After a short fling with Paul Williams (which resulted in a case of venereal disease), Nikki took a job stripping at the Bayou where she was introduced to business mogul Victor Newman, who would become the love of her life. Nikki learned about high society from Victor. Soon, the couple fell in love, but Nikki, who gave birth to Victor's daughter, Victoria, had other suitors/pursuers (Kevin Bancroft, Tony DiSalvo and Rick Daros) to deal with before she wed Victor.

Jealous of Victor's feelings for Ashley Abbott, Nikki had an affair with Ash's brother Jack. Nikki was diagnosed with an incurable disease, which sent Victor back into her arms. Alas, Nikki lying about her remission didn't endear her to Victor, but the final straw was Victor blaming Nikki for unauthorized biographer Leanna Randolph (aka Nora Randall) writing about Ashley aborting Victor's baby.

While estranged, Nikki and Victor shared a night of passion, which resulted in Nikki becoming pregnant with their son Nicholas. Despite sharing two children and still being very much in love, Nikki and Victor divorced. Jack ruined Nikki's budding romance with Dr. Jim Grainger and then married her, hoping to use her as leverage against Victor, who had taken controlling interest of Jabot Cosmetics. Nikki was pleased that Jack, who fell in love with her for real, stood by her as she battled an addiction to pain pills and alcohol while suffering from a debilitating back injury. Alas, their marriage didn't survive the loss of their son, whose heart was donated to a dying baby boy.

Nikki's hopes of remarrying Victor were dashed when he wed instead blind farmer Hope Adams, who gave birth to his son, Victor Jr. Nikki moved on to a romance with Brad Carlton, but he called off their future after spying Nikki's reaction to the news that Victor had been shot. Nikki impulsively wed her gynecologist Dr. Joshua Landers even though Victor had fallen in love with her once more. Tragically, Joshua's presumed-dead and unbalanced wife, Veronica (aka Sarah, Nikki's maid), murdered Josh and shot Nikki, too. Victor got a quickie divorce from his bride Diane Jenkins so he could re-marry Nikki and let her die a happy woman. Nikki lived, but Diane contested the divorce, which resulted in Victor and Nikki's union not being legal.

In time, Victor and Nikki re-wed, this time for real, at the Colonnade room, the site of their first wedding. Nikki and Victor clashed when his unethical and illegal business practices harmed Jabot (where Nikki had made a sizeable investment.) Next, Nikki began having horrible flashbacks to accidentally shooting Joshua Cassen when she was 5 years old. Nikki was shocked to learn that Joshua was the older brother of her new business associate Bobby Marsino. Victor rescued his wife after Bobby's mob associates kidnapped Nikki. Later, Nikki was devastated to learn that Bobby was killed after he left town to testify against the mob.

Nikki and Phyllis Summers partnered with Victor to create a chain of Wellness Spas across the country. Nikki was reminded of Victor's ruthlessness when he promptly fired Phyllis (for having an affair with Nick), but also was reminded of his ability to be compassionate when he allowed his wife to rehire Phyllis after Nikki suffered a gunshot wound inflicted on her by a carjacker.

Nikki stood by Victor as he was diagnosed with epilepsy, helping her husband to cope with the effects of his illness. Although she was at first happy to encounter Victor's new mellow personality that resulted from the epilepsy, she later became concerned Jack was manipulating a vulnerable Victor into his own self-serving business deals. Under the influence of visions caused by his temporal lobe epilepsy, Victor left town on a spiritual quest, but eventually returned home to seek treatment. After undergoing brain surgery, Victor appeared to be returning to good health.

When the Newman jet went down and Nicholas was thought to be dead, Victor pulled away from Nikki. He disapproved of Nikki's campaign for a seat in the Senate. By the time Nick was found alive, the Newman patriarch's coldness had driven his wife into the loving arms of her campaign manager, David Chow. Eventually, Genoa City's super couple decided to divorce. Victor called in Nikki loans on the Clear Spring project just before the parking garage collapsed. When the garage came down, many of Genoa City residents were trapped including Nick, Sharon, Victoria and Noah. Jack Abbott saved Nick and Sharon. Victor, looking for his children, found Jack and was able to rescue him. Eventually, Noah and Victoria were rescued but Victoria's life hung in balance as she and her unborn child suffered from the aftermath of the collapse. Nikki knew how much Victoria wanted to give birth to the child and wanted the doctors to do everything in their power to save the baby, even if it meant Victoria would die. Victor wanted Victoria to survive no matter what. Both Victoria and the baby survived. J.T. and Victoria wed as baby Reed looked on.

Nikki married David Chow but soon found that he had a terrible gambling problem. Her old flame Paul did a little investigating and soon found that David was tied to the mob and may be a murderer. He raced to save Nikki, who didn't know that David had poisoned her. The mob caught up to David and took his life in a car crash that claimed the life of Victor's young bride Sabrina and her unborn baby's as well. Nikki, reeling from the news that her husband was a murderer, connected to the mob, dead and had been responsible for Sabrina's death as well, recovered from the poisoning but Victor blamed her for everything. She eventually followed him to Mexico where he had gone to track down Walter, the mobster responsible for David and Sabrina's demise. A storm had wreaked the boat that Victor and Walter had chartered. Victor was thought to be dead. Nikki found him and he turned his back on her forever!

Nikki returned to Genoa City with Paul by her side for support but she was worried about her ex. Victor was truly on a downward spiral and she turned to her old rival Ashley for help. She convinced Ashley that only Ash could reach Victor in his darkest hour. Ashley flew to Paris and caught up with the business mogul and soon was able to give him the comfort he needed so badly. She convinced him to return to his family and friends in Genoa City. Nikki found solace in Paul's arms.