Isabella is at Michael's office, freaking out over the visit from "Kelly Simmons." Obviously, he told her, the woman was an impostor; likely hired by Lynne. He also pointed out that her story of not being nervous that her ex-husband was about to be released was a contradictory one. He reminded her that everyone remembers she came to Genoa City looking for protection because he was stalking her, and that her answers to Kelly were completely inconsistent. Unable to figure out who else might have put the woman up to question Isabella, he urged her to go talk to Lynne. When Isabella balked, he practically pushed her out the door, telling her they couldn't let this thing get away from them.
Chris/Kelly was at Crimson Lights when she noticed Paul and Andy talking at a table. Paul was questioning Andy about Diane, and if he was still interested in her. Andy said he wasn't interested in starting a relationship with her, but he did admit to feeling that Diane was really a good person deep down, and that he cared what happened to her. Paul asked why he was wearing a wedding band, and Andy teased back, saying it was to keep all of the women throwing themselves at him at bay. With that, Paul encouraged him to start talking to other women, and when he looked around and saw Chris/Kelly, he suggested they go talk to her. Andy agreed, and they walked over and asked if they could sit down and talk with her. She agreed, and after just a moment, Paul made an excuse that he had to go and left the two of them alone. The two of them made small talk, and she asked Andy about Paul-that she noticed a wedding ring. Andy tried to veer the conversation away from Paul, and at the same time, she noticed Michael walking in to the coffee house.
Victor confirmed with Miguel that the entire family was away from the ranch until he said it was safe to return. After Miguel left, Victor went over the plan with Larry and Diego. Diego tried to protest, telling Victor he didn't like the plan and he felt like a third wheel. Getting angry, Larry told him it was too late to change the plans, and Victor agreed. Larry asked if Victor had a gun and pointed out that they did, but Victor wanted to leave the guns to the police. Diego reluctantly agreed to follow the plan, and told Victor he had his back. Victor told him to just stick with the plan-he'd get his revenge-but not to play the hero. Larry interrupted and said he just got a call that they were on the main road headed that way.
The two thugs came in, looking very nervous, with guns drawn. When Diego wasn't at his designated post, one noticed and asked what he was doing. He ordered Diego to perform the lookout duties they had talked about, and Diego sulked and went over to the window. After a minute, he noticed Diego was gone, but Larry distracted them by getting the safe open. He got up, waving a wad of cash around, which got their attention. At that point, Victor walked into the room, introducing himself and asking how they could help them. When a gun got pointed at him, he told them they should back off. After all, did they really want to add murder to what they were already going to be charged with? He began beating up one guy, and encouraged Diego aloud to go ahead and get the other one. Victor got hit in the head with a bottle, but Diego and Larry beat the men up as the police came to the door.
Phyllis showed Jack the note she got from the drunk man, and when Jack read it, he couldn't believe it. The handwritten note was dated, stated exactly what he should say to Phyllis, and had both Phyllis's and Diane's cell phone numbers on it. Jack even noticed it was in Diane's handwriting, to boot. He exclaimed that this was the smoking gun that proved she framed Phyllis. Phyllis agreed, and got her coat, telling Jack it was time to see the D.A. Much to her surprise, Jack stopped her and urged her to think about what they were about to do. He felt it was not best for Kyle to have his mother in jail, and that he may end up blaming them for putting her there. Phyllis was aghast, and asked if he wanted her to tear up the note, but Jack had something else in mind.
Diane took Kyle to Gina's, ran into John and sat down with him. He protested, telling her he really didn't want to talk with her, and she told him she was just there so he could say goodbye to Kyle. She told him they were off to Florida for the rest of the winter because Kyle was sick. John got very angry, very quickly and asked Gina if she would come over and take Kyle for a moment. Once he was out of earshot, he snapped on Diane, telling her he knew Kyle was not sick and Jack would never allow her to take the child all the way to Florida for the rest of the winter. He started banging on the table and got so excited, he started having a heart attack. Gina rushed over, shoved Kyle back at Diane and ordered her to get out, which she did. After a little while, he calmed down and appeared to be all right.
