Today’s Young and the Restless recap airs in the USA on Tuesday, January 23, 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, Victor reached out to Adam and said he’d try to be nice to Sally; Victoria makes a stand for Claire; Heather & Daniel have an intimate encounter.
Crimson Lights
Kyle is preparing his morning coffee as Summer walks in. Kyle says hello.
Summer says it’s a coincidence that they ran into each other today… They both got a phone call from their lawyers that their divorce had been finalized.
Kyle says things went right with their marriage until they didn’t.
Summer says things went more than right… They made a lot of beautiful memories together. Now they have to pour all the love they had for each other into Harrison. She asks how things are at Jabot for Kyle; she heard that Billy left, which must mean that Kyle is in the co-CEO spot again.
Kyle confirms that Billy left Jabot for Chancellor-Winters, but he says he’s not in the co-CEO spot… His mom is.
Summer asks how Kyle feels about his mother taking his job.
Jabot Cosmetics
Jack asks Diane what she thinks about the press release he’s going to send out, naming her as co-CEO.
Diane can’t believe she’s taking the job from her son.
Jack says she’s not taking the job from her son; it’s not Kyle’s time to be co-CEO… It’s Diane’s time!
Diane says she’s honored to be Jack’s life partner and his partner at work. She thinks that Kyle is hurt that he didn’t get promoted, and she’s hurting for him.
Genoa City Memorial Hospital
Claire sits up in bed as she sees Nikki. She wonders if she’s having another nightmare.
Nikki says it’s not a nightmare. Claire isn’t asleep and doesn’t need to be afraid.
Claire asks what Nikki is doing there.
Nikki says she wants to see how Claire is doing and how she can help.
Claire asks why she wants to help; Nikki has already saved her life.
Nikki says Claire saved her life, too.
Claire says Nikki has every reason to hate her.
Tucker’s Suite at the Athletic Club
Tucker opens his door and lets Ashley in.
Ashley strides in and says that, downstairs, Tucker had said she was afraid of commitment and wouldn’t let herself be happy in a relationship. She says Tucker has convinced himself she’s the one with the problem, not him.
Tucker says she’s the one who’s trying to rewrite history.
Ashley says she knows exactly what Tucker is trying to accomplish.
Tucker says Ashley seems to be trying to provoke him into losing his temper so she can prove herself right, but he won’t be baited into it.
Ashley says she’s not the one who’s playing games.
Tucker says that if it were a game, that would suggest he’s having fun- and he’s not having fun.
Ashley says he’s gaslighting her.
Tucker scoffs and asks what he has to gain by making her question her sanity.
Ashley says he’s trying to retaliate and make her suffer.
Tucker laughs.
Ashley says Tucker wants to get back at her because she changed her mind about leaving Jabot; she ruined his dreams and expectations, and now he’s trying to punish her!
Tucker shakes his head and says she never knew him at all.
Ashley says she knows him… He’s selfish, smug, a narcissist, and a son-of-a-bitch!
Tucker says he may be all those things, but he’s never been motivated by the need to inflict harm on others… And never on someone he loves.
Crimson Lights
Summer says if her mother got the job she wanted her whole life, she’d be unhappy about it.
Kyle says he’s happy for his mom… It was the right call for Jack to make.
Summer says he sounds like he’s talking to the press. Just because they’re not married doesn’t mean he can’t tell her the truth!
Kyle says she’s right… He’s disappointed, but he still has a lot to learn about the company, and if he’s destined for the job, he’ll be ready when it comes his way.
Summer asks if he’ll be happy as COO in the meantime.
Kyle says he’ll be happy. He’s working with his mom and dad, and they’re what Jabot needs right now.
Summer says Kyle will learn to be happy with the situation because family comes first.
Kyle grins and says it’s almost like she knows him.
Chance walks in wearing a suit and tie. He says hello.
Summer fawns over his new suit and asks him to show her what it looks like from all angles.
Kyle laughs and tells Chance to humor her; it’s easier.
Chance spins around as Summer checks him out. She’s impressed by the fit. Chance tells Kyle that Summer has been his personal shopper for his executive wardrobe. He’s surprised she got the fit right; she didn’t take his measurements!
Summer says it’s one of her superpowers.
Chance says the suit is more comfortable than he expected. He heads to the counter to order a coffee.
Kyle grins at Summer and says, “Somebody’s got a crush!”
Memorial Hospital
Nikki sits at Claire’s bedside and says she may have every reason to hate Claire, but she doesn’t.
Claire figures Nikki pities her, which is worse.
Nikki says what happened to Claire was cruel; she had horrible lies whispered in her ears her whole life. She can’t help but be a product of her upbringing!
