Nicole gets an eye-full on the Forrester jet
At the cliff house, Steffy and Liam lit candles around the house. Over wine, they discussed if she liked the changes to the house, the new tiles, tub, and counter space he'd made for her in the bathroom. They toasted to her being free, but she said she wasn't completely free yet.
Liam reasoned that Steffy was on her way there. She had started the tattoo removal and divorce processes. She had also filled the bathroom with her stuff and rearranged seventy-five percent of the house. He considered that to be something. She said he'd gotten used to having the place to himself. Liam remarked that he couldn't picture his life without Steffy.
Liam said he and Steffy were good at getting back together, but he didn't want to do it again. He wanted to focus on staying together. Steffy asked if he thought staying together would be boring. "Excuse me? Do you even remember our first kiss?" he asked, and a flashback of the kiss after she'd hit her head in the tub played.
Steffy stated that it had been a long while back. Liam said it would be hard to draw a straight line from that moment to "this" moment. "Now that would be really boring," she said. Liam was amazed by how long they'd known each other and what they'd been through. Steffy asked what Liam remembered most. He replied that it was the good stuff, and it would be hard to top their weddings.
The Julia Michaels song "Next to You" played over a montage of times Steffy and Liam had shared from the weddings, to volleyball on the beach, to falling on the Aspen slopes. They laughed as flashbacks of them parasailing played. It ended with them running to each other on the beach. Liam and Steffy kissed and cuddled on the sofa.
Liam and Steffy moved in front of the fire, and Steffy bet that Aspen was beautiful at that time of year. Liam asked if she wanted to skip town when they'd just settled in. She said it had been their place, but Liam stated that the house was their place. She agreed that it was special, too.
Liam stated that as great as "those" moments had been, nothing compared to that very moment and all the moments ahead. Liam saw a future with nothing getting between him and Steffy. He got to love her with no distractions or waiting. It had been what he'd held onto for all those months. It had been his fantasy. "At least the beginning of it," he uttered.
Another song, with the refrain "I'm standing with you," played. Liam and Steffy danced slowly in the living room. They made their way into the bedroom, where they made love and cuddled beneath the sheets.
While still in bed with Liam, Steffy wanted to hear more about Liam's "wild fantasy" of growing old and gray together. Liam said it sounded good, but it wasn't as good as "this." Steffy stated that they'd be doing "this" when old and gray.
Liam stated that he and Steffy had a lot of time to make up for. Steffy wanted to savor the moment. She said she'd always show him her feelings. She loved him, and she said he was right -- she belonged with him. "I'm home," she said, and they kissed.
At Brooke's house, Maya, Nicole, and Rick had Chinese takeout in the kitchen. Nicole felt sorry for not going through with the surrogacy, but Maya indicated that she and Rick weren't disappointed in her. Nicole didn't want them to be disappointed in Zende, either, because she loved him very much.
Nicole believed that she should have handled things better and included Zende in her decision. She knew that Zende loved her, but she wished he hadn't gone to Hawaii with Sasha. Nicole felt she had to make it right before she lost him.
As Maya, Rick, and Nicole ate, Nicole was upset that Zende had gone to Hawaii with Sasha, of all people. Even though Zende had said nothing had happened between him and Sasha, Nicole knew why Sasha had gotten on the plane with him.
Later, Nicole left Zende another message to call her. She said she should have included him in her decision and asked him to hurry back. After the call, Maya noted that Nicole hadn't said she'd changed her mind about the surrogacy. Nicole didn't want to leave the information in a voicemail.
Rick entered and said the jet was on the way back from Hawaii and would land soon. Nicole decided she'd go to the airport, meet the jet, and tell Zende about her decision in person. Maya suggested that Rick take Nicole, but Nicole wanted to talk to Zende on her own. She told Rick to keep his keys handy in case Sasha needed the ride back. Nicole hoped that she and Zende could forgive each other for the choices they'd made.
Sometime after Nicole had left, Maya made tea for herself and Rick as he returned from checking on the baby. She thanked him for how he'd handled Nicole's change of heart. Rick replied that they'd agreed not to pressure Nicole. Rick and Maya remarked about other ways to have another child and the loving children in the world in need of adoption. Rick said Nicole had just been one of their options.
Maya figured Nicole had made it to the jet by then. Rick thought Zende's return was a good sign, but Maya said Zende shouldn't have run off with Sasha in the first place. To Maya, it was not the way to handle things. Rick replied that Zende had said nothing had happened with Sasha. Maya hoped it was true. She didn't know what Zende had been thinking.
