On this episode of The Young and the Restless (Tuesday, December 16, 2025), Phyllis’s secret deal with Victor threatens to blow up in her face as Daniel grows suspicious and the Abbotts close in.
Last Episode
On the last episode of Y&R, Victor unleashed a humiliating strike on Jack and Jabot which derailed the launch party while Cane fought for Lily’s forgiveness.
The Neil Winters Jazz Lounge
Sally smiles at Billy and raises a glass to toast the success of the Abbott Communications launch party.
Billy says she’s the real rock star in the room. They talk about Newman Communications’ hit pieces on Jabot and Jack.
They look it up online and cringe about the reports of Jabot’s demise. Sally thinks Jack’s strategy to close down gave Victor the ammunition he needed to attack Jabot. She says they need to put out positive articles and stop Newman Media in their tracks.
Billy shakes his head. If one Abbott company supports another one, the public would think they’re covering up. He loves her suggestion because she’s fighting for the family. They have to trust that Jack, Kyle, and Diane will figure out a way to get ahold of the problem.
Sally thinks Adam and Victor have been very hateful. She’d love to wipe the smile off their faces!
Billy says when they can, they’ll smack them with everything they can! He’s confident that Sally can handle anything that Victor throws their way, and he’ll be there to cheer her on!
Sally smiles. He’s already there to cheer her on! They kiss.
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Crimson Lights
Daniel talks with his mom in the coffeehouse. He thinks that it was quite the night at the launch party. He wonders what it means for Summer if Jabot is going under.
Phyllis looks uncomfortable and says she wouldn’t paint Jabot dead just yet.
Daniel says he called Summer and asked her to reach out to him when she can. He says Jabot has always been a rock… She wouldn’t have any idea how things could have turned out for them, would she?
Phyllis says she has no idea how this could have happened. She says Jack didn’t even tell her anything about it. After all, they were married. She says he turned his back and walked away when she approached him.
Daniel says it doesn’t have anything to do with her. It’s Jack’s information to tell anyone he’s comfortable telling it to.
Phyllis still doesn’t understand why Jack wouldn’t tell her.
Daniel awkwardly says it’s because everyone knows that if they tell her anything, they don’t know who’s going to end up hearing it.
Phyllis asks why he’s talking to her like this.
Daniel laughs. He can read her like a book! Why was she pumping Jack for information tonight?
Phyllis says she’s worried about the company.
Daniel says he knows her… What does she really care about Jabot? There’s no love lost between her and Jack. He thinks she has some other agenda; why is she so anxious for Jabot to survive?
Phyllis gasps. She feels like she’s being interrogated! Her interest in Jabot ends with how it affects Summer!
Daniel says that if he finds out differently in a week or two, that means she’s lying to him right now. He’s seen this before, and the fact that she’s being so evasive means he’s on to something!
Phyllis says he’s now on her list of people who she doesn’t want to talk to. She gets up hastily and gathers her coat to leave.
Daniel tells her not to just leave when she doesn’t want to answer him.
Phyllis says that’s not what she’s doing. He’s ruined everything between them with his bullying and accusations! She stomps out the door.
Daniel groans to himself. “She’s so guilty.” His phone rings. It’s Summer. He tells his sister that something is up with their mom. He figures Phyllis must be in the middle of whatever is happening with Jabot.
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The Abbott Mansion
Jack talks on the phone to some reporters and tells them that Jabot is just restructuring. He ends the call.
Kyle wonders how Victor found out that Jabot was under attack.
Jack has no idea, but he thinks that this may end them. They’re in a terrible spot right now!
Diane reassures him that the press knows Jabot better than that.
Jack worries there’s another shoe that’s going to drop… But they don’t know when or where it’ll happen!
Kyle says they just have to buy themselves time.
Jack says the customers will turn to other brands; there’s not much they can do, and Victor knows that!
Diane says they won’t just lie down for a swine like Victor Newman.
Kyle laughs. A swine?
Jack agrees. If they can’t laugh about it, what else can they do? He reminds them that the Abbotts came out on top tonight with Abbott Communications.
A bit later, Billy arrives at the house. He asks if anyone knows how Victor found out about Jabot’s shutdown.
Jack says that they wonder the same thing. Kyle is worried they have a mole!
Diane scoffs. They know exactly who told Victor about it.
Jack tells Billy that he shared his plans to protect Jabot with Nikki, but she wouldn’t have ever told Victor about it!
Billy understands… Nikki and Jack have a special bond.
Diane doesn’t believe it. Nikki would have told her husband! Shortly after Jack confided in Nikki, Newman Media released the story. She can’t believe Jack didn’t see this coming!
