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At Forrester, Justin looks over the LLC paperwork and confirms that Carter’s trying to pull a fast one. He asks for one minute to look closer. Brooke and Ridge step aside and he exclaims, “Some friend, huh?” He thanks her for bringing this to him. Brooke says of course… she wouldn’t let him take his company from him. Ridge vows this will never stand up in court. His two-faced friend is trying to cheat his way into power and will cheat his way out of the company.

Justin asks to take a copy with him so he can confer with a colleague. Ridge asks, “You can fix this, right?” Justin points out the CEOs signed off on this. Ridge bellows that they didn’t know what they signed, that’s the point. Justin will see what he can do, but warns this may be a bit more serious than he thinks. After he exits, Ridge is confident he’ll find a loophole. “This is such a betrayal, and not just from Carter but from Hope.” Brooke nods, “It’s inexcusable.” She thinks he needs to remember that this all began with a misunderstanding. Steffy jumped to conclusions and fired her daughter. She’s not trying to justify what they’re doing, but she wants to resolve it in a peaceful manner. Ridge is going to resolve it right now.

In Hope’s cabin, she tells Carter this is for the good of the company. Carter says Ridge won’t see it that way. He’d be lying if he didn’t admit he’s dreading what’s to come.

Carter’s dressing when he gets a text from Ridge, who wants to see him. Hope thinks maybe he’s changed his mind and might be considering his proposal and reinstating Hope For the Future. Carter would be relieved not to have to betray his friend.

In the office, Ridge says to Brooke, “Now I wait for the traitor.” Brooke reminds him she told him all of this in confidence. Ridge says Carter has lost his perspective. He never thought he would see him make a career-ending move like this. That’s what this is… a takeover attempt. It ends today.

In the cabin, Hope gushes about Carter’s inspiring ideas. Ridge needs to give him a shot. If he decides to bring her back, she will owe it all to Carter. Her boyfriend tells her he won’t back down. She’ll have his support until the end, whatever that is. She kisses him goodbye and wishes him luck.

At Forrester, Ridge paces as he waits for Carter to arrive. He flashes to the day Carter was made COO, and through some of their memorable moments. “We are family,” he recalls saying.

Brooke arrives at the cabin and asks Hope, “How are you?” Hope says she’s fine and explains Carter was there and got a text from Ridge wanting to see him. She hopes it’s good news. Brooke says, “Well, I can tell you, I know.” Hope smiles, “You do?” They establish that Brooke was with Ridge. Hope asks why Ridge wanted to see Carter. Brooke asks why he wouldn’t want to see him… he’s his COO and trusted best friend. She eyeballs Hope and thinks she seems very distracted. “I was hoping that you would tell me yourself. I overheard you and Carter.” Hope asks, “You overheard us?” Brooke exclaims that she was about to come in when she overheard them talking about a coup! Taking over Forrester Creations!

Carter arrives in the main office and Ridge is seated with his back to him. He intones, “Close the door.” He asks how he’s doing and if he has something to tell him. Turning around he says, “No? Well, I have something to tell you. I know. I know what you’re doing. I know what you’re up to.”

Ridge asks Carter, “Did it ever occur to you that she’s just using you?” Carter asks, “Who?” Ridge replies, “Hope!” He knows about the papers. He knows he’s trying to take power over Steffy and him, all for Hope. “You didn’t think I’d find out?” Carter asks, “How?” Ridge will trade him a how for a why. “I saw your name on the paper. You must have been freaking out, but there was no need for that because I trusted you implicitly. Not because you’re my COO, because you’re my best friend in the world… and you stabbed me in the back.”

In the cabin, Hope recaps that Brooke overheard her and Carter, and realizes she told Ridge… that’s why he wanted to see Carter. “Mom! What are you doing? You should have talked to me first!” Brooke wails, “Why, so I could be a part of your plan? No! What were you thinking?!” Hope complains that they were being mistreated at Forrester. They gave Ridge and Steffy every opportunity, but they wouldn’t listen. Brooke says that doesn’t justify a coup! Hope worries about what Carter’s walking into. What will Ridge say or do now that he knows the truth. “My God!!”

In the office, Ridge asks Carter if he really thought he’d get away with this. Signing the company over to him? He’s not concerned about papers, that’s child’s play. What he’s concerned about is why he’d do this to him. “Because we passed on your big idea? We’re a fashion house, and we wanted to stay a fashion house, that’s all.” He continues, “Or was it because Steffy was mean to your new girlfriend? How’d that make you feel? Sad, angry, betrayed maybe.” He made him COO because he always knew he’d do right by him, the company, and the family… the family that’s always been there for him and embraced him. “This is how you thank them?! By hooking up with Hope, by fighting her cause?” Carter says it’s a cause worth fighting for. Ridge pushes his chair and hollers, “There’s nothing worthy about any of this! What happened to you?! I know what happened to you. Hope happened to you. The same way she happened to Liam and to Thomas, because that’s what she does.” Carter turns his head and Ridge bellows, “Look at me! She gets her hooks into you and she molds you and she woos you until you love her so much you can’t breathe, and then she drives you away.” He’s stabbed his friend and brother in the back for what? For Hope!

Ridge understands that Carter is frustrated that they didn’t take his big idea. “You know business, you know how it works. So, is it really because Steffy was mean to your little girlfriend?” He betrayed all of them for that? That doesn’t sound like him at all… it sounds like Hope. Stealing this company from the people that love him doesn’t sound like him at all. Steffy told him Hope was in Carter’s head… he didn’t believe it. He wishes he had. Maybe he could have kept him from going off the deep end. “I didn’t see it.” Sitting, Ridge asks, “What do we do now? What do I do? I know what I want to do… I want to give you another chance.” He suggests they forget about the papers. If he ends this toxic relationship, they’ll be OK. Carter asks, “You want me to end things with Hope?” Ridge nods, “Get her out of your life before it’s too late.”