On Crimson Lights’ patio, Jack reads out a prepared statement explaining to customers that they’re merely restructuring. He hopes it will buy them enough time to head off Victor’s next attack.

Adam protests that it was news. Chelsea questions if there was any part of the story they didn’t get right. Jack hollers that Victor is

attacking their company… they know that’s why they had to do what they did! Adam sighs. This isn’t personal. Jack reminds him he vowed not to be used as Victor’s battering ram against him. “This is a stab in the back from a friend, Adam! And I will never forgive you for this.”

 

 

Adam looks green around the gills as Jack rants about the effects of this on his employees and challenges him to write a retraction or an apology. He knows they won’t do this because they’re afraid of Victor. Chelsea argues that it’s his company; they work for him. Adam offers to tell his side of the story. Jack tells him to go to hell and warns he will burn Jabot to the ground himself before he ever gives Victor the satisfaction of destroying his father’s company!

 

Adam Jack Y&RAdam and Chelsea go over the situation ad nauseum as Adam tries to spin it. They had no choice. He knows she hates this; he hates it too. But he can’t always say no to Victor. Chelsea, with a tear, questions at what point they’ve gone too far. She’s getting to that point. “Aren’t you?!”

 

 

Chelsea admits she may be thinking of leaving. They don’t run anything! “I don’t want Victor to own our souls.” Adam shouldn’t want to go down this road with him either; he’s come so far. “You’ve got a conscience now. We both do… and it’s a good thing.”

 

 

Billy Corners Phyllis
At the Club, Phyllis leaves Victor an angry voicemail about coming through on his end of the deal. Billy appears and guesses he’s stiffing her. Phyllis tries to blow him off, but he probes to find out what Victor offered her. Did she think she’d steal the AI and he wouldn’t screw her over?!Phyllis stalks off, but Billy follows. He knows how it feels to be treated like a disposable rag by Victor. He’s there to offer her a deal she can trust and count on. “Generational wealth,” that’s the kind of deal he’s talking about.

Phyllis and Billy sit so she can hear him out. He’s already figured out Victor is reneging on their deal. He knows she stole the AI program from Cane and is hoping she can steal it back from Victor. “Name your price. Pick the highest number you want. It’s the deal of a lifetime, Phyllis. Don’t screw it up.”

More: Will Summer return?

Phyllis admits it would feel good to stick it to Victor, but questions what the Abbotts would do with it. Billy claims they’d destroy it. She wants to think it over. He warns if Jabot fails, she gets nothing. Daniel appears as Billy walks out. He asks his mother, “Do I even want to know what that was about?”

Daniel sits and points out his mother is acting squirrely. He’s sure she’s up to her neck in whatever is going on. Phyllis claims, “This hurts my heart.” Daniel can’t ignore his gut or her actions. He feels she hasn’t dealt with what happened to her and Sharon and wishes she’d back out of whatever she’s doing. Phyllis, bristling, insists she has no secrets.Changing the subject, Phyllis asks when Mariah will be returning to her wife and child. She saw him kissing Tessa. Daniel agrees that he wasn’t thinking. Phyllis warns he’ll get his heart broken. Daniel claims the kiss was meaningless, but his mother’s not buying it. He switches gears back to Phyllis being in trouble. He fears she stole the software from Cane and gave it to Victor for some sort of promise.At the Abbott mansion, Kyle leaves Summer a voicemail thanking her for Harrison’s Christmas gifts and letting her know Victor is going after Jabot. He thinks it will make a difference to have her involved and asks that she call him back. Diane appears and they discuss the dire straits they’re in.