In the CEO's office at Forrester, Ridge kissed Caroline and told her that they were the future of Forrester. Disconcerted, Caroline said they didn't even know if Eric would really step down. Ridge was sure it would happen, and her vote for leadership counted. Ridge insisted that, after working with her and experiencing their intimacy, it had to be him and Caroline.
In Rick's office, Eric and Ivy arrived as Rick was ending a call with Brooke. Rick said that Brooke was handling the Milan issue, but it was a mess. Eric expressed confidence that Brooke could clear it up, especially with Rick's support team backing her. Rick pulled Ivy aside, and Eric received a text message from Ridge to meet in Eric's office. Eric seemed torn as he glanced at Rick before leaving.
Caroline entered next. With one hug of his wife, Rick asked, "You are all right?" To him, she seemed on edge, and he noticed that she was shaking. Caroline told him that she'd had to block someone for making rude comments on a breakfast selfie she'd posted earlier.
Rick left to take care of something, and Ivy asked Caroline what was going on. Caroline looked as frightened as a cat on a ledge, but she said nothing. Ivy flashed a knowing stare, and Caroline realized she needed to talk to someone. Ivy guessed that Caroline's issue involved working with Ridge.
Caroline said she had to be careful because of Ridge and Rick's relationship, and things were awkward. Ivy assumed that Caroline felt trapped in the middle of Rick and Ridge's contentious relationship. Caroline replied that it was exactly how she felt.
Later, Ridge was in the CEO's office, pinning a white gown that a model was wearing. Eric arrived and complimented the gown, and the model exited. Ridge said he knew what Eric was thinking -- it was that Eric was a businessman and a designer, and he wanted the next generation to lead with the perfect balance of each. "Rick doesn't have what it takes," Ridge concluded.
Eric said that Rick was the president, and Ridge would respect it if Eric named Rick as the successor. Ridge said he'd try to respect it, but he hated to see Eric hand what they'd built over to a kid. Eric asserted that Rick wasn't a kid; he was an adult who had married a talented designer. Ridge asked if Rick would be promoted because of his wife.
Eric replied that the promotion would be due to Rick's loyalty, skill, and talent. Eric believed that Rick had stepped up when Ridge had left them without any idea of when he'd return. Ridge asked why Rick's time in Paris had bettered him, but Ridge's time there had signified running away. Eric insisted that Ridge had run away, and it had been over troubles with Brooke.
Eric didn't fault Ridge for doing what he'd had to do, but Rick had filled the void in Ridge's absence. Ridge announced that he was back, but Eric added that Ridge couldn't draw. Ridge claimed that his talent was returning, and Eric eagerly asked to see.
Ridge grabbed a pencil, but under the pressure, he couldn't draw anything. He exclaimed that it was returning, and he implored Eric not to make a decision based upon it. Eric said that no matter what, Rick and Ridge would be important to the company. Ridge vowed that he'd draw again, and even if he never picked up another pencil, he knew what design was all about, what it meant to design.
Ridge stated that his knowledge was why things worked with Caroline, and he believed that she had a big future ahead of her. Eric noted that she was young, talented, and Rick's wife. Rick and Caroline reminded Eric of himself and Stephanie at the onset of the business, and that impressed Eric. Eric remarked that Rick was his son. "Yeah, and I'm not!" Ridge exclaimed.
Eric claimed that he hadn't been saying that. Ridge asked Eric not to make him pay for a cruel trick Stephanie had played upon Eric. Eric believed it was about loyalty and taking the company into the future. Eric was convinced that Rick could do it with Caroline at his side. Ridge asked if she was really that important. "Yes, she is," Eric answered.
Agreeing with Eric about Caroline, Ridge proposed that Eric make Ridge CEO, and Ridge would mold her into the designer she could be. Eric recalled putting Ridge in control before, and at that time, Ridge hadn't played well with others. Eric said Ridge only wanted things his way. Ridge responded that he'd changed, and he asked if Eric wanted a lapdog CEO once Eric was gone.
