At Brooke's house, Brooke talked to Hope, who lay on the sofa, about the end of Hope's marriage. Hope was sad that, as soon as the judge finalized the annulment papers, her marriage would be over. The sadness was worth it to her because of Phoebe and Kelly.
Brooke still didn't see why Liam couldn't be married to Hope and be there for the girls. Hope said he was willing to do it, but she wasn't. She believed that she'd done the right thing, and it was what she'd told Xander. "Xander?" Brooke repeated. Hope explained that Xander had tried to stop Liam and Hope from signing the papers, and Brooke asked why Xander would do that.
Hope remarked that Xander had been determined to talk to her and Liam about it, and it had been surprising that he hadn't stayed. Instead, he'd gone outside to turn off his car alarm and had never returned. Hope stated that nothing Xander could have said would have made her change her mind about letting Liam go to Phoebe and Kelly.
Brooke felt that Hope and Liam needed time to process things. Hope said they'd been doing that for months, but too many pieces were missing. In Hope's mind, the only way to move on and heal was to begin anew. Hope would always love Liam, but without Beth, things had no longer made sense. Brooke hugged Hope.
At Forrester, Zoe panicked about Xander telling Liam and Hope the truth about Beth, but when Xander said he'd defend Zoe's actions the next time he talked to them, Zoe gleaned that he hadn't told them yet. "No. But I wanted to, and I'm still gonna do it," he declared.
Zoe asked what had stopped Xander from talking to Hope and Liam. "Thomas," Xander replied. Xander explained that Thomas had been aggressively throwing his weight around with Xander because Thomas hadn't wanted anything to get in the way of Hope and Liam's annulment.
Xander recounted charging into the house while Liam and Hope were in the middle of signing the papers. To Xander, it had been obvious that they didn't want to separate and that Hope was only doing it for Steffy's kids. He remarked that they knew why Hope felt connected to Phoebe.
Zoe replied that Phoebe was in a loving home. For Xander, that wasn't good enough. Continuing with his story, he stated that he'd been about to reveal the truth when his car alarm had gone off. He suspected that Thomas had activated the alarm to get him away from Hope and Liam. Zoe asked what Thomas had wanted.
"Me off the property," Xander responded. Xander said that Thomas had been adamant that Hope needed the annulment, but Xander had tried to get Thomas to let him have a few minutes. Instead, Thomas had demanded to hear the message that Xander had had for Hope. Zoe said that Xander wouldn't tell Thomas the secret. Affirming it, Xander stated that he'd just wanted to get out of there, and Thomas hadn't found out about the secret.
Later, Zoe hugged Xander from behind and sympathized with how tough it was for him. She understood that he wanted Hope to know. "Don't you?" Xander asked. Claiming that she did, Zoe said it was always prevalent in her mind; however, her father had committed a crime. Agreeing, Xander rasped that it had been despicable.
Zoe claimed that she and Flo hated themselves for being dragged into it, but the problem was that they could go to prison. Xander replied that Reese was the one to blame. Zoe wanted more time to think about it, but Xander insisted that Hope and Liam had been grieving for months already. He asked if Zoe wanted Beth to pay for the crime, too.
Zoe replied that Beth was fine, and Steffy loved Beth. Xander was worried about the ever-strengthening bond between Steffy and Beth. He believed that Steffy needed to know -- everybody needed to know. Zoe asked if he loved her. Xander affirmed it and said it was the reason he was trying to help her. In his mind, she couldn't keep the secret any longer.
Xander didn't believe that lies and secrets were what Zoe was about. Crying, Zoe said she'd wanted to tell the truth, but the men her father had been mixed up with were still out there. Xander was worried about the trembling Zoe. She said he had no idea how anyone would react to the truth. He promised that he'd be there, and she wouldn't have to go through it alone.
Xander loved Zoe. In his view, Zoe was a good person. He could see that the lies were killing her, but he noted that they were killing Hope, too. Things were messed up because Steffy was bonding with Beth, and Hope had given up her marriage.
Xander thought it would get even worse, but he said that they could make it right. It wouldn't be easy, and there would be fallout. He asserted that Hope needed to know the truth. He asked Zoe to say that she understood him.
At the Forrester mansion, Flo was amazed that she'd been able to say what she'd said. It didn't make sense to Thomas, who stated that Beth had been stillborn. Flo asserted that Beth was alive. Thomas couldn't believe that Flo would make up something as cruel as that. Flo said that it was probably better if Thomas didn't believe her.