Back at he hotel suite, Diane began packing when the doorbell rang-Jack and Phyllis were at her door. When she saw them, she started to say, "If this is about what happened at Gina's..." but stopped when she saw a look of confusion on Jack's face. Jack asked her one more time if she started the fire, and she kept up with her "innocent" story. Jack gave Phyllis the honors, and Phyllis handed her a copy of the note, and watched Diane squirm. She began to shake, and tried to play it off, saying the note was fake, but she knew she had been caught. She asked what they planned to do, and asked them not to go to the police. Jack gave her an ultimatum: either sign over full custody of Kyle to them by the next morning, or she would likely end up in prison. Oh, and by the way, he told her, the drunk man would be happy to testify. As they turned and walked away, she broke down, sobbing.
The police barge into Victor's living room and arrest Seth and Bobby. The medic helps Victor with his head bandage, while the cop, Diego, and Larry watch on. Victor thanks Larry for saving his life. Victor warns Diego never to get involved with dangerous men like that unless he has enough power. He helps Diego realize what he did was foolish. At Gina's, Victoria empties her heart out to Brad about her troubled relationship with Diego. She thanks Brad for listening and goes to meet Diego at their motel room. Diego fills Victoria in on everything, and says he's ready to move in with her. Victoria states she isn't sure anymore, and needs time to think things over. Phyllis and Jack learn that John's heart problem came from his confrontation with Diane. Phyllis wants Jack to put Diane away in jail for good, but Jack can't bring himself to do it on account of Kyle. Jack insists Diane will no longer be a problem, and that Phyllis should focus on being the best stepmother to Kyle. Diane reveals to Andy that she will lose Kyle and go to jail if she doesn't accept Jack and Phyllis' blackmail. Andy comforts her, as he tries to get Diane to change her attitude towards the situation. At the coffeehouse, Michael approaches Kelly, and offers to show her around the city. Kelly realizes he's asking a lot of questions, ends the conversation, and leaves. Isabella confronts Paul, wanting to know why he's been so distant. Paul apologizes, admitting it's his fault, and that he slept with Christine. Isabella screams that she hates him, and storms out.
Katherine went to see Sharon to see how things were going with Nick. Sharon admitted that their plan had backfired. Nick had figured out that she was merely pretending to be moving on with her life and had asked that her attorneys contact his. So she'd decided to go ahead and file for divorce. Katherine tried to talk her out of it, but then comforted her when Sharon said she had no choice.
At Crimson Lights, Neil had a long talk with Nick. He told him that infidelity was a tough thing to overcome, but he believed that the reason Nick hadn't already ended his marriage was either because he still saw value in it, or he had some sins of his own to atone for. Nick said anything he'd done he'd been provoked into doing. Neil talked about the failure of his marriage to Drucilla, when he was so sure that he was the injured party that he let his marriage end. He wished he could go back and have the chance to save his marriage and have his daughter grow up with him. Nick said their situations were entirely different.
Nikki was obviously annoyed with Victor over his agreement to follow through with Diego's plan. Victor, in pain from his head wound and moving slowly, tried to figure out what was really bothering her. When he found out that she planned to see Ashley, he speculated that maybe she didn't really believe there was nothing going on between him and his former wife. He said that they would always be friends, and if Ashley ever needed him, he would be at her side. But theirs was just a friendship; nothing more. When Nikki's bad mood persisted and she left, Victor went to Sharon's. She was concerned about his injury and made him sit down, getting him some pain medication. After he told her what had happened with Diego, Larry, and the two thugs, he asked how things were going with her. She admitted that she'd decided to move on with her life. Victor asked her to reconsider and give her marriage one last chance. Sharon broke down, crying against his chest, and told him that he was the only one who'd supported her through the past terrible months. She begged him not to be angry with her.
