At Katie's house, Katie and Thorne discussed the new custody battle. He hoped she wasn't having second thoughts. Katie felt that she had to do it because she couldn't bear to see the pain in Will's eyes when his father didn't show up yet again, but she was concerned about shielding Will until the battle was over. Thorne vowed to be there, but Katie didn't want to drag him into it.
Thorne made a face. Katie said Bill fought dirty, and Thorne quipped that Bill called people little names. Thorne thought he could handle it. Katie wished Bill could see what she saw in Thorne, like how Thorne treated Will like his own. Thorne didn't think her ex wanted to hear that.
Thorne reasoned that the custody case might improve the slacker Bill's parenting. Katie wondered how Thorne had become so positive. He claimed to have been a pessimist until she'd happened along. He hadn't thought he'd ever feel the sense of family again. Katie replied that she also felt a sense of family when the three of them were together.
Thorne claimed to be there for Katie. It scared Katie because she'd been independent for a long time. She'd thought she could count on Bill to help her with Will, but it wasn't so. She stated that she'd known things wouldn't last with Wyatt, but "now you." She didn't think she could do the custody battle without Thorne. She hoped she didn't sound weak. He said she didn't -- not when two people felt about each other the way they did.
Katie asked why Thorne loved her. Thorne joked that it was her silly questions. She remarked that she'd brought nothing but trouble to his life, especially Bill, but Thorne replied that he liked a challenge. She hoped she wasn't a part of the Forrester/Spencer saga. Thorne claimed he loved her regardless of Bill and would probably love her more without Bill.
Thorne thought it was a bonus that he got to teach a man a lesson about treasuring a son. Katie loved the way he cared for her son. Thorne claimed to miss Will when he wasn't around. Katie did, too, but she was glad she and Thorne were alone that day.
Katie kissed Thorne, and the two went upstairs to undress and have sex in her bedroom. Afterward, they breathlessly fell back on the sheets. Katie said she'd enjoyed getting to know Thorne over the past few months and claimed she'd always had a bit of a crush on him. Thorne didn't believe it and said he would have known if she'd had one on him.
Katie claimed that she was good at blending into the wallpaper and living in her "sister's shadow." Thorne asked what had changed. She said Bill would say his confidence in her had changed it, and it might be true; however, she liked to think that she'd been ready to come into her own, and after watching her sister chase destiny, Katie had been ready for her own.
Thorne asked if Katie believed in destiny and remarked that it had taken its time to put them together. Laughing, Katie said she'd married Bill twice. Thorne asked why, and she said people chose people who were bad for them sometimes. Katie decided that Thorne was good for her, and she believed that she could be good for him.
At Steffy's house, Liam emerged from the bedroom and cheered about the baby's fever going down. Steffy was relieved but felt awkward about crying on his shoulder during the baby's first fever. Liam said she hadn't done it, but he did have big shoulders. She thought he'd need it for double-daddy duty. He said he'd always be there for her and Kelly, and he felt like he could handle anything.
Hope called Liam to tell him that she was cramping and spotting. Liam said he'd be there soon, but Hope told him that she was driving herself to the hospital. He said he'd meet her there. After the call, Liam told Steffy that it might something with the baby, and he had to go.
Later, Wyatt and Sally arrived at Steffy's. They invited Steffy and Kelly to "Bikini" for a holiday party, but Steffy declined. Wyatt wondered if he had to teach Steffy how to party. Steffy remarked upon the baby just getting over a fever.
Sally went back to see the baby, and Wyatt said he'd been trying to get ahold of Liam and Hope. Steffy said that Hope and Liam were in the middle of something. As Sally returned to the room, Wyatt asked what was going on.
Later, Wyatt asked if Hope had been alone when she'd started having problems. Steffy guessed so. She was praying things would be okay and said cramping and spotting sometimes happened. Wyatt replied that he knew what Liam was worried about because Hope had lost one pregnancy already. Steffy didn't want Hope to have to go through it again.
Wyatt became worried and wanted to talk to Liam. Sally and Steffy convinced Wyatt to wait for news. Steffy believed that it would be good news "It has to be," she said.
At Dr. Phillips' office, a nurse had set Hope up in the exam room. Liam arrived, and Hope told him that she'd just started cramping and spotting. He tried to reassure the frightened Hope.
Later, Dr. Phillips arrived, and she asked if Hope had done any lifting or anything out of the ordinary. Hope hadn't. Dr. Phillips advised that sometimes spotting was normal. Liam inquired about the cramping. Dr. Phillips wondered if the cramping or spotting was first, and Liam asked why the order mattered. The doctor listed things that could cause cramping and asked if Hope had been taking her vitamins. Hope had been. Liam and the doctor reassured Hope and asked her to try to relax.
