Tucker Makes Diane a Stunning Offer — and Nick and Chloe Blow Up at Sally

At Crimson Lights, Daniel is texting Summer to meet when she walks in. She sees her brother and turns to go again. Sharon stops her and offers a hug. They embrace as Daniel watches.

At Society, Tucker complains about Ashley being distracted. She says it’s Diane. How can she be out on bail and living with them? Tucker says it must be karmic payback for something they did in a past life… or this one. Ashley can’t understand how she pulled it off. Tucker clucks that she’s a master manipulator. He wonders how a judge could grant a flight risk like Diane out on bail. “She knows how to disappear.” Ashley snarks, “I wish she’d do it again.”

In the park, Sally takes a call from Adam who tells her McCall is all his — Victor agreed to his terms and gave him full autonomy, including with hiring. Sally will have to talk to Chloe before she can get back to him about the offer. As she talks, Nick arrives and listens. She assumes Jill offered her a lucrative contract. Sally has to tell him something, but he has to hear her out an not rush to judgment. Nick asks, “What’s going on?”

At Society, Tucker tells Ashley it will be his mission to distract her with more pleasurable thoughts while he’s at the house… he’ll also make sure Diane’s stay is as unpleasant as possible. Adam walks in and cheerily greets the pair and remarks on Tucker being out from the burden of a failing empire. Tucker replies, “As the Buddha said, sitting under the bodhi tree, ‘Why don’t you kiss my ass?’” Ashley nearly chokes on her drink, but Adam is undeterred and tells McCall that his company is now his. “Victor knew that I wanted a challenge.” He clucks over the mismanaged books and wonders how Tucker let things get so bad. Ashley interjects that he was busy becoming a better person. She thinks Adam should be grateful he’s allowed to run anything bigger than a lemonade stand. Adam says it will be fun turning into something much bigger than Tucker could ever have imagined. Tucker shrugs that he’s let go of any attachment to it. Adam wonders if that was before or after his father paid the inflated price for it. He walks off, and Ashley grits that she would have liked to punch him. Tucker takes her hand… he’s starting to think she actually cares for him.

At Crimson Lights, Sharon tells Summer that Nick said she’s not been returning his calls; he’s worried about her. She doesn’t have to go through this without help. There’s a community of people there for her. Summer says that all the support is making her feel like she needs to take care of other people’s feelings about her well-being, it’s just easier to be alone. She thanks her for the hug and the coffee and turns to go. Daniel stops her. They need to talk.

In the park, Sally tells Nick that she and Chloe were told that Jill does not want to lock them into a contract… not now. There’s another offer that’s a sure thing that she’s giving serious consideration to. Nick asks if she’s thinking of taking him up on his offer to invest in her business. Sally says it’s actually another opportunity. Nick wonders why she’s being cagey. Sally says it involves working at McCall… for Adam.

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Nick seems irked that she balked at his offer to go into business together and would rather work for Adam at the company his father bought him. “In what capacity?” Sally doesn’t know. She doesn’t even know how she feels about it. Adam is eager to get his team into place. Nick grits that he sees an opportunity to stay close to her. Sally retorts that maybe it’s about her track record; she did a damn good job at Newman Media. Nick argues, “That’s why I wanted to invest in you.” He believes in her talent and advocates for her every day. Sally says, “Right. Unless it involves Adam.” Nick reminds her Adam always has an agenda and Victor bought the company to bring him back under control. “I’m telling you, you’re walking into a minefield. This is my dad and Adam trying to exert control over you, and you and your baby don’t need that.”

At Jabot, Ashley wonders if Jack will try and kick her out of their business as well. Jack just came to pick up work to take home. Ashley snarks that the woman who’s in lockdown must be kept company at all costs. Jack is too tired to fight. He cares about his sister and misses her. They go into the office to talk. Jack hates the tension between them. He asks, “Are you really this bitter and angry?” He thinks she’s using him and Diane as punching bags to avoid facing some realities in her own life. Ashley muses, “Okay… so what am I avoiding exactly?” Jack thinks she’s trying to avoid feelings for Tucker that she knows she shouldn’t have.

In the Abbott backyard, Tucker needles Diane about missing the prison yard and asks, “Do you want to lift weights or should we have a knife fight?” Diane tries to get him to leave. Tucker gives her credit; she’s back to the old Diane. “Although, I’m amazed you’re willing to take this chance.” Diane tells him to say what it is that he wants to say, “Go ahead. You’ve got my attention.”

