Sharon asked Nick to move out to keep him from bonding with Sully. Abby ended her marriage to Stitch. Jack enlisted Phyllis' help to leak confidential Newman documents to the press. Hilary defied Devon and aired a Newman exposé on GC Buzz.

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by Anne Carpenter

At Sharon's ranch house, Nick, about to shower and wearing only a towel, rushed to help Sharon with a toppling stack of storage boxes. Nick lost his footing and fell backwards. Laughing, Sharon knelt down to help Nick. Mariah and Kevin arrived and saw the pair. Kevin snickered. Mariah said, "Nice towel." Nick said he'd heard a cry for help and had responded. Mariah began unloading Halloween decorations from the boxes.

Nick asked Kevin if he had information about the stalker. Kevin explained that safety procedures included monitoring Sharon's phones and working with ranch security in case the stalker showed up. After Mariah and Nick left the room, Kevin apologized to Sharon because he'd not yet identified the stalker. Sharon changed the subject and invited Kevin to accompany her family to the pumpkin patch. Sharon's phone rang, and she appeared nervous.

Nick returned as Sharon peered at her phone and said, "It's Dylan!" Faith entered and asked to speak to Dylan. Faith and Sharon stepped out to take Dylan's call. Kevin asked Nick if it felt awkward to be living at Sharon's. Nick said he was glad to spend extra time with Sharon and the children. Sharon and Mariah returned and exchanged glances, indicating they both felt uneasy.

At Chelsea's penthouse, Chloe, sewing Bella's costume, talked about plans for her daughter's Halloween celebrations. Chloe noticed that Chelsea seemed lost in thought. Chloe said, "What's wrong?" With tears running down her cheeks, Chelsea cried, "Everything." Chelsea lifted Connor's Halloween costume and noted that Adam would never be able to accompany Connor for trick-or-treating, watch his son open Christmas presents, or enjoy his son blowing out candles on his birthday cakes.

Chelsea said she'd do her best to celebrate Halloween after what had happened the last year when Adam, in police custody, had ended up in the hospital to receive treatment for injuries. Chloe said, "Because of me." Chelsea noted that Chloe, grieving, hadn't been herself and had acted out of grief. Chelsea spoke about the fire at Newman Towers. Chelsea recalled how Adam had dragged himself out of his hospital bed to save his family.

Chelsea cried that Adam had always promised to return to his family. Sobbing, Chelsea added, "Except this time. He's not coming back for us this time." Chloe apologized. Chelsea said she'd carry on for Adam and give Connor the best life possible. Chloe suggested she and Chelsea accompany their children to the pumpkin patch. Chelsea thanked Chloe for helping her remain strong.

Lily, Mattie, and Charlie visited the pumpkin patch. Lily noticed that her children didn't appear to enjoy the outing. Mattie and Charlie said they wished their dad could've accompanied them. Lily explained that Cane was working. The children complained that their dad was always working.

In the lab at the Jabot building, Cane, Victoria, and Jill were elated to learn that sales of their new fragrance line were phenomenally high. Billy, on the other hand, seemed unimpressed. Lauren phoned and placed an order for additional units of the fragrance for her stores. Jill panicked and explained that their supplier couldn't quickly supply the number of units requested. Jill added that sales could plummet if the fragrance wasn't available.

Cane offered to contact the manufacturer. Billy noted that the supplier's CEO, Harrison Sawyer Jr., had inherited the company from his father. Billy explained that the young CEO lacked interest in contracts and negotiations. Victoria said she'd dealt with Harrison's father in the past and would pitch an offer the new CEO couldn't refuse. Because Billy said he'd met the young CEO, Jill told Billy to accompany Victoria. Jill said that she and Cane would stay behind and generate a report to impress their competitors at Jabot.

After Billy and Victoria left, Jill and Cane discussed additional marketing strategies. Lily, Mattie, and Charlie arrived and pleaded with Cane to join them for a picnic. Cane noted that he had too much work to do. Jill seemed sympathetic and insisted that Cane spend time with his children. Cane suggested the children carve pumpkins in the office. Cane told Mattie and Charlie not to make a mess with their pumpkins.

Later, Lily and Cane entered the office and discovered that Mattie and Charlie had thrown handfuls of pumpkin at each other. Lily attempted to defuse the situation and began cleaning up the mess. Cane, upset, grabbed his marketing displays and walked out. Cane later told Lily that he'd ruined what was supposed to be a fun time with his children. Lily said the children had known they weren't supposed to make a mess.

Cane wiped his forehead and complained that he'd been stressed from too much work. Lily assured Cane that everything would be fine. Cane rejoined his children and apologized for yelling at them. Cane kissed his twins and lovingly embraced them. Mattie and Charlie seemed relieved and happy to be with Cane.

In Jack's office, Jack told Phyllis he was ready to make his move against Victor. Jack enlisted Phyllis' expertise, and he insisted that their working relationship wouldn't change their personal relationship. Phyllis said she understood. Jack explained that business stories and publicly released information had indicated that all divisions of Newman Enterprises were operating in the black and raking in huge profits. Jack reached into his pocket, pulled out a computer flash drive, and said, "This tells the truth. The oil and shipping arms of Newman are operating at a significant loss. He's been siphoning money from other divisions to cover that up."

Jack told Phyllis that Victor had lied to the business world, his corporate partners, and to board members. Jack noted that Newman Enterprises' board of directors was largely comprised of family members that had recently lobbied for Victor's release from prison. Phyllis replied, "So they're all going to feel betrayed again, and then Victor is exposed for the lying, manipulating cheat he is." Jack said his first thought was to expose Victor's corporate fraud by anonymously sending the incriminating information to the district attorney. Phyllis attempted to share her idea, but Ashley interrupted and demanded to know why Jack and Phyllis had their heads together.

Jack told Ashley he'd given Phyllis her next assignment. Ashley complained because Jack still trusted Phyllis after she'd breached his trust. Phyllis noted that she'd apologized. Jack asked Ashley why she'd stopped by. Ashley announced that Brash & Sassy's new fragrance had been an overnight sensation. Ashley added that brisk sales of Jabot's new moisturizer would require a significant rise in production, so she'd contacted Harrison Sawyer Jr. Ashley boasted that because Jabot had placed a large order from the same production company used by Brash & Sassy, the production company wouldn't be able to fulfill Brash & Sassy's order of additional units. Jack replied, "My sister to the rescue. Outstanding!"

After Ashley stepped out, Phyllis told Jack that Victor, anticipating an attack, remained alert. Phyllis expressed concern about trusting the source supplying information about Newman Enterprises. Phyllis suggested leaking the information through the media. Phyllis noted that it wouldn't matter if the information was true or not. Jack replied, "Victor could question the validity all he wants. The damage is already done." Phyllis explained that the public would consider Victor guilty. Jack praised Phyllis' plan.

Jack instructed Phyllis to print a paper copy of the information contained on the flash drive. Jack warned Phyllis to erase the printer's history and destroy the flash drive. Phyllis reached for the flash drive and touched Jack's hand. Jack quickly retracted his hand. After Phyllis left, Jack rubbed his face with the palm of his hand as if to stifle his emotions.

Phyllis entered her tiny office and found Ashley waiting. Ashley insisted she wouldn't allow Phyllis to hurt Jack again. Ashley added that she'd be keeping an eye on Phyllis. Phyllis asked Ashley why she'd let herself in the office. Ashley asked Phyllis to keep a close eye on production should a problem arise with Harrison's company. Phyllis agreed.

Phyllis asked if Ashley had additional concerns. Ashley wanted to know if Jack had given Phyllis a secret assignment. Phyllis noted that Jack hated her and seemed to enjoy burying her in "crappy little assignments," such as generating a market report no one would read. Phyllis added that Jack no longer trusted her with important matters. Ashley insisted that Phyllis would never get what she really wanted.

At the Genoa City Athletic Club, Victoria and Billy met with Harrison Sawyer Jr. Victoria explained that her company was in a bind and needed fulfillment of 200,000 units. Harrison seemed uninterested in business and suggested celebrating with wine. Billy suggested a specific wine, which Harrison said would taste "brash and sassy." Victoria directed the conversation back to business and told Harrison that if her company made more revenue, that meant that Harrison's company would also net more revenue. Harrison said he was more interested in the people running the businesses he worked with.

Harrison asked Billy to explain how he'd gotten into the perfume business. Billy replied, "An old love. My ex owned Brash & Sassy. Poured everything into it, made it what it was, and lost it in a shady negotiation." Billy added that he'd hoped to right the wrong, so he'd purchased the company to make amends. Victoria interjected, "Yes, and he's giving you a revisionist's history."

Victoria again attempted to steer the conversation with Harrison and Billy back to immediate business. Billy told Harrison that Brash & Sassy couldn't afford to run out of their product. Harrison replied, "I'd love to help, but I can't. The factory is at full capacity, manufacturing for Jabot." After Billy asked when Jabot had placed their order, Harrison replied, "This morning." Billy rose from his chair to leave. Victoria and Harrison asked Billy to stay. Billy replied, "I can't sit here and talk business, knowing I was just stabbed in the back."

