Brad angrily challenges Victor to fight, and Victor warns him to back off. Just as things are about to escalate, Neil and Dru jump between them. Dru pulls Brad away and tries to calm him down. Neil reiterates his suggestion of a bodyguard for Victor, but he refuses. Nikki demands to know why Ashley told Victor she couldn't have any children. Ashley is confused by her questioning, and denies wanting to get back together with Victor. Kay asks Esther to try to accept Jill so she won't have to fire her. Esther agrees to try because she doesn't want to lose Mrs. C. Larry doesn't understand why Jill refuses to reach out to Kay, since Jill cares more for Kay than she lets on. Jill stands firm that she is indifferent to Kay. Michael presses Christine for details about Todd's visit to Genoa City, wondering if it has something to do with Paul raping Christine. Christine is reluctant to talk to Michael about her alleged rape. Michael still believes her current relationship with Paul is sick, and wonders if Paul can be redeemed for what he's done. Paul reveals to Todd about the night he lost control with Christine. Todd believes the whole thing to be a sick obsession.
Paul's Office:
Paul's brother Todd grills Paul more about his relationship with Christine and how it's no longer healthy. Paul takes offense with him bringing Christine into this. Paul says he would have been fine with Christine marrying anyone but Michael Baldwin. Todd asks him to really examine that. He also wonders why Chris doesn't want to talk about the rape. Is it that she doesn't care? Doubtful. He then mentions the kiss at the Christening and the feelings between both of them. They are both confused and clinging to something that should be over. Their love has turned into something dark and twisted. Later Chris stops by and he tells her what Todd had to say. He wonders if his brother was right about them being obsessed with each other.
Michael's Office:
Phyllis storms in looking for Michael, much to Chantal's annoyance. Phyllis is surprised to see an unimpressed Christine sitting there. Phyllis has had a bad day. Phyllis is happy Christine and Michael blew apart. Chris was so hypocritical. Christine lashes back that Phyllis has her own obsession with someone else's husband (Danny, the paternity tests and losing Daniel). Phyllis says Chris brought it on herself. Paul and Christine caused Isabella to snap. Chris takes offense to that. She was no helpless victim. She was psychotic. She wonders why Phyllis is so full of venom. Doe sit have to do with Jack? Phyllis still takes Izzy's side. Paul's call interrupts the argument and Chris leaves but not before telling Phyllis to "Bite me."
Jill's Office:
Jill goes over some details with her assistant and is startled by Esther's presence. She wants security there but Esther assures her she's not going to make trouble. She brings a plant for Jill and an apology. Jill is furious that Kay didn't fire her. Esther tells her they won't argue anymore despite Jill's lousy attitude. She can tolerate her just fine if it's what Kay wants. She may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer she admits, but Esther will play Jill's game, rise above her hatred and do this for Kay. Esther suggests playing the part of amiable housemates.
Chancellor House:
Larry asks Kay about her status with Jill. He thinks Jill is ready to tear down the wall between them soon. He has a plan. Larry suggests making it look like Kay could be killed. Kay wants details. He assures it's very safe. They begin whispering...Later Kay calls Jill and makes arrangements for dinner.
Gina's:
Kay laughs at Jill's story of almost calling security over Esther of all people. Jill tells her Esther will be the cause of her being alone the rest of her life. She lost Rex because of her and will lose her daughter because of her too. Kay had to give Esther a second chance. Jill wonders how many chances Kay will give her. Kay asks Jill if she really could make it work even if Esther wasn't around. Jill wants to believe that. Jill notices Kay's wearing a lot of diamonds tonight. Larry is watching nearby. Kay pretends to be annoyed and asks to be taken home.
Outside Gina's:
Jill walks Kay out the back way as Kay asked for exercise. Suddenly they are attacked by a masked man who threatens Kay. Jill screams at him to back off and calls for help. There is a major struggle and Jill reaches for a large club and knocks the attacker down. She wants to sue Kay's cane to beat him further until Kay tells her to stop and that the attacker is Larry. Jill is confused.
Ranch:
Sharon works out the details for the gala. She already made sure Nikki would not be home. Up at the main house Nikki returns home unexpectedly. She calls Brad frantic to see him. He will meet her there at the Ranch. Sharon bumps into and tries to explain how she set up a meeting there but Nikki won't hear of it. She tells Sharon she's going through a personal crisis and that she will have to postpone. Sharon tries to get her to change her mind but Nikki just throws her out. Later Brad shows up. He mentions his run-in with Victor. Nikki mentions meeting with Ashley and expresses her sympathy. They need to discuss this now. Other people could be involved. Sharon manages to catch Agnes before leaving. But Agnes can't reschedule the others and they don't have the time. It has to be today. Sharon will make it work. Brad takes issue with Nikki saying Ashley has feelings for Victor. Ashley doesn't blame Victor for her situation but does know that if it wasn't for him it would never have been an issue. Nikki reasserts that Vic is know the only biological father of any child Ash can have. That may cause Ash to look at him differently. They don't notice that Sharon has walked into the room...