Thomas didn't believe it was possible. "She was there. She held Beth in her arms. That moment is seared into her memory, okay? Liam was there. The doctor explained," Thomas stated. Flo looked away, and he asked what it was that she wasn't revealing. He demanded to hear the entire story, and Flo said he had to understand that she hadn't known anything about it or Hope when she'd arrived in Los Angeles.
Thomas asked how Flo could possibly know that Beth was alive. Flo began talking about the night of the wind storm, and he recalled learning that Hope had passed out during delivery of the stillborn. Flo corrected that Beth hadn't been stillborn. She revealed that she knew Dr. Buckingham, who'd lied. The truth was that Hope had delivered a healthy baby girl.
Thomas asked why a doctor would lie like that. Flo further revealed that Reese had gambling problems, and he'd been desperate to repay some money and save his daughter, who'd been threatened over his debts. Thomas asked how Reese could have accomplished stealing the baby. Flo explained that another mother had given birth to a stillborn that same night.
"He switched the babies," Thomas stated. Affirming it, Flo said Reese had told Liam that the baby hadn't made it. She further revealed that Xander had gone to Hope and Liam after just finding out about the whole matter. Thomas stated that Beth was alive. Flo replied that it wasn't the only thing that Hope needed to know.
Later, Thomas was saying that Hope would have asked questions and not have just taken the doctor's word for it. Flo explained that Hope had wanted to see the baby, but Reese had put the stillborn baby into Hope's arms. "That is sick," Thomas uttered. Agreeing, Flo said she hadn't known what she'd been getting herself into when she'd answered Reese's call.
Thomas yelled that Flo had helped Reese sell Hope's baby. "No, I did not! He set up this whole adoption. There were legal papers and lawyers," she replied. She said Reese had set up the whole thing, and he'd only needed a birth mother. "You!" Thomas yelled.
Flo insisted that she hadn't known the details until she'd been in too deep. Thomas replied that she'd known that Reese had wanted her to lie, and she'd known that the baby hadn't been her own. Flo said if she could go back, she wouldn't have been involved with it, and she would have asked more questions.
"You gave up your own baby, and then you pretended to be a birth mother for this guy?" Thomas asked. Flo said he was wrong, and then something clicked in Thomas' mind.
"Your baby...The baby you gave up was Beth? Steffy adopted your baby. Phoebe's Beth? Phoebe is Hope's daughter?" Thomas asked. Flo confirmed it and said his sister was raising Hope's little girl.
At the Forrester mansion, Thomas and Flo continued their discussion about Beth. He was disgusted that Flo would call someone like Reese, who'd put a stillborn baby into Hope's arms, a friend. Thomas didn't know how she could do it to her cousin. Flo didn't want to make excuses for herself and said she should have found a way to tell Hope.
Thomas stated that Steffy was the only mother Beth had ever known, and the truth would leave Steffy in utter grief. He understood that Flo had been put in a bad position. He said that a lot of people were involved, "and now..."
Flo asked what Thomas was going to do. Thomas was sure that Flo was worried about herself. Claiming to be worried about everyone involved, Flo said she'd wanted to tell Hope, whom she loved, for a long time. Thomas asserted that he loved Hope, too, and his son loved Hope.
Thomas stated that Douglas needed a mother, and Hope needed a child; Thomas had thought Hope could be that mother. Learning that Beth was alive had thrown Thomas for a loop. It had been "hell" for him to watch Hope in so much pain. "But I could give her something. I could give her the most incredible news. I could give her her child back," Thomas theorized.
Flo figured that Thomas would tell Hope. "You had to know this day would come. Secrets have a way of coming out," he replied. Flo said her life would be a dream if it weren't for the secret. She loved her new job, family, and home, and her second chance with Wyatt. She believed that everyone would hate her for keeping quiet for so long.
"And for asking me to," Thomas assumed. Flo replied that she wasn't asking that of him. Because she knew how he felt about Hope, she felt the need to warn him that the truth would lead Hope and Liam back to each other and to the family they'd longed to have.
Thomas had thought about it, and he acknowledged that it would ruin any future he and Douglas would have with Hope. Thomas also knew that the news would kill Steffy and ruin the chance of a reunion between her and Liam. Thomas insisted that the truth had to come out. He hated to put his sister through pain, but her little girl was Hope's little girl. He stated that he had to tell Steffy and Hope.
