Ashland Calls Victor’s Bluff, and Then Fakes Chest Pain to Escape the Office

At Newman Media, Adam offers to give Nick an update on the Ashland situation when there’s news, but his brother’s not going anywhere. Adam recaps that he tried to keep Victoria there, but it was difficult. Nick doesn’t think Adam would be bothered if things blew up between their sister and dad. They bicker as Adam points out that he did more than Nick at her wedding. Nick reminds him she asked him to stay away. Adam admits he’s happy that he won’t be answering to Ashland, but that’s completely different than celebrating Victoria’s broken heart after a failed marriage. “I’m not that vindictive. Or small. Maybe you’re projecting your own feelings.” Nick denies it. Victoria will be crushed when she learns Ashland’s been playing her for a fool.

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Nick wants to know what Victor’s next move was, but Adam insists he has no idea. He speculates that Victor will probably try to get Locke to confess or turn himself in to the police for fraud. Nick fears it will be hard to get him out of Newman-Locke. “If he goes, it won’t be quietly.” Adam encourages Nick to stop being neutral and go after Locke if that’s what he wants to do. Nick laments that he saw this coming a million miles away, but doesn’t know what to do now. Adam muses that Nick always pretends to be above it all, but when someone comes after the Newmans, he gets pulled back in just like the rest of them.

At Newman-Locke, Victoria knocks on the office door as, inside, Victor asks Ashland, “Do we have a deal?” Nikki walks up to Victoria and wonders why they’re locked out of her office. She goes to get a key. Inside, Victor pushes Ashland to agree to his terms so he doesn’t have to share the details of his ploy with Victoria. Just as he warns that Ashland will suffer the consequences of his deception, Victoria and Nikki enter. Victoria wants to know what’s going on. Ashland claims he must have inadvertently locked the door. Victoria thought her father wanted to meet with her at Adam’s office. Ashland interjects that Victor texted him to meet about their future plans and has reservations about him becoming co-CEO. Victor’s surprised Nikki already knew about this and Victoria wonders how her father knew — does he have a mole in business services. Victor declares that he and Ashland had a very productive conversation and understand each other. Ashland urges Victor to express his concerns to her directly. Victoria wonders what concerns he could possibly have. Victor thinks it’s too soon; considering the stress involved, it could cause a relapse. Victoria argues the point. Nikki glances at her husband and jumps in to say Victor has a good point; it might be best to ease into it. Victoria defies them and is prepared to sign the agreement right now. She walks over and picks up the contracts. Ashland shoots a smug look at Victor.

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Nikki pressures Victoria to wait a day or two. Ashland isn’t opposed to that. Victoria sniffs that everyone doesn’t have to be okay with this and moves to sign the contract. Suddenly, Ashland clutches his chest and breathes hard. Victoria drops the tablet and rushes over. Nikki grimaces and Victor looks amused as he gasps that he needs a little air. “Can we just do this a little later, please?” Victoria leaves with her husband. Victor says to Nikki, “You see.” Nikki saw a man suffering. Victor replies, “What you saw was a liar.” It was a performance for her sake and Victoria’s sake. “He did exactly what I told him to do.”

Devon arrives at the Chancellor mansion, where Abby reports that Dominic just got out of the bath and smells delicious. Devon’s heartened to hear that his appetite is coming back. He asks if the boy can come to stay over for a couple days. Chance comes in as Abby’s weighing the idea. He doesn’t think it’s a bad idea considering what happened earlier. Devon asks what he means. Chance relays that he reached out to a therapist for help. He doesn’t know if he’ll be off afterward. Abby agrees and goes to get Dom’s things together. Chance tells Devon he helped him realize he needed assistance. Devon thinks it will benefit his whole family, but warns it will take time. “I have zero doubt that you will make it to the other side.”

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Once Dominic is bundled off with Devon, Abby is glad she’ll be able to give Chance her undivided attention after therapy with Dr. Huffman. “No matter what happens everything is going to be okay because I will be here waiting for you.” They kiss and embrace.

