At the cottage, a shirtless Scott stared intently at his computer screen. Sharon crept downstairs in his shirt and teased that it was way too early to look that serious, but he replied that it wasn't in Stockholm. She complained that she was a mess, and he agreed, but he pulled her onto the couch and called her a hot, beautiful mess. She asked about the new digital media company, and he said he felt lucky. Sharon insisted that Victor had entrusted Scott with the company because Scott deserved it, but Scott clarified that he hadn't been talking about the job. They fell back on the couch in a passionate kiss.

Scott and Sharon headed back toward the stairs, but his computer chimed with a message. He discovered an email about transferring ownership of Hashtag, and he said he had to run it by Victor, who was working at home that day. Sharon chirped that Scott was lucky that Victor lived on the same property, but Scott anticipated that Victor might put together where Scott had spent the night. Sharon figured that Victor's ego was so big that he'd assume Scott had driven out just to see him.

Scott questioned why Sharon had stayed in such close proximity to her former in-laws, and Sharon explained that it was good for Faith to be near her father and grandparents. She added that Victor and Nikki didn't seem to have a problem with it, and Scott promised to do his best not to destroy the good will. Sharon called him presumptuous to assume that he'd be spending more nights there, but he preferred to think of himself as an optimist.

Nick called out for Nikki at the ranch, and he spotted a poster of Nikki for the upcoming charity concert. Victor appeared and announced that Nikki wasn't home, and Nick turned to leave. Victor warned that Nick couldn't avoid his father forever, and he sourly asked if Nick was expecting congratulations for his successful detective work in Louisiana. Nick testily questioned whether Victor had any idea what it had done to him to keep Victor's role in the tragedy from being discovered, and he figured that Victor considered himself safe with Chloe dead.

Nick chided Victor for expecting his family to forgive and forget until it happened again, but Victor thought Nick should help him end the hostilities for Nikki's sake. Nick observed that it didn't look like Nikki had taken Victor back into her life, and Victor confirmed that she hadn't. Victor proclaimed that he'd moved heaven and earth to provide for his family, so the least he expected was for his family to back him up. Nick hissed that his mother had let every awful thing slide, no matter what it had cost her, and he resented that Victor expected Nick to help him do it again.

Nick suspected that Victor had pressured Nikki into playing at the concert, but Victor contended that she loved playing music, as had been evident when she'd performed at the Underground. Nick argued that it had been different because there had been no pressure, but Victor was certain that when Nikki finished performing and heard the applause, she'd realize that he was the only one who could give her what she needed. Nick recognized that the manipulation might work until Victor did something else to hurt her, and she'd feel betrayed all over again. Victor huffed that if Nick continued to criticize and openly despise him, Victor didn't need him.

Victor ordered Nick to take Faith to Nikki's concert, but Nick replied that Faith wouldn't be there because she was away at camp for a month. Victor barked that he hadn't known about it, and Nick retorted that it didn't concern him. Victor assumed that it was Nick's way of keeping Faith away from him, but Nick asserted that Faith had wanted to go and had asked him to tell Victor that she'd miss her grandfather. Victor wondered what Nick's animosity was really about, since Nick had never liked Adam.

Nick acknowledged that Adam had done things Nick hadn't liked, but he'd just been starting to understand his brother when Adam had died. Victor considered Nick's outrage nothing but hypocrisy, but Scott interrupted with time-sensitive agreements for Hashtag. Victor told Nick that it was a company he'd purchased and that Scott would be running it. He added that Scott had helped to put together the charity concert. Nick noted that Scott had done a 180-degree turn to embrace a corporate lifestyle, and Scott recognized that Victor had given him a great opportunity. Victor and Scott huddled over the paperwork, and Nick scowled and walked out.

Scott went over his plans to strive for real investigative reporting rather than quick profit, and Victor instructed him to submit his full presentation to the marketing department. Scott hoped Nick hadn't left because of him, and Victor chalked it up to Nick's lack of interest in business. Scott understood Nick's desire to do his own thing, and Victor compared Nick's stubbornness to Scott's. Victor prepared to head over to the pavilion to see how the venue was shaping up, and he told Scott to see himself out.

Nick stopped by the cottage and ranted to Sharon that he was over his father trying to control everyone and everything. He relayed that Victor had been annoyed that Faith wouldn't be at the concert, and Sharon was surprised that Victor hadn't known the girl was off at camp. Sharon figured that Nikki would have told Victor, but Nick said his mother was dealing with her own stuff. Sharon recalled that she'd tried to talk Nikki into canceling the performance, but Nikki had been determined to get on stage. Sharon confided that Nikki had been a little worried that she wouldn't live up to Victor's expectations, and Nick grumbled that it was the last thing Nikki needed to worry about. Scott suddenly returned to grab his computer, and he was surprised to see Nick there.

