Victor Appoints Adam as Temporary CEO of Newman-Locke While Victoria’s ‘Gallivanting Around the Italian Countryside With Her Husband’

At Society, Victor offers to buy Michael and Lauren dinner. It’s the least he can do after what Baldwin went through in a Peruvian prison. Lauren snarks, “The very least.” She’s irked to hear Michael plans to keep working for Victor. Michael reminds her the Mustache didn’t have him locked up; that was Ashland, who has given him a personal reason to finish this fight.

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At Crimson Lights, Billy has a secret he’s having a very hard time keeping. Lily asks him to tell her. Billy warns it has to stay between them and tells her about Ashland faking his cancer. “He lied about it all.” Lily’s outraged that he pretended he had cancer. Billy explains how puzzled he was that Locke’s interaction with Victoria ended in hugs and kisses. He spots Nikki and Nick coming in and asks if there’s any news on Victoria. Nikki’s not surprised Billy told Lily. Billy is upset that Victoria may be forgiving that sonofabitch. Nick and Billy worry she may not be thinking logically, but Nikki and Lily agree that Victoria makes tough decisions every day and can handle this. Nikki decrees, “This is in her hands now.”

At Newman-Locke, Victoria tells Ashland she has a few loose ends to tie up. She urges him to lock up at home and grab some food from Society. He jokes that she’s trying to get rid of him but is just happy she loves him and they’re okay. Victoria assures him she’s fine and this is all going to work out. Ashland thinks Italy will be great for them. He can’t wait to get her alone there. “Who knows, maybe we’ll just never come back.” Once alone outside the door, Ashland exhales.

Sally finds Adam sitting in his office at Newman Media and asks for the latest on Victoria and Ashland the Big Bad Wolf. Adam feels he’s not of any use since the intervention. Sally muses that maybe there’s nothing new to report. Adam can sense the shift in his dynamic with his father. Sally points out their dynamics aren’t subtle. Talk turns to the consequences for Newman-Locke, especially if Victoria stays with Ashland. They believe a strong leader will be called for. Sally thinks it could be Adam if he plays his cards right. Adam assures her she’ll be right there beside him. Sally encourages him to start making moves. Adam will reach out to his father and make a plan of his own. Sally knows it will be incredible.

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In Los Angeles, Jack asks, “Who the hell are you?!?” Diane replies, “You know exactly who I am.” Jack asks if Allie was part of this. Allie doesn’t even know what “this” is. Jack informs her that this woman isn’t Taylor, she’s Diane Jenkins. That woman shouldn’t even be here. That woman died… that woman was buried. “And believe it or not, she was mourned.” Diane just smiles, albeit a tad uncomfortably. She tells Jack it’s good to see him; she’s imagined this moment for a long time. Diane confirms to Allie that she died… in a sense. She had a vision of escaping; of starting over… only none of it went as she planned. It took her a long time to come to terms with how she’d failed. Jack rages that she left nothing but destruction behind.

“All you could think about was yourself,” Jack continues. Diane insists she thought about him and Kyle. Jack tells a distraught Allie the woman is nothing but vengeful and vicious. Her fight is with him. Diane wants to apologize for all the pain she’s caused. Allie rants at Diane for coming into her father’s house and befriending her. Jack bellows that everything Diane does is for her own benefit. “There is no forgiveness, Diane. There is no understanding. If you thought otherwise, that is your mistake.” Diane protests that she made mistakes, but she’s not that person now. Jack hollers that she did it all on purpose. He’s furious she’s back and dragging his granddaughter into this. Diane connected with Allie for him — she gave him a piece of Keemo. Allie scoffs. She says Jack is right — Diane is evil! She wants no part of this and grabs her things. Diane urges Allie not to take this out on Jack — he’s a good man. Allie storms out. Jack tells Diane she is, and has always been, poison. Diane’s distressed as he follows Allie out the door.

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At Society, Lauren complains about Locke still being a threat to them. Victor vows to keep them safe but Lauren’s unconvinced given what happened in Peru. She warns her husband not to even think going in for a second serving of Locke. Victor promises Michael won’t have to leave town for the next assignment. He needs him to find a loophole to get Ashland out of Newman. Michael asks where things stand between Victoria and her husband.

At Crimson Lights, Nikki leaves, and Nick joins Billy and Lily. Billy wants to know how they stop Ashland. Nick thinks Billy should take the lead. “I think you’re the best person to try and get through to her.” Billy muses that Victor would love that — ‘Billy Boy Abbott’ saving the day. Nick vows if Billy does this favor for him, he’ll never, ever forget it. Billy doesn’t think he’s the right guy. Nick argues that she confided in him and might be more open to what he has to say. Lily thinks it’s Victoria’s fight. Nick still thinks Billy is their best shot and asks him to speak to Victoria one last time.

