Michael knocked at Lynne's door and was surprised to see Kelly on the way out. When Lynne saw him, she immediately told him to get out of the apartment, but Michael had other plans. He told them he was there to find out what they were up to and no one was leaving until he got some answers. He pointedly asked Kelly what she was after and what she hoped to uncover. Lynne got angry and told him she knew there was some kind of connection between him and Isabella. He screamed at her to get a life, and she should stop this constant meddling in everyone's lives. He took a moment to explain to Kelly that Lynne didn't believe Paul and Isabella belonged together; that Paul and Chris were really still in love. Kelly retorted back that Lynne hadn't told her any of this information, and by the way, why was he so worked up if there wasn't anything going on?
He asked what information they were after, and Kelly told him they were looking for information on Isabella. She went on to say if she were being "harassed" by someone, she wouldn't call an attorney, she would call the police. She'd only call an attorney if she was in trouble. He again told her to back off or she would regret it—he knew how to fight dirty, too. He told her his statement was a threat, and again asked what she was after. He got the shock of his life when she pulled off her wig and sunglasses and told him she was looking for the truth.
Paul was playing with Ricky in the living room when Isabella came home. After some small talk, Isabella told him she needed to talk; she was tired of living this way. She poured out her heart to him, telling him how much she loved their life together, but wasn't at all sure they were going to last, or if he even wanted it to for that matter. She went on to say she felt he was waiting around for Chris to show up, and if that was the case, he needed to tell her. Starting to tear up, he told her she was right, she deserved the truth. He told her Chris was already back in town, and that he had seen her. She immediately asked if they had been intimate again, and Paul told her no, they hadn't. He said he had to tell Chris how sorry he was for the two of them being together, and Isabella asked him to clarify what he meant. He explained that they didn't make love, that it was ugly and cruel and he was out of his mind. She immediately asked what he had done, and point-blank asked Paul if he had raped Chris.
Wes walked into the argument between Dru and Olivia and didn't have a second to try to hide anything. Olivia immediately told him she had told Dru the truth about them sleeping together, and asked her why she felt the need to share. Perhaps to sidestep the conversation, he asked Dru what was up with his marriage proposal. Livid, she asked how she could consider the proposal in light of the fact that he had slept with her sister. He blew it off, saying it was only one time, and things weren't right between the two of them, anyway. This infuriated a once-again jilted Olivia, who told Wes she had no idea his feelings for Dru ran so deep. She grabbed her coat and told them they deserved each other and wished them luck.
They began to argue and a crying Dru admitted sleeping with Neil, but told Wes it was a mistake. He told her he didn't think so, that she made a choice because of her feelings for Neil. She started to beg him to stay with her because she loved him, but he told her he had to accept reality and move on. She cried and hugged him and he promised to stay in town for a while and to be supportive of she and Lily, even though it was clear the relationship was over.
Victor and Victoria attempted to talk business in the hospital, but neither of them could really concentrate on the conversation. Victoria was much more interested in finding out what really happened between he and Sharon. She told him it didn't make sense to her that Sharon just up and left if she wasn't the aggressor. She coaxed him over and over to find out what really happened, and finally he broke down and told her he was the one assuming responsibility for the situation in order to save the marriage. Victoria didn't agree with his decision, saying it wasn't fair to have their marriage based on a lie, but Victor disagreed. He told her he believed that family was more important than anything, and that they should do their best to stay together, no matter what.
Nikki and Nicholas were outside talking as well and she did her best to try to comfort him. He told her he wished Sharon was there, and when Nikki began to protest, he told her to stop. The doctor came in and told them they were running a lot of tests on Cassie, but to be aware that the process was very slow and meticulous. He told them there was no change in her condition, and that if they wanted, he could call them at home with the results. Nikki told him thanks, but they were just going to stay and wait right there in the hospital.
Nick started in about Sharon again, and told Nikki he was starting to see why she left. He pointed out how unsupportive Nikki was, how Victoria was all over her and how he was so unforgiving even though she apologized over and over. He said he could see how Victor coming on to her was the last straw of the continual punishment, but stopped short when he saw Cassie being wheeled by, still staring into space. A few minutes later, Dr. Walker came in, saying he had some news about her condition.
