Tessa was born and grew up in a rough neighborhood in Chicago, surrounded by gangs and drugs. Her father sold drugs, her mother got hooked, and disappeared for days or weeks at a time. So Tessa pretty much raised her younger sister Crystal. Their father was a mean drunk and Tessa taught Crystal how to avoid him. Before long men began coming around wanting to have their way with Tessa, so she left home and told Crystal she would return for her once she got on her feet. Tessa worked for Zack Stinnett, a guy from the same neighborhood who was trying to find his way out by running a massage parlor/escort service. After Zack threatened her, Tessa left town.

Tessa, working as a street musician, wound up in Genoa City, Wisconsin, playing her guitar and singing outside Crimson Lights Coffee House. The owner, Sharon Newman, took a liking to her, and so did Sharon’s daughter Mariah, and Sharon’s former mother-in-law Nikki. Nikki hired Tessa to teach music to her talented grandson Reed. She also hired Tessa to be her personal assistant, helping Nikki with her latest fund raising gala. Nikki’s son Nick and grandson Noah owned a club, The Underground, and Tessa started appearing there on open mike nights. Nikki even joined Tessa on stage once, and had fun accompanying her on the piano. Tessa Discovering that Tessa was homeless and living in her car, Nikki invited her to move in to the main house at Newman ranch.

Mariah’s boyfriend, music promoter Devon Hamilton, took Mariah to San Francisco for a music festival with back stage passes and all the perks. They invited Tessa and Noah to join them. Tessa and Mariah shared some time alone together, and had an awkward moment when Mariah kissed Tessa. Mariah apologized, but Tessa said she liked it. Mariah was confused when she felt a little jealous of her brother Noah as he and Tessa were getting serious. Mariah tried to ignore her feelings for Tessa until she confessed them to Kevin, who told her she needed to deal with them and talk to Tessa about it. Mariah tried but always seemed to be interrupted. Tessa was giving her mixed signals, insisting Mariah be present as she cut her first single, then moved in with Noah.

Just as Tessa was getting her big break, meeting Devon and being signed to his company, EP Streaming to cut her first recording, she started getting frantic phone calls from Crystal, who had also run away from home and had made it to Genoa City. Crystal turned out to be the same girl that Sharon was helping as she worked a crisis hotline, and the sex ring Sharon’s boyfriend Scott Grainger was investigating to write an expose. Tessa confided to Mariah that the girl was Crystal. They went to Sharon and Scott, put their facts together, and it turned out that Alice Johnson, who had been Mariah’s twin Cassie’s adoptive mother, was taking care of the girls. Dissatisfied that the police were not doing enough, Mariah and Tessa kidnapped Alice and coerced her into getting them to set Crystal free by letting her think that Mariah was Cassie’s ghost. They allowed Alice to leave once Tessa was reunited with Crystal, and the police put Crystal in protective custody. Alice packed and left town, but her boss found out what she had done. Alice was run down by a car, then later disappeared from the hospital. Security footage showed her painfully walking out, headed for the taxi stand.

Devon introduced Tessa to promoter and tour booker Irv West. Tessa was booked to be the opening act on a Midwest tour beginning with bookings in Madison and Milwaukee. Tessa was delighted to hear her single being played. Tessa’s home venue, The Underground, burned to the ground, and Noah’s partner, his father Nick, decided not to rebuild nor to pursue the additional location expansions.

Mariah finally asked Tessa if the kiss meant something to her too, and Tessa responded, “Yes it did. The moment perfect, but it passed.” Tessa said she loved Mariah, but things were too complicated, that Mariah didn’t really know her, and she would not tell her more because she cared, that this was how it had to be.

