I spent 15 years shutting myself off from the world. I was so disgusted by what I'd done. I knew I didn't deserve to be happy. But then I met you.
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Nicholas Deering, "Look Back in Anger" |
Nicholas Deering is one of the main characters on Devious Maids. He is a charming, but mysterious millionaire who has fallen in love with Marisol. After meeting at a bookstore and dating for three short months, the two have become engaged. Nick was previously married to a woman named Dahlia, who allegedly took her own life, but the circumstances surrounding her death remain a well-guarded secret.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
We learned that it was Barrett that we had hit and that he was dead. And we were devastated. And Dahlia wanted to come tell you. Then I was afraid it would ruin my career, and... and we couldn't bring your little boy back. So I convinced her to say nothing.
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Nicholas Deering, "Look Back in Anger" |
At an unknown point in his life, Nicholas becomes a rich businessman, and meets and marries a woman named Dahlia. ("An Ideal Husband") Early on in their marriage, they become best friends with couple Evelyn and Adrian Powell, spending numerous weeks and vacations together. ("Dangerous Liaisons", "Look Back in Anger") Sometime in late 1994, Dahlia meets a pregnant woman by the name of Opal, and takes her into her home, giving her a job as a maid. ("The Dark at the Top of the Stairs") In 1995, Opal gave birth to a son, Ethan, and the two continue to stay in the Deering Home. ("An Ideal Husband")
Nicholas kills Barrett Powell. ("Look Back in Anger") |
Nick and Dahlia's marriage was always a bit troubled. Nick would travel on business trips a lot, something that Dahlia hated. She'd be left alone in their house for long periods of time with no one to talk to except their maid, Opal. At some point, Dahlia began to realize that Opal was actually in love with her. One afternoon, Dahlia decided to seduce her maid. Wanting to hurt Nick, she began leaving clues around the house for him to realize she was having an affair. One of the clues included flowers from Opal that had a love note attached. Dahlia felt that it wasn't enough for Nick to be jealous. His humiliation wouldn't be complete until he knew who his rival was. In the year 1999, on their way to a Chamber of Comers lunch-in where Nick was suppose to get an award, Dahlia decided that it was time to tell her husband who her lover was. As they were driving past the park, Dahlia finally exclaims, "I'm having an affair with Opal." Nick takes his eyes off the road for one second to turn to his wife. Dahlia gasps as he hits Barrett Powell, who was celebrating his seventh birthday. Nick and Dahlia speed away, not looking back at the dead child. The Deerings were in shock, and it wasn't until the next day that they learned it was Barrett who they killed. Dahlia wanted to go to the Powells and confess, but Nick, not wanting to ruin his career, convinces her to say nothing. ("Look Back in Anger")
Nicholas tries to stop Dahlia. ("Betrayal") |
In the year 1999, Dahlia and her husband, Nicholas Deering are seen arguing outside of their rich Beverly Hills manor. Their maid's four year old son, Ethan looks out the window and watches them. His mother, Opal comes into his bedroom to pick up. She asks why he is still awake as she told him to go to bed an hour before. Ethan motions his mother towards the window where he shows her the Deering couple fighting. Dahlia slaps her husband across the face and starts running, trying to get away. Nicholas calls for Opal, and the two of them plus Ethan get into a car and head after her. Nicholas, Opal, and Ethan find Dahlia walking on a bridge. They pull over and get out of the car. Opal asks her what she is doing and Dahlia tells her that confession is good for the soul. The woman is in tears. Opal tells her boss that she has had too much to drink and it would be better if they talked about this back home. Dahlia refuses, stating that they deserve to know what happened. Opal reminds Dahlia if she says anything than Nicholas could go to jail. Dahlia tries to storm off, but Nicholas grabs her arm. Dahlia yanks it away and tells her husband not to touch her. Opal tells her hysterical boss that they are just trying to help. Dahlia tells them that the only way they can help is by letting her end this. Nicholas grabs her, saying that he can't let her do this. Dahlia tries breaking away. Nicholas tells his wife that if she won't listen to him then to at least listen to her girlfriend, referring to Opal. Dahlia tells Opal that their entire relationship means nothing. She tells the maid that she was just used as an experiment because life was so boring being married to Nicholas. A heartbroken and furious Opal pushes Dahlia over the bridge, killing her. ("An Ideal Husband", "Betrayal")