Eric asserted that he wasn't leaving. He was passing off some responsibility so that he could be free to travel. He declared that he wasn't dead and still owned the business. Eric wanted a CEO that would respect him, not the tyrant Ridge had been in the past. Ridge thought Eric's words were harsh. "You wanted me gone. Rick didn't do that. Rick respected me," Eric stated.
Ridge insisted that he could do it, but Eric liked the idea of having a new power couple at the helm. He felt that they needed a team, and Ridge exclaimed that he and Caroline were a team. Eric said that the two were just collaborating, but Eric wanted a partnership that transcended home and work.
Eric felt that Caroline would never have the kind of commitment to Ridge that she had with Rick. Eric hadn't made his decision yet, but he wanted Ridge to understand the reasons that Eric would choose Rick. Eric said he'd make his decision soon.
Ridge left, and as Eric worked, Rick arrived. He'd seen the dress the model had been wearing earlier, and Eric remarked that they'd have their collection. "Thanks to Caroline," Rick added.
Rick envisioned a new team that would keep Eric completely involved with every single sketch. Rick believed that, just like Eric had had Stephanie in the beginning, Rick had Caroline, and with Caroline by Rick's side, there was nothing Rick couldn't do for the company.
Back in Rick's office, Caroline was alone, pacing the floor and flashing back to Ridge's kiss. Ridge entered, and she asked him why he was looking at her a certain way. He remarked that she reminded him of Caroline Senior. Caroline said she wasn't her aunt, and she was committed to her marriage.
"About the kiss," Ridge uttered, nearing her. Caroline stated that it never should have happened, and it never would again. His face hovered closer to hers. Her lips quavered, and she said that she loved her husband. Ridge wondered why, of all the men in the world, Caroline had chosen Rick.
Caroline asked Ridge to stop. She said that Rick cared as much about the business as she and Ridge did. Ridge felt that it wasn't the same because, with Rick, it was all about numbers. Ridge said that he and Caroline had found something incredible between them, and she shouldn't deny it.
Caroline asked what Ridge meant. Ridge said he knew she didn't want to hurt Rick, but she and Ridge had to live life with no regrets. "This is it. This is our life. No regrets," Ridge said and swept her into long kiss.
Suddenly, someone grabbed Carolne's arm from behind. Startled from her reverie, she turned around. It was Ridge, and he asked her what she was doing.
At Forrester, Caroline ran into another office to get away from Ridge, but he followed her. Caroline said there was no way she would collaborate with him any longer. "I am married," she said. Ridge quizzed her about why she was so flustered every time they were together. "We are a team, and I'm not gonna let that go," Ridge said. Ridge eyed Caroline. "Quit looking at me like that with those eyes. It's confusing," Caroline said.
Ridge countered that they had something very special that only happened once in a lifetime. Caroline argued that Ridge wanted her on his team because he wanted to be the top dog at Forrester. She added that they had kissed each other, and it was not okay. "I'm incredibly disappointed in myself," she said. Ridge encouraged her to stop overthinking it.
Caroline countered that Ridge had given her all the attention he had in order to use her. She admitted she had feelings she couldn't explain, and she worried about them. She reminded Ridge that he had been engaged to Katie. He advised her that they had a passion for work. "You keep your hands to yourself, and I need to keep my lips to myself, and that is just the way it has to be," Caroline said as she turned away. She walked away.
Ridge smiled. "I am married to Rick, and what about Katie?" Caroline said. Ridge told her she had married the wrong man. "He's not on your level, and he never will be," Ridge said. He added that they both had passion for the company, and he wanted Caroline to run the company with him as CEO and her as his partner.
Caroline refused to side with Ridge over her husband. Ridge noted that Rick didn't know how to fulfill Caroline. "You can do better," he said. Ridge told her that they were the future of Forrester. Caroline accused him of being a cold liar. "How dare you?" she said.