Jack stopped by the Carton house to check on Ashley, whose hair had finally grown out enough for her to stop wearing wigs. After complimenting her on how good she looked, he asked how things were going with Brad. She told him that Brad had told Nikki about Abby's paternity and how they'd barely caught Nikki in time to stop her from telling Victor. Jack said that he believed Brad would get over this in time and come home. After all, he'd been steadfast throughout Ashley's illness; he obviously loved her. Ashley revealed that Brad had leaned on another woman for support during that time. Now that there was a rift between her and her husband, she was afraid Brad might have turned to the other woman again. She refused to give Jack Olivia's name. When he asked if it was Nikki, Ashley said that would be easier. At least then she could be angry with Nikki. Instead, she merely felt bad for all the pain she'd caused everyone. After Jack left, Nikki arrived. She told Ashley that the two of them needed to set some rules for how to handle a situation that could explode and destroy both their lives. They were bound together now by the secret they shared.
Olivia presented Brad with coffee, pastries, and questions about his plans. Brad admitted that he was confused. He told her about the near-miss with Victor, but said his primary concern was Abby. He was still mad at Ashley, and he hoped nothing he'd done out of anger would hurt Olivia. Their night making love had been amazing, and he felt a new level of closeness and connection with her. Olivia admitted that she loved him and wanted to be with him. But she said she'd made a decision. She was going to back off and give him space so he could decide if he wanted to make his marriage to Ashley work. She felt that he needed to consider Abby's welfare in any decisions that he made.
When Mac found out that Billy, Brittany, and Raul had all neglected to tell their parents their plans, she said they'd either do it that day or she'd do it for them. Even though they hadn't found the ideal apartment yet, there was no reason to put off telling their parents their decisions. She then went to Brock and told him she'd decided to move out of the Chancellor house and live in an apartment near campus, although she wanted to make sure he knew she would have her own room. When Brock heard that, he correctly guessed that Billy would be one of her roommates.
Jill was thrilled to hear that Billy wasn't going back to Louisiana and intended to start college. As she reached for the phone to get him a ticket back east, he stopped her, admitting that he wasn't going to Brown. He'd decided to stay in Genoa City and go to GCU, as had Mac, Brittany, and Raul. Jill became exasperated after hearing that he didn't intend to move into a dorm and said she was sure this all had something to do with Mac.
Frederick and Anita were horrified to hear that Brittany had decided not to go to college in New York, reminding her that this had been her dream for as long as they could remember. Brittany told them that she'd decided to stay in Genoa City so she could be near Raul, who'd also decided not to go away to college. Frederick and Anita exchanged annoyed glances as they listened to their daughter.
Raul's parents were delighted to hear that he'd decided to go to college at GCU. Their enthusiasm faltered when they found out that he would lose the scholarship he'd won, since it was to Pemberton. But he assured them he would work part time, apply for a scholarship at GCU, and even get a student loan if he had to. In any case, he intended to make it work. When they found out that he didn't plan to live at home with them, his mother angrily guessed that all of this had something to do with Brittany.
Victor was waiting for Nicholas in his office and his headaches were getting increasingly worse. He took some aspirin and sat down to write a note. Victoria showed up wanting to see her brother as well. They sparred as usual about Diego and the incident with the burglars. She compared Diego to Victor. Victor wouldn't agree with any of it. She was bitter and sad as she talked about her true love.
Nikki ripped into Ashley about ruining her life. Ashley apologized, but it did no good. After Nikki left, Brad came home after a visit with his daughter. Colleen had asked about his marriage to Ashley and could tell that something was very wrong. Brad took his turn yelling at Ashley for lying to him about her feelings for Victor. He had come to see Abby, but had to take her back to her room because he was getting so upset and didn't want her exposed to that. Ashley couldn't really defend herself as the accusations continued. When Brad was about to leave, he was shocked to see Ashley fall to the floor in a faint. . .