At Forrester, Xander tried to soothe Zoe's fears about revealing the truth about Beth. The sobbing Zoe asked if Xander cared at all about her father, who'd go to prison. "No, not really," Xander replied. In his view, Reese had no right to play with people's lives.
Zoe tried to defend her father, but Xander didn't want to hear it. He felt as if the truth should have been out when it had all first happened. Though he understood the bad position Reese had put Flo and Zoe in, Xander said that Zoe had to think of Liam, Hope, and Steffy. He felt that the sooner those people knew the truth, the better.
Zoe started to trade upon Xander's love for her, but Xander said his love for her was the reason he'd try to protect her once the truth was out. In his view, things were spiraling out of control, and they owed it to Liam, Hope, and Beth to make it right.
Zoe was adamant that Beth had become Phoebe and was living in a loving home. Zoe didn't want to disrupt that and said they had to keep quiet. As much as Xander loved Zoe, he couldn't do what she was asking. Zoe suggested that he pretend he'd never heard what he'd heard, but he said that was impossible. "I can't just not know!" he exclaimed.
Later, Xander and Zoe arrived at the Forrester mansion after receiving an urgent message from Flo. Flo, who was alone, let them know that Thomas had been there specifically to see her. Zoe wondered why, and Xander flashed back to leaking Flo's name in the conversation with Thomas earlier that day.
Xander explained that he'd mentioned Flo's name to Thomas but nothing more. Zoe asked again what Thomas had wanted. Flo stated that Thomas had hounded her about what Xander had wanted to tell Hope, and Thomas had refused to leave until he knew. Zoe asked Flo to say she hadn't told Thomas about Beth. "I did...He knows everything," Flo responded.
Zoe asked how Flo could have done that. Flo stated that it was his family, too, that was involved. Zoe wanted to know where Thomas had gone. Flo assumed that he'd gone to his sister because he'd said that he had to tell Steffy and Hope the truth.
At the cliff house, Liam helped Steffy with the girls. Steffy appreciated Liam's commitment to always being around and helping out. They contemplated what Phoebe's first words might be, and Steffy guessed, "Cha-cha-cha." She was a proud mother, who felt that Phoebe was every much a part of the family as anyone, including Kelly.
Liam conveyed that he felt as if he were Phoebe's father. Affirming that he was, Steffy said he loved Phoebe as if she were his own. The babies cooed together as the adults talked, and suddenly, Liam and Steffy became excited by something they heard. Pointing at Phoebe, Liam exclaimed that she'd said "da-da."
Later, Steffy and Liam put the girls down, and Steffy asked when he'd tell her the other reason he'd stopped by. Liam revealed that he and Hope had signed annulment papers the other day. Steffy said she was sorry. Liam replied that he and Hope didn't want it and loved each other as much as ever; however, he'd had to give Hope what she needed to recover.
Steffy asked if she could do anything. Just having her support was enough for Liam. Steffy said he had that and two girls who believed that he was the best dad in the world. She asked where he was staying. Liam didn't have a plan yet, and Steffy said that he was more than welcome to stay in the guest room and be near the girls.
Liam asked if he could read bedtime stories to Phoebe and Kelly every night forever. Steffy thought the girls would love it, and he wondered how he could turn down the offer. She told him that the girls would be thrilled.
Liam thought being with the girls would be good for him as he struggled to process the end of his marriage. It was also what Hope wanted, and it was the reason he and Hope had separated. Steffy said they'd always be a family, and it would always be his home.
Phoebe's voice sounded through the baby monitor, and Liam went into the bedroom to check on her. Someone knocked on the front door. When Steffy answered it, Thomas barged in. She asked if he'd even greet her. Thomas wanted to tell her something important. It was about that night on Catalina Island when Hope had lost her baby.
Steffy asked what of it. Thomas said he always wanted to protect his sister, but he couldn't do it that time. He told her that what he'd say to her would change her, Kelly, and Phoebe's lives forever.
At Steffy's house, Thomas showed up and was desperate to tell her something. Steffy worried that something had happened to their mother or father. "You're scaring me," Steffy said. Thomas dramatically told her that she needed to know something, and it was going to change her family forever. Steffy was panicked and wondered what it was. Thomas announced that he had seen Liam's car and wondered if Liam was there. Steffy answered that Liam was in the nursery with the girls.
Steffy begged Thomas to tell her what was wrong. Thomas stammered that it was about Phoebe. "You know I only want what's best for you," he said. Then, Thomas tried to tell her that Phoebe was not who Steffy thought she was -- she had been taken from another woman. Steffy said Phoebe was her daughter by adoption, but she knew that Flo had given birth to Phoebe.