As she pulled off her sunglasses and wig, Chris told Michael, "Yes, it's me." Dumbfounded, he asked why she was pretending to be Kelly, and she told him it was because she wasn't ready to come back to Genoa City yet. He approached her and gave her a strong embrace, telling her how much he had missed her and how worried he was. As he touched her in disbelief, he told her although he wasn't a religious person, he had learned how to pray, and prayed for her safe return. After he stopped gushing, he asked where she had been all of those months. Remembering Lynne was in the room, he turned to her and said he wanted some time alone with Chris. Lynne nastily replied she'd leave only if Chris asked her, and Chris told her she'd check in with her later. Once Lynne left, he told her how good it was to see her, but that she should have called. He went on to say that he knew what happened between she and Paul the night of the christening. He told her he understood how she could have been vulnerable to Paul because of their history and everything that took place that night, but that he wasn't holding it against her. She asked how he found out, and he admitted Isabella had told him. Then she moved in for the kill: she asked how a woman he has every reason to despise would turn into a confidante.
Isabella was in total disbelief at Paul's admission that he had raped Chris. She asked how a man like him could ever do such a thing, and he told her he wondered the same thing himself—he could barely function. He also added he really needed to see her to apologize for what he had done. When she asked if the whole thing was over, he told her it wasn't for Chris and that she probably wouldn't ever forgive her. Defeated, she urged him to decide what was important to him—Chris or her and Ricky.
Dr. Walker told the Newman family about the test results. He explained that for now, they were encouraging, but unless there was some definite improvement soon, he was afraid they could still lose Cassie. Unfortunately, he said, it was going to be a wait-and-see situation. In regards to her speech, Victor asked the doctor if Cassie couldn't or wouldn't talk to them, but the doctor couldn't give him a straight answer. After the doctor left, Nick jumped all over Victor for asking such a question. Finally, Victor checked him and told him he needed to be careful how he talks to his father, and Nick stomped out of the room.
Vicki followed Nick out, and told him he was being unfair to his dad, and that they need to settle their personal issues another time. She went on to tell him he was being unreasonable, and that it wasn't a black or white issue. This raised a red flag with Nick, who asked what specifically she was talking about. She avoided the question, saying that lightening up on Victor was the best thing for Cassie right now. Watching her brother in pain, she noted he really needed Sharon right now. He replied that Cassie needed her mother and Vicki told him she thought they both needed Sharon right now. Nick told her if Sharon knew what was happening, she would certainly be there, which prompted Vicki to say she didn't feel sorry for Sharon, that she brought this on herself.
Meanwhile, Victor thanked Nikki for her support. She told him this whole situation was destroying their family and that it was all in his hands at that point. She tried her best to convince him they should cut their losses as far as Sharon was concerned and tell Nick the truth, but he said just enough to convince her to wait a while longer. He reminded her if they told Nick the truth right now, he would be absolutely devastated.
Wes was waiting for Olivia in her apartment and startled her when she came in. She immediately began ranting and raving and asked if she was in for a lecture. Much to her surprise, he stopped her tirade by kissing her. He went on to tell her he and Dru had a good heart to heart talk, and that he had broken things off with her. He told her he knew things weren't going well and that when she didn't answer his proposal, that the writing was on the wall. When Olivia asked how Dru took it, he told her she had trouble accepting it, but that she felt better when he told her he would still be there for her and Lily. He also told her she had helped him come to terms with the situation, and for that, he thanked her. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and left her standing in shock.
Dru went back to her apartment, totally beat down. Neil came out and tries to sweet talk her, but she was only half-listening. He told her of the idea of acquiring the African American cosmetics line, and when he told her they wanted her to be the model, her spirits brightened immediately.