Dr. Phillips set Hope up to do another sonogram. She waved her wand over Hope's stomach and said she was searching for a heartbeat. After a while, Liam got anxious about whether the doctor could find the baby. Dr. Phillips had located the baby. Hope figured that Dr. Phillips just couldn't find the heartbeat. Upset, Hope asked what was going on with her baby.
At Forrester, Brooke, Ridge, and Steffy discussed that Liam and Hope had rushed to Dr. Phillips' office because Hope had been spotting and cramping. Brooke wanted to join them, but Ridge stopped her and advised that Liam was with her. "I get how Brooke feels," Steffy said.
Brooke asked Steffy about Kelly because Hope had mentioned that Steffy's daughter had had a fever. Steffy said the baby was better. Brooke worried that they had not heard from Hope. Ridge noted that Hope was probably still with the doctor. "I just don't understand how this could happen," Brooke said. She added that Hope had recently had her first sonogram, and everything had been fine. Steffy said they needed to send prayers and positive thoughts and be there for each other because they were all family. Brooke smiled and agreed.
At the doctor's office, Liam and Hope were fearful for their unborn child. The doctor was starting a sonogram, but they could not hear a heartbeat. Hope tried to breathe deeply, but tears rolled down her cheeks. "Something's wrong," Hope cried. Dr. Phillips continued to try to find a heartbeat. Liam held Hope's hand and told her not to think negative thoughts.
Suddenly, the heartbeat was loud and strong. "That's your baby's heart," Dr. Phillips said. She added that the baby was playing hide-and-seek with its parents and that everything appeared to be okay. "Oh, thank God. Thank you, God," Hope said tearfully. Liam kissed her head and sighed in relief.
The doctor reiterated that everything appeared to be fine, but she warned that if Hope had any more cramping or spotting, she needed to return immediately. The doctor left. Liam and Hope agreed that they were relieved. Liam said he wanted to take Hope home and take care of her.
Liam added that Hope's mom was probably going to want to help in that area. Hope agreed. She looked at her phone and noted that there were calls from her mom. Hope called Brooke, and Steffy and Ridge were with her. Hope told her mother that everything was okay. Brooke shared the news with Steffy and Ridge, who were also relieved. Hope said she would be home soon.
Liam planned to take Hope home and wanted her to relax the rest of the day. Hope told Liam that she had been "so scared." She cried, and Liam held her. They hugged.
At Forrester, Brooke wanted to ask Pam to reschedule everything for Hope the next day so she could rest, but Ridge advised her to let Hope decide what she wanted to do. Brooke added that she had been "really impressed" with Steffy and how she was concerned about Hope and the baby. "We're family," Ridge said. He and Brooke agreed that Hope, Liam, and Steffy had done what they had promised. They wanted to take care of the next generation. "I'm really proud of them," Brooke said. "Me, too," Ridge said. They embraced.
At Hope and Liam's, Liam offered to make tea or food for Hope, but she was just glad to be home. Steffy showed up and said she hadn't meant to intrude, but she had been concerned. "I'm glad you and your baby are okay. So sorry you had to go through this," Steffy said, and she patted Hope's shoulder.
Hope and Liam told Steffy how they had been terrified when they hadn't been able to hear the heartbeat. Steffy was understanding and said that it would all be fine once Hope held her baby. Hope thanked Steffy, and they agreed they would no longer be rivals because they were mothers. They wanted their children to grow up as close as brothers and sisters.
Liam noted that he had been skeptical that they could put aside their history and get along, but it had been working. Hope agreed. She and Steffy noted that they had seen the damage that rivalry and jealousy had created. They wanted to be a united family. Liam smiled, and Hope and Steffy embraced.
At Katie's, Thorne and Katie were in bed and discussed their relationship. Katie wondered why it had taken so long for them to get together when they considered that so many of the Forresters and Logans had been "romantically linked forever."
"Why is this just happening?" Katie wondered aloud. Thorne answered that they'd had to experience everything that had happened so they could appreciate what they had together. Katie agreed. "Kiss me. Don't stop," Katie said. Thorne complied.
Later, Katie's phone rang while she and Thorne were making out. Thorne suggested that she should answer it because it might be Will. Katie said that WiIl loved to play at Andy's house -- where he was for a play date. She checked her phone and noted that it was Donna, and she sent it to voicemail. Katie told Thorne that Donna was going to want details about her day with Thorne.
