Life lessons can be tough, and B&B's young Bridget learned a doozy when she found out that her so-called loving husband was lying, contemptible pond scum. Deacon Sharp, the biggest pain to the Forrester family's collective backside since last November, seduced Bridget into eloping with him as part of a warped scheme to stay close to his son and Amber.

Oddly, we like Deacon. In less than a year, he has become a fascinating creep, the kind that keeps us tuning in every day. But even the best writing can go bust without the right actor to pull it off, and the sublime Sean Kanan (Deacon) has played every turn of this worm with gut-wrenching gusto.

Deacon took a detour to righteousness a few months ago after falling hard for Amber. Sappy and sweet clearly didn't jibe with this guy, but we should have known B&B was carefully laying the groundwork for fireworks to come. After Amber married Rick (Bridget's brother), Deacon plunged off the high road and on to a collision course with the unsuspecting heiress.

Following their surprise elopement - and the Forrester's failure to make Bridget see Deacon's true colors - the newlyweds settled down in Taylor's beach house. But it didn't take long for Bridget to start doubting her hubby's sincerity. In an effort to quell her suspicions, Bridget invited Amber over for dinner so she could evaluate her interaction with Deacon. For moral support, Bridget asked her pal, Betsy, to show up, too.

Deacon passed the test by making goo-goo eyes and cutesy asides to his impressionable wife. When the evening was over, a blissful Bridget walked Betsy out to her car. Alone, Amber once again lit into Deacon for his deceit. Unbeknownst to them, Bridget had returned and was standing outside the open door, listening to their every word.

Admitting he used Bridget just to be near his son, a guilt-ridden Deacon lamented that he felt like a "child molester." Every word of his confession hit Bridget like a blow, as she leaned against the porch to maintain her balance. When she heard Deacon say he thinks of Amber every time he touches his wife, anguished, silent tears cascaded down Bridget's face.

After Amber left, Bridget staggered into the house. "What happened out there?" Deacon asked. "Did someone try to hurt you?"

"Yes, Deacon," Bridget said quietly, her rage building with each word. "Somebody tricked me. Somebody lied to me. Somebody had sex with me when all he really wanted was Amber!"

The jig was up. Deacon's apologies fell on deaf ears as Bridget dashed out of the house and sped away in her car, assaulted by flashbacks of her wedding and the endless warnings about Deacon. Worried, Deacon gave chase. As he looked on helplessly, Bridget lost control of her car and crashed.

At the hospital, Deacon, full of genuine torment and remorse, sat at the bedside of his unconscious wife. "You were like this beautiful angel that came into my life and I didn't see it," he said. "You pull through this, and I will spend the rest of my life making this up to you."

And guess what? We believe him. This dramatic twist has uncovered a vulnerability in Deacon that doesn't compromise the character's edge and complexity. B&B has created a compelling couple in Bridget and Deacon. Kanan may be an old pro at this, but the young Jennifer Finnigan (Bridget) infuses her role with such sweet earnestness that we ache along with her. Despite the odds (her family, his recklessness), we think Deacon and Bridget have a shot at being one of daytime's most endearing and enduring romances.