Today’s Young and the Restless recap airs in the USA on Friday, January 5, 2024, and airs one day ahead in Canada. We post our Y&R recaps every weekday!
Last Episode
On the last episode of Y&R, Summer decided to go after Chance after talking with Sharon, Claire lashed out at Victoria, Nate saved Nikki from the bottle, and Audra revealed something close to her heart.
Crimson Lights
Sharon closes the coffee shop for the night, making sure everything’s ready for business the next day. She yawns and sits down, resting her head on her arms.
Chance wakes her up, asking where she went.
Sharon says she must have dozed off for a minute. She asks Chance if he’s changed clothes, but he says he’s been in his suit all day.
Summer walks into the coffee shop, saying she’s sorry she’s late. She embraces Chance tightly, who tells her she looks amazing. Summer tells Chance he looks amazing, too, while running her hands over him, and then she asks Sharon if she’s ready to go.
Sharon looks confused. Where is she supposed to be going?
Chance says she must have forgotten; they’re going to celebrate Sharon finalizing the deal between Kirsten Incorporated and Chancellor-Winters!
Chance and Summer leave the patio, and Sharon follows them outside, but there’s a distortion in the air, and somehow, Sharon finds herself in the lobby of the Athletic Club.
The Genoa City Athletic Club
Billy Abbott walks up and greets Chance, Summer, and Sharon. He says that it’s going to be a fantastic night; joining Kirsten’s technology and Chancellor-Winters’ content makes for a winning strategy! He thanks Sharon for suggesting they join forces.
Summer wonders why her dad hasn’t shown up yet.
Sharon looks around curiously and asks if she’s dreaming.
Chance shakes his head and smiles. He says it’s definitely her reality.
In the dining room, Sharon sits at the bar, looking over at Summer and Chance. Billy brings her a flute of champagne.
Summer runs her fingers through Chance’s hair and says every inch of him looks like a successful businessman. She says the best thing he could have done was to leave the police department.
Chance smiles and says Sharon was the one who encouraged his move. He winks at her and shoots finger guns.
Billy proposes a toast to Sharon, saying that none of this would have been possible without her; she’s a positive influence on everyone! Summer and Chance raise their glasses and toast to her, cheering.
Summer says she sees her mom and dad… She’ll be right back. She joins Phyllis and Nick, and Billy walks away to do something else.
Sharon tells Chance that none of this makes sense to her; is Chance not dating her anymore? Is he dating Summer now?
Chance looks concerned and explains they’ve been apart for a while now because he wanted more out of the relationship than she did… Sharon wasn’t ready to fall in love and said she was doing him a favor by cutting him loose.
Sharon asks if she did the right thing; is Chance happy now?
Chance says it took him some time to get over her, but she made the right call… He knows there’s only one person who’s right for Sharon. He looks pointedly at Nick as he walks by them. Chance tells her not to let Nick slip away again.
Sharon gets up and follows Nick through the lobby. She walks down the stairs to the jazz lounge, the air rippling around her as she disappears and reappears at the bottom of the stairs.
The Neil Winters Jazz Loungs
Sharon sees Nick at the bar just as Phyllis walks up to him and takes a seat beside him. Leaning in, Phyllis whispers a playful request for him to buy her a drink.
Nick says he’s waiting for someone.
Phyllis says if it’s Sharon he’s waiting for, that’ll never work; he’s never going to love her the way she loves him. She says Nick’s made it clear repeatedly… No matter how many times they get back together, it’ll never last!
Sharon turns around and walks back up the stairs.
The GCAC Dining Room
Sharon sees Tessa and Mariah holding hands and gazing into each other’s eyes. She joins their table and tells Mariah she’s glad she ran into them.
Mariah asks her if she’s confused. She probably doesn’t know which way is up!
Sharon figures she’s in a dream. She’s trying to go with the flow, but it’s very disconcerting!
Mariah says Sharon is confused because she needs to take control.
Sharon says she has; she’s successful and has finally found her niche after all these years!
Tessa says Sharon’s heart is empty. Tessa gets up and takes off her scarf, wrapping it around Sharon as she sings. Your love gets in the way of the bad things people say. My feet were broken and bleeding; you washed my sins away. My heart needed dreaming, finally… Tessa dances away.
Mariah thinks what Tessa said is bothering Sharon.
Sharon says Tessa didn’t mean to upset her… Her heart isn’t empty! She’s just not ready to fall in love again! She says Nick has brought her joy, but he’s caused her pain, too. She lost Rey and Chance, and now… She trails off.
Mariah asks what happened with Chance.
Sharon says they’re at different stages of their journey. She knows what it’s like to be deeply in love, and Chance has been married to his career for so long, he hasn’t experienced that.
Mariah nods. Even with Abby, Chance’s job came first.
Sharon says she had to let Chance go so he could find a profound connection for himself.
