Jacques Laurent is the son of a French shipping magnate who became romantically involved with Emma Covington in a whirlwind courtship that led to an engagement. Unbeknownst to Emma, Jacques initially intended to marry her to gain access to her wealth and influential family connections in order to save his struggling family business, all while continuing his womanizing ways. Despite developing genuine feelings for her, Emma ultimately ended the engagement, sending Jacques back to Europe in disgrace.

 

In 2022, Jacques returned to Radcliffe, shocking Emma and those around her. It was later revealed that his return had been orchestrated by Emma’s mother, Deirdre, who wanted Jacques to lure Emma away from her relationship with ex-con Will Jackson. Although Emma resisted at first, Jacques’s charm prevailed, and the two slept together, reigniting old feelings and creating renewed conflict with Will. Deirdre later paid Jacques the money she owed him, allowing him to stabilize his family’s finances. When Jacques was threatened with deportation by ICE, he proposed marriage to Emma as a path to citizenship; after initially refusing, she changed her mind, and they eloped in Puerto Rico

 

Jacques’s marriage quickly became complicated. He formed a close bond with Emma’s niece, Courtney Covington Sullivan, which caused friction with Courtney’s husband, Steven. Jacques also learned from Esther Saunders that Deirdre had once had an affair with Mae Jackson’s father—information he later used to hold leverage over Deirdre. It was eventually revealed that Emma herself was the product of that affair, a truth Jacques confessed to her, deepening her anger toward her mother. Despite this, Emma later donated bone marrow to her newly discovered great-niece, Lenny, saving the child’s life.

 

Professionally, Jacques assisted Courtney with a business matter and was soon hired as an executive at the Covington Group, a move that infuriated Daniel, Deirdre, and Tommy, who later conspired to remove him. During this time, Jacques grew close to his assistant, Aaliyah Gupta, and amid marital neglect, the two shared a kiss that later escalated into an affair. While on a work trip to Miami, Jacques learned that a property deal he helped secure was worthless, leading him and Courtney to commiserate and share a kiss as well. That same night, after drinking and confiding in one another, Jacques and Aaliyah slept together.