Ashley Crosses Paths With Cole — and Kyle Sucker Punches [Spoiler] (2024)

Summer arrives at Society and spot Chance brooding at the bar. She approaches and teases, “Chancellor-Winters can’t be that demoralizing, you’ve barely even started.” She asks if he’s having second thoughts about hanging up his cape, “Your secret’s safe with me.” Chance muses that there’s been a lot of change and it will take some time to process. Summer thinks it would help if he felt the part of the executive. She’ll help. “You could use the help.”

Sharon walks in on Adam and Nick at Crimson Lights toasting to being co-CEOs at Newman. Sharon walks up and says she won’t pretend this is normal, but she loves it. “Now, who’s going to explain.” They each point at the other.

Sharon learns that Victor forced them to work together as co-CEOs. She thinks they’re on their way to a beautiful partnership. They explain they’re visualizing success. Sharon thinks it’s doing the trick and they’ll accomplish great things together. Nick tells Adam he’ll meet him back at the office. Adam walks out. Nick tells Sharon he never thought he’d see the day he’d work with Adam. Sharon thinks when you’re on the right path there will be signs. He wonders if she’s looking for her own signs and asks, “What’s going on?” Sharon tells Nick she broke up with Chance yesterday. Nick thought things were going well between them. Sharon says there were no hard feelings. She didn’t feel it was right to hold him back from finding the woman he was meant to be with. She assures Nick she’s fine. Nick knows he’s exactly where he’s supposed to be right now, but part of him wishes he could share in her success at Kirsten. Sharon credits him with helping initially. Nick warns this will take up a huge part of her life and she’ll have to find work/life balance. Dating or a love life isn’t going to be an option, “Good thing that’s all behind you now.” Sharon smirks.

At the Club, Audra tells Tucker that what she just saw proves to her he’s still not over Ashley. He wants to convince her what happened in Paris didn’t happen, so she’ll come back to him. The second he thinks he can get her back, every plan they have goes down the drain. Tucker insists his focus remains on their plan. Why is she questioning him? Audra has proven her loyalty over and over, and will continue to do so as long as it makes sense. “Swear to me that I will get Jabot and nothing will change.”

Ashley walks into the patio at Crimson Lights and is stunned to see Cole sitting there. She flashes to the two of them talking about the state of their marriage, and her complaining about him confiding in Victoria. In the present, she walks over and say, “Cole?” Cole stands up and hugs her, “More beautiful than ever.” Ashley never thought she’d see his face again and asks what brought him back to Genoa City. He hedges, “Well, that’s kinda complicated.” Ashley can’t wait to hear and sits at his table.

Cole tells Ashley that it’s a private family thing. She hopes everything works out for the best. Cole asks about her getting married, and she says it didn’t end well. He’s sorry. She hopes he’s had better luck. Victoria walks in as he says he hasn’t, and muses, “Whatever happened between you two, I’m sure you were too good for him.” Victoria questions, “Cole?”

Ashley tells Victoria that Cole mentioned something about a hush-hush family thing going on. Victoria thanks her for respecting their privacy. Ashley decides she should be going, hugs Cole, and exits. Victoria sniffs, “Something I said?” Cole says she won’t be the only one asking once going on — how long can they go on keeping Claire a secret? She thinks letting everyone know the truth will be the first step in setting them all free from Jordan’s control.

Victoria thinks Cole should hear how her last visit went, “Claire has asked us not to visit her anymore.” She’s lost and tells herself that she doesn’t deserve their help. It doesn’t make sense to her that they care about her when she hates herself. Cole muses that she’s not even well enough to know how much she needs them. What his aunt has done to her drives him crazy. Victoria thinks they have to keep reminding her how much they care no matter how long it takes. She wants to know everything about her and wants to show her how life can be. Cole vows they’ll find a way to get through to her.

Victoria tells Cole he’s pretty good at this for a new parent. He’s just trying to play catch-up and really doesn’t have a clue what he’s doing. “That baby was my only child.” She was stolen from them. When he looks at her he can’t help but see everything he missed. Carrying her in his arms, birthdays, skinned knees, boyfriends… “I would have given her the world.” Victoria’s phone rings — it’s Memorial. Victoria thanks the person on the other end and then tells Cole that Claire has asked to see them. Cole thinks this is another shot at helping her; they can’t mess it up.

