Y&R SHOCKER: Victoria & Claire Fear Cole’s Health Crisis — And Sally Drops a Bomb on Billy

At the tack house, Victoria asks Cole if he’d rather be in bed sleeping. He looks a little glassy-eyed. Cole coughs and brings up Claire moving in with her boyfriend. Is she comfortable with it? Victoria just wants her to be happy. Cole has another coughing attack. Victoria looks concerned. He insists he’s good. Victoria argues, “It sounds really bad.” Cole keeps coughing every time he tries to talk. Victoria realizes he’s feverish and wants him to see a doctor.

Nikki Warns Claire

At Society, Nikki compliments Claire on her work. Her granddaughter wants to talk to her about personal things and tells her she and Kyle said, “I love you.” Nikki thinks that’s wonderful. Claire adds they’re searching for their own place. She’s taking her advice and following her heart no matter what her grandfather might say. She just hopes he won’t retaliate. Claire notices Nikki’s face change when she mentions Victor. Nikki insists her advice hasn’t changed. Victor might blow up and then let it go… or pull a different manoeuvre. She’ll speak to him and soften him up. Claire tells her this is something she has to do herself.

Nikki tells Claire that would be a mistake. The information needs to come in stages. “Let me open the door.” Claire agrees. Nikki asks what they’re thinking of for a place to live. Claire admits Kyle asked her to move into the Abbott mansion, but she declined. They discuss Diane’s refresh. Claire says it’s gorgeous and Jack seems thrilled. Nikki snarks that Diane must have pulled it off. Good for her. Talk turns back to Victor. Nikki will do whatever it takes to smooth the way for Claire and Kyle… it will take some time though.

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Lauren arrives at Jabot and spots Chelsea. She was just coming to her office to compliment her on her latest palette. Chelsea asks if she could buy her a coffee… she needs her guidance on something. Lauren agrees to meet her at Crimson Lights in twenty minutes. Chelsea says she needs to make a decision about something and could use her advice. Lauren’s curious.

Sally Surprises Billy

Billy and Sally sit at the Club bar, and he complains about the conversation he just had with Daniel. Sally learns that he fired Phyllis, and her son was trying to change his mind. He explains she has some healing to do. Sally asks if he’s OK. Billy says Phyllis is really upset with him and he doesn’t blame her. Sally feels a little guilty… she didn’t think he’d actually let her go. Billy didn’t think so either. He recaps that Phyllis has been through a lot and has some work to do. This leaves him looking for someone to fill her spot. He’s better when he has someone by his side that he can trust. Sally asks if his offer to her was serious. He wonders if she’s seriously been thinking about it.

Sally says she mentioned it to Audra, who urged her to consider it. Billy teases that she’s listening to Audra over him. “Did she ask for a job?” he wonders, or just the routing number to their business account. Sally says that’s not fair. Audra has made mistakes but so have they. She adores her. She has her back, and Sally has hers. Billy’s got it. Sally wants to explore the idea of replacing Phyllis as his right hand. He likes that. Sally’s not saying yes or no yet. Billy’s encouraged. She stresses that leaving Marchetti is not an easy decision. But Audra reminded her how exciting it is to build a business from the ground up.

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Sally and Billy discuss what it would look like to work together and she tells him she loves creating to bring people joy. Billy’s sure she’s the right person for the job. Sally’s intrigued but can’t leave Marchetti in the lurch. She’d have to talk to Summer, Chloe, Lauren and Chelsea, all who have taken a chance on her. “Who knows how they’re going to take the news?” Billy wants to know how to nudge her to his side of the fence. This is his chance to get it right. They can change a lot of lives with a media company. Sally tells him it means a lot that he wants her to have the job; she loves the idea of helping him create something, but she can’t give him an answer right this minute. He asks her not to drag it out. He doesn’t have a lot of time. Sally is relieved the back and forth with Phyllis is over. She’s brilliant but reckless. Billy wants to try and convince Sally this is the best move for both of them. They kiss.

Chelsea’s Big Decision

Chelsea finds Adam and Connor at Crimson Lights and they all chat about the youngster’s soccer game. Adam learns she’s meeting Lauren there and guesses its about his proposal. Connor asks what they’re talking about. Chelsea is cagey. Connor asks if they were all secrets and smiles when they were together before. Adam says it’s better now… their secrets and surprises are good.

Lauren arrives and Adam hopes she’ll guide Chelsea well. Connor and Adam leave, and the women sit. Chelsea tells Lauren she needs her help and advice about something. She’s been given a job offer. It wouldn’t be competition, but it would mean leaving Marchetti. Lauren asks if she has any ideas for a replacement. Chelsea suggests Sally. She can’t leave with a clear conscience unless someone is waiting in the wings. “And that person is her.”

Lauren asks Chelsea if she’s talked to Summer yet. Chelsea isn’t sure she wants the position yet and doesn’t want her boss to think she has one foot out the door. Lauren asks what the job is. Chelsea says Adam wants her to be his COO at Newman Media. Lauren warns it’s a huge, time-consuming, pressure-filled job. She thought Chelsea loved fashion. Chelsea loves creating in general. This is something new and exciting. Lauren asks about working with Adam. Chelsea says they’ve become a really good team. Lauren says Sally has done amazing and has grown a lot as a person. She could do both jobs if she wanted to, but Chelsea should talk to her first and then they could talk to Summer. Chelsea worries about approaching Sally given she wants to go work with her ex. Lauren warns getting what you want in life can be messy. You have to ask yourself if you can stand by your decision. “Trust your instincts. Know your heart and your head.” She tells Chelsea she has her backing no matter what she chooses.

Victoria’s Grows Worried

At the tack house, Victoria tells Cole she’s going to make him a doctor’s appointment. He declines and wants to go to a room at the Club to keep his germs away from him. She insists he sit while she makes him tea. He sits but keeps coughing. Victoria brings the tea when it’s ready and they bicker about whether he should go back to the Club. Cole worries he might be contagious. Victoria will ask Billy to keep the kids, and she took some vitamin C. Cole will take some medicine and then go back to the Club until he kicks this bug.

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Claire arrives and Cole’s asleep on the couch. Victoria tells her she tried to get him to go upstairs to rest but he crashed so fast. She asks what Claire is doing home. Claire just finished with Nikki at lunch. She reports that her grandmother is still on their team and will smooth the way with Victor. Cole grunts, “Good luck with that,” and resumes coughing. Claire wants Cole to go to bed. He tells her to back away, so she doesn’t catch whatever this is. He hacks and coughs and finally concedes he really needs to see a doctor.

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Next on The Young and the Restless: Victor raises the stakes with Audra.