"I don't lie," Ridge answered. Ridge grabbed Caroline and kissed her again. She prepared to slap him, but Ridge grabbed her hand. Caroline grabbed Ridge and kissed him passionately then ran away. Ridge looked surprised and shaken.
On the Forrester rooftop, Ivy and Liam had lunch, and Liam teased that he had no intention of taking his shirt off and pumping iron like the rest of the people exercising on the roof. Ivy giggled that she hadn't expected him to remove his shirt, but she liked the idea.
Ivy said she liked getting fresh air on the rooftop because it kept her away from the drama. Liam said that he had enjoyed time with Ivy and the Forresters at dinner. He laughed as he said that he'd had a great time talking to her dad. They discussed that Hope was pregnant, and Wyatt would probably claim that the Hope for the Future diamond had created a human. They laughed. Liam invited Ivy to dinner at his house. She agreed to meet him later.
In Hope's office, Hope set a book down on her desk, and Aly interrupted. Aly pointed out that Wyatt's mother had manipulated Liam and Hope again. Aly told Hope that if Hope was never going to return to Liam, Aly wanted Ivy and Liam to get together. Hope didn't know why Aly insisted on telling Hope about Liam.
"Why are you with Wyatt?" Aly exclaimed. Hope turned away, and Aly saw the book When You're Expecting on Hope's desk. Aly asked if the book belonged to Hope. "Yep. I'm pregnant," Hope replied.
Aly and Hope discussed that Wyatt, Liam, and Quinn knew about the pregnancy. Aly surmised that Hope had stayed with Wyatt because of the baby. "I'm in love with Wyatt," Hope said. Aly wished that Liam and Hope could have been together.
Hope maintained that she had a life with Wyatt. She wanted Aly to stop talking about Liam. Aly reported that Liam had spent a lot of time with Ivy, and she knew they would fall in love. Aly left.
Liam entered. Hope asked if Liam had spent a lot of time with Ivy. Liam agreed he and Ivy had spent time together, and he had met Ivy's father. "I just want you to be happy," Hope said, but she was frustrated. "We almost made it. We almost got our life back. God, what happened to us?" she exclaimed. Liam patted Hope on the back, and Hope threw her arms around Liam.
Later Ivy and Aly discussed that Hope was pregnant, and Aly was convinced that it was the only reason Hope had stayed with Wyatt.
In Hope's office at Forrester, Hope met with Liam, and she repeatedly lamented that she and Liam had been so close to having a life together many times. Hope wondered how it had happened, and they discussed that they had been manipulated, but they had also allowed it to happen. Liam asked how Hope felt.
Liam said that he'd done some reading on pregnancy symptoms, nausea, and morning sickness. Hope thanked him for worrying about her. They both grew teary eyed. "Liam, I love you so much for caring," she said.
Liam worried about Quinn, but Hope maintained that she and Wyatt had discussed that Quinn was not allowed anywhere near Hope or the baby. Liam advised a new security system. Hope promised to be a mother lion where her baby was concerned. Liam warned that she would always be looking over her shoulder.
"I know what she's capable of," Liam said. Liam received a text message, and said he had to leave. Hope inquired if it was about work, but he said that it had been from Ivy. Hope looked despondent and admitted that she was jealous. Liam hugged her, and Hope left.
At Hope and Wyatt's, Wyatt entered, and Quinn walked out of another room. Wyatt advised her that she was not permitted to be there, but Quinn argued that she was his mother. Wyatt reminded her that she had threatened his wife. Quinn refused to be the exiled grandmother.
Quinn insisted that she had apologized and expected to be forgiven. She maintained that she was not a controlling bitch of a parent, but Wyatt scoffed. Quinn insisted she would be part of Wyatt's family. Wyatt disagreed. "Hope and I are having a baby, and whatever Hope wants, she gets. She doesn't want you to be a part of our life," he said. Quinn looked hurt.
