Adam Makes a Request of Victor — and Nick Makes a Stunning Announcement About His Future
Adam Makes a Request of Victor — and Nick Makes a Stunning Announcement About His Future
Adam lets Victor into his place and guesses he’s there to take a victory lap. Victor says he’s not there to gloat or to apologize. “I’m here as your father. I want to see how you’re doing.” Adam confused by his concern after taking away the business he bought for him to run. Victor asks, “Son, are you serious? You take no responsibility for the chaos you caused at McCall-Kirsten?!”
Adam sighs and admits that Victor gave him the world and he burned it down. He should have listened to his first instinct and said no to his proposal. Who was he to think he was entitled to run Newman Media. He’s forgotten his mother’s lessons and got corrupted by the Newman world. He felt Victor would never give him the respect he deserved. Adam explains how he can’t help himself from having to prove that everyone else is wrong and he’s right. Victor tells him, “You’re my son, I love you. Where do we go from here?”
At Society, Sharon asks Nick to help her run Kirsten. Everything has lined up now that Victor handed her back the company. Nick points out that his father has asked him to do a very big job and with his mom going to Newman Media, it’s the logical next step. Sharon asks, “Is that what you want? The fact that you can’t make up your mind tells me it’s not.” She urges him to follow his instincts.
Sharon sits down with Nick and Sally and details how Victoria took advantage of a tough time in Nick’s life to give her boyfriend his job. Nick feels if he went back, he could ease the tension with his sister and keep an eye on Nate. If he doesn’t go back all hell could break loose. Sharon wonders why it always has to be him who rides in to save the day. She tells him if he wants to do something good, he should do it at Kirsten with her, “We’ve always worked so well together.” Nick’s not disagreeing but he has to take time to think things through. Sally chirps, “As you should!”
Nate greets Victoria in her office. She updates him that she had an uncomfortable meeting with Nick and then confronted her father about the changes he made. She also has jet lag and insomnia. Nate’s sorry. He’s glad that she’s not still avoiding him. Victoria thought they’d gotten back to a good place and comes around the desk to kiss him.
Nate finds the kiss very convincing and tells Victoria she’s handling the corporate moves better than he would. Victoria admits she’s furious with her father, but they talked it out. The best thing about it is that Adam’s out. Nate worries that Nick will return and try to get him fired. Victoria strokes Nate’s chest as Nikki appears and asks if she’s interrupting something.
Nikki tells Victoria that she’s moved her office and spoke to the Newman Media employees about the change. They’re nervous about the upheaval given how many people have run the division. Nate is sure Audra’s looking forward to learning from her. Nikki says the transformation isn’t complete yet — they need Nick to come back and take her position.
At Society, Sharon leaves Nick and Sally to talk. Nick assures her they’ll talk later. Once alone, Sally tells Nick she’s aware of his history with Sharon and although she doesn’t have a problem with them working together, she wants him to do what’s best for him. She’ll support whatever he decides. Nick admits it’s not easy. Sally can’t help worrying where Adam will end up in all of this. Between this and losing Ava, he has to be devastated. Nick nods, “Maybe he will finally learn some humility.” Sally gawps, “Wow. That’s cold.” Nick says losing the baby was devastating but Adam has built up some bad karma. Sally stops him, “Hold on. You’re not implying that Adam deserved that loss, are you?”
Nick tells Sally of course he’s not saying that; no one deserves to lose a child. It’s just that she doesn’t know Adam the way he does or the levels of damage he’s caused him and the people he cares about, it’s inevitable that he suffers a similar kind of pain. Sally has done things to hurt people; is her suffering inevitable. Nick stammers, “No,” and wants to talk about something else. Sally responds, “OK.” She’s excited about her new interior design firm. Nick tells her she’s very talented and will have massive success. Sally can’t believe it’s a reality. Nick assures her that the minute she gives his financial team her business plan, she’ll be off and running.
At Adam’s place, he tells his father that where they go from here is anyone’s guess. He made amends with Nick and Sharon and has to resent his life. Victor wants details. Adam shrugs that they could all pretend not to know him. Victor doubts anyone could pretend not to know him given the things he’s done. Adam suggests they could treat him like a new member of the family by letting him work his way up in the business, “The way it should have been all along.” Victor reminds him he once made the men’s room his office. Adam hasn’t forgotten, although that’s not what he has in mind. “Let me put in the hard work, let me put in the time. Let me rise or fall on my own merits. Maybe I can finally change Nick and Victoria’s opinions of me, and maybe I can finally give you the family unity that you have always wanted, Dad.” Victor says, “There’s only one problem.”