Lynne went to see Mary and ask her how her trip went. Mary was hoping Lynne had good news about what was going on in Paul's life now that Isabella had moved out. Her wish was that the separation was at least legal now. Although Lynne didn't intend to tell her about Christine's return to town, she did say there was reason to hope that things would change soon for Paul. But she had to tell Mary that Isabella had moved back in for Ricky's sake. Mary's reaction was calm--too calm--and Lynne asked her what was wrong. Mary said that while it was fashionable to blame one's childhood or other traumas for wrongdoing, there was another force alive in the world. Lynne asked what, and Mary said "evil," staring at a crucifix while Lynne gave her a concerned look and asked if that wasn't a little off the deep end.
Isabella continued to talk to Paul about the bad influence his connection to Christine was having in his life. He'd become a man she didn't know--a man he never expected to be. Not only had he forced himself on Christine, but he wouldn't let go of his preoccupation with Michael. While Paul didn't excuse himself for the things he'd done, he said that Michael made him crazy. Isabella finally told him that she would give him whatever he wanted. If he wanted a marriage, she was willing to work hard with him to make a home and a family for them and their son. If he wanted a divorce, she would give him that, raising Ricky alone and giving up her dreams of being a family. When Paul told her that he owed her an apology, she thought that meant he wanted a divorce. But Paul said that he wanted to prove to her that he could be a good husband and father. He was going to do everything he could to put the past behind him and move on with her.
Christine continued to question Michael about his association with Isabella. She couldn't understand, given what she knew of their history and the way Isabella had lied about his being Ricky's father, why he would take Isabella as a client. Michael said that Isabella was desperate, and the two of them were in a similar situation. She was trying to move on with Paul; he was trying to put together a life with Christine. She'd felt desperate and isolated after being questioned by "Kelly" and because of the things Paul had done on the night of the christening. He'd felt compassion for her so agreed to take her case. Christine said that it didn't add up. When "Kelly" had talked to Isabella, she hadn't appeared even slightly concerned about the possibility that James was about to be paroled. That didn't match Isabella's story to Paul that her husband had harassed and threatened her. Nor did she seem "desperate," as Michael was implying. To Christine, there seemed to be some other connection between Isabella and Michael, and she wanted him to tell her if there was. Michael insisted that more than anything, he wanted to build a life with Chris. He loved her. He wanted them to be side by side, always. He knew that couldn't happen if it was based on lies or deceptions. Chris told him that wasn't an answer, and Michael finally said, "There is nothing you should know about Isabella and me." When Chris still seemed distant, Michael said that he guessed sometimes love wasn't enough. As he started to leave, Christine stopped him, walking into his arms and holding him.
Jack found out that another company was trying to get Satine and called Ashley into a meeting. Before she could arrive, Phyllis walked in with Kyle. He was dismayed when Phyllis said she had to leave Kyle there so she could show her face at Newman Enterprises. She'd been working from home long enough; she needed to make sure her career was still safe after all that had happened over the past few months. Jack said he couldn't take care of Kyle and do what he needed to do at work. He suggested they call Diane to babysit, but Phyllis nixed that idea. Finally, exasperated, she picked up Kyle and said she'd take him to work with her.
When Ashley joined Jack, he told her that another company was trying to buy Satine. She told him that she wasn't going to give up. A year's worth of research had told her that women of color were ready for a new cosmetics line that would encompass all ages. If they had to get into a bidding war, she was willing to do it. Jack was delighted. He asked if she was okay with the idea of hiring Dru. Although he found Ashley's assurance that she found Dru adequate a little less than a ringing endorsement, he called Dru and asked her to meet with them.
When Lily found out that Neil had offered Dru a job modeling for a new line of cosmetics for women of color, she was skeptical. She wondered if her father wasn't perhaps using that as a means for getting closer to Dru. After all, most women Dru's age were well past their modeling years. Annoyed, Dru reminded Lily that she was still a beautiful woman, not exactly over the hill. When she received a call from Jack to come in to talk about the Jabot position, she blithely told Lily that Neil wasn't the only person who thought she still had what it took to be a success.
When Dru got to Jabot, Ashley and Jack told her they wanted her to be more than someone who did a couple of ads for them. They felt that with her expertise and background, she could be a more important part of the Jabot team. They wanted her to act as a mentor for all of their models. It would involve a lot of travel and energy and a full-time commitment. When they wondered if she was ready for that, Dru said she realized it was a great opportunity. She just needed some time to think it over. They said they'd draw up the contracts so they could go full speed ahead as soon as she committed to them.