Nick said he'd assumed Scott's meeting with Victor had been really important, but he guessed Scott had already been in the neighborhood. Sharon told Scott that she and Nick had been talking about the concert, and Nick asked if Scott had any insight into what Victor was thinking of doing. Scott called it a celebration of the research center in Nikki's name, but Nick thought it had more to do with Victor's massive donation. Scott explained that there had been a time that Nikki's disease had prevented her from playing the piano, so she was a compelling example for those who suffered from multiple sclerosis. Scott kissed Sharon goodbye and departed.

Nick commented that Scott and Sharon had moved fast, but Sharon didn't think so, and she called Scott a great guy. Nick pointed out that Victor thought so, too, but he hoped Scott realized Victor was using him. Sharon argued that Scott was a world-class journalist who put his heart and soul into his work, so Victor was lucky to have him. Sharon acknowledged that Victor had given Scott a position that would usually be reserved for family, but none of the Newman kids except Abby wanted to work with Victor. Sharon pushed Nick to tell her what was going on, since she could see through his and Nikki's happy family act, and she could tell they wanted nothing to do with Victor.

Graham entered Dina's hotel suite and anxiously asked if Jean-Marc was emailing the documents and handling the "other matter." Dina assumed Graham meant her will, and he pointed out that Dina had intended to sign the will before she'd left Paris. He wished he'd known what had awaited them there, and she wondered if he was sorry that he'd joined her on the trip. He reiterated that he'd made a promise that he intended to keep.

Dina pushed to know what was bothering Graham, and he noted that Ashley had turned out to be pleasant, but Jack seemed intent on rehashing old grievances to make Dina feel guilty. Graham groused that Jack had been openly hostile toward him, and he hated seeing how it affected Dina. Dina groaned that Jack just didn't understand, and Graham agreed. Graham worried that the longer Dina stayed, the more her children would convince her to move in with them, but they wouldn't let her live her life the way she wanted.

Dina questioned how her children would stop her, and Graham replied that they'd attempt to take away her power. He recognized that she carried guilt from abandoning her children, but he believed that Jack and Ashley would have no qualms about abandoning her, because they weren't invested in her well-being like Graham was. Dina instructed him to print the documents for her to sign, including her will. She added that she should have signed them before they'd left Europe, and he kissed her hand.

At Jabot, Jack left a voicemail for Nikki, saying he'd been worried about her. Ashley overheard and reminded him that Nikki had a husband. Jack admitted that he'd been checking in on Nikki periodically because he was concerned about her practicing nonstop for the charity event. Jack added that he was looking out for her because her husband didn't have a clue what was going on with her and didn't "give a damn," but Ashley argued that Victor loved Nikki deeply.

Jack griped that it was all about Victor putting on a show as a great philanthropist when Nikki had been completely obsessed and stressed with having to perform. Jack planned to offer Nikki a shoulder to lean on because her husband was emotionally inaccessible, and he worried that she was on the brink of taking that first drink. Jack was sure that something was off with the Newman family, since it was clear that there was a strain on Victor and Nikki's marriage. Ashley surmised that Jack intended to take advantage of it, and Jack vowed not to let Victor hurt Nikki again.

Ashley indicated that Victor had shown compassion about the situation with Dina and that he'd agreed that Graham's motives were suspicious. Jack inquired about Ravi's research, and Ashley revealed that Graham had moved to Hollywood to pursue acting but that he'd only had a few bit parts decades earlier. She mentioned that Graham's online profile showed his title was executive vice president of corporate strategy, and Jack griped that Graham was strategizing how to separate Dina from her money. Jack recounted Michael's advice that they could do nothing without Dina's power of attorney, and Ashley thought they should back off.

Ashley argued that Dina and Graham were consenting adults, and even though Ashley didn't trust or like him, Dina did. Ashley thought Graham treated Dina like the most important thing in his life and that Dina adored him, and it was their mother's choice. Jack wondered if Ashley thought Dina deserved to be screwed over, but Ashley countered that if she felt that way, she wouldn't have sat down with Graham to find out what he wanted with their mother. Ashley couldn't say that she'd forgiven Dina, but she didn't want to see Dina get hurt, and she thought their mother seemed happy.

Ashley suggested that Jack stop micromanaging Dina's life, since Dina would end up resenting Jack if he tried to cause trouble. Ashley urged him to let Dina know that he didn't want to lose her again, and Jack said it was why he'd invited Dina to stay at the house. Ashley advised him to give it time, and they hugged. Ashley's phone rang, and she told someone she could be there right away. After she hung up, she informed Jack it had been Dina, but she had no idea what their mother wanted.

