Diane Butts Heads With Both Nikki *and* Kyle — and Audra’s Secret Investor Is Revealed

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At Chancellor-Winters, Lily tells Billy she can’t go for a drink, she has too much to do. Billy notes she’s been staring off into space and says he brought happy hour to her. “Let me buy you a drink.” Lily complains he’s ignoring her subtle hints to go away. Billy persists and has her favorite potato chips. She laughs that he’s ruthlessly charming. Billy is hoping to convince her that what he wants is best for the company and for her. He knows that she knows that his proposals are the way to go.

Lily asks about Jill. Billy says Snapper told him she’s going through treatment and it’s been difficult, but it’s going well. He says he decided not to tell Jill that Lily knows about her heart condition because she swore him to secrecy and he doesn’t want to add to her stress. He told Lily because he knows how much she cares about her and so she’d understand why he wants to add Abbott to the company’s name. Lily wants him to be honest with Devon, who can be discreet. Billy says the timing’s not right. Lily insists his best chance of convincing Devon and the board is to come clean about what’s going on. Billy says the proposal he’s going after is valid. It’s the right thing to do and takes nothing away from them. It’s important he can make this happen.

In Paris, Tucker asks Audra, “Where is this coming from?” Has she not heard a word he’s said? He never stopped loving her and has shut the door on Ashley. They can have the life and future they want. Audra will have the future she wants, and the best part is that it won’t contain him. “Do you have any idea how many times you burned me?” There was never any room in the relationship for anything other than what he wanted. Tucker protests; he’s ready to commit. Audra tells him this is business. Tucker loves her and wants a life with her. “You are all I want.” Audra thinks that might be true in that moment, but going forward, there will be some shiny new object that’s more important, “And they have my sympathies.” She tells him, “This is what losing feels like, and it’s only going to get worse.”

Tucker complains that this isn’t her. Audra argues the point. She doesn’t care what he thinks. Tucker asks about her “angel” investor. Audra wouldn’t call them an angel. Tucker asks, “Who is this?” Audra wants it to be a surprise. Tucker is willing to give her the company, so why does she want to work for someone else. Audra will be working with someone else, not for them, and points out there’s always a catch to his offers. Tucker tells her it’s not going to work. Audra says it already is. She’s going to live her life on her terms, and taking Glissade away from him is the perfect consolation for everything he’s put her through. She storms out and hits the elevator button. He follows and tells her to consider him put in his place. “Can we move on now?” Audra is sick of repeating herself. She’s moved on.

Diane walks into Society and hears Jack telling someone on the phone that he will always be there for them. She fumes until she learns it was Traci. Jack assures her he won’t be Nikki’s sponsor, but he’ll continue to talk to his friend whether she and Victor like it or not. Diane apologizes. She understands how important the friendship is and wouldn’t get in the way of that. Jack snarks that’s as long as she doesn’t call too often, or they don’t want to go to meetings together. Talk turns to Ashley, and Jack updates that she’s settling in at the clinic with Alan’s help. Diane says she asked Kyle to join them, but he turned her down again. He’s either avoiding her or going behind her back at work. Jack questions how she hasn’t resolved these issues yet. Diane’s tried, but she’s starting to think their son doesn’t want to fix the problems at all.

Jack complains that they can’t even get along at home. Diane says the only help Kyle is offering her is to help her out of her job. He undermines her at every turn and speaks down to her. It’s like he’s trying to break her and force her to quit. Jack thinks she’s being a little dramatic. Diane tells her husband about Kyle going behind her back on the Foley deal. Jack finds this troubling. Diane says he goes to great lengths to show her up. If there’s one thing she can tell, it’s when someone is out to get her. Just then, Nikki walks in. Diane sighs.

Victor invites Kyle to join him for a drink at the Club bar, but the Abbott has to get back to Harrison. Victor asks how the boy’s doing and is pleased to know he’s rebounding. He tells Kyle he has something he’d like to discuss with him. He asks about Claire, and Kyle says he couldn’t ask for a better fit as a nanny for Harrison. Summer sees how happy their son is with her. Victor says it’s important for him to know this. Kyle says Cole’s also looking out for her and asked him to get together for a beer. Victor asks, “How is your family doing?” Kyle says they put the fun in dysfunction. Victor questions him about answering to his mother when she’s just learning the job. He thinks he’s wasting his time at Jabot. Victor gets the sense he’s not quite happy there and wonders if it’s time to consider a change. Kyle asks, “What did you have in mind?”

At Chancellor-Winters, Lily sighs, “OK, let’s just say for argument’s sake we add Abbott to the company name, then what?” Billy replies, “Phase two is you and I take over.” Lily muses, “Here we’re at the ego part.” Billy says it’s best for the company. Victor is right about one thing; you need strong leadership at the top; a definitive voice. They are the singular vision. Lily thinks he has no shame at all. She complains about him trying to hi-jack Devon’s company and his position. Billy doesn’t see anything wrong with it. Lily points out the hypocrisy in wanting to honor Jill’s work, but not Devon’s. “Or do you just not care?

In Paris, Tucker asks Audra to take a step back and consider what she’s doing. She knows what she’s doing. He’s lost twice, Glissade and her. Tucker says she can walk away from him, but he won’t let her walk away with his company. Audra already has. Tucker’s talked to the board, who are remaining loyal to him. Audra muses, “And it’s not at all possible that they told you want you wanted to hear, and said what I wanted them to say. Is it not possible after all these years of watching you in action, I’ve been one step ahead of you all this time?”