After Billy left, Harrison talked to Victoria about Billy and learned that Victoria and Billy had been married. Harrison noted that Victoria and Billy seemed to work well together. Victoria agreed that Billy was a great guy, but she explained that she and Billy hadn't had a great relationship. Harrison said, "I don't know what broke you up, but that man bought Brash & Sassy because it meant so much to you. Now, in the world of romantic gestures, that beats the hell out of flowers, girl." Victoria told Harrison that both she and Billy had moved on.

After Harrison left, Jill approached Victoria. Jill asked about Billy. Victoria explained that Billy had walked out. Victoria added, "And I had to sit through two bottles of wine and no deal!" Victoria accused Jill of using Harrison as a matchmaker. Jill replied, "I've never spoken to him. What did he say?" Victoria walked away. Jill seemed frustrated.

Ashley returned to Jack's office. Ashley accused Jack of letting Phyllis off the hook. Jack replied, "Don't worry. I'm not letting her get to me." Ashley asked about Phyllis' special assignment. Jack said it was related to cost analysis of second-quarter revenue. Ashley replied, "Phyllis said it was market research." Jack claimed he'd just handed Phyllis a file and assigned a boring task in hopes that she might leave the company. Ashley said, "I think it's really odd that you're okay with her spying on you."

Billy entered Jack's office and said, "Really, Jack? This stunt with manufacturing? What the hell are you doing?" Jack said he'd done no such thing. Ashley intervened and told Billy he was out of line, but Billy continued to berate Jack. Ashley asked Billy if he believed Jack would be so petty. Billy replied, "Yes, I do, because I slept with his wife." Billy accused Jack of trying to sabotage Brash & Sassy. Jack ordered Billy to leave.

After Billy left Jack's office, Ashley gave Jack a shoulder massage. She said, "Time hasn't healed anything yet, has it, Jackie?" Jack said being with Billy or Phyllis was like a knife in the heart. Jack told Ashley that her support had helped. Ashley embraced Jack and told him she loved him. Jack told Ashley they should leave the office because it was getting late.

Phyllis, inside her office, printed the documents. Phyllis seemed shocked by the information the documents revealed. Phyllis put the documents into an envelope. Afterward, Phyllis attempted to destroy the flash drive by breaking it against the corner of her desk. Billy walked in and said, "What are you doing?" Phyllis appeared stunned by Billy's question.

At the pumpkin patch, Sharon, Sully, Mariah, Kevin, Nick, and Faith ran into Chelsea and Connor. Faith told Chelsea that Nick could help Connor select the perfect pumpkin. Nick, Chelsea, and Connor walked away together to search. Mariah and Kevin noticed Chloe and Bella crouched near a pile of pumpkins. Kevin said that Chloe hadn't wanted him around. Mariah recalled that Chloe's rejection had occurred on the anniversary of Delia's death. Mariah suggested that Kevin join Chloe and Bella.

Later, when the group at the pumpkin patch reunited, Sharon suggested that Nick help Connor carve a pumpkin. Sharon insisted she wasn't playing matchmaker. Nick noted that he'd made a promise to Dylan and wouldn't leave Sharon and her children alone. Chloe said, "What's going on?" Nick explained that Sharon had received strange phone calls, possibly from a stalker. Nick added that he'd offered to stay with Sharon during Dylan's absence. Chelsea suggested that Nick stay with Sharon until Dylan returned. Chelsea added that Nick could take Connor trick-or-treating. Before Chelsea and Chloe left the pumpkin patch, Chloe invited Kevin to join her at Chelsea's penthouse.

Kevin, Chloe, and Chelsea went to Chelsea's penthouse to carve pumpkins. They discussed Sharon's stalker. Chloe said, "So, are there any leads?" Kevin said he believed that the prank caller stalking Sharon might have gotten bored and given up. Chelsea noted that Dylan wouldn't have asked Nick to stay with Sharon if Dylan thought Kevin's assumption was true. Kevin explained that Dylan had assigned the police department to the case, too.

Chloe, addressing Kevin, said, "Did you ever think that this person who's trying to contact Dylan might have a tip about the case?" Kevin replied, "We've got a hotline at the station for that kind of thing." Chloe pointed out that the calls had stopped after Dylan had left town. While Chelsea was cleaning up, Kevin asked Chloe why she was so interested in the calls made to Sharon. Chloe said that perhaps the caller had a tip about Adam, given that Dylan had been quite involved investigating Adam's death.

Kevin told Chloe he doubted there could be a connection to Adam's death. Kevin explained that the caller had phoned Sharon's landline and cell numbers, not Dylan's. Kevin walked to the other side of the room to help Chelsea clean away a glob of pumpkin. Chloe remembered the fiery explosion at the cabin where Adam had been hiding. Chloe stood frozen in place as the horrible memory replayed in her mind.

At Sharon's ranch house, Sharon, Mariah, Nick, and Faith carved pumpkins. After Faith revealed her pumpkin's happy face, she went upstairs to get ready for bed. Nick lifted Sully from his playpen and offered to take the baby upstairs to get ready for bed. After Nick and Sully were out of the room, Sharon expressed concern to Mariah. Sharon noted that Nick was closely bonding with Sully. Mariah downplayed Sharon's concerns. Sharon replied, "I'm concerned. In case you've forgotten, there's a crazy woman who wants to tell the whole world my secret.

Sharon nervously peered through her front window. Darkness obscured the view outside the window. Mariah warned that Sharon's apprehension could rouse Nick's suspicion. Sharon said, "You're right. I've got to get it together." Sharon peered out the window again, jumped back, and screamed in terror.

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by Jenny Smith

At the cottage, Nick and Mariah reacted to Sharon's outcry that someone was outside. Mariah wrote it off as a tree or the wind because of the brewing storm, but Sharon insisted that it had been a person. Sharon protested when Nick prepared to step outside, but he instructed her to make sure that Faith stayed upstairs. Sharon screeched when Nick found someone on the doorstep, but she calmed down when she saw it was Paul. Nick surmised that Sharon had simply seen Paul outside the window, but Paul explained that he'd walked straight up from the driveway, so it hadn't been him.

Mariah pulled Sharon aside and asked if she'd really seen someone, since the stalker didn't exist, and Patty wasn't allowed to take evening strolls. Sharon maintained that someone had been watching her, and Nick insisted on checking it out. Mariah grabbed a fireplace poker and steeled herself to join him, but Paul advised them to let the police handle it. Paul instructed Nick to stay there and take care of the kids, and Nick called security. Paul told Mariah to lock the door behind him, and there was a clap of thunder as he stepped outside.

At Chelsea's penthouse, Kevin presented carved, candlelit pumpkins to Chloe to set the mood as thunder clapped overhead. Chelsea descended the stairs and reported that Bella needed another goodnight kiss from her mom, and Chloe ran upstairs. Chelsea thought she saw a gleam in Kevin's eye at the mention of Chloe kissing someone, and she guessed that he wasn't giving up on Chloe. "Not a chance," he replied.

Chelsea remarked that she'd once liked thunderstorms, but she'd been jumpy for a number of reasons. Kevin said he didn't mind thunder, but he didn't like lightning, and Chelsea offered to set up the couch for him to stay. Kevin confided that he didn't want Chloe to get sick of him, but Chelsea assured him that Chloe trusted him and liked him being around, and that wouldn't go away if he spent the night on the couch. Kevin worried that anything might send Chloe running, and he thought she was worth taking things slowly. Chelsea swore that she wasn't playing matchmaker, but she intended to leave a pillow and a blanket on standby in case he changed his mind.

Chloe returned and looked forward to enjoying some wine while she rode out the storm with Chelsea and Kevin, and Chelsea noted that it made the situation better to be together instead of alone. Chloe toasted to friendship, and there was a loud thunderbolt. The kids cried over the monitor, and the women went upstairs. Kevin called Mariah and inquired whether there had been any more calls from the stalker, and Mariah informed him that Sharon had seen someone outside. Mariah asked that Kevin stay on the line in case they needed to call in the cavalry, and he was surprised to hear that Paul was alone outside.

Paul surveyed the grounds with a flashlight, but he returned to the cottage and reported that there had been no sign of anyone. Mariah thanked Kevin for waiting on the phone, and she hung up. Nick worried that Paul's brief search didn't mean they were in the clear, and Paul offered to have his team sweep the property. Paul answered a call and was shocked by some news, and he relayed that Stonevale had indicated that Patty was missing. Sharon and Mariah exchanged a nervous glance.

Mariah bolted the back door and turned on the outside lights, and Sharon figured that she might have only seen a branch or a shadow. Mariah fretted that Patty could be anywhere, but Sharon insisted that she'd overreacted, and she might have just seen Victor out for a walk. Nick thought it wasn't his dad's style, and he urged her to let the cops do their jobs. Nick went upstairs to check on the kids, and Sharon suspected that Patty was on the property. Mariah wondered if Patty had figured out that they'd been double-crossing her to get her transferred far away, but Sharon was sure that Patty was there to reveal the truth about Sully.