Rick thought it was obvious that Zende needed to grow up a bit. Maya thought Zende had and remarked upon his behavior since the baby had been born. Rick stated that Zende hadn't wanted Nicole to be the surrogate. Maya replied that Zende hadn't been acting like himself, but in spite of all the young couple had been through, Maya believed that Zende and Nicole belonged together.
On the jet, Zende was drinking and ruminating on Nicole going through with the procedure without even talking to him before changing her mind. Sasha asked if all the thinking had made him feel better. In his silence, she suggested that some "shuteye" might. Zende went to the sleeping cabin, and Sasha buried her head in her arm.
While reading a magazine, Sasha flashed back on fun and sexy times with Zende. She strode to the cabin door, opened it, and watched Zende sleeping on the bed. She crept into the room, closed the door, and sat beside him on the bed. Leaning down, she kissed him awake. Zende's eyes fluttered open. He stared at Sasha and then kissed her back.
It was dark by the time Nicole arrived on the jet. She encountered the pilot and asked if Zende was still on the aircraft. The pilot believed that Zende and Ms. Thompson were still onboard and bade Nicole to enter the main cabin beyond the curtains. When she did, she didn't see anyone in there on the sofa or in any of the seats. She saw the door to the cabin bedroom and grimaced.
Slowly, Nicole approached the door. She placed her hand on the handle and said Zende's name. She opened the door and saw Sasha and Zende in the bed and beneath the sheets. Zende opened his eyes and hopped out of the bed, calling after Nicole as she ran out. Zipping his pants, he caught up to Nicole at the curtained exit of the jet. She sobbed that he was in bed with "her."
Zende said Nicole had had the procedure. He stated that he'd seen Maya's post, and Nicole had done it. "You're gonna have another baby for them," he said. Nicole wordlessly ran out, and he yelled her name.
In the CEO office at Forrester, Quinn prepped for the fashion show along with Wyatt and Ivy. Ridge entered and asked why he had been summoned. She explained that she and her team had been planning the schedule and format for the upcoming fashion show. Ridge made fun of the team and called them the Forrester Creations brain trust with Wyatt, a diamond thief; Ivy, Ridge's turncoat cousin; and Quinn, a quintessential witch of the West Coast -- the latest and greatest mistake of his father. He called her Quinn Fuller. "Forrester," Quinn corrected him.
Quinn said that Ridge's designs were fabulous, and Ridge mocked that the compliments meant a lot coming from her. She added that Eric's had been better, and Ridge agreed that his father's designs had always been better. Quinn handed Ridge the schedule of events, and he wondered what the jewelry pass was. She explained that she wanted to take a section of the show and dedicate it to showcasing the jewelry rather than the clothes. Ridge thought she was joking.
Ridge said it was the worst idea he'd ever heard. Quinn said she was the CEO, and she liked it. She asked for Wyatt's vote, and he voted with his mother. Ridge made fun of him. "Oedipus agreed with his mommy," Ridge said.
Quinn insisted that they move forward and stop fighting. She had run the idea past Eric, and he liked it. Ridge said he would never keep a straight face while trying to announce it. Quinn said she would be announcing it. Ridge was shocked. She asked Wyatt and Ivy to leave and give them some privacy. Ivy and Wyatt left.
Quinn said she knew that Ridge hated her, but they had to work together for the sake of the company. She knew that Eric would return, but she was in charge in the meantime. Ridge professed that he was trying even though it didn't look like it.
Ridge rudely walked around Quinn and said he tried to figure out what his dad saw in her. He admitted she was fantastic, but "your soul is the darkest thing I have ever seen." He predicted that Quinn would become another in the many "ridiculous chapters of failed affairs" his father had had. Ridge refused to design for Quinn, and he left.
At Spencer, Alison and Bill chatted about Bill's canceled wedding. Alison worried that they had not heard much from Brooke. Bill didn't seem worried, but Alison reminded him that he had left Brooke at the altar, which was a heartbreaker. Bill countered that he had been left waiting for Brooke while she'd been talking to "the dressmaker" upstairs. Bill was still angry. "I was the one left at the altar," Bill complained. Alison said it was a shame because "she was so close to becoming your wife."
At Forrester, in Brooke's office, Katie had stopped by to see Brooke. Katie wondered why Brooke was even at Forrester. Brooke stammered, and Katie gloated that Brooke had not married Bill. Brooke was surprised. She explained that Ridge had shown up. Katie laughed and wondered if Ridge had barged in and broken up another wedding. Brooke said Ridge had been there to persuade her not to marry Bill, but Brooke had every intention of marrying Bill. "I want to be Bill's wife," Brooke said.
