2003: Carlos Reyes was a hero on the run. He had grown up as Juan Carlos Renato Ruiz deVasquez, the heir to a shipping fortune in Argentina. He murdered a rapist, Sergio, protecting his victim. Only, Sergio was a member of the Calvatras mob family. Carlos’ brother, Juan Pablo deVasquez, arranged for Carlos to hide in the United States while he dealt with the Calvatras.
Carlos took on the low-profile job of janitor for FUSION. There, he met mourning widow, Greenlee duPres. Carlos watched as Greenlee agonized to get over her husband. He began to write her love notes in hope of lifting her spirits. Greenlee loved the notes. Eventually, he revealed himself to her, and they began seeing each other.
Juan Pablo came to Pine Valley after he spotted Carlos in a national FUSION ad. Juan Pablo wanted Carlos to leave town, but he did not want to compromise his new life. Juan Pablo did his best to protect Carlos from the Calvatras, but they were closing in.
Greenlee and Carlos broke up after he found out she had blackmailed one of his friends, Diane Lacy, for prime shelf space at Lacy’s Department Store. The former couple got in a car accident. In the hospital, Carlos confided the truth about his past in Simone Torres. Carlos was to go in for routine surgery. Only, a member of the Calvatras family had infiltrated the hospital. He poisoned Carlos. Simone had the difficult role of telling Juan Pablo and Greenlee that Carlos was dead.