As a power outage swept over Genoa City, Chloe wondered why Kevin had left without saying goodbye. Paul arrived at Stonevale and demanded to know how his sister had gotten out. Sharon was certain that Patty would find Nick or Paul, but Mariah thought it was just as likely that Patty would stab them with a letter opener. Nick reported that he'd left lanterns in the kids' rooms, and Sharon suggested that they secure the door, but he assured her that the power outage wouldn't cause the door to blow open. Sharon worried that Patty had cut the power and was waiting to get in, but Nick questioned why Patty would go there.

Sharon ranted that Patty was irrational and unpredictable, and Patty had considered them to be friends when they'd been at Fairview. Nick pointed out that Sharon had been sure that she'd only seen a branch, but she was suddenly convinced that it had been Patty. Sharon claimed that she'd felt guilty for sending people into a storm, but that had been before she'd known Patty was missing, and it was just like Patty to cut off the power. Nick saw on his phone that the outage had hit all of Genoa City, so Patty hadn't caused it.

Sharon thought Patty would take advantage of the darkness to hide and sneak around, but Nick still didn't understand why Sharon expected Patty to end up there. Mariah recalled that Patty had sought out Dylan the last time she'd broken out, and she figured that anything was possible with Patty. Sharon noted that the ranch was huge, and Patty had managed not to be caught for over a year the last time she'd escaped. Nick headed out to take a look around, and Sharon and Mariah both hoped that Patty and Nick didn't find one another.

Sharon was sure that Patty would find Nick and tell him the truth, and she imagined Nick running in to take the baby. Sharon contemplated what would happen when Dylan returned home and discovered that Sully was gone, and Mariah stated that Sharon had decisions to make. Sharon realized that there was a possibility that no one would believe Patty or that Patty might have run off, knowing that she'd lose her freedom if she was found on the ranch. Mariah dryly noted that it was great to hope that, but the fact remained that Patty knew the truth, and they'd never know when Patty would "jump out and say boo." Meanwhile, Nick made his way over the grounds, but someone knocked him over the head, and he fell to the ground.

Mariah thought Sharon had to prepare for the worst, but she swore that she would be by Sharon's side every step of the way. Sharon wanted to hold Sully and tell him how much she loved him, since his whole life might change that night. Kevin yelled from the porch to open up, and he helped Nick stagger in. Kevin explained that he'd hit someone, thinking it had been the stalker, but it had been Nick. Nick confirmed that he'd searched everywhere, and Patty wasn't there.

Nick insisted that he was fine, but Mariah commented that it looked like he was growing a second brain. Sharon fussed over Nick with an ice pack, and Mariah asked how hard Kevin had hit Nick. Kevin explained that he'd been worried about the stalker, so he'd had good reason to clock Nick. Mariah guessed that Sharon had been wrong about seeing someone. A cat meowed outside.

As Stonevale's backup generator kicked in, Paul theorized that Patty had caused the power outage to facilitate her escape, but Dr. Powell insisted that Patty hadn't been capable of planning an escape in her condition. Paul thought the doctor hadn't read Patty's file if she thought Patty wasn't capable, and he informed her that Patty could have been faking her state the whole time. He explained that Patty knew how to get what she wanted, and someone could get hurt if they got in the way. He lectured that it had been Stonevale's job to protect his sister and the community, and they'd failed on both counts. He asked to see the handwritten visitors' log and Patty's paintings to search for clues about where Patty might be.

Paul reviewed Patty's paintings, and he recognized the one of a woman and a cat in front of the sun. He mentioned that Patty had been institutionalized for most of her adult life, and he sensed peace and freedom in the painting -- two things she'd never really had. Paul pulled out another painting of a female doctor, and he recognized its setting as Fairview, so he assumed the figure was Dr. Anderson. He asked if Patty had ever talked about the night she'd killed Dr. Anderson, but Dr. Powell replied that Patty never had. Paul lamented that he had no idea what was going through Patty's head, and that was what scared him.

Paul found another painting of a pregnant blonde woman, and he thought he knew who the woman was. Paul examined the visitors' log for someone who might have helped Patty escape, and he recognized a name as Dr. Powell received a call. Moments later, Dr. Powell reprimanded Patty for breaking into the kitchen to get chocolate pudding, and Paul gently pushed Patty to talk to him. A look of recognition crossed Patty's face, and she addressed him as "Paulie." He asked if she'd been in the kitchen the whole time, and he questioned what else she'd done when she'd been away from her room. Patty leaned in close and whispered that he had to get her out of there.

Chloe marveled that the kids had slept through everything, leaving her and Chelsea to drink wine in the spooky ambiance. Chloe asked a distant Chelsea if she was okay, and Chelsea inquired whether Chloe had heard from Kevin. Chloe disguised her dismay at his departure by saying that she'd be scared for anyone who'd gone out in bad weather. Chelsea reiterated that she wasn't playing matchmaker, but she didn't think Kevin had left without saying goodbye. Chelsea pulled out a jack-o-lantern with a heart design, and Chloe figured that Kevin had meant she'd carved his heart out when she'd left him.

Chelsea reacted to a clap of thunder, and Chloe recalled that she'd described thunder to Delia as nothing more than static. Chelsea confided that the noise reminded her of the explosion on the night Adam had died. Chloe said storms stirred up things for her, too, like when she'd given birth to Bella and Delia. The women reflected back on their pregnancies, and Chelsea gushed that Chloe had been the first girlfriend she'd ever had in her whole life. Chloe replied that she was just a roommate who stocked the fridge with wine and carbs, but Chelsea stressed that Chloe really was her best friend, and she felt fortunate that they could talk about anything.

Later, Chelsea covered up a sleeping Chloe with a blanket, and Chloe dreamed about hitting Adam with a dart at the cabin and confronting him about his plan to walk away again, just like he had with Delia. Chelsea heard Chloe call out Adam's name in her sleep. Chloe dreamed about hovering over a drugged Adam, taunting that her plan was to watch him die. Chloe flashed back to the explosion and woke up with a start, and she found Chelsea staring at her. Chloe said it had just been a dream, but Chelsea reported that Chloe had been having a nightmare about Adam.

In Phyllis' makeshift office at Jabot, Phyllis tried to downplay the flash drive's importance, but Billy wondered why she'd practically resorted to violence to keep it from him. She compared destroying it to shredding files, and he grabbed it and offered to help. He picked up her elephant paperweight to show her how it was done, and he rambled about the laws of physics as he prepared to smash the drive. Billy suddenly paused and implored Phyllis to tell him what she was trying to hide.

Billy found it amazing how much information fit on a tiny thing, but Phyllis reiterated that the drive contained old files that she intended to destroy, and she placed her hand over his to take it. He teased that he didn't mind her holding his hand, but he thought she was being dramatic about it rather than just deleting the files. Phyllis contended that she'd been following Jack's orders, and Billy figured there had to be a reason Jack didn't want the information to fall into the wrong hands. Phyllis reasoned that Jack would never give her anything important, and she pointed out that Billy was one of the reasons why Jack no longer trusted her. She reached for the drive, but Billy refused to give it back.

Phyllis lunged for the flash drive and scolded Billy for playing keep-away like a child. They bickered as she chased him into the hallway, and he quickly turned around and locked himself in her office. She ordered him to let her in, but he reasoned that if the drive contained nothing important, it didn't matter if he took a look. She pleaded that if he'd ever cared about her, he wouldn't read the files.

Billy thought the fact that Phyllis was willing to broach the one unmentionable thing that she'd been trying to forget meant that there was something important on the drive that she didn't want him to see, so he had to see it. She lectured that it wasn't his, but he taunted that he was a jerk who liked to steal things that weren't his. Phyllis insisted that it wasn't who Billy was, and he told her to tell him who he was, since he wasn't sure. She demanded that he open the door, but curiosity had gotten the best of him. He plugged the drive into Phyllis' laptop just as the lights went out.

Phyllis asked what Billy had done, but he thought that she'd cut the power. She snapped that she'd hardly been able to do so when she'd been outside the office while yelling at him, and he griped that she hadn't charged her computer. She admonished him for "being an ass" by locking himself in her office, and she threatened to call security. Billy figured that security would be interested in why she'd been tampering with company property, and he mentioned that he'd just ripped into Jack and Ashley for screwing with Brash & Sassy. Billy suspected that Phyllis felt guilty because she knew what Jack was up to, and he considered opening the door if she told him what it was.

Phyllis said she'd found out about Jabot's manufacturing deal after the fact, and she tried to pick the lock. Billy found the timing of the whole thing interesting in light of Brash & Sassy's rollout, and he told her just to tell him what was on the drive. She barked at him to stop playing games, and he reminded her that she'd once trusted him. She thanked God when a security guard approached, and she pleaded with him to use a master key. The guard replied that the janitor would have the key to a closet, but she explained that it was her office. Billy crowed that he had an energy bar and a bottle of water, so he could stay all night.