Katie smiled, and Thorne asked what Katie would tell her sister. She answered that she would tell her she had "a fabulous time with a man whose love means everything." Katie added she would tell Donna that details were none of her business. They started to make out again, but Katie's phone rang again. She was worried when she saw that it was Andy's mom.
Katie took the call and discussed with Andy's mom that Will had wanted to return home. Katie spoke to Will, and she asked if he felt okay. Will told his mother that he wanted to return home. She promised to pick him up, and she hung up. She kissed Thorne. He said the kisses would have to hold him until next time.
At Bill's office, Justin and Bill discussed that Katie had filed for sole custody. Justin said she'd done it because of what was best for Will. Bill demanded legal advice from Justin, who reminded Bill that he was not a family lawyer. Bill ordered Justin to find him the best legal team money could buy. "I'm fighting for my son," Bill said passionately. He added that he planned to fight with everything.
Justin understood, but he reminded Bill that they needed to be careful not to hurt Will. Bill agreed, but he was upset that he had been called "a delinquent dad." Bill reminded Justin that he had been a great father except during the past few months. Bill blamed Thorne Forrester for pressuring Katie to push for sole custody. Bill and Justin bantered about how close Thorne and Katie had become, and Justin noted that Thorne could become Will's stepfather.
Bill was disgusted, but Justin advised him to try to talk to Katie again and persuade her that going to court was a mistake. Bill said he'd tried, but Justin advised him to try harder. Justin recommended that Bill ask for another chance to prove he was a good father and to add that if he let Katie down again, he would understand if Katie pushed for full custody. Justin warned that if the case went to court, things would quickly "spin out of control," and the real loser would be Will. Bill promised to visit Katie.
At Katie's, Thorne cleaned up the house while Katie was picking up Will. Bill showed up and demanded to see Katie. Thorne advised that Bill should have called first because Katie had gone to pick up Will. "I'll wait," Bill said defiantly, and he walked past Thorne.
Thorne reminded Bill that he was no longer married to Katie and needed to let her live her own life. Bill countered that Katie was not Thorne's wife, and Will was not Thorne's son. He hoped Katie came to her senses and dropped the idea of sole custody.
Thorne reminded Bill that that Bill had neglected Will for months. Bill said that Thorne had pressured Katie to file for sole custody. Thorne said that Katie knew Bill would try to "bully and intimidate" her.
Bill reminded Thorne that Will was Katie and Bill's son, not Thorne's. "I do I care about Katie," Thorne said. He added that he cared about Will, also, and about what happened to them. He felt that Bill had thrown away his family. Thorne warned that he had something special with Katie and intended to be a part of her life. "There's nothing you can do about it," Thorne said. Bill smirked.
At Forrester, Brooke hugged Hope, and they discussed that Hope felt well enough to attend a company meeting. Brooke wondered if it would be awkward for Hope to meet with Steffy, but Hope said that Steffy had been supportive when Liam and Hope had been unnerved about Hope's recent spotting and cramping. Brooke was grateful that Hope and Steffy were doing what was best for their children.
Brooke paused and hesitatingly reminded Hope that Liam and Steffy had history. Brooke didn't want Hope "to put up a wall," but she advised Hope to be careful of Steffy.
During the company meeting, Quinn, Katie, Thorne, Steffy, and Ridge discussed that Hope and Liam had had a scary couple of days. Ridge reminded everyone that tests had all come back fine, and Hope was well. The group agreed it was a huge relief, and they had all pulled together "in a crisis." Brooke and Hope joined the group.
Katie noted that she had to share some news, "since it could be a PR issue." She shared that she had filed for sole custody of Will. She added that she had to do "what's right for my son." Thorne added that Bill had not been happy about it. Steffy looked troubled.
Liam showed up late, and Hope was surprised to see him. Ridge explained that he had asked Liam to join the team because the company needed to have a discussion about Hope for the Future and the Intimates lines. He said they needed to discuss projections for the next quarter and allocate funds accordingly. He added that couture had always been the main line for Forrester, but they had two additional lines in production and had to make decisions about "which to bolster and which to scale back." Brooke, Hope, and Steffy glanced at one another.
The Forrester group squabbled about why they had to decide, but Ridge noted that they needed to stay profitable on all lines. "We don't have a choice," Ridge said. Quinn asked if it was financial decision, and Ridge said it was a decision for the future. The group discussed that Hope for the Future appealed to a younger demographic and had created a lot of hype with its recent relaunch.
