In Steffy's office, Stephanie was stunned by Brooke's alleged betrayal and doubted they could ever be friends. Brooke insisted that she hadn't kissed Thomas, but Stephanie asserted that Brooke had encouraged him. Disagreeing, Brooke said Thomas had known that it had been wrong, and she'd warned him that it could never happen again.
Taylor asked why Brooke would hide it, if she hadn't been guilty. Brooke claimed she'd sought to protect the father and son relationship, but Taylor quipped that Brooke had wanted to protect herself. Stephanie warned that keeping the secret would really cost Brooke.
Brooke admitted to making a mistake, but cited that Stephanie had kept a secret, too. Stephanie said her cancer secret paled in comparison. Brooke couldn't see why Stephanie would throw away the progress they'd made together over the meaningless kiss. Stephanie quipped that seducing "that boy" into a kiss and hiding it hadn't been meaningless, and she questioned whether Brooke even knew herself. "I'm just a slut from the valley," Brooke retorted.
Stephanie groaned and said she'd wanted to believe in Brooke, but Brooke had betrayed her. Stephanie apologized for not listening to Taylor about Brooke, who'd let Stephanie down. Taylor added that Brooke had let them all down. Brooke grew teary-eyed as Stephanie said that Brooke had let her husband down most of all.
Taylor berated Brooke for not thinking of what it would do to Ridge and Thomas' relationship, but Brooke replied that had been the reason she hadn't spoken up. Stephanie predicted that Brooke would lose Ridge, but Brooke asserted that her marriage was stronger than it had ever been. She left, saying that she planned to get a hug from her husband.
In Ridge's office, Ridge announced that the Taboo line was over, effective immediately. Thomas asked Ridge to think before allowing a stupid kiss to end their most successful line in decades. Ridge felt that Thomas was being cavalier; however, Thomas responded that he was being punished for being exactly like his father. Ridge claimed the decision was best for everyone, but Thomas asked if Ridge really wanted to go to war with his son.
Ridge claimed he was doing what was best for the family. Thomas contended that his father wasn't thinking like a CEO. Thomas insisted that Ridge stop listening to Taylor's "insane psychobabble," but Ridge said Taylor knew what she was talking about. Ridge asked why Thomas had kissed Brooke. Thomas wasn't sure, but he guessed it had been due to all the talk about Brooke's pull over the Forrester men. Ridge sensed more going on than Thomas realized.
Thomas insisted that he didn't have feelings for Brooke, but Ridge wasn't so sure. Thomas cited that Thorne, Eric, and Ridge had all been married to Brooke. Thomas claimed to have kissed her just to see what the fuss was about. Thomas promised it wouldn't happen again. Ridge hoped Thomas was right, but said the damage had been done.
Ridge felt he should have put a stop to the line at the first kiss, or the backstage photo debacle. Though Thomas persisted, Ridge proclaimed that the line was over. "Just like that?" Thomas asked. Ridge repeated, "Just like that."
Thomas left, and Ridge called Madison in to order her to distribute the memo about the cancelled line and to cancel the afternoon press conference. Madison left, and Brooke entered to say that Stephanie, who'd learned about the kiss, had put all the blame on Brooke. Brooke was hurt to suddenly lose her closeness with Stephanie, and Ridge gave Brooke a hug.
Brooke apologized to Ridge again, and he admitted that it was hard to stay angry with her. He hoped Stephanie would get past it, as well. Brooke doubted it would happen, and Ridge said he didn't want Taylor and Stephanie ganging up on his wife. Brooke was disappointed that Stephanie had run back into Taylor's corner, but Brooke wanted to put the kiss behind them and move forward with the Taboo line. Ridge announced there would be no moving forward, because the Taboo line was over.
Shocked, Brooke pleaded with Ridge to understand that the Taboo line meant everything to Thomas. Reasoning that Thomas had gotten carried away by Paris and the press conference, she asked Ridge to consider his relationship with his son. Brooke begged Ridge not to take the line away from Thomas.
Across the hall, Thomas denounced Taylor for going to Ridge and ruining everything Thomas had worked for. Stephanie claimed that Taylor had been protecting him. Thomas said he'd been the one to kiss Brooke, but Taylor insisted that Brooke had behaved inappropriately since the first day. "You just had to go crazy and go running to Dad, didn't you?" Thomas asked. Taylor said she was sorry Ridge had immediately pulled the line, but she felt it needed to be that way.