Noah’s grandfather Victor Newman asked Noah to take over running Top of The Tower, an upscale club on the top floor of Newman Tower. Which is where they were, at a Newman party, when Scott persuaded Crystal to publicly identify Zack Stinnett as the leader of the sex ring, and that his dating app, funded by Newman, was a front. Zack rushed his girlfriend/business partner Abby Newman out the door and fled, leaving Abby and Scott who had followed them, locked in a storage building. They ended up getting out the next day by starting a fire under the sprinkler system which alerted an attendant who let them out. Seeing Zack’s car still there, Scott insisted on going to Zack’s motel room. Zack walked in on them, first begged Abby to run away with him, then accused them of cheating on him. Zack, about to shoot them, was charged by Scott. Zack was shot in the back by Crystal who dropped the gun and ran away. Zack died. The gun turned out to belong to Nikki Newman, and Tessa admitted to Nikki that she had stolen it while living there to protect her sister. Police chief Paul questioned Tessa about the gun, and the whereabouts of her sister, causing Tessa to miss an appearance on the Hilary hour.

While attending a Newman party with Noah, Victor offered Tessa $100,000 to leave town, which Tessa refused.

Devon had to break it to Tessa that she was not making them any money, and she needed another hit. Having writers block, Tessa stole Mariah’s journal looking for inspiration, and she created a song from it. Devon was very pleased with the new song and recorded it. Devon arranged for her to debut it on the Hilary Hour. In the middle of her song, Mariah attacked Tessa on air, calling her a thieving bitch, saying those were her words not Tessa’s. Devon had to drop the song when legal feared a lawsuit and Tessa was dropped from the label. With no paycheck and owing them money, Tessa begged for a job as Devon’s assistant. After Noah found out the whole story about the kiss between his lover and his sister, Tessa was homeless and sleeping at the office. Devon bought GCBuzz from Hilary and Tessa and Mariah had to work together. Devon arranged for Mariah and Tessa to sit down and talk out their feelings, and they became friends again, deciding they might make a good song-writing team. When Mariah realized that Tessa was homeless, she asked Nick to rent Tessa an apartment at Rainbow Gardens.

Kyle Abbott returned to town and began working for Jabot. He noticed the chemistry between Mariah and Tessa, got both to admit they wish they had handled things differently, and set them up. Mariah and Tessa had their first date, a movie on a rooftop where they kissed and held hands. They ran into Hilary, and Mariah awkwardly told her they were on a date. Hilary remarked that she was surprised it took them so long. Mariah and Tessa spent a weekend in the San Francisco, attending a music festival. Mariah saw Tessa hugging another woman, Kimberly, who had found Tessa’s sister Crystal. Tessa told Mariah she had to go be with Crystal, could not keep in touch, but she still wanted Mariah, and promised to return. Mariah tried to go with them, but realized she had a life she could not leave behind. A couple months later Tessa returned, revealing that she'd gotten Crystal to Canada to give her a fresh start with a new job, identity, and place to live. But she needed 20 thousand dollars to pay off the people who had helped her. Tessa hit up Devon, who became suspicious, and refused. Sharon hired Tessa as a barista at Crimson Lights. Tessa was roughed up at Crimson Lights, her arms and back bruised severely. She told Mariah that it was a reminder of the $20,000 she owed.

Tessa agreed to Mariah’s proposal that they live together. Viewers saw Tessa open a gym bag full of money that she needed to hide. Mariah moved in to Tessa’s efficiency apartment, began organizing it, and bought a new mattress for Tessa’s sofa-bed, the old one was thrown in the dumpster. Tessa got very angry as Mariah watched her pull money from the mattress. Mariah later pressured Tessa to reveal that Nikki had paid Tessa $250,000 in hush money, and she had paid off the guys in Canada. Tessa showed Mariah a security video of Victoria’s garage showing Nikki, Sharon, Victoria, and Phyllis loading J.T.’s body rolled up in a rug into Victoria’s SUV the night he had disappeared. Tessa explained that she had found the footage taken by J.T.’s surveillance camera on Nick’s computer after he had hacked the Newman server and gotten J.T.’s files. Nick had asked Tessa to transfer files for him, and she had discovered it. Mariah was devastated that Tessa could do such a thing to Mariah’s mother. She left and confronted Sharon. When Mariah returned for her things, Tessa begged her not to leave. She handed Mariah the flash drive and claimed she had donated the remaining money to charity, but instead hid the money and a copy of the file inside a teddy bear.