Brooke and Hope pointed out that the new Intimates line had not been rolled out yet. Steffy noted that, as co-CEO, she would recuse herself on decision-making, even though she felt she could be objective and knew what was best for the company. She and Ridge reminded everyone that Forrester was strong and doing a good job but couldn't afford to spread itself "too thin."
The group noted that Hope for the Future had exposed the Forrester line to a new customer base and demographic. The line had been successful and directed a lot of traffic to the Forrester website.
Quinn said that the company had saved money when it had chosen to scale back the jewelry line. Thorne suggested they take more time to make a decision. Quinn said that whatever Ridge decided would be rough on him and the family.
Ridge agreed but said they all had to be on the same page about company direction. He added that he had discussed it with his father. He didn't feel the company could go all out on both lines. Brooke and Hope looked unhappy, and Steffy sighed.
Steffy said that the Intimates line had a long history of success and had hit record numbers in the past. Plus, it crossed all demographics. Hope left the meeting with Liam.
Brooke, Katie, and Thorne said that Hope for the Future had already proven it was successful, and Katie pointed out that Hope had more media interviews scheduled regarding the line. Steffy countered that the lingerie line had always been popular and profitable. "I trust my father to make the best decision," she said.
The team wondered if there was a sense of urgency, and Ridge answered that the long-term health of the company was a concern. Discussion concentrated on the social relevance of Hope for the Future and the powerful message.
Team members noted that it was sustainable fashion that set Forrester apart from others. Ridge appreciated the input. Thorne noted that Ridge's decision was not going to make everyone happy. Steffy glanced at Brooke.
Outside the meeting, Hope and Liam met. Hope said that Hope for the Future was her personal line, and it was all personal, not business. She felt Ridge was going to choose Steffy's line over hers. Liam felt Ridge could be fair. "She's his daughter," Hope said. Liam understood and said that Hope for the Future was an important collection that was socially responsible, and it would "give Forrester a conscience."
Hope countered that the Intimates line could make Steffy the face of the entire company. Hope recalled stories she'd heard about Brooke's Bedroom -- and how it had made Brooke an international sensation. Hope felt her signature collection was "going to lose out to Steffy."
Hope didn't want her line or the company to be swept up in negativity. Liam assured her that it would be okay. Steffy was eavesdropping, and overheard Hope say that she didn't want the competition, but she understood it was normal in a family business. She wanted to get past all that.
Liam hugged Hope and told her everything would be fine. He encouraged her not to let it get to her. She said she had been excited because everything was the way she had dreamed it would be. They were married and expecting their first baby. She wondered if it was too much to want her line to succeed, as well. She said she'd always imagined, "even when it seemed impossible," that it was meant to be. "There you go," Liam said. He embraced Hope, and Steffy watched. She looked upset.
At Spencer, Justin met with Bill, and Justin reminded Bill that he should have talked to Katie about her petition for sole custody. Bill responded that he had tried, but Katie hadn't been home. Bill added that Thorne had answered the door. "He's virtually living there now," Bill lamented. Bill insisted he would not put up with Thorne trying to move in on his family. Justin couldn't believe that Katie had filed the papers.
Justin added that Bill would not lose his rights to see his son, but Bill lamented that his visits would all be on Katie's schedule. "How did this happen? I lost Liam. Wyatt barely tolerates me," Bill said. He vowed that he would not lose Will or his family.
Bill flashed back to his meeting with Katie when she had cried and told him that Will needed stability.
Justin and Bill discussed that they didn't want the battle to impact Will, and they worried about how ugly it could get. Justin reminded Bill that everyone had been worried about Bill when he'd gone down a "dangerous path with Steffy." Bill agreed he'd made decisions that had torn his family apart. "Liam wants nothing to do with me. Will hardly knows me anymore," Bill said with regret.
Bill said he wouldn't blame Justin if Justin said "I told you so." Justin said he wasn't that kind of person, and everyone had known that Bill hadn't been himself. He hadn't been the guy who had always been "family first." Justin added that Bill appeared to be back to himself and thinking clearly. Bill vowed to not lose his son and promised to fight and do "whatever it takes." Bill left, and Justin looked concerned.
At an outdoor restaurant, Bill ran into Brooke and asked her to join him for lunch, She greeted him and confessed that she'd had to get out of the office and wanted a quiet lunch without company. Bill agreed he had wanted the same.