At Forrester, Ivy and Aly talked on the rooftop. They agreed that Hope had stayed with Wyatt only because of the baby. They worried about Wyatt's mother. "Poor Liam," Aly said, but Ivy wondered if Hope and Liam had really been meant to be together if they had tried and failed so many times.
"Hope and Wyatt made that baby themselves," Ivy pointed out. Aly agreed, and she said it opened the door for Ivy and Liam. Ivy smiled and shared that Liam had told her father how she was sophisticated and had been the only reason Liam had survived the entire Hope situation. "I'm so happy for you," Aly said. Ivy said that Liam had invited her to dinner. Aly was convinced that Liam and Ivy were going to be good together.
At Hope and Wyatt's place, Hope arrived and asked about Wyatt's day. She apologized for her position on his mother. Quinn came out of another room and said she was glad she had caught Hope at home. Hope coldly told Quinn that she had nothing to say to her. Quinn started to argue, but Hope interrupted and advised Quinn that she was not invited back into Hope and Wyatt's home.
Quinn whined that Wyatt was the only family she had. "I am not accountable for that," Hope said. Quinn begged Hope to forgive her. Quinn reminded Hope that her mother was also going to be a grandmother and would be crushed if Hope had turned her away. "Imagine the pain that she would feel if she could never be a part of your baby's life," Quinn said. Quinn continued that babies should draw families together, but Hope stared at her coldly and did not respond.
At Liam's, Ivy arrived, and she was impressed that Liam had lit candles and started a fire in the fireplace. Liam opened wine and poured it. They agreed they had each saved one another's lives in one way or another. Ivy teased that Liam had endured a grilling by her dad, but Liam said he had done all the talking. "So what are we drinking to?" Ivy asked. "New beginnings," Liam responded, and they toasted.
At the beach house, Hope stated that Quinn wasn't supposed to be there. Quinn said she'd been visiting her son to find out if he'd been able to reason with Hope. Hope asked if Quinn remembered being told to stay away. Quinn replied that Hope couldn't keep Quinn away from Quinn's son or grandchild, who meant the same to Hope as Wyatt meant to Quinn.
Hope stated that she couldn't stop Quinn from seeing Wyatt outside the beach house, but Quinn would not be a presence in the unborn child's life. Quinn appealed to Wyatt, but he said he'd already told her to back off in the past regarding Ridge and Liam. Hope noted that Quinn had hurt Ivy, Ridge, and Liam. Quinn asked if it was punishment for hurting Hope's "precious" ex.
Quinn believed Liam was fine and moving on, and every one of them could feel different in time. Hope doubted that she would. "Why are you being so difficult?" Quinn asked, advancing toward Hope. Wyatt slipped between Quinn and Hope.
Quinn insisted they could put the past behind them and move forward as a family. Quinn was tired of being treated like damaged goods and a liability to her family. She felt that her mistakes weren't egregious or unforgivable. She declared that she didn't deserve to be punished "this way."
Hope looked away, and Quinn asserted that the baby had her genes, too. Wyatt stated that it was what scared him and Hope. Quinn told her son that it shouldn't, and while the child would get a pedigree from Hope's family, it would get its grit and determination from Quinn, who'd had to scratch and claw for everything.
Hope and Wyatt sensed that Quinn was justifying her actions, and Wyatt opened the door for Quinn to leave. Quinn pleaded with Hope to start again with no judgment or manipulation. Hope shook her head.
After Quinn had gone, Hope changed into her robe and prepared for bed. Wyatt had checked the doors and windows but doubted his mother would be back. Hope was emphatic that Quinn stop showing up there, and he promised to make sure that Quinn wouldn't return. Hope hugged and thanked Wyatt. He figured that Hope was distracted by more than just Quinn, and Hope relayed that she'd seen Liam earlier. Wyatt asked if Liam had given her a hard time.
