Nick Makes a Risky Move After Phyllis Breaks Down — and [Spoiler] Gets a Call From Aristotle Dumas

When Sally arrives at Billy’s, she’s impressed by the kiss he gives her. That was his way of apologizing if he made her feel like she was pushed out when Phyllis was there earlier. Spectra didn’t feel that way at all. She can understand why Phyllis would need to talk to him after what she went through. He’s glad to hear that and doesn’t want any secrets between them. She wonders if Phyllis was asking him to keep one. Billy explains she didn’t ask, but their exes kept a big secret from them so he knows honesty means a lot to them. Sally confirms it: Honesty is a requirement.

Billy and Sally sit down and he explains Phyllis just wanted to talk about all the ideas she had for the company. They are part of what got her through her ordeal. He assumes she also wanted to come by and thank him for saving her life. Downplaying his role in the rescue, Billy admits he can’t stop thinking of what would have happened if they’d got there five minutes later. “Isn’t it some sort of cosmic rule that when you save someone’s life you are bonded to them forever?” Sally asks. Billy jokes there’s an old movie about that where the guy eventually has to start hiding from the person he saved. Sally can understand he was just being a good friend to Phyllis. He’ll admit that he’s a little worried; the worst isn’t over for Phyllis. Whoever did this to her is still out there and he can only hope that he’s found and locked up. No matter how tough Phyllis may be, it seems to Billy that something cracked inside her when she was held with Sharon.

As Billy pours rinks, he explains that Phyllis wants everyone to think she’s tough. He’s sure she is, but she still bleeds like anyone else. They’ve had their moments over the years and not all good ones. They are a lot alike and that’s why they’ve always made better friends or colleagues than anything else. Billy doesn’t want to talk about Phyllis anymore. He wants to focus on Sally and begins suggesting things they can do with their evening. After some kisses, she says dinner can wait.

Nick’s Plan to Help Phyllis

As Phyllis fitfully sleeps on the sofa in her suite, she dreams of being trapped in the clinic with Sharon. She wakes up at the sound of someone rapping on her door. She opens it and finds Summer standing there with Nick. They notice she’s looking disheveled. “I’m good,” Phyllis insists. She doesn’t need them checking in on her every two minutes. When she admits she was having a dream, they assume it was about her being locked up by a maniac. Rubbing her face, Phyllis asks them to let her go back to sleep. She needs her rest and they don’t need to worry. “I don’t need to be babysat!” she protests. As she tries to shut the door on them, they push in. They want to help and think she needs to stop pretending things are normal. She should get help. Phyllis explains the EMTs checked her out and she got a clean bill of health. Nick reminds her she was poisoned but his ex insists that she’s good now. Phyllis repeats that she’s fine but this is all frustrating. “You don’t know what I’m going through!” she yells at them. Not only was she held captive, but she was helped captive with someone she despises. Who is sick enough to force her to save Sharon’s life after all the suffering she’s caused her family?!

Nick says that the police are looking for clues. When he brings up Sharon going through the same thing she did, Phyllis urges him to go and hold his other ex’s hand. Nick wants them all to heal. He Nick urges her to lean on the people who care about her. Phyllis begins screaming and crying. As Nick holds her, she begs him to make how she feels stop. Once she calms down a little and sits, Phyllis apologizes for acting like a “blubbering idiot.” Her daughter says it’s okay to be vulnerable.

Phyllis admits that she and Sharon did change. They were made to save each other’s lives and keep each other sane. Nick thinks that’s a good thing. Shaking her head, Phyllis explains that Sharon has been her enemy for most of her adult life. They spent so much energy plotting against each other. What does she do without those feelings now? Do the feelings just go away? How is she supposed to process this? While she blows her nose, her daughter tells her no one expects her to immediately resume a normal life. Phyllis can see she owes Sharon her life but still resents what she did to their family. Nick and their daughter tell her it is just a step to changing. Phyllis assumes that everyone thinks she’s holding onto her anger. She’ll admit that Sharon is not a monster. “She’s the same screwed-up complicated human being as I am,” she admits with a sigh. She’s not sure she’ll be able to admit that again or let this go. This gives Nick an idea.