Bill and Brooke sat down together at a table, and Bill wondered if he should share his "crummy day" with her or if she wanted to share her woes first. Bill assumed Brooke's problems were with Ridge; she quickly corrected him and said it was all business, the future of the company, and Steffy versus Hope. "The less we say to each other, the better," she said. Bill smiled and nodded.
At Il Giardino, Bill tried to tell Brooke that Ridge had never supported her or her children. Brooke insisted that Ridge had always been a loving stepfather to Hope. Bill said it was that way until Ridge's daughter tugged on Ridge's sleeve. Brooke didn't think Bill had room to talk about Steffy.
Bill said he'd owned his lapse of judgement, but Katie was trying to make him pay for it. He figured he could guess what side Brooke was on. Brooke quipped that he thought he knew her so well. Bill didn't want to sit there and listen to Brooke defend her sister or to lose another son. Brooke didn't want that for him and revealed that she thought Katie was wrong.
Bill was surprised that Brooke was on his side. Brooke didn't see it as a matter of sides but a matter of being there for his son, which he hadn't been throughout "the whole last year." Bill replied that he'd been a rock star dad before then, but he'd become a stranger to Will. Brooke said that a year was a long time. A judge would see it that way, and Brooke asked how he'd answer for it. She advised him to leave Steffy out of it.
In Bill's mind, Steffy hadn't played a role. He'd simply reverted back to who he'd been twenty years earlier when he'd gone after whatever he'd set his sights on without thinking of the repercussions. He didn't want to be that guy again and claimed he'd found a better life. "Maybe it found me," he said. He didn't want to lose it and asked if she'd help him.
Bill said he'd apologized repeatedly. He wondered when it would be enough. Brooke believed that it was up to the people he'd hurt, not him. It made Bill cringe that he was becoming like his father. Brooke was the only person Bill knew that had survived cannon-fire-level drama mostly unscathed. He asked how he could do it, too, and how he could fix it.
Brooke advised Bill to take it, show up, and keep admitting his wrong. He had to let them get angry and slap him around and repeat it until the people thought he was sincere. Bill replied that he had previously believed that if he could see it, he could make it happen. He wasn't sure anymore.
Brooke stated that it wasn't about skyscrapers and yachts. It was about love, and love never died. It just waited for a safe time to resurface. Bill didn't believe he had time and said that a court might really take his son from him. Brooke asked what he wanted her to do.
Bill wanted Brooke to talk to Katie. Gasping, Brooke asked if he didn't think their lives were entangled enough already. Agreeing, he said he shouldn't have asked. He'd just thought Brooke might be the only one who could get through to Katie.
Brooke whispered that no one could know about their conversation. Bill asked what conversation. Brooke clarified that it meant Katie. "Katie who?" Bill asked. Brooke added that it meant Ridge, too. Bill stated that the last thing he wanted to do was cause trouble for her.
At Spencer later, Bill returned to his office. He flashed back on the balloon ride with Brooke. He remembered saying he didn't want to cause any trouble for Brooke.
In the CEO's office, Katie and Thorne questioned Ridge about his budget-tightening idea. Thorne didn't get it because business had never been better, and he asked when they'd started starving one line for another.
Ridge claimed he wasn't doing that. He said they weren't a department store, selling gowns on one floor and appliances on another. He claimed that if they threw too much at the public, they'd lose their identity. Katie thought it might boil down to whose daughter was the better investment -- Ridge's or Brooke's.
Sometime later, Ridge was alone when Steffy arrived. He asked if she had any grievances. She claimed not to and stated that she'd taken herself out of the decision-making process in the horse race between her and Hope. Ridge clarified that it wasn't a race, and he was just doing what was best for the company without spreading it too thin. Steffy was okay with him doing that -- as long as he didn't choose HFTF in the end.
Ridge asked if he and Steffy really ought to be talking about it if she'd recused herself from the so-called horse race. Steffy stated that it was more power to Hope for mining new customers who couldn't afford couture, but Steffy questioned turning their backs on customers they'd held for decades, who already knew "the Bedroom-slash-Intimates line."
Steffy thought they didn't even have to make a lot of changes. "Just boot it up and sell the hell out of it," she pitched. She suggested changing fabrics and designs. She was sure it would make them a huge margin and said they'd put HFTF on the back burner while they got back to basics. Ridge asked if Steffy was trying to get back at Liam's new bride.
"Here's what I can tell you. I need it more than she does," Steffy replied.
Later, Ridge was alone at the desk. He glanced at proposals for Hope and Steffy's lines and seemed torn. Brooke arrived, and he readily noticed that she was still a little upset. Brooke admitted that there had been tension, so she'd had a latte and beignet. Ridge began to explain that his decision wasn't about Hope's line versus Steffy's.
