Victor Plans to Eliminate Gaines as a Wedding Gift to Ashland

In Tuscany, Jack tells Victoria she has never looked lovelier and thanks her for inviting him. They talk about the kids playing with the nanny and Harrison seeing them all as one big happy family. Nearby, Lily asks Billy what they should do about the video and they move to a more private spot. Nikki joins Victoria and Jack, who is stunned to learn that Sally designed her wedding dress. Jack walks over to sit by Phyllis and says he hopes Nick makes it to the reception. He relays the news that Victoria’s gown was designed by Sally. Phyllis sneers that she treats her brother like dirt but is making nice with Sally. “She makes me sick.”

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Victor and Adam join Victoria and Nikki, who asks if everything is alright. Victor assures her they just made sure the reception would be problem-free. Nikki and Victoria walk off and Ashland makes his way over to Adam and Victor, who reports that Nicholas stepped in to stop Gaines, who was ready to crash the wedding. Ashland asks, “Where is he now?” Victor replies, “Somewhere safe. Where you can have a one-on-one with him.”

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Adam joins Sally, who noticed that he disappeared. He wants to focus on what she pulled off, and can’t wait to see the social media buzz. Adam thinks she should be proud of herself and muses that he never should have doubted her. “I think you may have changed a few of your adversaries’ minds about you.”

In her suite, Victoria tells her mother she feels she’s walking on a cloud, but it all went by so fast. Nikki remarks on the dress and Victoria marvels that Sally studied her and it’s a work of art. Nikki asks if she’ll ignore the fact that she swapped the dresses. Victoria refuses to get angry at how it worked out. The dress is flawless; it’s exactly what she wanted her wedding dress to be. After Victoria’s taken the dress off, Nikki admires it again. Victoria will treasure it forever. Today has been the happiest day of her life. Nikki learns that she and Ashland discussed working from the palazzo. She’s very grateful to her parents for making this day so special. She knew her father would manage the situation.

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In the parlor, Billy recaps that they have to publish Gaines’ video within the hour or he’ll distribute it. Lily reminds him they already decided not to run the story. Billy argues that it’s going to come out; this way they can control the narrative. Lily doesn’t like being pushed into a corner. “What about Victoria?” Jack appears and asks, “What about Victoria?” Billy covers that they were talking about the reality of Ashland’s situation, meaning his health. Jack feels it’s all the more reason to make this the happiest occasion possible. He walks off and Lily says he has a point — do they really want to ruin things for Victoria? Billy reiterates that if they publish the story they can protect her and the kids by controlling the narrative. “If we don’t run with it, someone else does.” Lily wonders if he’s just trying to have it both ways.

Phyllis finds Nick in their suite and asks what’s going on; he seems upset. Nick reveals he ran into Jessie Gaines, who Billy brought there to tell Victoria about Ashland’s past crimes. He fumes that at some point, Victor decided to kick him out of the loop and brought Adam in. Phyllis wonders if it was due to the tension between him and Victoria. Nick rants that his family is so bent on protecting the marriage and merger they’ve closed ranks around this man who probably let his best friend die. He fills Phyllis in on the fraud surrounding the will.

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Nick can’t understand his father hiding this and wonders why Locke has such a tight grip on the Newmans. Talk turns to his dad, and Phyllis assures Nick he’s nothing like him. Victoria on the other hand, is just like him and she marries a man who is a criminal and they rally around him. “He probably sees it as a badge of honor.” Nick snaps at her for using his frustrations to come at his family. She denies that’s what she’s doing. “I’m not your enemy, Nick.” Phyllis doesn’t like Victoria, but she’s savvy and runs her own company — she can make her own decisions. “Why do you have to ride in on your horse and rescue Victoria?! All the Newmans and Billy!”

Nick concedes that she’s right about all of it. He wanted to stop the wedding, but he has no right to tell Victoria how to live her life and neither does his father. When they got back together he had to remind his family that it was his life. Phyllis questions if he’s comparing her past to Ashland Locke’s. He denies it. Phyllis misunderstood, she’s sorry. Nick sighs. Everyone has stuff in their past. He realizes Victoria is going into this marriage with both eyes open. He’s still not happy with the way his dad handled things though. Phyllis is sorry this is such a difficult trip for him.

