Diane Blindsides Kyle — and Jack Returns Home to Chaos

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At Crimson Lights, Billy is on a video call with Chelsea, who recounts how happy Connor was when they saw him and explains that after they dropped him off his OCD flared. He didn’t feel he deserved to be that happy. She laments the monstrous disease and tells Billy he tried to cut himself with a pen. Billy is so sorry. Chelsea cries that she’s so scared. What if her sweet little boy is never happy again? Billy urges her to trust the treatment. He asks how Adam’s handling the setback.

Chelsea tells Billy that Adam’s been her rock. He’s surprised. Chelsea says they stayed up last night talking things through and it helped. She feels more positive today. Billy asks if they’ll be able to see Connor again. Chelsea isn’t sure but they’ll stay there in case. Billy offers to come out. He feels so helpless, “There must be something I can do.” Chelsea would love to have his arms around her but doesn’t want to pull him away from work. A knock comes at the door and Chelsea lets Adam in. She tells Billy, “I should go.” Once she disconnects, Adam and Chelsea compare notes on their significant others wanting to help… but there’s nothing anyone can do.

At Jabot, Diane leaves Jack a message to call her when his plane gets in. She has to do something and wants him to hear it from her first. She disconnects and Kyle walks in and grimaces when he spots his mom. He says, “Good morning.” Diane says that it isn’t. “And it’s about to get a lot worse.” Kyle suggests they avoid drama. Diane says it’s too late for that and hands over his termination notice. “You’re fired.”

Kyle fumes about his mother setting up her ultimate power play. She hollers that this is the result of his actions. Kyle yells that this is his family company and his birthright. Does she think she can rip that away from him with a piece of paper. Diane tells him he ignored her one time too many. “You are my son, and you know how much I love you, but to be honest I’ve had it.” She’s done with him critiquing her work and stabbing her in the back.

Jack walks in and orders them into his office. “Now!”

In Jack’s office, Kyle complains that Diane pink-slipped him. Diane tells Jack she tried to reach him to let him know ahead of time and avoid a scene. Jack snarks that it’s a bit late for that. He wonders what could have happened in the short time he was away that would lead her to fire their son. Kyle would like to know as well. Diane rages that Kyle knows exactly why he’s being fired. She has warned him multiple times to back off and yet he’s persisted. Kyle argues he’s done nothing but the same job he’s always done. Diane hollers that’s the problem. “It’s my job, not yours!” Kyle wants Jack to intervene. Diane tells her husband their son has left her no choice. “And I am not backing down.”

Kyle snarks that his mother needs a crash course in corporate etiquette. Diane fumes about his condescending attitude. Jack concedes it’s a problem, but their son is upset for a reason. Kyle and Diane keep hollering at each other. Kyle says she wants him gone because his presence shines a light on her inadequacies. Jack says she’s done an exemplary job. Kyle rolls his eyes. He has to say that because she’s his wife. They go over what Kyle has done to Diane. She accuses him of undermining her authority. Kyle argues she’s turned his good intentions into fireable offences!

At Society, Audra tells Sally about Tucker faking a heart attack in Paris. She knew exactly what he was up to. Sally asks what happened. Audra says the delay tactic worked, but they soon voted him out. Sally marvels that she actually pulled it off. Audra concedes that it was risky and nerve-wracking, but it felt good to win. She plans to bask in the victor for a while. “The best part is that he doesn’t even know who he’s losing to.” Sally asks who her investor is. Audra can’t say. Sally muses that Tucker’s a bad loser. Does she think he’ll retaliate? Audra says, “Just let him try.”

Sally’s impressed. Audra’s sure that Tucker is full of rage, but he won’t hurt her again. Personally or professionally. She’s done with him. On the work front, she has her mystery investor, who has no intention of letting Tucker ever get his hands back on Glissade. She still won’t tell Sally, but is sure they’re planning to reveal themselves at the perfect time. Audra asks what’s going on with Sally. She’s sure she’s killing it at Marchetti. Sally admits she is, but she’s missing Adam. His trip took a turn for the worst, so he’ll be away a bit longer. Audra’s sorry to hear that. Her heart goes out to that little boy.

Sally fears Adam is taking it harder than anyone. Audra asks if she’ll go to him. Sally says he has Chelsea. What they’re going through as parents is intense. She doesn’t want to insert herself in the middle of it. Audra muses that a lot of women wouldn’t like their guy spending so much time with his ex-wife. Audra says it wouldn’t be surprising if she was jealous. Sally says Adam and Chelsea’s romance is long over. Audra says Tucker told her the same thing, but every time she turned around she was there. Sally insists that Adam and Chelsea are focused on Connor. Besides, he just asked her to move in. “I trust him completely.” Audra’s always amazed when people can trust. She never trusts anyone ever. “I intend to spend the rest of my life relying only on myself.” Sally asks what her next step is in launching her new empire. Audra has to put the last pieces into place to ensure her success.

Audra leaves as Billy walks in. He greets Sally, who asks if he’d care to join her for coffee. She knows they’re not friends but their lives are crossing paths since they’re Team Connor. Billy sits and asks if she minds if he gives her a tip of his own. He warns her to be careful of Audra. Sally says people probably say the same thing about her. Audra’s been nothing but a good friend to her. Talk turns to Connor and they can’t believe the disturbing setback. It just seems cruel and unfair. Billy muses that they’re in Baltimore and they’re sitting there with no way to help.

