When Eric finds out that Brooke has accepted Nick’s marriage proposal, he’s visibly shaken — not just by the news itself, but by what it means for Ridge. The woman Ridge has loved for decades is about to marry someone else, and this time, it seems final. Eric, torn between fatherly support and personal disappointment, takes Ridge aside in a rare, emotionally charged moment. With his voice low but firm, Eric utters three words that land like a thunderclap: “Let her go.” It’s not a demand — it’s a plea, filled with decades of pain, wisdom, and understanding. Eric sees the torment in Ridge’s eyes, but he also knows that clinging to a woman who’s chosen someone else can only bring more destruction. These words aren’t meant to wound Ridge; they’re meant to free him. Eric believes that holding on to Brooke will only continue the toxic cycle they’ve all been trapped in. “Sometimes,” he says, “love isn’t about holding on. It’s about knowing when to stop chasing what keeps breaking you.” Ridge, stunned, doesn’t respond at first. The silence between them is heavy, and for the first time in years, Ridge begins to wonder if his father might be right. As Eric walks away, Ridge is left standing alone — not just heartbroken, but forced to confront t