Jack yells that he knows that Nikki didn’t tell Victor. He trusts her in his bones!
Diane walks away, frustrated.
Billy is sorry this is happening, but he knows it wasn’t an accident that Victor released the news at the party. He thinks Victor was caught off guard by Jabot going offline. They have to let people know that this was a hit piece by Victor. People will believe it, because they know how Victor feels about Jack.
Diane says their PR team suggested they say that this is just a restructuring. They should stick to that story.
Jack says Abbott Communications can’t release a puff piece on Jabot… It would come off as being biased.
Billy asks what he can do to help.
Jack says there’s only one answer… The only way they can eliminate Victor’s threat is by getting the AI program away from him.
Billy says they need to go right to the source… They need to go to the person who stole the AI in the first place.
Jack nods. “Phyllis!”
Diane wonders why Phyllis would even help them… Victor probably already promised her the moon!
Billy says Phyllis is only loyal to herself. If they offer her something big that she really wants, she’ll have no problem stealing the software back from Victor and giving it to the Abbotts. He’ll talk to her.
Diane wonders what they’re prepared to offer Phyllis.
Jack sighs. “Just about anything.”
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Newman Ranch
Adam and Victor talk about the number of people who have read the hit piece on Jabot.
Victor thinks Adam isn’t enthusiastic enough about it. He says Jack brought it on himself; they just report the facts!
Adam shrugs. Yeah, they hit a home run, it was a real triumph. He says there was a lot of conjecture in the articles.
Chelsea walks in and asks why she wasn’t told about the hit pieces going out under the Newman Media banner. She has a problem with this!
Adam says it happened so fast that they didn’t have time…
Chelsea interrupts him and says it made her look bad at the party. She asks why they couldn’t even shoot her a text about it.
Victor says he owns Newman Media and he doesn’t want her questioning his choices. He understands how she feels, but they did have to act quickly. He says they value her at Newman Media.
Chelsea asks why it had to happen tonight… What triggered it?
Adam tells her that Jack made a counter-move and basically shut down the company, and they had to report on it.
Chelsea worries that they didn’t just release a news article… They implied that Jabot was on the rocks; won’t people question the source?
Victor says Jabot is finished and they’re merely shining a light on it. They’ll continue to cover the story.
Chelsea asks him to tell her about any other plans he has for Jabot.
Victor says he has nothing up his sleeve.
Adam says he didn’t even know what was happening until he got there.
Chelsea believes them, but says she won’t be able to do her job as C.O.O. unless they keep her informed.
Victor says Jack has two choices: He can either watch his company go down the drain, or he can bring the company back online.
Adam nods. The second choice would make him vulnerable to the AI attack.
Victor says it makes no difference; Jack is finished. He wants to know how the Jabot news went over at the party.
Chelsea says everyone, including her, was shocked. Jack was very upset and left the party in a hurry.
Adam figures Billy must have been pouting because their news stole his thunder.
Chelsea says Billy and Sally did a great job at the party… The launch seemed to be a success.
Victor says Billy’s venture will go down in flames just like everything he’s ever tried. Jack and Billy will watch whatever they own die a slow death! He compliments Chelsea and Adam on their fifties costume.
Chelsea and Adam thank him. They tell him they’re going home to see Connor, who pulled out of going to his school’s party at the last minute. Connor has had some minor setbacks with his new doctor, but he’ll be fine.
Victor is sorry to hear that. He wishes them a good evening, and they leave. His security detail phones him and he asks them to send in his visitor.
Phyllis arrives. She asks what Victor did… What is he up to? Did he put out the hit piece on Jabot?
Victor shrugs. He was just reporting the news!
Phyllis says it must be true… Jabot is going under!
Victor nods. Seems so!
Phyllis says that wasn’t their deal. She gave him the software in exchange for him giving her Jabot!
Victor says he didn’t figure that Jack would pull Jabot offline… What was he to do?
Phyllis says that if Jabot is destroyed, there will be nothing for her to run! She can’t believe she was stupid enough to think Victor would keep his word! She stole the AI and gave it to him to use as leverage against Jack, but instead, he used it to destroy Jack and his company! He doesn’t need the program anymore, which means he doesn’t need her… Is he shutting her out?
Victor tells her to calm down. Everything is under control!
Phyllis says she was counting on him to deliver Jabot… Is their deal still on? She’s not leaving until she gets an answer!
Victor promises her she’ll get what he promised her… She has his word!
Phyllis says she’s been given his word before and was left with nothing. She deserves the truth after everything she’s gone through because of him. Is he screwing her over?