Katie asked what the problem was. Brooke said that R.J. had not been on board, and she worried that he needed more time. Katie wondered how much of it had to do with Brooke's feelings for Ridge and his for her. Brooke wondered if Katie had been teasing her. Katie smiled and said she had been. She wondered if Brooke was okay with it. Brooke smiled and said she was because it had been a long time since Katie had been comfortable enough to do that. Katie teased that Brooke had two men fighting over her yet again. Brooke maintained that she would eventually marry Bill.
Katie said she was alone again while Brooke had two men, but it was okay with her. Brooke said she admired Katie, who had never needed a man in her life to be happy. Brooke admitted that she had always needed a man, but she had worked hard at adjusting to being alone. Katie wondered about Brooke's feelings for Bill. Brooke admitted that Bill had left her at the altar, not the other way around.
Bill entered and interrupted. He said he felt they should talk. He greeted Katie, and they made small talk about Will. Katie quickly decided to leave.
Bill asked if Brooke and Katie were in a good place. Brooke said they had patched things up. The conversation turned to their failed wedding. Bill admitted he had been angry about how Ridge had interrupted their wedding. Brooke reminded Bill that she hadn't invited Ridge to see her. "I kicked him out. I still wanted to be your wife. And you stopped it. You left me at the altar," she said.
Bill said he remembered it differently and detailed that he had been waiting a long time for her downstairs while Brooke and Ridge had been in his bedroom. Brooke and Bill agreed not to rehash things and wanted to move forward. Bill said he wanted to fly them off to his private yacht and have the captain officiate. Brooke seemed conflicted.
Bill asked Brooke if she had any residual feelings for Ridge. He reminded her that he had asked her previously if she had feelings for Ridge, and she had sworn that she did not. But Bill had to ask again. Brooke hesitated, and Bill was disappointed. He lamented that they had spent years off and on together, and he had ended his marriage and left his family. "My love for you never wavered," he said. Bill said he loved her, but he wouldn't marry her under the circumstances. He left. Brooke cried.
Ridge entered. He noted that Bill had left in a huff. Brooke shared that she and Bill were not getting along. Brooke said that Bill had wanted to marry her on his yacht, but she didn't think it was going to happen. He was still upset. Brooke admitted that it was partly due to Ridge.
Ridge defended himself. He wanted to fight for his family. Ridge assumed that she would take her time and make the right decision. Brooke doubted that he would. She explained that Bill had asked her if she had residual feelings for Ridge. She smiled, and Ridge smiled.
Ridge told Brooke that she would eventually return to him. "Give it a month," he said. Brooke maintained that she would eventually marry Bill. Ridge disagreed. He added that R.J. had wanted pepper steak, and he planned to make it for him, but he needed a kitchen and would borrow Brooke's. He smiled and left.
In the showroom at Forrester, Quinn, Ivy, and Wyatt discussed plans for the show. Quinn predicted that the show would be terrific. It was her first, and she was excited. Wyatt complimented her for not allowing Ridge to throw her off her game. She said he would come around because she would be relentless. Ivy and Wyatt wanted her to practice her speech, and she did. They clapped and laughed. She hugged Wyatt. Ridge stood in the background, unseen by Ivy, Quinn, and Wyatt. He looked angry.
At the Forrester mansion, Eric and Quinn kissed. Quinn was glad that Eric was getting better. She told him that Steffy meant a lot to the company. She hoped she could get Steffy to help her with the fashion show. Eric wondered if Steffy would cooperate. "Maybe it's not too late," she said.
After Quinn left for work, Katie, dressed in workout clothes, showed up to surprise Eric. He greeted her and wondered if she was there to help him with physical therapy. She said she was on her way to the gym but had wanted to check on him. Eric invited her in, and Kate wondered if he, Ridge, and Steffy had been getting along. Eric said they had not because Steffy and Ridge had not respected Eric and his wife.
Eric wondered if Brooke was upset about her breakup with Bill. Katie said she thought Brooke was relieved but maintained that she still wanted to marry Bill. Eric said Bill wasn't good enough for Brooke. Katie wondered if Bill had been good enough for her. Eric sighed and wondered if Katie was sorry to see Bill with Brooke. Katie said two men were fighting over her sister again. She had grown accustomed to it.
Eric asked how Katie had been. She said she had little to complain about. Eric said he knew she would meet someone just like he had met Quinn -- who had made his life so much better. "Maybe I'll find someone like that," Katie agreed.
Katie said she had an ulterior motive in visiting Eric. She asked him for help in getting her son into school. She was embarrassed to ask for a favor, but Eric was gracious and promised to discuss it with the headmaster. Katie thanked him. Katie told him that if Quinn didn't treat him right, she'd have to answer to Katie.
