In the jazz lounge, Phyllis greets Danny. She’s not surprised she ran into him again and notes he loves this time of year. Danny agrees, “It’s nice.” Phyllis notices she only got two words out of him. Danny stammers, “You know…” Phyllis observes, “The Bug comes back into town and suddenly I’m the pariah, right?” Danny insists nothing has changed and he still admires how she’s trying to turn her life around. Phyllis smiles, “You’re just admiring me from arm’s length, right?” Danny feels like whatever she’s hanging onto with Christine, she’s projecting it onto him. Phyllis apologizes. Her guard comes up when it comes to the Bug. Danny asks Phyllis to call her Christine. She’s just had a breakup and is going through an emotional time. “So, please, just leave her alone.” Phyllis insists she’s not about that and vows to lay off Christine. She feels for what she’s going through.

RELATED STORY

Danny worries Phyllis is falling back into the old dynamic, but he sees the effort she’s putting in. Phyllis likes to hear it. “I do feel bad for Christine. I really do. I don’t wish that kind of pain on my worst enemy.” Danny teases — is she just saying what she thinks he wants to hear? Phyllis assures him she’s not the same person she was, “I’m a work in progress.” Danny muses, “Aren’t we all.” Phyllis thinks she’ll get into meditation. Danny has been doing it for years and it’s helped him tremendously. Phyllis asks, “Will you teach me?” Danny laughs self-consciously. He can’t teach her because he’s not certified. Phyllis admits it’s a foreign concept to her. Danny says a certified trainer can show her how to harness her impulses. Phyllis asks him to hook her up and he agrees. She invites him to have dinner, but Danny already has plans. She replies, “Oh, let me guess…” Danny says it’s not Christine.

At Society, Christine and Nina chat about hanging out while Chance is finishing up his investigation. They’re happy to get to spend time together the other day. Christine was glad to be able to talk openly about her feelings for Danny without being judged. Nina says she was madly in love with him and it’s not like anything happened when she was married to Paul.

Summer tells Chloe she wants to find a way that works for all of them. Chloe’s just making an honest assessment, “This can’t work.” Chelsea wants a few minutes alone with Chloe, who says there’s no need. She doesn’t think it’s possible to find a rhythm when Summer is so hands-on and there’s three of them involved. One is always struggling to be heard. Chloe thinks Summer can find that balance with Chelsea. She’ll be the odd one out and it’s not where she wants to be right now.

At Newman Enterprises, Nate gawps, “I’m fired?” Victoria interjects, “For what?” Victor levels, “You had it all planned Nate, didn’t you? Send me off to some looney bin surrounded by doctors who don’t give a damn about my health just to keep me away from here.” Nate protests. Victor bellows as he holds up his phone, “I have all the proof right here. I’ve talked to the head of that looney bin and he gave me a full report!” Nate insists he was protecting his privacy by arranging things in advance. There had to be NDAs and precautions. Victor hollers, “You are lying now, and you were lying then.” Victoria asks her father to calm down. Victor will calm down when he feels like it. He declares that they all should know this whole mental decline was a ruse. He knew full well who was in charge of Newman Media, “Didn’t forget a damn thing.” Adam asks, “You didn’t forget that your granddaughter was dead?” Nick adds, “I asked you point blank if this was a setup.” Victor booms, “I had to find out who would possibly betray me. And Adam, I was leaning in your direction, but to my relief I found out the real culprit was not you.” Victoria exclaims, “Even me? You didn’t trust even me?!”

Victor says he had his doubts about all of them. Victoria asks, “Based on what?!” Victor saw her reaction when he sat in this chair and threatened to demote her. He always suspected she’d been sitting in that chair for too long, “Power corrupts!” He says that even now she’s more upset about her position than what her boyfriend has done. Nate screws up his face. Victoria argues that Nate was only trying to help. Victor did what he had to do and the outcome proves he was right to do it. Victoria fumes that she would never do that to him or to anyone else in this family! Adam muses, “Well, maybe one person if we’re being honest.” Victoria is so hurt that her father thinks she would take advantage of him in that way. Victor saw it coming because of all the in-fighting and because of Nate. He knew someone was planning to take this over. Victoria asks how long he was planning on keeping this from all of them.