Claire says she’s like a broken vase… The pieces never fit back the way they should.
Nikki says they’re all a little broken. She asks if Claire wants to get better.
Claire wonders if it’s possible to get better.
Nikki says Claire is stronger than she realizes… She has to dig deep to find her strength.
Claire says sometimes she feels strong and brave, but other times, it seems pointless and exhausting, and she feels like she’s letting everyone down.
Nikki says nobody can do it alone. She says Cole and Victoria want to be there for Claire.
Claire thinks they have to be there for her. They’re parents and good people. She needs someone who knows the whole story and will answer her question… Is she inherently evil?
Nikki says she won’t judge her. Claire was born innocent and perfect, and then an evil force got in her way. They saved each other’s lives, and that’s a good thing. She asks Claire how she spends her days in the hospital.
Claire says she’s been sleeping better. After she awakes, she has breakfast and then goes to group therapy. She smiles and says there’s some free time before she goes to a craft lesson. She says she got a new privilege, and it’s her favorite part of the day.
Nikki smiles and asks Claire to tell her what that is.
Claire says she gets to go on walks with the orderlies to get some exercise. She gets to walk through the pediatric unit, which makes her happy. She says even though the children are sick, they all smile and talk, and their parents come to visit and smile even though they’re worried about their children.
Nikki says that’s what parents do so their children aren’t afraid.
Claire says children are sick or injured, and sometimes she’s jealous of them because they have their family around them. She knows what family is supposed to be like, and she has wanted it for so long. Jordan had told Claire that she only needed her aunt in her life, but Claire needed more than that. Wishing didn’t change things, so she stopped wishing.
Crimson Lights
Summer tells Kyle he’s probably picking up that she’s pleased with how she styled Chance for his new job.
Kyle laughs. Suuuuure. He says there’s a “little something” going on between Summer and Chance.
Summer protests that it’s just friendship.
Kyle says it’s okay if there’s more than just friendship between them. She doesn’t need to ask his permission for anything! He says it’s good to see Summer smile like that again.
Summer asks if Kyle’s been smiling more lately.
Kyle says things are better for him. He says they always wanted each other to be happy, and that doesn’t have to change.
Summer says it never will.
Tucker’s GCAC Suite
Ashley tells Tucker he’s throwing the word “love” around like it means nothing and uses it as a way to control her.
Tucker shakes his head. He says he can’t control her; she’s proven she’s a force unto herself. She needs nothing and nobody, especially not him! He says he would have done anything for her, and all he wanted in return was love, respect, and above all, commitment. He wanted to be a partner with her in all things, in all ways, but it seems Ashley can’t give those things to anyone who doesn’t share her DNA.
Ashley bites her lip, listening.
Tucker continues that the idea of commitment sends her scurrying in the opposite direction, and she “ran home” when the Abbotts weren’t between her and Tucker anymore. He says he’s sad about it, but he’s over it. Game over, man! He says he’s moving on, and so should she. She needs to give up her obsession with what happened in Paris.
Ashley says first she’s delusional, and now Tucker is saying she’s obsessing.
Tucker says she is obsessing about a moment that’s not even recognizable to him. He says she needs to get on a jet, head to Paris, talk to the waitstaff, and ask them what happened that afternoon. He tells her to ask them if they remember a man going berserk, smashing a wineglass, and throwing furniture. He thinks she’d be surprised by what they tell her.
Ashley doesn’t say a word. She turns around and leaves Tucker’s room.
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Jabot Cosmetics
Diane says she might not have been there for a lot of Kyle’s life, but she can see that he’s heartbroken. Losing Summer and losing the job must be causing him pain.
Jack says Kyle is fine. Jack is proud that Kyle recognizes he has more to learn, and they owe it to Kyle to take him at his word.
Diane says Jack doesn’t fight fair. Everything Jack says makes sense, but when he looks at her “like that,” she can’t help but agree with everything he says. She drapes her arms around him, and they kiss.
Kyle walks into the office as they’re kissing. He groans and says he has actual Jabot business to discuss, but it can wait until they’re done.
Diane says they were talking about him.
Kyle says he knows why… She wants to make sure all three of them hit the ground running.
Jack nods. He says he has a head full of ideas he wants to share with them both; he hopes they’ve had their coffee!
Kyle says he did.
Jack says he’s got to get the press release and memo sent out. He leaves the room, promising to be right back.
Kyle tells Diane they’re in for a long afternoon; can he get her anything before they start?
Diane says she wants a frank conversation with Kyle and wants his true feelings.
