Victor Puts His Plan to Take Over Chancellor In Motion — and Sharon’s Situation Grows Graver

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At Newman, Victor updates Nick that Adam and Chelsea have gone to Baltimore to bring Connor home. Nick says that’s amazing. They hope the worst is behind them. Victor hopes Adam can now focus on running Newman Media. Nick muses that he also wants his mother to run Chancellor. He reminds him that the company belongs to Jill and Billy and hopes he’ll fill him in on how he plans to take it from them.

Billy joins Lily at the office and produces a new Abbott Chancellor logo. She likes it. Lily notes he seems a little off and asks if something’s wrong.

At Sharon’s place, Mariah knocks on the door and calls out for Sharon or Faith before entering. Faith appears and says their mom is gone. Neither of them can reach her on text and the house is a mess. Mariah says this isn’t like Sharon at all. “Something is wrong with mom, right?” Faith knows, but she doesn’t know how they fix it.

In the park, Sharon hears Cassie and calls her name. Next, she imagines she sees Nick, who sits beside her and asks, “What is it? Tell me.” She says, “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

At Newman, Victor tells Nick there’s no need for him to be concerned where Chancellor is concerned. Nick’s not so sure. He takes a call from Mariah asking if he’s seen or heard from Sharon today. He steps into the hall and asks what’s going on. Mariah explains that she and Faith have been calling and texting Sharon and are getting no response. She’s not at work and the house is a mess. “I’m not getting a good feeling.” Nick’s glad she called. He wants to help after his meeting. They agree to keep each other posted and disconnect.

In the park, Sharon tells Imaginary Nick she knows he’s not really there. She hears their little girl calling her name but she knows it’s not really her. Sharon can’t live in the past… some things can’t happen. Cassie will never come back. Nick tells her Cassie lives on in her. Sharon says it’s not the same. Sharon muses that the two of them can never get back what they had. Nick tells her, “Don’t give up.” It’s not who she is, not really. Sharon lost Cassie and Nick and then lost herself. Nick tells her she still has a lot of love to give. That’s the person he fell in love with, “You always do everything you can for people you care about.” Sharon had one job… to keep Cassie safe, and she failed her. Nothing she can ever do will make that right.

Nick asks what she’d say to a patient of hers. Sharon balks, “Please, don’t.” Nick persists. Sharon says she would stop the unhelpful line of thinking. “Reframe don’t blame.” But that’s just talk. When you lose a child there is no relief. She’s tried to move on and knows he has too. They press forward but there’s always that tinge that she’s gone. He says, “But never forgotten.” Sharon says she’s always there. “You’re always there too. Even when we’re apart, we’ll always be connected because of her.” Sharon wonders if he feels the loneliness and emptiness too. He does. They both distract themselves but it’s always lingering, reminding them of what they loss. Sharon says it overwhelms her sometimes. Nick says there has to be something else out there other than grief. “Something for both of us.” Sharon wants to heal. She knows she has people to support her. Nick tells her she needs to fall in love again. Sharon says she has, numerous times, but it only fixes things for a little while. “It always ends.” Nick doesn’t want her to give up. Sharon admits she sometimes feels she doesn’t deserve love. Nick says, “Of course you do.”

After his call with Mariah, Nick rejoins Victor in his office and asks how he’ll take over Chancellor. Have you talked to Jill? Victor says he’s formulating his plan. Nick feels there’s no way that he doesn’t already know how he’s going to do it. He notes that his mother is looking forward to running it. “If I can help you make this happen, and I’m confident that I can, bring me in.” Victor says there’s one wild card in all of this. “Lily Winters. I wonder where her loyalties lie.”

Nick warns that Lily shouldn’t be in his sights, she’s done nothing to deserve that. Victor agrees. Lily is very capable and she knows the company inside-out. They think she and Nikki would work well together, but Victor’s worried about Lily getting caught in the crossfire. Nick nudges his father to tell him everything so he can help. He just doesn’t see how this takeover is going to be possible. A knock comes at Victor’s door and he says that must be Devon. Indeed, Devon walks in and asks, “You wanted to see me?”

At Chancellor, Billy tells Lily he’s fine, he just didn’t sleep well. She asks if everything is OK with him and Chelsea. She knows it’s not work and it’s not Jill, who is doing well. She doubts it’s Johnny and Katie because if they were OK, he’d be with them. “So, it’s Chelsea.” She asks if it’s something with Connor or something between the two of them.

Billy says it’s been tough for Chelsea to deal with Connor’s issues, but he’s coming home. Lily thinks this is positive, “So, why do you seem down?” Billy claims he’s just worried about her. “What if something happens… something that you’re not expecting?” Lily wonders if Billy’s a little rundown. He’s so consumed with Chelsea that he’s neglected his own feelings. “Why do you seem so unsettled?” Billy admits his mind is a little twisted right now. She asks if he’s feeling neglected. Billy says no. Lily asks if he’s worried he and Chelsea won’t survive as a couple. Billy says he won’t let that happen.

