Chance Gets Phyllis’ Toxicology Report — and Christine Stuns Lauren With News About Paul

In the hotel room, Phyllis looks at a news report about her memorial service on her phone and sighs.

Lauren meets Christine at Society. The DA asks, “How are you?” Lauren is all cried out and can’t believe Phyllis is gone. “This never should have happened.” Chris agrees and excuses herself to take a call from Chance. He tells her Phyllis’ tox screens came back and she was poisoned. “This is officially a homicide investigation,” he declares Chris tells him to make her a case and she’ll take it from there. She rejoins Lauren, who shows her a photo of her and Phyllis at a girls’ spa day. “I will never understand why the universe chose now to take Phyllis.”

On Crimson Lights’ patio, Summer walks in and tells Chance she needs his help. “You and I are going to expose my mom’s murderer. She’s convinced her mother’s death wasn’t an accident. Chance says they’re investigating every possibility. Summer wonders if Jeremy married Phyllis for her money and then killed her and blurts that Diane has got to be involved — their feud has been going on for decades. “She had years to plot her revenge. She threatened my mom’s life the night she died.” Chance warns that Summer could compromise the case. Summer tells him to come to the memorial service to see who shows up. “Watch the mourners’ reactions. Study their behavior. Watch Diane.” She rants that her mother tried to warn them and they wouldn’t believe her. “Watch Diane, find the evidence, and make her pay.” Chance stops Summer and says there’s something she should know.

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At Newman Enterprises, Victoria finishes a business call as Nick walks in. She’s surprised he’s not with Summer. Nick says she keeps telling him to back off. Victoria suggests he give her some space but also keep an eye on her. Nick figures she’s going all in as a coping mechanism. Talk turns to business and Victoria says she’s waiting on a whale of a deal. There are more lucrative fish in the sea than McCall Unlimited.

At Devon’s place, he and Tucker ruminate about Phyllis’ sudden death and not taking the time you have with loved ones for granted. Devon offers Tucker an apple juice and he asks, “Is it a good vintage?” Talk turns to Devon buying McCall Unlimited and Tucker’s son tells him that he’s decided to work with Lily again. “I will not be buying McCall.” Tucker asks if he has anything stronger than apple juice. Devon knows it’s not what he wants to hear but it is what it is. Tucker says it’s terrific that he and Lily have mended fences but does he really think there will be lasting peace with the company going public? Devon relays that Jill’s decided to keep it private. Tucker tells Devon he could still purchase McCall and have something on the side. Devon doesn’t want anything on the side and tells Tucker that Jill said she’d buy his company… if he’s not included in the deal.

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At Society, Lauren goes on about Phyllis and looking forward to growing older with her friend. Christine reflects on how heartbreaking it is to lose someone. “You miss the future that you expected to share together.” Lauren doesn’t think they’re talking about Phyllis anymore and asks, “Are you ready to talk about what happened with Paul?” Christine cries, “Paul and I had something really special for a really long time. But now that time has come to an end.”

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Later, Nikki and Victor arrive at Society and Nikki remarks on how torn up Lauren is over Phyllis. Victor crabs about Victoria’s disloyalty. Nikki argues she was making a sound business decision. Victor complains she refused to buy McCall simply because she doesn’t want Adam at the helm. Nikki can see he’s upset but is glad he’s letting their daughter run Newman as she sees fit.

At Newman, Victoria tells Nick that the McCall deal was more trouble than its worth. Nick told her that in the beginning. Victoria snips, “You’re right. I should have listened to you. Moving on.” Nick asks how Victor took the news. Victoria says he’s making his disapproval very clear. She told him he can buy Adam the company with his own money if he likes.

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At Devon’s place, Tucker tells his son he wants to sell to him. “You’re my son. I know you don’t have much loyalty to me, but I want to be part of your life and my grandson’s life.” He continues on to say that Devon needs McCall. “You’re a lone wolf like me and work best when you’re calling the shots.” Devon tries to extricate himself from the conversation and restates that he’s not buying his company. He urges Tucker to keep showing him he’s changed. Tucker fumes, “I have changed!” Devon has somewhere to be.