The guard wondered why Billy didn't just open the door from the inside, and Phyllis spat that Billy was "being a jackass." The guard started trying his keys in the lock, but Phyllis asked him just to bust the door down. Billy suggested that the guard had more important things to do, like saving a woman caught in the elevator. Phyllis informed the guard that Jack had fired Billy a few months earlier, and Billy was committing corporate espionage by going through files in her office. Billy declared that he was a man with a conscience who was trying to change and grow, but he pushed the desk over to block the door and tried again to start the computer.

The lights turned back on, and Phyllis yelled at Billy to stay away from her computer. He excitedly booted the machine up, but he was disappointed when he needed a password to access the flash drive. After several attempts, he gained access with the password "RED." The guard unlocked the door, and Phyllis burst in, falling over the table to push Billy away.

Phyllis requested that the guard escort Billy out of the building, but Billy greeted the guard by name and inquired about fantasy football. Billy sarcastically noted that it was a good thing Phyllis wasn't acting suspicious, and he sauntered out. She breathed a sigh of relief when she found the paper copies of the Newman documents still inside the envelope.

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by Nel

Ashley and Billy met at the Athletic Club. Ashley asked Billy if he wanted to talk about Brash & Sassy. Billy said he didn't care what she'd done or hadn't done to screw over his company. He wanted to know what Phyllis was up to. Billy described his encounter with Phyllis and how she'd tried to destroy a flash drive. Ashley asked if he was becoming involved with Phyllis again and if he hadn't learned anything from the destructive affair that had blown up Jack's marriage, ruined Billy's reputation, and almost annihilated their entire family.

Billy denied any involvement with Phyllis and was aware of the damage he'd caused. He knew he'd probably pay for it the rest of his life. Phyllis was trying to hide something, and it could've been about Jack, Jabot, or both. Billy knew by the look in Ashley's eyes that she thought Phyllis had been trying to hide something.

Billy assured Ashley that she could trust him. Ashley said that even if she knew what Phyllis had been up to, she had no reason to share it with Billy. He said Phyllis had told him the flash drive contained personal information, and that was before he'd grabbed the flash drive from her. Phyllis had wrestled him for it. Billy asked if Ashley enjoyed being blindsided. He encouraged her to work with him and find out what Phyllis was up to.

Ashley reminded Billy that the flash drive was company property, and Billy didn't work for the family company. Billy said he was still part of the family, and he'd do everything in his power to protect her. Ashley felt there would be a legal ramification. Billy stated he still owned part of the company. Ashley loved Billy but didn't trust him. He'd lost her trust because he was careless, always put himself first, and had hurt the family. Ashley walked away.

Billy followed Ashley and said he knew Ashley didn't want Phyllis working for Jack. Ashley agreed, but Jack was a grown man and capable of making his own stupid choices. Billy didn't think Jack was thinking straight at the moment; they both knew that close proximity led to reconciliation, and they didn't want that. He tried to talk Ashley into finding out what was on the flash drive. Ashley refused to be a spy and agreed that she didn't want Phyllis working with Jack, but she didn't want Billy to end up there, either, because he'd hurt Jack and himself, and she wasn't going to help him do it again. Ashley left.

Billy was at the bar when Ashley returned and told him she didn't like how they had ended things. Billy admitted Ashley had been right.

Billy said that the people who loved them could forgive them for a bad wager, drunken texting, not showing up for a birthday party, or horrible behavior. Billy admitted he'd never be able to live down his affair with Phyllis. Ashley said the tabloids would make sure of that. Billy didn't care about the tabloids or what some stranger saw when they looked at him. He cared what Jack saw. When Jack saw Billy, Jack looked right through him.

Ashley reminded Billy he'd slept with Jack's wife. Billy said that didn't negate the fact that Phyllis was up to something and Jack deserved to know. Ashley said if he wanted a chance to make amends with Jack, he had to stay far away from Phyllis.

Phyllis arrived at Jack's house to give him the flash drive. Jack was annoyed and said he'd instructed her to destroy it. He asked why she still had it. Phyllis said she'd done him a favor, whether he appreciated it or not. Jack wanted to know why it still existed and why she'd taken it to his house.

Phyllis advised Jack that Billy had walked in on her while she'd been trying to destroy the flash drive. He'd tried to get her to hand it over to him. Jack asked if Phyllis had told Billy what was on the drive. Phyllis assured him she hadn't, but once the facts were revealed to the media, Newman Enterprises would be in a PR nightmare from which Victor might never awaken. Jack told Phyllis she should've destroyed the flash drive, but Phyllis disagreed. Billy was on the hunt, and she felt it had been too conspicuous to destroy it at Jabot. She'd taken it to Jack so she could update him on the Billy situation.

Phyllis wanted to know why Billy was so determined to find out what was on the drive. Jack said Billy thought Jabot was trying to sabotage Brash & Sassy's new sales push. Phyllis said Jack had. Jack said it was business. Billy wouldn't have hesitated to block Jabot if he'd thought of it first. Phyllis suggested that Jack needed to assure Billy that the drive had nothing to do with Brash & Sassy. Jack said he didn't want to talk to Billy.

Phyllis assured Jack that Billy had seen nothing, and divine intervention had stepped in with a power outage. She assured Jack that she'd printed out a hard copy of the data and cleared the printer history. Phyllis gave Jack the Newman information and said she'd done what he'd told her to do.

Jack was impressed that Phyllis had made a few changes and admitted the information was tighter and more provocative. Phyllis stated that there was enough information indicating that the key sectors bled red ink. Profits had been syphoned from other divisions to cover their losses, and that could launch an embarrassing investigation and squelch any sensitive ongoing negotiations Victor had in the works. The tax evasion had potential; she'd highlighted some of the juicy tidbits, and that would resonate with the public.

Jack admitted that as much as he looked forward to watching Victor squirm, the information had a very short shelf life. Ashley was suspicious. Phyllis had had a run-in with Billy. They needed to get the information to GC Buzz as soon as possible.

Jack thanked Phyllis and said he'd be handling Victor's demise alone. Phyllis reminded Jack that she'd proven she was valuable. Jack didn't want her to make things more difficult than they had to be. Phyllis asked if Jack knew how difficult it was for her to be there, knowing how things had changed. Jack said it was still the same house. Phyllis pointed out that it was about what they'd shared.

Jack shouted that Phyllis had given him the hard copy and the flash drive, and that was all he needed. Phyllis said if Jack threw her out, he wasn't just being ungrateful -- he was being a fool. It had been her idea to leak the information to GC Buzz, and Jack had called it genius. Jack confirmed it was, but he didn't need her anymore. She reminded him that he needed her skills. He asked, "Lying and cheating?" She agreed those didn't work for a marriage, but they were handy when going up against Victor because Victor didn't play fair, and neither did she. Phyllis warned Jack not to risk losing to Victor because Jack was too hurt, angry, and stubborn to listen to her.

Phyllis said that Jack would maintain a respectable profile with Ashley, doing Jabot business. She'd make sure the information was leaked. Jack's hands would remain clean. If anything went wrong, it would rebound on her alone. Jack refused to offer her up as a sacrifice if Victor tied the situation to her. Phyllis said Victor would chalk it up to her ongoing vendetta against him and would assume Phyllis was still hellbent on revenge, but Jack and Jabot would be protected. Phyllis felt it was a winning situation for everybody. Jack looked thoughtful.

Phyllis advised Jack that he couldn't take Victor down alone. Jack admitted she'd done a great job, but it didn't change the way he felt. Phyllis asked him to try. Jack said Billy would always be there and find an excuse to insert himself into her life. Phyllis said she didn't have any feelings for Billy anymore and wanted to know what she would have to do to prove it to Jack. Jack said she couldn't.

Jack said he'd get Phyllis' input when he needed it. The memories of what she and Billy had done to him would never fade. Phyllis said she also had memories of what she and Jack had had.

Jack showed Phyllis to the door. Phyllis told him he was wrong -- the house had changed. Jack said same rug, same furniture. Phyllis said things didn't make a home; people did. Phyllis left. Jack turned off the lights and went upstairs.

At Sharon's, Mariah got an ice pack for Nick. Kevin apologized for hitting Nick over the head. Kevin said he hadn't known it had been Nick. He'd thought it had been the stalker Sharon had seen and suggested more outdoor lighting.

Nick told Kevin not to worry about it -- he was fine and happy Kevin was there to help Nick take care of Sharon, Mariah, and the kids. Sharon insisted that Nick needed to go to the hospital because he might have a concussion. Nick objected and stated he didn't have a concussion, but when he tried to stand, he became dizzy and sat down again. Kevin confirmed he'd hit Nick really hard.

