Vienna Hyatt's life became interesting while she was on an ocean cruise with her paramour, Simon Frasier. Vienna was a wealthy aristocrat from Sweden (originally Norway), while Simon was a seemingly wealthy man; he and Vienna had a very simple relationship based on sex. They each loved money and fun. However, at some point during their trip, Simon stopped catering to Vienna's every whim and began disappearing. Bored, Vienna struck up a flirtatious friendship with the working class Mike Kasnoff. Apparently, the reason for Simon's disappearing acts was Katie Peretti—Mike's wife and Simon's ex. Katie was distressed about seeing Simon and warned Vienna that Simon was after her diamonds but Vienna scoffed at the suggestion since Simon was wealthy himself. Later, when Simon and Katie wound up missing, Mike was frantic while Vienna simply figured they ran off together. Soon, the pair was found on a "deserted" island. Immediately after, Vienna and Simon went their separate ways—with him following the Kasnoffs to Oakdale, Illinois.

Months later, Vienna arrived in Oakdale, ostensibly to attend a charity event at Memorial Hospital. Arriving with the Crown Prince of Leonia, Vienna was interested in how Simon was doing and made no secret of her desire to reunite. Though Simon seemed interested, Vienna couldn't help but notice that his thoughts were elsewhere and asked Katie if Simon was in love with someone else. Katie confirmed it and pointed out the woman—a vivacious blonde named Carly Tenney. Not long after the charity event, Vienna was informed by police officer Jack Snyder that there was suspicion that Simon switched her diamond necklace with a fake one. Wanting Simon back, Vienna covered for him by lying that she had the diamond the whole time and it was in a vault in Leonia. She then went to Simon and threatened to call the Prince and inform him that his jewelry was a fake unless Simon reunited with her. Simon ultimately refused to dump Carly and Vienna reported the threat to the police. Not long after, the Prince dumped Vienna and Simon and Carly went on the lam.

Staying in Oakdale hoping to snare Mike, Vienna wrangled an invitation to stay at the Snyder Farm. .After the holidays, she learned that she had been banished from Leonia completely and asked Jack if she could stay at the farm longer. Jack complied as long as Vienna helped out. Also at the farm was Jack's wayward brother, Brad, and the two immediately hit it off. However, Vienna made it clear that the brother she was interested in was Jack. Brad understood and offered to help her make Jack jealous. Meanwhile, Jack suggested that it was time for Vienna to move into the Lakeview. In the meantime, the ploy to make Jack jealous ultimately did not work and Vienna quickly dropped Brad and found love with Henry Coleman. When Vienna and Henry became engaged, Brad's ego was bruised. Later, when Henry caught Brad and Vienna in seemingly compromising position, he canceled the wedding. Despite everyone's assurances that nothing happened, Henry's insecurities got the best of him and he decided it was best to cancel the wedding before he ultimately got hurt. Feeling badly, Brad tried to convince Henry to at least talk to Vienna but he wouldn't. Dejected, Vienna tried to seduce Brad but he turned her away since he didn't want to hurt her. Weeks later, the necklace that was stolen from Vienna was mysteriously returned; she was now free to leave Oakdale. Though fear almost prevented Henry from telling Vienna how he felt, at the last minute, he proclaimed his love and they reunited. However, without the Prince's money, Vienna had to live within a limited budget, something it took some time to do.