Thomas started to say Flo wasn't the mother, but Liam entered and asked what Thomas was doing there. Liam assumed that Thomas wanted to gloat because he had persuaded Hope to sign annulment papers. Steffy argued that Thomas had something important to tell them that could affect the girls.
Liam was skeptical and said that Thomas had been after Hope for weeks, and there was nothing Thomas had to say that Liam wanted to hear. "I lost my child and my wife," Liam said. Liam threatened Thomas that he would snap if Thomas tried to take anything else from him. "Turn around and walk out the door," Liam ordered. Steffy reminded Liam that Thomas was her brother, and she needed to hear what he had to say.
Thomas promised that he was not there to gloat. They all argued, and the babies started to cry in the nursery. Liam said he would get one of them while Steffy got the other. Liam and Steffy discussed that Kelly was probably hungry, and they needed to get the girls on the same meal schedules. Liam and Steffy went to get the girls, and Steffy asked Thomas to wait for them to return. Thomas could hear Liam, Steffy, Kelly, and Phoebe chatting in the next room, thanks to the baby monitor. Thomas overheard Steffy tell Liam that it was nice to have him around.
Thomas looked at the photo of Steffy and Liam on the wall and clearly reconsidered telling them the truth. Thomas flashed back to his conversation with Flo when he had shouted at her to tell him what was going on, and Flo had admitted that Beth was alive. Thomas had argued that Beth had been stillborn, but Flo had explained that Zoe's father had been the doctor and that he had lied. "Hope delivered a healthy baby girl," Flo had said. She'd said she knew it was impossible to understand, but Beth was alive. Steffy and Liam returned to the living room with the girls and appeared happy.
Liam suggested they take the girls for a walk on the beach. Liam told the girls he was a fun dad, and Phoebe smiled and clapped. Steffy said that the girls were happy because Liam had moved back in with them. She said that their daddy would be there full-time. Thomas was surprised at the news. Liam said he was staying in the guest room. He explained that after the annulment, Steffy had offered him a place to stay, and it was what Hope had wanted for him, "to spend time with the girls." Liam said, "It's good for me, and we put them first."
Liam added that he knew it was what Thomas wanted, also, "in your own twisted way." Liam and Steffy agreed that Liam would be there with the girls every morning when they awakened. Liam noted that he was not Phoebe's dad on paper, but he felt like he was. "You're definitely Phoebe's dad," Thomas said. Liam looked at Thomas curiously and then at Steffy.
At the Forrester mansion, Flo, Xander, and Zoe discussed that the truth would finally be out in the open. Flo and Xander were relieved, and Zoe argued that she, Flo, and her father would all go to jail. "The Logans will never speak to you again," Zoe said to Flo. Flo said that Beth was still a baby and would finally be returned to her parents. She hoped that Hope and Liam would recover.
Zoe couldn't believe that Flo had told Thomas the truth. Zoe panicked. "What happens to us, my father? They will have us arrested," Zoe cried. Xander promised Zoe that he would explain to everyone that Reese had used them, and no decent father would have done such a thing.
Zoe defended her father and said that he'd been in trouble and had been trying to protect her because people had threatened her life. Xander and Flo agreed there was no excuse for what Reese had done. He had ruined Hope and Liam's marriage and hurt an innocent baby. Xander felt Reese deserved whatever punishment he received. Flo agreed and said they couldn't keep lying forever. "It's over," Flo said. She insisted there was no way Thomas wouldn't tell his sister the truth. She expected the police would soon arrive.
Zoe argued that it would be the end of her relationship with Xander, and she sarcastically asked if he would visit her in prison. She had hoped they would have had a future together. Flo and Xander reminded Zoe that Hope would have her baby back, but Zoe countered that Thomas might realize how devastating the news would be for Steffy. The baby she had raised for months would have to be given back to Hope.
Zoe noted that one happy family would be destroyed, and it was Thomas' sister who would lose the most. If he shared the news, it would also mean that there would be no chance for Thomas and Hope, and no chance for Steffy and Liam. "It's a lot to consider," Zoe said. In light of all that, Zoe thought Thomas might choose to keep quiet because Steffy had so much to lose.