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In Crimson Lights, Daniel, in a whisper, calls Summer out for her standing there lying to Sharon. Summer sneers, “Why are you being like this? So self-righteous?!” He seems to have only one goal… saving Diane. Daniel counters, “And you want to send your husband’s mother to prison for a crime she didn’t commit. How is that the solution?” Summer hisses that he wasn’t there when their mother came to her; he didn’t see the hell she was going through. Daniel states that it’s a hell of her own making. Summer retorts, “That right there… that judgment. Mom was completely terrified and she didn’t come to you because she knew you wouldn’t look out for her. I really thought that she was wrong but, clearly, I made a mistake in telling you.” Daniel tells Summer not to dare tell him he doesn’t care about what happens to their mom, “You know, she called me too.”

Daniel describes the mysterious phone call he got last night. He admits it could have been a wrong number or someone we know, who was wondering why he was talking to their dead mother. Summer needs time to figure this out. She’s researching what the burden of proof would be for self-defense. Daniel wonders if she’ll get a law degree or become a homicide detective. Chance arrives on the patio and watches as they argue and debate. Daniel wonders if Phyllis is halfway across the world somewhere reveling in Diane going to prison. Summer retorts that their mom’s focus is on getting back to them. But she can’t do that if he blows this open. If he tells Kyle, he’ll blow up her marriage too. “How can you not see that?!” She storms out and Sharon and Chance look stunned.

At Jabot, Jack thinks Ashley has real feelings for Tucker; he’s reawakened the flame. Ashley scoffs at Jack acting like an expert on her feelings. Jack points out that she always acted like she was better than him because she didn’t get involved with Tucker, but now he’s invited into their home. Ashley hollers that he did the same thing with Diane. Jack protests that they’re getting married! Ashley goes to storm out but Jack says he knows what she’s feeling. He felt the same thing when he was falling for Diane again and questioned whether he could trust her and whether the change was real. “It happened to me.” Ashley says, “Okay. If you understand that, why is it okay for you and not for me?” Jack says Tucker hasn’t changed. Ashley rolls her eyes, “Okay, but Diane, who is charged with killing another human being, is a brand new woman. Just look at yourself! You’re exhausted. All you do is deal with Diane and her issues. But you’re making better choices than me.” Jack complains that Ashley can’t even be vulnerable with him. She can never trust Tucker or anyone else for that matter. That gives him the advantage over her… he has the ability to do what she can’t — open his heart and trust. “Don’t pity me too much,” he fumes. “Save some for yourself.” Ashley walks out.

In the Abbott backyard, Tucker doesn’t think Diane has it in her to have killed Phyllis, but there’s plenty of evidence to convict her. The trial will force Jack and Kyle to live through everything she did to them all over again. Summer and Harrison too. Diane tells him this is the worst pep talk ever. Tucker says she doesn’t need a cheerleader, she needs a way out. “I can give you that.”

In the park, Sally informs Nick that her baby is the only reason she’s considering Adam’s offer. “I have a child to support.” Nick says the child will be very well taken care of as a Newman. Sally says, “This baby is a Spectra. And making sure she’s provided for is my sole purpose now.” She needs to ensure she has a career to be a strong role model for her daughter. Nick argues, “You are. You don’t need a job from Adam to prove that.” Sally says she and Adam worked well together. She needs the sense of purpose that comes with having a profession. Nick warns if she goes to work for Adam it will be one of the biggest mistakes of her life.

Sally didn’t ask for Nick’s opinion. In fact, she asked him not to rush to judgment. “Please don’t insult me by assuming I can’t read the situation.” She’s becoming an expert on how the Newman mind works. Nick asks her not to lump him in with Adam and his dad and predicts, “If you go and work for Adam, he’s going to chip away at every boundary you set until you have nothing.” Sally’s not naïve to Adam’s motivations. She informs Nick that they’ll talk later and walks off.

In Crimson Lights, Chance tells Daniel he’s seen a lot of families fall apart after tragedies like this and he really hopes that he and Summer can find some way to lean on each other. Daniel says it’s a struggle. He asks when Diane’s trial will be and whether Chance thinks she’ll be convicted. Chance confides that he doesn’t believe Diane acted alone. Regardless if there’s an accomplice, with the evidence being so strong, he’s confident that there will be justice for his mother’s murderer.

