Wife: Greenlee Lavery
Father: Patrick Lavery (adoptive; deceased), Chris Stamp (biological; deceased)
Mother: Gail Lavery (deceased)
Siblings: Braden Lavery (half-brother), Jonathan Lavery (half-brother), Erin Lavery (half-sister)
Father-in-law: Jackson Montgomery
Mother-in-law: Mary Smythe
Brother-in-law: Reggie Montgomery
Sister-in-law: Lily Montgomery
Significant Romantic Relationships: Gillian Andrassy (1st and 2nd wife, deceased), Greenlee Smythe du Pres, Mia Saunders, Kendall Hart

Ryan Lavery arrived in Pine Valley in January 1998 as a con man seeking riches. After getting hired at WRCW, Ryan began a scheme involving kickback funds. Station manager Liza discovered this and threatened jail time unless Ryan married Gillian Andrassy, who was about to be wed to Liza's nephew Scott. Gillian needed a green card to stay in the country, so Liza convinced Ryan that Gillian had a family fortune. His eyes lit up at the prospect of marrying into money (it didn't hurt that he was attracted to her). Gillian (penniless herself and after Scott for his money as well as a green card), thanks to a similar ruse by Liza, believed Ryan was worth millions. Ryan married Gillian and both were shocked that neither had any money. After months of fighting, Gillian finally admitted her love for Ryan, but he was unsure of his feelings. Gillian reacted by falling into a tumultuous affair with the town pariah, David Hayward. The night Ryan went to profess his love for Gillian, he found her in bed with David, causing Ryan to bolt and flirt with Kit Montgomery (Jackson's sister) at a bar.

Kit was raped that same night and believed the rapist to be Ryan. A blood test was taken and it was a 70% match with Ryan. At the Crystal Ball, Ryan was arrested in front of the entire town. After fleeing the cops with the help of Gillian, who was determined to prove Ryan's innocence, Ryan was found and arrested. During the trial, Ryan realized that his older brother, Braden (who had been in town since the fall) was the rapist. Out of a sense of loyalty from childhood over Braden's protection from their abusive father, Ryan confessed to cover for Braden. Braden eventually told the truth and Ryan was cleared of all charges. Having had to deal with his brother being so cruel, Ryan lost the will to believe or trust in anyone. He forgave Gillian for sleeping with David, but needed to be alone. The two filed for divorce. Ryan developed an even closer relationship with best friend, Hayley Santos, and the two embarked on a slow, cautious relationship.

With Hayley returning to her husband and Gillian dating the upstanding Dr. Jake Martin, Ryan turned to Greenlee Smythe (now duPres). Ryan and Greenlee had a very physical relationship, but ultimately he couldn't stop thinking about Gillian. Ryan interrupted Gillian's wedding to Jake, but was unsuccessful in stopping the nuptials. Ryan decided to open up a dot com business where he made people's dreams come true (IncredibleDreams.com). Greenlee began working with Ryan and secretly had her grandfather invest in the startup. Greenlee, having become obsessive about Ryan, fed Gillian lies about her and Ryan's relationship to keep the couple apart. Ryan and Gillian played romantic tug-of-war thanks especially to Greenlee's machinations. Finally reuniting, Ryan and Gillian began meeting secretly while her new husband Jake was abroad, unbeknownst to Greenlee. Wanting to put an end to their secrecy and with news that Jake had gone missing in Chechnya, Ryan used funds from ID.com to find Jake and rescue him, so that Gillian could file for divorce and be free. Spurned Greenlee, having found out Gillian and Ryan were together for months, reported the embezzled funds Ryan took from his own company and pressed charges against him.

Ryan was eventually released from jail, and Gillian left Jake for Ryan. Ryan payed off Greenlee's grandfather and became sole owner of ID.com. Ryan then became involved in business with Adam Chandler. After a disastrous party (David drugged the guests with an experimental drug) Ryan sold ID.com to Adam. Adam hired Ryan back at ID.com, but Ryan had plans of his own - he hired close friend, Leo, so that Ryan could get out from under Adam's thumb. Ryan and Gillian planned their wedding, but Gillian found out she was pregnant with Jake's baby. Gillian lost the baby, got her divorce from Jake finalized, and she and Ryan continued to plan their wedding. Under less-than-ideal circumstances, best man Leo used Ryan's wedding money creating another obstacle for Ryan and Gillian's wedding. The two finally married at Wildwind. Later that year, Gillian was shot (the target was Anna Devane), leaving her brain dead. Ryan donated her heart to Laura English.