Nick refused to leave. Kevin said they hadn't seen anyone. Nick had confirmed that Patty hadn't been there, and security hadn't seen her. Nick said Sharon seemed convinced that Patty was heading to Sharon's and refused to leave until the situation had been sorted out. Nick stood up and told Mariah and Sharon to go to bed. He was going to go outside to look around for Patty or anyone else. In the end, Sharon won and took Nick to the hospital. Kevin stayed to protect Mariah and the kids.

Kevin advised Mariah that he might not be a ninja, but he'd do whatever it took to protect his best friend. Kevin opened the door and said that if a stalker tried to walk through that door -- Paul stood there, and Kevin almost punched him in the face.

Paul assured Mariah that Patty was back in confinement and asked about Sharon and Nick. Mariah advised that Nick had had an accident when the lights had gone out and was in the hospital. Paul told Kevin to go. Paul would make sure everyone stayed safe. Mariah encouraged Kevin to go and see Chloe and thanked him for being her ninja. Kevin realized he'd forgotten his phone at Chloe's and left.

Paul told Mariah that he'd seen that she'd visited Patty at Stonevale, and he asked why she hadn't told him about that visit. Mariah theorized that the last year, Patty had tried to reach Dylan. She'd thought perhaps Patty had been the one calling the house. She'd gone to Patty to see if she'd been right. Paul was impressed but said Patty didn't have access to a phone. Mariah decided to leave theories to the pros.

Paul got up to get something, and Mariah texted Sharon.

Chloe woke up shaken from her nightmare. Chelsea commented that it had to have been some nightmare. Chloe asked what Chelsea had heard. Chelsea said Chloe had called out Adam's name and had seemed upset. Chelsea said it wasn't so much what Chloe had said, but the way she'd said Adam's name. Chelsea asked if Chloe recalled where she'd been or what she had been doing in her dream. Chloe pointed to the pumpkins and said it had to have been the carving of the pumpkins and the kids' costumes.

Chelsea didn't know what that had to do with Adam. Chloe said it was about Delia in her witch costume for her play that particular night. Chelsea still didn't understand what that had to do with Adam. Before Chloe could answer, Connor began to cry. Chelsea said Connor had been fussy and had pointed to his ear. Chloe suggested Chelsea take Connor to the ER because of his history. Chloe looked worried after Chelsea left.

Chloe took Bella for a walk. She told Bella that mommy had really messed up and almost said something she shouldn't have. She hoped Bella would never know what Chloe was talking about. Chloe said that no one could ever find out what had happened to Connor's daddy and what she'd done. Chloe needed to be close to people who trusted her and thought the best of her, not the worst. She said she could start with one person, and he could help them. She couldn't let anything take Bella away from her.

Kevin returned to Chelsea's. Kevin told Chloe that Mariah had been spooked by the thought of a stalker outside Sharon's house. He'd left when Paul had arrived. Chloe handed him his phone, and Kevin hoped Chloe didn't think he'd left it there on purpose as an excuse to return. Chloe said Kevin didn't need an excuse.

Chloe stopped Kevin from leaving and confessed she'd been giving him mixed signals. She said that they'd finally been getting back to being them, and then Delia's anniversary had happened. Because of her mixed feelings, she didn't want to promise more than she could give. Chloe told him about her nightmare, and when she'd woken up, she'd realized that she needed Kevin in her life more than ever.

Chloe told Kevin that since Bella had been born, Chloe had realized she needed someone beside her, someone who understood her. She needed someone who wanted to share not only the happy times, but the sad ones too. Kevin worried that he'd always remind her of the night Delia had died. Chloe assured him that he'd had a special connection with Delia, and that night didn't upset her. It reassured her because she knew Kevin had loved Delia too -- Kevin cried and laughed with Chloe, and she trusted herself when she was with him. She trusted Kevin to take care of her and Bella. Kevin said he'd just heard everything he'd needed to hear, and they kissed.

At Memorial Hospital, Chelsea and Connor saw Stitch, and he assured Chelsea that they'd caught the infection early. He gave Chelsea a prescription and said Connor would be better in no time.

As Chelsea and Connor walked past a nurses' station, someone called out to Chelsea. A man with a walker approached her and introduced himself as Matthews, Adam's guard at Walworth. Chelsea had been told that he'd been in a coma and on life support. He said miracles happened, thanks to the love and support of his wife. He was proud he'd made fools of his doctors. He was going to walk out of the hospital under his own power. He was sorry he hadn't recovered in time to testify for Adam.

Chelsea asked "For Adam?" Matthews said Adam hadn't been responsible for his actions when Adam had attacked him. He was truly sorry for Chelsea's loss. Matthews told Connor he'd known Connor's dad and that his dad had said that Connor and Chelsea were Adam's whole world. Matthews left with his wife.

In Nick's room at Memorial, Nick told Sharon that he knew his name, the date, Sharon's name, and her birthday, and it proved the concussion had not done any damage. Sharon pointed out that Nick would do anything for the kids, but he was negligent with his own welfare. Stitch entered and asked if it had been a blow to the head. Nick said it had been an accident, and he wanted to go home. Stitch said he was keeping Nick overnight for observation. Nick protested. Sharon told Nick to do what the doctor said. Stitch said they acted like an old married couple, and he left.

Sharon appreciated that Nick was looking out for her family. Nick was happy he could be there for Sharon, Mariah, Faith, and Sully. Sharon had a look for fear when Nick mentioned Sully's name. Nick noticed Sharon's strange look and asked what he'd said to upset her. Nick refreshed their conversation, saying he'd been talking about her and the kids when she'd gotten that look in her eye. He reminded her that his clothes were where she'd put them a few minutes before.

Sharon felt guilty. Nick assured her it hadn't been her fault that Kevin had cracked him over the head. Nick said that someday they would have a laugh -- him, Sharon, and Sully -- about how old uncle Nick had been mistaken for a stalker. Sharon got that fearful look, and Nick realized Sharon missed the kids. Nick told her he'd be fine, and she should go home.

As Sharon left Nick's room, she bumped into Chelsea, who explained about Connor's ear infection. Sharon said that Nick had had an accident during the blackout, and Stitch was keeping Nick overnight just to play it safe. Sharon had to leave, and Chelsea went to see Nick.

Sharon received a text message from Mariah: "Paul is here. Knows I went to see Patty." Sharon seemed to panic and ran out.

Nick explained to Chelsea the circumstances of his arrival at Memorial. He teased that whenever he walked around at night, looking for stalkers, he wore a really cool helmet, but he'd forgotten it that time. Chelsea told Nick about Connor's ear infection. Nick was surprised Connor had another ear infection so soon after the night she and Connor had planned to fly away with Adam. Nick apologized for mentioning the worst night of her life.

Chelsea assured Nick that he didn't need to apologize for reminding her of Adam. She told Nick she'd seen the prison guard from Walworth in the hallway. He was sorry he hadn't been able to testify for Adam. He knew Adam hadn't hurt him on purpose. Chelsea said if Matthews had gotten well sooner, Adam might still be alive.

Nick thanked Chelsea for stopping by and said to give Connor a hug. Chelsea told Nick to get well because they needed him around. She left.

When Sharon got home, she asked Mariah why there was a police car in the driveway and wondered where Kevin was. Sharon saw Paul. Mariah explained that Kevin had left, but she felt safer with Paul there. Sharon thanked Paul for offering to stay, but she felt that the stalker was probably a figment of her imagination, and there was no need for him to stay. Paul showed Patty's painting of a pregnant Sharon at Fairview to Sharon and thought Sharon would be more afraid of that than a stalker.

Sharon asked why Patty had painted a picture of her pregnant. Paul said the art critics classified Patty's paintings as primitive, but Paul found the subject fascinating and asked why Patty would paint that. Paul said that when he'd shown Mariah the picture, she'd had no idea why Patty would've painted Sharon being pregnant. He hoped Sharon could tell him why.

Sharon was thankful that Patty had been found. Paul assured her that Patty was back in confinement for her safety and the safety of others. Sharon admitted there had been a point when she had wondered if Patty had made the calls. Paul asked if that was the reason Sharon had wanted to speak to him in the park. Sharon apologized, but Paul said he'd enjoyed his time with her and his grandson, but as he'd explained to Mariah, Patty didn't have access to a phone, so it was very unlikely that Patty had been the caller.

Paul asked Sharon to have another look at the picture. Sharon asked what he wanted her to see. Paul said Patty usually painted cats. She loved cats and couldn't get enough of them, so it was very curious that Patty had chosen that particular image to paint. Sharon thought perhaps Patty had been excited about becoming a great aunt. Paul questioned why Patty wouldn't paint a picture of a baby or Sharon and baby together. Sharon apologized, but she'd told him everything she knew.

Paul told Sharon he'd crash on the couch. Paul asked Sharon to let him know if anything jarred her memory. Sharon shook her head and looked fearful. She and Mariah went to bed. Paul looked thoughtful.

