Adam publishes a hit piece on Billy

Claire found Kyle at home. He was upset about watching his parents implode in front of half of Genoa City. Kyle told Claire that it was hard to see his dad attack Diane and wished he could forget it ever happened. Harrison entered the living room dressed as a cowboy and dared Kyle and Claire to catch him. They all ran outside and played together.

When they returned inside, Kyle sent Harrison to have a bath. Kyle told Claire that, once again, she got him out of his head and made him smile. He told her that she made him forget “all the crap” going on in his life and said that she brightened his day. Claire didn’t know how to help Jack and Diane but knew she had never seen Jack as angry as she had at the club. Kyle thought his parents might be past the point of return.

“I don’t know how we got here, or I do, but I don’t know how to handle it,” Kyle admitted to Claire. He said his father had always been his rock and his example of everything he wanted to be. Kyle lamented how he hadn’t seen it coming when his parents turned on him and pushed him out of Jabot, then made him feel like the bad guy. “My mother saying I failed as a son, and my father saying I’m a disappointment, it hurts like hell,” Kyle added.

Kyle thought that if he’d gotten away from his parents, he could find a way to heal, but the argument he witnessed between them at the club ripped open old wounds. Kyle couldn’t believe his dad accused Diane of being a golddigger and never loving Kyle. “The love that we have always had, if it’s not there and it was always a lie, then what else is there?” Kyle wondered. Claire hugged Kyle to comfort him.

At the Athletic Club, Adam told Victor he was doing follow-up media posts to smooth over Audra’s departure from Glissade. Adam reiterated where he drew the line attacking Jack. “But you don’t mind bringing down Billy,” Victor noted. Chelsea interrupted by bringing Connor’s shin guards for a game and handed them to Adam. Victor gave their co-parenting his nod of approval.

While Adam was gone to put the guards in his car, Victor told Chelsea that he had watched her become a remarkable woman and a great mother. Victor said he knew that Chelsea and Billy had broken up. He added that Sally was never right for Adam. “You are right for him. That’s all I’m going to say,” Victor said before walking away.

When Adam returned, Victor was gone. Chelsea wanted to know if Adam had told Victor about her and Billy breaking up, and Adam admitted that he had. He added that Billy and Sally had been seen hanging out all over town, and they had obviously gotten close. Chelsea told Adam that despite everything, Sally’s feelings ran deep, and just because Adam hurt Sally didn’t mean she stopped caring about him. Adam was certain that he and Sally were through.

Chelsea maintained that she wanted Billy in her life. Adam suggested it was time for them both to move on. “With each other? I know in my heart it would only end in disaster,” Chelsea said. She pointed out that she and Adam might survive another horrible ending, but Connor couldn’t. Adam assured Chelsea he would not risk Connor’s well-being if he didn’t truly believe they could be a family.

Chelsea admitted she did have feelings for Adam but said the kind of love they had almost destroyed them. Adam argued that they had grown and had become better people worthy of finding love again. Chelsea gently touched Adam’s cheek as she made it clear they were never getting back together, then left the club.

At Chancellor Park, Nate asked if Devon would consider hiring Audra Charles. Nate said that Audra was creative and resilient and would be an asset to the company. Nate noted that Audra had been smart enough to wrestle Glissade from Tucker. Devon said there was “no way in hell” that he would hire her.

Devon warned Nate that whatever his situation with Audra was, he was setting himself up for trouble. The two men agreed that Nate knew how to take care of himself. Devon told Nate he just didn’t want to see him hurt. They both expressed gratitude that Nate worked at Winters and wanted him to continue. Devon said that he needed Lily to give up on Chancellor and work with them, but Nate thought she was too stubborn.

After Nate left, Victor walked through the park. He stopped to ask Devon if he was looking forward to the wedding. Devon asked how Victor could act like everything was cool between them. “Isn’t it?” Victor said, surprised. “You used my sister to get what you wanted and then screwed her over, so how do you figure it’s cool?” Devon asked.

“The problem is you promised Lily a job you had no intention of giving her,” Devon told Victor. Victor said that he wanted Lily to forget about running Chancellor Industries and wanted her to join Devon at Winters instead. “That’s what your father would want,” Victor added. He told Devon he was trying to talk Lily into it and wanted Devon to help him.

At Society, Lily tried to have another meal alone but Audra saw her and took a seat. She told Lily that they needed to talk as they were both screwed over by the same person. Audra brought Lily up to date about Victor being the investor of Glissade, and how he betrayed and fired her.

