At Crimson Lights, Billy meets Victoria while buying candy for a family reunion. She asks him to speak but sees that he is busy. He wonders what is going on. Sitting down, she tells him that she just heard a podcast produced by her company, “The Grinning Soul”. He tells her he’s a guy from California with an interesting view of the world. “He had an even more interesting view of my future ex-husband,” she notes.
Billy insists he’s not behind ‘The Grinning Soul’ podcast. From what he could surmise from listening, it was just a generic jab at the abuse of power. Victoria is sure it was an attack on Ashland. He may be able to change his voice, but she recognized the cadence of his voice and phrasing. Laughing, Billy pretends he doesn’t need another soapbox. She lectures him for sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong and wants him to learn his lesson and leave her alone. The last time he got involved, he lost Chance Comm.
Billy asks why she would have a problem with this “person with a smiley soul” trashing her ex. She reminds him that he’s supposed to be at a family reunion. Billy repeats her question and also asks if she thinks the audience should hear her ex being called out. She accuses him of exploiting her private pain for her inflated ego. Too bad for his promises to take care of her!
After: The Y&R column talks about the latest missed opportunity
At Society, Victor tells Nikki that he’s thrilled to hear that Victoria is going to restore the company’s name. She tells him that they will soon have to inform all of Diane’s family. Victor says he already warned her to get out of town and he already told Adam to watch out. He must remind her not to tell her sister about it; the other children haven’t heard anything yet. Victor is sure that she will not receive a warm welcome from anyone. They doubt that she has changed. After paying for dessert at the bar, he tells his “baby” that he has a treat for her later. She assumes it’s to get the bad taste of Diane’s name out of her mouth.
They start discussing Ashland’s offer to Nick’s charity. They assume he is trying to buy their daughter’s forgiveness. Nikki worries that he is trying to seduce her. It’s about Victor, who still wants “that bastard” out of town. “We should be so lucky,” Nikki says.
After: Photos of Christel Khalil’s best friends
Victoria returns to her office at Newman-Locke and removes her necklace. Looking at him, she thinks of Billy’s podcast and sits down. As she rummages through files, her parents enter and she invites them to join her. She assumes they spent lunch discussing her. Nikki notices that she has taken off her necklace. “Good for you!” she applauds. Victor needs an explanation so his wife says it was from Locke.
Victoria advises them not to read much and thanks her father for replacing her portrait. She will treasure him and is happy that he is so supportive of her by naming her mother co-CEO. He still hopes that she will get along better with Adam at some point, but agrees with her choice and thanks her for making the company bigger and stronger despite Locke. He is convinced that she and her mother will be “one hell of a team”.
Victoria takes off for a quick bite before her meeting with PR. Victor says she seems happy and it’s amazing. She’s stronger than he thought. Nikki is sure the family support helps. She’s not so sure that her daughter handles things so well when she’s home alone. Their daughter is still grieving.
After: Michelle Stafford encourages Hunter King
At the Abbot estate, Jack offers water to a pale Diane. Kyle wonders if he should have told her that her whole family would be there. She rocks back and forth and says that’s definitely an effective way to deal with them. Diane claims she kept tabs on each of them. Ashley reminds him that she almost put them in jail. Traci says they’re not here to question the past. Diane wants to convince them that she has changed and asks them not to hold anything back from what they have to say. Ashley doesn’t see why they should believe everything she has to say.
Abby is dismayed to see Diane playing Kyle’s protector. Diane insists that she is sincere and wants the opportunity to prove herself. If they want to go after her and get through her sordid history, then they should. Ashley suggests that she act them out and try to act out this whole situation. Traci thinks they should listen to Diane like they promised Kyle. They will know if his story is false and can call him. Jack tells Diane to do her best.
Sitting, Diane explains that she used to see herself as they see her, vindictive, manipulative and awful. But believing she couldn’t change was just giving herself permission to be an ugly human being. This attitude cost him the chance to reconcile with Kyle. She had to work to regain even the slightest bit of self-respect. The Abbotts think that’s rich coming from someone as selfish as her. Diane insists it was arrogance, not self-respect. After a few false starts, she found a “mean truth-telling” therapist who forced her to see how difficult it would be for her to turn her life around. When questioned, she admits that her therapist was not supportive of her plan to lure Jack to Los Angeles and return to Genoa City.
They wonder if she’s lying about going to therapy. They’d like to see her therapist’s referrals and wonder if she’s still getting virtual sessions while she’s in town. Diane claims she’s been with the therapist for six years and things really started later. None of them think she stopped being a sociopath in four years. “It was a gradual process,” says Jenkins. Ashley wants to see her bank statements. It’s very good with Diane. She is not rich but can take care of herself. She has a career and a life in California. It was just time for her to face the backlash she knew was waiting for her.
After: Could Jack and Diane get together?
Billy enters and stops short when he sees Diane. “You look alive,” he remarks. They recap the situation and he sits down. Returning to her speech, Diane tells them that it’s up to them whether they think redemption is possible. Billy appears, if his podcast is any indication. She points out that Ashley forgave Phyllis and that Traci’s novels are full of people changing. She assures Abby that she feels the same love for Kyle as she does for Dominic. Now is the time for her to be the mother Kyle deserves. Why would any of them object to her doing this?
Traci asks her what a second chance with her son looks like on her mind. Diane would appreciate any time or attention her son could devote and she would follow his example. Jack is skeptical that she would settle for this, but she cries saying that looking her son in the eye is already a lot. Anything more would be a gift. “What do you want?” Billy asks. Kyle explains that she wants to be part of his life. This means that Diane would like to go to Italy. If he and Summer returned to Genoa City, she would plan accordingly.
Ashley reminds Diane that the Newmans hate her. Diane claims that she is a different person and now leads a quiet life. If Abby can stop riding around naked, she can at least do it. Billy and Traci point out that the Newman and Abbott families are closer than they’ve ever been and Diane can’t pit them against each other like she used to. Jenkins insists this is all hypothetical and that she would make whatever sacrifices necessary to be with her son again. Thanking them for the opportunity, she leaves the family to think about it.
Kyle looks down, shakes his head, then asks his family what they think. Ashley is sure Diane had just given a rehearsal performance and it was totally hypocritical. Traci wouldn’t go that far and thinks Diane really loves her son. Jack says this part is not new. Kyle needs to know if his mother has changed. They all had a hard time listening to it because it’s like nails on a board. When they ask Billy what he thinks of it, he reluctantly admits that it sounds convincing. He would probably give her a second chance but he is the king of second chances. Traci urges Kyle to beware, but there’s no way to know for sure. Ashley just wants to avoid it all together.
Finding that two are opposites and two are ambivalent, Kyle asks Jack where he is. Jack heard everything Diane said before. It could mean it’s repeated or true, but they can’t know for sure. He wants his son to make that choice for himself. The rest of his siblings agree.
After: Y&R stars tell us Does it taste like ass?
It rings the doorbell. Jack is surprised when he opens it and Allie is there. Smiling, he says her timing is excellent and asks her to meet his family.
Next on The young and the restless: Elena discovers a new side to Nate.
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