Nate Catches Audra With Victor — and Phyllis and Sharon Suspect [Spoiler] Is the Kidnapper

Summer bumps into Phyllis at the Athletic Club and is startled to hear her mother say she’s headed for Sharon’s… and that she managed to say this without any snark. Phyllis explains that Chance wants to speak to the two of them. She’s hoping that he has found a way to resolve this kidnapping issue. As Phyllis fidgets, she admits she’s still having nightmares and is angry. She’s used to bouncing back from worse things, but the mind games involved in this were awful. It hurts that someone got off on her and Sharon squirming. They could be watching her right now. That voice in her head and not going away. Summer says that person only has the power she decides to give them. Her mom agrees; that’s something Sharon would say. She won’t have peace until the person who did this to her is put away.

Nick Surprises Sharon with His Decision

Sharon throws her purse onto her heap of luggage at home. She’s about to take a sip from her water bottle when she flashes back to making Phyllis drink the antidote while they were captive. She snaps out of that when there’s a knock at the door. It’s Nick, who explains that Christian is with Victoria. He observes that her bags are packed. She says she’s excited to see Noah in London. Nick asks if she has room for one more. He’s already arranged for the Newman jet to fly them all over. She’s amazed and throws her arms around him. Sharon asks what changed his mind. He explains he wants to see his son, adding that he can only go for a few days.

Phyllis arrives and spots Nick, asking if Chance summoned him over as well. A giddy Sharon tells her they are going to fly off to London together. She urges Phyllis to go on vacation with her kids too. Phyllis says that will have to wait because she’s busy with work but assures Nick that she’s doing alright. He’s glad to hear that.

Chance arrives, happy they are all there, and says he has news about the kidnapper. They circle him, asking for a name. The cop only has a positive development: They have a hit on the remote device that released the gas, which was bought by someone at a psychiatric clinic outside Paris. That rings a bell for Sharon, who explains that Ashley was treated at such a clinic and Alan was associated with one. Nick notices that the cop has to take that in for a second. They ask Chance what this means. The detective explains that another piece of the puzzle may have fallen into place. All he can say is that the investigation is picking up steam. That isn’t making the women feel safer, so he offers to increase their security detail. Phyllis doubts that the cops are up to outsmarting their captor. Chance urges them not to jump to any conclusions, and Phyllis declares she needs this nightmare to end. She can’t continue worrying that someone will grab her. Chance pleads with them to trust him to end this nightmare soon. “This has to end,” Phyllis repeats.

Claire and Kyle Argue About Victor

At Society, Claire prompts Kyle to tell her about the work he’s been doing with his father that had him so upbeat. He tries to change the subject to her day at work. She may not have much experience with relationships, but she can tell he’s being evasive. Claire points out how his mood changed when they saw her grandfather. She guesses the issue he and Jack were dealing with has something to do with Victor. He claims he was just returning one of Victor’s shots at him and suggests they need to set boundaries with her grandfather. Kyle reminds her that Victor ruined her mother’s relationships. He doesn’t want them to be his latest casualties and points out that even Esther thinks they are the real deal.

Staying focused, Claire demands a real answer about what he and his father were dealing with and refuses to budge until she gets one. Once he calls for the check, he explains to her that there is an employee they suspect of corporate espionage. He and his dad assume there are more, and they don’t know who they work for. Claire doesn’t know why he wouldn’t mention this. He didn’t want her leaping to conclusions. She says she may have overreacted. Kyle wants to put Victor and work out of their minds and suggests they head to the lounge for a nightcap.

As Kyle and Claire leave, Summer walks in and gets an eyeful of them giggling. As they walk by, they stop to ask about Phyllis. Summer says she’ll be okay. She’s tough, and hanging out with Harrison is helping. Summer starts gushing about her son and the drawing that he’s been making of her. Claire says she should be proud. Claire and Kyle tell Summer that Harrison has started performing magic tricks and joke about how great he is. Summer forces a laugh and abruptly tells them she’s meeting someone and doesn’t want to hold them up.