The Newman stables burned to the ground, leaving behind a shirt with J.T.s blood on it and a gun traced to Victor. Nikki, Sharon, and Victoria kidnapped Tessa and tried to pin it on her, but believed she was innocent after seeing how scared she was. They left Tessa in the middle of nowhere in the cold. Mariah rescued Tessa, and promised she wouldn’t leave her. Victoria showed up at their apartment and took the teddy bear, returning the money to Nikki. After Nikki confessed to save Victor and the women went on trial, Tessa was called as a witness for the defense. But she testified to the contents of the video and her kidnapping by the trio, also exposing that she had blackmailed them. Mariah, Tessa and Phyllis’ testimony was damning to all of them as Christine took on her old nemesis Phyllis. All three were found guilty and sentenced to prison. Tessa was arrested for extortion and Mariah bailed her out, but after J.T. was discovered to be alive, her charges were dismissed with prejudice, and homicide charges against the women were dropped. Mariah encouraged Tessa to return to writing and singing her music, buying back her guitar from the pawn shop. Tessa was hired on as a server at Society restaurant.

Mariah tried to convince Devon to give Tessa another chance at recording her music. He declined, but his assistant Ana took Tessa on, producing her songs, and trying to teach her some discipline as well as make her over into what Ana thought the public wanted. With Mariah’s encouragement, Tessa became more confident in herself, and eventually stood up to Ana that she was ruining her music by over-producing, and her personal image with wild outfits. Ana gave Tessa an ultimatum, so Tessa told Ana to burn her contract, saying. “That is not who I am.” After the missing Dina was found in Chancellor Park listening to Tessa sing, Jack invited Tessa to sing at Bright Tomorrow’s Home Care Center, and Abby offered Tessa a gig at her and Devon’s new restaurant Society.

Mariah went to Devon and quit her job at GC Buzz. Devon surprised her by suggesting she run Power Communications instead, mentioning how good she was at PR, image building, and branding like she was doing for Tessa. Mariah was shocked that he would put her in such a high position, but jumped at the chance. She began working with Ana creating a video of Tessa’s newest song casually singing in public places and her fire escape, and partnering with Jabot Collective wearing their clothes and using their influencers. Tessa and Ana worked well together with Mariah’s help. Devon was not impressed with the quality, but it did get over a million plays. But when Devon hired Theo Vanderway to be Ana’s boss, saying she needed more training, Ana left town to go on the road with her father Jett. Later Theo was fired after Devon caught Theo trying to undermine Mariah for the last time.

Mariah and Tessa celebrated their one-year anniversary together, and Mariah wrote her a mushy poem. They were enjoying being closer than ever, when rock superstar Tanner Watts arrived in town and called Tessa to meet up. Mariah was excited for her. Tessa and Tanner embraced like old friends. He thanked her for being the driving force that got him to superstardom, and asked her to go on the road with him and become his opening act. It turned out that Tessa knew Tanner when they were both young struggling musician who had also left home to escape. Tanner was living in a van, playing in dive bars, going from gig to gig dreaming about his big break. They had gotten drunk before a show in Reno and ended up at all night chapel, where they got married for $25. They realized it was a mistake the next morning, but it was hilarious and spontaneous, not love. They got busy with their music and never had it annulled, enjoying hanging out together. The fun ended in 3 months, and they chipped in for a divorce. But Mariah had never been told about Tanner being Tessa’s former husband, even when Tessa told her that she was meeting him. Mariah was hurt and resentful, even though Tanner had a girlfriend and totally understood Tessa’s relationship with Mariah. Mariah being Mariah, she got over it. and gave Tessa her blessing to accept the offer. They shed tears and professed their love before she left.

Tessa was enjoying her shot at fame, traveling with Tanner on his North American tour and songwriting together on his private jet. As time went by, there was little contact with Mariah, and Tanner kept interrupting the few times they video-chatted. Tanner admitted he had fallen for her again, and tried to make a move on Tessa. But Tessa shut him down because of her love for Mariah. Tessa arrived home to surprise Mariah, just in time to catch her and her bartender friend Lindsay, post sex. Lindsay uncomfortably left, and Mariah tried to convince Tessa that nothing had happened. Tessa walked out distraught, and returned to the tour.