Nikki is sorry, she knew Victor’s true intentions but if she’d have told Victoria, she’d have taken it straight to Nate. Victor says, “And then, we’d never have known of Nate’s true intentions.” Nate argues he was acting in his best interests. Victor hollers that he wanted to commit him to that looney bin so he and Victoria could grab back the power that he took from her. Nate argues he was offering him the best care. Nikki tells him to stop. Nate mocks their idea of turning Newman Enterprises into a makeshift clinic. Adam says it would have protected their father with minimal risk of exposure or leaks. Nate snarks about them loving to operate in the shadows and making up their own rules. “I did nothing wrong! My plan was sound and it was above-board. And guess what? I had no ulterior motives.” Realizing that he won’t convince them otherwise, Nate tells Victor he did him a favor by firing him and storms out. Victoria tells Victor, “We’ll talk about this later,” and follows him.

By the elevators, Victoria catches up with Nate and apologizes. Nate accuses her of not having his back, “I thought we were a team!” Victoria protests, “We are!” Nate hisses that it certainly didn’t feel that way in there. Victoria is as angry about all of it as he is. Nate counters, “Not even close.” He’s sure she’ll get over it and will be fine. Victoria hates that things turned out this way. Nate hollers that she basically threw him to the wolves, “You sided with Adam! My God, if that doesn’t tell me everything I need to know about your priorities!” Victoria intones, “Nate…” Nate fumes that Adam’s plan was the perfect setup for him to manipulate Victor from the inside. “If you didn’t see that, you really weren’t paying attention.”

In the office, Nick tells his father he really didn’t put them all through this just to get rid of Nate. Victor didn’t know it was Nate and had to come up with a test to find out. Adam smirks, “You expected me to fail spectacularly. You thought I would be the one to make a power playand take advantage of the situation. You all did.” Nikki sniffs, “With good reason.” Adam says he truly believed Victor was in decline and it really shook him up. Nikki scoffs and Nick says he has no doubt he would have used this to his advantage. Victor says he’s convinced that Adam acted in his best interests and the company’s best interests. Adam nods.

By the elevator, Victoria tells Nate that her father did this to him, not her. Nate doesn’t totally blame her; it’s in her DNA. “You fell right in line, didn’t you?” Victoria insists they can fix this. Nate says it would mean taking a stand she doesn’t want to take. He fumes over Victor thinking he has proof of a coup when the details were perfectly reasonable. “My mistake was thinking you’d have my back.” He won’t make it again.

More: When will Gloria return?

In the office, Victor notes it would be one thing for the siblings to fight like this when things are going well, “God forbid there had been crisis, this would have been catastrophic.” Nick reminds him there was no crisis. Victor volleys, “You don’t know that. We don’t know that. Adam, though, knew what was at stake. He asked all of you to work together.” Nick snarks, “Well, we’ll never know that, will we, because you ended the charade before Nate could be put to the test.” Victoria rejoins them and complains that Victor should have given Nate the benefit of the doubt. “Why did you have to fire him so quickly?” Victor reiterates that Nate called the looney bin to get him out of the way. Nick nods, “He wanted to give you home court advantage again.” Nikki tells her daughter, “It was about getting you back in charge so that he could then be co-CEO rather than any real concern for your father.” Victor thinks it was Nate’s revenge on him for demoting her.

Victoria informs her dad that pretending something was wrong with him was cruel. Victor counters that her mother warned him he couldn’t risk telling Nate the truth and it turned out to be right. Victoria fumes, “You know what, Dad? Your mind may not be slipping but your instincts are. They’re worthless when it comes to Adam.” She thinks this whole game was just another way to give him yet another free pass despite all of the terrible things he’s done. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know if I can forgive you for this.” She walks out and Nikki gives Victor the hairy eyeball, “I warned you this would happen!’

