Simone Torres first appeared in Pine Valley in 2001 when Tempo Magazine's investigative reporter went undercover at Mateo Santos's bar, SOS, to get to the bottom of the Proteus drug cartel. Proteus had been funneling drugs and drug money through Mateo's club, and Simone was determined to get the scoop by posing as a waitress at the club.
Simone didn't think that an employer-employee relationship was convincing enough of a cover, and when Mateo's wife Hayley became suspicious of the time they were spending together, Simone suggested they pretend they were having an affair. Hayley saw through the story, but agreed to go along with the lie in order to get Mateo out of the drug trade.
Simone broke one of the biggest rules, however, when she began to fall for Mateo! Simone compromised herself by throwing herself at Mateo, and when he rebuffed her, Simone was crushed. When Mateo and FBI agent Chris Stamp decided to push Simone out of SOS and deny her the Proteus story, Simone let her hurt feelings get the best of her and let Proteus manipulate her into tipping the drug lord off!
Simone's actions nearly got Ryan Lavery killed, and jeopardized other lives, and she was forced to resign from Tempo over her mistakes.
The devastated Simone drowned her sorrows, and then fell prey to Roger Smythe, a selfish user and a reluctant footsoldier for Proteus. Roger seduced Simone, with promises of a book deal about Roger's entire experience with Proteus once the saga was over.
Meanwhile, down-and-out Simone found a friend in Greenlee Smythe, and was stunned to realize that Roger was her new pal's father! Simone struggled with keeping her secret affair from her new best friend, and the struggle became more difficult when Greenlee asked Simone to be her maid of honor at her wedding to Leo du Pres!
Simone tried to end her relationship with Roger, and abandon their book deal, but Roger threatened to expose the truth to Greenlee if Simone put the kibosh on their book. Leo uncovered the truth, but kept it from Greenlee to spare her the humiliation. Roger's ex-wife Mary also had her suspicions about Roger and Simone's relationship, but couldn't prove them.
Greenlee gave Simone a job as her assistant at Revlon Cosmetics, as Greenlee's wedding to Leo drew near. Simone was shocked when gunfire erupted at the wedding, and Roger took a bullet to the chest!
At the hospital, a delirious Roger mistook Greenlee for Simone and spilled the beans, leading Greenlee to promptly eject Simone from her life. Simone was thoroughly sorry for betraying her friend so deeply. When Roger died, Greenlee refused to let Simone console her.
Not only did Simone let Greenlee down, but she once again let her father, Dr. Zeke MacMillan, down. Simone had always fought hard for her father's approval, but never seemed to attain it. Whatever Simone did, Zeke disapproved. Her career as a writer, her poor choices in men, no matter what Simone did, it was always wrong as far as her father was concerned.
Finally, in 2002, someone stepped in and refused to let Zeke put his daughter down any longer. Simone had been at a low point once again, and took a dangerous combination of alcohol and pills. When she overdosed, young intern Frank Hubbard found her and saved her life. Frank proved to be a bright spot for Simone, and defended her valiantly against her judgmental father. It wasn't too long before Simone and Frank began dating.
Frank's friction with Simone's father proved troublesome, and Simone just wanted to keep the peace. Simone opened up to Frank and explained that her father is so abrasive because her brother Anthony has been comatose for years since a drug overdose in New York City. Simone supposed that Zeke resented Frank because Frank was a reminder of what Anthony could have been, had circumstances been different.
Simone continued down a blissful path with Frank, unaware that Frank was hiding a shocking secret. Before Frank became a doctor, he was an aspiring filmmaker in New York City. What Simone didn't know was that Frank had actually happened upon her brother's overdose, and, rather than going for help, filmed the experience instead.
Zeke, suspicious of Frank, hired a private investigator, who uncovered the videotape of Anthony's overdose. Zeke brought the tape to Simone, to prove to her that Frank wasn't the man for her. When Simone watched the tape, she was rocked by the realization that Frank stood idly by as her brother overdosed on drugs.
Simone ended her relationship with Frank and decided to start over. Greenlee du Pres launched Fusion Cosmetics with Kendall Hart, and hired Mia Saunders and Simone. Greenlee still hadn't forgiven Simone, but agreed to hire her to write press releases and such.
Simone Torres was instantly smitten with Carlos, and tried to get close to him by asking him to teach her Spanish. When Simone grew tired of dancing around the attraction, Simone outright came onto Carlos. Unfortunately, Carlos revealed that his heart belonged to another woman -- Greenlee! Simone eventually moved past her feelings and the two became friends.
Simone began a "strictly casual" sexual relationship with Tad Martin. Despite her best attempts not to, she fell in love with Tad. Tad sensitively let Simone know that he did not feel the same way, but Simone continued to see him. Seeing Liza Colby and Krystal Carey's interest in Tad only prompted her to fight harder. Eventually, Tad told all three women he was taking a break from romance in an effort to provide an example for his son Jamie.
