On the Wednesday, November 19, episode of The Young and the Restless, Lily sent Holden into a panic, Cane and Phyllis continued their mindgames, and Claire reached her limit with Audra.
What happened on The Young and the Restless
Claire dropped by the Newman ranch to visit with Nikki. She offered Claire a cup of tea and asked if she missed the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles yet. Nikki questioned her about the status of her relationships with Kyle and Holden, which caught Claire by surprise. Claire wasn’t sure how to answer the question. She believed a lot had changed in recent months, such as handling the death of her father, with most of her family trapped in France. Although Nikki apologized for their absence, Claire didn’t think it was a bad thing. It showed her that she could be strong and work through anything on her own.
Claire spent the majority of her life dealing with Jordan, overseeing her every move. For once, she was able to make her own decisions and had nobody to answer to. Her newfound clarity led her to conclude that she wasn’t ready for a serious relationship. She knew Kyle would be hurt by the news, but she had to do what was best for herself. Claire also insisted her focus would remain on Newman Publishing, something Nikki assured her she had earned on her own merits.
Nikki asked about Holden and wondered if they were serious, and Claire blankly stared at her. She got the text from Holden, and she told her grandmother they’d been meeting for drinks later. Nikki found Holden handsome and charming, and, with Claire wanting something with no strings, she explained that she, too, had fallen for the bad boy type. Claire inquired about Nikki and Victor’s origin story, and Nikki promised that it was quite the story.
Nikki recalled how Victor initially served as her mentor, introducing her to a higher social class. It wasn’t always smooth sailing, but despite all of the trials and tribulations, they’re more in love in the present than ever. Nikki couldn’t pinpoint an exact moment where she knew Victor was the one, but she just knew. Claire hoped to someday look back and realize she found that in her life as well. She told Claire not to think too far into the future, which got a laugh out of both women. The topic shifted to Audra, and Claire was afraid she’d never get her out of her orbit. First with Kyle, and now with Holden, Audra’s been a perennial thorn in her side. However, with Audra informed about the information she has on her, tensions have quickly escalated.
At Crimson Lights, Holden reflected on his and Claire’s passionate lovemaking session in Los Angeles. He couldn’t get his mind off the electric chemistry they shared in California. Before he left, he asked Esther to keep him in the loop about any potential apartments or homes for sale in Genoa City. He gave her his number, so she could inform him if she knew of any abilities. Holden revealed he’d be sticking around town for the foreseeable future because he had a new reason to remain.
Esther assumed Holden was putting down roots in Genoa City because of a woman. She wanted to take a stroll down memory lane about Katherine, but she quickly shifted gears back to who was keeping Holden in town. He joked that Esther’s Mexican mochas were enough to keep him there, which charmed her in all of the right ways. Esther went back to work, and Holden texted Claire, asking if he’d get to see her soon.
Phyllis made a slick remark about Lily, who revealed she was only there to pick up her lost earbuds. Cane confessed that he had enjoyed a nightcap in Phyllis’ suite, and she asked Lily if she had an issue with that. Lily didn’t care what Cane and Phyllis did behind closed doors, but she was surprised he’d parade around with her while his company was under attack. She told him to reconsider who he trusted around him, and she asked when the pair got closer.
Phyllis explained they remained close-knit since Nice, and Cane added that he had reached a turning point. Phyllis sniped at Lily, “For someone who wanted nothing to do with Cane, you’re really acting like a jealous ex.” Lily claimed she wasn’t envious of Phyllis spending time with her ex-husband; instead, she was incredibly disappointed.
Cane understood how difficult his past actions were on Lily and their children. Still, he apologized and wanted things to move forward. Phyllis chimed in again, and though Lily didn’t want Cane to have any fun. After Lily demanded that Phyllis “shut up,” he pulled her aside to have the conversation away from his new bed companion.
Cane requested a bit of time, and she said she asked for the same in her voicemail. He never received it because he was otherwise occupied, but he asked her to have breakfast with him in the morning. She took one look at Phyllis, and she denied his request. Again, Cane believed he was wasting his time trying to make things right with his former beloved.
After Cane and Phyllis took off, Lily called Devon and tried to summon him to join her for drinks. However, Devon’s son was sick, so he was unable to accompany her. Not long after, Holden emerged at the bar and encouraged her not to drink alone. She said she never asked for his opinion, and although he was just joking, she wanted nothing from him. Lily had one question for him, asking for clarity on whether he still worked for Cane.
Before he dove in, he asked if they’d be able to manage a civil conversation. She didn’t think her question was that difficult, but he avoided it. Holden’s dodgy behavior led her to conclude that he was indeed still on Cane’s payroll. She discussed Damian’s death, placing the blame on Cane dragging over to France, but Holden wondered how long he’d be held responsible for it. Lily thought that as long as Holden worked for Cane, he would never see faults in him.
Lily asked for details about Holden’s position at Cane’s company, and after he said “property manager,” she remarked that his job wouldn’t be around much longer. She reminded him that the company was dismantled and in shambles, so there won’t be much left for Holden to manage. She realized Holden genuinely had no idea of the company’s state and urged him to cut his losses and return to Los Angeles. He was unsure whether her advice had an ulterior motive. Holden asked Lily what she had heard about the company’s fate and asked for more information, and despite his rising panic, she left him at the GCAC.
Audra showed up as Lily left, and she was elated to see Holden’s face giving off an aura of bad news. She was incensed that he had shared their past dirty laundry with Claire, but she asked what Lily had to say. He urged her to take off because Claire would be joining him for drinks soon. Holden begged Audra to stop provoking Claire, worried that her crime would be revealed to the wrong people. However, she corrected him, referring to it as “our crime.”
Audra didn’t understand why Holden didn’t reveal everything if he was going to open his mouth and blab to Claire. Audra thought Claire would change her attitude toward her and shift her hostility to Holden if she knew the full story. Holden pleaded with Audra to let go of the animosity toward Claire because of how much they would lose if people uncovered the truth. Claire showed up and noticed Audra and Holden together at the bar, so she called Billy to tell him she had information for him and Sally about Audra.
Phyllis and Cane got their chocolate fix elsewhere at Crimson Lights. Phyllis assumed Cane was in a foul mood because Lily caught on to their tryst in the sheets. Cane thought otherwise, offering their sexual encounters as proof that he was ready to move on. He tried to say he couldn’t get enough of her, but she questioned if he was putting on a good show. After he asked her what she liked to hear, he wanted her to tell him everything. Phyllis wondered if “everything” included the password to her laptop. She read the number code aloud to her computer and offered her phone and bank account information as well.
Cane questioned the password’s validity and asked about the importance of the number sequence. She said it was a collection of random things that had value to her. Phyllis thought the level of distrust made it tricky. Cane didn’t know if Phyllis ever fully trusted a singular soul in her entire life. Cane wasn’t confident his children would trust him again, but being in bed with Phyllis would put the final nail in the coffin. She questioned if he only wanted to sleep with her to gain access to her computer, and she needed to know if there was more than business between them.
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