Victor finds the idea of a new path admirable, but he knows Adam. His darker side will emerge and whatever he accomplishes is ruined. Adam says that this time is different, “I have nothing let to lose.” He’s humbling himself and asking to start at the bottom. Maybe at some point he’ll turn into a normal human being and erase some of the damage he’s caused. Victor will think about it. If his intentions are sincere, he’s impressed. “I’ll be in touch,” Victor says as he walks out.
Sharon visits Mariah at the Chancellor Estate and her daughter tells her that Tessa’s photo shoot is going well. She confides that she thinks she made a mistake by moving in there. Everything is unfamiliar to Aria, who is scared and confused. Sharon assures her she didn’t screw up, “Babies are adaptable… They just need to be with the people who love them and take care of them and they’re fine.” Sharon’s worried about Mariah. It’s normal to feel anxious and scared about the hearing loss. She tells her daughter that she’s a really good mom. Mariah frets that they don’t even know what she’s facing in the future yet. Sharon guesses she’s been looking up worst-case scenarios on the Internet and urges her to take things one step at a time.
Sharon assures Mariah that they’re all going to get through this. They’ll face this challenge and anything else that gets in their way. Mariah wants to believe it but it’s 24 hours a day of “what ifs”. What if the surgery doesn’t work? What if Aria is permanently deaf? Mariah knows she needs a distraction and asks Sharon to tell her about the business. Sharon grins, “Well, it’s funny that you ask about that.”
Mariah’s stunned and happy to hear that Victor gave back Kirsten with no strings attached. Sharon is counting on her to work with her. They embrace. Mariah asks how Adam fits into all of his. Sharon says, “He doesn’t.” Mariah breathes, “Thank God.” Sharon’s doing this strictly on her own… unless she’s lucky enough to have Nick by her side.
Victor joins Nikki and Victoria at Newman Enterprises. None of them have heard from Nick. Nikki suggests that if Nate is the stumbling block for their son, he should step down from his position. Victor understands why she would suggest that, but he wants to see what Nick has to say first. Victor and Victoria leave for a meeting and Nikki asks Nate what he would have done if Victor had agreed with her about him stepping down.
Nate guesses Nikki wants to know if he’d have made the noble gesture of stepping down right then and there. Nikki would remove “noble” from the quotient, but yes. Nate would step down if Victor and Victoria asked him to — he doesn’t want to be where he’s not appreciated ever again. Nikki muses, “Always so smooth.” Nate asks what he has to do to convince her that he’s sincere. Nikki says, “You could step down of your own volition. Be proactive and don’t wait for Victor to request it. Then I might believe you’re sincere.”
In the park, Nick thinks back to him joining Newman Enterprises with Victor for the first time. Victor told him it was one of the proudest moments in his life. He then flashes to him and Sharon buying the coffee house. Adam happens along and says, “You look like a man with a lot on his mind.” Nick says, “Yeah, and it’s all thanks to you, Adam.” Adam congratulates him on going back to Newman and insists he’s truly, truly sincere. Nick muses, “OK, so this is the new humble, Zen Adam I’ve been hearing so much about.” Adam relays that he just spoke to their father. Nick mocks, “What did you do? Tell him you were going to change and be a better you?” Adam says yes and explains that he offered to work his way up. Nick figures their father bought it; he’s his biggest fan, “If anybody has eternal hope for your redemption, it is our father.” Adam’s not so sure about that.
Nick tells Adam they’ve been on good terms and then, like clockwork, he blows it all up. He thinks it would be nice to have a brother he could count on. Adam insists things have changed for him. In a strange way, Victor has set the stage for them to figure out who they are and what they want, “Maybe that was his plan all along.”
Sally enters her suite, plunks down her purse, and sighs. She picks up some sketches she’s been working on and suddenly gets an idea. She makes some changes. She’s still working when a knock comes at the door. In the peephole, Sally sees it’s Adam, so she fluffs her hair and lets him in. He notices her sketches and marvels that she’s starting her own empire. Sally’s taking it one step at a time. Adam’s happy for her; she needed this. He predicts that she’ll knock it out of the park. Sally is worried about him; he needs something too. Adam has a plan and he’s real close to making it happen, “Just one step at a time.”
At Newman, Nate tells Nikki he doesn’t see any point in stepping down now until they see what Nick is going to do. Nikki guessed he’d say that. Victor and Victoria return to the office, followed by Nick, who has news about his future at the company, “I’ve decided to help Sharon rebuild Kirsten. I’m not coming back to Newman.”
Next on The Young and the Restless: Billy loses his cool, Nate gives Audra unsolicited advice, and Kyle meets with Nikki.