In the meantime, Henry won Al's Diner at a high stakes poker game. Though he was prepared to sell it, Vienna suggested they keep it but make it a healthier place to eat. Months later, things hit a temporary snag when Henry lost the diner in a poker game to a nefarious character named Gray Girard. Vienna was furious that Henry would gamble away the diner and Gray offered to give it back—in exchange for one night with Vienna. While Henry was appalled at the offer, Vienna didn't see a problem. To her, it would just be meaningless sex. At the same time, Gray tempted Vienna with expensive jewelry. Though Vienna returned the expensive bracelet to Gray, at Henry's insistence, it seemed that she missed that kind of life. The loss of the diner caused a rift in Henry and Vienna's relationship which increased when Vienna saw Henry in the arms of another woman. Hurt, Vienna ran right into Gray's arms and the two made love. Though Gray tempted Vienna with thoughts of trips to Europe and expensive jewelry, Vienna could not stop thinking about Henry. Later, Brad told Vienna that she was mistaken about what she saw. In an effort to clear Brad's nephew of murder, Henry was scamming the woman to get her to confess. Horrified at her error, Vienna wanted to meet with Henry but he left her a note stating that he'd left town. However, when Henry returned he revealed that he had been kidnapped! Though he blamed Gray, someone else confessed to the crime. Though Henry begged Vienna for another chance, Vienna was uncertain. After all, Henry had made no move to marry her and already stated that he did not want children.

Vienna began to wonder if a life jet-setting with Gray was preferable to a romance in limbo with Henry. Ultimately, Vienna chose love over money and she and Henry reunited at the church where they almost married. Not long after, Gray was revealed to be a dangerous man when he tried to kill the Hughes family. Luckily, Gray was shot dead by Lt. Margo Hughes in an effort to save her family. With Gray's death, all of his assets were seized by the government except for the diner—which was returned to Henry and Vienna. Months later, thanks to attorney Bonnie McKechnie, Henry and Vienna received a large settlement from Gray's estate for their pain and suffering.

Henry knew exactly what to do with the money—buy into Metro. Unfortunately for Henry, Vienna objected to the idea since she wanted to concentrate all of their energies on the diner. Though Vienna was content with the diner, Henry was not—he wanted the glitz and glamour of the nightclub for himself as well as Vienna. When Henry attempted to trick Vienna into thinking that buying Metro was a good idea, she became upset and left town in a huff. Soon after, Carly finally relented let Henry buy into the nightclub. A few weeks later, a contrite Vienna returned and apologized for her resistance to owning the bar. However, she was extremely displeased to find Bonnie working there.

Eventually, Henry and Vienna heard that Brad and Katie wanted to start a family and Vienna told Henry that she wanted the same thing, but Henry wasn't wild about the idea. Henry was most insistent on not having kids. Vienna resorted to tactics as poking holes in Henry's condoms, but Henry caught her. Vienna even came close to choosing sperm donors, but changed her mind. Meanwhile, Katie was devastated to learn that she could not get pregnant. Wanting to help her friend, Vienna offered to be a surrogate. Vienna agreed to be injected with Brad's sperm and give them a child. Henry was totally against this, but Vienna wanted to experience pregnancy. Brad's sperm was extracted, but when it was being brought to Vienna, Henry purposely caused the doctor to drop it, but a second sample was taken and injected into Vienna.

A short time later, Vienna went to have an ultrasound to see how the baby was doing, but it revealed there was no baby, the insemination had failed. Vienna told Henry. Henry was secretly happy, but gave Vienna pity sex. Later on, Brad and Katie came to ask about the baby and Vienna said the baby was fine and Henry wondered why she was lying. In private, Henry asked Vienna why she was lying, but Vienna said she wasn't and proved it with a pregnancy test that came back positive. Henry realized that Vienna was pregnant again, only this time it was his baby! Vienna told Henry, that she was planning to give the baby to Brad and Katie when it was born. Vienna and Henry did everything they could to keep Brad and Katie from finding out the baby wasn't Brad's, even switching ultrasound printouts. Brad and Katie eventually invited Henry and Vienna to move in with them so nothing would go wrong. Henry started acting more possessive of Vienna's baby and soon realized that he wanted the baby and was willing to be a father. Vienna told Henry that she wanted to give the baby to Brad and Katie like she said she would, but Henry was against it. Meanwhile, Brad and Katie wanted to find out why Henry was acting so weird and they went to Memorial and found out that Vienna's insemination failed and realized that Vienna was pregnant with Henry's baby, not Brad's.

