What the!?!? Jack awakens, startled to find Victor standing over him with a pillow – to put him out of his misery.
Also at GCM, Abby scolds Kyle for not telling her he was coming to her party.. In a wheelchair, he explains getting stuck in the snow, slipping on ice and ending up in a ravine. Yes, Paul was with Summer when they brought him out. Austin’s probably fine. As Kyle’s wheeled off, the turn of events has clearly upset Abby.
Looking into Kyle’s empty trunk, Summer tells Mariah that he’d never hurt Austin (whom he’s never even met) We’re on the same side, Mariah reminds. Kevin pulls out a soiled towel. Yup, it’s blood, Noah confirms.
Oh thank God! a fussing Ester is shrugged off by a cranky Jill (as the foursome arrives at the Ashby’s) As Lily goes to check on the twins, Ester’s questions about Neil, Hilary and Devon are met with silence.
As Hilary sleeps (post surgery) Neil enters her room. Devon thanks him for saving all their lives. Thank Lily, she’s the only one Neil wanted to save – the rest of them, he’d leave to freeze to death (Hilary opens her eyes)
Victor puts an extra pillow behind Jack’s head. He can’t rest with him babbling all night. And if he’s eager to get back to Phyllis, why is he calling out Kelly’s name? Threatening to record it next time (for Phyllis) Victor is convinced that Jack did indeed have sex with Kelly before Underground collapsed.
Hilary thanks Neil for saving them (even though he must hate her) He came to see how you’re doing, Devon thinks it a sign Neil cares. Nope – Hilary’s on his insurance policy. He tosses them a plastic baggie with Hilary’s rings – and here’s the ring Devon gave her. Hopefully it’s as meaningful to Hilary as her wedding ring was.
The Ashby’s thank Ester for distracting the twins (who’ve made Valentine’s Day cards for Mom and Dad, and Neil and Hilary) As Ester goes for drinks, Lily stuns all – they’ll need to tell the twins that Daddy won’t be living here anymore.
Yes Lily’s still upset – Cane’s been lying to her for months. He had no choice, Jill and Collin defend Cane (who again apologizes for keeping Devon’s secret – but he’s not the one who cheated) When Jill and Collin decide to call an end to this long day, Lily thinks it best Cane go too. Fine, Cane grabs his coat and leaves (followed by Colling) Did you learn nothing from last night? Jill asks Lily (as Ester returns with drinks)
Jack won’t discuss his personal life with Victor. You’ve insinuated yourself in our lives – and using this Kelly thing. Phyllis is going full force in her legal defense against Kelly – you and I must unite for this common cause, Victor insists.
Abby knows Kyle got a clean bill of health, she’s his emergency contact (which he plans to change) How did you slip and fall into a ravine without a scratch? ‘Luck of the Abbott’s’ Kyle guesses.
Noah, Kevin and Summer want to tell Courtney about the towel. Mariah protests – she’s a cop! If Kyle moved the body, where is it? And if he didn’t? The four kids look stumped over what to do (as Noah still holds the bloody towel)
Jack and Victor now argue over what to watch on TV. Abby returns with a surprise; Kyle thanks Victor for helping his Dad. Again scolding the men, Abby leaves. Also exiting, Victor says he doesn’t blame Kyle for what happened when he worked at NE (supporting his family business) That leaves Jack and Kyle to briefly marvel over Victor’s new attitude. Kyle had hoped to meet Summer’s husband but won’t get that chance now. Why? Jack wonders.
Abby joins Summer, Kevin, Mariah, and Noah in GCM’s lounge – why do you all look so stressed? Kyle might know where Austin is, they show her the towel. Abby now doubts Kyle’s story of falling (without injuring himself) Mariah suggests he did it to protect Summer.
At the club, Cane lists everyone he’s angry at (including himself – and Lily)
Jill sends Ester home and lectures Lily. Yes, Cane betrayed your trust; it’s disturbing. But he was so desperate to find you after the crash. Love overcomes all. Tell that to my Father, Lily frowns as she drinks.
Where should Neil send Hilary’s stuff – to the suite where he found her with his son? Hilary almost died – do you need to make her feel worse? Devon asks.. After Neil goes to finish paperwork, Devon smiles at Hilary; the truth is out. We can be together. Yes Neil hates us, but being together is all that matters. Is it really? Hilary doesn’t sound so sure.
Hilary knows Neil’s anger must feel like a knife through Devon’s heart. Yes, it hurts – perhaps we should leave town for a bit, not flaunt our relationship. Hilary has no ties to GC, but Devon would be giving up his club, his family. That’s OK – he doesn’t know if he’ll be allowed to see the twins or Moses anyway.
Jill’s an innocent bystander; why is Cane mad at her? Because she feels he was wrong not to tell her (as does Lily) Cane didn’t want to hurt them is all. Maybe Lily doesn’t know him as well as he thought she did.
