When Carly's romance with Bo didn't work out, she moved on and even accepted a proposal from Bo's biological father, Victor Kiriakis. Although Carly didn't love Victor, she saw a life of security with him. However, just before Carly's wedding to Victor, Bo wrote a letter to Carly, confessing his love for her. Victor intercepted the letter and went on to marry Carly despite his son's feelings. Of course, Victor and Carly's marriage didn't last long, and Carly and Bo couldn't stay away from each other. They found their way back to one another. Bo and Carly then headed to Paris on vacation. There, Carly learned the baby she had given birth to didn't really die. Carly and Lawrence later learned that Vivian Alamain's adopted son, Nicholas, was their biological child.

Vivian fought hard to remain Nicholas' guardian. However, when her health took a sudden turn she came up with a way to keep Carly away from Nicholas forever. Vivian and her best friend, Ivan, plotted to drug Carly with herbs that made it appear like she was dead. All of Salem believed that Carly had passed away and even had a funeral for her. Carly was then buried alive as Vivian tortured her via radio in her grave.

Vivian eventually confessed her crime to Lawrence, who saved Carly just before she suffocated in her casket.