Nicholas is forced to deal with his wife's killer. ("Night, Mother") |
Nicholas and Opal quickly get off the bridge and run to Dahlia's corpse. Nicholas feels for a pulse, but it's no use - she is dead. Opal is horrified. She promises Nick that she didn't mean for this to happen. Ethan gets off the bridge and joins his mother and her boss. Nick yells at him to go back up to the car, not wanting the young boy to see this. Ethan runs back up to the bridge, but instead of hopping into the car, he continues to watch Nicholas and Opal. Nick gets out his phone to dial the police, Opal begs him not to because she has to raise her son. Nick tells her that she should have thought about that before throwing Dahlia off a bridge. Opal tells her boss not to be stupid: it is the perfect time to start the bargain. Nick is confused, and Opal reveals that Dahlia told her everything. She says that if Nicholas keeps his mouth shut then she'd be inclined to do the same. Nicholas puts up his phone and tells Opal that it'd be her word against his. Opal says she wouldn't be so sure of that. Nick admits to defeat and asks the maid what she wants. Opal says that he has to provide for her and Ethan the rest of their lives in exchange for not telling his friends and neighbors he's a killer. Nick accepts these terms and asks Opal what she would like him to say happened to Dahlia. Opal replies with "she jumped." The two then look back at the top of the bridge where they see Ethan watching them. ("Night, Mother")
Opal and Nick lie to the police. ("An Ideal Husband") |
Nicholas and Opal call the police, and soon enough an ambulance arrives and finds Dahlia's corpse, while officers take everyone's statements. Nicholas and Opal tell the police that they knew Dahlia suffered from mental illness, but never knew she was suicidal. Opal adds on and lies that they were begging her to come home; then she jumped off the bridge. This catches Ethan's attention, who's playing with his toy; he understands what his mother is saying is a lie. The officer wonder if perhaps Dahlia said anything beforehand, but Nick brushes it off that it wasn't anything that made sense. From there the officer turns to Ethan, asking him if he saw what happened. Nick and Opal watch in fear as their entire plan could crumble; Nick discretely shakes his head at the boy. Ethan understands this and goes along with the prior story, stating that Dahlia jumped. Nick and Opal then let out a sigh of relief. ("An Ideal Husband")
Fifteen years pass, and having been riddled with guilt, Nick secludes himself from the world. Once day, however, when searching for a first-edition Du Maurier at a local book store, he meets an English professor by the name of Marisol Suarez, who was looking for the same book. They start talking, and after things go well, they start dating. ("An Ideal Husband", "Look Back in Anger")
Season 2[]
Will she still love you when she finds out what you did?
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Opal Sinclair, "An Ideal Husband" |
Nicholas still feels responsible for Dahlia's death. ("An Ideal Husband") |
Three months after Rosie's arrest, we are shown the home of Nicholas Deering where he is seen admiring an engagement ring. His maid, Opal comes up behind him and asks what is that. Nicholas tells her that he intends on proposing to his girlfriend. Opal wonders what the girl will think of him after learning about his secrets. Nicholas tells the maid that she better not. Opal's son, Ethan comes into the room and announces his boss' girlfriend's arrival. Entering the room is none other than Marisol Suarez. The following day, Marisol arrives at Rosie's trial to be able to stay in the United States. She sits down next to her friends, Carmen and Zoila. The two women ask Marisol if anything happened the night before with Nicholas. The former maid exclaims that he proposed, and she then begins to show off her huge engagement ring. Rosie ends up being released, but has to return to court in six months, pleading her case for asylum. The four friends are then reunited. Later on, Marisol is seen having some serious issues with Nicholas’s maid Opal. While Marisol is in the shower, Opal puts a pair of Dahlia's earrings on the nightstand so Marisol thinks they're from her husband-to-be. Marisol ends up wearing them to dinner, upsetting Nicholas. Marisol realizes that he didn't put them there, but it was Opal. She apologizes to her beau and Opal takes the earrings back. Later on, Opal informs her that after Dahlia’s suicide Nicholas was devastated, and he will never be able to love again - this is why she wanted her to see what Nicholas can be like. That night, Marisol confronts Nicholas and wants to know why he didn't tell her that Dahlia committed suicide. He claims he didn't want to scare her off because he blames himself. He says it is hard to talk about. Marisol makes him promise her there will be "no more secrets". ("An Ideal Husband")
