Young & The Restless Update
Recap written by Christine
At ChancComm, Billy made some calls trying to figure out why Gaines abruptly checked out of the hotel and where he went. He had a feeling Victor had something to do with it. He ordered his investigator to figure it out. Jack came in and asked what the problem was. Billy said that Lily was visiting Mattie at Stanford. Jack asked if Billy was doing something that Lily wouldnât approve of. Billy said that she knew the whole story. Billy admitted that he was investigating why Victoria shouldnât marry Ashland. Jack revealed that, according to Phyllis, Nick was on a similar mission. Billy recounted the story of Ashland somehow buying two news stations at the age of twenty. Jack figured Ashland used his inheritance. Billy said Ashland was a teen runaway who didnât have any money. He revealed that heâd been invited to a Newman family meeting, where Ashland told them all a heartfelt story about changing his name to escape an abusive father. Billy said there was no public record of the name change. Jack suggested Ashland was trying to protect Harrison. Billy added that Victor and Nick were looking into Ashland too. Billy felt that Ashlandâs story raised more questions, but heâd refused to ever share his real name. Billy wasnât looking to make this information public, he was simply trying to protect Victoria and the children, but Ashland thought everyone should back off and stop asking questions. Jack understood why Ashland wouldnât want to spend the limited time he had left fending off attacks from Victoriaâs ex. He said if Victoria was satisfied, that should be enough. Billy could tell that Victoria was starting to question Ashland, and Billy wasnât going to let her marry someone whose life was built on lies and deception. He said they didnât know Ashland was sick. Jack said that Ashland was going through chemotherapy and heâd made the gut-wrenching choice to let Harrison go to Italy. Jack told Billy that he had to stop making leaps of logic to justify what he was doing. Billy maintained that he was protecting Victoria. Jack didnât think this was about protecting Victoria or the kids, or possibly even about Ashland. He thought that Billy was trying to stop Victoria from moving on.
Billy said he was very happy with Lily. Jack said, historically this was about the time that Billy would start to sabotage himself. Billy insisted that he was protecting Victoria and the kids. Jack said this was Billyâs ego talking â Victoria could take care of herself. Billy asked if Nickâs ego made him investigate Ashland too. They shifted gears into this topic, and Jack mentioned that Nick was on the east coast. Billy was glad if Nick was looking into Ashland, because that meant they were on the same page. He said he could care about his ex without having an ulterior motive or being possessive.
Phyllis was at the hotel. Nick called from Atlantic City and said the plane was having mechanical issues. She asked what he found out. He uncovered something really bad, but he didnât want to get into it on the phone. He thought she, Jack and Traci should head to Milan without him. She mentioned that Traci wouldnât be on the plane, and he said okay. She thought he should just fly to Milan from New Jersey. He replied that he had to come home and confront Ashland first, but he promised heâd be there to see Summer get married.
Phyllis went to the Abbott house and talked to Traci. Traci learned that Jack and Phyllis would be alone on the flight. She said sheâd pour Phyllis some wine, and theyâd have a little talk. Jack came home and saw Traci and Phyllis laughing and talking about books. Phyllis said that the last time they talked was at the escape club. Jack said Phyllis had poured her heart and soul into the hotel and overcome obstacles that would be insurmountable to anyone else. Traci thought Phyllisâs hotel was a reflection of her and how much sheâd grown in the last few years â sheâd risen from the ashes, like the phoenix. She wondered what was next for the colorful protagonist that was Phyllis. Jack said next would be a jet ride to Milan, escorted by the proud and dashing father of the bride and groom. Traci said Jack must not have heard the news. Phyllis said Nickâs flight might not make it back in time, so they might have to go to Milan without him. Jack said heâd just have his pilot file a later plan, once they knew Nickâs status, and in the meantime, they could have dinner. Traci had work to do so she excused herself. Jack was surprised to see Phyllis and Traci getting along so well. Phyllis asked if Jack had confided in Traci about his feelings for Phyllis. Jack said he only talked to Phyllis and Nick about that. Jack said heâd get Phyllis more wine, and heâd have soda, because the last time he drank around her, he bared his heart to her, and he wouldnât subject her to that. She said he could bare his heart to her any time he wanted, and he said the same applied with him.
Jack made Phyllis a grilled cheese sandwich. They talked about how, this time tomorrow, theyâd watch their kids get married. She said Summer Ann was her little miracle. She reminded him of how many doctors said sheâd never have another baby after Daniel. They flashed back to Jack delivering Summer in an elevator. Phyllis thanked Jack for giving her a miracle. In the present, Jack said that he felt the same way about Kyle â finding out Kyle was his son was an unexpected surprise. They thought about the time they got married, almost twenty years ago. There was a flashback to a before-the-wedding kiss that they shared.
In present day, Jack gazed lovingly at Phyllis, then he felt foolish about wearing his heart on his sleeve. She assured him that part of her heart would always love him. She loved spending time with him. He toasted to happiness. Nick called and said he was back in Genoa City. He had something to do, then heâd meet her and Jack. Jack noted that Phyllis never told him exactly why Nick was in Genoa City, though heâd surmised it was about Ashland Locke. Jack said he spoke with Billy earlier, who was convinced Ashland was keeping a secret big enough that it might cause Victoria to call off the wedding. Ordinarily, Jack would think Billy was just trying to keep Victoria from moving on, but Nick was also involved, and heâd only be involved to protect his sister. Phyllis said Nick had something, but what Victoria decided to do with it was up to her. She changed the subject back to the Summer/Kyle wedding. She thanked him for postponing the Jabot jet so that Nick could fly to Milan with them. He said he was glad it worked out.
