Rumors confirmed by recent spoilers: Nina Reeves (Cynthia Watros) has been hiding something big from Willow Tait (Katelyn MacMullen) — namely, who paid for her legal representation.

What looked like pro bono work by Ric Lansing was actually arranged by Nina.

The reveal promises to shake up Willow’s trust in her mother, and possibly everyone around them.

What’s the Secret?

• Nina secretly paid Ric Lansing to serve as Willow’s lawyer after Willow separated from Drew Cain. The catch: Ric has been pretending to have taken the case for free, presenting it as pro bono work, both to Willow and to Elizabeth Baldwin (Rebecca Herbst).

• Nina kept her financial role hidden because she believed Willow would reject help (or feel manipulated) if she knew. Ric stayed silent about the arrangement.

• Willow has already figured something was off, confronted Nina about it, but Elizabeth doesn’t appear to know the truth yet.

Who’s In On It & Who Doesn’t Know

• Willow: Clued in, upset. She confronted Nina.

• Nina: Trying to manage the fallout, must deal with Willow’s reaction, especially since Willow sees this as deception.

• Ric Lansing: He’s part of the secret — both as the lawyer who accepted payment and as someone who let people believe he was working for free.

• Elizabeth Baldwin: Still unaware of Nina’s involvement, at least for now.

• Ava Jerome / Kristina / Alexis: Ava may use this to her advantage. The spoilers suggest Ava might reveal the truth to Elizabeth, partly to undercut her influence with Ric.

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Possible Fallout

• Willow’s trust in Nina will be badly shaken. She may feel manipulated, betrayed — especially given everything she’s gone through: divorce, custody issues, her complicated relationship with Drew.

• The lie could damage Willow’s relationship with Ric, Elizabeth, and anyone else who believed Ric was helping Willow for free. Willow might feel their support was partially based on deception.

• Nina may have to defend her motivations. Was she trying to protect Willow, or control things behind the scenes? There will likely be a heated confrontation.

• Ava’s role in exposing the secret adds tension: she gets leverage over Nina and possibly Ric, raising questions about loyalty and manipulation in their circles.

• Elizabeth may feel shocked or betrayed when she learns the truth, which could strain her with Willow or Nina.

Why This Matters

This storyline is significant not just because of the deception, but because it reflects deeper themes in General Hospital: trust, family, and the often blurry line between help and control. For Willow, it’s a chance to see who truly supports her and whether what she’s been told (about motives, loyalty, love) holds up under scrutiny. For Nina, it’s a test of whether her actions can be forgiven — even if they were meant to help.