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At Society, Victor tells Lauren and Michael that Victoria claimed to have a plan to deal with her husband, but they don’t know what it was, and she’s in love with him. He has a strong hold on her. Lauren asks if he’ll leave it entirely in his daughter’s hands. Victor says no, and declares that Ashland needs to be dealt with swiftly and severely. Michael agrees. Lauren orders another bottle of wine. After Victor’s gone, Lauren warns her husband she won’t change her mind about him working for the Newman. Michael wonders if dancing would sway her, but Lauren tells him how awful it was for her. He’s sorry. Lauren wants him to stay safe. Michael vows to be more attentive, but for now, he has to see this through. “Ashland Locke is the person who kept us apart… and it’s time someone held him accountable.” He’s determined Locke will reap everything he’s sown.

In the café in Los Angeles, Jack apologizes to Allie for her getting caught in the crossfire. Allie marvels that Taylor, Diane, seemed to be a nice lady who bought her father’s house. Jack assures she’s conned others who are older and wiser than her. He confirms that Diane was dead — complete with her young son mourning in the front row. Allie feels she’s awful to have walked away from her son. When she asks for more information, Jack explains the boy Diane walked away from was their son. Allie gawps, “That woman was your wife?” Jack says they were never married. He waxes on about watching Kyle in pain and grieving. He’s a married man now, but that never goes away. He not only thought his mother was dead, but murdered. All of her lies exposed, people Kyle cared about implicated. “And it was all a lie!” He marvels, “What kind of woman lets her son suffer like that?” Allie struggles to take this all in and wonders why Diane chose to come back now. Jack doesn’t know, but he does know that anyone in Genoa City who knew her will never forgive and never forget.

Victor shows up at Newman Media and tells Adam he’s there to bring him up to date on what’s going on. He wants Sally to leave them alone, but Adam reports that she knows everything. Victoria’s choices in men affects Newman Media. Victor accepts this and sits down. He reveals that Victoria has a plan but didn’t explain what it was. Adam scoffs, “You don’t believe her, do you?” He feels she’ll bury them deeper. Victor argues the company is as important to her as it is to all of them. Adam feels they need to look out for their reputation and questions if Victor can trust Victoria to do what’s best for Newman. Victor will deal with his and wants Adam to stop vilifying his sister. Adam argues she was warned and ignored the signs… now she needs to be stopped. Just then, Victor takes a call from Victoria, who asks him to come to her office and bring Adam.

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At Society’s bar, Nate comes upon Ashland waiting for takeout. Nate figured he’d flee. Ashland has no reason to; he’s been set up. Nate tells him, “For God’s sake, give it up!” Locke invites Nate to believe what he wants. Nate knows the facts; he’s seen the evidence. Does Ashland really think he can make this go away by pretending it’s not real? If their friendship meant anything to him, then his last bit of advice is to stop lying and tell Victoria the truth. “For once in your life, do the right thing.”

At Crimson Lights, Lily hates the idea of Billy talking to Victoria because he’ll be added to Ashland’s long list of enemies. Billy vows he won’t let anything happen to her, but says Ashland is dangerous and he doesn’t want him anywhere near Johnny or Katie. He has to try to get through to his ex. Lily accepts this and they kiss.

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At Newman-Locke, Victoria has assembled Nick, Nikki, Victor and Adam. She announces that Ashland will be leaving for Tuscany tonight and she’ll be joining him. Nikki gasps, “What?!?” Nick stands up, “You cannot be serious.” Victoria told him they have to protect themselves from the barrage of accusations from her family. Victor asks, “So you have a plan?” He reminds her the fate of the company rests on her next move. Nikki wants to know what possible reason she could have to go to Italy with Ashland right now. Victoria asks, “Trust me, please.” Victor says alright… and then announces that while Victoria is gallivanting around the Tuscan countryside with her husband, he’s appointing Adam as temporary CEO of Newman-Locke. Adam’s surprised, Nick makes a face, and Victoria protests she can work from Tuscany, but Victor insists. “It is what I want.”

In the house in Los Angeles, Diane texts Jack, “Please come back. There’s so much more to say.”

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In the café, Jack reads the text and tells Allie that Diane wants to meet. Allie asks what he’ll do. Jack wants to pretend she doesn’t exist, but supposes it’s too late for that.

Next on The Young and the Restless: Jack connects the dots.

It’s a good time to look back on Adam’s antics through the years in the photo gallery below.

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