Memorial Hospital
Claire asks Nikki what Victoria was like when she was little. She figures Nikki probably protected Victoria from anything that might have hurt her.
Nikki says Victoria loved her horses, and no matter that the animals were strong-willed, Victoria always had them under her control but let them feel free at the same time. She thinks the horses felt safe around Victoria. She says Victoria was an avid reader who would read anything she could get her hands on.
Claire smiles and says Victoria brought her some books.
Nikki says Victoria likes painting, going to the museum, and hanging out in her art studio, though there’s not much time for that lately with her work and family.
Claire says she wants someone to smile when they say her name, like Nikki does when she talks about Victoria. She wants someone to be proud of what she’s done and wishes she had a mother who loved her and showed up for her important days. Under Jordan’s rule, she couldn’t make waves and had to do what she was told. If someone had seen her as someone who wasn’t a tool or a weapon to be used, things would be different.
Nikki nods and listens.
Claire continues that she doesn’t think it’s fair, but when she thinks that, she hears Jordan’s voice telling her that life isn’t fair and that she’s not special. She says she was special for a while… She was Victoria’s baby!
Nikki says it’d be wonderful if they could go back and correct things, to give themselves a second chance… But all they have is the here and now; they have to find a way to break free of the past.
Claire isn’t sure she can break free. She says Victoria sees her as the baby she’s lost, but when Claire looks at Nikki, she can only think of the horrible things that Jordan made her do. She asks what Nikki sees when she looks at her.
Nikki doesn’t answer.
Claire sobs. “Just as I thought.”
The Abbott Mansion
Ashley comes home. She thinks back to her fight with Tucker in Paris, where he’d smashed a glass and threw his chair.
Ashley sits down and thinks about Tucker’s version of what happened. He was much gentler. She tells herself, “Get out of my head! I know what I know!”
Traci walks in and says hello. She sees the look on Ashley’s face and asks what’s wrong.
Ashley says she’s fine.
Traci says maybe she can help… Tell her what’s going on! She pours Ashley a glass of water, and they sit on the couch together.
Ashley quickly explains what happened in Paris and Tucker’s version of events. She says it was humiliating for her, but Tucker says it was a normal argument, and he walked away from it without violence. He says that Ashley is misremembering what happened.
Traci says Ashley is convinced Tucker is gaslighting her… But why?
Ashley says she told Tucker that she thought he was retaliating.
Traci says Tucker’s no “Prince Charming,” but she never considered him the type of man to pull the wings off butterflies. Is he?
Ashley shakes her head. She’s never known him to be violent with anybody.
Traci asks if Ashley is sure of what she saw.
Jabot Cosmetics
Kyle tells Diane he’s fine with his parents being co-CEOs. He’s proud of his mom for getting the job!
Diane says she knows how she’d feel if someone got a job that she was more qualified for.
Kyle says Diane needs to let it go… He has! He loves seeing her and his father working together. He says he was the one who pushed for her promotion. She’ll do a great job!
Diane thanks him and hugs him. She asks how she got so lucky.
Crimson Lights
Chance tells Summer he’s solving different problems at Chancellor-Winters than at the police department, but the office politics are the same.
Summer asks what he means.
Chance says there are people at Chancellor-Winters who have been there forever, and he’s a young upstart. People tell him, “You should have been around for the good old days!” He gets it… Some people have trouble letting go of the past.
Summer says he needs to mix vintage ideas with modern ideas!
Chance smiles. He thinks that’s a good idea.
Summer looks at Chance’s watch and exclaims that it’s so late! She says it’s all Chance’s fault.
Chance grins and says Summer has been talking his ear off.
Summer knows it. She says she has so much more to say, too.
Chance says they should have lunch so they can talk.
Summer agrees, but only if Chance promises her more gossip.
Chance says there’s a rumor that Jeff in finance and Kelly in streaming are a thing.
They laugh together.
Sharon walks into the cafe and says hello.
Summer grins and says that Sharon is Genoa City’s newest business mogul.
Sharon laughs and says it will take her a few months to achieve mogul status. She says it’s nice to see them.
Chance says it’s nice to see Sharon, too. He congratulates her on her new venture.
Sharon says they should have come to the launch party; it was a lot of fun!
Chance says that was her night to shine.
Sharon says Mariah made it a night to remember.
Summer says Sharon must be happy… She worked hard on her project and can now watch it fly.
Chance says Sharon had a hell of a party… Nobody got held hostage or spiked the punch, and that’s a win in Genoa City!
Summer says she loves that Sharon named the company after Cassie.
Sharon says she’s always felt that Cassie watches over them, and giving the company Cassie’s name motivates her to work harder.
