Young and the Restless has Tessa Porter (Cait Fairbanks) and Daniel Romalotti (Michael Graziadei) getting intimate while Mariah Copeland (Camryn Grimes) is getting pulled back down Ian Ward (Ray Wise)’s dark path.
I suspect Mariah is eventually going to break out of this mental health spiral, but by the time she does, will her leaving Tessa and Aria behind cost her everything? Mariah might be in for one big shocker. We’re going to talk about what happens if Tessa is pregnant with Daniel’s baby by the time Mariah returns.
The Heartbreaking Breakdown of Mariah and Tessa’s Marriage on Young and the Restless
Right now, Tessa is getting in deeper with Daniel. As far as Tessa’s concerned, she fought as hard as she could for her marriage, but Mariah just completely bailed on Tessa and Aria. It was Mariah who insisted on moving out. It was Mariah who did the documents to legally separate from Tessa.
Without a conversation, without any back and forth, Mariah just went and did it. Tessa was hurt, but she was trying to be sympathetic. And then Mariah up and left for that clinic in Boston. When Tessa came to visit, Mariah wasn’t very receptive to her and wasn’t very nice to Tessa. Then Mariah blocked her from visiting completely.
Young and the Restless: Mariah Goes Too Far
What made things so much worse was Mariah checked herself out of the clinic. She didn’t tell Tessa, and she didn’t tell anybody else. Mariah just took off. She’s not answering her phone. When Tessa called, Mariah texted once confirming that she checked out of the clinic but not giving any more information.
The tracking app that Tessa has for their family tracking shows that Mariah is headed south, even further away from her and Aria. Plus, Mariah didn’t even take the video call on Christmas when Tessa tried to let Aria see her other mom. At this point, Tessa really doesn’t think Mariah is ever coming home to them.
Tessa Porter and Daniel Romalotti Find Comfort Together
Tessa told Daniel she’s given up on her marriage because Mariah gave up on them as well. So, Tessa was really the only one fighting for their marriage, and Mariah doesn’t want anything to do with her. Tessa’s not going to keep going on like that, and she’s spoken with a lawyer. She’s ready to get the ball rolling on divorce proceedings from Mariah.
The bottom line is Daniel makes Tessa happy. She said she feels more safe with him than she has in a long time. He’s a really good guy, and Daniel’s been there for her every step of the way during this whole thing with Mariah.
Plus, Daniel and Tessa moved slowly. They were just friends, and when Daniel was grieving, Tessa was helping him through it. Daniel and Tessa were just friends for a good long while before they started smooching here and there. Daniel only recently took Tessa to bed on New Year’s Eve when she asked him to. Tessa wanted to feel good again and move past her heartbreak.
Mariah Copeland’s Mental Health Spiral and the Return of Ian Ward on Young and the Restless
Anyway, even though it’s painful for Tessa to end her marriage to Mariah, it definitely looks like Tessa is absolutely ready to fully move forward with Daniel. She wants to be happy and feel loved, and it definitely looks like she and Daniel could be on the fast track to getting serious.
Of course, Tessa has no idea what’s really going on with Mariah and how bad it is. Tessa thinks Mariah just abandoned her and Aria and doesn’t care about them. But the fact is Mariah does miss Tessa and Aria, and she wants them back. But this Ian Ward hallucination that she’s manifesting is stopping her.
Currently on Young and the Restless, Mariah is being haunted by Ian all the time. Now, all of us know he is really alive, but Mariah and everybody else in Genoa City still think he’s dead. At this point, it seems like it’s Mariah’s brain taunting her by hallucinating Ian. But at some point, since he really is alive, we could see Mariah back with the villain and under his control.
The Path Cult and Mariah’s Dangerous New Direction
Either way, Ian is pulling Mariah back down a dark path. I think she’s going to wind up back with Ian or what’s left of Ian’s cult. Y&R keeps using these words in dialogue between Ian and Mariah: “the path.” That’s what they keep saying when he’s talking to Mariah, and that was the name of his cult.
Ian has convinced Mariah in her brain that she needs to put Tessa and Aria behind her so she can do what’s right, so she can follow the path. Ian is dressed up like a priest. He’s reciting scriptures. He’s telling Mariah she has to do what needs to be done.
The last time we saw Mariah, it looked like Ian had her really convinced. She tore up the picture of her, Tessa, and Aria and threw it in the trash. Then Mariah said as long as she believes, nothing can go wrong.
Y&R 2026 Spoilers: Legal Trouble and a Shocking Pregnancy Theory
But it sounds like things are going to go very wrong for Mariah because Y&R spoilers for 2026 say there’s going to be a mystery with Devon Hamilton (Bryton James) and Abby Newman (Melissa Ordway) tied to Mariah, Tessa, and Daniel. Christine Williams (Lauralee Bell) gets involved because somebody needs her legal expertise when they’re in trouble.
I’m wondering if it’s Mariah that’s going to need legal help because Ian or the cult members get Mariah to do something illegal. Either way, it seems certain that Tessa is going to see Mariah again sooner rather than later. Tessa is going to be thrown for one heck of a loop if Mariah comes back saying she loves Tessa and never wanted to leave her and Aria.
Young and the Restless: Major Shocker Ahead
Since Tessa and Daniel just made love, and I expect them to keep doing that, and because she had been sleeping with a woman, she’s probably not on birth control. So, there is a chance that Tessa could turn up pregnant. That would be a wild twist for her and Daniel.
Of course, he’d be thrilled if he and Tessa made a baby. I think his daughter, Lucy Romalotti (Lily Brooks O’Briant), might be thrilled about it. Of course, Daniel’s mom, Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford), would have a fit, but she’s always having a fit all the time.
The Soapiest Outcome: Will Tessa Choose Daniel or Mariah?
If Tessa does wind up pregnant, she might find out she’s carrying Daniel’s baby right as Mariah pops back into her life, because, of course, that would be the soapiest outcome. Obviously, Tessa would be conflicted if Mariah came back and wanted to reunite and said she never wanted to leave her, but the fact is she did abandon Tessa and Aria.
I think Tessa would take some convincing before she would ever consider reuniting with Mariah. And if Tessa is pregnant with Daniel’s child, that would complicate any decision Tessa makes about a reunion. Obviously, she loves Mariah, but she’s starting to move past her, and I think she is falling for Daniel.
I don’t know if Tessa would give up the happiness she has with Daniel and risk getting hurt again by Mariah. But if it does play out this way, Tessa will obviously have a big decision to make. So, we’ll see what happens.