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In a locked room, Ashland confronts Gaines. “Coming here was a colossal miscalculation.” He notes he’s been paid a small fortune to keep his silence and asks, “What more do you want?” Gaines wants him to experience the same humiliation and degradation he felt when his father embraced him instead of his own flesh and blood. Ashland understands how that feels; he lived in constant fear of his father. “I have some idea of the pain and anger you’ve been through… How is this my fault?” He reminds Gaines that Camilla turned her back on him in the end, all they can do now is move forward. Locke mocks Gaines for not even knowing what he wants and hollers that he gave him money but it’s never enough. He could have walked away a wealthy man, but he’s the one who botched this. Gaines wonders if he’ll turn him over to the authorities. Ashland relays they haven’t decided what to do about him yet, but they’ll figure something out. He locks him in again as he leaves.

On the terrace, Tessa gets Mariah’s voice mail and tells her the ceremony was beautiful and everything was perfect. “The only thing missing was you. I wish you were here.” She disconnects and Noah appears. He realizes she’s sad and asks if she’s okay. Noah understands she’s surrounded by people but still feels alone. Tessa breaks down. “Mariah’s shutting me out.” She doesn’t know what to do. They recap Mariah’s ordeal and how the baby was everything to her. Noah muses, “And after all that she had to hand him over to Abby.” Tessa explains she’s not handling it well. Noah urges her to give her some time. Tessa confides that she thinks the solution is for them to have a baby. Noah asks if that’s something she wants to do. Tessa says yes, then no. “It just feels wrong to me for this to be the reason we have a baby.” Noah wants them both to be happy. He wishes he could help. Tessa missed having him as a friend. Noah assures her he always will be.

Locke approaches Billy and Lily to talk about Gaines. He says he’s no longer in a position to expose his past, but admitted Billy’s the one who brought him over there. Which means the only threat to his future is him. “I’m asking you not to release that information, for the sake of my son and my wife.” Billy won’t do anything with the information. “All of this has been about protecting Victoria. If I release the video all it would do is further alienate her.” Ashland asks, “The video?” Billy shows him what Gaines sent him and deletes it. Locke thanks him. Billy did it for the continued well-being of his relationship with the mother of his children. Ashland recognizes that’s quite a gift to Victoria. Once alone, Lily tells Billy she’s proud of him.

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Ashland enters his suite to find Victoria in her robe. He tells her she’s beautiful and relays that he looked in on the kids. She also checked on them. Ashland marvels at Katie and Johnny being so good to Harrison. “It really feels like we’re all connected.” He reports he was able to handle Gaines. He spoke with him and the situation has been dealt with. Ashland also talked to Billy, who claims he doesn’t want to risk damaging his relationship with her and deleted a video Gaines sent to him. It was the best wedding gift he could have given her. Victoria is glad they can let everything else go and revel in being husband and wife. They start making out.

On the terrace, Jack tells Sally, “I heard about what you pulled.” He criticizes her for not approaching Victoria weeks ago in Genoa City and instead putting her on the spot. Sally admits it wasn’t the usual approach, but she worked her tail off to create the perfect dress for her and she looked spectacular. “Would it really kill you to say good job, Sally?” Jack can’t figure out why she cares what he thinks. Sally says he’s right; it shouldn’t matter at all. Adam appears and she calls out, “There you are! Let’s go have some fun!’ Jack walks away.

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Victor interrupts Sally and Adam to say the reception will have to wait. “You and I have to attend to something.” Adam goes with his father into the parlor, where Victor updates him that Ashland spoke to Gaines, who seemed receptive to what he had to say, but Victor’s convinced he will continue to be a problem. His gift to his new son-in-law will be to prevent that from happening. Adam told him he would help and that still stands. He feels that’s what family does; they stand up for one another when it counts. Nick appears and tells Victor there are some things they need to clear up.

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On the terrace, Victoria beams up at Ashland as they head into their reception and pose for photos.

Next on The Young and the Restless: Sally presses her luck with Adam.

As Michelle Stafford marks her Young & Restless anniversary, join us for a Phyllis tribute in the photo gallery below.

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