Jill agrees that no man should be hurt as Neil was – but maybe he’ll get back on the wagon (like Kay did) And if he doesn’t? It’s up to him, Jill wants to talk about Lily’s choice. Don’t give up on Cane. Yes, Lily loves him – but he doesn’t love me enough to be honest. Or maybe he loves you so much that he wants to protect you. Forgive Cane, Jill implores.
Victor’s on his phone in the hallway; I need to see you right away. In the room, Kyle only meant that he might not get to meet Austin on THIS short trip. He won’t leave until his Dad recovers. Victor returns as Kyle exits (and takes credit for the great job Kyle’s doing in NY) Stay out of my personal life, Jack growls. Not possible – and Victor has a proposition.
Victor thinks the rivalry makes them forget this town is big enough for both of us. We both need to stick around. It’s no fun to beat a rival who’s not worthy. Get along? Jack (and Victor) flash back to fights decades ago. Do we go on camping/fishing trips? Jack jokes. No, we’ll still be enemies, Victor says. Friendly enemies.
Kyle thanks the gang for bringing his car back – and hopes things are cool between him and Noah (who wants to know why Kyle lied about being at the cabin – I saw you through the window) Wasn’t me, Kyle claims. Why do you have THIS in your car? Kevin produces the bloody towel.
Our business has concluded (Neil’s finished the paperwork) We are done. Wait, Hilary has something to say. What else could there be? Neil knows ‘the truth’. That woman who came to town, who did despicable things to your family – that’s who I am; who I’ve always been. Neil doesn’t buy it. Hilary laughs – she came to town to take down the man who destroyed her family. She never lost sight of that goal. I made this happen. I finally got what I want; to take down you and yours. Mission accomplished, she looks pleased with herself.
Kyle had a boxing lesson before he hit the road – what are they accusing him of anyway? What really happened to Austin? All look guilty.
OK. Maybe Lily does need to listen to Cane’s side of things. She’ll go tell the twins that Dad will be home to tuck them in. Jill calls Collin – tell Cane to come home right away. Collin watches Cane down a drink – Lily’s inability to forgive Cane isn’t the impediment here.
Hilary continues to gloat; thanks for helping me pull this off. She mocks Neil falling in love with her. It was so perfect – you ate it up like a fat kid in a candy store. The best way to hurt you was to seduce your son. Easy revenge. I could never love you, or Devon (who listens from outside)
As Jack deletes Kelly from his contact list, Victor sits in a confessional booth in the chapel. Thank you for coming. Our plan’s working like a charm. Jack suspects nothing.
Next: We were just talking about you, Chelsea says. Nothing too damning, Adam hopes. No, just wondering about your true identity, Billy chimes in … They found Austin? Abby stammers. Yeah, for real this time, Summer tears up (still at GCM with Kevin and Mariah) … Take your slutty self and get the hell out of GC, Lily growls at Hilary (still in hospital)
My Thoughts: Hmm – who could Victor be working with? My guess is Kelly (surely Kyle’s loyalties lay with his Dad) … NuKyle is obnoxious and egotistical; dislikeable, but a good recast. Looks-wise, he could definitely be Dian’s son … Why would Kyle’s emergency contact be Abby? Not his Dad? (or someone in NY who could get to him much faster; like his Aunt Traci_… Jack and Victor share a TV? Neither can get hold of a laptop? or tablet? Victor didn’t contact his ‘resources’ and have a 60″ 4K complete with Bose surround sound wheeled in? Odd that Hilary gets her own room and Victor doesn’t … Really Abby? The kids need another reason to look stressed? It can’t JUST be because a friend was murdered while they were all drugged up – that the dead body they’re lying to police about has vanished?? Has another ‘horrible thing’ happened? she wonders (still wearing her DV heart sweater) …. So NOW Hilary and Devon are concerned about ‘flaunting their relationship in front of Neil’? I guess it was all so much easier when he was blind. As much as I loathe Hilary, I’ve gotta hand it to her; well played. But she could have stuck it to Neil for years to come – had a baby with Devon – and fleeced him for half his billions. Not sure why she couldn’t love Devon; despite his fetish for Daddy’s women, he’s a step up from Mason … OMG. What the hell was that grunt just as Kyle was leaving Jack and Victor’s hospital room? I rewound it twice and conclude that it emanated from Victor. It REALLY should really have been edited out …. Did Jill really just turn her nose up at Ester distracting the twins with a movie? She’s the last one who should be giving anyone advice on how to raise kids. Ester should be given a medal for putting up with any of them. Nice to see her (and in her civvies no less) … Having been in the same clothes for the last 2 days, why wouldn’t Jill and Collin make a beeline home – to shower? Jill even has her foul Jimmy Choo clad feet up on the Ashby’s coffee table (of course they show absolutely no signs of wear ‘n tear from two days of exposer to snow and mountain terrain) Yes, she took luggage to Chicago, but if their suitcases hadn’t been catapulted miles away due to the crash, they’d all have layered up instead of using blankets) … And are they just going to forget all about the purpose of their trip? Securing headquarters in Chicago? … While I’m glad Cane didn’t cowtow to Lily, his reasons for being angry at her and Jill are quite a stretch.