'Vanilla Romance' on “Beyond the Gates”

There are many kinds of relationships on the popular soap opera Beyond the Gates that is now in its second season. However, one was described as a “vanilla romance.”

• Madison and Chelsea
• Kat and Tomas
• Eva and Izaiah
• Vanessa and Joey
• Leslie and Detective Marcel Malone
• Tyrell and Jessica

Vanilla Romance

Derek Baldwin (Ben Gavin) and Ashley Morgan (Jen Jacobs) have been in an on-again, off-again relationship since the beginning of the series. Now that it is over, it has been described as a “vanilla romance.”

A vanilla romance is a real thing, but it is just a coincidence that Ashley's nickname on the series is Nurse Vanilla Bean, due to her character's role on the show. It got to the point at one time that fans requested that she and Derek be taken off the show because they were so boring.

Ashley's New Relationship

Jordi Vilasuso joins Fairmont Crest as a mystery man who might get close to Ashley. The Season 2 preview reveals that the nurse is about to plant a kiss on Jordi Vilasuso, the new character.

While the specific details of Vilasuso's role have not been disclosed, promos show him in scenes with Ashley, generating anticipation among soap opera fans. Vilasuso’s addition is being highlighted as a significant moment for the series. He is being described as a “mystery man.” However, a source identified him as a detective like Jacob.

Soap fans know Vilasuso from his roles as Tony Santos on Guiding Light, Rey Rosales on The Young and the Restless, Griffin Castillo on All My Children, and Dario Hernandez on Days of Our Lives. The man has been on practically every soap, and now he’s bringing his talents to CBS’s newest daytime drama.

Ashley’s Love Interest

Ashley recently broke off her engagement with firefighter Derek. One of the reasons for the breakup had to do with her feelings for Andre, who is now married to former supermodel Dani Dupree (Karla Mosley). So this means that Ashley isn’t just moving on from Derek. She is finally moving on from Andre as well.

Ashley has been through it lately, pulling away from Andre and dumping Derek, so her love life is definitely due for an upgrade. Vilasuso's character will help turn her personal life and love life around in 2026. Reviewers will see if she will have to give up her Nurse Vanilla Bean title for something more appealing.

Future of Derek's Character

Ashley made her final decision to leave Derek after finding out he lied about his progress in rehab after his motorcycle accident. Even though he regained strength in his legs and could walk, he sat in a wheelchair while deceiving Ashley. When the nurse found out, she decided she had had enough and left Derek for the final time. Fans were glad to see the end of the Derek and Ashley saga.

The future of Derek's character is up in the air, and it doesn't look good for him. According to Liberty City on the social media platform X:

“Ben Gavin, who plays firefighter Derek Baldwin, is off contract with the CBS soap.“

It looks like Gavin has been dropped down to recurring status with the show, which isn’t a good thing, but it might not necessarily mean he’s leaving the daytime drama, either. For the time being, he is off contract. His future is very much up in the air. Fans would not be disappointed if he is being removed from the series, especially since Jordi Vilasuso is coming on Beyond the Gates.