^ back to the top

by Jenny Smith

At Newman Enterprises, Natalie introduced herself to Travis as Victor's new assistant. She led Travis into Victor's office, and Victor announced that they had a problem, since someone from inside the company was leaking sensitive information about Newman. Victor revealed that he'd found a possible security breach in the company's mainframe, and Travis wondered why they weren't having the conversation in private. Victor explained that Natalie was an expert in cyber security, and she reported that she'd performed a full system sweep and discovered that only certain people had access to Newman's confidential information -- Victor, the board of directors, and Travis.

Travis incredulously asked if Victor was accusing him of doing something improper, and he requested to speak with Victor alone. Natalie stepped out, and Travis barked that Victor had been out of line to accuse him. Victor replied that he hadn't accused Travis of "a damn thing," and he questioned why Travis felt like he was being accused. Victor noted that he had yet to hear a denial, but Travis retorted that he shouldn't have to deny anything, since he'd been nothing but loyal.

Travis pointed out that he'd been the one to identify weaknesses that Newman's competitors could exploit, and he dared Victor to check the logins to confirm that Travis hadn't accessed anything that had been leaked. Travis was appalled that Victor would suggest that he'd do anything to compromise the company, and Victor ordered him out. After Travis left, Natalie reentered, and Victor instructed her to strike Travis from the list of suspects.

At the Abbott mansion, Ashley confronted Jack about Billy walking in on Phyllis destroying the flash drive. Jack grumbled that he'd needed to bar Billy from Jabot again, and Ashley demanded to know what had been on the drive. Jack claimed that he had no idea, but Ashley relayed that Phyllis had said she'd been destroying old files at Jack's request. Ashley thought it made no sense that Phyllis had been "hellbent" on making sure Billy hadn't seen them.

Ashley was surprised that Jack wasn't concerned that she'd caught Phyllis hacking into his computer, and Jack replied that he didn't want to dwell on the image of Billy and Phyllis wrestling over the drive. Ashley had a nagging feeling that Jack and Phyllis were working together, and it spelled trouble. Jack swore that he'd never trust Phyllis again or involve her in any meaningful way, and he hoped that she would eventually tire of doing busy work and quit.

Phyllis boarded the elevator at Jabot, and Billy stepped on just before the doors closed. He pushed to find out what she and Jack were up to. She stopped the elevator and proclaimed that they were putting an end to it right then. Phyllis maintained that the drive hadn't had anything interesting on it, just notes on the defunct classic line and personal files. Billy wondered why she'd been determined to get it away from him, and she replied that he'd been going after company property. She informed Billy that Jack had alerted security, and Billy was never to be allowed in Jabot's office again.

Billy mentioned that Ashley was also curious about what Phyllis and Jack were up to, and Phyllis inquired whether Billy was deliberately trying to make things harder for her. Billy thought Ashley should have been aware of any work Phyllis had been doing on the classic line, and he speculated that Phyllis was working for Jack and leaving Ashley out of it as a way to prove herself. They stepped off the elevator, and Phyllis introduced Billy to Dave, a beefy security guard who had been assigned to escort Billy in and out of the office. Billy greeted a stone-faced Dave, who silently followed him.

Jack appeared in the doorway of Phyllis' office, and he crowed that he'd given the material to GC Buzz, so Victor's world was about to implode. Phyllis remarked that it had been richly deserved, but she worried that Billy was putting things together. Jack mentioned that Ashley was, too, but there was no turning back. Phyllis thought Billy and Ashley would know what Jack and Phyllis had done once the news broke. "So what if they do?" Jack flippantly replied.

Jack declared that payback was great, but it was really fun when the guy on the receiving end knew who had done it but couldn't do "a damn thing" to stop it. He wondered why Phyllis looked stunned, and he surmised that she'd thought he was the same blind idiot who she'd lied to and cheated on. He snapped that she was hoping to recapture their idealized past, but it wouldn't happen, and helping him to pull it off hadn't changed anything. He eagerly anticipated that everything would hit the fan on GC Buzz that night.

Later, Phyllis slammed her laptop shut as Ashley entered. Ashley confronted Phyllis about the flash drive that she'd been desperate to hide from Billy, and she threatened to drive Phyllis out of the Abbotts' lives and out of town forever if she hurt Jack or Billy again. Phyllis swore that she loved Jack and intended to win him back, and the feelings she'd had for Billy were over. Ashley wondered whether Phyllis was trying to convince Ashley or herself, and Phyllis insisted that she was trying to save Jack's life. Phyllis ordered Ashley out of her office.

At the Athletic Club, Lily video-chatted with Cane, who'd called from work to tell her he loved her. He said he'd had fun getting the kids ready for school that morning, and he wished he'd been able to stay longer. He proposed that he whisk her away to spend private time together, and they could ask Neil to watch the twins. Lily mentioned that she was having lunch with Neil and Devon that day and invited Cane to join them, but he said he had too much work. She planned to see him at home, and he apologetically stated that he'd be late again. She seductively informed him that she was going to wear something very special, and he promised to work faster.

At Brash & Sassy, Cane told Victoria that he had some ideas about how to handle the factory delay, but she divulged that she'd already found another manufacturer to produce the product. Cane was impressed by how swiftly she'd resolved the situation, and she reminded him that she'd run the company for years on her own. Billy walked in with Dave, and he revealed that the landlords considered him a security risk, so Dave would be escorting him to and from the office. Victoria griped about having to work with a watchdog breathing down their necks, and Billy asked Dave to wait in the hallway.

Victoria suggested pulling back on media buys, but Billy compared it to taking a woman out to a nice dinner on the first date and disappearing to stick her with the bill. Victoria planned to resume marketing as the holidays approached, and Billy likened it to calling the jilted woman for a booty call later. Cane commented that it was a good thing they didn't use Billy's dating strategy for their ads, and he contended that a real man knew what women actually liked. Travis arrived to talk to Victoria about something important, and she led him into the conference room.

Billy wondered why "Cowboy" was in a foul mood, and Cane supposed that working for Victor did that to people. Cane and Billy bantered over the promotion schedule, but Billy was preoccupied by whatever Victoria and Travis were talking about. Billy guessed that Travis had thought Victor would treat him like family because Travis was the cocky new star at Newman, but he thought Travis had gotten a rude awakening.

Travis informed Victoria that Victor had accused him of stealing sensitive information, and he wouldn't stand for it. Victoria reasoned that Victor had had a lot of enemies, including his own family at times, but Travis thought he'd earned Victor's trust. Victoria thought her father respected Travis, but Victor didn't trust anyone. Travis grumbled that Victor was a good actor, and Victoria realized that Travis had thought he'd won Victor over. Victoria figured that Victor had wanted Travis to believe that because Travis was valuable to him, but Victor would never let Travis in all the way, since distrust was a Newman trait. Travis wondered if she felt the same way.

Victoria explained that trust was a fragile thing, and Travis had lied about the affair he'd had and why he'd left the business world. Travis questioned whether falling in love with someone years earlier had made him someone she couldn't trust, and she clarified that she'd been talking about her father. Travis asserted that when he committed to someone, he meant what he said, and he asked if it wasn't the same for her. Victoria said she loved Travis, and she knew why he'd lied and had forgiven him. However, she liked to keep her eyes open to avoid being blindsided. Travis huffed that it wasn't enough for him, and she followed him when he stormed out.

At GC Buzz, an employee named Emily presented the latest ratings for their television show, and Hilary was surprised by how bad they were. Emily reported that viewers had tuned in, but they'd changed the channel when they'd seen how tame the episode had been. Devon figured there would be a few bumps in the road, since it would take the audience time to adjust to their fresh approach. Emily complained that Devon knew nothing about television, since it was all about eyeballs -- and no one was watching the new style. Devon refused to throw in the towel without giving it another try.

Devon insisted that the setback was only temporary, but Hilary thought she should have followed her instincts and used her first cut of the Brash & Sassy interview. Devon reiterated that he was proud of her for not doing so, but she argued that they hadn't set anyone up to look bad -- Billy and Victoria had engaged in a free-for-all in front of the camera, and the show had been given first crack at the video of Billy's bar brawl. Devon maintained that the story had been about the company and not Billy and Victoria's personal lives, but Hilary complained that the audience had seen right through the puff piece. Hilary contended that they had to find a way to tell stories in a compelling way, or they'd be off the air.

Hilary refused to let Devon pay for airtime just to stroke her ego when people weren't watching, but he swore that he had faith in humanity and in her. He kissed her cheek and headed out, but she was clearly not pleased. Hilary read scathing comments about her that had been posted online. Emily excitedly approached and said Hilary would want to see the hottest story to cross Emily's desk in a month. Emily presented Hilary with Newman's internal reports.

Emily gushed that it was a story every host dreamed off. She explained that the envelope had mysteriously appeared on her desk, but she didn't care who'd left them a gift from the gods. Hilary worried that the information could be fake, but Emily encouraged her to use it to get the ratings back up and to stop people from sniping about Hilary online. Hilary wanted to discuss it with Devon, but Emily anticipated that he would kill the story and warned Hilary not to make the same mistake twice. Hilary smirked and outlined her plan of what to do.