Later, Thomas was alone when Madison entered to say Ridge had given her a memo stating that Thomas' line had been cancelled. Thomas asked if she'd distributed the memo yet. She said she hadn't, and Thomas decided that she wouldn't do it at all. He asked her to keep the press conference scheduled, as well. Madison replied that her boss had directed her to do those things. "And I'm telling you not to," Thomas responded.
Madison agreed to hold onto the memo, and Thomas said he'd see her at the press conference. Once alone, Thomas looked at a picture of him and Ridge. "You want war, Dad. You've got war," Thomas declared.
In Thomas' office, Madison told Thomas that she had done as he asked and not cancelled the press conference. She worried that her failure to follow Ridge's orders to cancel the press conference would result in a lot of chaos. Thomas told her not to worry about her job, but she said that she was concerned about him. Thomas said that his father had not been thinking clearly. Thomas refused to allow a two-sentence press release to destroy his career.
Madison left, and Summer entered. She told Thomas that she was excited about the press conference. She kissed Thomas, and they made out on the couch, but Taylor interrupted. Summer left. Taylor wanted to talk, but Thomas was disgusted with his mother. Taylor insisted that they had to discuss what had happened.
Thomas angrily reminded his mother that she had ruined his career all because she had overreacted when she overheard a private conversation. Thomas said that she had ruined everything -- all his success -- everything. Taylor encouraged Thomas to talk to his father. Thomas refused. He said that he was busy and needed Taylor to leave. Thomas wondered if they would all be talking by the end of the day. Taylor asked what he meant, but he insisted that she leave.
In Ridge's office, Brooke and Ridge made up. Brooke begged Ridge not to end Taboo because it would devastate Thomas. Ridge disagreed and said that it was best for everyone in the family that Taboo ended. Brooke reminded Ridge that the line had made a lot of money and acquired international attention for Forrester Creations. Brooke suggested that Ridge should think about it for a few days rather than make a hasty decision. Ridge said that he believed Thomas had feelings for Brooke, and they needed to stop. He felt that if he eliminated Taboo, it was the best decision for everyone.
Ridge expected that Thomas would mope for a while because the line had been eliminated, but he would be fine. Ridge said that Thomas was like Ridge had been at that age, but Thomas needed to rethink his feelings. Brooke apologized for keeping the secret that Thomas had kissed her, and Ridge said that he understood. He knew that she had inspired Thomas as much as she had inspired him.
Stephanie entered and interrupted Ridge and Brooke. Ridge quickly pointed out that he had put an end to the line, and Ridge ordered Stephanie to leave Brooke alone. Stephanie said that she no longer trusted Brooke, and she wondered how Ridge could trust her. Brooke told Stephanie and Ridge that she was going to find Thomas. Stephanie's jaw dropped, and Brooke left.
Stephanie chastised Ridge because she didn't want Brooke and Thomas to have any contact. Ridge said that Brooke was not the problem. He wondered if Stephanie really wanted to return to war with Brooke over something that wasn't Brooke's fault. Taylor entered and joined Stephanie in insulting Brooke and rehashing ancient history.
Taylor and Stephanie double-teamed Ridge with how Brooke had betrayed Ridge and led Thomas on. They blamed Brooke for all the family problems, repeated scandals, and secrets. Ridge defended Brooke, but Taylor and Stephanie did not let up. Stephanie resurrected Ridge's words to Taylor that if Brooke had crossed the line with Thomas, Ridge would run to Taylor.
Ridge shook his head and reminded the women that he had said that because he knew Brooke would never cross the line, and it was Thomas who had crossed the line. Taylor ranted that no other woman got into as many messes as Brooke did. Ridge said that there was no other woman like Brooke, and that was the reason that he had married her. Taylor and Stephanie continued to bring up Taboo history and the inappropriate campaign that Ridge should have stopped in the beginning.
Ridge said that the campaign had ended. Taylor worried that Thomas was hurt and needed his father. Taylor said that Thomas had pretty much kicked her out of his office because he had something planned. Stephanie shared that Brooke had looked for Thomas. Taylor was upset, but Madison interrupted and said that the press conference had started. Ridge wondered what had happened because he had told Madison to cancel the press conference. Madison apologized.
At the press conference, the media gathered. Donna, Katie, Thorne, and Eric chatted, and Eric talked to Donna privately. Thorne and Eric admitted that they had no idea what Thomas had planned. Thomas entered and revved up the media. He promised a new announcement in minutes, and the press clapped in appreciation.
Brooke arrived and asked Madison why the press had not been notified that the conference had been cancelled. Before Madison could answer, Thomas stepped in and asked Brooke to join him as he addressed the crowd. Brooke wondered what Thomas had planned to tell the media, since the line had been cancelled. Thomas promised that he would handle it. Brooke hesitated, but appeared on stage with Thomas.