Summer’s phone rings, and she excuses herself to take the call. It’s work. She heads to the patio to talk.
Sharon asks Chance what’s new with him.
Chance says he’s getting the feel for Chancellor-Winters… It will take some time for him to get used to it.
Sharon nods. She sits down with him and says she wants to know about him and herself… She asks if they’re “good.”
Chance nods. He says they’re good in his books… Is everything good on Sharon’s end?
Sharon says she’s great.
Chance says he thinks they handled their breakup well. He grins and says she can still call him anytime to fix her water heater!
Sharon laughs and says she’d be insulted if he went anywhere else for coffee and that he can bring whatever girlfriend he wants by… She won’t mind.
Chance says Summer and him are…
Sharon nods and says he’s welcome to bring her if they ever “are.”
Chance smiles. He thanks her for that and thanks her for being honest about what she wanted out of their relationship.
Sharon says life is too short to dance around the truth, but now that they’re “only friends” again, she has a favor to ask…
Memorial Hospital
Claire apologizes to Nikki for crying.
Nikki tells her she must let her feelings out to get through things. She admires the way Claire can calm herself.
Claire says she’s used to it… Jordan wasn’t much of a hugger, and when she hugged her, it was often too tight because she was mad at Claire or she was whispering something awful into her ear. If Claire got hurt or upset, she had to deal with it, which became normal for her.
Nikki says it shouldn’t be normal for Claire or any other child. She says it’s not the life that Claire was supposed to have.
Claire says she knows that now. She says she should get some rest, and asks Nikki to leave.
Nikki asks if she’s sure. Claire nods, and Nikki gathers her belongings and leaves the room.
Outside the hospital, Nikki takes a deep breath, digs through her purse, and pulls out a flask.
Crimson Lights
Chance asks what favor Sharon needs of him.
Sharon says she needs him not to be so awkward around her.
Chance laughs. He says he used to be smooth; what happened? He blames it on the heartbreak.
Sharon says his heart seems to be mending just fine. Not everything is meant to last forever.
Chance says they had some fun while it lasted.
Sharon nods. She thinks they’re lucky that they’re still friends. Friends want good things for each other.
Chance says it won’t change for him, and Sharon agrees. It won’t change for her either.
Summer comes back to the table and says she has to get back to the office… There’s a shipping crisis.
Chance says that sounds important. He says he needs to get back to the office, too, and says he’ll talk Summer’s ear off on the way to the car. He tells Sharon it was nice to see her, and she responds in kind. Chance and Summer leave the cafe.
The Abbott Mansion
Ashley thinks Tucker is retaliating, and that’s why he’s gaslighting her. She asks Traci to pretend that she’s writing a novel and tell her what she thinks.
Traci thinks for a minute. She says a powerful executive (Ashley) and a sketchy “lothario” (Tucker) get married, and they’re mad about each other.
Ashley says the executive had a change of heart and decided not to leave her family company.
Traci asks what Tucker wants from the executive.
Ashley says the lothario wants everything from her. He wants her unwavering loyalty.
Traci says she’d usually “talk it out” with her characters. She asks Ashley to talk to her.
Ashley says she’s unsure why she’d make something like this up.
Traci says if Tucker is gaslighting Ashley, he’ll wish he wasn’t when Traci is done with him.
Ashley hugs Traci and tells her she loves her; what would she do without her?
Traci says she’ll never have to find out. She says it worries her that Ashley questioning herself and doubting her memory.
Ashley says Tucker thinks she’s rewriting history and using their argument to push him out of her life because she’s afraid of commitment… What if he’s right?
Traci says there are three sides to every story… Ashley’s version, Tucker’s version, and the truth. She wonders how they can get closer to the facts.
Ashley says she knows of a way.
Jabot Cosmetics
Diane, Jack, and Kyle sit in the offices, talking business. Diane asks Kyle how he thinks they can increase employee satisfaction.
Kyle says they need to make sure the staff knows they’re valued.
Diane thinks they can give bonuses for faster product development.
Jack nods. He says that way, the harder people work, the better off they all are.
Diane says everyone in the organization needs to recognize that everyone else matters, too. They need to make sure everyone is loyal and trusts everyone else.
Kyle says he wants to get more interns in. He wants more university and high-school students in the labs and offices.
Jack thinks that’s a great idea. Fresh blood!
Kyle thinks they should have an educational fund for their employees so they can get degrees in business and science.
Jack’s happy that Kyle and Diane are working together. His phone rings, and he excuses himself, telling Kyle and Diane to keep up the good work. He steps outside his office and answers the phone. It’s Nikki.
Nikki tells Jack she’s in trouble and needs help.
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