Devon joined Lily and Neil at Top of the Tower and asked why they were meeting there. Lily wanted to check out the competition's new menu. Devon inquired whether Cane would be joining them, but she replied that her husband was working. Neil asked about Devon's latest acquisition, and Devon claimed that going in a new direction had been good. Lily said she'd seen the online reaction to the show, and people had been harsh about the changes, especially the new host. Devon was determined not to invade people's privacy or make insinuations to get ratings. He noted that he'd bought the tabloid to shut it down, but Hilary had convinced him to keep the place going by doing things with integrity. Lily mumbled that it would be interesting to see how long that lasted.

Devon scolded Lily for taking cheap shots at his wife, and Lily remarked that she wasn't the only one who thought Hilary was an easy target, since she'd read what people were saying about Hilary's hosting abilities. Neil recalled that when he'd been a young executive, a mentor had advised to him to focus on what he was doing, and how he did it would follow. Lily cattily stated that the advice assumed the person had talent, and she referred to the comments about Hilary's lack of ability and checkered past. Devon testily questioned how Lily would like it if people openly discussed her cheating on her husband, but Lily scoffed at the idea that Hilary had gotten in front of the camera to be a crusader for journalistic integrity.

Devon headed out to return to the studio, and Neil lectured that Lily could have been better with her criticism. She insisted that she loved Devon, but her brother had a blind spot where Hilary was concerned. Neil recognized that Hilary loved the spotlight and could be ruthless, but he didn't think she'd use her position to air dirty laundry for ratings. Lily apologized for ruining the meal by ragging on Hilary, and Neil asked how things were going in her world. She reported that the kids were excited about Halloween and that Cane's efforts at work had been a success. Neil imagined that the long hours were paying off, but the twins missed their daddy. Lily said Cane was making time for them, since he knew it was important to keep balance in their lives.

Later, Jack arrived at the restaurant and apologized to Neil for being late, and Neil said he had to head to a foundation meeting. Neil suggested that Jack ride with him to go over some foundation matters on the way, but Jack stressed that he'd stepped away from the foundation. Neil encouraged Jack to have something outside of work to latch onto, or Jack would turn into "that guy over there;" he pointed to Victor at the bar. Jack opted to stick around, and Neil departed.

Meanwhile, Emily applauded Hilary's copy, and Hilary thought she was letting the facts speak for themselves and not trashing Victor. They began filming. Hilary introduced herself as "Hilary Curtis" and informed the viewers that GC Buzz had an exclusive on Newman Enterprises and its founder. She revealed that they had received information that the company's business practices and financial picture had been woefully misrepresented, and it was all outlined in internal memos that proved Victor had deceived employees and the entire business community. Hilary acknowledged that Newman was privately held, but she contended that Victor's actions would affect the lives of thousands of employees, clients, and suppliers around the world.

Devon returned and asked what was going on, and Emily marveled that it was the biggest story of the year. Hilary said the shocking revelations had given them a window into the company and the man behind the curtain. Hilary claimed that the CEO had hidden the shaky state of the empire from the people who depended on him, and those people deserved answers. She promised continued coverage as the story developed, and Emily cheered that the teaser had been fantastic.

Devon flatly stated that they couldn't air it, and he asked why Hilary had used her maiden name. She thought it would be better for the show not to show nepotism, and she argued that she'd only presented the facts. Devon protested that they'd obtained the files under mysterious circumstances, but Hilary simply considered the source to be anonymous. Devon contended that they wouldn't know the information was accurate unless they ran it by Victor, and Hilary expected Victor to deny everything. Devon countered that Victor would have to deny it on camera.

At Top of the Tower, Jack smiled as he watched Hilary's segment, and he greeted "the great Victor Newman" and complimented Victor's suit. Victor was wary that Jack was praising his wardrobe after declaring war, but Jack chalked that up to words uttered in the heat of the moment. Victor inquired whether Jack was calling for a truce, and Jack apologized for spouting off. Jack added that he wanted to congratulate Victor on rebuilding the business after he'd been released from prison, but Victor didn't believe a word of it. Jack grinned as Victor walked away, and he gleefully watched Hilary's blurb again.

At Newman, Devon and Hilary arrived to see Victor, and Devon hoped to get a comment for GC Buzz. Hilary handed Victor a file with confidential documents that indicated that Victor had been hiding losses and making the company seem more financially sound than it really was. She held up her phone to videotape Victor's response, and he demanded to know where she'd gotten the information. She asked if he had anything to say in his defense. "Yeah. Get the hell out," Victor responded.

^ back to the top

by Jenny Smith

Ashley met Abby at Top of the Tower, and Abby confided that she thought her marriage was over. Abby regretted that she'd lied about knowing that she'd fallen in love with Stitch at the same moment he'd known she was the one for him. Ashley pointed out that the couple had at least spoken about it, but Abby whined that she'd barely seen him, since he'd been taking extra shifts to avoid talking about it. Ashley reasoned that not everyone experienced love the same way, and it didn't mean that Abby hadn't fallen in love -- unless she really hadn't.

Abby recalled that she'd said "I love you" a thousand times, but she'd realized that she didn't know what those words meant. Abby thought she'd been pretending every time she'd said them, and she considered herself an awful person. Ashley insisted that Abby wasn't awful, but the situation was. Abby bemoaned that she'd felt sick when she'd hurt Stitch's feelings, and she didn't know how to handle breaking his heart.

At the hospital, Stitch reported that Nick showed no side effects, and he stepped out to process the release paperwork. Mariah pushed Nick to admit that he'd been hoping for another night or two without any screaming kids keeping him awake, but he couldn't wait to get back to Sharon's place. Mariah jokingly suggested that Nick ditch his street clothes because the hospital gown was working for him. Nick didn't think Faith would let him pick her up from school, dressed like that, and Sully would object to being seen with him in the park.

Mariah observed that Nick had really bonded with Sully, and he remarked that Christian and Sully had been born close together. He added that the day that would have been Christian's first birthday had just passed, so he'd been thinking a lot about what his son would have looked like or whether the boy would have been walking by then. He admitted that being near Sully had been more comforting than he'd imagined. Stitch returned with the paperwork, and Nick looked forward to going back to the cottage.

Over video chat, Dylan informed Sharon that his testimony kept being rescheduled, but he wished he was at home because of the stalker issue. Sharon reported that she hadn't received a call for days, and she assured him that Nick was around, so things were fine. Dylan revealed that he'd spoken with his father that morning, and Paul had told him everything. Dylan wondered why Sharon hadn't told him that she and Mariah had suspected that Patty had been behind the calls.

Sharon claimed that the theory had seemed silly, since Patty didn't even have access to a phone. Sharon wished that Paul hadn't embarrassed her, but Dylan thought it had been a reasonable guess, given that Patty had tried to get to him the last time she'd escaped. Dylan ruled his aunt out as a suspect, and he said he had to get back to court, but he was glad Nick was there to keep Sharon and the kids safe.

Nick and Mariah returned to the cottage, and Sharon asked if he'd gotten any sleep at the hospital. He said he hadn't slept as well as he did at home, but he quickly clarified that he hadn't meant Sharon's house. Sharon offered him food and water, but Mariah suggested a shower and a change of clothes, and she ribbed him about his "hospital stink." Nick headed upstairs, and Sharon called Mariah out on trying to get him out of the room. Mariah reported that they had a problem, since everything Sharon had been worried about was happening.

Sharon was stunned when Mariah repeated Nick's words about bonding with Sully, and she thought it was a cruel joke that Dylan had asked Nick to move in. Sharon understood that Nick was still dealing with his grief, but she was horrified by the thought of him connecting with Sully. Mariah remarked that Nick was close to his son and didn't even know it, but Sharon maintained that she needed to protect Dylan and their family. Mariah swore that she was on Sharon's side, but she hated what it was doing to Nick. Sharon thought she had to get Nick away from Sully before things got more complicated.

Nick returned downstairs, and Mariah headed out to Crimson Lights. Nick suggested that he grill steaks for dinner, but she said there was something she wanted to talk to him about, and she gently informed him that she thought it would be better if he went back to his place. He asked if he'd done something to upset her, and she assured him that it was the opposite. Sharon claimed that she felt like they were sliding back into old patterns, but they weren't together anymore. Nick thought she was overreacting, and he swore that he was simply doing her family a favor. Sharon referred to his other favors, like the promise he'd made to Adam.

Nick packed his bags, and Sharon said he didn't have to leave immediately. Nick acknowledged that he'd been quick to settle in, and he'd forgotten about his commitment to Connor. She assured him that there was nothing to worry about, and she thanked him for everything. Nick remarked that it had been fun to be in a busy house with kids running around, and he'd thought that it might make him sad, but it had had the opposite effect. Nick said he was happy that Sharon had all the great things in life, and she struggled with guilt as he hugged her.

