1990-91: Arlene Vaughan came to Pine Valley to reclaim her daughter, Hayley Vaughan, who had made herself at home at her brother’s, Trevor Dillon, home. Trevor insisted that he take care of Hayley for Arlene. After all, she was still mourning the death of her husband, Harry Vaughan, and it was no secret she was an alcoholic.
Arlene would meet a face from her past that she never thought she would see again. It was Adam Chandler, a man she had had an affair with while married to Harry. In fact, he was Hayley’s biological father. Arlene reluctantly allowed Hayley to move in with Adam.
One night, Arlene had a few too many drinks. Hayley insisted on driving home, but Arlene refused her offer. Drunkenly, she crashed into a car. Inside was a very pregnant Brooke English who proceeded to go into labor. Hayley knew that Arlene would be sent to prison for driving drunk. She took the fall for the accident.

1992: Arlene worried about Hayley’s impromptu marriage to Will Cortlandt. She and Adam concocted a plan to lure Will out of Pine Valley. Before they could execute it, Will was bludgeoned by a crowbar. The culprit with Janet Green, a woman infatuated with Trevor.

1995-96: Arlene began an affair with Hayley’s new husband, Alec McIntyre. Arlene was wise to Alec’s manipulations. Alec was using his marriage as leverage to take control of Enchantment Cosmetics. Adam had named Hayley CEO. Arlene blackmailed Alec into keeping their affair a secret.
Adam found out about their affair. He told Arlene that Alec was sleeping with his ex-lover, Gloria Marsh. Arlene confronted Alec. Alec wanted to make it up to Arlene with a romantic evening. Alec had other intentions. After drinking her into a stupor, Alec planned to poison Arlene by funneling vodka down her throat. Hayley barged in on them, and stopped Alec not a moment too soon.
Hayley finally confronted Arlene about her alcoholism. Arlene agreed she had a problem and decided to go to rehab.

1999-2000: Arlene came crashing back into Pine Valley. She came under the guise of support for her new sister-in-law Janet. Trevor was on the run after taking the fall for another murder at Janet's hands.
Arlene had fallen back into her alcoholism. While rushing down the highway, Arlene slammed into someone. She realized it was Stuart Chandler, Adam’s brother. Thinking he was dead, Arlene quickly speed away.
Arlene insinuated herself back into Hayley’s life. Hayley wanted to keep her distance. Arlene appealed to an especially vulnerable Adam who was still reeling from Stuart’s "death." After a drunken bender, Arlene and Adam eloped though he was still in love with ex-wife Liza Colby.
Arlene quickly solidified her position in Adam’s pocketbook when she revealed she was pregnant again. They opened a Roadside Bar. Hayley began working there to keep an eye on her mother.
Stuart made his way back to Pine Valley. Arlene had none for months that he was alive and living as an amnesiac in Las Vegas. Unsure if he had any memory of the accident, Arlene locked him in the Chandler attic.
Arlene worried she was going to loose Adam after miscarrying her child. Vanessa Cortlandt suggested Arlene stage an accident to explain her miscarriage. She threw herself down the stairs at Chandler Mansion after an altercation with Liza.
Arlene was among those drugged by Libidizone at the launch party for IncredibleDreams.com. She seduced an equally intoxicated Mateo Santos, Hayley’s new husband. When Hayley caught them, she proceeded to strangle her mother. Adam spotted Hayley seemingly killing her mother. Adam took Arlene’s limp body and threw it off the Fidelity yacht to protect his daughter.

2001: Arlene had survived the Fidelity incident. She had stolen one of Vanessa’s priceless necklaces and pawned it to finance a new life in the Caribbean. Mateo tracked her down and begged her to come back to Pine Valley to exonerate Hayley for her murder.
Arlene would return to Pine Valley again after Hayley gave birth to Enzo Santos. Mateo wanted Arlene to leave before she unsettled Hayley more. Arlene promised to leave town. Secretly, she plotted to kidnap Enzo to raise him as her own.