At Forrester, Steffy struggled in pain as a doctor removed the tattoo on her finger and said it would take several treatments. Steffy thanked him for his help. Later, Steffy winced with a bandaged finger, and Quinn entered.
Quinn noticed the bandage and wondered if Steffy had hurt herself, but she realized Steffy had been working on getting her wedding ring tattoo removed. "Well at least it creates some kind of closure, I guess," Quinn said. Steffy said it was not closure. Quinn said she wanted the business to run smoothly for the rest of the family. She worried that Steffy was too smart for Liam, but she knew that Steffy would do whatever she wanted.
Quinn wanted Steffy to help her with the fashion show because Eric would be back soon, and she wanted to make him proud. She needed Steffy's help. Steffy felt Quinn only wanted her back as a daughter-in-law. Quinn argued that she wanted to work for the future of Forrester. "What do you say?" she asked.
In the photo studio at Forrester, Zende told Sasha that he had been texting and calling Nicole, but she hadn't responded. He felt horrible that she had seen them in bed together. He had never wanted to do that to Nicole. Sasha said she hated seeing Zende so worried. Zende wished he and Nicole had talked her surrogacy plan through. "But she's carrying Rick's baby now," he said.
In Rick's office at Forrester, Maya met with Nicole and said that she had been trying to reach Nicole all night. Nicole explained that she had seen Zende on the plane, but he and Sasha had been in the bedroom. She had caught them in bed together. Maya wondered if Nicole had shared that she had not had the procedure to become a surrogate for Maya and Rick again. Nicole had not told him.
Maya said she understood that Nicole had been devastated. Maya lamented that she and Rick should never have asked Nicole to be a surrogate for a second time. Nicole disagreed. She said she had wanted to help Rick and Maya, but she hadn't helped or thought about Zende. Nicole added that Zende had made other plans.
Maya maintained it wasn't too late for Nicole to repair her relationship with Zende. She felt Nicole and Zende needed to talk. Nicole didn't think she could get over it. But Maya pointed out that Nicole had never told him she'd decided not to have the procedure.
Later, Nicole worked on paperwork in the showroom, and Zende stopped to see her, but she walked away. He stopped her, but she wouldn't look at him. Zende apologized. "I hate what's happened to us. They should have never asked you," Zende said of Rick and Maya.
Nicole said that Zende had told her nothing had happened in Hawaii with Sasha. He agreed that nothing had happened in Hawaii, but it had on the plane. Zende said he could see the pain in her eyes, and he loved her too much to hurt her, but she had ignored him and made a decision on her own. He felt she had decided to spend the next nine months carrying another baby for Rick and Maya. Nicole said she had tried to tell him that she had changed her mind. "For you. For us," she said. She told him she wasn't pregnant. Zende was surprised.
In Rick's office, Maya filled Rick in on the situation with Zende and Nicole. She was worried that their relationship had been ruined. "We asked too much," Maya said. Rick said that Zende and Nicole would work it out, but Maya said their relationship was fragile because Nicole had caught Zende in bed with Sasha. Rick sighed.
At Eric's house, Katie was stressed out about getting Will into the private school. She felt as if she were behind the curve because other parents had been planning admission since their kids had been in the womb. Willing to help, Eric said he could do a lot better than a letter. Eric called the school to recommend William Spencer, the son of Katie Logan Spencer, to the school.
After the call, Eric was happy to announce that Will had gotten into the best school in Los Angeles. Katie was amazed that it had taken just one call from Eric. He stated that his kids had gone to the school. He'd also donated a lot of money to it, so it was the least that admissions could do. Katie didn't know how to thank Eric.
Katie and Eric had coffee, and Eric said it was good to see her smile. He thought she deserved good things, and Bill had been a fool to let her go. Katie couldn't disagree. She noted that many people cared about Eric but were concerned about him. Eric believed he was improving, and it was due to the woman in the portrait. Katie murmured that it was quite a portrait of Quinn.
Katie asked if he was sure about Quinn. Eric said that Quinn was different. He believed that people could change, and Quinn had done so. He couldn't wait for Katie to get to know the Quinn that he knew. Katie rendered a hesitant smile and drank coffee instead of speaking.
Later, Eric escorted Katie to the door, and the two discussed her living arrangements. She was renting in the Wilshire Corridor. It wasn't ideal for her. She wanted a house and would love it if Eric would alert her if anything opened up in the hills. Eric said living up there lifted the spirits, and she should stop by anytime she needed a spirit boost. Katie stated that Eric lifted her spirits, and Quinn was lucky to have his faith in her.