Nicholas decides to give all Dahlia's things to goodwill. ("The Dark at the Top of the Stairs") |
Marisol moves stuff into Nicholas' home. As she works on moving Dahlia's things out of the bedroom, Opal stops her, telling her that she must get permission from Nicholas. This infuriates Marisol as she is to be married to him, thus giving her the right to make some decisions. Opal reminds her that it is still Nicholas' house. Later on, as the rest of the movers arrive with Marisol's belongs, she has them put it all the bedroom. Nicholas soon arrives home and finds his master bedroom cluttered with Marisol's boxes. He asks his soon-to-be-wife the meaning of all this, and she informs him of what Opal said about permission. She also informs Nicholas that she just wanted to move Dahlia's things to the garage. Nicholas decides that it would be better to give it all away to goodwill the following day. Later, Nick is getting ready to leave on a trip for a week, he is a little nervous about leaving her alone with Opal that long. Marisol reassures him they will be fine and when he comes home they will be best friends. Nicholas jokingly says that that makes him even more nervous. The couple laugh, and then Nicholas leaves. Later, as Marisol is cleaning out the closet full of Dahlia's things she finds a letter that was left on the top shelf. It says, "Given all that you said I don’t care what you have to do, Dahlia. Get Opal out of the house. Love, Mother." This leaves Marisol terrified. ("The Dark at the Top of the Stairs")
"Thank you for lying." ("Crimes of the Heart") |
Marisol is convinced that Nicholas is Ethan’s father. Taylor encourages her to look at his financial records and see if he has any accounts set up for Ethan. If he is his father then he must have some sort of secret trust for him. Later, Marisol is trying to convince Nick that they should get a pre-nup, he doesn’t think they need one because he completely trusts her. She argues and forces him to call a lawyer, if she signs a pre-nup then she will get to see his financial records and know whether or not he has a trust set up for Ethan. That night, Nick comes home and Marisol confronts him, she found out from her lawyer that Nick left Ethan $5 million. She calls him out and asks him if he is his son. Nick blatantly denies the accusation and announces he is sleeping in the guestroom tonight. He put two and two together and realized Marisol made up the entire pre-nup so that she could have access to his financial records. The next morning, after Opal's conversation with Marisol, Nick thanks his maid for lying to his fiancée. ("Crimes of the Heart")
Nicholas shows his jealous self. ("The Bad Seed") |
Marisol’s book editor Kim Rampton comes over to go over her book, and Nicholas is shocked when he realizes Kim is a guy. He is clearly uncomfortable and decides to skip work and crash Marisol’s meeting with Kim. After Kim left, Nick announces that the book editor is clearly trying to have sex with Marisol, and that he makes Nick uncomfortable. Marisol thinks it is a ridiculous idea, and decides to have Kim over for dinner with them tomorrow so that Nick can see that he is harmless. The next day, Marisol, Nick, and Kim sit down to dinner. Kim reveals his wife is divorcing him because he slept with one of his writers on a book tour, and then announces he wants an "ethnic girl like Marisol", proving Nick was clearly right about him after all. Finally, Kim leaves and Nick and Marisol begin arguing. Nick shouts at Marisol if she wants to be alone with her book editor to have sex. Marisol is really confused, and asks him why they are not laughing, because they are both really ridiculous in this discussion. Nick confesses that "when he becomes jealous he is not himself". He also explains he does not want to relive this situation again. Marisol asks what does he mean by that, and Nick revealed Dahlia had an affair. Marisol tells him he should not be worried, because she will never be unfaithful. Then, Nicholas kisses Marisol so hard that he hurts her. She steps backward... shocked. ("The Bad Seed")
Someone tried to kill Nicholas... ("Betrayal") |
