Louise Saunders Lockhart was the eldest daughter of the late farmer Peter Saunders and Sarah Lynn Saunders, a former Miss Kentucky turned housewife, and the considerably older sister of Martha Saunders. She was raised on the family’s ancestral Franklin Farm, where she shared her family’s deep connection to the land and their sense of wanderlust. In her youth, Louise was romantically involved with Daniel Covington, though the growing and complicated history between their families ultimately overshadowed the relationship. Their romance ended when Daniel moved to New York City after his father relocated the Covington Group headquarters there.

Louise later majored in agriculture at Sampson University. After returning home from a semester overseas, she met farmhand Sean Lockhart, and the two began dating. Sean proposed to her at The Waterfall on New Year’s Eve, and they married soon after. In the early 2000s, Louise gave birth to their fraternal twin daughters, Tanner and Lynn. For years, the family lived a seemingly happy and stable life but increasing pressures and emotional distance led to strain in the marriage. Sean eventually had an affair with a much younger flight attendant, Tricia Meyer. Although Louise discovered the affair, she initially chose to remain in the marriage to preserve appearances.

Ultimately, staying together proved untenable, and Louise and Sean ended their nearly twenty-year marriage. Sean went on to be with Tricia after she moved to town, sparking a rivalry between the two women. Around the same time, Louise’s father, Peter, died suddenly of a heart attack, permanently altering the family dynamic. Louise, along with her sister Martha and cousin Steven, inherited his shares of Franklin Farm, with Louise assuming responsibility for the farm’s day-to-day operations. The family grew increasingly concerned for her mother, whose overwhelming grief led to mental health struggles, prompting an intervention that encouraged her to seek therapy, which she eventually did.

Romantically, Louise began a relationship with market owner Jai Gupta while remaining emotionally close to Sean, as he also stayed close to his ex-wife, Mala. Jai eventually proposed, and Louise accepted, planning a future together.

However, on the eve of their engagement party, Louise and Sean nearly became intimate. Unbeknownst to them, Jai’s daughter Aaliyah captured footage of the moment and revealed it during the party, ending the engagement. During this period, Louise and Sean grew even closer when their daughter Lenny was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. As hope faded, Louise’s aunt Esther revealed that Emma Covington was biologically related to the Saunders family, and Emma proved to be a bone marrow match, saving Lenny’s life. Louise and Sean ultimately rekindled their romance, though his continued closeness to Tricia—most notably when he supported her during a hostage situation involving her abusive stepfather, Wade Wood—continued to cast a shadow as they attempted to rebuild their future together.