Flo and Xander argued that if Steffy had known she was raising Hope's baby, she would never keep a secret. Zoe said that Phoebe and Kelly were half-sisters biologically. Zoe insisted that Thomas wouldn't tell because he would lose Hope and a mother for Douglas. Xander said he didn't believe Thomas would be that desperate. Flo felt they had to be ready to face the consequences. "You should get prepared for this. Steffy and Hope both need to know. Beth needs to be with her mother," Flo said.
Zoe warned Flo that she would lose her new home, new family, and new job. "It's just the price I'm gonna have to pay. Hope will finally have her baby. She has been grieving for so long," Flo said. Zoe countered that Steffy would lose the baby she had loved so much.
At Steffy's, Liam and Steffy held the girls, and Thomas watched them all play peekaboo while the girls laughed. Liam volunteered to take the girls so Steffy could have some time with Thomas. Liam carried Phoebe, and Kelly walked by herself while Thomas and Steffy marveled that Kelly could walk alone.
Thomas noted that Steffy was really happy. Steffy agreed, and she added that she was excited that Liam was back. She didn't know what it meant to her relationship with him, but it was important to the girls. Steffy added that Phoebe and Kelly "were like two peas in a pod, just like Phoebe and I were." Thomas nodded. Steffy paused and remembered that Thomas had something to tell her. Thomas said it affected everyone, especially Liam and Phoebe. "You have to know the truth," he said.
At the cliff house, Steffy became concerned that something was going on, and she asked Thomas to say what it was. Thomas said it affected all of them -- the children and the families Steffy and Hope had dreamed of. Steffy asked if it affected Hope, too. Thomas replied that it affected Hope the most.
Liam emerged from the bedroom with Phoebe, and Thomas watched Steffy and Liam interact with the child. Steffy said that "daddy" was moving in with them. She corrected herself to mean "Liam"; however, Liam said that Phoebe might as well call him that.
Thomas decided that he had to go. Steffy asked what he'd wanted to say about Hope. Thomas stated that Liam living under the same roof as Steffy and the girls was what Hope had wanted. He asked Liam and Steffy not to forget Hope or her sacrifice. "And don't forget Beth," he added. Liam asked why Thomas would think they ever would. Thomas rushed out without answering.
Later, Liam and Steffy put the baby to sleep and sat on the sofa, discussing how weird their exchange with Thomas had been. Liam didn't understand why Thomas had claimed to have earth-shattering news when all he'd wanted to do was lecture them about Hope. Liam didn't trust Thomas when it came to Hope, and Liam said that Thomas would be wise to remember that Liam would always look out for and protect Hope.
Liam thought he and Steffy should have a beer before the next round began with the girls. He didn't know how Steffy had done it alone for so long. Steffy stated that she'd had help from family. He didn't want her to sell herself short and said she was a good mom. She was glad he thought so. He replied that he was glad to be moving in.
Liam hoped that he wasn't overstepping with the parenting and said Steffy could feel free to put him in his place if he did. She couldn't believe he'd said that and stated that even though they weren't a traditional family, they were still a family. She didn't know what was in store for them, but she asserted that no one could take their sense of family away from them.
In Brooke's cabin, Brooke and Hope spent time with Douglas, and Brooke asked if Hope had dinner plans. Hope was hoping she had a date with Douglas. Brooke stated that Hope was welcome to the house for dinner whether she had a date or not.
Douglas said he couldn't be Hope's date because she was married, and Liam wouldn't like it. Douglas asked where Liam was. Hope and Brooke exchanged gazes, and Hope replied that Liam no longer lived there. Douglas wanted to know why, and he noted that Hope was sad.
Hope stated that she and Liam had decided that Liam moving out had been for the best. Brooke added that people sometimes did what they thought was right even if it made them sad. Hope said it would give Liam more time to spend with his daughters.
Douglas asked if Liam had adopted Phoebe. Hope explained that Liam loved Phoebe as a daughter. Hope loved Phoebe, too, and that was why she was okay with Liam moving out. Douglas deduced that Hope loved Phoebe the same way Hope loved Beth.
Later, Douglas was outside, and Hope and Brooke discussed Hope's annulment. Brooke still didn't support it and disliked the pain Hope was in. Hope said that pain was temporary, and her pain faded more and more as she spent time with Douglas. She was grateful for the boy and the bond they shared after they each had lost so much.
Brooke hugged Hope, and Douglas entered with some flowers. He'd found some that had made him smile, and he hoped that they'd make Hope smile, too. Hope said they were beautiful. As she hugged the child, Thomas appeared in the doorway and asked Brooke how much he owed her for the flowers Douglas had picked.