At Newman, Victoria told Neil they had a problem. She was less than pleased with Phyllis's recent absence from the office. Neil reminded her that Phyllis had been going through a lot, but had still managed to work from home. Victoria insisted there was another problem. If Brash and Sassy was going to go head to head with Jabot to get into a new market, they didn't need to worry about Phyllis's loyalty. As Jack's wife, Phyllis might be a liability to them.
In her office, Phyllis was dismayed to look over and see that Kyle had spread her files all over the office floor. She picked him up and distracted him with a toy while she tried to continue to work. When Victoria and Neil came in, she assured them that Kyle's presence was due to an unusual set of circumstances, and she wasn't going to make a habit of bringing him to work. Victoria called Phyllis's assistant and asked him to take care of Kyle for a few minutes so they could have a meeting. After Bryce took Kyle away, Neil and Victoria informed Phyllis that they were terminating her contract immediately. Shocked, Phyllis told them that in spite of everything, she'd been working hard from home and the numbers hadn't changed. Victoria said that the numbers might have risen if Phyllis had been committed to her job full time. Phyllis said she didn't know a two year old was grounds for termination. Victoria evaded Phyllis's questions, saying she was good at what she did and wishing her luck. She then suggested that Phyllis might even go to work at Jabot since she had an "in" with the CEO there. After a few moments, Phyllis insisted that nothing was adding up. She guessed that Brash and Sassy was considering an expansion and they were afraid she might give information to Jack, which she had never done and would not do. Neil handed Phyllis an envelope detailing her severance package and left the office with Victoria. Phyllis picked up the envelope and brooded.
Jill told Larry that she was going to see Frederick Hodges seeking help in finding her birth parents. Larry decided that he would be supportive and offered his own help. Jill graciously declined, kissing him goodbye.
Before Jill arrive at the bank, Frederick and Anita had another fight about Brittany and their lack of a relationship. Frederick left Anita in his office and she was gone by the time that he returned. Jill arrived and soon he was close to her, glad to see a friendly face. He almost kissed her, but she thought better of it and backed away.
Larry paid a visit to the Records department at Genoa City Memorial Hospital. He wasn't about to be shown up by Frederick Hodges. . .
Dru tried to weasel a deal out of Neil and Newman Enterprises like the one that Jack and Ashley had described to her the night before. Neil was a bit condescending, sure that she didn't want to travel so much or work so hard. That didn't sit so well with Dru, as became apparent when she talked to Wes about it later.
Phyllis and Jack discussed her new predicament at Newman Enterprises. Phyllis knew that there was more to it than her new child and her marriage to Jack – she decided to pay a visit to Victor Newman. Jack was a little bit glad that she may have a reason to stay home with Kyle.
At Victor's office, Phyllis stood to plead her case with him. She was hoping to reach Victor's more logical business side by reminding him of the value that she brought to the organization and to the Brash & Sassy product line. . .
Larry, dressed in his security uniform, went into the hospital records office and told Devon he needed to file a report on the man and woman who'd tried to obtain a birth record. Devon refused to cooperate, saying if she messed up one more time, she'd be in serious trouble with Mrs. French and she was working for school credit. After Larry charmed her a little, Devon finally said that she would open the drawer and leave the envelope sticking out of the file. Then she'd go out the back door on her lunch break. Larry swore he wouldn't tell anyone she'd helped him. But as he emerged from the records department later, Mrs. French caught him. She knew immediately that he wasn't hospital security, and when she saw which birth certificate he held, she called Jill to tell her that if there was another incident, she would call the police. If any more of Jill's connections wanted to see the birth certificate, they'd better come with a court order.