Eric said not to tell anyone about the call he'd made. He didn't want it getting out that he was a nice guy. Katie agreed but said that the nice-guy secret of his was already out.
In the design office, Rick wanted to make out, but Maya couldn't stop worrying about Zende and Nicole. Maya felt responsible for the fallout with the young couple and that she and Rick had asked too much of Nicole. Maya wondered if Zende and Sasha ever thought before they acted.
Even though Maya was upset that Zende hadn't given Nicole time to think before he'd run off with Sasha, Maya still blamed herself and Rick for asking Nicole do it. Rick told his wife that they'd had nothing to do with Zende and Sasha's decisions to go to Hawaii or to sleep together. Maya wished there was a way to fix it. "Nicole's happiness matters more than anything," Maya said.
It was hard for Maya because, despite his mistakes, she felt that Zende had been good to Nicole. Rick said Zende had made a mistake and had assumed that he and Nicole were finished. Rick thought the young couple might find forgiveness for each other. Maya hoped so and said Zende and Nicole belonged together.
In the photo studio, Zende was shocked to hear that Nicole hadn't gone through with the insemination and wasn't pregnant. She said everything had been a go, but she'd changed her mind about the procedure because she hadn't wanted to lose Zende. "I didn't want to lose us," she said. Zende was happy because it had been exactly what they'd agreed upon.
Zende stated that Nicole had backed out for their sakes. Nicole asserted that it hadn't been easy, and she felt horrible for letting Rick and Maya down. Nicole was sad for Lizzie. Believing that Rick and Maya would find another way to expand their family, Zende thanked Nicole for making the sacrifice for his and Nicole's future. He was sure they could get through what had happened on the jet and in Hawaii, and they had another chance to put things back the way they'd been.
Nicole asked Zende to think about what she had seen on the jet. Zende was sorry about it and wished it hadn't happened. She wished she could forget, but she kept seeing it over and over in her mind. Zende didn't know what she was feeling, but he couldn't lose her. He wanted to get through it and get back to where they'd left off. Nicole asserted that there was no "where we left off."
Nicole yelled that Zende had slept with her sister -- again. She asked why he'd let it happen and how he could be so weak. Zende reached for her, but she warned him not to touch her. Nicole loved Zende, but she said it wasn't gonna happen. He offered to give her time and space, but she refused it. He wanted to try and said he'd do whatever she needed him to do.
All Nicole could think of was Sasha and Zende in bed together. Zende replied that he was owning up to his mistakes like a man, and if she still loved him, then they had a chance. Nicole shook her head, but he asserted that he didn't want to be with anyone else, and she was all that mattered to him. "It's too late," Nicole concluded, and she rushed out through a maze of clothes. At the doorway, she ducked behind a rack of clothes and sighed.
In the CEO's office, Steffy said that Quinn was only offering to work together as long as Steffy stayed married to Wyatt. Quinn replied that she wanted them to be able to work together, and she did want to keep Steffy as her daughter-in-law. Steffy called Quinn unbelievable. Quinn, however, insisted that she was looking out for the company, and she didn't want to see Steffy follow her father down the wrong path, fighting Quinn and disrespecting Eric.
Later, Quinn had a meeting at the conference table to discuss the fashion show. Charlie planned to personally secure the runway perimeter for the duration of the show. Steffy and Wyatt thought it would be distracting to have Charlie wandering around the runway. Pam said they'd also be checking guest passes at the door. Charlie was sure "rapscallions" would be trying to get in, and if they did, they'd have to deal with him.
Quinn asked where Nicole and Zende were and why they were not in the meeting about the show to be held the next day. Wyatt indicated that he'd seen them backstage, and there might be some drama going on. Wyatt wondered where Thomas was, and Steffy revealed that her brother was in New York with Caroline and Douglas. Steffy didn't know when Thomas would return.
Quinn noted that Thomas was MIA, and they would have a full showing the next day. Though Ridge's showstopper was amazing, he'd refused to help her with some other designs, so she'd had to improvise. Wyatt said that he'd been working with the cutting room on some plain black dresses, and models were waiting to offer a preview of them.
Pam seemed curious about it as Quinn asked Pam to let the models in. The models strode in wearing black, short-sleeved, mock turtleneck dresses that fit like spandex. Steffy asked, "What is this?" Pam asked if Quinn was starting a satanic cult.
Quinn conveyed that she would have preferred if Ridge had worked with her, but the dresses would do for her jewelry pass segment of the show. Steffy stated that they'd never done a jewelry pass before. Pam quipped that it was a fashion show, not a jewelry trunk sale. Quinn stated that Eric had already approved it, and she promised that it would be understated and elegant. The jewelry models would wear their hair pulled back and minimal makeup.