In their hotel, Adam and Chelsea pace with coffee. She says they need to stay strong and tries to get him to eat. Adam agrees and shares with her.

At Jabot, Diane complains to Jack that she told Kyle not to finalize the Huntley deal, but he did exactly that. Kyle tells his father he ironed out the numbers months ago. The CEO called him, furious about the delay, and was ready to walk. Diane thinks he was bluffing but Kyle disagrees. Diane insists she was about to get Jabot a much better deal. Now he won’t take her calls because Kyle told him to bypass her. “How is that anything but a direct stab in my back?” Jack has to agree. “You went way too far.”

Kyle can’t believe Jack is siding with Diane. He asks his dad to look at his numbers. Jack says this isn’t about that… he’s put it out in the business world that he doesn’t believe in one of their executives. Kyle argues the point, but Jack says he’s made it look like he gave his wife a job she wasn’t qualified for. Kyle doesn’t believe this is happening. “Especially from you.” He’ll go clean out his office. Jack wants to talk it out. He should have come up with a solution and wants to do that now. Kyle growls that the pink slip from his mom indicates that they’re way past an amicable solution. “Consider me gone!” He storms out. Diane tells Jack not to blame her for this.

In the corridor, Kyle texts Victor, wanting to negotiate.

In their hotel, Adam tells Chelsea the waiting around is killing him. His instincts tell him this is all wrong. Chelsea argues the point. This has been a giant step to helping him. They have to trust that doctor will do what they’re trained to do. Connor knows they love him, so they have to stay positive. Adam says, “You really are something, you know that?” He marvels at her incredible devotion to fighting for their son. He doesn’t know where he and Connor would be without her. Chelsea says, “Back at ya.”

At Jabot, Jack tells Diane he doesn’t blame her, but he wants to know how things escalated so quickly. Diane says Kyle clearly wasn’t happy being relegated to third position in the company and started retaliating any way he could. Jack admits it seems she’s right. It wouldn’t be the first time he betrayed a family member for his own gain. He questions if they have to fire him. Diane insists this isn’t at all what she wanted, but there’s no other solution. She cries about the deterioration of her relationship with Kyle. The only time they’re remotely civil is when Harrison’s in the room.

Kyle arrives at the Club and spots Victor. He walks over and sits with him. Victor asks, “So, are you ready to accept my offer?” Kyle says he’s more than ready. “I’ve officially left Jabot.”

At Society, Sally knows this must be awkward for Billy considering how much he dislikes Adam. Billy says none of that matters in light of what’s going on with Connor. It’s impossible for him to think about how he’d react if it were Johnny or Katie. “I know you don’t have kids yet, but you can imagine.” Catching himself, Billy apologizes. “That was insensitive.” Sally knows what he meant, and she knows he lost a child too, so he gets the pain. Billy says it’s changes your life. They discuss Connor being isolated. Sally recalls how fun and smart he was. They used to joke all the time. Billy assures her they will again. Sally thinks Chelsea is lucky to have him in her corner. Billy says, “Not half as lucky as Adam is to have you.”

In the hotel, Chelsea and Adam debate whether to stay in Baltimore and wait or go home to Genoa City. Chelsea’s worried they could call any minute. Adam argues they’ll be sitting in that room and it will be pure torture. The doctors said it could be a couple of weeks before he’s released. Chelsea sees his point, but she has to be close to her son. She understands if Adam wants to go. Adam says if she’s staying, he’s going to stay too.

At Jabot, Jack consoles a crying Diane. She’s glad for his support and is sure it’s hard for him to come home from Paris to this. She asks how Ashley’s doing. Jack says she’s in a wonderful facility and seems strong. Alan seems to think she’ll fully recover. Diane hopes so. Jack says he saw Allie. They laugh over how happy she is in Paris. He relays that Abby is upset that she wasn’t informed about her mother’s situation. Diane says it’s hard to know how to protect your child even when you’re an adult. Jack isn’t ready to give up on Kyle. “Maybe there’s a way to work this all out.” Diane knows that Jack wants to turn this thing around with Kyle. In a perfect world she’d like that too. Jack says they’re talking about the Abbott family legacy. Diane says that for now, letting Kyle go was the only choice they had.

At the Club, Victor grills Kyle about leaving Jabot so quickly. Kyle lies that he realized his potential was untapped there. He wants to come and run Glissade for him. Victor asks if he’s ready to become a serious competitor to Jabot. Kyle has every intention of giving Jabot a run for their money. Victor asks again, “Why did you leave Jabot so quickly?” Kyle says he’s been thinking about it for a while. He’s been demoted twice. Victor muses that Jabot’s loss seems to be Glissade’s gain. “I like your drive, Kyle. There’s only one caveat. Removing Audra from the equation is out of the question.” Kyle thinks he can do a better job. Victor wants them to work together to make Glissade a powerhouse. If he can’t do that, the offer is off the table. Kyle agrees, but hopes in six months time he’ll see him running circles around her. Victor warns him no competition, they’re to work together. He tells Kyle to call Audra and walks off.

At Crimson Lights, Audra gets a text from Kyle saying he’s reconsidered Victor’s offer. “I’m in.” Audra sighs and types back, “Time to stir things up, partner.”