Adam runs into Sally at the Club and tells her life’s on an upswing. She says she feels the same. He reminds her of their dinner plans, but she has to reschedule. Adam suggests they have lunch so they can share their good news. They sit, and Sally tells Adam that lunch is more appropriate than dinner. Adam asks her to enlighten him. Sally says dinner means drinks, the most perfect wine along with a dinner for two, and maybe champagne. The after-dinner drinks are dangerous. Adam asks what could go wrong. Sally says there could be dancing, “Who wants to play with fire?” Adam prompts her to share her good news. Sally says she got three new clients. “Now you!” Adam grins that life is going pretty good right now. 75% of it is just being with her and 25% of it is something else.

In the dining room, Audra explains to Tucker why she needs him. She wants the truth — is Ashley going to ruin this or can she still trust him. Tucker argues that everyone has someone in their life they’d cross a line for, “She’s mine.” His life feels in flux right now. Audra says ten minutes ago they were in sync and all it took was one moment between him and Ashley to make it all crumble. She fumes at him that she’s through and snaps that he should check his phone — he has everyone holding on by a thread.

In his suite, Tucker reads Kyle’s text. His phone rings and he smirks, “Yes, Kyle.” He tries to hang up on him but is forced to explain that he knows what he’s up to. Kyle wants to explain but Tucker disconnects.

At the Abbott house, Kyle tells Jack that Audra blew the whole thing wide open. Ashley comes in, gets up to speed, and questions him ever getting involved with the woman. Kyle has to head to the office. Jack asks if he’s sure he’s OK. Kyle says yes, he can handle this.

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Summer rejoins Chance at Society with a bag from Marchetti. It’s everything he needs for his first few days in the office. He says he can’t accept it, but she insists it’s a perk of being CEO. She senses he’s not himself and urges, “You can tell me everything.” Chance tries to fob her off, but Summer persists. Chance tells her there’s not much to say. Summer isn’t buying it. Once he starts, there might be a lot to say. Chance admits it’s a possibility. Summer suggests they talk over lunch.

At Crimson Lights, Sharon tells Nick she’s not giving up on love. When the right guy comes along at the right time, she will know. She feels they’re lucky because they both know what it’s like to have had the real thing. The next time around she won’t settle for less. In the meantime, she’s having the time of her life running the business. Nick wants to hear all about the launch. Sharon prepares to fill him in.

Audra lets Kyle into her suite and he rants, “What the hell were you thinking?” Audra says she told Tucker to protect him. “He’s not the kind of guy you want to stab in the back unless you can follow-through.” Kyle tells her, “I know who and what you are.” Audra urges the “Golden Boy” to give it a shot.

In Claire’s room at Memorial, Victoria and Cole tell her this can go at her pace. Claire hasn’t changed her mind; she can’t have them in her life. Victoria says they’ll always be there. Claire can’t be around them ever and urges them to go back to pretending she doesn’t exist. Cole tells her she has always been and always will be a part of them. Claire has to focus on her future. Cole asks why she’s brought them there. Claire says she has one final request.

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At the Abbott house, Jack can tell that Ashley’s been around Tucker. Ash sighs over Jack always bringing it up. Jack asks, “What has Tucker done now? Let me help.” Ashley complains that he’s trying to make her believe a lie in a weak attempt to make himself look less horrible. “It’s as simple as that.” Jack continues to fish to find out what McCall is doing. Ashley just wishes he’d go far away. Jack is so sorry. Ashley asks, “What does that mean?” Jack realizes she’s still in deep. “There is no point in denying this to me, or to yourself.”

In the Club dining room, Adam tells Sally about working well with Nick. Sally finds this amazing. Adam warns her not to jinx it. She hopes it sticks. Adam does too. He thinks his father will be proud of what they accomplished. Sally smiles. She was thinking about how different things are now. It’s nice.

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In Claire’s room, Cole and Victoria are there to support whatever she wants or needs. Claire only wants one thing. She’s reached out to Michael Baldwin and her therapist. “I need to face Jordan. I have to tell her to her face once and for all how I feel about her. I have to do this or there’s no hope for me ever moving forward and getting better. Will you two make arrangements and help me make this happen?”

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Tucker arrives in Audra’s suite. She invites him in and says, “The more the merrier.” Tucker smirks and asks Kyle if he’s there for revenge now that Audra exposed him. He tells him he never needed a Jabot product. He just wanted to see if he had the stones to get a job done, but he doesn’t. He’d have to break free from the stranglehold his dad has on him. If he did, then he might be able to become, like his father, a world-class bastard. Kyle hauls off and sucker punches Tucker. Audra tends to McCall as Kyle grimaces. Tucker, standing back up, nods, “Pretty good.”

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Next on The Young and the Restless: Victor challenges Nick and Adam, Claire is haunted by memories of Jordan, and Jack shares words of wisdom with Ashley.

Look back on Kyle and Audra’s smokin’ hot photo shoot in the gallery below.

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