Ashley appeared in Dina's doorway as a man finished notarizing the signatures on Dina's documents. Graham spotted Ashley, who guessed that Dina hadn't told him that she'd called Ashley. Graham claimed that the paperwork was related to the Mergeron sale, and he left to send the documents to the attorney then head down to the spa. Ashley observed that he'd seemed to be in a particularly good mood, and Dina said it was why she liked having him around.

Ashley indicated that Jack was having a hard time dealing with Graham having a monopoly on Dina's life, and Jack had invited Dina to stay at the house because he wanted to spend more time with her. "Just him?" Dina asked, and Ashley confirmed that she'd also be at the house sometimes. Dina said she loved spending time with Jack, but she doubted that Ashley wanted her under the same roof. Ashley pointed out that it was a big roof with a guesthouse, so they wouldn't have to share a bathroom and regret never having had mother-daughter moments. Dina admitted that she admired Ashley and Abby's closeness, and she applauded Ashley for being a wonderful mother -- everything Dina hadn't been to Ashley.

Dina gushed that she adored Abby and saw herself in her granddaughter, and she hoped that didn't bother Ashley. Ashley said she had more pressing concerns about Dina, and Dina figured that they had to do with a younger man meeting an older woman of means. Dina asserted that Graham wasn't about to steal her fortune, and Ashley jokingly asked if he was heir to another fortune. Dina contended that he'd been well-rewarded for his service and loyalty, and he was also a good friend with her best interests at heart. Ashley wondered if Dina was afraid to be alone, and she contemplated what would happen if Graham met someone and left Dina. Dina was sure he wouldn't because they had a deal.

At the Athletic Club spa, an attendant asked Nikki if the massage had helped, and Nikki reported that she was feeling better. Nikki headed for the sauna, and the attendant questioned whether it was okay because of Nikki's MS. Nikki snapped that not all of them were heat-sensitive, but she calmed down and stated that she'd cleared it with her doctor. Nikki looked down at her shaking hands as she entered the sauna. She sat down, closed her eyes, and imagined Victor telling her she was nothing without him.

Gloria entered the sauna, and Nikki prepared to leave. Gloria asked if Nikki was okay, and Nikki claimed that she'd been overdoing it, so she was sore. Gloria mentioned that Jack had told her about the concert, and she called him Nikki's personal cheerleader. Nikki stressed that she and Jack were very good friends without benefits, and Gloria asked if it was a dig at her. Nikki recognized that sometimes it was hard to stay objective, and Gloria admitted that she felt protective of Jack, especially since he'd been acting strange with his mother back in town.

Gloria relayed Jack's plan for her to seduce Dina's companion, and Nikki chortled. Nikki apologized for laughing, but she thought it was obvious that Dina was pushing Jack's buttons. Nikki imagined that Jack was still confused about his adult responsibility to Dina, and Gloria was afraid Jack wanted something Dina couldn't give him. Nikki murmured that unfortunately, some damage could never be undone. Nikki said she'd see Gloria later, and she weakly shuffled over to the sauna exit. Nikki called Jack and begged him to meet her.

Later, Graham greeted Gloria in the sauna, and they recognized one another from their encounter at the bar. She purred that she'd just been thinking about adding more steam.

Jack met Nikki at the park café, and he asked what was wrong. She reported that she'd run into Gloria in the sauna and that Gloria had seemed genuinely concerned about him. Jack suspected that it hadn't been the reason why Nikki had asked to see him, and he questioned whether she was still insisting on going through with the concert. She confirmed that she was and that he was the only one she could talk to about it. She admitted that she was terrified and that she'd been practicing every minute, and he thought the stress was too much.

Nikki informed Jack that she'd gone to the spa and that her doctor had given her steroids for the pain and swelling, but she wished she could get some long-term relief. Jack urged her to postpone the concert, but she refused, joking that it wouldn't be Carnegie Hall. Jack recognized that Victor might not see or care about what it was doing to her, but Jack did. Jack figured that Victor wanted to bask in the glory of Nikki's performance and to make the entire event about him. Jack implored Nikki to walk away, leaving Victor standing with nothing.

Nikki claimed that the concert was about proving something to herself, since Victor had felt clever by springing the event on her to prove that he had the power to make big things happen. She confided that it had "galled the hell out of" her, and she refused to let Victor steal her confidence. She pledged never to lose herself, and the concert was a way of trying to find a true part of herself again. A pained look crossed Nikki's face, and she said she had to go home.

Nikki shakily stood up, and Jack held her close and promised to do whatever he could. She replied that he'd already done it by being such a good friend, and she insisted that she would be fine. Victor looked on as Nikki walked away, and he ominously approached Jack. "What in the hell do you think you're doing with my wife?" Victor growled.

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