After the death of his wife, Ryan quit ID.com and began working for Liza at WRCW again. He was on a downward spiral causing him to drink often and take more risks. Ryan began to come in "contact" with Gillian via psychic Opal Cortlandt. After unsuccessfully trying to make Opal contact Gillian from the great beyond, distraught Ryan burned his and Gillian's special place, the Wildwind turret, and slept with long-time friend, Liza (causing her to get pregnant and infuriating Adam). Ryan met Mia Saunders during a card game and quickly became involved with her. Mia and Ryan grew closer when Mia confided that she and Liza are sisters and that she never knew her father. In the end, things faded between Mia and Ryan.

When Ryan's mother died (off-camera), a ghostly Gillian orchestrated Ryan to meet Chris Stamp, who was new in town. Adam investigated Ryan's past and told Ryan that his father was a drug dealer. Ryan almost left town, but decided to stay and learn more about his family's past. In an accident, Liza fell down some steps and lost Ryan's baby. Ryan blamed Adam for killing his baby. On top of that, Chris told Ryan that he killed his father a long time ago, but Ryan didn't trust Chris.

Ryan met Kendall Hart for the first time at the Pine Cone Motel. They argued all of the time, but seemed to be there for each other during hardships (her vendetta against her mother, Erica Kane, and his search into his past). Ryan rescued Kendall from a burning room and resuscitated her. This was the start of something more for these two lonely souls. Ryan got a hold of the disc with information about Proteus, the new drug lord in Pine Valley, and hid it inside a doll that belonged to Kendall. Kendall found it and blackmailed Ryan, but he later retrieved it. In a shooting over the Proteus disk, Chris took a bullet for Ryan and Ryan learned that he was Chris's biological son. This information made him wonder if the reason his father beat him when he was younger was because he knew the truth. A floored Ryan began to slowly build a relationship with his newfound father.

With Ryan and Kendall's relationship deepening, Ryan tried to facilitate a warmer relationship between Kendall and Erica, while he built on his relationship with Chris. Ryan remained committed to Kendall, despite her feelings of inadequacy. Kendall and Ryan planned to leave Pine Valley together, but their plans were halted. Kendall, having threatened Erica numerous times, was accused of burning down Erica's home. Ryan and Kendall admitted their love for each other, and Ryan defended Kendall to the whole town. Trey Kenyon was her lawyer in the arson case, and he suggested that Kendall take a lie detector test to prove her innocence (Trey was hiding the fact that he was actually the arsonist). Against Ryan's better judgment, Kendall took the test and failed. Ryan questioned Kendall's half-truths about the night of the fire, but despite her lies, he proposed to her at her grandmother's gravesite. Before their wedding day in the summer of 2002, Ryan walked in on Kendall in a compromising position with Aidan Devane (Kendall was trying to uncover information on Erica) and having been hurt one too many times, Ryan left town on his motorcycle, leaving Kendall in the dust.

In August 2003, Ryan turned up in the Nevada desert. There, he came upon a stranded Alexander Cambias, father of the villainous Michael, and helped him out of the desert. Ryan brought Alexander to Las Vegas where Alexander gave Ryan a large check for his services. Alexander collapsed and Ryan called Michael to inform him. Kendall (who was snooping in Michael's apartment with Aidan) picked up the phone and Ryan hung up. While in the hospital, Ryan bonded with Alexander. Before Alexander died, he gave Ryan his pocket watch, seeing Ryan as more of a son than Michael. Ryan then returned to Pine Valley, keeping his presence secret from his old friends, with the exception of Edmund Grey. He soon revealed to the entire town that Alexander Cambias had left him in control of the entire Cambias fortune!

This immediately put Ryan in conflict with ex-fiancée Kendall, who claimed to be married to Michael and thus the true owner of Cambias Industries (Michael's dead body showed up soon after). Despite their clashes with each other, the attraction was there, and Ryan and Kendall spent the night together. After Michael's time of death negated Kendall's claim to the Cambias fortune, Ryan found Kendall's sister, Bianca, holding a sonogram. Assuming she was pregnant, Ryan was shocked when Kendall snatched the sonogram and claimed it was hers-she was pregnant with Michael's child! Disbelieving her claim (which would give Kendall, and the child, control of the Cambias fortune), Ryan demanded a blood test to confirm she was pregnant-which Kendall passed! Soon Ryan put various pieces together, and silently realized that Kendall was not pregnant, but was claiming so to help the pregnant Bianca (who had been raped and impregnated by Michael). Ryan told Kendall that he was dropping any suit against her that fought her pregnancy claim. He also posted her bail when she was arrested for Michael's murder.

