Young & The Restless Update
Recap written by Christine
Chance went to Victoria’s office and asked why she looked so upset. She pretended a deal fell through, and she tried to leave, but he said that he needed to talk to her about Ashland’s death. Exasperated, Nick asked how many times they had to go over this. Chance said as many times as it took to find out what really happened. Chance said something with Ashland’s death didn’t sit right with him, and he thought Victoria and Nick agreed with him. He said Victoria and Nick were convinced Ashland was in no shape to leave the house. Victoria noted that they’d already been through this before. She felt that they had to conclude Ashland left the house, unless Chance had other evidence. He said two witnesses saw a car consistent with Ashland’s rental car at a gas station near Victoria’s property. Victoria didn’t see why it was important that they found out where Ashland parked his car that night. Chance had just come from Victoria’s place, where he walked the distance between her back door and the gas station. It was a half a mile, through the woods. Chance thought it would’ve been tough for Ashland to traverse that path on a windy night while weak with head trauma. Victoria said she was sure Ashland was full of adrenaline that night, like she and Nick were. Chance said he’d feel so much better if he could prove Ashland walked to the gas station.
Nick asked what Chance would need to satisfy him. Chance said physical evidence would be nice. He revealed that the gas station security footage was blank at the times Ashland would’ve been there. Nick said that wasn’t evidence of anything. Chance stated that they checked some other cameras in the vicinity and they found one that showed Ashland’s car heading toward the accident site. The footage was grainy, but it appeared that there could’ve been more than one person in the car. They found indications of more than one person standing in the spot where Ashland parked at the gas station – more than one set of footprints and a cigarette butt. Victoria said that another customer could’ve done that. Nick asked what Chance didn’t believe about their account.
Chance said he was on Nick and Victoria’s side. He knew that they weren’t trying to cover up killing Ashland, because Victoria called Chance that night, and Nick turned in the ring. The mystery of how the ring got on the floor was gnawing at Chance, and he knew that Victoria and Nick didn’t have firsthand knowledge of the answer, because they weren’t in the room when it got on the floor. Victoria sensed that Chance was saying Ashland died at her house and someone moved the body. She asked who would do that and why. “Your father. To protect you both,” Chance said.
Nick said that was one hell of a supposition, and Chance countered that everyone knew what Victor was capable of and how protective he was of his family, and he was willing to act illegal when he deemed it necessary. Nick thought that if Chance had questions for Victor, he should be interrogating their Victor. Chance planned to do so, but he wanted to give Nick and Victoria an opportunity to come clean. He said if they were aware of anything covert Victor set in motion the should say something now, because they’d be accessories after the fact. Victoria said Chance had no proof to make these accusations against their father. Chance was extremely sorry for what Ashland put Victoria through. Chance didn’t know everything Ashland did, though he’d like to, but he knew Ashland was evil. Victoria said Ashland was gone, and she was grateful, and his death weighed on her and Nick. Chance said he was giving Victoria and Nick the opportunity to tell him if there was anything else he needed to know. “I told you everything that I knew that night,” Nick said. “Interesting turn of phrase,” Chance sighed, then he left.
Nick griped about Victor putting him and Victoria in this position. Irritated, Victoria said Victor would’ve taken the secret to his grave if Nick didn’t force his hand. Victoria said Nick just had to confront Victor, and now Nick didn’t even have plausible deniability, and neither did Victoria, because he told her what happened. Nick thought Victoria would want the truth. “I hate what Dad did, not that he told me,” Nick said. Victoria was upset about both things. Nick said, as usual, Victor’s obsessive need to control everything came back to bite him. Victoria didn’t think Nick was being fair to their dad. He said he was worried about their dad because Chance wasn’t going to let this go. Victoria didn’t think Chance would go after the family, since he was married into it. Nick said Chance put honor and duty above everything else, and when Victor moved Ashland’s body, he broke the law, putting himself, Nick and Victoria at risk.
At the ranch, Victor and Nikki talked about how adorable Johnny and Katie were. The kids were off horseback riding. Nikki had noticed they were a bit subdued, and she said no matter what the adults thought of Ashland, he was the kids’ stepfather. Nikki thought Victor seemed triumphant every time Ashland was brought up, like he seemed to be taking credit for his demise. Victor said he had nothing to do with Ashland’s demise – it was Ashland’s own fault. Victor was glad Ashland was gone, though. Nikki said Newman was stronger than ever, thanks to the merger with Ashland’s company. Victor said Ashland tried to take everything from him. Victor felt Ashland was where he belonged – in the morgue, waiting for a pauper’s burial.
Nikki was relieved they didn’t have to deal with Ashland anymore, but she wasn’t ready to dance on his grave. She said there was a time they welcomed him into the family and trusted him with Victoria’s future, and he was deceiving them the entire time. Victor said he knew the moment he met Ashland that they’d be involved in a high stakes chess game. He said the family took Ashland down together. He added that the family was almost united. Nikki knew Victor was talking about Adam. She said there was no family unity if Adam was included. Victor knew, but it broke his heart to think of giving up on Adam. Nikki thought that, for Victor’s sanity, he had to put this dream behind him. Victor thought they should leave the topic of Adam for another day, and Nikki agreed.