Opal asks Marisol if she opened the top drawer of her bureau Marisol, when she took her things to the hospital. Marisol says she did not, and adds Opal could leave it unlocked by accident. She also tells the maid that she cant wait for Nicholas to get home because they have a lot to talk about. Opal hands Marisol a cup of coffee, mentioning that she used a new mix. Opal tells her boss to enjoy it and then leaves the room. Once she is gone, Marisol dumps it into the sink, not trusting the maid. When Nicholas comes back, Marisol sits down with him and tells him that she knows Dahlia had an affair with Opal, and wants to know why he didn't tell her. He says that it was embarrassing, and he and Opal were both devastated when she died, and they helped each other get through it. Marisol says it has been fifteen years, and it is time to send Opal on her way. She tells him that she can no longer live under the same roof as Opal. Nicholas reassures her that everything is going to be fine and he is going to take care of it. The next day, Nick surprises Marisol with a brand new house, then he informs her that Opal and Ethan are going to live in their old one. Marisol is furious, and can tell that Opal has something on him, she says either Opal goes or she goes. Later, Nicholas gives Opal a severance check, telling her he needs to let her go. Opal tells her boss that they had a deal, but Nicholas says that they need to finally move on. Opal realizes that Marisol is behind this. Nick says that he loves her and that she is threatening to leave if Opal isn't fired. Opal asks if Nick loves Marisol enough to go to jail. Nick says that if he goes to jail then he is taking Opal with him. That night, Nicholas goes for a jog to the bridge that Dahlia was thrown over. He then remembers the night she was pushed by Opal. As he leaves, a car runs over him. It is revealed that the driver is Opal. ("Betrayal")
Nicholas and Marisol are married. ("Night, Mother") |
Marisol is receiving a phone call alerting her that Nicholas had been in an accident. Ethan simultaneously realizes his car is missing and puts two and two together, Opal gives him the “shh” signal as she rushes out the door to drive Marisol to the hospital. Later, Marisol is allowed to see Nick; the doctors reveal to her that Nick has to have a very dangerous surgery and remove bone fragments that are pressing on his aorta. Nick asks Marisol to marry him in the hospital in case he doesn’t survive the surgery. Zoila, Carmen, and Rosie arrive at the hospital to be there for Marisol. She confesses to them that she accepted Nick’s proposal, she didn’t know how to say no to him lying there in a hospital bed. Zoila tries to convince her to reconsider, she thinks Nick is evil. Rosie and Carmen agree to help her get ready for the wedding. Meanwhile, Opal rushes home to get insurance information for Marisol, Ethan confronts her and asks her why she ran him over. She confesses that Nick was threatening to kick them out and take Ethan out of his will. Ethan is shocked. Opal begs him not to be mad at her and insists she did it because she is a great mother. Later, Opal needs an alibi for when the police ask where she was, so Ethan agrees to provide one if she leaves his life. Opal shows up to the hospital with a bouquet for Marisol, who is in her wedding gown. She announces to Marisol that she is moving out tonight, but she wants Ethan to stay at the house, Marisol says that will be fine. The pastor tells Marisol it is time for the wedding and she heads in to Nick’s hospital room to say her “I Do’s.” As Marisol and Nicholas are wed, Opal cries, watching from outside the room. ("Night, Mother")
"I didn’t mean to kill him." ("Long Day's Journey Into Night") |
In the hospital, Nick is popping pain pills. Marisol is worried because he takes too many pills, but she is also happy because he is alright. She tells Nicholas that Opal left the house so they will start their lives as a married couple. Then, two detectives comes to see Marisol, asking if they can talk to Nick about his accident. The woman asks her husband if he cans talk to the police about the accident, but thanks to his pills, Nick says, “I didn’t mean to kill him, he was right in front of me.” Marisol tries to ask him what he is talking about, but he is less than helpful. Marisol pays Nick a visit at the hospital the next day and tells him that he was rambling about killing someone when he was on his meds. Nick denies it, but Marisol isn’t convinced. After her meeting with Carmen, Marisol heads to the hospital and tries to drug Nick so that she can get some information out of him about the person he supposedly killed. Nick tells her he doesn’t need any pills, so she brings him a glass of juice with pain killers in it. He is on to her and refuses to take the pills. He finally snaps at her and yells at her to “stop trying to drug him.” Marisol calls him out and says she knows Opal was blackmailing him, she begs him to tell her the truth. He continues to lie and says he isn’t a murderer, Marisol gives him back the wedding ring and says that she is moving out. He calls for her to come back but she storms out of his hospital room. ("Long Day's Journey Into Night")
