NASH'S BIOGRAPHY

[Note: This biography will cover what is known about Nash's past before July 7th, 2005, which is when he first aired on "One Life to Live."]


Nash Brennan had a difficult childhood. When he was a baby, his parents worried that they wouldn't be able to give him a good life, so he was raised in the foster care system (and never knew who his biological parents were). He was bounced from foster home to foster home, and as a result he never had a real family to call his own. Young Nash learned to sustain himself on his life-long dream of eventually owning and operating his own winery in Napa Valley, California.

When Nash was in his early 20s, he was hurting for money and living a modest life in New York City. One night while he was out clubbing, he met a wealthy socialite named Claudia Reston. Nash quickly realized that Claudia was spending her money as if it didn't matter. So he decided to hook up with her for easy access to sex and cash.

Nash and Claudia dated for six months. Nash didn't take the relationship seriously at all -- by his own admission, he was never in love with her. Most of the time, he didn't even like her (she was a spoiled brat). So he didn't feel guilty over taking her for a "long, expensive ride." Nash was also eager to remain involved with the Restons because they were a wine family and had been for generations. Since he was still eager to open up his own winery one day, he used his relationship with Claudia as a way to learn about the wine business from her father, George Reston.

What Nash didn't realize was that Claudia had fallen genuinely in love with him. Whenever he asked her for money, she gave it to him eagerly. That is, until George Reston found out. Mr. Reston quickly cut off Nash's funds, and Nash, with no incentive to stay in the relationship, dumped Claudia. A devastated Claudia then attempted suicide by downing a bottle of pills. The attempt was thwarted -- she was found and rushed to the emergency room -- but the overall experience caused her to have a nervous breakdown. She also became hooked on the pills she was given at the hospital. Mr. Reston discovered Claudia's addiction and put her in a rehab clinic, where she remained for several months.

Nash, shaken by all that had happened, beat himself up over the way he'd hurt Claudia. The Restons, in particular, were not about to let him forget what he'd done -- they were out for his blood. Nash realized that he would need a powerful lawyer to go up against the family on his behalf.

So one hot day in July 2005, he found out about a party in the Hamptons that was being thrown by such a lawyer: Bruce Bartlett, a friend of one of Nash's buddies. Nash resolved to go to the party, where he planned to try to convince Bruce to go to bat for him against the Restons. On the way there, he met a beautiful woman named Tess, who tried to sweet-talk him into buying her lunch....