Hope said Liam hadn't, and he'd hurried off to a date with Ivy. Wyatt replied that it was good for Liam. Hope asked if Wyatt really believed so. Wyatt said he and Hope had moved on, and Liam should, too. Wyatt remarked about Liam becoming an uncle, and Hope nodded with a mirthless smile.
Wyatt still couldn't believe they had a baby on the way. Though his mother complicated things, he felt that he and Hope couldn't let others damped their excitement. Agreeing, Hope said she wanted to concentrate on their family. He stated that they'd soon be parents, but they were still newlyweds. When he began discussing how preoccupied she'd been, Hope kissed him, and they eased onto the bed.
Later at her loft, Quinn stormed inside and ordered Deacon to talk to his daughter. She claimed that she'd been getting through to Wyatt until Hope had arrived with her unreasonableness. Quinn asserted that she and Deacon wouldn't let Hope keep Quinn out of her grandchild's life.
Deacon stated that if Quinn thought he'd be the lynchpin in her plan, then she needed a new plan. Deacon replied that he'd just forged a relationship with Hope. Quinn asked if Deacon wouldn't risk it to help Quinn. Deacon explained that he'd been kept from Hope, but time had changed things for him. He believed that it could do the same for Quinn.
Quinn refused to wait for time. She vowed to be there for every single day of the child's life. Quinn felt that she'd given the couple her unwavering support, and she deserved support in return. She knew that Hope would need help and recalled being all alone while pregnant with Wyatt. Deacon said Quinn wasn't alone anymore, and she asked if that meant he'd help her.
Deacon asked Quinn to trust that he knew his daughter and to take his advice to let up. She replied that his daughter was being unfair. He told Quinn that Hope wouldn't be manipulated, and neither would he. He advised Quinn to stop the "I want to help crap," because all she wanted was access. Though he agreed to talk to Hope, he doubted things would happen on Quinn's time. He was confident that Hope would "come around." Quinn replied, "She'd better."
At the cliff house, Ivy and Liam toasted to the future and new beginnings. He joked that he'd made tofu barbeque for her, but he'd actually made chicken. Ivy said she was up for trying new things, and Liam contemplated doing the same.
Liam and Ivy's conversation turned to Eric's decision to step down at Forrester. Ivy said her father wanted Eric to join him on a trip around the world, and her father always seemed to breeze in and turn everyone's life upside down. She guessed it ran in her family and told Liam to look at what she'd done to him. Grinning, Liam stated that she'd made him smile again.
The topic turned to Bill, and Ivy couldn't imagine what it had been like growing up with Bill Spencer. "Neither can I. Honestly, I wouldn't even have a relationship with him right now if it weren't for -- uhm -- him changing his attitude," Liam said, murmuring the last bit.
Ivy relayed that her father's flirtatious nature had gotten him into trouble. Liam remarked that his father was great with his family but needed to learn that he didn't have to be a jerk to get ahead. Liam said that Ivy was sweet, talented, and successful without being a jerk.
To Liam, Ivy had a go-getter attitude like her father. Ivy admitted that she was a little more reserved than what Liam envisioned. Liam suspected that there had to be a way to make her let go.
After dinner, Ivy and Liam discussed her work at Forrester. She'd feared that she wouldn't be able to experiment at a big company like Forrester, but she'd quickly learned that she could. Pulling a box from her purse, she said she had something for Liam, but she asked that he not tell Bill or Wyatt about it. Liam opened the jewelry box, and inside was a white gold sword charm.
Liam was awestruck by the gift. Ivy hadn't wanted to overstep by mimicking the charm of significance to the Spencers, but she'd made it because of what Quinn had put the Spencers through. Ivy said she could make a little one for Hope and Wyatt's baby, and Liam rendered a fake smile.
Ivy apologized, but Liam said that Hope's pregnancy was a reality. "But now you're thinking about it," Ivy replied. Liam stated that he wasn't, but Ivy responded that it was okay if he was. "Look at me. I'm not," Liam uttered with a smile.