Brittany, Raul, Billy, and Mac all spoke to their parents about their plans to attend GCU and move in together. All 4 received no support at all, in fact, Jill and the Hodges' told their kids that they would not provide any more money from then on if they insisted on this. Brock was worried about Mac being forced into sex with Billy, but she was positive that she would get her own room. The 4 met back up at Gina's and commiserated with one another. They would not back out, though, so they looked in the paper for an apartment that met their needs and discussed possible job options. Working at the coffeehouse or the café wasn't going to be enough. Just then, Lauren Fenmore approached their table. She offered them all jobs at the Glo by Jabot boutique. Just the answer that they were looking for. . .
Sharon entered the coffeehouse in a depressed mood after calling her lawyer to start divorce proceedings that morning. She saw her friend, David, working at a table and sat down to visit. He thought that he'd better get going, after the response that Nick gave the last time they were caught talking. She assured him that things were different now, she and Nick were getting a divorce. Meanwhile, Nick came in with flowers in his hand. He didn't see Sharon at first -- he asked Cody for a vase for the flowers and had a plan to win Sharon back. He went directly to the office to work on his strategy. Cody brought the vase and mentioned that someone wanted to deliver an envelope to Nick. Before he could explain further, the messenger arrived with divorce papers. Nick was angered by this and Cody calmed him down. He hightailed it back onto the floor, saying he had to watch the counter. He told Sharon that Nick wanted to see her in the office, but Sharon didn't respond before Nick came out and caught them together again. He lost his cool and almost punched David. He yelled at Sharon and accused her of looking for a new guy to get into bed with. She couldn't believe that he thought that after all the years they had been together. She told him in no uncertain terms to sign those divorce papers right away, so that they could get it over with. . .
Brittany, Raul, Mac, and Billy were happy to receive Lauren's offer to work in the boutique. She said she was still negotiating to get the space, but if everything worked out, she would pay them an hourly wage plus commission, as well as offer an employee discount. When she left for her meeting with John Abbott, the teens decided they could start looking again for an apartment. As Raul and Brittany got affectionate, Mac looked uncomfortable and Billy looked wistful. He left to talk things over with his father.
John was shocked when Jill told him about Billy's plans to stay in Genoa City and move in with Mac. Jill added that she'd refused to give their son any money for school and hoped John would help her present a united front on the issue. John wanted to find Billy immediately, but Lauren came in to discuss her offer to lease the boutique space. With the board's proxies, John and Jill made Lauren a counter offer, asking for twice the amount she'd originally presented them. After a bit of complaining, Lauren relented. Billy saw what was going on and didn't interrupt them, but waited until after Lauren had signed the contract and left before he approached his parents. John told him how disappointed he was at the news he'd gotten from Jill. He felt like Billy was walking away from an excellent school for the wrong reasons. Billy said that his time away in Louisiana had taught him that he wanted to be near home. John finally said that he would pay for tuition and books, but nothing else. Jill told him he was on his own to come up with his living expenses. His parents were startled to hear that he and his future roommates already had jobs lined up---at Lauren's boutique.
Drucilla went to the hospital to catch up on news with Olivia. She said that Lily was doing okay with the new living arrangement, but became evasive when Olivia asked how Dru and Neil were getting along. In any case, she'd come there to get the skinny on Brad and demanded that Olivia leave nothing out. Olivia reminded her that Brad was in a lot of pain and was very confused about his situation with Ashley, particularly because of Abby. She said that she didn't want him to come to her unless it was what he really wanted, and he was sure his marriage was over. Dru admitted that Olivia was right. Before they could continue their conversation, Brad rushed in. Ashley had collapsed and was in the ER. Although Dr. Reese Walker was attending her, Brad wanted Olivia to be involved because he trusted her.
When Ashley regained consciousness, Dr. Walker told her that she'd tested for low blood sugar. He was concerned about her diet, and she asked if stress could have caused her to pass out. Before he could talk to her further, Brad and Olivia showed up. Ashley asked to talk to the doctor alone. Brad and Olivia went to the waiting room, where he admitted that they'd been fighting before Ashley fainted. He was worried about the amount of stress she'd been under, but when he looked at her, he wasn't even sure he knew her anymore. Olivia reminded him that he needed to take care of himself, too. Brad worried about the effect this entire ordeal was having on Abby, Colleen, and Olivia. Olivia assured him that she was not putting any pressure on him.