Jill had been in her office dealing with an unwelcome visit from Katherine, who was there to tell her how Liz was doing. Jill said that she'd been visiting her adoptive mother and resented any implication that she'd been negligent. Katherine admitted that Liz had told her that Jill had been attentive. As she started to leave, Jill asked Katherine if she'd seen Larry that morning and if he'd told her he was willing to help her find her birth parents. Katherine said no, and if she'd known that, she would discourage him. Not because she didn't think he could be helpful, but because she didn't feel this was something Jill needed to pursue. Jill was fortunate to have lived the life she had. She should be grateful. When their conversation was interrupted by the call from Mrs. French, Jill's worst fears were realized. At that point, Larry came in and Jill berated him for going to the hospital. She was furious that he hadn't left the matter in the more capable hands of Frederick Hodges.
Dru saw Phyllis in Crimson Lights and excitedly told her that she was joining the family. When Phyllis gave her a blank look, Dru mentioned the wonderful job offer from Jabot. Phyllis was convinced that Dru had been sent by Neil to trick her and prove that Phyllis couldn't be trusted. Dru assured her that this was not the case. She went on to babble all about how Jabot and Newman were in a bidding war for Satine Cosmetics. Both companies had also offered her a job. However, Jabot's offer was much bigger and she intended to take it. When she found out Phyllis had been fired by Victoria and Neil, she told her she was better off, because Jabot was going to win this fight against Newman.
At Newman Enterprises, Victor warned Neil and Victoria about what they might be risking by firing Phyllis. Victoria reminded her father that he'd never fully trusted Phyllis either, which was why he'd limited her web access. Victor said that keeping Phyllis where he could watch her, with some restraints, might be a better bet than letting her go. Not only did she have valuable information about Newman Enterprises that she was now free to share with Jack, but she was angry and might be vindictive enough to do it. He told them to think about that; he was leaving for the hospital to see Cassie.
Phyllis went to Newman Enterprises to see Victor, but instead found Victoria and Neil. Without telling them how she knew, but adamant that it wasn't from Jack, she relayed what information she had about the African-American cosmetics deal. She told them they'd be making a big mistake, because Jabot had everything in place to succeed in that market, whereas Brash and Sassy was just a little division of a huge congomerate. Victoria and Neil asked her to wait outside while they talked things over. After Phyllis left, they discussed the pros and cons of having Phyllis at Newman where they could keep an eye on her.
At Jabot, John, Jack, and Ashley met with the legal representative of Mr. Peabody, owner of Satine Cosmetics. They said they were now willing to meet Mr. Peabody's asking price of twenty-million. But the attorney told them the competing bid was for twenty-five million. Jack exploded, wondering if they were being played, as there was no way Satine was worth that much money. The attorney told him that was subjective, and the other buyer obviously thought it was. When John said they were withdrawing their offer, the attorney walked outside and made a call. Jack overheard him telling the person on the other end of the phone that Jabot had withdrawn; Satine was theirs. Just before he hung up, he said, "Thanks, Ms. Newman." Jack then turned and told his father and sister that it had been Newman who outbid them. John was disappointed and angry, but left for another meeting.
Victoria was thrilled by the call letting them know Newman had the deal with Satine. She and Neil called Phyllis back in and told her the details. Victoria then pointed out that if Phyllis was working there, she needed to be aware that they were going full force against her husband's company, and they didn't intend to lose. Was Phyllis willing to be a part of that?
Ashley and Jack tried to figure out how Newman had gotten wind of the Satine deal. Ashley speculated that maybe Satine had just put the word out and Newman got lucky. But Jack was sure Victor was behind it. He said they'd even fired Phyllis, implying that she couldn't be trusted with company-sensitive information. When Ashley wondered if Nikki had said something, Jack said Nikki would never do that. In any case, she hadn't known about the deal. The two of them agreed that they needed to stop worrying about what soured their deal and start concentrating on developing their own products and infrastructure. Jack said they were ready to forge ahead, especially with Dru as their spokesperson. Ashley got a sick look on her face and admitted to her brother that she'd told Dru a couple of weeks before about Satine. She suspected that Dru had said something to Neil, who'd jumped right on it. Jack was stunned, but before he could reply, Dru waltzed in and said she was there to sign her contract. She was a little surprised by the speculative glances she got from the Abbott siblings.