Tanner arranged for Mariah to join Tessa on stage while Tanner sang the song that Tessa had written for Mariah. Mariah made a public apology, but Tessa ran off the stage humiliated and rejected her. After a lot of pleading and explaining all that she had been going through at home, losing her job, her mother having breast cancer, and Tanner’s interference, they made up on the plane, and both returned home to support Sharon.

Chance Chancellor and Abby fell in love and were married with Mariah as maid of honor. Mariah agreed to be a surrogate mother and Devon the sperm donor for Chance and Abby who could not carry a baby. Chance was called away on a mission for the justice department and gone throughout the pregnancy and beyond. Mariah, Devon, Abby, Tessa, and Nina bonded together for the baby. Mariah and Tessa moved into the Chancellor estate, and Nina stayed on. Then a very pregnant Mariah disappeared, having been kidnapped by Abby’s former husband Stitch. She was locked in a windowless room, her cell phone taken from her and used to make fake contact with Abby and Tessa telling them not to worry. Mariah screamed and cried, unable to understand why anyone would want to kidnap her. She grew very close to the baby, her only companion, and began calling him “Bowie”. Weeks later she was rescued by Devon, Abby, and Rey, just as she was going into labor. Rey chased the kidnapper while Devon and Abby delivered her baby with Nate’s virtual help. Going through that together, Mariah had bonded with the baby and it was hard for her to let go, and to get over being afraid; even though Stitch had vanished. Abby named the baby Dominic Phillip Newman Abbott Chancellor and a christening was held with Mariah and Devon as god parents. Afterward Mariah and Tessa moved to the Grand Phoenix hotel, Mariah assuring Abby that she would be pumping and saving her milk for Dominic.

Mariah was distraught as Bowie was her reason for living through it all, then she had to let him go. She began having nightmares. Tessa, Sharon, Devon all tried to help although he was feeling left out too. Meanwhile, Chance was reported presumed dead when his safe house exploded in Spain. Abby refused to believe it, left Dominic with Devon and sneaked off to Spain, tracked down Chance and brought him home alive. Mariah suddenly decided that she and Tessa needed to have their own baby to help her get over the loss, but her doctor told her she should wait at least a year to become pregnant again. And Tessa had her singing career where touring did not lend well to pregnancy. Meanwhile Noah had returned to Genoa City after his London girlfriend had broken his heart. After months of discussion they decided to adopt. Noah reacted like he still had a thing for Tessa. When the apartment above Crimson Lights became available, Tessa and Mariah moved in. Tessa surprised Mariah with a romantic private dinner at Society, proposed marriage, and Mariah accepted. The family threw them an engagement party at Crimson Lights. A week or so later Tessa wrote a song for Mariah and sang it for her. Noah had a hard time accepting it but assured them that he loved them both and wished them every happiness together. Later on Valentines Day, Noah delivered a painting he had done of the two of them which they proudly displayed on their living room wall.

After Rey’s sudden death, Mariah suggested they postpone the wedding but Sharon said no, she wanted to focus on their happiness or she might fall apart. Tessa's sister Crystal was able to attend the wedding because Rey had intervened and gotten all the charges against her dropped and Zach was arrested. Mariah saw it as one last gift before he died. Described as the funkiest grooviest most bad-assed wedding you've ever been to, visual artist Noah and Faith as planner turned the Top of the Tower into a 70’s disco complete with disco ball and light show. Everyone wore 70’s garb in loud colors, sequins, and feathers. The men wore ruffled shirts and Abby a short iridescent string dress. Both brides wore white satin gowns designed by Chelsea with flowers in their hair. Nick and Sharon walked them down aisle, Kevin was Mariah’s man of honor, and Crystal Tessa’s maid of honor. Kyle got a last-minute Internet ordination and officiated. To top it off Jack caught the bouquet. Sharon and Nick gave the couple a Paris honeymoon.

They returned home in time for Tessa to start her tour but she had been coughing excessively. A visit to a specialist found nodules on her vocal chords requiring surgery and vocal therapy. They were advised by Alena whose uncle Jet had the same surgery by the same surgeon and had totally recovered.