Brooke said it was okay that Douglas had done it, and she took the flowers to the kitchen. Douglas asked if it was okay to tell his father why Hope was sad or if it was a secret. Hope replied that it wasn't a secret.
Douglas explained to Thomas that Hope was sad because Liam wasn't living there anymore.
Hope told Thomas that she and Liam had decided it officially. Thomas affirmed that it was sad and said it was a good thing Douglas was there to comfort Hope. Hope stated that she was lucky to have Douglas in her life.
Brooke returned with the flowers in a vase. Douglas asked if his father had snacks. Hope offered to fix something for him. Brooke offered up the goodies she had at the house. Suspecting they were cookies, Douglas decided to go with Brooke. Brooke invited Hope to meet there later because she and Hope still had a lot to discuss.
After Brooke and Douglas left, Thomas asked what that had been about. Hope stated that her mother had lots of opinions. Thomas guessed that it was part of being a mother. He immediately stated that he shouldn't have said that. Hope replied that his statement was true, and she would have had plenty of advice for her daughter if her daughter had lived.
Thomas told Hope that there was something she should know. It sounded serious to Hope. Seeing Hope with Douglas, in Thomas' opinion, reinforced the kind of mother she would have been. Hope felt lucky to have the relationship with Douglas at that time in her life.
Thomas couldn't imagine the suffering Hope had been through since Catalina Island, including the ending of her marriage. Hope said it was hard, but it was what was best for Liam's family. Hope had thought Liam would have two families, but Beth had been taken from them, leaving Hope with no other option but to let Liam go.
Thomas wanted to take away Hope's pain. Hope conveyed that, though it wouldn't happen overnight, because of Thomas and Douglas, the pain was fading. She couldn't make any promises, but she was willing to take it a day at a time. Thomas asked what she was saying.
Hope replied that she was grateful for Thomas and for Douglas. She asked if that could be enough for the moment or if his feelings had changed. Thomas kissed Hope. She allowed it but awkwardly pulled back after a couple seconds. "Not at all," he answered.
Relieved, Hope said she'd been worried that Thomas might leave town again, and she couldn't handle losing Douglas. Thomas said she wouldn't. He and Douglas would be there for her.
Hope asked what Thomas had wanted to tell her. Thomas revealed that Steffy had asked Liam to move in. Thomas said Hope's sacrifice wouldn't be in vain; Liam was moving on as Hope wanted, and Thomas would help Hope move on. He reminded her that Douglas loved and needed her. Thomas loved her, too. Hugging her, Thomas said he'd do anything for her.
At the Forrester mansion, Flo felt as if they'd needed Thomas to step in. Zoe couldn't believe Flo had said it. Flo explained that they'd let the situation get too far and had needed someone to intervene. Xander said it was exactly what Thomas was doing at that moment by telling Steffy that she was raising Hope's child.
Wyatt, who had entered the house, asked why the trio was talking about Hope's daughter. Zoe remarked that it was just sad that Liam and Hope would still be together if Beth had lived. From Wyatt's reaction, Zoe guessed he hadn't heard that the couple had filed their annulment.
Though Wyatt had known it was happening, he hadn't known it would be so quickly. He had been hoping it wouldn't happen at all. Xander said that things always worked themselves out, and he believed the couple would get back together. Wyatt asked why Xander thought that.
Zoe claimed that Xander was an incurable optimist. She assumed that Wyatt was there to see Flo and not to gossip about Hope and Liam. Xander and Zoe made their exit, and Wyatt stated, "That was weird. Flo quipped, "That's Zoe for you."
Wyatt noticed something off about Flo and said she could tell him what was wrong. Flo revealed that she was still thinking of Hope and Liam and wished things had gone differently for the couple. Wyatt believed that Flo was a good friend and cousin to Hope. Flo said Wyatt had always believed in her. He replied that she'd always given him reason to. Flo kissed him.
Noting that she was shaking, Wyatt asked why Flo was so upset about Liam and Hope. Flo asked Wyatt to promise her that, no matter what happened in the future, he'd remember that she was happy they'd found each other again. She said that he had to know how much she cared about him. Wyatt kissed her.
In the design office, Xander wondered if he and Zoe should have left Flo with Wyatt. Zoe had wanted to get Xander out of the mansion before he'd told Wyatt the truth. Xander asked what it mattered when Hope would know soon enough. He promised Zoe that she wouldn't go through it alone, and they were in it together.
