Young & Restless: Christine Vows to Take Down Phyllis

Lily walks into the GCAC and spots Daniel staring into his coffee cup. She guesses she’s still not sleeping and invites him to yoga. Lily reminds him he can always call her and wishes there was something she could do to help him. He asks her up to his room so he can tell her something.

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They go to his suite. Daniel has trouble getting started and Lily guesses this must be about his mom. Explaining that he’s been sworn to secrecy, he breaks the news that his mother is alive. After he gives Lily the whole story, she doesn’t know what to say. “In what world does your mother think it’s okay to fake her own death?” she asks. He defends his mom by saying she wanted to stop it but Stark forced her. Daniel adds that she killed him. Leaping up, Lily tries not to say anything about his mom. He wants to hear it so she tells him this is no way for a mother to behave. His mother is a selfish coward. Daniel gulps. She’s sorry if that’s harsh. He’s sure his mother will be coming back one way or another and asks what it was like for her to go to prison. It was awful, Lily explains, but she couldn’t live with herself if she didn’t face consequences for what she did. She doesn’t respect his mother or sister’s choices but she respects and supports him. He doesn’t know if he can support them anymore. Lily tells him he needs to move forward and bring his family back together. A judge and jury should decide what happens to his mom. Michael can deal with the legal stuff and he should concentrate on fixing things in his family.

As they head downstairs, Lily assures him she will support him and keep this quiet. But when this comes out, there will be fallout. He’s sure no one will come out of this looking good. She promises to be there for him and they kiss.

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Diane startles Summer when she tries sneaking out of the Abbott house with an armload of bags. Summer claims she’s bringing some stuff to charity. Stopping her on her way out, Diane apologizes for any stress she’s caused between her and Kyle. She has some issues with Phyllis and the position she’s put them all in, but she still cares about Summer and is happy to help her in any way she can.

In her suite, Phyllis searches the internet for something that can clear her name. She talks to her laptop, saying there must be proof out there that will save her. Summer shows up and flops on the couch. Her mom explains she’s been searching for the EMT guy and then starts prodding her about Diane. Summer says she’s been restraining herself since learning she’s alive. When her mom brings up Daniel, Summer complains that he opened his mouth to the wrong people. They needed an ironclad defense for what she did before they let anyone know she was still alive. Summer refuses to look at this from his perspective. Her mom suggests that Daniel has his father’s moral compass so he’s stuck at “do the right thing.” If she’d raised him, he’d be more like them and only do what’s in their own best interest. Her daughter is hoping she has a backup plan that doesn’t involve disappearing. Phyllis wants to repair things. She can’t believe that she’s put her kids in the position she has. Summer makes it clear that her relationship with her brother is not a priority here. They need to focus on the mess she created. “That Jeremy Stark made,” Phyllis insists. She’s been doing a deep dive on Stark but hasn’t found anything to support her case yet. They need to think smarter. There must be something out there that will get her off the hook. “We will find it,” she says. As Phyllis snacks, she tells Summer how great she is and makes a joke about faking her death. That doesn’t go over well so she apologizes. Her daughter tells her to focus on clearing her name so she can come back to life. For the time being, the suite is her prison cell. “Don’t leave this room for any reason,” Summer orders, exiting. Phyllis smiles to herself.

Victor runs into Chance at Society. He tells him that he’s learned of what happened between him and Abby. He’d understand the cop taking a swing at him over what he said to him on their last meeting. Chance gets it. The Newman asks if the accusations against Diane are true. There’s nothing the detective can tell him about an open investigation.

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Once the cop exits, Nate saunters in. Victor welcomes him and tells him what a beautiful day this is. Nate wonders what this meeting is about and if he’s on the grill. “This is a friendly catch-up,” Victor claims. He’s sure that Nate has learned about how the family operates. Nate guesses that Nick wants him out of the company. Victor knows about his relationship with his daughter and would like to know more about him personally. Hastings tells him that he read his autobiography and it spurred him to take business courses in college. He’s always been struck by how much he’s built from practically nothing. Playing this down, the Newman claims he just got lucky. Cutting to the chase, he asks him what his plans for Victoria are and reminds him he was the best man at her wedding. To explain his position, Nate outlines why he turned from surgery to business where he learned he found a gift. Victoria’s faith and support have meant a lot to him, especially since his family has turned on him. It’s reassuring to be fiercely appreciated. He’d never undermine her or the company in any way.

At Crimson Lights, Billy notices that Victoria has some pep in her step. She says she’s just on the top of her game. They banter and he asks who has her in such high spirits. Reluctantly, she admits she is seeing someone. That’s good news to him given all the “shenanigans” she’s been through. He’s not so supportive when she tells him it’s Nate. Getting defensive, she wonders if she’s about to get a ticket from the Billy Abbott morality police. He offers to put down his sticks and stones so they chat about the kids. He’s surprised when she says it was nice that he had such a mixed family dinner. Lucy’s name has been mentioned in her house since then. The topic turns back to her personal life and she admits that it all keeps getting better and better.

Chance is in Chancellor Park on the phone to the lab. They fill him in and he says he owes them big time.

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Later, Nate and Victor conclude their meeting in the park. Nate wanders off after thanking the Mustache for the chance to spend time with such an icon. Victoria stalks over and asks her father what that was all about. He insists she was just having a normal conversation. Victor admires how driven and ambitious Nate is, unlike her brother. She doesn’t need his approval, but she has it.

Meeting with Christine on the patio of Crimson Lights, Chance gets her to sit down and explains that the DNA on the program was a match to the deceased. The evidence confirms that Phyllis is alive. “I’m glad she’s alive but I’ve never wanted to murder someone so much,” she admits. This was supposed to be her big return to the prosecutor’s office but Phyllis faked the whole thing. She can’t believe that even Phyllis was narcissistic, vicious, and selfish enough to do all this. Outraged, Christine vows that everyone who has been in on this with her will get the justice that they deserve. “Phyllis is alive and she has no idea what she’s unleashed,” she vows.

Billy stops by the Abbott house to see his brother. Jack isn’t there but Diane is and she’s bored. She asks him about business. He mentions podcasts so the topic quickly turns to her case. Billy says that if she doesn’t come out of this a free woman, it could destroy his whole family. Diane says that she who laughs last laughs loudest. She has no intention of going to prison and is sure her name will be cleared.

Next on The Young and the Restless: Daniel has a change of heart.

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