After dropping out of the European school where she'd hardly attended classes, teen temptress Brenda arrived in Port Charles, hoping to get money from her older sister and legal guardian, Julia. After enrolling in Port Charles High, Brenda befriended hunky Jagger Cates as she bedeviled his virginal crush, Karen Wexler.
Soon, these kids were putting the X in extracurricular activities: Jagger became a Mob-backed boxer, Karen got work as a stripper, and Brenda became the model for Deception cosmetics. But though Brenda briefly provided Jagger with tea and sexual sympathy, it was Karen he eventually chose to wear his leather jacket - and his wedding band.

"Is danger what you're looking for?" asked mobster Sonny Corinthos soon after meeting Brenda. If so, she had found it. When the mafioso nearly was killed while helping his boss, Frank Smith break out of jail, it was Brenda who saved his life. And as a transfusion pumped her blood into his veins, their hearts began beating as one. Soon, they were engulfed in an explosion of passion. When Sonny began trying to go legit, he helped Brenda and Lois, her new best bud, found L&B Records. Unfortunately, after Frank's death, Sonny was lured back into the world of crime, and began lying to Brenda. Unwilling to believe the rumors, but unable to get straight answers from Sonny, Brenda agreed to wear a wire for Mac Scorpio. But after being tipped off by Lily Rivera, Sonny frisked Brenda, found the wire and, in a blaze of fury, dumped her.

Not one to stay single for long, Brenda soon hooked up with Lily's former lover, Miguel Morez. Lily, daughter of a Mob boss, had no problem with Sonny's dirty dealings, and became his new lady love. But when Sonny's protégée, Stone Cates, died from AIDS, Brenda realized how short life could be and vowed to win Sonny back.
Unfortunately, Lily, too, had her heart set on becoming Mrs. Sonny Corinthos, and made sure that her father knew it. Forced to choose between marrying Lily or going to jail, Sonny chose the less-restrictive prison. Heartbroken, Brenda watched from the back of the church as her true love married another.

Upon meeting Australian tycoon "Jax" Jacks, Brenda set out to make Sonny jealous. Jax, hoping to make the object of his affection, Lois, see green, agreed. What neither counted on was their game resulting in a love match. In a bold move, Jax gave Brenda an ultimatum, giving her to weeks to become his bride, or lose him forever.
Pushed into a corner, Sonny decided to live his wife and run away with Brenda. But before the two could flee Port Charles, Lily played her trump card, announcing that she was pregnant. Realizing that Sonny could never leave his child, Brenda impulsively accepted Jax' proposal. At the exact moment that she was joined with a man she did not truly love, a car bomb left Sonny a widower.

Despite Sonny's new availability, Brenda opted to fight her passion and remain with Jax. There was, however, no denying the sexual tension that lit up any room she occupied with her former lover. While trapped in a cave by one of Sonny's dangerous former associates, the two, believing that they were about to die, admitted their love and gave into their passion. But Brenda, die? Perish the thought. Instead, she and Sonny were rescued by (oops!) Jax. After learning that her marriage to Jax was invalid because of Miranda, his first wife who most conveniently had risen from the grave - at Brenda and Jax's recommitment ceremony, no less - Brenda declared a temporary moratorium on men.

Danger again bonded Brenda to Sonny when he helped prove she was not behind the murder of dastardly Dr. Dorman. After several weeks on the run together, the duo returned to Port Charles engaged. Despite naysayers, Brenda showed up at the church ready to pledge her love. Too bad Sonny didn't follow her lead. Instead, fearing for her safety, he opted to leave town without explanation.
Having lost Sonny, Brenda soon lost her sanity. In quick succession her fashion shoots were resulting in less than model behavior, her jobs dried up, and her business manager absconded with all her loot.