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Victor stares out the door of the Newman ranch as Nick asks him what his mother and sister could be up to. Victor wishes he knew. They are still on the grounds so he calls to get an update. He gets Nikki’s voicemail and asks her to come home now. Nick and Chance are there with bad news. Nick calls Faith and urges her to stay home with the doors locked. They speculate on whether Jordan has left town. The detective insists that this is police business now and they are doing it by the book. He gets a call about an abandoned black truck and tells them to keep him posted before jogging out. Although Victor assures the cop that his vigilante days are over, he confirms for his son that this is far from the case. He’s determined to handle this without the police and in ways that might not be legal.
At Society, Ian attempts to assure Tessa that he won’t hurt anyone else. She still thinks that he used her and lied to get at the woman she loves. He knows that he may not be innocent but he is human and is only trying to make amends. His transformation is real, even if everyone refuses to see it. Ian pleads with her to recognize that the people she loves have nothing to fear from him. He claims that his soul needs absolution only Mariah can give. His life had once been consumed by desire for power and control but now he would give his life for Mariah to forgive him. Tessa thinks that’s a big ask from someone who is still putting his needs above her wife’s. Ward insists that he only wants to prove he is a different man so they can take away Mariah’s childhood pain and set her free. Moving away from him, Tessa doesn’t think she should be involved in this. Even talking to him feels like she’s betraying her wife. She doubts that Mariah thinks he’s changed at all. That doesn’t surprise him. He says Mariah has always been stubborn, but she’s also the most generous and helpful person he knows. Trying to break that goodness in her all those years ago is why he hates himself.
As Ian continues begging her for help, Mariah rushes in and demands to know what he’s doing there. When she threatens to call the cops, he explains he is only trying to make things right between them. She dismisses him as pathetic and delusional, declaring that she will hate him until the day she dies. Ordering Ian to stay away from her and her family, she says sge hopes he keels over and croaks. He meekly exits. Exasperated, Mariah has to lean on a chair.
After Mariah orders her wife to call her if Ward ever makes contact again, Tessa wonders if they are wrong about him. Maybe Ian has changed… He’s been saying sweet things. Mariah tells her to stop. This is all BS that he uses to lure people in before he pounces. Reminding her that they did some pretty horrible things themselves, Tessa insists that people can change. Perhaps Mariah could let the rage go for her own sake? “It’s all lies!” Mariah declares. She’s not about to wipe the slate clean and can’t understand why her wife doing this. Tessa explains there is a tenderness in Ian’s words and there is so much anger in Mariah that letting it go could be what’s best for all of them.
In the sewers, imaginary Nick keeps urging Sharon to remember the battles she’s won and use the same strength to fight again. She’s almost there, almost home. “Trying, trying,” she mutters as he continues urging her to be strong.
At Victoria’s, Jordan says that Claire got rather dramatic in demanding she stop drinking her tea. It’s almost like she’s having second thoughts about something. The topic turns back to their plan. Jordan remains cagey about telling her niece where she’s keeping Sharon. That is leverage she needs to keep. When she stands, Claire leaps up and tells her she needs to give her up. “Who are you to start giving me orders?” Jordan asks. Claire points out that everyone probably knows she’s on the loose. That means that the Newmans and the cops will be searching for her. The only chance she has is to do as she says. Claire reminds her that they have the opportunity for revenge and more money than they could spend. All she needs to do is let her in on where Sharon is stashed. If she doesn’t tell her, she will throw her aunt to the police.
As they bicker about their past, Claire reminds her that her ass is on the line. If they don’t cover her tracks, they can’t move forward. Jordan accuses her of being brainwashed by the Newmans. All her new self-righteousness is positively nauseating to be around. Her niece claims she only cozied up to them to make a score but Jordan can see that’s a lie. She demands to know what she put in her tea and refuses to believe her when she claims it was only agave. As their arguing escalates, Jordan declares that she will leave. Claire can’t stop her and neither can Victor’s goons.