In the Club, Victor tells Kyle that there’s always an opportunity for bright young executives at Newman. Kyle has been there and done that and parted under less than stellar terms. Victor says that’s water under the bridge. He senses he’s not fulfilled and there’s always room for someone like him at his company.

At Society, Nikki walks over to Jack and Diane and tells the latter she owes her an apology for that night. Jack excuses himself to take a call and Diane has more to say to Nikki. “Join me.” Nikki guesses she hasn’t entirely forgiven her. She knows she was upset when she asked Jack to continue as her sponsor… it wasn’t hard to read between the lines. Diane asks, “Can you blame me?” Nikki knows if must have been terrible knowing Jack nearly died and how far he’d go for a friend she’d rather he didn’t have. She hopes their marriage isn’t suffering any after effects. Diane snarks that she and Jack are solid. “I just hope that what happened that night doesn’t have any lingering effects on your marriage.”

Nikki sniffs that she and Victor are just fine. Why would she think otherwise. Diane says she ran into Victor and they agreed that Jack sponsoring Nikki was a terrible idea. Nikki argues that Jack helped her. Diane snarks, “It’s not like anyone had to die right?” Nikki insists she and Victor are happier than ever, so why don’t they go to their respective corners and avoid a family feud. Diane wishes her nothing but the best. Nikki sniffs, “How very kind of you.” Diane suggests she try leaning on her own husband now. If they’re happier than ever, she shouldn’t feel the need to constantly seek out an old friend. Nikki says her friendship with Jack isn’t subject to her approval. Diane warns if a line were to be crossed there would be a problem. Jack returns and Nikki takes off. He asks Diane, “What did I miss?” Diane says everything’s fine. She wants a nightcap, but Jack has to leave town.

At Chancellor-Winters, Billy tells Lily that the problems at the company are because of his Devon and his inability to work with anyone else. Lily replies, “And your solution is just to cut him out?” Billy says they just need to manage him. Lily calls this arrogant. Billy says it’s good business and he can convince the board with her help. Devon will still be there, just in a different capacity. Lily can get on board with the name change, but the rest feels like a power grab. She thinks he’s trying to make a point to his family. Billy asks if she’s afraid to take the leap with him and go after something she knows she deserves.

In Paris, Audra goes into the elevator and Tucker jumps in after her to ask how she pulled this off. Audra says the board knows she can get things done but he’s nothing other than a name on emails. Tucker alludes to letting her run the show. Audra thinks he needed someone to hide behind because his name is toxic. “I own it. I know what I want, and I commit 100% at all times to getting it. You, you don’t know how to commit to anything, Tucker.” He always seems to want what is just out of reach. “Ashley, Devon…” When they give him a chance, he lets them down. “Nothing and no one will ever be as important as your fragile little ego!” Tucker tells her she’s broken his heart. She snarks, “That would require you to have one.”

At the Abbott mansion, Diane complains to Jack about his last-minute trip. Kyle comes down the stairs and they ask why he couldn’t join them for dinner. He tells them about Harrison finding Claire’s wallet and taking it over to her before coming home to hang with Harrison. Diane’s unimpressed. Kyle tells her some people consider spending time with their child a very important thing. Diane says that’s not what she meant and asks if it’s really that hard to spend time with her. They need to find a way to work through this tension!

Kyle doesn’t feel like starting up this argument. Diane snarks that it never ends. Kyle says they’re not going to agree. Diane argues they’re family and have to find a way to work together. Kyle says she dragged it through the front door. Jack intervenes and Kyle says his mother doesn’t understand that he’s trying to help her; cover for her when she’s in over her head. Jack wants him to show some respect and asks if he went behind her back on the Foley deal. Kyle looks at his mother and asks, “Really?” He tells his father it’s business. Diane asks Kyle to stop sabotaging her and tell them how he really feels. Kyle thinks his mother wants him to be the bad guy and storms upstairs.

At Chancellor-Winters, Lily says this isn’t about fear, it’s about doing what’s best for the company and that means being loyal to her family. Billy says it’s holding her back and holding the company back. They were good at Chance Comm and can do that on a bigger scale. How can she not be excited about that? Lily says this is just another high for him and he’s gambling with her family’s company. Billy denies it and insists it’s their time. What does he have to do to convince her it’s best for Chancellor-Winters?

In Paris, Tucker updates his assistant, Anne, on Audra’s end run at Glissade. She asks what he’ll do. Tucker asks her to call each member of the board and claim that Audra got to her and convinced her to join her. See if she can find out if there’s any truth to her claims. He also wants her to find out who is willing to spend a fortune to steal Glissade out from under him.

In her suite, Audra stands on her terrace and thinks. Her phone rings and she answers it. “Thank you for getting back to me so quickly. Everything is set for tomorrow morning. Tucker is guaranteed to be the lone vote against selling.” If everything goes according to plan, Glissade will be theirs.

On the other end of the call, Victor tells Audra she’s done a wonderful job. He looks forward to a very, very productive partnership with her as the head of Glissade. Together they’ll be a formidable team and create a cosmetics company that will crush whatever comes their way.