Summer Makes a Confession to Chance

Once Kyle and Claire exit, Summer glares out the window at them as they walk away from the building. Chance strolls over and asks if she’s okay; she has a hurt look on her face. She waves it off, and they get a table. Chance updates her on telling Phyllis that he has a new lead. She can understand her mom needing closure. The cop muses on how hard it is to feel like you are stuck running in place. From his tone, Summer guesses that he’s talking about her, not her mom.

Chance tells Summer she can keep lying to herself, but she’s clearly jealous of Claire. She tries to play that off, but he’s not convinced and urges her to admit it. Breaking down, Summer admits she can’t stand that Kyle and Claire are together. Chance nods. Every time she sees Claire, she wants to scream. She hates Kyle, Harrison, and her family adoring that woman and treating her like she walks on water. After she downs a cocktail, Summer has to take a deep breath. Feeling awful, she admits that she and Kyle were supposed to be each other’s “happily ever after.” Part of her isn’t over losing him, especially to someone like Claire. As she apologizes, he says this hasn’t been fair to either of them. “What do we do now?” she asks.

Victor Makes Audra a Job Offer

Audra walks into the jazz lounge to see the “all-knowing, all-powerful Victor Newman.” He’s already ordered her favorite margarita for her. After she takes a sip, she reminds him she can walk away at any moment. He’s aware and even points out the exit. When Audra asks what “options” he has in mind for her, Victor asks if she still has it out for Kyle since he stabbed her in the back. That makes her smile. She reminds him that he’s the one who fired her. The Mustache says she should thank him for getting her off Glissade’s sinking ship. Audra asks what he wants. Victor wants her to be honest about her desire to get even with Kyle and offers to make a deal.

When Audra asks what he thought of her work at Newman Media, he says that he and Nikki were both impressed. He was so impressed that he’s willing to offer her a division of his company to run. If she’ll name her dream job, it can be hers. Visibly stunned, Audra asks what she’s supposed to do. Victor explains that he needs her to make it obvious how easy it would be to lure Kyle back into an affair. Audra lets out a bitter laugh and leaps up. Victor asks her to sit back down. He doesn’t actually want her to seduce Kyle. He explains his granddaughter is seeing the Abbott and he doesn’t like it. Victor doesn’t need her to be a femme fatale, just to show what a weak man Kyle is. If she can do that, he can offer her something far grander than what she could have done with Glissade. “I think the choice is obvious,” he says.

Nate enters the lounge and spots Audra and Victor together. He immediately stalks over and confronts Victor about investigating Damian and warning Lily about him. He breaks the news that Damian is his brother. “Well, I’ll be damned,” says Victor, acting like this is the first time he’s heard it. He urges him to be careful about Damian and Dumas anyway. Nate says he can make his own decisions about who to trust. Looking at Audra, Nate wonders why she’s having a drink with the man who fired her. Victor is sure she can decide who she wants to trust. On Victor’s way out, she tells him that she will get back to him about what they discussed. Victor tells her not to take too long. Once he’s gone, Audra walks to the bar. Nate follows and asks what that was all about.

Sharon and Phyllis Speculate on Potential Culprits

Back at Sharon’s, she and Phyllis mull over the little Chance told them. She wonders if Ashley could have planned all this. She does have a history of mental illness and is capable of something like this. That seems unlikely to Sharon, so they discuss whether Alan could be involved. Sharon explains to Nick and Phyllis that Traci took a great interest in what she went through. Traci seemed upset by the details that she rehashed to her. Nick assumes she was only trying to be helpful. Sharon isn’t so sure. They discuss Alan hypnotizing her. Phyllis asks if she told him about their history. Sharon says she didn’t, and that Michael and Nick were present for the sessions. Phyllis has no idea what to make of all this. They’ve gone from zero to zero. Nick noticed Chance’s reaction to Alan’s name and suspects he thinks the man is involved. If that’s the case, Phyllis suggests they rethink going on a family trip.

Next on The Young and the Restless:Ashley returns.