Mariah thinks it’s noble of her.
Sharon says she wasn’t being noble; she’s just being realistic. Chance made her feel really special and was fun.
Tessa and Adam are dancing near the fireplace. Tessa asks Sharon if Chance was just a distraction for her.
Adam says they’re all distractions for Sharon, but they all know who is her one true love.
Sharon says she’s sick of people telling her Nick is The One. Why don’t people remember that he cheated on her many times and broke her heart?
Adam walks over and sits down with Sharon and Mariah at their table. He says Sharon’s heart seemed to mend pretty well, considering she kept returning to Nick.
Sharon says she loved Nick with everything she had, but it wasn’t enough.
Tessa says it’s really sad, and Adam joins in, saying that they moved on from each other a few times, but nothing seemed to stick.
Sharon says Nick wasn’t her only love. She says she was passionate about Rey; they had an amazing life together that was cut short too soon.
Adam says her relationship with Rey was good and safe emotionally, but he wonders if it was really passionate. Was it wild and unbridled? He says there was more of spark between him and Sharon, and Adam was by no means the love of her life.
Maria agrees. He wasn’t.
Adam says he was Sharon’s dark temptation; a walk on the wild side… Just like Phyllis is Nick’s dark temptation. He says it’s not love; it’s something different and has no staying power.
Tessa says Adam has a point.
Sharon feels like everyone’s ganging up on her. She says she’s there to celebrate a new, successful business, and that’s what she wants to focus on.
Chance and Billy are at the bar. They look over, smiling, and raise their glasses in a toast to her.
Chance’s voice comes from behind Sharon, and she whips around. Chance is standing behind her, talking, and Billy is sitting down in an armchair, listening.
Chance says Sharon took a struggling business founded by a monster and changed it for the good. Now, she’s launched a joint venture with Chancellor-Winters, which is represented by himself and Billy.
Billy says the sky’s the limit, thanks to Sharon. Everyone applauds.
Sharon thanks everyone and says it’s very kind. She looks over and sees Nick and Phyllis walk in, smiling. Phyllis is draped on Nick’s arm and looks very happy.
Adam tells Sharon that it’s her dream. She can follow, or she can lead.
Sharon tells Chance and Billy that there’s no such thing as a solo triumph. Success is always a joint effort. She raises a glass and toasts to them all. She clinks glasses with Billy and Chance.
As they drink, Sharon sees Nick and Phyllis leave the club together, smiling.
Tessa begins singing, and Chance and Summer start dancing. Tessa sings: “Finally, I felt something strong and steady, and I’m ready for someone like you, finally. I’m running to someone great, who wants me to feel safe… Finally.”
Billy walks by and tells Sharon it’s her chance to make a clean getaway. He takes her by the hand and pushes her through the club’s rotating door. The air shimmers, and they disappear.
Crimson Lights
Billy and Sharon step into the coffee house. They sit down, and Billy says she accomplishes whatever she sets her mind to; she’s a force of nature! He says she hasn’t had it easy since she and her mother were left to fend for themselves.
Billy says her boyfriend left her when she found out she was pregnant, and she lost Cassie and Mariah without even knowing she had twins. She’s been through Cassie’s death and Adam’s head games, and had to deal with bipolar disorder and cancer. He says she lost Rey, who died too young, and then had to deal with Cameron Kirsten, who was a nightmare.
Sharon asks him to stop. She has a hard time believing that all happened to her.
Billy says Nick has put her through heartache, too, but that was mostly Phyllis’s fault. Billy doesn’t know why, but Phyllis is Nick’s Achille’s Heel; he can’t say no to her.
Sharon says Phyllis knows it and uses her sexuality as a weapon to get what she wants. She says when she and Nick were grieving Cassie, Phyllis wouldn’t let up… It was nonstop, agonizing pain, but Phyllis drew Nick away from her, even though they really needed to be together to grieve as a family. Phyllis knew but pursued Nick anyhow.
Sharon continues and says that Nick and their son, Noah, abandoned her. She doesn’t think she’s ever forgiven either of them for leaving her alone at a time like that.
Billy says things will never work between Nick and Phyllis; they’ll have their fun, and then it’ll be over.
Sharon doesn’t want to talk about Phyllis anymore.
Billy agrees. He says he’ll take care of Phyllis. He snaps his fingers, and Phyllis and Nick appear, laughing in each other’s arms.
Billy asks Phyllis if she could pass him the deck of cards in her hand.
Phyllis holds up the cards, smiling. She says she’d love to join Billy outside for a game.
Billy gets up and leads Phyllis out to the patio.
Nick looks at Sharon and steps over to the jukebox. He puts on a tune by Tessa and asks Sharon to dance. They dance slowly.
Sharon asks if Nick remembers when they last tried to make a go of it.
