Options for the Brooke/Hope storyline.
I know a lot of people aren't thrilled about this story, but I'm enjoying it because we're finally getting some fashion drama, which is what B&B is supposed to be based around. Some of my favorite storylines from the 80s/90s involve fashion betrayals and all that fun stuff.
This storyline seems like it is designed to move Hope from Forrester to Logan, which should be a no-brainer for Hope considering how horribly she's been treated, but B&B likes to drag these things out, or hide what's really going on through classic distraction.
These are the options I see, based on where the story is going so far. I'm ranking them in order of least likely to most likely in my opinion.
Option 1: This entire story is actually designed to move STEFFY from Forrester to Logan. This seems like the most unlikely to me, but if Ridge were to remove Steffy, I could see her getting pissed like Eric did and leaving Forrester. It would be an extremely weird dynamic with Steffy/Katie/Bill/Liam, so I don't see this happening, but it's an interesting thought.
Option 2: Brooke and Hope both leave Forrester. I don't believe Ridge is going to remove Steffy. I think he'll discuss it with her, but ultimately tell Brooke he can't do it. Even with all the drama, Katie would gladly open her door to Brooke. So would Bill. They'd recognize Brooke's value and make her Co-CEO or give her a high ranking position in the company. Hope would get to do her line. It would genuinely be Logan vs Forrester. But I don't think this is the most likely option. I don't thing Brooke will leave after taking the CEO spot during the coup previously cost her Ridge. The only way this would work is if Ridge runs to Taylor, Taylor rejects him because she's with Deacon, and Ridge has to grovel to Brooke, admitting that she means more than anything else. Could be interesting, but they just did a Ridge/Brooke break-up story, and I can't see them doing another one so quickly.
Option 3: Hope leaves Forrester. This is the option I think is most likely. I believe all the Brooke/Ridge/Steffy drama is just a distraction to drag the story out. But the main reason for all of it, in my opinion, is because Hope can't leave Forrester on her own. She's too afraid of upsetting Brooke, and they just recently had a lot of Brooke/Hope drama, and the focus is on Katie/Brooke drama. I think they're setting it up so that Hope can leave Forrester with Brooke's blessing in order to preserve the relationship. Ridge discusses the co-CEO thing with Steffy. Steffy flips out. Ridge backs off. Brooke realizes Hope will never have a fair shot at Forrester, and encourages her to show what she's capable of at Logan.
Option 3 makes the most sense to me. It allows Hope to exit without pissing off Brooke. It keeps Katie/Brooke from going nuclear on each other because Hope's going to Logan with Brooke's blessing, which alleviates some of the tension between the sisters. Hope's collection being the second Logan line solves all the Logan problems. Deke has already designed a number of things that Hope wanted to use for Hope for the Future. With Hope's name recognition, bringing her brother in will be a big news story in fashion, especially when they see the designs. The Hope/Deke line should be a blockbuster success for Logan, which will put some pressure on Ridge/Steffy because they had Hope/Deke and didn't do anything with them because they wanted to focus on couture. It would be even better if the Hope/Deke collection outperforms Eric's next line, which Forrester is launching instead of Hope for the Future.