“We will stop you!” Nikki declares as she and Victoria suddenly pop up. Claire confirms for her aunt that this was all a con and she walked right into it. Jordan admits she’s been sloppy and let herself be sucked in just as Claire was by all the Newman lies. “Don’t talk to my daughter like that you crazy bitch!” blurts Victoria. Pointing her finger, Jordan declares that there is more of her running through Claire’s veins than there ever will be of her biological mother. The poisoned tea is evidence of it. Claire challenges her to take a sip of the tea and Jordan rails about how she has no guts and always flinches. All three of these “dames” squander their opportunities, just like they did last year. She’s a cat with nine lives and always escapes. Jordan goes on to say Nikki was the easiest one to manipulate of all. Nikki declares they are stronger than they have ever been. That makes Jordan cackle. Victoria thinks she’s a rabid animal that needs to be put out of her misery. Nikki adds no one will care when it happens and jokes they could feed her the poisoned tea intravenously. Claire confirms to her aunt that this was all a plan of her devising.
At Society, Tessa apologizes for upsetting Mariah but she accuses her of taking the word of psychopath over her own. Mariah says Ian can only destroy, and he’s not the person who can fix her. Tessa protests; she was only commenting on how he seems to her. Her wife thinks she could have timed this better. She didn’t need to “be heard” while Sharon could be dead somewhere. When Tessa continues apologizing, Mariah rants, “I can’t believe you would do this to me!” and storms out.
In the sewers, Nick pushes Sharon to take one step at a time, she gasps that she can only do it if he helps her. When he prods her to get out of there to protect the people she loves, she pulls herself up and starts taking one heavy step at a time. Slowly, she walks out, crying that she needs to get home.
At the tack house, Nick and Victor arrive. “Just can’t get rid of me, can you?” Jordan chuckles when she spots her old enemy. Victor thinks she’s run out of places to hide. She’s not so sure and prompts Claire to explain what she has. Her niece explains that Jordan claims to have Sharon somewhere. Nick starts to growl so Jordan tells Victor to put a leash on his son. Poor little Sharon doesn’t have much time left. She explains that her partner became unreliable, adding that Ian is the one who killed Heather. They had a beautiful deal that would bring Mariah back into Ian’s life and Claire into hers. Nick guesses they also drugged Sharon. Jordan admits it, and that she was assigned to “off the blondie” but decided to tuck her away somewhere safe instead. Repeating that Sharon doesn’t have much time left, she suggests that if they want to see her alive again, they better make her an escape offer. “One you will honor this time,” she adds. When they claim skepticism, she gives them details about Sharon’s disappearance. Claire is sure she’s telling the truth and urges them not to take this lightly.
Emerging from the sewers, shivering, Sharon stumbles through the park. Mariah wanders by, spots her, and rushes over to take her in her arms.
Back at the tack house, Victoria starts railing at Jordan and how she needs to be thrown into a hole. “Trust me lady, I would love it if we were left alone in a room together.” Jordan tells “beauty” to be cautious about what she wishes for. “It all ends tonight. You end tonight,” Victor decrees. Jordan isn’t impressed. Nick is fidgeting and she reminds him that if she dies, so does Sharon. She throws that in Victor’s face, asking if his children and grandchildren will forgive him for that. “You will end tonight,” he repeats. Saying she’s holding all the cards, Jordan tells “handsome” it’s time to fold. She wants lots of money. “Oh baby, I’ve got lots of it!” he says, getting in her face. She doesn’t want him to pretend to be her hostage this time. Maybe one of the ladies. Not Nikki since she’s had her before, so maybe Claire will volunteer? Nikki says no one will go with her. Jordan orders them to stop wasting time and meet her demands. Mariah calls Nick to say she’s found Sharon and she’s okay. He says he’s on his way. Nick announces Sharon has been found and exits. Jordan gulps.
“What do you have to bargain with now?” Victor asks as he smirks at Jordan. “It’s all over for you.” Jordan claims she can give them Ian. Victor doesn’t need her help for that. Turning to Claire, her aunt asks if her endgame was to trap her like a caged animal. “I love you. I love you so much.”. Claire doesn’t think she knows the meaning of the word. This is where it needs to end for her. After looking around, Jordan panics, grabs the tea, and starts gulping it down as they all watch.
Next on The Young and the Restless: Victor questions Nikki’s judgment, Mariah makes a shocking discovery, and Billy starts a new chapter.