Ranch staff let Victor know that Chance was on the premises. Victor gave them permission to let him come up to the main house. He told Nikki what was going on. She seemed unimpressed by how thorough Chance was being. Victor said it was routine and nothing to worry about. Nikki had an appointment to get to. Victor said that this would all end soon, and she’d celebrate then. After Nikki left, Chance entered and accepted Victor’s invitation to sit at the chessboard with him. Chance was certain Victor knew more about the night Ashland died than he was admitting.
At the park, Jack cheered when Harrison scored a goal at soccer. Traci came up, and Jack said he was thinking of coaching Harrison’s team. Traci asked Jack about him spending more time with his grandson than at work. He asked if she was accusing him of neglecting the family business. She wasn’t – she just wondered how this was going to work. He said his executive team knew they could reach him anytime. He acknowledged he’d made Harrison a priority. Harrison scored another goal, and Traci cheered. She said it was too bad Diane had to work and couldn’t be here to watch him play. She thought Diane had been good with Harrison. Jack wondered what Traci was alluding to.
Traci just thought Diane was a good grandmother. She suggested there was a reason that Jack read more into her comment. Jack was happy Diane had connected with Harrison, because it was good for him, and she’d been a source of support for Kyle too. Traci asked if Jack thought Diane changed. He wasn’t sure. He said Diane was reasonable, calm and levelheaded, but she still had the spark in her. He said some people couldn’t change, and that made the people who could all the more impressive.
Kyle and Summer were at Society. They talked about Harrison losing Ashland. Kyle was glad that Jack and Diane were there for Harrison. Summer said it was a relief to know Harrison was being well taken care of when she and Kyle couldn’t be there. Summer broached the possibility of hiring Phyllis at Marchetti. He asked if she seriously thought wise for their mothers to work together. Summer suggested that working together would force their moms to be on their best behavior. She said Phyllis really regretted turning down the marketing position Summer offered her. Kyle asked why Phyllis suddenly wanted the job when she didn’t before. Summer said this job was in Genoa City, and the last one was in Milan. He brought up the hotel. She repeated what Phyllis said about the hotel running itself and about someone making an offer to buy it.
Summer said her mom was a talented business with exquisite taste. Kyle hadn’t thought about it from that angle – he guessed Phyllis was qualified. Summer said hiring Phyllis wasn’t an act of charity – she’d work her tail off and she’d bring an enormous amount to the table. Summer conceded that this could be the worst idea in the world, though. Kyle said it could be one of the best. He said Phyllis could be an asset, and she had talent, but they had to keep her from becoming a liability. He wanted Phyllis to work side by side with the two of them to make sure she didn’t have an agenda to cause trouble with Diane. Summer didn’t want to offer Phyllis a job under false pretenses. Kyle said they’d tell Phyllis up front that they didn’t trust her when it came to Diane. He said Phyllis would have to agree to stay away from Diane unless they needed to collaborate on a project. Summer suggested that Kyle give Diane the exact same message, so she knew she’d be fired if she tried to bait Phyllis or make her look bad. She said their mothers would know that they’d both received identical warnings. Kyle told Summer it was a deal.
Diane went to The Grand Phoenix to use the gym. She and Phyllis needled each other. Diane mentioned spending time with Harrison, and Phyllis alluded to Diane abandoning Kyle. Diane boasted that she was working at an invigorating job, with her son, and her life was better than she ever imagined. Diane got a text from Kyle wanting to meet. She mentioned it to Phyllis, saying that it was probably about Marchetti or Harrison. She added that Phyllis was here, alone, watching the world go by. Phyllis said she felt like there was a spectacular change on the horizon in her life. Summer texted her asking to meet, and Phyllis shared this with Diane.
After Diane left, Summer arrived at the hotel and asked Phyllis to oversee the launch of Marchetti Home, their new home décor and furnishings line. Phyllis was ecstatic, and they hugged. Phyllis said she oversaw every aspect of décor in this hotel, and that was one of the reasons it was so successful. Summer said there was one rule – Phyllis had to play nice with Diane. Summer said that this role was important so there would definitely be overlap with the publicity team. Phyllis crowed that Diane would be fielding offers from her. Summer said she and Kyle didn’t want Diane and Phyllis to do this sort of constant competitive infighting and general bitchiness. Phyllis promised there wouldn’t be any bitchiness. Summer said her first instinct was not to hire Phyllis, because it could create a volatile situation. Phyllis said she was just joking, she promised not to provoke Diane, and she offered to even sign a contract saying so. Summer said she and Kyle were going to be keeping an eye on their mothers. She admitted she and Kyle didn’t trust that Phyllis was capable of not stirring the pot.