Detective Wolf and Detective Figueroa stop by the Deering mansion to ask Marisol to see the security footage of the night Nick was hit in order to build a timeline. They see him exit the property, but it's only later on that Marisol goes back and checks to see that Opal pulls out just a little while after, revealing she hit Nick. ("You Can't Take It With You")
Nicholas tries to "get absolution before the confession". ("Proof") |
Nick arrives at his home and finds the cops there. Carmen and Rosie are with Marisol; Rosie tells him Opal killed herself. Then, Marisol says to Nick they need to talk and they go to a quiet place. Nick apologizes to Marisol for having to see Opal kill herself. Marisol reveals that she knows Opal pushed Dahlia off the bridge, and that Nick must have killed someone too or else he wouldn't keep the secret. However, Nick is more worried about where Opal’s apartment is. Nick rushes off to figure out where Opal was living so he can get a watch back that he let her borrow. Marisol asks him if he will tell her the truth but Nick replies it isn't what she thinks and he leaves. Rosie and Carmen go with Marisol and ask her what Nick said. The woman tells them all he would talk about was Opal's apartment, probably because she had a physical proof of what he did. Marisol says she needs to get to the apartment first. The next morning, Nick arrives at the apartment, and finds Marisol sleeping on the couch. Marisol says she tried to find an evidence of what he did and Nick replies she clearly did not find it, judging by the condition of the room. Then, Nick asks Marisol if he were to confess to doing something on accident if she would still love him and forgive him. Marisol tells him she can't forgive him before she knows what he did, and she adds she does not know if she still loves him or not because she does not know him. Nick is disappointed and decides to leave the apartment. Marisol warns him that whatever Opal had on him, she will find it. Nick says that she will “wish she hasn't.” Marisol soon manages to break into Opal's safe deposit box where she finds a newspaper article revealing everything. ("Proof")
Nicholas confesses the truth about Barrett's death to the Powells. ("Look Back in Anger") |
After talking with the police, but failing at getting them to arrest Nick, Marisol barges into Nick’s house and smacks him across the face. She knows that he was the hit and run driver that killed Adrian and Evelyn Powell’s son years ago when he was riding his bike. Nicholas says he hates himself for that, but he told nothing to her because he was afraid of losing her. Marisol tells him that he needs to go to the Powell’s and apologize to them and go to the police and turn himself in before she will even consider forgiving him. Later, Marisol and Nick head to Adrian and Evelyn’s house, and Adrian wants to know why Nick stopped talking to them after their son Barrett died, because him and Dahlia were their dearest friends. Evelyn thinks it is because they were out of their minds with grief. Nick admits it was because Barrett died, but because he killed him. Then, he confesses that fifteen years ago his wife Dahlia was tired of him traveling for business all the time. One day, Dahlia realized Opal was in love with her so she decided to have an affair with her. Dahlia left clues in the house in order to let Nick know about the affair, but she wanted to humiliate him. So one day, Dahlia told him in the car while he was driving that she was cheating on him with the maid, and he took his eyes off the road and hit Barrett. Nick says that they were in shock, and the next day they learned that it was Adrian and Evelyn’s son that they had killed. He adds that Dahlia wanted to tell them the truth but Nick was afraid it would ruin his career, so he convinced her to say nothing. Evelyn and Adrian are heartbroken. Adrian takes the Mayan knife, bought by Evelyn for their wedding anniversary, and tries to stab Nick and misses. Evelyn tells Nick that the only reason he is still alive it is because she believes a harsher punishment awaits him. Then, Marisol and Nick leave in order to go to the police station. ("Look Back in Anger")
Trivia[]
- Of the main characters, Nicholas has only formally met with Marisol, Rosie, Carmen, Evelyn, Adrian, Opal, and Ethan.
Gallery[]
This is a gallery of photographic stills released to promote the character.
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