Monday, June 16, 2025: Today on The Young and the Restless, Adam defies his dad, Nate wants Holden gone, and Victor and Billy spar on route to Dumas' party.
At Society, Chelsea babbles to Adam about how energized she feels at work because they can use their platform for good. She notices he’s not listening and assumes something is bothering him. He’s just worried about when his father will notice that he hasn’t followed his deadline and issued the bad press about Billy. Chelsea is sure Victor is too busy traveling to notice. Adam doubts that. She can’t believe how petty this is and wonders if there is some other scandal to distract his father. Adam is fresh out of ideas and her desperate bid to bribe Victor failed. She jokes that her con artist skills must have become too rusty.
As they talk about what’s happening in France, Adam admits it would be fun to see his father face off against an evenly matched opponent. He wonders if Dumas will regret coming out of the shadows but Chelsea is sure that he’s planned for whatever Victor can throw at him. Adam says that his father is always determined to be the top dog. His money will always be on his pop. She can see Adam still admires him. He’ll admit that part of him admires him and all he’s built.
Chelsea wishes they could forget all this and focus on running their company the way it should be run. Adam reminds her that it is still Victor’s playground and he calls the shots. They return to trying to think of a way to delay the hit piece but Adam knows it’s pointless. She hates that there is no way to dodge Victor’s wrath. Adam explains that Jack is the bigger target and this all seems to be part of a plan against the Abbotts. He assumes that his father wants to work with Dumas to take them down. His father is determined to protect Chancellor and that’s why he’s so eager for the hit pieces to come out. She asks if going along to get along is the only choice they have.
As they fidget through their meal, Adam and Chelsea fail to concoct any ideas to distract his father. There will be hell to pay if Adam doesn’t go ahead with this tonight. Chelsea reminds him how much this could hurt Connor, who is still close to Billy. After some grumbling, Adam concludes that they will not publish any of the articles. This will make Victor a raging volcano and he’ll have to deal with the fallout.
Chelsea tells him how much this means to her; she’s in shock that Adam’s agreed to do as she asked. Adam knows he’s managed to screw up most of the second chances he’s received, but he’s fallen back in love with her and sees her as a miraculous gift he doesn’t deserve. He wouldn’t jeopardize that for anything. Leaving, they embrace in the night air. Chelsea tells Adam she’s fallen back in love with him too. They are grateful that they have finally figured things out, even if it took a long time. They express their love and kiss.
Nate Prods Holden to Leave Genoa City
At the Club bar, Nate sends Audra a text asking her to let him know when she lands, Holden drifts through the foyer and sits down beside him. Things are immediately tense. Nate knows he has a beef with his brother but doesn’t want to deal with that. Holden has no issues with Nate, but says Damian is a snake who yanked everything away from him. Nate reminds him they offered him a job and it wasn’t just a handout.Holden doesn’t accept that. He overheard Lily and Damian talking and it’s clear the job had everything to do with Damian’s guilty conscience. He’s sure he can do better. Nate wishes him good luck and suggests that Dumas is the person he should be angry with, but Holden is just disappointed he didn’t see Damian for who he was sooner. Trying to be positive about this, Nate suggests this could all work out for the best and point him toward his own thing.
Holden prods Nate for details of what Audra has told him about their past. It would be like her to hold the details back. He smiles and says they are all entitled to secrets. Nate narrows his eyes at him. Clearly annoyed, he snaps that they’ve all had other relationships. Holden claims he’s not trying to insinuate anything. Adamant, Nate repeats that he doesn’t care and suggests he find someone he can pay to listen to him because this is annoying.
Nate urges Holden to go back to LA and make some new memories. This gives Holden a laugh. He thinks Nate is more bothered about his connection to Audra than he’s letting on and assumes he wants him out of the way. He claims that he wants to stick around since “the people are so damn friendly.” Nate makes it clear that he doesn’t trust him and can’t understand what is keeping him there since he has no friends, no job, and no prospects. It’s like the universe is sending him a sign that he should take the path out of Genoa City.
As they snap at each other, Nate repeats his push for Holden to go back to LA. Holden will concede his arguments make a lot of sense… but he has grown to like Genoa City so he plans to stick around. Audra sends Nate a text. Holden assumes she’s made it to France and admits he heard she was going to meet Dumas. Nate assumes he learned that from eavesdropping again. Downing the last of his glass, Nate gets up and urges him to stay out of their lives. Once Nate has strolled out, Holden smirks to himself.
The First of Dumas’ Guests Travel to His Estate
In the south of France, Nick, his parents, and Sharon slowly walk into the opulent private train that Dumas has sent for them. Sharon starts gushing about the surroundings and Nikki quips that she hopes Sharon doesn’t get motion sickness. Nick hunts down the caviar and Nikki admires the champagne labels while Victor assesses things. Nick jokes his dad must be thinking of getting a train for the ranch. His wife assumes he’s preparing himself for battle.As they settle in, Sharon discovers a welcome letter. Assuming it is meant for Victor, she hands it to him. Grumbling, he rips it open and finds a card that urges them to relax and enjoy this leg of their journey before the main event. “The sum of all human wisdom is contained in the two words: wait and hope,” he reads. “Who does this guy think he is?” Victor asks with a chuckle. Nikki’s starting to wonder if it is safe to eat and drink. Sharon starts to panic and Nikki apologizes for the bad joke. Sharon reminds them of being poisoned by another mysterious man recently. They all understand why she’s on edge. She declares she will pass on the champagne and caviar until they know who they are dealing with.
Nick starts eating caviar and Sharon quickly caves and asks for some champagne. They discuss why Dumas might be focusing on families from Genoa City. They speculate on where he could have gotten his fortune and if it was gained by ill means or inheritance. Shutting down the wondering, Victor says it was nothing like that. “He made his ascent in ways you can’t imagine,” he adds. His son takes this as an indication that he knows Dumas’ identity.
Before Victor can say anything else, Billy and Sally join them. After uncomfortable hellos, Billy wonders what Dumas could have planned for them all. Victor tells him the only thing that will be revealed is that Billy is an incompetent ass and a tool. He smirks as “Billy Boy” starts shoveling caviar on a plate. Billy asks after Cole and Claire. Victor starts taking stabs at Billy’s “pitiful new endeavor.” Sally and Billy toast to themselves. The train revs up. They notice that Phyllis and other guests still haven’t arrived. The train must be making numerous trips. Billy asks Victor if he’s ready to enter Dumas’ realm. “Are you?” Victor shoots back. Nick assumes they are being brought up in staggered groups as part of a divide-and-conquer plan. Sally admires the champagne and Victor jokes that Dumas is fattening them up for the slaughter. He taunts Billy some more, telling him he’s in over his head. Billy is sure Victor’s out to protect Chancellor, the company he stole.
As they continue to bicker and insult each other, Sharon reminds Victor that he was supposed to tell them who Dumas is. Claiming he’s never said he knows who Dumas is, Victor lets out another chuckle before adding, “Wherever this journey takes us, by the end of it, we will all meet Aristotle Dumas.” His wife asks if that will surprise or upset them. Throwing up his hands, Victor grumbles, “I dunno.”
In a dark room, a man watches them on the train through a closed-circuit TV. “It won’t be long now,” he says.