The news upset Katie and Brad so much that they kicked Henry and Vienna out of the house. Henry and Vienna went back to the Lakeview and Henry was determined to be a father to the baby and would not let anyone touch it. Vienna went to WOAK to try and talk things over with Katie, but Katie did not want to talk and in the argument, Vienna tripped over a cable and fell on her stomach. Katie so worried, rushed Vienna to the hospital. Sadly Vienna learned that she had lost the baby. When Henry learned of this, he was so devastated and blamed Brad and Katie for it. But they all soon agreed it was an accident. Vienna told Henry that they could try again. Henry thought it would be nice, but said that he needed time to get through this loss in one piece. Henry still wanted to have a child, but was not in a rush to try again and Vienna agreed to give Henry space.

Katie later learned that she had become pregnant by Brad. But Bob told Katie that Katie was going to have to take it very easy if she were to have any hope of having the baby. Katie was forced to give up her co-hosting job at WOAK and stay in bed. Vienna volunteered to fill in until Katie returned. Shortly after, a middle aged lady named Geneva Swift showed up on the show said what went on with Vienna and Brad was a sexual disgrace and it got high ratings and many phone calls. Vienna was not thrilled with Geneva Swift. Geneva kept getting offers from Kim Hughes to be a regular on the show, despite how much Geneva tried to turn Kim down, Kim did not give up. Geneva eventually gave in. Later, Brad told Vienna his suspicion that Geneva and Henry were having an affair. Vienna interrupted the live taping of Geneva at the Lake View and scolded Geneva for trying to steal Henry and grabbed her hair and literally pulled it off to reveal to everyone that Geneva was really Henry! Apparently, Henry masqueraded as Geneva because he was jealous of the time Vienna spent with Brad. Kim scolded Henry for pulling such a huge stunt like this, but let Henry off with a warning not to go near WOAK ever again. Henry tried to work things out with Vienna, but Vienna didn't want to talk and told Henry she was going back to Sweden to be with her mother for a while and left Henry alone in the hotel room.

Weeks later, Vienna returned and found that Henry had a visitor—his mother, Audrey. However, it was obvious that Henry did not welcome his mother's company. Though she was willing to forgive Henry, Vienna told Henry that she would only give him a second chance if he did the same for Audrey. Unfortunately, this would be a mistake since Audrey proved to be a dangerous, money hungry woman. After revealing that Henry was the son of the nefarious James Stenbeck, Audrey was desperate to make certain that Henry got the bulk of his fortune. Knowing the kind of man that Stenbeck was, Vienna demanded that Henry refuse to accept the money. Several weeks later, Vienna found a scantily-clad Barbara Ryan in Henry's bed and promptly left town.

Months later, Vienna returned to town wanting Henry back. Unfortunately, Henry was undecided about whether he wanted to be with Vienna or Barbara. Afterwards, Vienna surprised Henry with a marriage proposal which he ultimately accepted. Later, Vienna announced to Barbara her plan to walk down the aisle pregnant. Barbara told Henry, who then told Vienna that they shouldn't have sex again until their wedding night. Desperate to have a baby, Vienna seduced Casey Hughes. Casey was smitten with Vienna, but she continued to use him to get pregnant. After witnessing Henry kiss Barbara, Vienna lied to Henry that she was pregnant. Later, Casey found Vienna's stash of pregnancy tests, but she insisted that she'd been pregnant before bedding Casey. Vienna finally got Henry into bed, but when he defended Barbara at Eliza's party, Vienna forced him to admit that he had feelings for Barbara. After a confrontation with Casey about the fake doctor, a panicking Vienna confided in Katie about Casey and the fake pregnancy. Katie urged her to confess, but instead, Vienna moved the wedding up. Immediately after Henry married Vienna, Vienna broke the news that she lost their baby. However, Katie revealed to Henry that Vienna was lying—she had never been pregnant. Henry immediately annulled his marriage to Vienna. Later, when Barbara went missing, Henry immediately suspected that Vienna had a hand in it. Realizing that she'd never find her way back into Henry's heart, Vienna quickly departed Oakdale.