victoria desperately seeks her father's approval and gleefully assumes the role of heiress to the family fortune. victor eventually grows weary of victoria's admiration for one of his star reporters, working class executive editor joe riley (lee patterson). in the early years, victor is also unhappy at the growing relationship of his younger daughter, meredith, with upwardly-mobile doctor larry wolek (paul tulley, jim storm). he meddles in the personal relationships of his daughters, causing a rift between him and victoria. in november 1968, unable to reconcile her feelings for joe and for her father, victoria develops multiple-personality disorder, manifesting in an alter-ego, "niki smith," and begins dating vinny wolek (antony ponzini).