An Infuriated Jack Clashes With Kyle — and Chelsea’s Slip-Up Confirms Billy’s Fears

At Newman, Victoria puts a framed photo of Claire in Victor’s office. Claire arrives and says she looks like she belongs there. She’s sure she and Nick will take the company to new heights. Claire notices the framed photo of her. Victoria says it’s one of her favorites. She then asks why Claire’s not on her way to Paris. Claire says she and Harrison aren’t going… Summer got a court order to stop Kyle from taking their son abroad.

Victoria understands how parents can get emotional while fighting for their kids. Claire worries this is about her. Victoria says Summer is lashing out and it needs to stop. She’s going to call her. Claire stops her; the last thing she needs is her giving Summer a hard time right now. She understands her protectiveness; Harrison suffered trauma because of Jordan just as she did. Victoria sits her down and says she can only imagine how difficult it must have been for her. “If you ever feel you need to talk about it…” Claire assures her mom she’ll be the first person she’ll come to. Victoria doesn’t want her to protect her from seeing her in pain. Claire says she doesn’t like being caught between Kyle and Summer, and she feels bad from Harrison. Victoria suspects Claire’s also disappointed. She admits she got excited. Victoria guesses she wanted to take Harrison to ride the carousel in Montmartre. Claire says she wanted to ride it herself. Victoria urges her to do the “kid” things she never got to do. Talk turns back to Kyle, and Victoria thinks he could use time to cool down. Claire doesn’t see it cooling off. Summer seems determined to get sole custody of Harrison and Kyle doesn’t back down from a fight.

Claire and Victoria are talking about going for lunch when Cole arrives. Claire notes that where her mom goes, he usually follows. Cole says he’s the moth to her flame. He was wondering if she’d have lunch with him. Victoria says she and Claire were going to grab a bite. Cole thought she would be with Harrison today. Claire says Summer took the day off. Victoria asks, “Shall we?” They all file out.

At the Club, Kyle chuckles into the phone as Harrison tells him, “Au revoir, Papa.” He disconnects and Audra says the car is on the way. Kyle tells her Claire and Harrison aren’t coming anymore. Audra thinks it’s probably for the best as they’ll get more work done. They’re about to head out when Diane and Jack arrive. Diane asks if they’re taking a trip.

Kyle informs his mother that he doesn’t see how it’s their business what he and Audra are doing. Diane says she was hoping Audra was leaving town. Kyle knows she was aware that he was taking Harrison to Paris. Diane says they heard all about his disappointment at it being canceled. Audra’s sure his parents realize this trip is about Glissade.

Kyle thinks Diane is fishing about their plans to cut into Jabot’s market share. He can tell they’re scared. Jack tells him, “That’s enough Kyle.” Jack fumes that he’s tried to avoid stooping to his level. He informs Audra that if Kyle’s told her that this little start-up has even a chance of coming for Jabot, he’s been lying to her. Audra starts, “Yeah, well, I believe…” Jack cuts her off, “You believe what exactly? Either the two of you are in denial or you’ve been sniffing too much of that cheap aftershave one of those little companies you overpaid for is making.” He says they’ll be lucky if they walk away with Jabot’s crumbs. Kyle’s glad he doesn’t work at Jabot anymore, now he can show them how much they’ve underestimated him. Jack thought he’d instilled more respect in him as an Abbott. “I raised you better than this! This company you disparage, this company my father built, has been decades in the making. My father built the highest standards of excellence and product safety and financial security. We have met those standards year after year, for more years than the two of you have collectively been alive. You want to best Jabot? Knock yourselves out. I’m afraid the crash from your failure is going to be resounding. Maybe that’s what it will take to bring you back to your senses, or maybe I’m the one in denial about that. Enjoy your flight.” Kyle’s left stunned as Jack storms away.

In Crimson Lights, Billy pushes Chelsea and Adam to sit down and chat with him and Sally before they head back to Baltimore. Adam asks what it is that he thinks needs to be cleared up and exchanges a glance with Chelsea.

Seated on the patio, Billy tells Adam and Chelsea that he and Sally sense something more is going on with them than what they’ve said. Adam questions him speaking for Sally, who says it’s not like that. Adam lies that he blew up at Chelsea, who frowns. Sally’s confused as she didn’t mention that when they talked. Adam says she must have been protecting him. He was upset about Connor and lashed out. Billy’s not satisfied. He’s spoken to all three of them separately. Adam says whatever this is doesn’t feel supportive. Billy can’t help if he’s left in the dark. Chelsea asks why he felt the need to go question Adam. Billy says he loves her, and she hasn’t been herself. There was something she wanted to share but then she shut down. His instinct told him Adam had something to do with it. Adam asks how many times he has to tell him he was a jerk. Billy’s suspicious because Chelsea would have just told him if he was a jerk. She knows he doesn’t think highly of him. Billy’s picking up on the little looks between the two of them. They’re checking in with each other to make sure the story’s on track. Adam begins to deny it, but Sally says Billy’s right. Chelsea exclaims, “What do you want us to admit?! What is it exactly you want us to confess?!”

Billy says they don’t have to be afraid to be honest. He can tell Chelsea’s scared. She says she’s terrified that Connor is coming home. Billy asks if the boy hurt himself again or did they do or say something they’re ashamed of? Chelsea barks at him to leave Connor out of this. She’s scared for her little boy, is that not enough?! Standing up, she tells Adam they have to go and pick up their son and walks inside. Adam asks if this interrogation is over and questions Billy as to being a jerk to Chelsea himself is going to make things better. This isn’t about his paranoia, it’s about Connor. Billy says, “For once, we agree.” He walks inside and tells Chelsea he’s there for her. He hopes she can trust that she can be honest with him about anything. Chelsea asks what he wants her to say. Billy repeats that she can tell him anything.