Nikki and Victoria were in the CEOâs office after they finished working. Talk turned to the wedding, and Victoria said she wasnât thrilled with the wedding dress. It was another stressor she didnât need. Nikki said she was there to help. She told Victoria it was normal to be anxious. She asked when Victoria last talked to Ashland. Victoria said he texted to say he might cancel their dinner plans because he had some business to take care of.
Ashland met with his accountant and said he didn’t need the money anymore. The accountant asked if the wedding surprise fell through. Ashland went with that story, and the accountant left. Ashland called Victoria to say that they could have dinner after all. Victoria said she couldnât wait to hear about his business meeting. The call ended. Victoria still seemed troubled, and Nikki wondered why. Victoria said that after Billy went on about Jesse Gaines, sheâd looked him up online. She found out that Jesseâs father was an attorney for Camilla Rhodes, Ashlandâs mentor. She had to wonder what that attorneyâs son was doing in Genoa City. She was hoping Ashland would say something to her. She didnât want to make it seem like she didnât trust him. Nikki said she walked in on Ashland and Victor at the ranch talking very quietly, almost conspiratorially. Victoria wished she wasnât having these doubts so close to the wedding. She blamed Billy for planting doubts in her mind.
Back at ChancComm, Billy was on the phone with the investigator again. He was unhappy that they hadnât figured out where Gaines disappeared to after promising to sell information on Ashland to Billy. Nikki walked in and ordered Billy to stop trying to fill Victoriaâs head with doubts. She reminded him that Victor explicitly warned him about interfering with Victoriaâs happiness. âDefy him at your own risk. Oh and hereâs a newsflash. You should worry just as much about defying me,â she snarled. Billy said he wasnât causing Victoria to doubt things. He contended that Victoria was questioning Ashland on her own, and for good reason, because every day another piece of disturbing evidence popped up. Nikki demanded to know what Billy found. He didnât have anything concrete. She wasnât surprised. She accused him of trying to derail this wedding to feed his ego. He thought the fact that Victoria wasnât blindly accepting Ashlandâs version of things was a good thing. He felt that Nikki should be glad Victoria was asking questions of her fiance â a man whose name she didnât know. Nikki vowed to look out for her daughter. She was not glad that Billy was meddling. Nikki maintained that, after what Billy put Victoria through, he had no right to criticize her new fiance. She was adamant that Victoria would marry Ashland and that Billy would stop trying to undermine them. He maintained that he was trying to uncover the truth. She told him he was no longer welcome at the wedding. She left. Billy called Nick and left a message hoping Nick found the answers they wanted.
Nate ran into Ashland at Society, and they spent time together while waiting for their significant others to arrive. Nate mentioned that he was enjoying the challenge of his new job. Nate noticed Ashland seemed tired and asked how he was managing the chemo. Physically, Ashland felt well, which was surprising, given the warnings heâd gotten about chemo. Heâd had a stressful few days, but he thought heâd handled the trouble. Now, he was going to focus on this special time with the woman he loved. Victoria and Elena arrived around the same time. Victoria looked displeased when Ashland requested a table for four, but she didnât object. They chatted over dinner, then Nate and Elena left. Ashland asked Victoria if something was wrong. She snapped that she felt like he was keeping something from her. She asked if he got health news he wasnât sharing. Or maybe this had something to do with the fact that her brother went to New Jersey for some reason. Or maybe it was about a lawyer named Jesse Gaines who was connected to his past and the woman who mentored him. Ashland looked alarmed. He asked that they go back to her office where they could speak in private.
Nate and Elena were at Crimson Lights. She noticed that Victoria had been tense, and she wondered if it was about the wedding plans. Nate didnât think that was it. When he talked to Ashland earlier, it reminded him of the reason this wedding was being rushed. Elena asked what Ashlandâs oncologist was saying. Nate said he and Ashland didnât get into it. It was clear to Nate that Ashland wasnât as well as he was claiming to be, though. Heâd advised Ashland to slow down and stop trying to manage everything. Nate thought this time should only be about the love Ashland and Victoria shared and the commitment they were making. That was why Nate agreed to join Victoria and Ashland for dinner, even though he wouldâve preferred to be alone with Elena. He knew sheâd been working hard with AskMDNow on top of everything else, and he asked if she wanted to unwind alone. She said sheâd never forgive him if he left. She took his hand and they went up to her place.
Victoria and Ashland arrived at her office. He assumed Billy went running to her about the attorney. She noted that Jesse Gaines was a former attorney who lost his license for malfeasance. She didnât understand why she didnât hear this from him, and she told him not to pretend it wasnât a problem. She reminded him that he promised not to keep secrets, but she kept getting unsettling information, and it was getting harder to convince herself nothing was wrong. She wanted him to stop with the vague reassurances and tell her the truth. She wanted answers from the man she was going to marry, not anyone else. Nick texted Ashland wanting to meet, and Ashland told Victoria. She asked what Nick wanted, and he said they were about to find out.
Ashland and Victoria met Nick at Crimson Lights. Nick had thought heâd meet Ashland alone. Ashland wanted Victoria to hear whatever Nick had to say. Victoria said that Nick ignored her wishes and dug into Ashlandâs past.
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