Nick says of course he does… It was when they were getting married.
Sharon says she made sure that everyone in the church knew exactly why the wedding wasn’t going to happen.
Phyllis walks in and asks if they can re-enact that day.
Billy thinks it’s a good idea, and everyone’s excited to re-enact it. They start moving furniture and getting into their positions. Billy says he and Phyllis were a happy couple, but not for very long. A laugh track plays.
Phyllis proclaims, “Ladies and gentlemen, Sharon and Nick’s fiasco of a wedding!” She counts down, and they begin their “performance.”
There’s hooting and hollering from the “audience.”
Nick apologizes to Sharon, who’s holding a bouquet. He never meant…
Sharon interrupts and asks if he never meant for her to find out. It’s too late now; everyone knows!
Billy asks Phyllis if she slept with Nick.
Phyllis says they should go outside and talk about it.
Sharon asks why Phyllis is leaving so soon; the fun has only just begun!
Billy agrees with Sharon. There’s no reason to go! It’s not a private matter; doesn’t Phyllis want to tell everyone how innocent she is?
Sharon tells Billy that Nick and Phyllis lied to both of them and thought they could get away with it.
Billy asks Phyllis when she was with Nick.
Phyllis says it happened when they were broken up.
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Billy says their breakup only lasted a few days; she sure moves fast!
Sharon says she and Nick were apart for one night; that’s how long it took!
Billy applauds Sharon. He says she saved him. He says while the festivities were going on, he asked Phyllis to marry him, but he guesses this isn’t the only wedding that won’t happen! He dodged a bullet, thanks to Sharon!
Nick tells Sharon they need to talk.
Sharon says she heard his pathetic excuses the first time he cheated on her with Phyllis, and she doesn’t need to hear them again.
Billy says he’d like to hear them… This is his first rodeo, and he wants some answers! Phyllis doesn’t say anything, so Billy asks Nick whether their tryst was a one-night stand or whether it was an ongoing affair.
Sharon wants an answer, too.
Phyllis says it happened once, and she regretted it right away.
Nick says that’s true. He asks if they can go talk somewhere.
Sharon says there’s no way in hell.
Phyllis asks why Sharon’s making such a big scene.
Sharon says she’s standing there in her wedding dress, yet Phyllis is the one who’s humiliated?
Nick takes Sharon’s arm and tells her not to listen to Phyllis and Billy.
Sharon tells him not to touch her, and she swings a fist, connecting with his face.
Phyllis says, “And… Scene!”
They all stand and take their bows, the audience clapping and hooting.
Nick grins and says that was an unforgettable day.
Sharon thanks Billy and Phyllis and says they can go now.
Phyllis and Billy leave to play another hand of cards.
Nick says he’s been a real jerk to Sharon.
Sharon asks why things always fall apart for them.
Nick says he hasn’t found what he’s looking for.
Sharon asks if he even knows what he’s looking for. She thinks he really wants to have a “bad boy” image; that’s probably the reason he detests Adam so much! Nick envies the way Adam can take on that persona so easily. She says it’s ironic that Billy can be the same way, given that he covets being someone like Nick.
Nick asks if Sharon has any insight into who Nick really is.
Sharon says Nick is Superman, the champion of all good, but he’s conflicted about his role. She wonders why he doesn’t embrace who he is. Why does he have to follow someone like Phyllis?
Nick says opposites attract.
Sharon says opposites eventually cancel each other out, and then you’re back at square one.
Nick asks where that leaves him… Where does it leave them?
Sharon hears laughing on the patio. She walks out to find Phyllis and Billy sitting at a table, laughing together.
Billy winks at her.
Nick is standing on the patio and says he never meant to hurt Sharon.
Sharon says he couldn’t help himself. At least he’s honest.
Nick says he tries to be. He’s happy where they are despite their history. He would never ask her for another chance.
Sharon asks if he’d take the chance if she asked him.
Laughter surrounds her, but everyone has disappeared. She’s alone in the coffee shop.
Sharon says she can’t get a straight answer, even in her dreams. She steps out of the front door of the cafe and dissipates into a mist.
The Neil Winters Jazz Lounge
Sharon appears in the jazz lounge and spots Summer sitting at the bar. She asks Summer if she’s seen Nick.
Summer says Nick was just there.
Sharon thinks Nick might be avoiding her. She asks if Nick left with Phyllis.
Phyllis and Billy are sitting in armchairs in the lounge. Phyllis says Nick didn’t leave with her… She’s right there! Billy waves at Sharon.
Summer asks Sharon why she thinks Nick would be avoiding her.
Sharon says it’s been a weird evening.
Summer says her father has made a lot of mistakes over the years, but it’s time to forgive him for everything. Sharon should give the guy a clean slate!