On the patio, Adam crabs to Sally about Billy steamrolling everyone and dragging her into his paranoia. Sally says maybe it’s not paranoia. Adam agrees… maybe he’s going out of his way to create problems for him.

At Society, Cole senses Victoria and Claire are keeping something from him. Claire says it’s just a little drama at the Abbott house. They fill him in on the custody battle and the trip to France being off. Cole knows Claire is worried about Harrison. He finds her commitment admirable, but warns against getting caught in the middle of two parents fighting over their kid. Maybe she could find a new opportunity. He wants to help her go back to school. “You don’t have to stay in a situation that makes you uncomfortable.” Cole says it’s her decision and her life. They’re there to help her live it the way she wants to.

Claire connected with Harrison and feels a sense of responsibility to him. He needs to see that she’s OK, but it goes both ways. She says both of his parents to be there for him the way they are there for her. Victoria and Cole muse that they can’t protect their children from everything, but they can try to make it better. Claire thinks she can do that for Harrison by being there for Kyle as a friend.

At the Club, Diane questions Jack about his outburst. Jack says everyone has their limit. Diane was counting on him to be calm and bring the family back together. Jack was done with indulging Kyle. Diane says the whole reason she came back was to be with her son. She loves her job, but seeing Kyle like this… Losing him again is too high a price to pay for a job. Jack saw this entitled attitude back when Billy was still there. He’s not going to endure his grown son acting like a spoiled brat. Diane agrees he needed to be put in his place. Jack doesn’t think he’ll stay there for long.

At the door, Audra tells Kyle that what his father said… he has to let it go. Kyle fumes, “Not a chance.”

Kyle strides over to Jack and Diane’s table and hollers that Jabot is a bloated dinosaur and Glissade will render it extinct.” Jack tells him that his arrogant disrespect for his family and the company that taught him everything he knows is astounding. Kyle is tired of hearing about family and respect when the two of them didn’t give a damn about tossing him to the curb when he was trying to breathe new life into the company. “Cling to your past, cling to your old guard ways, because in the next year, Jabot will be a has-been while Glissade will be the future. Maybe then, you will give me the recognition and respect I deserve.” He stalks out with Audra trailing.

At Crimson Lights, on the patio, Sally believes Billy genuinely wants to support Adam for Chelsea and Connor’s sake. Adam thinks he may be taking the opportunity to punish him for what he’s done. Sally asks, “What did you do?” Adam says he got upset with Chelsea, he already told her that. Sally thinks Billy is protective and attuned to Chelsea if she’s off. She wonders if she’s holding something back from all of them… the way she reacted just now made it seem like Billy might be right. Adam doesn’t know why they’re doing this now. Chelsea has the right to be upset for getting the third degree. What do they want from them?! Connor is ready to come home, does she not understand how important that is for them? It’s the only thing that matters right now. Sally agrees that whatever this is, it can wait. Adam thanks Sally for understanding.

Inside, Chelsea tells Billy she knows he’s trying to help. She loves him for that and will tell him about all the things she’s thinking when Connor’s back home. Billy wanted to talk to her before she went back to Baltimore. Chelsea wants to put the fear, guilt, and mistakes behind her. They both pause after she says, “Mistakes.” Chelsea kisses Billy as Adam and Sally appear. They say their goodbyes and leave. Sally tells Billy he shouldn’t have pushed this. Billy muses, “I don’t know if you’re right about that.”

In the car, Adam says the jet’s ready. He thinks they handled that as well as can be expected. Chelsea snaps, “You can’t possibly believe that.” She says this is the last thing her son needs to be coming home to… she’s on the verge of a nervous breakdown and so is he whether he’s ready to admit it or not. How will they keep Connor safe when they’re walking around terrified that they’re secret is going to come out?

In the Club dining room, Diane can’t believe how Kyle is behaving. Jack snorts about him actually thinking they can take on Jabot. Diane says he’s all ego and rage. Jack thinks it’s mostly bluster. Diane is scared. She’s worried about their relationship with their son and doesn’t see how they’re going to come back from this. “How far will he go to try and prove some point to us, and at what cost?”

In their car, Audra tells Kyle he may be pushing this vendetta against his parents a little too far. They’re not the same… she’s not using their company to hurt someone in her personal life. Kyle mentions Tucker and she insists it has nothing to do with it. She complains that he keeps taunting his father, who happens to be their chief rival. You don’t attack unless you’re in a position of strength. Jack could crush them. Kyle smugly says that there are lines he won’t cross, especially when it comes to family. “I don’t have those limitations.” Audra warns him not to let his big emotions get in the way of their big plans. Kyle smirks, “Don’t worry. I’m in control.”

At Crimson Lights, Sally and Billy are happy for Chelsea and Adam that Connor is coming home. Sally thinks he seems even more worried than he did before. Billy tells her that Chelsea said something before she walked out… that she wants to put her fear, guilt and mistakes behind her. Sally asks, “Guilt and mistakes about Connor?” Billy shrugs, “Maybe.”

In the car, Chelsea tells Adam that she just told Billy that she wanted to put the guilt and mistakes behind her. She could see from the look in his eyes when she said it; it confirmed to him that he is right to think something is wrong. “I know him. He’s not going to let this go.” Adam wants to focus on Connor. Their secret can never come out, not just for their sake, but for their son’s sake. Billy and Sally can never know that they cheated on them. “Can I count on you, Chelsea?”