In Brooke's cabin, Thomas hugged Hope. He said they could be a family and be happy. Hope replied that she'd merely agreed to "see where this goes," and she didn't know what she wanted ultimately. Thomas insisted that she did know; she just had to admit it and choose joy over pain.
Thomas urged Hope to decide to move on the way that Liam had. Hope was surprised that he thought it was a choice. He affirmed that he did think it. Thomas said she'd wanted that for Liam, and she had to start wanting something for herself. He told her that her life was waiting for her. He asked her to choose it and choose him.
At Steffy's house, Steffy received a call from her father, who inquired about how things were going at her house. Steffy revealed that Liam had accepted her invitation to move back into the cliff house. Ridge thought it was good news, but he doubted that his wife would agree. Liam emerged from the bedroom, and Steffy ended her call with Ridge.
Liam had just put the girls down for sleep. Steffy found it nice to have a baby whisperer in the house. "Like you need my help," he replied. Steffy was glad to have Liam back. Liam, who was staying in the guest room, said that a guest had to earn his keep. He wanted Steffy to put him to work around there. "What? Make it so that you don't have to think?" she asked.
Liam replied that it would be nice. Steffy understood that he hadn't wanted the annulment, and she didn't want him to feel as if he couldn't admit that Hope was on his mind.
At Brooke's house, Ridge and Brooke sat together, reviewing Thomas' designs. Brooke thought they were a bit edgy for HFTF. Ridge believed that Thomas wanted to shake things up. Brooke was okay with it as long as Thomas didn't forget what HFTF stood for.
Ridge said that there was something Brooke should know. Recognizing the tone in her husband's voice, Brooke asked how much she'd hate what she was about to hear.
Later, Brooke said she'd been hoping that "this" wouldn't happen. Ridge stated that Hope wanted Liam to be at Steffy's. Brooke didn't think Hope had been thinking clearly for months, and Brooke didn't want Hope to wake up one day with regrets. He pointed out that Hope was a grown woman. Brooke knew it, but she'd always worry about her daughter.
Ridge hugged his wife and reminded her not to get lost in other people's lives because, even though they would always worry about their kids, they had their own lives to live. Brooke suggested that she and Ridge take time off to travel and see a bit of the world. "Okay, let's do it," Ridge agreed. The surprised Brooke giggled and asked if he meant it.
Calling Brooke's bluff, Ridge asked if she'd be ready to pack a bag and leave everything behind if he booked tickets right then. Brooke expressed concern about leaving Hope at that time. He stated that leaving work wouldn't be good for him, either. He also felt that Thomas needed him.
Referring to Thomas' sketches, Ridge said his son was doing well, and HFTF could be a big break for Thomas. "He needs that. He's the heir apparent," Ridge stated. Brooke thought that title belonged to Steffy. Ridge clarified that Steffy would run the company, but Thomas was the designer.
Hesitantly, Brooke said Thomas was good. She had reservations about him because of his troubled past. Thomas' desire to be back with Hope was unsettling to Brooke.
Later, Hope had arrived and was telling Ridge and Brooke that it was Liam's first night with the girls at Steffy's house. Brooke asked how it made Hope feel. "Happy," Hope responded. Tilting her head, Brooke said Hope's name. "No, I mean it, Mom," Hope responded.
Hope believed that Liam was lucky to get to spend so much time with the girls, especially Phoebe. Hope really missed Phoebe. "Actually..." Hope said and pulled out her phone.
Hope called Liam and told him that he'd done the right thing. Liam guessed she'd heard that he'd moved back into Steffy's house. Hope claimed it was what she wanted. She also wanted him to keep sending her pictures of him with the girls. Liam asked if she really wanted that. Hope said it would help her to see him and the girls as a family. Liam agreed to do it, and Hope asked him to give Phoebe a kiss from "Auntie Hope."
After the call, Brooke asked if Hope wanted to torture herself. For Hope, it was just the opposite. Seeing that the girls would live their best life with Liam would make Hope happier than anything.
Back at Steffy's house, Steffy asked if Liam thought fulfilling Hope's request was a good idea. Liam didn't know, but he said Hope had seemed insistent.
Later, Liam exited the bedroom and showed Steffy the photos he'd taken. Steffy adored a photo of Phoebe and said, "Just look at her face." Smiling, Liam said it was as if Phoebe had known that the photo was for Hope.
Later, Liam was alone in the living room. He gazed at a wedding photo of him and Hope that was on his phone. He sighed and glanced sadly around the room.