In the Abbott backyard, Tucker tells Diane she knows how to disappear, she did it before. “I can give you anything you want.” Anything Stark did to set her up with a new life, only with no strings attached. Diane smiles, “You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Or should I say Ashley would like that? And then she might invite you into her bed.” Tucker’s talking about what Diane wants. He knows how much she cares about Jack and Kyle. She worked so hard to rebuild her relationships with them. “I know what you’ve got to lose here.” Does she really want to put them through her conviction? Diane says the conversation is over.

In Sally’s suite, Chloe can’t wait to hear about their offer. Sally breaks the news that she was offered a job with Adam. Chloe says, “Absolutely not!” She won’t let her abandon their plans so Adam can suck her back into a black hole. Sally sighs, “That’s what Nick said,” but protests that the offer is for both of them. Adam made her a blanket offer and she can hire anyone she wants… including her business partner. Chloe asks, “How did Nick not talk you out of this?” Sally says he tried but it’s not his decision to make. Chloe agrees with Nick. Sally points out they worked with Adam before. Chloe retorts, “And it was excruciating.” She thinks Sally should revisit Nick’s offer to invest. Sally tells her to stop… she’s tired of everyone thinking they know better than she does about her own life.

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Chloe reminds Sally what it was like in the early days working for Adam at Newman Fashion. Sally says that was a long time ago and the dynamic was never going to work with Chelsea. Chloe says it was before she had a love affair with him. She’s going to have his baby and have to co-parent with him, does she really want the complications of working with him too?! Sally would love something cleaner but she has to deal with the reality that she has to provide for her daughter. Chloe rolls her eyes. So, she’s going to abandon their plans because Jill put things on hold. “I don’t want to work for Adam again. I don’t want my income to be dependent on his moods. And when he finds out that he can’t come between you and Nick, I don’t want to find us out the door again.” Sally grimaces and paces. Chloe tells Sally she can do whatever she wants, but if she accepts this offer she’ll be accepting it solo. On her way out the door, Chloe asks Sally to think about whether she wants freedom or to be tied to Adam in every way possible.

In the park, Adam walks by Nick, who asks what he’s thinking. He wonders if running McCall is really about business or if he’s just doing it to get Sally back in his life. Adam sighs, “So this is about Sally.” Nick said she told him about his offer. Adam asks if whatever he has with Sally is really that fragile.

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At Crimson Lights, Sharon and Chance whisper about the tense scene between Daniel and Summer. Chance can’t imagine how stressed the young woman is with her mother-in-law charged with her mother’s murder. He thinks Daniel is somehow adding to her stress.

Jack arrives at home, where Diane is looking at photos on the mantle. She exclaims that everything around there reminds her of what she won’t have in prison. Jack asks, “What’s going on?” Diane tells him that Tucker offered to help her run so he and Kyle don’t have to watch her be convicted of murder. She’s not mad at Tucker; he was making sense. Jack tells her to stop talking like that. Diane is angry at herself for wanting to run. “And even angrier that I’m not strong enough to do it.” There is nothing she can do that won’t cause him more heartache. “I never ever should have come back here if all I was going to do was cause you pain!”

In the park, Adam tells Nick he thought they were on the same page about doing what’s best for Sally and the baby. Nick says working for him isn’t it. Adam wonders why she ran to him. Nick reminds him they’re in a relationship. Adam rants that he can’t understand why she puts any faith in him. They’re not married; they’re not even engaged. His track record as a long-term partner is pretty lousy and now he’s acting like he’s in this for the long haul. Nick says it’s not an act. Adam says, “Why? Because you like her?” Once that’s over, then what? “I can say with complete certainty that I will always be there for Sally. I love her. Can you say the same?” He leaves Nick stewing.

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In her suite, Sally makes a list of the pros and cons of taking the job with Adam. She rubs her baby bump and whispers, “What are we going to do?”

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At the Abbott mansion, Jack reassures Diane. They have to figure out how Stark pulled this off; Michael is working on it. “We’re going to find some answers.” Diane thinks whoever killed Jeremy might know something. Jack assures her they’re going to pursue that as well. Diane apologizes and promises she won’t give up. She’ll stay and face down the charges. She has to find a way to make this easier for Summer because Kyle loves her so much.

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In Crimson Lights, Daniel texts Jack, “Can we meet? There’s something you need to hear.”

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Next on The Young and the Restless: Michael catches a break defending Diane, and Daniel struggles with a moral dilemma.

Want more?! Don’t miss the bonus photos from this episode in the gallery below.

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