Ben Stoddard was born among a cloud of secrecy in 1986. Since his parents were divorcing, his mother, Maeve, told his father, Kyle, that she miscarried their child. Months later, she revealed the truth: she had given birth and left the baby with her friend Louie Darnell so that Kyle wouldn't be a part of his life. In early 1987, Kyle honored Maeve's wishes and left Ben in her care. Later, Maeve would fell in love with Fletcher Reade who loved Ben like his own son. After Fletcher's and Maeve's wedding in July 1988, tragedy struck when Maeve was killed in a helicopter crash. Only three years old, Ben found himself in a custody war between his grandmother, Julia Stoddard, and his new stepfather Fletcher. The judge, learning that Maeve wanted Fletcher to adopt Ben and that he could provide for him, granted him custody. From that point on, Ben Stoddard became Ben Reade. Under Fletcher's care, Ben grew up to be a confidant, uncomplicated young man. Ben's closest friends growing up were Michelle Bauer and Bill Lewis; the three were inseparable and spent many happy times together.

In 1995, when Ben was a teenager, Fletcher would marry Holly Lindsey. Ben quickly accepted his stepmother, who loved and supported Ben as well. In 1996, when Fletcher and Holly’s daughter, Meg, was born with Down’s syndrome, Ben (who had spent most of his life up to then living alone with Fletcher) felt he was in the way, and although Fletcher didn't agree, he allowed Ben to go to a boarding school to Toronto.

In late 2001, a mature Ben returned to Springfield, this time with a nasty streak. Having inherited his mother's fortune, he enrolled in Springfield University and avoided the people who knew him. Ben set out to establish himself as a real player and preoccupied with winning, made a bet with his friends to see how quickly he could bed the vulnerable virgin Marah Lewis, and was working with her roommate Catalina Quesada to keep Marah and Tony Santos apart. When Cat became pregnant with Tony's child in early 2002 and soon miscarried, Ben drove her to the hospital and posed as the baby's father so that Tony wouldn't learn about the miscarriage. Though he was now really in love with Marah, Cat blackmailed Ben into sleeping with her, which Ben would have done if Maria Santos hadn’t had interrupted. At this time, Ben's conscience finally got to him and he paid off the bet without seducing Marah. But when he confessed all to her, Marah was hurt and left him. Ben pined for Marah though, and continued his efforts to win her back.

Meanwhile, underage Marina Cooper brashly pursued him, first to get a job as a lifeguard, then for his personal attentions. Though he repeatedly rejected her because of her age, he soon found himself taken in by her charms. While planning to date Marah and show her off to the upper crust, he decided to have private fun with Marina. He promised to take her to a party, but ended up taking her to beach instead. They flirted and kissed, Marina got him to strip down to his tight white briefs, and suddenly her friends Tammy and Lizzie jumped into view, giggling. Marina had known of his true intentions for her and made a bet with her friends on the type of underwear he wore. Humiliated and degraded, Ben tore Marina apart; calling her a brat and telling her he had actually begun caring for her until this mean-spirited stunt of hers.

Ben forgave Marina for her stunt, but kept the relationship on a game-playing level, each trying to outdo the other. He even took her to Towers while wearing only boxers below the waist! Soon the fun matured into an admission of genuine feelings between the two, and he began courting Marina, trying to persuade her protective and hostile family members that he meant her no harm. Around this time he also moved into the former Marler carriage house with Remy Boudreau, longtime friend Bill and Marah. He would need the money he saved with this gesture, because he learned that bad investments had drained his trust fund dry. He approached his impending impoverished lifestyle with denial, running up credit cards and buying expensive gifts for Marina and friends.

In 2003, tired of Ben's attitude, Marina told him he had to find himself a job or they were through. Wanting to make good money very quickly, Ben went to Alexandra Spaulding who offered him a job. Ecstatic, Ben thought he hit paydirt until he learned that being Alexandra's assistant was merely being a gopher. Disappointed, he accepted Eden August's offer to work for her escort service. Though he initially found it demeaning, when he realized how much money he could make with a minimal amount of work, he stayed with the job and soon became the favorite escort of Ramona Hendon, an attractive socialite. Unfortunately that summer things would take a terrible turn. Though he agreed to sleep with Ramona for extra money, when he later tried stop, she threatened to tell Marina that Ben had acting as a gigolo. Desperate, Ben went to Eden for help, but she refused to intervene. Desperate, the night of Marina’s 18th birthday, where Ben and Marina had come to the Beacon to make love for the first time, Ben went to confront Ramona only to find her dead! The prime suspect in Ramona’s murder, Ben lost Marina that same night when she discovered the truth.

Ben was let out of jail, since Springfield Police Department didn't have enough evidence against him. But Springfield was turning its back on Ben Reade. Everyone suspected him as the killer .. except for Holly, Blake, and Marina. Marina wanted nothing to do with Ben, however, and began pursuing a relationship with friend Shayne Lewis. Ben and Shayne came to blows a couple of times over the girl they both loved. Ben suspiciously showed up at murder scenes from then on. In the killing of Eden's escort, Ariana, Ben was there that night at the Country Club. Ben began drowning his sorrows in drink .. and threatened Eden August a few times because of her abandoning him when he needed her help. Ben showed up drunk at Marina's prom, and scared her. But on the 4th of July, Ben was asked to leave by those closest to him .. but remained lurking in the bushes. Holly discovered Ben later in the Bauer hot tub drowning, and with a puncture wound! He was quickly taken to Cedars and was able to recover. It was discovered that Mitch Hendon, Ramona's jealous husband, had killed Ramona and tried to kill Ben. SFPD thought they had their man.

Ben recovered only to discover his grandmother was dying in Golina, and he became anxious to visit her seeing as she was his last link to his mother. But she died before he could get there, but ended up leaving him a million dollars in her will! Ben was ecstatic and sought to find and tell Marina. Marina was headed up to the Bauer Cabin with Shayne for a romantic getaway. Lizzie Spaulding found out this information, and leaked it to Ben, who she had been fueling with tidbits on the twosome for a while. Ben rushed up and lurked about there, and finally kidnapped Marina from the bedroom. He took her to property by Lookout Rock and hid her in a shack. He began to profess love to the fearful Marina, and tried to encourage her into making love. Marina resisted .. and Shayne Lewis discovered their whereabouts and alerted Frank Cooper and the police. Frank and his team showed up.. and at first Ben held a needle to Marina, threatening to kill her. But, realizing he could never do it because of his intense love for her and realizing there was no way out, Ben tragically turned the needle on himself.

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