Steffy asked about Thomas and Ridge's designs. Quinn stated that it would be just one pass for the jewelry, not the entire show. Steffy couldn't imagine Ridge on-stage, welcoming everyone to a show about Quinn. Quinn replied that it wasn't about her; it was about what was best for Forrester. To Pam and Steffy's shock, Quinn added that she'd be making the introductions herself.
Steffy and Pam disagreed with Quinn showcasing her jewelry and also "emceeing" the show. Quinn replied that she'd thought she'd do something different. Steffy abruptly asked if there was anything else or if they were finished. As Quinn was saying they were free to go, Steffy bit out, "Great," and was immediately out the door.
Later, Wyatt returned to the office while Quinn worked alone. Quinn said she wished the meeting had gone better, and she could use Steffy's support. He was surprised that Steffy had been willing to meet at all. Quinn asked about the video of Eric that she wanted looping in the lobby of the fashion show. Wyatt said he was already on it, and he left.
Charlie and Pam entered right behind Wyatt's exit. "I've been talking to Stephanie about you. She's not happy," Pam said in an ominous tone. Pam conveyed that she talked to Stephanie every night -- when not out with Charlie. "And even then, she's thinking about talking to Stephanie," Charlie added. Quinn wanted to know what she could help them with.
Pam asserted that Ridge should be the one hosting the fashion show, not Quinn -- especially with all the problems Quinn had caused around there. Pam called Quinn a nut case, and Quinn tersely replied that Pam was the nutty one. Pam accused Quinn of infiltrating the home and bed of Pam's late sister and said Quinn was trying to keep them from Stephanie's husband. Pam wouldn't allow it. Quinn didn't care about Pam's threats and said Pam didn't scare her.
Quinn left the office, and Pam and Charlie laughed about Quinn saying that Pam didn't scare her. Pam said that Quinn thought she, Wyatt, and robot Ivy would take over the company, but Pam and Charlie wouldn't let it happen. "We are going to take care of Quinn Fuller once and for all," Pam stated. She told Charlie that she had an idea.
Later, Wyatt entered the CEO's office as Steffy was inside, wincing and looking at her bandaged finger. "Hurts, huh?" he empathetically replied and asked if she was sure she wanted to say "goodbye." Steffy said it seemed like the right thing to do and asked if he agreed. He didn't know about the unnecessary pain she'd put her finger through. Claiming the doctor was great, she offered to give Wyatt a reference. Wyatt looked at her as if she didn't get it.
Looking away, Wyatt decided, "Sure, sure. Yeah. I'll think about it." Steffy stated that it was a wedding band and asked why he'd keep it if they were getting a divorce. He replied that it was a tattoo, which was supposed to be for life. As if considering keeping it, he said he'd never had one before. Steffy said his name. Wyatt asked what, and as if it was troublesome to do, he relayed that he'd have to make an appointment and go down there, and it would be painful.
Steffy asked Wyatt to stop. He asked to her to stop what. She sorrowfully replied that it could have been very different if his mother had gone.
In the showroom, Quinn walked onstage and observed the setup. She smiled and paraded down the runway to practice her speech. The lights shut off. In the dark, Quinn called out to let whoever it was know she was there and needed the lights. She heard a noise behind her and called out to see if it was Ivy or Wyatt.
When Quinn turned, she bumped into someone. A spotlight flipped on, and Quinn saw Pam standing inches from her. "Don't scare you, huh?" Pam asked.
At the Forrester mansion, Katie visited to thank Eric again. She had Champagne as a gift for him because Will had gotten his official acceptance to Westside Prep. Eric needed a viewing partner and invited Katie to stay to watch the fashion show with him on a laptop mounted on the coffee table. Katie was happy to do it and got them some sparkling water before the show.
Eric recalled that Katie had once run Forrester, and to him, she'd been very successful. Thanking him, Katie was surprised anyone would remember.
In the CEO's office, Brooke instructed Ridge to hurry up before he missed the showing. Ridge would rather drive up the coast for lobster rolls from a food truck. Brooke gasped and blushed, saying, "Ridge!" Shrugging, he replied that he knew, and he'd go on and get ready.
Steffy entered to say that she'd finished with last-minute alterations for the showstopper. She still couldn't believe Quinn wanted her to model it. Ridge said not to worry about it because no one would see that dress on that day. Steffy contended that it was beautiful, and Ridge was proud of it. He agreed, and that was why he wouldn't let it be a footnote to Quinn's jewelry pass.