Back at Brooke's house, Hope received the photos Liam had taken. She shared them with Ridge and Brooke. Staring at Phoebe's photo, Hope said the child triggered something within her that she'd only thought was for Beth. Brooke hugged Hope.
Later, Hope had gone, and Brooke and Ridge were alone. Ridge thought it might be good for Thomas and Hope to be together, but Brooke stated that Liam and Hope weren't over, not in their hearts. It was hard for Brooke to talk about it with Ridge because Thomas was Ridge's son; however, it troubled Brooke that Thomas exhibited so much intensity toward Hope.
In the Forrester CEO's office, Flo, Zoe, and Xander had gathered at Thomas' behest and were anxious about what he wanted to see them about. Thomas entered, and Flo asked if he'd told anyone the secret. Thomas said he hadn't, and Xander asked when Thomas would. Thomas answered that he wouldn't reveal Beth's true identity, and neither would any of them -- ever.
Confounded by the news, Zoe, Flo, and Xander asked why Thomas hadn't done it. Thomas explained that he'd witnessed Liam and Steffy being a family with the girls, and it was a beautiful thing. He mentioned that Liam had moved back in with Steffy, and Zoe remarked that it had been fast. Thomas didn't know why Liam should wait, since his marriage was over.
Flo yelled that it wouldn't be over if the truth was out. She asserted that Hope had suffered for a long time and deserved to know the truth. Refusing to justify anything to them, Thomas said "this" was the way it would be. In his mind, tragedies happened and just didn't become undone. He said one had to pick oneself up and move forward, which was exactly what Hope would do.
Thomas affirmed that it had been decided. "By you?" Flo asked. He said it had been fate. He stated that there might be a reason that Caroline had died and that Reese had done what he'd done. Flo asked if he believed that. Thomas answered that it had all been a stepping stone to Hope being with him and Douglas, and it could also be stepping stones in Zoe, Flo, and Xander's futures.
"If we go along with you," Xander concluded. Thomas said Steffy was CEO "for now," but he was the future of the company. He believed that it was his birthright and that he and Hope would rule the company someday. Flo wondered how he could do it to Hope, whom he claimed to love. Xander said Thomas wasn't thinking of Hope or the children; Thomas was all about himself.
Thomas reminded Xander that his girlfriend could go to prison, and Thomas doubted Wyatt would love what Flo had done to his brother. Thomas warned that there would be consequences. He said their futures would disappear, "-- Oh, but your conscience will be clear!" He asked if it was a tradeoff that any of them could live with.
Thomas claimed that he finally understood what Ridge had meant when he'd said being with Brooke was his destiny. Thomas felt that he had a destiny, too. Xander replied that Thomas had never even been with Hope that long.
Not wanting to hear any more, Thomas laid down how it would be. He said they would keep their mouths shut, and he'd secure their futures at Forrester. Zoe didn't want her father to go to prison, so she agreed to keep the secret. Thomas reminded Flo of what she had to lose with Wyatt, and Flo nodded in acquiescence.
Xander stated that he wasn't a part of it, and Thomas' threats held no power over him. Thomas threatened to make Zoe's life "a living hell." He threatened to make sure that Zoe and Reese went to prison and that nothing good happened to them when they got out. Thomas said Xander would wish he was in prison and behind bars, safe from Thomas. "Xander, please," Zoe uttered. Xander said he'd do it for Zoe.
Later, Thomas had gone, and Xander told Zoe and Flo that they'd just made a deal with the devil. Xander didn't think that Thomas was in love with Hope. In Xander's opinion, Thomas was obsessed with her.
In Brooke's cabin, Hope was tearfully staring at the photo of Phoebe that Liam had sent her. Thomas entered and asked what she was doing. Startled, Hope explained that she'd been looking at a photo from Liam. "Put it away," Thomas ordered.
"Excuse me?" Hope replied. Thomas told her to put the phone down. Placing her phone on the table, Hope said the photo wasn't making her upset. Instead, it brought her joy. Mirthlessly, she smiled and claimed that she'd wanted Liam to be with Steffy all along. Hope choked back tears, and Thomas hugged her, saying that he was there for her.
Brooke stepped into the house, saw the hug, and backed out of the doorway.
Hope apologized to Thomas. She began turning down pictures of her and Liam that were displayed around the living room. Thomas picked up her phone while she wasn't looking, and he deleted the photo of Phoebe.