More: Tyler Christopher’s soap actor cousin remembers the late star

At Society, Christine tells Nina that she saw Danny at the Club after they spoke last. Nina learns Phyllis was there and guesses Danny acted like she didn’t even exist when Chris walked in. She asks what happened. Christine says it was sweet and describes how they sat at the piano together. Nina thinks it sounds like magic. Chris says it was just so easy being with him. Nina goes on about them still having a connection. Christine found herself opening up to him since he’s a good listener. Nina asks if she’ll pursue this. Christine explains that they’re friends and she has a lot to unpack still. “I’m not rushing into anything.”

At Crimson Lights, Summer steps away to take a call and Chelsea questions Chloe about leaving. Chloe thinks it makes sense. Chelsea reminds her they’re a team. Chloe tells her she’s a creator and she has a great facilitator in Summer. She has no problem with her, but Summer isn’t letting them do their own thing. “It’s just not right for me.” Chelsea says she needs her and doesn’t want to do this without her. Chloe tells her this is her opportunity to dig in and build something. “I don’t need this.” Summer rejoins them and asks Chloe what she can do to get her to stay. Chloe says she can’t change her mind. “I just don’t think it’s a good fit for me.” She experienced a good fit earlier… with Sally. They have a rhythm that made her realize what a collaboration should feel like. Her staying wouldn’t be fair to either of them. “I adore you both but I just think it’s time for me to move on.”

In the jazz lounge, Danny wonders why Phyllis is so hung up on the idea there’s something gong on with him and Christine. He’s having dinner with Daniel and Lucy. Phyllis is thrilled that Lucy — and Heather — are back in town. Danny warns her not to try and push Heather and Daniel back together or she’ll push her son away. Phyllis reassures him. Danny tells her, “In that case, you are welcome to join us.”

At Society, Christine complains to Nina about Phyllis walking away from her crimes. She doesn’t have it in her to be D.A. anymore. Nina is giving her other career ideas when her phone rings. She listens and says, “Yes, I’m his mother. How bad is it?” After telling the person on the other end that she’ll be right there, she tells Christine, “Chance has been shot.” Chris follows her friend out the door.

In Victor’s office, Adam asks, “Just to be clear, Dad, you really are all there.” Victor chuckles, “I’m as lucid and as sharp as I’ve ever been, boy.” Nikki can attest to that. Adam asks where they go from here. Victor wants to know where Nick stands. He says that his sister has spent her life growing what he built. He can understand why she’s so hurt, “I hate seeing her go through this.” Victor does too, but he has a feeling she knows that what he’s saying about Nate is correct. “She must have experienced and seen his growing ambition for more and more power.” Nick is glad to see Nate gone but he’s more surprised it wasn’t Adam who walked into his trap. Adam fumes, “I told you we needed to pull together for Dad, it was you who wouldn’t put your personal feelings aside.” Victor tells Nick that with Nate gone he needs him at the company. Nick warns that Victoria may not forgive him, “In her mind, this may be one betrayal too many.”

In the hallway, Victoria texts Nate, asking him to call her back so they can meet and talk.

More: Remembering Jerry Douglas

At Society, Nate reads Victoria’s text and slaps his phone down on the bar. He picks it back up and responds to Devon’s earlier text asking to get a drink together, “Tell me when and where.”

More: Victor’s children face an unimaginable fate

At Crimson Lights, Summer appreciates Chloe’s candor. Chelsea asks, “So, you’re really walking away?” Chloe replies, “I think I am.” They all stop talking as they hear Sharon on the phone asking Esther to get there as soon as she can, “I really need to get to the hospital.” Summer asks what’s wrong. Sharon says, “Chance has been shot!”

Nina and Christine arrive at the hospital and Nina disappears behind a curtain while Chris asks about Chance’s chest wound. The nurse says they’ve yet to verify the extent of the damage. Nina enters Chance’s room and cries at the sight of him lying there. “Chance, it’s me. It’s your mom.” She weeps and Chance doesn’t respond.