A Newly-Confident Ashland Exposes Victor’s Accusations to Victoria and Stuns His Father-In-Law by Calling His Bluff

At Keemo’s house in LA, Jack and Phyllis puzzle over a photo they found. He can only recognize one of the women but has no clue who the others are. He’s clearly frustrated. Phyllis knows it may be painful, but she’s there to help. He doesn’t like having been lured there blindly. Red knows it could be a sadistic prank, but she doubts it. Whatever they are supposed to find out, should be in the house. Jack wants to know why he was led there.

Jack and Phyllis continue going through the box of items. As they look through scarves and photos, he feels bad about rifling through his son’s possessions. Phyllis points out he is going back and forth between being curious and feeling he’s violating Keemo’s memory. She bluntly tells him his son is gone and this box was not left there by accident. Obviously, whoever has been sending the texts wanted him to sort through it. Jack looks out the window. She urges him not to give up now. He has to keep on looking if he’s going to get the answers he needs. Phyllis suggests they call a car and get something to eat.

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Jack finds Broadway tickets from three years ago and wonders who Keemo took. In the bottom of the box, he discovers a jewelry box. It has a necklace Jack gave his wife. He flashes back to giving it to Luan in 1995 after they were reunited. He told her that giving him a son was the greatest gift he could ever receive. Jack explains that he sent it to Keemo after she died. With the necklace is a picture of Jack and Luan at their wedding. He takes this as a sign that his son did not erase him from his life.

Jack recalls that Keemo was the best man at his wedding. The ceremony was a mix of American and Vietnamese traditions, and they wrote their own vows. They were supposed to spend the rest of their lives together as a family. He finds the statement of paternity that he had drawn up for his son. As he thinks about what kind of relationship they might have had, Phyllis tells him to stop torturing himself. Jack wonders if a parent’s job is to stand up and push back even when a child pushes them away. Phyllis tells him it’s hard to watch him struggle with problems that likely have no solution. She reminds him of the mystery of who was sending the texts. All the people in the photos meant something to Keemo, so one of them could have been behind the messages.

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In Adam’s office at Newman-Locke, Sally tells him how invigorating she’s finding the shift from fashion to business. She starts quizzing him about Victoria and Ashland. He keeps his mouth shut. Victor arrives and asks for a word with his son in private. This is a family matter. Adam asks Sally to excuse them so he can have a chat with his father. They arrange to meet later and she exits.

Victor asks his son how close he has become to Sally. He doesn’t think she’s known for her discretion. Adam assures his father that he hasn’t said a word to her. Victor explains that he gave Locke an ultimatum, ordering him to leave town and Victoria or he will reveal everything. He’s worried that the truth could devastate her. Adam thinks that’s inevitable unless Nick is right and she will forgive him for this as well. His father doubts it. Ashland has used his daughter to engineer this merger and he’s not going to get away with it. Adam hopes Victor has all the evidence he needs. One of Victor’s investigators calls with information. He tells Adam that Michael and two Peruvian doctors have disappeared.

When he arrives at Newman-Locke, Ashland is relieved to get a text from a contact telling him that Michael and the doctors have been taken care of. He enters Victoria’s office. She reminds him that he wanted to discuss her father and asks what Victor said to him in private. Victoria worries that this could be about his health. If it is, it makes sense that her father objects so much to his new title. Locke explains that it is about his health, but more specifically his treatment.

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Hesitantly, Ashland tells her that he’s still struggling with why her father would do something like this. Apparently, he has taken the word of a disgruntled quack that he has falsified his medical records and faked his disease. “That’s insane,” Victoria says. Her husband explains it gets worse. Her father is using this as a threat to force him out of her life. At this moment, he doesn’t trust Victor and doesn’t want her to have to hear these accusations from him. She wonders why Victor has suddenly turned on them. Ashland doesn’t know. Maybe he honestly believes these lies. There is no doubt in her mind that he has cancer. She thought her father would come to her if he believed this was true.

Ashland explains to Victoria that for her sake, he’s been trying to rationalize her father’s actions. Maybe he just doesn’t want anyone other than Newman blood running the empire he built? She doesn’t think that’s it. Other people outside of the family have been CEO. Ashland assumes it must just be him. This is too outrageous for her. She can’t believe her father thinks Ashland would do something so heinous. He reminds her he used to be known as the Locke Ness monster and it was a name that fit like a glove. If it doesn’t fit anymore, that’s because of her.

Ashland tells Victoria how profoundly her love has changed him into a far better man. She put the other guy he was out of his misery, and he’ll always be grateful for that. Victoria insists he deserves all the credit. A person can’t change unless they want to. The topic quickly turns back to her father and how he has turned on them.

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At Society, Chloe asks Lauren when Michael will get back. Lauren says it can’t be soon enough. She hasn’t heard from him since yesterday and was wary of him going back to work for Victor. Chloe urges her to try again to contact him. Lauren sends a text and then turns the topic to work, asking Chloe about the new Sally-free fashion label. Lauren and Chloe talk about production schedules and all the money they can make for Fenmore’s.

Sally loudly interrupts Chloe and Lauren and asks how the new line is going. Chloe wonders if she’s enjoyed trading in her sketch pad for spread sheets. Smirking Sally goes on about what a great team she makes with Adam and how it’s the opportunity of a lifetime. Lauren makes an excuse and leaves.

Chloe has been wanting to speak to Sally. She tells her she genuinely liked working with her and is proud of what they created. Sally says everything was peachy until Chelsea showed up. She’s sorry it didn’t last but everyone seems to have landed exactly where they were supposed to. Chloe hopes Sally hasn’t given up on her dreams. Spotting Adam entering, Sally assures her, “I haven’t given up on them at all.”

Lauren returns as Adam joins them. He asks if she’s heard from Michael. She thought he or his father would have. After Adam and Sally head to the bar, Lauren admits to Chloe how worried she’s been about Michael. He’s silent all of a sudden and that’s not like him at all. Her friend tries to be reassuring but Lauren needs more information so she calls Victor, who tells her that her husband will return when he’s finished in South America. This doesn’t make Lauren feel any better.

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Sitting at a table, Sally asks Adam what’s up with his father. He’s not going to give her any details and that’s for her own protection. This might not work out the way his father is hoping. That worries her. He’s more optimistic. Adam tells her that if his father creates a rift with Victoria, that could end up working in his favor.

When he’s alone in his office, Ashland gets a call from Victor, who repeats his threat to go to Victoria and expose him. “Do it. I’m not going anywhere,” Ashland says.

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Next on The Young and the Restless: Sharon sees a new side of Noah.

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