Brooke cut in, saying that she didn't want to get all historical, but Brooke's Bedroom had been a success before Steffy. Ridge said it was why it was still relevant that day. Brooke gleaned that he'd already decided. He responded that she'd been right about them not having the conversation. She said she hadn't said that. Agreeing, he retorted that she'd just walked out.
Brooke yelled that it was because Ridge was pitting the girls against each other when they finally had peace. Ridge yelled that he wasn't doing that. He was the CEO and trying to do the right thing. Brooke was sure he'd talked to the "co-CEO." Ridge reminded Brooke that Steffy had taken herself out of it. "After she told you what to do!" Brooke assumed and realized that Hope had never had a chance.
Ridge didn't think Brooke was being fair at all and asked if she'd really let it get between them. Brooke said she just wanted to know which of their daughters he'd kick to the curb.
In the design office, Katie pressed Thorne against the door and locked it. He didn't think Ridge liked what she'd said. Katie replied that she'd always defend her niece and the hot guy in her life. The two began kissing.
Later, Thorne exclaimed that he hadn't been jumped like that since high school. Straightening out her clothes, Katie said she needed to watch herself, and he needed to help her. She glanced around the office, and chuckling, Thorne asked if she was looking for cameras.
Katie said Bill had done worse and played dirty. Thorne told her not to let Bill get into her head. Katie stated that Bill thought she was cutting him out of Will's life, but she wasn't. If Bill couldn't commit to the "I pick him up Friday; you pick him up next Friday" type of thing, she'd rather turn Bill into a happy, fun surprise instead of it being a disappointment when Bill didn't show up.
Katie wondered what she and Thorne would do next. Thorne guessed he'd wait around to see if he had a job. She replied that if Ridge scaled back HFTF, he might add Thorne to Couture. Thorne said it hadn't been offered. He didn't expect it but said he always landed on his feet.
Katie asked Thorne to let her know if he'd go back to Paris. Thorne said it wasn't happening. She stated that it had before, and he reminded her that they had a custody battle to win.
In the backstage photo studio, Hope and Liam discussed the line issue. Hope didn't think she had a right to feel anything but gratitude for her privileged life. She felt guilty for wanting success, too. Hope told Liam that if Ridge scaled back her line for Steffy's, it would feel like a vanity project.
Liam said not to look at it as Hope against Steffy. Ridge hadn't indicated that he was ending a line. He was just figuring out which one would grow faster. Hope replied that when Ridge mentioned her name and Steffy's in the same sentence, Hope always heard more than what others thought he was saying.
Hope reasoned that Liam might be right, and maybe it was okay if the success happened slower. She figured she didn't have to be an overnight success. Liam replied that she kind of was. Hope said that was what her problem was -- that they had so much momentum. "But you know Ridge. What Steffy wants, Steffy gets," Hope murmured.
Liam told Hope that projecting wasn't fair, and Ridge was trying to do what was best for the company. Hope replied that it might be the intention, "but..." Liam ordered her not to do it to herself. He thought Steffy had been supportive and wouldn't sabotage Hope behind her back.
Later, Hope was alone, looking at a sketch. Steffy arrived and inquired about the sketch. Hope said that when she had an idea, Thorne would put it in her hand ten minutes later. Steffy asked if Hope had talked to Ridge again. Hope hadn't. Steffy asked if Hope was jumping the gun.
Hope replied that Ridge hadn't said he was killing either line. Hope asked if Steffy had talked to him. Steffy said she had briefly, but she was also co-CEO. Hope replied that Steffy had said she wouldn't play that card. Steffy stated that Hope couldn't expect Steffy to unknow things about the company. Hope asked if she could request that Steffy not use her influence against Hope.
Steffy claimed not to be against Hope, who'd started something bold and had people who enjoyed working with her. Steffy said Hope was also a new bride with a baby on the way. She asked if Hope wanted to take a step back and enjoy her family time at home. Hope didn't think she had to go away to do it, but in Hope's mind, Steffy clearly wanted that.
Steffy decided that she shouldn't have said anything. Hope replied that Steffy hadn't had to. Hope had felt the old competition vibe between them all day. Steffy stated that Hope had already won. Confused, Hope said she'd thought she and Liam had Steffy's blessing. Claiming that they did, Steffy stated that she didn't regret it, but it was at a cost. Hope figured Steffy wanted Hope to return the favor and leave the field to Steffy and her line.
"Yeah, I do," Steffy replied.