The song, "Follow me Home," by Ethan Thompson played over scenes at Liam and Hope's houses.
Wyatt left Hope in bed, and Hope thought of Wyatt's first kiss. She put on her robe, and on her terrace, she thought of Liam hugging her as she cried. At the cliff house, Ivy cleared the dishes, and Liam thought of rescuing her and lying together on the bank of the Seine. Liam put his arms around Ivy, and they deeply kissed. As the pair moved into the living room to kiss on the floor by the coffee table, Hope was at home, touching her belly and attempting to smile through her sorrow.
In the morning at the beach house, Hope was excited to see that Wyatt had made her breakfast. Wyatt had read that expectant mothers needed three hundred additional calories per day, and so he'd made French toast, waffles, and pancakes for her and Wyatt Jr. Hope wondered what the name would be if it were a girl, and grimacing, she told him not to think of naming a girl after his mother.
While eating, Hope read her messages and said her mother wanted to know how she and the baby were doing. Wyatt asked if Brooke wanted to know about the expectant father. Hope replied that she planned to say that he was happier than ever -- unless that wasn't true.
Wyatt felt that Hope's assessment of his feelings was spot-on, but he'd be happier if there wasn't tension between Hope and Quinn. Hope said Quinn had caused the situation herself, and Quinn had to live with the consequences. He replied that it wouldn't be easy to keep Quinn away from the baby.
Hope asserted that she'd made her feelings clear. "What? Are we going to get a restraining order on her or something?" Wyatt asked. Hope didn't want to do such a thing, and she hoped Quinn didn't do something to make them get to that point.
At the loft, Quinn thanked Deacon for brewing coffee. She didn't know what she would have done without him the previous night. He asked if she was saying he was good for her. Quinn hadn't imagined falling for another man, but she was open to it if he continued to play his cards right.
Quinn wasn't normally a woman to ask anyone to support her, but she felt that Hope would listen to her father the way that Wyatt listened to Quinn. Quinn told Deacon to fix things so that they and their children could be a family. Deacon asked if she really thought it could happen.
Quinn didn't know what could happen and cited that she hadn't even expected to be that close to Deacon so quickly. "Unless I'm just a stand-in until Brooke comes back," Quinn stated. Deacon doubted anything would happen with Brooke and him.
Quinn proposed that she and Deacon ditch the loft and get a house in the valley. She imagined that the neighbors would think they were a hand-holding couple, but behind closed doors, she'd spank him when he was naughty. Deacon was tempted to play house with her, but to him, it wasn't that easy.
Quinn guessed that the stumbling block was Hope and said that the only way to get through to Hope was to prove that Quinn was changing. Quinn claimed to want what everyone else wanted -- a home and a boyfriend. Deacon asked her to repeat the second thing. When she did, he grinned and added that she wanted a grandchild to bounce on her sexy knee.
Quinn said she had the grandchild, but seeing it was up to Deacon. Deacon asked what would happen if he didn't help, and she asked if he'd really forgo the chance to explore their relationship. He asked if he should be scared, and she wondered what was scary about a house in the valley with a woman who rocked his world. "Losing my relationship with my daughter," he said.
Deacon wasn't willing to risk his relationship with Hope. He pulled Quinn onto his lap and said that she'd have to make him a promise. He wanted her to swear to him that she wasn't a murderer. Quinn replied that she'd already said she'd had nothing to do with Ricardo's death. She asked if they had a deal or if he needed more convincing. Deacon wanted more convincing, and they kissed.
Deacon called Hope and asked her if he could take someone special over for her to meet. After the call, he told Quinn that it was time that his daughter met the woman in his life.
Later, Deacon arrived at Hope's house. Hope was anxious to meet his lady friend. Deacon tried to brace her before inviting the friend inside, but through the door, they heard, "Can I come in now?"