Phyllis commented on the lack of confidence in her. Summer said she and Kyle were confident Phyllis could succeed in the job. She added that Kyle was giving his mother this same warning. Phyllis claimed Summer’s worries were unfounded. Summer didn’t agree. She noted that Phyllis had let Diane’s return ruin her relationship with Jack. Phyllis wanted to put the past behind her and focus on this new chapter in her life. Summer really looked forward to it as long as Phyllis was on the level. Phyllis was sorry about the jokes she made earlier. She promised she wouldn’t let Summer down and said she had Summer’s back. Phyllis accepted the offer, and Summer was delighted. They hugged, and Phyllis looked troubled.
Diane met Kyle at Society. She choked on her drink when he told her about Phyllis’s new job. Recovering, she said that was really nice, because she saw Phyllis today, and she’d seemed very lonely. Kyle knew Diane couldn’t care less about Phyllis’s well being. He wanted her to be open and honest with him about how she felt about this. She was alarmed when he said she and Phyllis would have to work together sometimes. Diane thought Phyllis was doing this to try and sabotage her.
Kyle said Diane and Phyllis were a match and gasoline, but just like it was important to him to work with Diane, it was important to Summer to work with her mother. Diane asked if Phyllis would have the power to fire her. She was relieved when he said Phyllis would be in a different division. He said Diane and Phyllis would have to interact sometimes though. Phyllis was getting this same warning from Summer, so that meant Diane and Phyllis would start out on equal footing. Kyle said if Diane couldn’t be civil, there would be consequences. Diane thought it was suspect that Phyllis suddenly wanted to work at Marchetti. She said Phyllis had a cushy job at the hotel, and she’d turned down Summer’s previous offer to work at Marchetti. Kyle pointed out that the previous job was located in Milan. He added that Phyllis was thinking of selling the hotel.
Diane was really worked up. She hoped Kyle could at least see that Phyllis was being the aggressor. She said Phyllis wouldn’t give up the business she owned and take a job where she had to answer to her daughter and son in law unless she had ulterior motives. “Even if that is true, and I’m not saying it is, she can only mess things up for you if you let her,” he said. “Oh, so if she attacks me, do I at least have the permission to defend myself?,” Diane huffed.
“The short answer is no, Mother,” Kyle said. He told her no fighting, no instigating and no escalation if provoked. He said he and Summer wouldn’t stand for any trouble. Diane wondered if this was a test to see how she handled herself under the worst possible conditions. She asked what would happen if she failed. He told the panicked Diane to take a breath, and he gave her a pep talk. He believed she could do this. He said he let her into her life, hired her and told Harrison she was his grandmother, and he didn’t see a way to make it more clear that he had a confidence in her. He said if she could peacefully coexist with Phyllis, it would prove she changed and that she was healthier and stronger than she used to be.
Nikki met Phyllis at The Grand Phoenix to ask about the plan to take down Diane. She was glad to hear Phyllis got the job at Marchetti. Nikki wanted to call Ashley with the news, but Phyllis stopped her and told her about Summer’s ultimatum. Nikki asked if Phyllis was having second thoughts about their plan. Diane was 100% committed to burying Diane. She said she didn’t just get a job, but a high level job. She’d be heading the home fashion division. Nikki was impressed. Phyllis said she’d be calling the shots in an executive suite while Diane was toiling in her junior publicist position. Phyllis planned to milk that. Nikki didn’t think it was necessary for Phyllis to milk it. She said just the thought of this would be enough to send Diane into orbit, and she’d self destruct even if Phyllis didn’t lift a finger. Phyllis planned to lift ten fingers, clandestinely, of course. “We’re gonna get this bitch out of town,” Phyllis said.
Summer and Kyle met at Society again and talked about how their mothers took the news. Kyle said Diane was a lot more upset than he thought she’d be. He said it didn’t help hearing Phyllis would be joining the company at a higher level and that Diane thought Phyllis would use her position to help get Diane fired. Kyle thought his mom was past all this petty completion, but the news seemed to trigger something in her. Summer wondered if this was a big mistake. Kyle suggested that this would help their mothers get past their feud. She loved his optimism. She said he saw the best in people, and his outlook had rubbed off on her. She hoped that would happen to their mothers too. They kissed.
Jack saw Diane at Crimson Lights and knew something was wrong. She brought him up to speed, and she said there was no doubt this was part of a calculated plot against her by Phyllis. “Possibly. So what? Do the work. Steer clear of her,” he said. She wished Kyle could see this for what it was – a well timed conspiracy to destroy everything that I have worked so hard to rebuild. Jack knew that look on Diane – she was feeling cornered and was thinking of a preemptive strike. She said if she did, she’d lose her job. He said she’d also lose the good will she’d built with Kyle and the rest of the Abbotts. He told her not to give in to her insecurities, because it would only hurt her. She promised not to let that happen.
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