"Because...?" Hope asked.
Steffy asked if it wasn't fair. In Steffy's view, Hope had Steffy's future and the man Steffy had been building it with. Steffy was happy for Hope but needed something, too. Steffy believed she could lose herself in Forrester and asked if Hope should step back and let people miss HFTF. Hope assumed Steffy wanted Hope to tell Ridge that she wasn't expanding the line. It was exactly what Steffy wanted Hope to do, and she said Ridge would thank Hope for it.
In the Forrester design office, Sally and Zoe had heard the rumors about a line getting cut. Sally had overheard Pam saying "scaled back," not cut. Zoe was rooting for the lingerie line because she wasn't too keen on losing her modeling job.
Wyatt entered and asked what he'd just heard about firing models. Zoe said it was budget cuts, and Sally explained that a line would get downgraded. Couture models were safe, but Ridge was deciding which of the other lines would face budget cuts. Realizing that Ridge had to choose between Steffy and Hope, Wyatt said it wouldn't be good.
Zoe said she'd just gotten there, and her line might get eliminated. Setting Zoe straight, Sally replied that it wasn't Zoe's line, and models got shifted around all the time. Wyatt didn't understand why there was even a choice to make, and it was crazy to him that it had to happen just when Hope and Steffy were starting to work things out in their lives.
Because Steffy was Ridge's daughter, Zoe was betting on the Intimates line. Wyatt pointed out that Ridge was married to Hope's mother, and that put him in a difficult position. Zoe didn't think it should be that difficult to choose. In Zoe's view, blood should win out, and Zoe was excited about modeling lingerie. Zoe realized that Sally was probably rooting for the other line.
Sally was rooting for HFTF, but she claimed that "Backup" was her middle name. She had been sketching on the side, and she had lingerie designs to present if the need arose.
Later, Sally and Wyatt were alone, making out. Wyatt admired Sally's resourcefulness and thought it was great that she'd be ready to transfer lines if the need arose. Sally knew that she wasn't Steffy's favorite person, but Sally would be all right if Steffy liked Sally's designs.
Wyatt asked to see them. Sally showed him two black and white designs depicting edgy lingerie. He said they were beautiful. Thinking about it, he decided that it was really hard to tell without seeing them on her. Sally replied that she'd happily oblige if Steffy wanted to use them. Wyatt stated that he'd be very upset if Steffy didn't approve.
In the CEO's office, Brooke asked Ridge if Hope even had a chance and if they'd focus on Intimates or HFTF. Ridge said they'd focus on couture, as always. Brooke figured he knew what she wanted to know, and she asked if he'd choose Hope or Steffy. Ridge said he wasn't choosing anyone; he was trying to do what was best for the company.
For Ridge, the choice wasn't easy because both lines had value. Brooke asked him to allocate funds equally. Sure that she'd seen the numbers, Ridge told her that she knew they couldn't do that. Couture was the cornerstone of the business, and they needed one other strong line. He couldn't change it just because he wanted "our daughters" to be happy.
Brooke decided to give Ridge some input, starting with why he should go with Intimates. Brooke was fond of Intimates because it was a continuation of Brooke's Bedroom, and she'd always been an advocate of women owning their sexuality. Brooke felt that HFTF could offer something Intimates couldn't -- something to stand behind and fight for.
Brooke reasoned that, without the Intimates line, Forrester customers could get their undergarments from thousands of other companies doing the exact same thing; however, if they took away HFTF, there was no replacement. Brooke understood that Ridge was partial to his daughter, but his decision had to be what was best for the company.
In the backstage area, Steffy and Hope debated which of their lines Forrester should elevate. Steffy believed that it was common sense to focus on the more profitable line. Hope said that she had just started, she was cultivating new buyers, and HFTF had a social message. Hope asked what message there was in lingerie.
Steffy wondered what would happen if Hope's mom heard Hope ask that. Hope claimed she wouldn't have a problem saying it in front of her mother, and Hope believed in HFTF. Steffy said she did, too, and asked if she was bashing it the way Hope was bashing Steffy's line. Hope replied that she hadn't intended to bash it.
Steffy wanted Hope's line, just later down the line. Steffy remarked that sex sold better than lofty ideals, and profits mattered. Hope believed that people mattered more. Hope said it was the fundamental difference between their lines -- and the women behind them. Steffy asked why Hope kept taking digs at Steffy when Steffy was just asking Hope to look at the bigger picture.