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Who's Who in Genoa City

Abby Newman Adam Newman Adam Wilson Adrian Korbel Aiden Lansing Alex Chavez Alex Perez Alice Johnson Amanda Browning Amanda Sinclair Amber Moore Ana Hamilton Andy Richards Angelina Veneziano Angelo Veneziano Anita Lawson April Stevens Arturo Rosales Ashley Abbott Avery Bailey Clark Austin Travers Ben Hollander Ben "Stitch" Rayburn/Russell Bill Foster Billy Abbott Blade Bladeson Bobby Marsino Brad Carlton Brad Eliot Brittany Hodges Guittierez Brock Reynolds Bryan Romalotti Cane Ashby Carl Williams Carmine Basco Casey Reed Cassandra Hall Rawlins Cassie Newman Chance Chancellor Charlie Ashby Chelsea Lawson Newman Chloe Mitchell Chris Brooks Christine Blair Williams Clint Radison Cole Howard Colin Atkinson Colleen Carlton Courtney Sloane Daisy Carter Romalotti Damon Porter Daniel Romalotti Jr. Danny Romalotti David Chow David Kimble Deacon Sharpe Delia Abbott Devon Hamilton Diane Jenkins Diego Guittierez Dina Abbott Mergeron Drucilla Barber Winters Dylan McAvoy Eden Baldwin (Gerick) Elena Dawson Emily Peterson Esther Valentine Ethan Atkinson Eve Howard Faith Newman Fenmore Baldwin Gabriel Bingham Genevieve Atkinson Gina Roma Gloria Simmons Bardwell Grace Turner Greg Foster "Harmony" Hamilton Heather Stevens Hilary Curtis Hamilton Hope Adams Wilson Ian Ward Isabella Braña Jack Abbott Jana Hawkes Fisher Jeffrey Bardwell Jennifer Brooks Jill Fenmore Jill Foster Abbott Joe Clark John Abbott John Silva J.T. Hellstrom Julia Newman Martin Karen Taylor Kate Valentine Katherine Shepherd Chancellor Keemo Abbott Kelly Russell Andrews Kevin Fisher Kurt Costner Kyle Jenkins Abbott Lance Prentiss Larry Warton Lauralee Brooks Lauren Fenmore Baldwin Leanna Love Leslie Brooks Leslie Michaelson Lily Winters Ashby Liz Foster Lola Rosales Lowell Baldwin Luan Nguyen Abbott Lucas Prentiss Lynne Bassett Mackenzie Browning Helstrom Maggie Sullivan Malcolm Winters Alice Johnson Mamie Johnson Marco Annicelli Marisa Sierras Santori Marge Catrooke Mari Jo Mason Mariah Copeland Mary Williams Mary Jane Benson Matilda (Mattie) Ashby Matt Clark Maureen Russell Megan Dennison Viscardi Megan "Meggie" McClain Mia Rosales Michael Baldwin Miguel Rodriguez "Murphy" Natalie Soderberg Dr. Nate Hastings Jr. Nathan Hastings Sr. Neil Winters Nicholas Newman Nikki Reed Newman Nina Webster Noah Newman Olivia Barber Winters Patrick Murphy Patty Williams Paul Williams Peggy Brooks Phillip Chancellor II Phillip Chancellor III Phillip "Chance" Chancellor IV Phyllis Summers Rafael "Rafe" Torres Raul Guittierez Ravi Shapur Reed Hellstrom Rex Sterling Rey Rosales Rianna Miner Ricky Williams Ronan Malloy Ryan McNeil Ryder Callahan Sabrina Costelana Newman Sage Warner Newman "Sarge" Augustus Wilder Scott "Scotty" Grainger Jr. Sean Bridges Sharon Collins Sheila Carter Skye Lockhart Newman Snapper Foster Sofia Dupre "Stitch" (Ben) Rayburn Stuart Brooks Summer Newman Tessa Porter Theo Vanderway Tim Reid Tom Fisher Tomas Del Cerro Tony Viscardi Traci Abbott Tricia Dennison Tucker McCall Tyler Michaelson Tyra Hamilton Vanessa Prentiss Victor Newman Victoria Newman Yolanda "Harmony" Hamilton

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