fresh out of prison, maya comes to los angeles in early 2013 to confront dayzee leigh (kristolyn lloyd) demanding to know where her baby is. maya is shocked to learn the child has died and dayzee encourages maya to leave town fearing maya will upset her happy life with marcus forrester (texas battle) -- the adopted son of the forrester family fashion dynasty. while volunteering at dayzee's coffee shop in exchange for staying in the apartment upstairs, maya falls for rick forrester (jacob young) -- believing he is a waiter. maya notices rick is unhappy with girlfriend caroline spencer (linsey godfrey) and tries to distract him. the two go window shopping on rodeo drive where they share their first kiss and when maya is trying on gowns at the "forrester creations" boutique, she learns rick's true identity and it scares her away. maya finds comfort with carter walton (lawrence saint-victor) which makes for an awkward first date at the forrester mansion where caroline makes sure to stake her claim on rick. maya turns down a second date with carter and he assists her in getting rick back. rick and maya's early romance is plagued by caroline's interference and insults in which caroline constantly refers to maya by the wrong names. maya is ecstatic when she gets cast in a movie role only to learn that it is an adult film. she turns the job down and rick instead hires her as a spokesmodel for the company. caroline taunts maya about her inexperience leading to rick hiring professionals to help train maya. while he wants to be with maya, rick struggles with trying to let caroline down easy and maya pressures him to choose. caroline refuses to accept that rick is choosing maya and her publishing mogul uncle, bill spencer (don diamont) threatens to send maya back to prison if she doesn't stay away from rick. despite the threats, maya continues seeing rick and soon runs into her ex-boyfriend jesse (ricky paull goldin) thanks to bill who knows that maya being seen with jesse could land her back in jail. maya turns down a reunion with jesse and is forced to tell him that their baby died. bill threatens maya with photographs of her encounter with jesse and she confides in carter and rick about bill's blackmail leading to rick officially dumping caroline for maya. maya is later hired by producer rafael (andy zuno) to star opposite carter in his web series, "room 8". however, the steamy romantic scenes lead to the two developing chemistry. despite the obvious attraction, maya remains faithful to rick. during one particular scene, maya hesitates and then discovers rafael is in cahoots with caroline to get rick jealous enough to dump maya. rafael makes it up to carter and maya by having them shoot the series in its original incarnation. when rick misses the "room 8" premiere in favor of work, maya and carter share a drink and kiss but she stops it from going any further. having learned that carter and maya spent time together, rick questions her loyalty despite maya's assurances that nothing happened. maya tries to reconcile with rick only to find him with caroline; maya then ends the relationship and resigns from her modeling position at "forrester". maya is shocked when carter suddenly proposes and she accepts, believing she and carter are a better fit for one another, like caroline and rick. while carter discusses wedding plans, maya pines for rick and she is ready to confess until rick and caroline announce their engagement. meanwhile, carter convinces rick to reinstate maya at the company. maya has seemingly made peace with the situation when rick and caroline marry in december 2013.