Audra said that Lily had a step up in life thanks to her father, Neil. Audra asked Lily if she knew what it was like to have to claw and scrape to get ahead. “I worked hard to get where I am,” Lily said haughtily. “Where is that? Jobless? Humiliated?” Audra asked. She pointed out that Lily was eating a salad alone instead of running Chancellor.

Lily told Audra that instead of cheating and stealing companies, she should trust her gut and use that to succeed. “Stop talking about what you want and take what’s yours,” Lily advised. Audra was surprised that Lily would cheerlead for her. “I’m talking to myself as much as you,” Lily mused, then added, “The question is: Are we going to listen?”

Nate came into Society and greeted Lily and Audra. He was curious how they wound up together. They said they had something in common and were discussing job prospects. After Lily left, Nate told Audra he asked Devon to hire her.

“What happened to offering silent support and not trying to fix things? Did you not hear a word I said about standing on my own?” Audra snapped. Nate assured Audra that he meant every word he had said to her and Devon. He assured her he believed she would be a huge asset to the company, and there was nothing charitable about it.

Nate said that Devon turned him down. At Audra’s request, Nate promised not to help her anymore. Nate advised as a former “backstabbing asshat” that his life turned out better than he thought possible after he let down his guard with those who love him.

Audra said she wanted to succeed on her own merit. “I didn’t come this far to lose everything to some lightweight trust fund baby like Kyle Abbott. I’m going to take back Glissade, and I’ll take down Kyle,” Audra said with determination.

Phyllis spotted Billy at Crimson Lights and pitched for him to pretend to fire her. She said it was a no-brainer solution, but Billy wanted her to back off and give him space. “Let me get my mom off my back, and I’ll bring you back when I can,” Billy said. Phyllis said it wouldn’t work out that way and walked off in frustration.

Sally came in and joined Billy for coffee. Across the coffee shop, Phyllis couldn’t believe he had time for Sally, so she sat down to wait. Billy apologized to Sally for kissing her. Sally said they kissed each other after being hurt and having too many whiskey shots. “Call me crazy, but I feel like we both needed it, so you don’t have to apologize,” Sally said. They agreed it would have been worse if they jumped into bed together.

Billy told Sally how his mom had ripped into him, as though he didn’t know what he was doing. Sally encouraged him to keep going and believed he was capable. As Phyllis watched, Billy told Sally that she was his lone voice of support.

“Screw the doubters, you got this,” Sally told him before leaving. Phyllis stormed back over and questioned why Billy didn’t have time for her or business but had time for a mutual pity party with Sally. Billy said it wasn’t like that. He said that having a friend to lean on was a good thing.

Phyllis could relate and launched into how hard it was to watch her family suffer and how helpless they were waiting for justice for Heather. “I’m sorry. We promised we would keep this professional and not let personal lives interfere,” Phyllis cried. “You and I were friends first, so know that,” Billy said.

Phyllis told Billy to forget everything she had said and focus on making Abbott-Chancellor a success and getting Victor out of the company in any capacity. Phyllis wanted to convince Jill to see the company’s successes, but Billy didn’t think talking to Jill was the solution.

Phyllis noticed the Newman Media story on her phone and tried to hide it but ended up reading it to Billy. The article claimed Billy was “in over his head and bungled the deal with Odyssey 7.” She shot him a knowing look when she read that he couldn’t hold onto staff. Billy noted it made him sound as though he had no clear vision. “This is right from Victor, you know that. This is the very thing we have to fight,” Phyllis said.

Sally was walking through the park while reading the article on her phone. “Abbott’s erratic style?” she read aloud. Victor called out from a bench behind her, “Hello Sally, beautiful day, isn’t it?” As Sally turned around, Victor added, “Probably not for you. You just broke up with Adam, hopefully for the last time.” Sally held up her phone and snapped, “After this hatchet job Adam did on Billy, I’m glad your son is out of my life!”

Devon walked into the jazz club and saw Lily reading the news on her phone. Shocked, she asked if Devon had read the “hit piece on Billy.” Devon said Victor was not holding back when it came to Abbott-Chancellor and noted he thought Lily would have been happy about it. “I don’t know whether to be thrilled or pissed off,” Lily said.

Chelsea stormed back into the Athletic Club. She marched up to Adam with her phone in her hand and held it up to show him the article. “What the hell is this, Adam? Are you after Billy because of me?” she asked.

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