Just then, Quinn entered like a bundle of energy, enthusiastically greeting everyone. Brooke rolled her eyes and glared at Ridge. Quinn wanted to make sure everyone was on the same page about the lineup. "It's gonna be fashion pass, fashion pass, fashion pass, and then jewelry pass -- then showstopper. Amazing. Then, Ridge, you will come on-stage for your well-deserved bow. Great, right?" Quinn asked. Ridge replied that it would be a show to remember.
In the Forrester showroom, upbeat music played, caterers prepped food, and the Forrester staff bustled around, preparing for the showing. Quinn explained to Wyatt and Ivy what she'd been through with Pam. "It was so stupid!" Quinn exclaimed as Ivy and Wyatt listened in disbelief to the story of Pam trying to scare Quinn.
Across the room at the same time, interns laughed about the incident as Pam and Charlie bragged to them about it. Maya and Rick approached, and Rick put the interns to work. Quinn joined the group to go over details of the show, but they walked off on her. Wyatt and Ivy had followed Quinn, and when Quinn got flustered, Wyatt assured her that things would be great.
Quinn stated that she was trying to ingratiate herself into the family, but they all disagreed with what she was doing. "The jewelry pass?" Ivy asked. Quinn wondered if she should be doing it. Ivy told Quinn not to worry about what Ridge said, and Wyatt urged Quinn to believe in herself.
Backstage, Maya wore a robe. Her hair was pulled back. She was upset, telling Rick that Nicole wouldn't make the show. Rick asked who'd blame her. Maya still couldn't believe what Zende had done.
Nearby, Sasha sat at a makeup table, shocked to hear from Zende that Nicole had had a last-minute change of heart about the surrogacy. Zende explained that it was the reason Nicole had been at the jet, but after seeing him and Sasha in bed, Nicole wanted nothing to do with him.
Sasha said that if she'd known, she "never ever would have..." Zende felt the same way. He expressed that Nicole had said she couldn't be with him. Sasha asked where that left her and Zende. Wyatt approached and instructed Zende to take pictures and Sasha to get dressed.
Elsewhere backstage, Ivy and Wyatt gave the jittery Quinn another pep talk. They said they believed in Quinn, but most of all, Eric believed in her. When Ridge and Steffy passed by Quinn, heading backstage, she wished them luck and said she wouldn't let them down. Ridge and Steffy just glared at Quinn.
The front room filled up, and Brooke and Rick sat down to view the show. R.J. crouched behind their seats and told them that a model had broken up with her boyfriend. Brooke instructed her son to leave the models alone and let them work.
The lights dimmed, music played, and Quinn announced, "Ladies and gentleman, the latest creations from the House of Forrester." The frosty glass screen upstage parted, and the first model hit the runway. The theme for the show was springy-fall colored evening gowns. Quinn, Ivy, and Wyatt watched it backstage on a mounted screen as Steffy and Ridge brooded close by. "Yes, yes! This is great!" Quinn said, touching Wyatt's arm.
A light and dark laced purple gown passed on the runway, followed by a bright but autumn green one. Next, a beige sheath gown, boosted by a hip-to-hip train attachment sailed down the catwalk.
At Eric's house, Katie remarked upon how the dress flowed. She loved it. Eric agreed. He said the show was going well. It was cohesive, and Quinn was putting on a wonderful event.
Later, Maya and Sasha dressed in the black mock turtleneck dresses. As Ivy shouted out instructions, Maya's laser stare burned into Sasha through the mirror. Sasha turned, and Maya asked how Sasha could betray Nicole like that again.
Maya was upset that Sasha had gone to Hawaii, but Sasha replied that she'd been invited. "You don't accept!" Maya said in a loud whisper. Maya went on to mention Sasha sleeping with Zende, but Sasha said it had been after they'd seen Maya's posts. Maya scoffed and said one didn't do it -- ever. "Well, maybe you shouldn't have asked her for another baby, Maya!" Sasha retorted and asked who was really to blame for the breakup.
The guests were dazzled by a pale pink gown as the model twisted and turned on the runway. Meanwhile, backstage, Quinn and Ivy prepped the jewelry pass models. Quinn instructed Sasha and Maya to line up, but Maya refused to walk down the aisle with Sasha. Sasha said she wouldn't do it, either. Quinn told them that they would.
"We've got problems," Maya told Quinn, and Sasha said they needed to switch or something. "Okay, I've got ninety-nine problems, and a switch ain't one!" Quinn declared. She ordered Maya and Sasha to line up. "Please! Please..." Quinn said, and the sisters complied.
Ivy put jewelry on the pass models as Quinn reminded the models that the black dresses, the hair, the makeup, and the attitude were backdrops for the jewelry. Each model wore draping necklaces with large centerpiece pendants sparkling over their sternums or hanging at their belly buttons. Earrings, bangles, rings, and handbags completed their ensembles.
