Michael Corinthos III attended a bereavement group where he met a young woman named Willow Tait. Michael, who was grieving over the stillbirth of his son, and Willow immediately connected as friends, but Willow shared few details about her loss. Michael respected her privacy. He was pleasantly surprised when he attended Career Day at the local elementary school and bumped into Willow. Willow was a teacher on staff.

Michael and Willow shared a connection, but Detective Harrison Chase asked Willow out before Michael could do so. Willow liked the young detective and accepted the date. The relationship flourished, and Willow confided to Chase that she had been grieving the loss of her newborn son, whom she had given up for adoption. Willow explained that her son's father had been her first, but the relationship hadn't lasted. Willow said little about the father of her child, but she explained that she had decided to give her child up for adoption because it had been the best option for her son.

However, Willow had had second thoughts about going through with the adoption until Julian Jerome had paid her a visit and convinced her that her son was better off with his adopted parents. Ultimately, Willow had gone through with the adoption, but she remained haunted by her decision. Months later, Willow bumped into Julian at Charlie's Pub and quickly put the pieces together when she saw Julian's son Lucas Jones with her son. Lucas and his husband, Brad, had adopted the infant. Willow took comfort in knowing that her son was safe and loved, but she longed to be a part of his life.

Things heated up between Willow and Chase, and she confided to him about her son, and that she'd given her child up for adoption. Chase respected Willow's choices, and he hadn't thought less of her for lying. Willow and Chase decided to make their relationship official, but a week later Willow discovered that Shiloh was in Port Charles. Fearing an encounter, Willow decided to quit her job and leave town. Chase realized that Shiloh was the father of Willow's baby.

On March 21, Shiloh paid Willow a visit as she packed up her classroom. She was rattled when she saw him, but she tried not to show it. Shiloh greeted her then started to question her about why she had left him, but Chase entered the classroom. Chase didn't reveal that he was Willow's boyfriend, but he made it clear that he was a detective. After Shiloh left, Chase asked Willow to tell him what was going on. Willow admitted that Shiloh was her son's father, and that he was the head of a cult. Willow was more determined than ever to leave town.

However, Willow had a change of heart when she had an encounter with Brad, and she saw a DOD booklet in the baby stroller. Chase was relieved that Willow had changed her mind, and together they talked to Michael who had become concerned about Kristina's involvement in the organization. On April 23, Harmony Miller tracked Willow down at Kelly's, and it was revealed that Harmony was Willow's mother. Willow resented Harmony for not protecting her from Shiloh and the cult.

Unfortunately, Willow's efforts to keep Shiloh from learning the truth were in vain. During the Nurse's Ball, Nina overheard Willow talking about her child on the phone with Diane Miller, and Nina accused the young teacher for being a hypocrite and an unfit mother. Shiloh overheard the argument, and he angrily confronted Willow. Willow claimed that she had lost her child, but Shiloh didn't believe her. During the heated encounter, Shiloh grabbed then shook Willow, but Michael intervened.

After Shiloh stormed off, Willow confided to Michael. Eventually, Lucas figured out that Willow was Wiley's birth mother. Willow explained that she had tried to safeguard her son from Shiloh because the cult leader had been obsessed with children. She feared what Shiloh had planned for her son, so she'd made the ultimate sacrifice to keep Wiley safe from his diabolical father.

Everyone banded together to protect Wiley. Julian and Sam joined forces to change Wiley's birth records at the courthouse, but their efforts were for naught. Shiloh had turned on the charm to gain access to Willow's medical records at Mercy Hospital, which had confirmed that she had given birth to a baby boy. Shiloh took Willow to court to gain access to the adoption records, but Diane and Willow refused to comply with the court order. The judge threw Willow in jail until she had a change of heart.

Willow remained in jail until Shiloh was arrested for his crimes, and the judge dismissed Shiloh's custody suit. Willow's mother had turned against Shiloh when Lorraine had learned that Shiloh had murdered Willow's father, Douglas Miller. Willow was devasted to learn that her father had been killed because he'd been determined to rescue Willow from the cult, but she breathed a sigh of relief that Wiley remained safely out of Shiloh's reach. Unfortunately, the scandal had cost Willow her job as an elementary teacher.

Willow focused on finding a new job, and things between her and Chase heated up. On July 25, Chase confessed that he was in love with Willow. Willow was elated because she was in love with Chase. They decided to move in together.

Meanwhile, Shiloh managed to secure bail, but his freedom didn't last. After stealing a flash drive with Drew Cain's memories, abducting Cameron Webber, and performing a memory transfer on Franco Baldwin, Shiloh was arrested then sent to Pentonville to await trial. Willow applied for a position at General Hospital as a pediatrics teacher, and she was hired on September 17. The following day, she faced Shiloh in court when she -- along with several of his victims including her mother -- testified against him. However, Shiloh had managed to escape during his transfer back to Pentonville, and he abducted Wiley Cooper-Jones.