Jack Squares Off With Victor — and Adam and Chelsea Cross a *Major* Line

Sally walks into Crimson Lights as Billy orders a refill. They chat and Sally mentions she can’t stop thinking about Adam and worrying about him. Billy feels the same. Neither of them have heard any news from Baltimore. Sally thinks maybe that’s a good thing. Billy muses, “Or not.”

Chelsea answers her hotel room door to Adam. Neither of them can sleep so he’s brought a nightcap to calm their nerves. They sit and Adam pours some bourbon. Chelsea laments that they haven’t had a call from Connor’s facility. She wonders if he’s OK and if they’ll be able to see him again. They drink and she says she’s been doing her calming techniques but she just keeps coming back to, “How is this happening?” Adam doesn’t know, but they’re there and they’re not going anywhere. “We’re going to get Connor to the other side.” Chelsea thanks Adam for being so confident. It makes her feel like things might get better. Adam sighs about having to play the optimist again. “How about this? We have both screwed up plenty in our lives, but somehow we managed to create a miracle of a kid.” He’s the best of them and is so kind.

They drink more and Adam says if he can’t help their son, at least he can help his mom by sharing his bourbon. “This setback has been hard, and it’s taken the wind out of us, but don’t try to find a reason to blame yourself.” Chelsea quips, “That’s my superpower.” Adam tells her Connor is loving and resilient. “You did that.” She says they both did that. They toast to loving the hell out of their kid.

Jack walks into Victor’s office and slams the door. “We need to talk!” He orders him to stay away from his son. Victor snarks that paranoia doesn’t suit him. Jack says it’s not paranoia, it’s history. He’s playing his son against him. Victor says, “Your son hates you, you blame me? Get out?” Jack asks if he’ll call security. Victor will throw him out himself. Jack says that’s why he’s there. If he wants to pursue a vendetta against him, he should come for him and leave his wife and son out of it!

Victor warns Jack not to come for him after what he’s done. He recaps what went on in the Club suite. He would have let him rot! Jack counters that Victor would have let her drink herself to death rather than admit he couldn’t help her. Jack is the one who brought her to rehab and he can’t forgive him for it. Victor asks if he’s on pills right now. Jack is sober and warning him to come after him, and him alone. Or there will be hell to pay. Victor warns that if he retaliates, Jack will not see it coming. Jack fumes, “Last time. You stay away from Kyle.” He storms out to the elevator, meets Nick, and fills him in. “Your father’s playing games with Kyle. I came here to set him straight. Let’s hope for all our sakes that he listens.”

At the Abbott mansion, Diane tries to corral Kyle to talk. She says they have to put Harrison first and find a way through this anger for him. This is his home, and he loves it there. Kyle fumes, “How dare you use Harrison as ammunition against me!” Diane’s trying to think about what’s best for her grandson. Kyle wants him to live in a house full of love, not where family turns on its own. Diane accuses him of trying to punish her and his father. Kyle wonders if she’s playing the victim. She brought this down on all of them and now she’ll have to live with the consequences.

Diane tells Kyle if he wants to move out with Harrison, then do it. He doesn’t need her permission. Diane wants to heal the rift, but Kyle’s not in the mood for warm and fuzzies. He’ll thank her very soon for ripping his birthright out from under him. Diane wants to know where he’s working. Kyle asks if she wants him to turn on her the way she turned on him. That would give her an excuse to justify what she did to her own son. Diane asks why he’s being so hateful. This has everything to do with his ego. “You undermined me every chance you could… You didn’t even try to make things work and no CEO would ever put up with that kind of insubordination.” Kyle wonders if she got that from the CEO handbook, because last he checked she had no experience. Diane sarcastically says that he has so much experience that his new position is surely on a level commensurate with his considerable skills. Kyle wonders if that’s a trick to try and find out where he’s working. She’ll find out when he wants her to. Right now, nothing will change his mind about moving out of this house and getting away from her. Jack comes in and Kyle snarks, “How was Victor? Did you set him straight?”

Jack says Victor is still furious with him for helping Nikki. He’s not a person you want to pin your future on. Kyle says it’s nice to be valued instead of being seen as a threat. Jack insists he loves Kyle and only wants what’s best for him. Kyle challenges him to prove it by firing Diane. Or at least give her a demotion. “Give me the job I deserve. Right now!”

Diane accuses Kyle of being selfish for trying to make his father choose between them. Kyle says this isn’t about him; it’s about what’s best for the family and Jabot. The corporate world would finally respect the company again and Harrison could grow up there. Diane asks if Jack is seriously considering Kyle’s request. Jack is considering what will bring peace again. Kyle teases Diane that he’ll let her keep her parking spot. Jack tells him that’s enough. As much as he loves him and is grateful for what he’s brought to Jabot in the past, he won’t let him manipulate him into another corporate shuffle as a reward for his disrespect and lack of professionalism. Kyle thought he would make the right choice. “It’s good to know where you stand, Dad.” He walks out. Diane and Jack decide he’s already joined forces with Victor. Diane wants to hear about his meeting with the Mustache, but first she has to ask, “Were you actually considering his request? Is that why you hesitated?”