The crowd seemed confused as the four models stood like black pillars on the stage. One by one, the models strutted forward and struck poses at the end of the runway. Backstage, Quinn noted the confusion of the audience and said to herself that it was bad. "I couldn't have said it better myself," Ridge stated, standing behind Quinn with Steffy.
Quinn said she'd wanted it to be a success for Eric. She figured that if the guests didn't get the jewelry, they still knew what a showstopper was. She was grateful that they at least had it. Ridge replied that they didn't have the showstopper. He refused to allow the dress to follow Quinn's failed jewelry parade. Ridge announced to Quinn that they were done, and the show was over.
Quinn exclaimed that they needed the showstopper. Ridge replied that the jewelry had stopped the show. Quinn implored Steffy to put the dress on and said Steffy's grandfather was watching at home. Steffy looked away. Quinn said she'd never intended the show to end on the jewelry pass, and it would be a dud if it did.
Quinn stated that it was Steffy's family and company and asked if Steffy wanted the show to succeed. Steffy said she did. Recalling that it had been a disaster the last time Steffy had listened to Ridge, Quinn urged Steffy to put the gown on. Steffy was sorry and said she wouldn't do it.
Ridge and Steffy walked off as Quinn was murmuring that the dress had been fitted for Steffy. Models returned backstage, and Quinn said they'd been great. Ivy saw Quinn's concern and said it hadn't been that bad. Ivy reasoned that people weren't used to change, but Quinn had gone out of the box. Wyatt added that they'd get press out of it, and he asked for the showstopper.
Quinn stated that Ridge had pulled the showstopper, and Steffy had refused to wear it. Quinn conveyed that Ridge wouldn't let it follow what he considered a catastrophe of the jewelry pass. Wyatt said that, even if the jewelry had been well received, they couldn't end the show on it. Quinn asked if Ivy could wear the gown, but Ivy said she was too tall, like all the other models. The gown had been built for Steffy. Wyatt asked what they would do.
Wyatt approached Steffy and Ridge. "Put it on," Wyatt told Steffy. Ridge hailed the "cavalry." Wyatt asked Steffy to do it because the runway was empty. Ridge quipped that he'd just seen all kinds of jewelry out there. "Are you this petty?" Wyatt asked Ridge. Wyatt recalled that Ridge claimed to be protecting the company from Quinn, but Wyatt asked how "this" was doing so.
Wyatt accused Ridge of making it personal. Claiming that he had to think long term, Ridge said he wouldn't have his designs associated with a disaster. Steffy felt that maybe she should put on the dress, but Ridge said not to.
Back at Eric's house, Katie watched Maya model the jewelry. "Oh, I like this. Showcasing the jewelry," she said. Eric nervously confirmed that Katie got the concept. She called it brilliant and added that the jewelry line was one of the most profitable. She liked it. There was a lull in the show, and Katie asked if it was over. Eric replied that there was still the showstopper.
In the showroom, the jewelry pass had ended, and the guests waited in silence for the finale. Rick wanted to check backstage, but Brooke advised him to wait because there had to be a plan. More time passed, and the audience grew restless. People began standing. Rick announced that the show wasn't over, and Brooke added that Forrester was just building anticipation.
The lights darkened, and soft piano music played. Backstage, Wyatt said he'd forgotten to tell Jake that Ridge had pulled the showstopper. Ivy took to the microphone and said Forrester was proud to present the showstopper. Steffy told Ridge that it was a disaster. Ridge went to the monitor as the spotlight beamed down on the incredible white, ball-gown showstopper. He asked who was wearing his gown.
Onstage, the model's back was to the audience. She slowly turned, revealing that it was Quinn. Everyone gasped, even Katie and Eric, who watched from his home. Eric was grinning and tickled at the sight. "Well, it's Quinn..." he said, chuckling in amazement.
In the showroom, Rick and Brooke exchanged glances, and Pam had a stony face as Quinn glided down the runway to applause. Ivy announced the lead designer, Ridge Forrester. Ridge said he wasn't going out there. Steffy told him that he had to.
Ridge took to the stage and received applause. He joined Quinn at the end of the catwalk. She took his hand and, grinning, held their arms in the air. She then tucked her arm in his, and he whispered, "How dare you?" She replied, "Oh, this old thing?"
Smiling for the cameras, Ridge murmured that he hated Quinn. She replied that she knew. He stated that he hated everything about her, and she grinned wider. As the guests shouted and applauded, Quinn's dancing eyes stared at Ridge.