"Mom?" Wyatt called out. Quinn entered the house, and Hope instantly swept her arms back and forth, indicating a strikeout. "No, no, no, no! Are you serious right now?" Hope asked.
Deacon said he knew it was a shock, but he wanted them to get along as a family. Hope was the most compassionate person he knew, and he asked her to just try. "Absolutely not. No. This woman is a manipulator. She uses people, and now she's using you!" Hope accused.
Quinn tried to speak, but Hope had already heard all of Quinn rationalizations and pleas before. Hope believed that the desperate Quinn would say or do anything. Hope was disgusted that Quinn had made a play for Hope's father, and Hope decided that, if Quinn was the woman he wanted to spend his life with, he was out, too.
At Forrester, Caroline was irritated about updating her followers. Ivy asked if Caroline had heard Ivy's description of her night with Liam. Caroline recalled something about Liam and Ivy being all kissy faced, and "blah, blah, blah." Ivy figured that Caroline was still feeling stuck between Ridge and Rick. Caroline replied that it had become more complicated.
Ivy assumed that Eric's pending decision had complicated things. Caroline frowned, and guilt-ridden, she revealed that she and Ridge had kissed. She shrieked that she was a horrible person who deserved a scarlet letter and a stoning in the town square. Ivy assumed it had been a single kiss. Caroline flashed a sickened look. "More than one?" Ivy asked.
Caroline antagonized over it. She didn't know if Ridge was just using her for the CEO position or if he actually felt something. She asserted that there should be no feelings between her and her mentor, whom she professionally admired, but there was just something about Ridge.
Caroline exclaimed that it shouldn't have happened and needed to stop. Ivy asked if Caroline would give up designing with Ridge. Caroline insisted that she had to because Rick was too important to her. "And Ridge isn't?" Ivy asked.
In Katie's bedroom, Ridge hadn't been able to sleep the night before because he'd been tossing and turning about Eric's decision. Ridge didn't like that Eric seemed to imagine Caroline and Rick as a dream team. Katie asked what Stephanie would tell Ridge. Ridge said Stephanie would say to make it happen for himself, and that was what he'd do. Katie asked what he'd do to tip things in his favor.
Ridge replied that he needed Caroline on his side, but Katie figured it wouldn't be easy because of Caroline's loyalty to Rick. Ridge replied that Caroline wasn't as loyal as Katie would think, and he revealed that Caroline had a little bit of a crush on him. Katie asked if Ridge thought Caroline would stab her husband in the back.
Katie doubted Caroline would do that because Caroline was married and as devoted to Rick as Katie was to Ridge. Katie asked if Ridge had encouraged Caroline's crush. Ridge claimed that he wasn't doing that, but "these things just happen."
"To you?" Katie pointedly asked. Shrugging, Ridge surmised that the marriage might not be as magical as Rick made it out to be. Katie asked if the words were Ridge's or Caroline's. Ridge said he wasn't ready to draw again, but he needed Caroline in his corner because Eric wanted a dream team. Katie said that Bill used people, not Ridge.
Ridge denied using anyone, but Katie accused him of just rationalizing it away. He said the position belonged to him, and he couldn't answer to Rick. Katie didn't believe Ridge had thought about the consequences that using Caroline's feelings would have on everyone involved.
Ridge claimed that it had nothing to do with his relationship with Katie. Katie laughed mirthlessly. He insisted that he loved her and was committed to her. She asked him to stop using Caroline before someone got hurt. Ridge believed stopping would lessen his chances. Katie didn't think so, and she asked if he really wanted to get the position by using Caroline and damaging her marriage.
Katie reasoned that Rick and Ridge were contentious, but they were still brothers. She said the brothers each loved Forrester Creations. She advised Ridge to put a stop to it immediately. She knew him and felt that he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he let it go on.
"And that's why I love you," Ridge concluded. Katie remarked that she hadn't seen much of him "lately," and she missed their closeness. She kissed him, but he jerked away upon imagining Caroline. Katie asked him what was wrong.