Sharon listens in as Nikki reminds Brad that Victor is Abby's biological father and that will soon impact Ashley more and more. Brad is more worried about Drucilla spilling the beans. Neither wants Victor to ever know. For now the secret is safe (or so they think)...
Jill was appalled that Katherine had gone along with Larry's idea to fake a mugging in order to provoke her to defend Katherine. As Larry nursed the knot on his head, Katherine admitted that she shouldn't have gone along with it, but she reminded Jill that Larry's intentions were good. Larry said the whole thing had proved his point; Jill did indeed love Katherine. Jill said she'd have protected anyone who was being mugged. After Larry left them alone, Katherine refuted Jill's claim, saying Jill had fought like a tigress for her. Couldn't they use that as a first step? Jill said she was tired of being tested. Katherine should just ask her what she wanted to know. She said her emotions were all over the place. Even though there had been times that she felt twinges of something for Katherine, she didn't think they could overcome all the years they'd hurt each other. Katherine said she didn't want to spend her final years hoping for something that could never happen. Jill was exhausted and went upstairs, pausing to look back at Katherine with a mixture of need and frustration, while Katherine brooded over her relationship with Jill.
Christine and Paul talked about Fr. Todd's belief that what they shared wasn't love, but a sick obsession. Although Paul didn't want to hear it, Christine said their actions of the last year had certainly made it seem that way. Both of them had been guilty of not walking away when they should have. Paul's major regret was what happened the night of Ricky's christening. He wondered if Christine could ever forgive him and they would get past it. Christine didn't know if that was possible, and they hugged with sadness.
Fr. Todd questioned Gina about a woman he spotted across the restaurant who looked troubled. Gina told him that it was Ashley Carlton, who'd just lost her baby when she was nine months pregnant after a terrible car accident. She asked him to say a prayer for Ashley. On his way out, Fr. Todd stooped to pick up something Ashley dropped, and she admitted she was all thumbs that day. He sat down to talk to her for a few minutes, asking if something was bothering her. Ashley said she was part of a family business that was having problems, but she had the solution to make everyone feel better, her new son, Robert. As Fr. Todd listened with growing concern, Ashley talked about how beautiful her son was. She said she had two other children, a little girl and a teenage stepdaughter who loved their baby brother very much. She showed him pictures of Abby and Colleen, and when he asked if she had a picture of Robert, Ashley said the film hadn't been developed yet. Then she excused herself, and Fr. Todd watched her leave with a dismayed expression.
J.T. continued to tease Raul about Lauren, admitting that Lauren had told him about the kiss. Raul said it was no big deal; he was free now and could kiss whomever he wanted to. J.T. just expressed admiration for Raul's courage, since Lauren was such a hot woman. Raul said that J.T. was making something out of nothing, and made him promise not to tell Brittany. J.T. pointed out that it might be good for her to know Raul was moving on. Raul said it would only hurt her, and he had no desire to do that.
Frederick and Anita had made a date to meet Brittany for lunch at the club. Anita warned him not to confront Brittany about her job, but to follow her lead. When Brittany arrived, Anita made nice with her. Brittany told her mother that she was aware that Anita knew she and Raul had broken up. When Frederick expressed his sympathy, knowing she had cared for "that boy," Brittany said it was more than that. She'd loved him; in fact, she still loved him. Frederick suggested that Brittany might like to move home, or even go ahead and go east to college, as she'd originally planned. Brittany vehemently vetoed both ideas, insisting that even if she and Raul had broken up, she still had things she enjoyed in Genoa City, including her job. Over Anita's protests, Frederick sputtered that they knew all about her job.
Nikki and Brad continued to talk at odds about Victor and Ashley. Brad wasn't going to stop blaming Victor for the heartbreak Ashley was enduring. Nikki was more worried about whether Ashley would tell Victor the truth about Abby. Brad said the person they really had to worry about was Dru and her big mouth. While they were talking, Sharon returned to her house and took a call from Agnes, who wanted to know what was going on. Sharon told Agnes to get the others and come to the ranch. She'd work things out with Nikki.