At the penthouse, Devon tells Dominic he’s surrounded by people who love him and belongs there too. Devon then gets on the piano and plays for the boy before telling him he can take up any instrument he wants, or even be a producer like him. He can’t wait to see what he’ll be, but “take you time, you have your whole life.”

Chance joins his therapist, Dr. Huffman, in his office. The doctor is ex-military and admits he saw things in action he couldn’t forget. Chance relays that Sharon Rosales referred him; she thought he’d be more comfortable with someone who served. Huffman asks why he’s there. Chance tells him, “I just want to be me again.” The doctor gets the rundown on Abby and Dominic. He explains they used a donor and surrogate. Huffman thinks it sounds like they really wanted to start a family. Chance admits he was away for the whole pregnancy and missed his son being born, and now they’re sharing custody with the donor, who is a family friend. Huffman asks if that’s been difficult for him. Chance says, “Not really,” though it has been for his wife. He feels like he’s still waiting to feel connected to the child, as a father should be. The doctor thinks they need to talk about what happened in Spain. They go over the explosion at the safe house and Chance describes realizing the building and his team were gone. Some men came in looking for survivors, so he played dead until the emergency personnel showed up. After that, he got out of town and landed with friends. Huffman learns his family was told he was dead, but Abby didn’t believe it and found him. They keep calling him a hero, but it doesn’t sit well with him. Huffman learns Chance replays that day in his mind every day and dreams about it. “I can’t escape it.” The doctor wonders if he feels he’s being punished. Chance says, “Yes. For failure. I failed my team.”

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At Newman Media, Sally saw Nick leaving and asks Adam if there’s been more family drama. Adam admits it affects the company. Long story, short, the whirlwind romance between his sister and Ashland may be about to implode. Sally can’t believe it after that beautiful wedding in Tuscany. If his sister and Locke split she’s going to be heartbroken and humiliated. Adam has compassion for Victoria, but she’s a survivor like the rest of the Newmans. That’s what he was talking to his dad and Nick about. Sally figures this must be upsetting for Victor, who was planning on Victoria and Ashland running his company. Victoria may be distracted. Adam raises an eyebrow. Sally catches his drift and asks, “Who would be in charge?” Adam muses, “10 billion dollar question.”

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At Newman-Locke, Victor tells Nikki he ordered Ashland to have a relapse, return to Peru, and then ask for a divorce. Nikki worries he’s innocent and is right now telling Victoria what Victor accused him of. Just then, Victoria returns and wants to make something clear to her father. “What you did to Ashland is utterly unacceptable!” She rants about her husband’s qualifications and complains he feels like he has one hand tied behind his back. Victor muses that perhaps he just had a relapse and isn’t as well as he’s let on. Victoria wants her father to trust her judgment and let her do her job, and run her company as she sees fit! With that, she storms out. In the corridor, she encounters Nick. She presumes he’s there because he knows what their dad is up to. “How long have you known? Has the entire family been discussing this behind my back?”

Chance arrives home from therapy and tells Abby he likes Dr. Huffman. He admits it’s hard and he’s exhausted; he has a lot of work to do. Abby knows he thinks he has to be perfect, but she loves him always, no matter what. “We are going to get through this together. I’m so proud of you facing this head on.”

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At Society, Ashland grits into the phone, “Listen to me! You need to find everyone who is talking to Michael Baldwin and put an end to it. Immediately and forever. Do we understand each other?”

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At Newman-Locke, Victoria wonders to Nick what she has to do to live her life without constant interference from their father. Nick replies, “Just get out of the business, Vick. The closer you are to the fire, the more you get burned.” Victoria complains that he’s been spying on her behind her back and Nick must know about it — why else would he be there? Nick insists he had nothing to do with it. “Dad just filled me in a little while ago.” He didn’t even know Victor was going to tell her about it. A strange look crosses Victoria’s face. “Wait a minute. Tell me what?”

Next on The Young and the Restless: Sharon warns Nick, and Phyllis gives Jack some tough love.

Victor has the whole family in place as he battles a threat to the empire. Look back on the Newman family over the years in the photo gallery below.

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