Abby phoned Stitch and asked if they could meet in the park to talk in person. He said he was supposed to assist with a procedure, and she inquired whether he could have someone fill in. He promised to do his best, and they hung up. He called a fellow doctor and asked when he should report to the operating room, and he was disappointed to hear that the surgery wasn't as complicated as they'd originally thought. Stitch insisted that he was a man of his word, and he still wanted to scrub in.

Later, Stitch found Abby in the park, and he admitted that he almost hadn't shown up because he thought he knew what she was about to say, but he didn't want to hear it. Abby stammered that she didn't know how to do it, and Stitch assumed that she meant breaking up. He asked if she wanted a divorce, and she quietly replied that she didn't know. Abby admitted that she was scared, and Stitch asked if she thought he wasn't. She thought they needed to do something, but he pointed out that they'd kept ending up in same place.

Abby accepted the blame for running away after she'd pushed to work harder, but she'd done it because she hadn't wanted to hurt Stitch. Stitch recalled that she'd said she might not know what love was supposed to feel like, but it had sounded like a hedge, and he thought she was hedging again. She recounted when he'd told her two years earlier that she didn't know what love was, but he contended that it had been before they'd gotten together. He asserted that he was a "pull-the-Band-Aid-off" kind of guy, and he loved her with everything in him, but she just needed to end it if that was what she intended to do.

Abby said she'd stayed up the night before, trying to figure out why telling the truth was that hard. She'd realized that she hadn't only been lying to Stitch but to herself, too, and she'd thought if she kept telling him that she loved him, it would magically be true. Stitch surmised that it had never been true, and he urged Abby not to blame herself, but she told him not to be nice to her because she didn't deserve it. He wondered if she expected him to throw a fit or call her names, but he couldn't do it. Stitch recognized that she wasn't going to give their marriage another chance, and Abby tearfully shook her head and confirmed that she wasn't.

Stitch planned to pack up his stuff when Abby was at work, but she offered to help him. He thought things had been hard enough, and he suggested that they take the easy way for once. Abby wailed that she'd wanted them to be forever, and she begged him to believe that she'd meant her wedding vows. Stitch didn't believe it, since she'd never loved him, but she cried that she wouldn't have said the words if she hadn't meant them. She continued that she didn't know why she felt that way, but he replied that all that mattered was that she did, and despite everything they'd been through, they hadn't been meant to be. She tenderly kissed his cheek and walked away.

Natalie entered Victor's office and found him watching Hilary's exposé of Newman on GC Buzz. Natalie wondered if her first day would involve fielding questions from the IRS and the FBI, and she questioned what they'd do next. Victor remarked that he was in a pickle, and he noted that getting rid of incriminating documents would be illegal. He contemplated where he could find a tech employee to wipe the system clean of evidence, and Natalie knowingly replied that if anyone asked, she could say no one had given her an order like that. Victor said he had to be somewhere, and he told her to keep herself busy.

At GC Buzz, Hilary instructed the staff to get all the reactions to their breaking story. Devon inquired whether she'd thought she could sneak it on the air without him knowing or if she just hadn't cared, since he'd thought the story had been shelved when they had left Victor's office. Hilary swore that she'd simply been reporting the story, and Victor had had every opportunity to deny the allegations, but he'd just gotten angry. She thought Devon should be congratulating her instead of accusing her, since she had knocked it out of the park.

Devon apologized, but he reminded Hilary that he'd bought the place to turn something cheap and shallow into something they could be proud of, even if it meant a decline in ratings. She assured him that she hadn't forgotten, but she was sure that ratings would skyrocket if they kept the story going. Her voice trailed off when Victor sauntered into the studio and ordered them to get a camera, since he had something to say.

On camera, Hilary announced that she was there with the one and only Victor Newman, and he smiled and asked if she was telling the audience more lies. Victor asserted that the show had peddled documents that had anonymously been dropped on their doorstep as the truth, but they hadn't checked the legitimacy of the claims. Victor openly invited the public to examine his hard drives and servers, and Hilary asked who he thought had set him up. Victor threatened to sue the person for slander, and he declared that he would soon own the show because he'd also sue GC Buzz. He intended to drop the show into the garbage once he won the lawsuit, and he removed his microphone and threw it on the floor. He told Hilary to have a nice day, and he stalked out.

Hilary told her staff not to cut anything that Victor had said, even the part about suing the show. Devon imagined that he was about to be tied up in conference calls with their attorneys, but Hilary chirped that it would give them another day in the news cycle. An employee handed Hilary a summary of comments about the latest segment, and she gushed that viewers were thrilled to have the old GC Buzz back. Devon noted that the audience had loved her, too, but Hilary purred that she was taken, and they kissed. He hoped that they weren't getting played, since both Hilary and the show would be humiliated if the documents had been faked. Devon questioned whether Hilary had any idea who had caused the leak, and she replied that there was only one person with the resources to pull it off.

At Jabot, Jack smiled victoriously as he watched Hilary's report. Phyllis knocked on his office door, and he invited her to grab a seat and enjoy the show, since she'd helped get it on the air. Phyllis noted that people were eating it up, whether the information was right or wrong. Phyllis was glad that the coverage included the expenditures she'd highlighted, like expensive dinners and trips. Jack figured that anything could be argued to be a business expense, but Phyllis mentioned that there had been a charge of $3,000 for shoes in Chicago. Jack scoffed at the idea that people would care about shoes.

Phyllis anticipated that Victor would have his hands full, and Jack prepared to relish every minute of it. She expected that Jack was ready to focus on Jabot rather than being distracted by Newman, but Jack proclaimed that he was just getting started with Victor, and the information leak had merely been round one. Jack crowed that the online comments were exploding, including one about Nikki thinking she was the queen of England for spending $3,000 on shoes. Phyllis had known the details would resonate, and she pressed to know what he'd meant about it only being round one.

Jack explained that the latest strike hadn't been to even the score -- it had only been a stunt to whet the appetite. She realized that the main course was to follow, and he commented that there would also be an appetizer, dessert, and a nightcap. Phyllis wondered if Jack would take it as far as sending Victor back to prison or killing him. Ashley entered and referred to the broadcast, and she concluded that it had been what Jack and Phyllis had been hiding. Ashley assumed that Jack was going to war with Victor, and Jack requested some time alone with his sister.

After Phyllis stepped out, Ashley expected Jack to deny his involvement, but she was shocked when he proudly announced that he'd been the one who'd given it to Victor with both barrels. Ashley warned that Victor would figure out that Jack had been behind it, but Jack didn't care. Ashley worried that Jack would implode their family and company, and she speculated that he had collaborated with Phyllis. Jack insisted that Ashley was wrong, since he'd never trust Phyllis again after the way she'd betrayed him. He added that it was a moot point, since he'd had his fun getting in a good jab at Victor, but it would be insane to instigate an all-out war.

Jack was pleased that no one was posting in Victor's defense, and he told Ashley that he'd gotten all the revenge he'd needed. Jack figured that Victor had known there would be retaliation after everything Victor had put Jack through, and he could finally move on. Ashley hoped so, since she didn't want anyone at Jabot to be collateral damage. Ashley walked out, and Jack happily continued to read the online comments as Victor stepped off the elevator. Phyllis hovered in the hallway as Victor appeared in Jack's doorway, and Jack cheerfully asked what had made Victor stop by.

Jack invited Phyllis to join him and Victor, but Victor huffed that he was there to talk to Jack alone. Jack thought Phyllis could help Victor, and she reluctantly entered the office. Jack exclaimed that it was a party, and Victor questioned whether Jack intended to play it like a game. Jack imagined that the GC Buzz story was a nightmare for Victor, and he handed over a business card for one of the best public relations firms in the Midwest. Victor challenged Jack to be a man and own up to what he'd done.

Jack feigned surprise that Victor thought Jack had leaked the documents, and he questioned how he would have obtained them. Jack pointed out that corporate espionage was more Victor's style, and he was sure Victor had a lot of work to do back at the office, like deleting files and shredding memos. Jack added that it wouldn't make a difference, since the damage had already been done, and people were always willing to think the worst of others. Victor huffed that if anyone knew the worst of human nature, it was Jack, and he stalked out.

Phyllis closed the door behind Victor and commented that she'd thought Jack had been about to spill the whole thing. Jack admitted that he'd been tempted, but he had to keep his eye on the prize, since he had much bigger misery in store for Victor. Phyllis received a text message, and she claimed that Summer needed to talk. She returned to her office, where she found Victor waiting for her. Phyllis chided him for sending the message to her when she'd been in Jack's office, and Victor taunted that she had "a hell of a setup" in her closet. Phyllis demanded to know what Victor wanted. "Same as you -- imagine that," Victor replied.

Hilary greeted Ashley at the Athletic Club bar and asked if she'd had a chance to see the show. Ashley coolly replied that she'd heard about it, and she moved away, but Hilary followed her. Hilary gave Ashley a chance to go on record if she had anything to say.

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