When Brad was alone with Ashley again, she told him that this episode was a wakeup call. She'd been so preoccupied with their problems and her fears that she hadn't been listening to her body. She suggested that since he didn't want to be around her, and in order for him to be able to explore with Olivia whatever it was he wanted to explore, perhaps they should separate. For Abby's benefit, Ashley felt she had to take care of herself, because she wanted to be around for her daughter for a long time.
Dr. Walker was called to an emergency, but on his way he ran into Olivia. He suggested that since she was a good friend of the Carltons, she should be the one to give them the good news. He'd had another test run on Ashley to see why she might have passed out and discovered that Ashley was pregnant. As he hurried away, Olivia sank back against her chair in shock.
Nikki was annoyed to find out that Victor was still in pain and wouldn't see a doctor about his head injury. Victor told her that he was taking pain medication. When Nikki found out it was prescription medication that he'd gotten from Sharon, she hit the roof. She reminded him that she'd once been addicted to painkillers and knew what she was talking about. She then proceeded to unload her feelings about Sharon. Victor came to his daughter-in-law's defense, saying that Sharon had decided to file for divorce because she was so tired of the way she'd been treated by Nick, Nikki, and Victoria. Nikki affected a look of unconcern and said it was good riddance to bad rubbish. When Victor wondered how on earth Nikki had become so mean-spirited, Nikki said maybe it was something she'd learned from him and Ashley. She then walked out, and Victor walked behind the bar and poured himself a couple of shots of tequila.
Victoria caught Sharon as she was on her way in the door of her house. Sharon lashed out at her, telling her that if she was there to provide Sharon her daily dose of abuse from the Newmans, Nick had already taken care of that. Victoria tried to calm her down, bemoaning the turmoil their family was in. Not only were her parents fighting each other, but Nick and Sharon were fighting and making the kids miserable, and their entire family was falling apart. She begged Sharon to be the one who would turn it all around. If she would only meet Nick halfway and work out their marital problems, maybe things would get better for all of them. Sharon applauded sarcastically and told her it was a nice speech, but it had come a little too late. Only Victor had shown her any support and compassion, and she was finally convinced her only option was to divorce Nick and move on with her life. In fact, she'd had him served with papers that day. Maybe Victoria would have better luck next time. Victoria walked out, saying there wouldn't be a next time for any of them.
At Crimson Lights, Cody tried to calm Nick down after the run-in Nick had had with David the graduate student and the subsequent fight with Sharon. Nick wondered if they'd given everyone a great show, airing all their most private marital woes in public. Cody told him not to worry about that. What Nick needed to do instead was remember how he'd been planning to try to reconcile with Sharon. Even now, maybe it wasn't too late. He should go to Sharon and try to work things out. At first Nick was hostile to Cody, but finally he thanked him for his advice.
Sharon was surprised by another visit from Victor, who was there to make one last plea for her to try to salvage her marriage. Sharon then told him about the incident at the coffee house and Victoria's visit. While she admitted that Victoria hadn't intended to start a fight with her, but was trying to give her the same advice Victor was, Sharon said she just couldn't take it anymore. She was tired of all of them looking at her like she was a piece of trash. She wasn't going to cling to a man who didn't want to be with her. She had apologized for her mistake with Diego, but she was still having to defend herself from Nick, Nikki, her daughter, and Victor's daughter. While he listened, Victor got lightheaded again. Sharon led him to the sofa with concern, telling him that he really needed to see a doctor. He admitted that he'd had a couple of drinks after taking the pain pills. As he stood to leave, he looked back at Sharon and told her that he wished she'd stop beating herself up. She was a beautiful woman with beautiful children. It was too bad his son couldn't see that. Grateful to finally hear praise from someone, Sharon, in tears, stood and asked him if that was how he really saw her---as someone beautiful. When Victor said yes, she leaned forward and kissed him just as Nicholas walked up and saw them through the door.