In Chelsea’s hotel suite, she and Adam keep drinking and reminiscing about the family holidays they spent with Connor when he was younger. They laugh about his turkey painting and Adam recalls how Chelsea went all out to make things special. Chelsea is going to dig out the painting and hang it up for Connor this Thanksgiving. Suddenly, she starts crying. “What if Connor isn’t home for Thanksgiving?!”

In Victor’s office, Nick asks his father what’s going on and warns him not to dismiss Jack so easily. Victor sniffs that the Abbott is delusional.

At Crimson Lights, Sally and Billy go over Connor’s relapse, which is heartbreaking. Billy says Cheslea told him it’s like the OCD is punishing him for being happy. Sally really wishes there was something she could do to get Adam through this. Billy agrees. He feels helpless. Sally suggests they talk about something else. They try weather and sports, and politics before settling on work. She asks what is happening at Chancellor-Winters. Billy says, “A lot.” He’s excited about where they’re headed. There will be some pretty big changes. “We’ll be making some pretty big announcements soon.” He asks how she’s fitting in at Marchetti. Sally is back doing what she loves. Fashion is a much better fit for her than interior design ever was. She feels anything is possible now that Summer’s rehired Chloe. Billy congratulates her. Sally asks him if she’s being a jerk for being excited about a job Chelsea can’t do because her son is in pain. Billy thinks she’s actually helping by keeping the wheels on so she can focus on Connor. Maybe she’ll keep her on in some capacity. Sally thinks that would be great. Right now, she just wants Adam and Chelsea to get home with Connor, happy and healthy. Billy says that’s what they all want.

In the hotel room, Chelsea cries to Adam. She was so determined to give her son the childhood she never had. If she could make everything special, he would have a great life. “And now… I mean how many holidays is our son going to have to miss because he’s in this clinic?” How many weeks or months is he going to spend there hating himself and wanting to hurt himself?! Adam follows her over to the bed, where they sit. He urges her to let it all out and she leans her head on his shoulder. He tells her how remarkable she is, and suddenly, she kisses him. Adam kisses her back and they start making out.

At Society, Victor assures Nick he’s not concerned about Jack. They toast and talk turns to Sally giving up her interior design business. Nick says it didn’t work out, though her talent speaks for itself. Victor’s sorry it failed. They discuss Victoria, and Victor hopes she returns to the company. Nick questions him about replacing Nikki with Adam at Newman Media. “I don’t like it.” They’ll have to take him out of there kicking and screaming. Victor says he’ll handle it and asks if Nick has spoken to Adam. Nick hasn’t. Victor says he got a text that Connor has taken a turn for the worst. It must be hard on Adam and Chelsea, that is why they’re staying longer. Nick shakes his head over how rough that must be. Victor agrees; this will be tough on Adam.

In Chelsea’s hotel room, Adam and Chelsea rip each other’s clothes off as they kiss passionately.

In Crimson Lights, Sally and Bill can’t stop thinking about Connor, Adam and Chelsea. Sally feels a need to be there for her boyfriend physically. Billy feels the same way. Sally suggests they take his jet and surprise them.

In Chelsea’s hotel room, Adam and Chelsea make love frantically in the bed.

At the Abbott mansion, Jack says he chose what was best for the family and company, even if Kyle doesn’t agree with it. He wishes they’d discussed her firing him ahead of time, but fully supports it. He only hesitated because Kyle’s demand was outrageous. He’s sure once he steps back from his anger, that he’ll learn from his mistakes. They hope he’ll forge a future he can be proud of. Diane worries that his goal seems to be to cut them out of his life… and Harrison’s caught in the middle. Jack feels there might be a way forward, but it depends on her. Diane will resign, but if she does it now, they’re just pacifying Kyle in his tantrum. Jack just wants her to approach him as a mother. Diane’s skeptical, but realizes it’s up to her. She can’t just do nothing. “I’m still Kyle’s mother, and I can’t let it end this way. Not after all the time we’ve lost.” She will not lose him again. Jack holds her.

At Society, Victor tells Nick he prays for Connor to win this battle. It puts their family’s squabbles in perspective. Nick agrees with him, but certain squabbles have been warranted when it comes to Adam. Victor talks unity and strength. Nick knows Adam really needs them right now. Victor says that’s why he put him at Newman Media. He needs to focus. Nick argues that Nikki needs the same thing, but that doesn’t seem to matter. Victor squints, “Why do you say that son?” He’s always concerned about his mother. This is temporary. Nick says, “Right.”

At the Abbott mansion, Diane asks Jack what happened with Victor. Jack says he admitted to nothing. He was very clear that he’s still furious about what happened with Nikki. Diane guesses she and Michael were right that this is all about revenge. Jack says he warned him to stay away from Kyle and her. Diane can handle Victor. Jack thinks they should prepare. He said if he chooses retaliation, he won’t see it coming. Diane thinks maybe turning Kyle against them was his revenge.

At Society, Nick can’t shake the feeling that something more is at play. “What aren’t you telling me?” Just then, Kyle walks up. Victor asks, “What’s happening?” Kyle’s fresh off another lesson that family is more trouble that it’s worth. Nick muses that his dad was just saying the opposite. Kyle used to feel the same way. “Excuse me.” Victor tells Nick he needs his allegiance. Nick chuckles. He doesn’t need it because he’ll do what he wants anyway. He leaves. Victor calls Kyle back over and asks him, “Why did you tell your dad that you and I were in collusion against him?”