Daniel and Sharon Discuss Her Ordeal

Daniel walks into Society. He’s about to order at the bar when he spots Sharon sitting alone and approaches her, asking how she’s doing. He explains that his mom filled him in on what happened at the clinic; it sounded horrible, but at least it’s over and they’re both safe now. “Unfortunately, it’s not over, Daniel. Not by a long shot,” Sharon says. Joining her, Daniel says he knows it must be hard for her to feel safe. Sharon admits she’s on edge. He’s sure it will take time to recover from the trauma. She admits she’s only handling it moment by moment. The irony of the whole thing seems to have been intentional; their captor seemed to want them to discover each other’s humanity or something. Maybe they were supposed to find a way to forgive each other… Daniel comments that she makes it sound like their captor was trying to do them a favor. Sharon wouldn’t call it a “favor” but the point seemed to be to teach them something. It worked for her. She has no trouble giving Phyllis credit for saving her. By the end, they reached a new level of tolerating each other.

Daniel wonders if Sharon has really let go of all the hostility she has for his mom or if she’s only trying really hard to pretend she has. He’ll admit that he’s skeptical that feelings can disappear so quickly. She’ll admit that she’s grateful, angry, and confused. Sometimes all within the same hour. It’s hard to get rid of the “debris” she carries around and it’s “exhausting.” It’s unclear where all this leaves her. Sharon hopes the “detente” with his mom will last and this can be the start of some healing for them too. She’s not fishing for forgiveness, but that’s what’s in her heart.

Daniel says they are on separate paths to the same place. The one thing he’s been able to take away from this “challenging” time in his life is to look for the good moments amid the darkness. If she and Phyllis can do that, they should; staying in the dark isn’t good for anyone. Sharon is sure that Phyllis is strong and they don’t need to worry about her. When she asks after Lucy, Daniel admits that they don’t talk about Heather much anymore, but sometimes he will see her staring off and knows that’s who she is thinking of. Daniel knows that Sharon isn’t responsible for the murder. She reminds him she is responsible for framing him. “It’s complicated for us,” he admits. Nick sends her a text, asking to meet at Crimson Lights. As she gets up to exit, she tells Daniel she’s glad they talked. This was good. He agrees. They have awkward smiles and she exits.

Michael Updates Victor

At the GCAC, Michael explains to Victor that the spies they have placed at Glissade/Jabot are well-entrenched and undetected. There’s not much information to be gleaned since the merger is still ongoing. Once that’s done, there will be more to report. Michael wishes he could enjoy anything as much as Victor enjoys winning in business. They toast and chuckle about that.

Victor changes the topic to Aristotle Dumas and asks what he’s up to. From what the lawyer has managed to dig up, it seems like Dumas has no interest in Winters and his interest in Damian is incidental at best. That surprises Victor. Michael will keep digging. The Newman doesn’t want to be surprised by anything. “Why the sudden interest?” Michael asks. His boss explains that this sudden resurfacing has piqued his curiosity. He admits they have a history. “If you want me to keep investigating this man, it would probably help if I knew what kind of connection you had with him,” Michael prods. Victor explains that they have often competed for the same companies. They have been in some interesting battles. Sometimes he won and sometimes Dumas did. Dumas would suddenly appear and would never take the bait Victor set for him. Michael guesses that anyone who would pull that with Victor probably shouldn’t be ignored. “You got that right,” agrees Victor. He needs to know why Dumas is back now. It’s his style to come in, hit, and then disappear. Michael assumes this isn’t about helping Lily and Devon. Victor explains they can help them by putting Dumas in his sights.

A Twist

When Billy returns home with takeout for dinner, Sally tells him that his phone has been buzzing for five minutes. Looking at his phone, she informs him that it’s… Aristotle Dumas.