Thomas thanked everyone for their support and announced that Taboo had been so successful that it was expanding with media tours to Milan and other cities. Brooke looked confused, and Ridge, Taylor, and Stephanie stood shell-shocked at the back of the room. Thomas looked directly at Ridge and said, "Nothing can stop Taboo."
Ridge glared at Thomas and at Brooke. Stephanie and Taylor appeared angry but speechless.
At the press conference that wasn't supposed to happen because Ridge had asked Madison to cancel it, Thomas defied Ridge in every way possible. Thomas declared that nothing could stop Taboo. On stage with Thomas, Brooke looked uncomfortable knowing that Ridge would be furious. Thomas proclaimed that Brooke was an integral part of the campaign, and he and Brooke would take the campaign to the next level.
After the announcement, Katie told Brooke that Ridge must have been proud of Thomas, who had also announced that a portion of Taboo sales would be donated to the homeless. Ridge angrily ordered Thomas to meet in his office immediately.
After the press conference, Pam teased Donna about her honey bear days, and Donna later told Katie that the entire press conference had been weird. Donna noted that Stephanie and Taylor had to be up to something because they had been chattering in a corner. Eric stopped to tell Donna that she looked very happy.
Stephanie and Taylor scurried off on their own to lay blame for the press conference solely on Brooke's shoulders. Stephanie said that Brooke couldn't possibly have been involved in defying Ridge's orders, but Taylor persuaded Stephanie that Brooke had to be the mastermind. Stephanie told Taylor that Ridge's marriage to Brooke had to be over after Brooke had so blatantly disregarded Ridge's wishes for the Taboo line to end.
In Ridge's office, Ridge met with Thomas and Brooke. He was furious that they had disobeyed his direct orders. Thomas insisted that Brooke didn't know what she was getting into. He admitted that he had told her he planned to announce the end of Taboo. Ridge wondered what role Madison had played in the deception, and Thomas admitted that he had intercepted the memo, and persuaded her to disregard Ridge's orders.
Ridge said that he had wanted to protect the family, but Thomas said that no one needed protection. He added that he certainly didn't need protection from Brooke, which was Taylor's theory. Thomas insisted that everyone had overreacted. Brooke stepped in and said that it was time to stop arguing. She reminded Ridge that he would have done the same thing at Thomas' age if Eric had pulled a line out from under him. Ridge angrily warned Thomas and Brooke that he was the CEO. He needed everyone to follow his orders.
Thomas argued and begged Ridge to let it go. Thomas left. Ridge confronted Brooke. He angrily asked how she could possibly support Thomas in defiance of her husband. Brooke made excuses and said that she had done it because Ridge had made a mistake and needed a few days to realize that pulling the line was a mistake for the company and for Thomas.
Brooke insisted that Thomas needed Taboo, and so did Forrester. Brooke said that she planned to help Thomas and continue promoting the line. Ridge scoffed and said that Taylor was as concerned about Thomas as Ridge was. Brooke said that Taylor and Stephanie had always sided against Brooke, so it was no surprise to her. Brooke begged Ridge not to side against her as well.
In Thomas office, Dayzee entered. Thomas told her that he had argued with his father. Dayzee listened, but she told Thomas that he had to respect his father. Dayzee sat on Thomas' lap, and he told her the story of what he had done. He reminded Dayzee that he had told her about kissing Brooke, and that his mother had discovered that he had kissed Brooke. Thomas said that Taylor had gone ballistic and forced his father to cancel the Taboo line, but Thomas had defied Ridge's wishes and announced an expansion of the line.
Dayzee said that Thomas needed to understand that he had angered his father by kissing Ridge's wife. Dayzee said that she understood Ridge's position. Thomas angrily reminded Dayzee that he had no romantic interest in Brooke. Instead, he snuggled up to Dayzee and told her how important she was to him. He added that he had announced at the press conference that he planned to give a percentage of Taboo profits to the homeless.
Dayzee was choked up as she realized it would mean millions for the homeless. Thomas said that it was all because of Dayzee. He added that she had made him a better man. He kissed her passionately.
Due to CBS sports coverage of March Madness college basketball, today's The Bold and the Beautiful was pre-empted. This programming change has been planned, and there will be no "lost" episodes as a result.
Regular programming resumes on March 21, 2011.
Due to CBS sports coverage of March Madness college basketball, today's The Bold and the Beautiful was pre-empted. This programming change has been planned, and there will be no "lost" episodes as a result.
Regular programming resumes on March 21, 2011.