In Steffy's view, Steffy was just asking Hope to realize that Steffy needed something to hold onto while Hope was living the life Steffy had once had. Steffy stated that she supported Hope with Liam, and Steffy was only asking for a little support in return.
Steffy said that Hope already had "so much," and Steffy asked if Hope couldn't just give Steffy that. Steffy's daughter was already growing up without her father, and it was really important for Steffy to show Kelly what a strong, independent woman could accomplish. Forrester was a lifeline for Steffy, and she wouldn't let Hope take it away.
Later Steffy had gone, and Brooke and Hope were talking about what Steffy had just said to Hope. Brooke thought Steffy had nerve to ask Hope to give up HFTF and didn't want Hope to listen to Steffy. Hope couldn't help it. She said they'd finally put their differences aside, only to be pitted against each other at work. Brooke insisted that if it hadn't been work, Steffy would have found another way to retaliate because Hope had gotten Liam.
Hope said Brooke had summed it up. Brooke thought Steffy had put on a show about supporting Hope and Liam because Steffy hadn't wanted to look like the sore loser, and Steffy bullying Hope and her line all led back to Liam. Hope reasoned that Steffy had a lot of influence with her father, and Hope might have been naive to think HFTF had a chance.
Brooke assured Hope that she always had a chance when Brooke was in her corner. Brooke uttered that no one had more influence over Ridge than Brooke did.
Back in the CEO's office, Ridge asked Steffy to see things from his perspective. Steffy said it wasn't Ridge; it was Hope, the woman who thought she could have it all. Steffy griped that Hope had the baby and the marriage, and Steffy was supposed to step aside and make way for Hope. Ridge asked if Hope had asked Steffy to do that, and Steffy said it was the other way around.
Steffy revealed that she'd asked Hope to take a step back down. "But you think she'd give me that? After all I've done for her?" Steffy asked. Ridge replied that Hope cared about her line as much as Steffy did for hers, and both were worth fighting for. Steffy added that one had a better profit margin. Ridge agreed that it had been that way historically.
Steffy was sure Intimates would exceed expectations that time, too. To her, the decision was simple, and the numbers spoke for themselves. Ridge asked if Steffy understood that he didn't intend to cancel one of the lines. Steffy stammered, and Ridge asked if she thought she'd get Hope to just buckle. To Ridge, it sounded like it had gotten personal, and he deduced that Steffy wanted Hope to pay because she'd wound up with Liam.
Steffy was proud that she'd willingly stepped back and encouraged Liam to be with Hope, and Steffy was proud to be focusing on her career and daughter. Ridge said it wasn't the life Steffy had envisioned, and he suspected that beating Hope at work might make it bearable. Steffy replied that it would be a side benefit, but it wasn't her motivation.
There was no doubt in Steffy that her line would succeed. As co-CEO, Ridge readily agreed, but as Steffy's father, he had concerns about Steffy. Steffy asked Ridge to consider that her name was on the building, not Hope's, and the place should be Steffy's refuge for healing. Instead, Steffy felt as if she was forced daily at her own family business to see Hope and Liam's family.
Steffy felt that Forrester needed to be a safe place for her to pour her energy into and to be productive. She asked how she could move forward if she had to scale back her line and watch Hope and Liam move forward with HFTF. Ridge hugged Steffy.
In the corridor, Brooke saw Ridge and Steffy through the cracked office door. Steffy was saying how hard it was. Hope had a new family, and Steffy asked if Steffy deserved something, too. Ridge replied that as her father, he felt she deserved everything; however, he conveyed that her father wasn't the one making the decision.
Ridge received a message and needed to take care of something. As he strode to the door, he asked if Steffy would be okay. Steffy said it depended upon his decision.
Ridge left, and Brooke strode into the office, slamming the door behind her. "How did I know you would do this?" she yelled at Steffy. Brooke accused Steffy of playing on Ridge's sympathy. Steffy claimed she hadn't done it, but Brooke insisted that she'd seen Steffy in there, trying to sway Ridge. Steffy stated that she was co-CEO, but Brooke roared that she didn't care.
Brooke didn't care how many shares Steffy owned, either, and she pointed out that Steffy had gotten those shares through a twisted involvement with her baby's grandfather. The shares and titles, in Brooke's view, didn't give Steffy the right to manipulate Steffy's father. Steffy started to say that Brooke should have started eavesdropping sooner. Brooke cut her off.
"I am sick of it, Steffy! I am sick of the way you treat my daughter!" Brooke asserted. Brooke was tired of Steffy interfering with Hope's happiness any chance Steffy got. Brooke declared that it wouldn't happen again -- never again.