Sharon asks what Summer’s trying to do… Is she feeling guilty because she “latched onto” Chance after he and Sharon broke up? Is she suggesting that Sharon try again with Nick as a consolation prize?
Summer smiles at her, not saying a word.
Chance walks up and puts his arm around Summer, telling Sharon to quit pressuring her. He says Sharon pushed him away and had to know that he and Summer were getting closer.
Sharon says she didn’t think she and Chance were right for each other; she didn’t want to get in too deep!
Chance asks if they’re talking about him or whether they’re talking about Nick… He doesn’t believe Sharon’s given up on Nick yet. She’s still trying to find herself! He says cryptically that “the end is in the beginning.”
Piano music fills the air, and Tessa starts singing. Billy and Phyllis start dancing and are joined by Chance and Summer on the dance floor.
Sharon looks around, and suddenly, everyone disappears, leaving the sound of laughter floating in the air. Sharon fades away.
The GCAC Dining Room
Sharon appears upstairs in the dining room, where Billy motions her to take a seat.
Summer and Chance run into the room. Summer calls for everyone’s attention to make an announcement… Chance has asked her to marry him! She holds up her hand and displays her engagement ring.
Sharon looks around uneasily. She spots Kyle and Harrison.
Kyle applauds Chance and Summer, and Harrison says, “Hi, Mommy!”
Sharon asks Nick what’s going on… Why do they keep messing things up, and why can’t they just get it right?
Nick tells her that life isn’t supposed to be perfect… They just have to keep trying.
Sharon asks if they’re supposed to be together… Is it supposed to be her and Nick until the end?
Crimson Lights
Sharon is asleep with her head resting on her arms. Chance places his hand on her shoulder and gently wakes her up.
Sharon tells Chance she had the most bizarre dream…
Chance asks if she wants to talk about it.
Sharon says she wants to keep it to herself for a while so she can sort through it.
Chance says he’s been thinking about their last conversation… He’d said he was happy with things the way they are, and he’s where he wants to be.
Sharon asks if he regrets it.
Chance says it’s the opposite. She’d asked him if he wanted to fall in love, and he realized he hadn’t given her a real answer to such an important question.
Sharon says she wasn’t trying to rush him. He needs to take his time to figure it out.
Chance says he doesn’t need more time; he can give her the answer now. He is looking to fall in love and can see himself falling in love with her.
Sharon says that’s an incredibly sweet thing to say; she’s flattered he feels that way about her.
Chance isn’t sure that’s the response he was hoping for.
Sharon says she enjoys their time together, but she’s not looking for anything serious right now. Falling in love is the last thing on her mind.
Chance doesn’t buy it. He thinks she’s scared of getting hurt again, and he understands her hesitation.
Sharon says she has too much going on in her life and that takes priority over her love life.
Chance says he thinks she needs to let her guard down and keep her heart open to the possibility… She doesn’t know what life has in store for her!
Sharon says he should take his own advice.
Chance takes Sharon’s hands and says he can tell he’s with the right person.
Sharon says she’s not the woman of his dreams and doesn’t know if she ever will be.
The GCAC Dining Room
Nick wanders into the club and sees his daughter sitting alone at a table. He joins her and asks what she’s doing there all alone.
Summer shrugs. Just sitting and thinking about life, love, and choices. She asks why Nick and Phyllis didn’t work out as a couple.
Nick says they were more different than they were alike.
Summer asks if they didn’t have enough in common.
Nick says that’s part of it, but their temperaments weren’t a match either. He and her mother had some amazing times together, but they wanted different things in life and didn’t have what it took to go the distance together.
Summer asks what happened with him and Sally.
Nick asks why she’s going through the list of his failed relationships.
Summer says she’s thinking about her life and disappointments. She thought hearing about someone else’s experience could help her gain some clarity.
Nick says he’s not sure what went wrong with Sally. He says Adam was relentless, but other than that… He asks what Summer is trying to figure out.
Summer asks why things didn’t work out between Nick and Sharon.
Nick says that’s an easy one. Things were great between them, but he screwed it up. He broke Sharon’s heart too many times, and there was no coming back from that.
Crimson Lights
Chance asks Sharon how she knows what the woman of his dreams is like; he doesn’t even know, but he can see a future with Sharon.
Sharon says that may be true, but she can’t see a future with him. She tells him there’s more out there for both of them; they’re starting over fresh! They’re on the threshold of new careers, and she’s excited about it. She thinks Chance deserves the best of everything, including a woman who will love him wholeheartedly and put him first.
Chance nods and says it sounds like Sharon’s breaking up with him.
Sharon kisses him with tears in her eyes. “I guess I am.”
Next Week on The Young and the Restless
Adam and Sally toast. “To us!”
Ashley hugs Cole. “This is a face I never thought I’d see again!”
Nikki is drunk at the GCAC. She tells Lauren she can’t go home… Victor can’t see her like this!
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