At Sharon’s place, Mariah tries to reassure Faith after they’ve tidied up. Faith asks if her dad sounded worried. Mariah says he agreed they shouldn’t get ahead of themselves. Faith fears that the mom is depressed. Mariah agrees that she’s sinking into this, like quicksand. She wonders if it’s a bi-polar episode. Faith isn’t sure she’s been taking her medication. Mariah didn’t realize things had gotten so bad. She tells her sister she made the right call by bringing Nick into the loop. Faith agrees; they have a bond that can’t be broken.

In Victor’s office, Nick congratulates Devon on his engagement and welcomes him to the family. Devon quips that he finally has a brother. Victor asks how things are going since Chancellor and Winters split. Devon explains that Lily has decided to stay behind at Chancellor, “Or Abbott Chancellor as she and Billy have renamed it.” Victor asks if that was Billy’s brainchild. Devon says of course it was. Victor says it makes him sad that Lily’s leaving her family’s business. Devon admits it’s not what he expected but she feels this is the right move for her to make. Nick admires him for respecting her wishes and having her back. Victor assumes Devon doesn’t have the same goodwill toward Billy Abbott. Devon confirms he doesn’t. Victor asks, “Want to take him down?”

Devon says he and Billy have never seen eye-to-eye, but he doesn’t exactly want to go after him. He doesn’t want to get mixed up in anything and is just glad he doesn’t have to deal with him anymore. He agrees with Victor that Billy’s not the right guy for Chancellor, but worries if he did anything, Lily would get caught in the crossfire. Victor tells him if he wants to protect Lily, he’ll have to convince her to join him at Winters. Devon asks, “What’s making you say this to me right now?”

At Sharon’s place, Faith tells Mariah she’s put off her trip to Europe because their mom is hurting. Mariah finds this very mature. She muses that she feels Sharon’s been avoiding her, even at work, and has canceled get-togethers. Faith might know why. “It’s only happened a fre times, but I’ve heard her whispering Cassie’s name at night.” It seems like she misses her more than usual. Mariah guesses that seeing her, Cassie’s twin, makes her miss her even more. “I’m the living, breathing reminder of everything Sharon has lost.”

In the park, Sharon tells “Nick” that there’s never been anyone else for her other than him. Nick says he hates himself for hurting her. He let her go because he thought she was better off without him. Sharon says that’s not true. Nick feels he doesn’t deserve her. “Nothing is the same without you.” Sharon worries they couldn’t get everything back. Nick takes her face in his hands and says the love is still there. She imagines him kissing her before snapping back to reality. She looks around her at the empty park.

In Victor’s office, he tells Devon that Billy’s going to run Chancellor into the ground. Devon asks when Chancellor fails, what does he see happening next? Victor says the company will fall to pieces, ready to be scooped up by someone. Devon asks, “Is that someone you?” They all agree Katherine wouldn’t be thrilled by her name getting second billing on her company. Devon’s just worried that Lily will get hurt in whatever Victor has planned. Victor tells him, “You convince her to get the hell out of Chancellor while she can, before it’s too late.” Devon says, “Alright,” and the meeting breaks up. Once alone, Nick asks Victor, “You want to tell me what that was about?” He doesn’t get it. “You know Devon is going to go straight to Lily and tell her we’re coming after Chancellor.” Victor shrugs, “So?” Nick asks what if Lily tells Billy. Victor replies, “What if that is exactly what I want to happen?”

At Chancellor, Billy tells Lily they can stop talking about his relationship. Lily can still worry about him as a friend. Billy just wants her go-ahead on the new logo. She gives it to him. He talks up the swag he’ll order. Lily wants to focus on real business matters… like how they put Chancellor on the map.

Devon knocks on the door and asks Lily if she has time to go get coffee with him. Lily asks, “What’s this about?” Devon says it’s important. Billy tells Lily he’ll cover for her, so she goes.

At Sharon’s place, Faith assures Mariah that their mom loves her so much. Mariah notes she has everything Cassie missed out on. Faith can’t imagine the grief of losing a child. Mariah tears up, saying she sometimes has scary thoughts. “If anything ever happened to Aria…” she cries. She doesn’t think she’d be able to move on. Faith wonders if that’s true for their mom too. Mariah says she’s been through a lot of other things. Marriages, break-ups, cancer, Cameron’s return. All of those things together are too much. They marvel at how she stayed a rock for them through all of it. Now it’s their turn to support her. Just then, Sharon comes in. They rush over to ask if she’s OK. She says, “I don’t think so.”

On Crimson Lights’ patio, Lily tells Devon that he seems really on edge. It must be important if he didn’t want to talk to her at the office. Devon needs her to reconsider staying with Billy at Chancellor and coming to work with him at Winters. Lily sighs. They’ve talked about this. Winters will survive without her. Devon tells her things have changed and she needs to get out before all hell breaks loose.

At Newman, Nick tells Victor that if Lily tells Billy his plan, all he’ll do is dig in and get ready for a fight. He’ll do everything he can to keep him from taking over. Victor says, “So what.” Nick feels Victor definitely has more planned than he’s saying. Victor says the game is on, “Let the excitement begin.” Nick shakes his head and steps out to take a call.

In the hallway, Nick asks Mariah, “What’s going on?” Mariah asks him to come to Sharon’s place. She’s home and doesn’t look good. Nick says he’s on his way.