Despite her issues with trust, Ryan and Kendall found their way back to each other. He even surprised her with a pouch that makes its wearer appear pregnant! The two were soon engaged and planned to marry as soon as Kendall was cleared of murder charges. However, Ryan's friendship with Greenlee remained a thorn in Kendall's side. Her natural distrust exploded when Greenlee ripped off Kendall's dress in court, revealing a fake pregnancy! Kendall believed that Ryan had allied himself with Greenlee and wanted her to go to prison, leading a furious Ryan to break things off with her. Ryan cared deeply for Kendall, but found it hard to be with her when she doesn't fully trust him. Despite his anger at Greenlee's courtroom antics, he saw how truly remorseful she was and the two deepened their friendship. This did not make Kendall happy.

Bianca went public with her pregnancy, and Ryan signed over the company to Bianca and her unborn daughter. Ryan was a rock of support for Kendall when Bianca's baby, Miranda, was presumed dead after a helicopter crash. As Ryan helped Kendall cope with the traumatic loss of Miranda, the two grew closer. Ryan was prepared to build a future with Kendall. However, Ryan's friendship with Greenlee continued to provide conflict in their relationship.

Not wanting Greenlee to have any part of Fusion (the company Greenlee started with Kendall, now owned by Cambias Industries), a vindictive Kendall revealed her trump card at the Cambias Industries board meeting: While Bianca was in control of the company (Since Miranda's passing, it reverted back to Ryan), Kendall had a clause inserted that barred Greenlee from ever working at any Cambias owned company, including Fusion. Ryan begged Kendall to drop her vendetta and focus on his love instead, but Kendall couldn't let go of her anger. Furious, Ryan broke off with her. He proposed to Greenlee and explained that, as his wife, she would be co-owner of Cambias and could work at Fusion or any other Cambias company. Ryan promised the marriage would be platonic and based on trust, honesty and friendship. Greenlee agreed.

The two prepared to marry. At the ceremony, Kendall arrived in place of Greenlee and confessed her love to Ryan. She told Ryan that Greenlee had approved the union and stepped back. Ryan was moved, but hardened when Greenlee appeared and revealed that Kendall locked her in her hotel room to sabotage the wedding. Kendall and Greenlee fought, and Ryan was distressed that Kendall once again chose anger over their love. He married Greenlee.

To prevent any questioning on the validity of the marriage, Ryan and Greenlee moved in together and played happy newlyweds. The two grew closer and Ryan started to fall in love with Greenlee. He kept his feelings to himself, fearful that he would ruin the friendship and that Greenlee didn't feel similarly. Kendall continued to try to sabotage the relationship. To hurt Ryan, she slept with his newly arrived brother Jonathan and paid Bobby Warner to try and seduce Greenlee (unsuccessfully). Ryan finally admitted he loved Greenlee and was thrilled she felt the same way. They made love for the first time as husband and wife.

Ryan was shocked when Ethan Ramsey arrived in town claiming to be Alexander Cambias's grandson, and thus the rightful Cambias heir. Ryan told that Ethan that if he could definitively prove himself, Ryan would sign over Cambias Industries. Ethan had no substantial proof, and clashed with Ryan.

At the opening of Zach Slater's casino, Ryan was shot while participating in a murder mystery game. He nearly died. Ryan wondered if a vengeful Ethan was responsible, or if the guilty party was Zach Slater, who was revealed to be the presumed dead Alexander Cambias Junior. Ethan was arrested for the shooting, and while he was in jail, Ryan and Greenlee were shot at again. Ryan suspected Zach was responsible for the second shooting, and confronted him on it, but Zach denied.

Greenlee began exhibiting strange behavior, blurting secrets and generally acting paranoid. Her condition worsened and Ryan rushed her to the hospital. An array of tests indicated nothing wrong with Greenlee. After seeing a psychiatrist, Greenlee was put on anti-anxiety medication. Soon after, Greenlee hallucinated that she was part of a trapeze act and nearly fell off the Fusion roof. Ryan rushed her to the hospital, where Greenlee had a break from reality and had to be committed. Ryan learned that Greenlee's condition was the results of a build-up of anti-psychotic drugs in her system. Ryan realized that his wife had been methodically poisoned for some time. Greenlee recovered, and Ryan is determined to find the person responsible. Jonathan suggested that Kendall, given her tense history with Greenlee, might be the responsible party. Ryan began investigating Kendall.