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| - Robert Jacob Sugden is the son of Jack and Pat Sugden, brother of Jackie Merrick, the half-brother of Tommy Merrick, Sandie Merrick and Victoria Sugden, and the adoptive brother of Andy Sugden. He is also the father of Sebastian. Robert had a good childhood, but his life became hectic after his father Jack had an affair with Rachel Tate in 1997 and his adoptive mother Sarah had an affair with lodger Richie Carter in 2000. His adoptive brother Andy accidentally killed Sarah when he started a barn fire in order to claim on insurance when the farm was going through financial troubles. After Jack was acquitted of starting the fire, Robert found out that Andy was responsible for Sarah's death and, devastated, left for Spain to stay with his grandmother Annie. Robert returned a few months later and a bitter feud started developing between him and Andy, causing trouble for Andy and his girlfriend Katie Addyman. Robert later goes on to have a fling with Nicola Blackstock and dating Donna Windsor and Elaine Marsden simultaneously; both relationships ended badly when Donna found out Robert had been unfaithful (though they later reconciled) and when Robert and Elaine were involved in a car accident. By the end of 2003, Katie had become Andy's fiancee and Robert started an affair with her. Andy's brother Daz and Robert's sister Victoria caught them at it, but they were both threatened to keep quiet. Jack discovered it, as well, and tried to make sure Andy did not find out, but Robert told Andy anyway, leaving him devastated. After Andy and Katie separated, Robert got together with her and she became Robert's fiancee, but she left the village after she discovered that Robert had an affair with Sadie King. Robert and Andy's feud reached new heights and culminated in the tragic death of Max King, which led to Robert leaving the village in order to avoid being arrested. Robert returned briefly to the village in 2009 after Jack's death and watched the funeral from afar. Five years later, Robert got engaged to Chrissie White, the daughter of agricultural machinery tycoon Lawrence White and returned to the village, much to the delight of Jack's widow Diane and Victoria and the shock of Andy and Katie, who had recently got back together. Robert and Andy's feud was re-ignited, and Robert started causing trouble for the couple, but they put their differences aside as Andy and Katie remarried on Christmas Day 2014. Robert had recently started an affair with Aaron Livesy and Katie subsequently found out, but this led to her death when Robert pushed her onto some rotting floorboards, sending her plummeting through to the basement and breaking her neck. Aaron later told Chrissie of his affair with Robert and Chrissie threw him out. Robert refused to sign the divorce papers, so Chrissie set fire to his car, but much to their horror, this resulted in a massive explosion, sending a gas canister flying into the air and hitting a passing helicopter, which careered out of control and crashed through the roof of the village hall. Weeks later, Robert is shot by Ross Barton, in a deal that he and Andy had. Robert later supported Aaron when he admitted he was sexually abused by his father Gordon, as a child and helped Andy to leave the country after Andy was wrongfully accused of shooting Lawrence, the real culprit being Chrissie's son Lachlan. Robert and Aaron subsequently got engaged after they were involved in a car accident involving many of the other villagers. Robert and Chrissie's half-sister Rebecca slept together in 2017. Rebecca became pregnant with Robert's baby, leading to the breakup of Rebecca and Ross Barton, as well as Robert and Aaron. Robert was enraged, blaming Rebecca for his and Aaron's split, and conducted a plan to take Home Farm from the Whites. However, when Rebecca gave birth to Sebastian in November, Robert began to change, and stopped his plan to take over the business. Robert initially decided to leave the village, not wanting his son to turn out like him, but a few home truths from Aaron changed his mind. Unfortunately for Robert, Rebecca saw their "investor" Kath on the shopping channel, and worked out that Robert had been trying to con them all along. An infuriated Rebecca banned Robert from having any access whatsoever, despite Robert's pleads. Chrissie's son Lachlan (who they all thought was missing) overhears this and plans to take down Robert. He recruits friend Gerry Roberts to help him by kidnapping Seb and leaving him outside Keepers Cottage. Robert returns Seb to Home Farm, where a distraught Rebecca accuses him of taking Seb, and reveals Robert's plans to take Home Farm from them. A fuming Chrissie makes clear that she blames Robert for Lachlan's disappearance before throwing Robert out, telling him to never step foot in Home Farm again, before threatening to kill Robert if anything has happened to Lachlan.
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