At Crimson Lights, Chance tells Summer he can’t have her sniffing around like Nancy Drew and messing up the case. She urges him to just tell her what’s going on. Chance informs her that the toxicology report showed a lethal amount of poison in her mother’s blood. Summer reels. “Someone did that to her and watched it happen.” She insists it was Diane — they were alone in a suite. Chance understands it’s a lot to take in, but he has to insist she keeps this between them. If the truth gets out it could hinder his ability to find evidence. Summer wants his promise that he’ll be at the memorial service. “If you want to find my mom’s killer, that is where you need to be.” She tells Chance she’ll send him the details when the time is right. Chance will see what he can do.

At Society, Victor thinks Nikki is gently suggesting he not interfere with Victoria. Nikki knows he’ll stay out of their daughter’s way because that’s the smart thing to do. Victor says Adam needs his full attention and is his priority.

Across the room, Lauren asks Christine to tell her what happened. Chris says things have been off between them for months, maybe longer. Paul was frustrated with work and the build-up to get to the decision to retire was intense. At Christmas they went away to see if they could fix things and not long after they realized they couldn’t. Lauren is sorry and is glad Christine opened up to her about it. She and Michael are there for her. Christine cries and nods. “Thank you.”

Chance finds Jeremy in Phyllis’s suite at the GCAC. Stark insists Diane is responsible for Phyllis’s death. “I don’t know how but she did something.” He wants to know Chance’s next steps since he’s her husband. Chance announces he’d actually like to ask him some questions.

At Society, Devon arrives to meet Victor, who guesses he’s wondering why he asked him to meet. He asks for an update on Dom and Chancellor-Winters. Devon says Dom is going great and he’s decided to give his partnership with Lily another try. He realizes Victor ponied up the money to get Jill to forget about the IPO. Victor admits it. Devon asks, “Did you invest for the reason I think you did?” He wonders if Victor invested to keep him from buying McCall Unlimited.

At Newman, Victoria and Nick bicker about Victor going out of his way to help Adam. Talk turns to Summer. Victoria tells him no matter what she says she’s never needed him more.

In Phyllis’s GCAC suite, Chance asks Jeremy if he’s aware Phyllis signed a new will and that he stands to inherit a large portion of her estate. Stark claims he’s not worried about paperwork and finances. Chance guesses he married her for money and terminated his new bride to get his hands on it. “Framing Diane at the same time… that’s even better, right?”

Nikki arrives at the Abbott house to see Summer, who asks her grandmother what she’s doing there. Nikki says even the strongest people need someone to lean on at times like this and hugs her. Summer tells her she has the memorial covered. “It’s got to be perfect.” The doorbell rings — it’s Nick. He says Victoria made him track her down. Summer’s unimpressed. Nick says she doesn’t need to put a brave face on and urges her to cry. She says she’s not sad she’s furious. “I wish that I could make you understand.” Nikki assures her they’ll get through this.

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In Phyllis’s GCAC suite, Jeremy tells Chance, “I would never cause Phyllis harm.” Chance scoffs about their deep and abiding love and asks how they met. Jeremy says they were two lonely souls rejected by polite society. Phyllis thought he could protect her from Diane. “She believed that Diane was more afraid of him and that she would keep her distance.” He claims Phyllis saw what no one else would — Diane is dangerous. She tried to warn her family and friends. Diane wanted to silence Phyllis and the only way was to destroy her. Jeremy exits so as not to get in the way of Chance’s work.

At Society, Victor and Devon toast to him returning to Chancellor-Winters. Devon tells him that he’s not going to buy McCall — his heart’s not in it and he doesn’t trust Tucker. Victor admits he was hoping for this outcome and they toast again.

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In Phyllis’s GCAC suite, Chance pokes around and spots something under a chair. He picks it up and bags it as a knock comes at the door — it’s Jeremy asking, “What did you find?” Chance reminds him he’s not in the loop. Stark complains he should be searching Diane’s room. He wants someone to pay for what his wife went through. He informs Chance that he can check his room as well. “This time do it better. Get the truth and make it stick.” Chance sees him out and then looks at the evidence he collected — a bottle of strychnine. He calls it in.

At the Abbott house, Summer is glad Nikki and Nick came over — it’s inspired her to get the memorial done. “I just need to nail down the important part — the location.” Nick asks what’s so important about the location.

In the hotel, Phyllis learns her memorial will be at the jazz lounge thanks to a news report. She wonders, “What are you up to, Summer?”

Next on The Young and the Restless: Danny keeps a secret from Daniel.

ICYMI: Look back on Lauren Fenmore’s 40th anniversary in the gallery below.

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