Nikki was furious when Sharon walked in with the others from the Arts Council, but before she could blast Sharon, Brad left and Sharon sent her companions into the dining room. She told Nikki she had come back to try to reason with her earlier, but hadn't wanted to interrupt what sounded like a serious discussion between Nikki and Brad. Nikki was stricken, wondering how much Sharon had overheard. After everyone else left, Sharon cheerily discussed the plans for the gala, and Nikki finally asked her if she'd been eavesdropping. Sharon said she wasn't an eavesdropper. She deftly evaded Nikki's attempts to find out what she knew. As she started to leave, Nikki reminded her that anything that was said in her house was private and should stay that way. Sharon said she knew exactly what Nikki meant, then she left while Nikki wondered if Sharon now knew the truth about Abby's paternity.
At Gina's, Frederick tells Brittany that he knows that she is a stripper. Brittany says she is an adult now, and that her parents can't stop her from doing what she wants. She says that her job is not just about taking off her clothes. She is a singer, and a good one at that. She wants to know how her parents know so much about her job-who told them? Frederick admits that he saw her when he went to Marsino's with some associates to take the edge off of work. Brittany realizes that her dad was the man Bobby must have thrown out and she apologizes. But that doesn't mean she wants to quit her job, she wants to sing, and this is the way she is climbing up the ladder. Anita tells Brittany that she is selling herself short, and her stripping is probably why her and Raul broke up. Brittany doesn't want to hear anymore of this, she has made up her mind. She storms out of Gina's.
Ashley comes downstairs and finds that Brad has finally returned home. When he asks where Ashley went today, she tells him that she had dinner at Gina's. Brad says she shouldn't have been alone; he goes to her and holds her. He apologizes for his actions over the last couple of days. He says that they have been dealing with so much, the loss of their baby, finding out that Ashley and him will never be able to have children again, and the fact that none of it would have happened if it hadn't been for Victor. But Brad is finished talking about Victor. He wants to be with Ashley now, to be there for her and talk to her. He says to Ashley that they will get through this together and end up stronger. Brad wants to give Robert a proper goodbye-first by giving him a memorial service. Ashley wants nothing to do with it.
Phyllis visits Victor at his home to discuss her work. Victor realizes that it's not really work that Phyllis has come to talk about. He can tell that there is something the matter with her. Phyllis says that she doesn't want to dwell on it, but she just can't get over the fact that Jack has opened the door for Diane to worm her way back into their lives again. Victor tells Phyllis that he saw Diane and warned her that her money is no good if she invests it at Jabot, but he doesn't think her money will go a long way anyhow. Victor suggests to Phyllis that she leave the hotel and try to fight for her relationship with Jack. "But don't tell Jack I gave you any advice," Victor says.
Nikki storms into Jack's office, completely confused and irate. She tells Jack that her whole life is becoming a train wreck. Jack tells her to calm down. Nikki tells him that she thinks Sharon may know that Victor is Abby's biological daughter. She tells him that Sharon overheard a conversation with her and Brad. When Jack asks Nikki if she knows exactly what Sharon heard, Nikki says she is not sure, but she was afraid to ask her. Jack says before Nikki completely freaks out she should find out exactly what Sharon knows and try to find a way to keep her mouth shut.
Sharon goes to Drucilla's home to find out if what she overheard at Nikki's is true. Sharon tells Dru that she heard in the conversation that Drucilla knows that Victor is Abby's biological father. Drucilla denies knowing anything, and says if Sharon wants to know, she should ask Nikki herself. Sharon says that Nikki would never tell her anything, and if it is true, that Victor has a right to know that Abby is his daughter. Dru tells her not to go and tell Victor, that she will ruin a lot of people's lives in the process. When Sharon realizes that Drucilla is not going to admit that she knows this to be true, she leaves.
Lauren goes to the loft to talk to Raul. Raul is happy to see her, and he apologizes for not being at work the last couple of days because he has really been busy with his schoolwork. Lauren asks if that is the only reason that Raul hasn't been at work. When Raul asks if she thinks he hasn't been there because they shared a kiss, he wants to know how Lauren felt about it. Lauren says she feels weird, and doesn't want him to think that she just comes on to any college guy. She starts talking about Raul and Brittany, saying that relationships like that don't happen very often. Raul says that he and Brittany have officially broke up, and he will never accept that she is a stripper. He wants to know why Lauren is pushing him to get back together with Brittany. Raul tells Lauren that he likes her, and when she says that their kiss was a silly mistake, he wants to know then why she made the first move. Lauren says she didn't, and Raul asks her to replay the scenario then. Lauren smiles, and leads Raul to the couch. "First, we sat here," she says, "and then"-they start kissing passionately. Just then, Brittany returns home. As the elevator door opens, she finds Lauren and Raul lustfully lip-locked before her eyes.
