned is some nonsense. How is taking a company easier than owning up to your romantic relationship so this can all be settled? A mess!

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