Nikki arrives home to find Victor making a fire. She runs to him and hugs him. Victor kisses her and comforts her. He suggests getting her some tea to relax, and she suggests a nice hot bath. Victor says he will be up to join her after he makes her some tea. "Don't be long," Nikki says. When she goes upstairs, Victor asks Miguel if he knows why Nikki went home from work early the other day. Miguel doesn't know. Just then, Sharon walks in the Newman home, unannounced, slamming the door behind her. She needs to talk to Victor, and it can't wait.
Brittany stormed into the loft to confront Lauren and Raul about the kiss she'd witnessed, then stormed out again after saying it was obvious what was going on. Lauren encouraged Raul to go after her, sure that Brittany was only working for Bobby out of pride and not because she didn't love Raul. Raul disagreed, saying that Brittany was over him. Lauren told him that Brittany's expression was not the face of someone who didn't care. She left Raul alone, saying there was a lot he needed to think about. Raul thanked her for being there for him.
At Marsino's, which was closed, Brittany told Bobby that she'd lost her best friend; she had walked in on Raul kissing Lauren Fenmore. She also confronted him about her father's presence and eviction from the club. Bobby said he'd thought Frederick was just some drunk. Brittany wondered if anyone who'd ever danced at the club had moved on to bigger and better things, or if stripping was a black mark they kept on their record for life. Bobby assured her that whatever horror stories her parents were telling her, Brittany would be fine. He invited her to go out, but Brittany remained behind in the empty club. As she sang to herself, getting emotional about Raul, Raul came down the stairs and listened for a few minutes, then left without saying anything to her.
Exhausted from his long day, Jack climbed into bed to find Phyllis under the covers. Although he tried to resist her, telling her how tired and angry with her he was, Phyllis seduced him. Afterward, they agreed that no matter how they fought about business, they would always spend their nights in the same bed.
Olivia and Dru were sharing a late-night snack of cookies when Liv noticed that Dru was preoccupied. Dru tried to divert her by asking about Wes, but Olivia said they were doing fine. Was Dru worried about Lily? Dru admitted that Lily was being maddening and shutting her out, but she was actually thinking about Sharon Newman. Olivia was horrified to hear that Sharon knew the truth about Abby's paternity and intended to tell Victor. Liv was equally dismayed when Dru said that if Victor was distracted about that, it would be better for Tuvia's business. Olivia's concern was how Ashley and Brad's lives would be ripped apart if Victor found out the truth. She left Dru's apartment saying she had to find some way to stop Sharon from telling Victor.
When Neil came home, he talked to Dru about how they'd postponed their wedding. Did she still want to get married? She assured him that she did, and they agreed to marry within the month and spend their honeymoon in Trinidad.
Lily told Kevin that she'd ditched her friends and family for him; he was all she had. When Kevin challenged her about how she felt about that, Lily quickly backed down and said he was all she needed. She'd brought some movies for them to watch. Kevin gave her a disbelieving look and set the movies aside so they could make out on the couch. When someone came to the door to complain about the music, Kevin lost his temper and told Lily to go home because the mood was broken. He'd rather see her the next day. When Lily reminded him that she had to go to school, he told her that she could make it happen if she really wanted it to. Lily agreed that she would see him the next day.
Victor told Sharon that he just wanted to go to bed after his long day, and perhaps she should have checked in with Nick and her family before coming there. Sharon said what she had to tell him wouldn't wait, and it wasn't about the gala. She began by bringing up Nicholas and Victoria, and Victor told her how much his children meant to him. He regretted all the times when they were young that he hadn't been there for them, and speculated whether if he had another child, he could be a better parent from the beginning. In any case, Sharon wasn't there to hear him talk about his regrets; was she having trouble with Nick? Sharon said things were good between her and Nick; she was there to tell him something that he had a right to know.
Before Sharon could tell Victor what she knew about Abby, Nikki came downstairs and interrupted them. At Nikki's urging, Sharon admitted that what she had to tell Victor could wait until the next day. Nikki asked Victor to go upstairs so that she and Sharon could discuss some of the details of the gala. After Victor was gone, Nikki tried to find out why Sharon was there, and Sharon evaded her questions. She then told Nikki what she expected of her the following night. Nikki was to keep a smile on her face, be supportive, and not bring any negativity to the gala and upset Sharon. In fact, Sharon warned Nikki, upsetting her would not be a good idea right now. Sharon then left, while Nikki reflected that she was more sure than ever that Sharon knew the truth about Abby.
