The Bold and the Beautiful Recap for Monday, December 9, 2024: Carter's given another opportunity

At the cabin, Hope confidently told Brooke that the takeover really happened and that Carter was the new head of Forrester. She had hoped that Carter would have come to his senses, but Hope confirmed that Carter “did the right thing” and filed the papers. Brooke was stunned.

Brooke wondered how Hope could be part of Carter taking over the company. Hope clapped back, wondering how Ridge could have been part of Steffy’s decision to fire her. Hope said it wasn’t about revenge and reiterated her and Carter’s reasons. Brooke reminded Hope that Forrester was Ridge’s legacy. “Don’t we get to be a part of that legacy without our contributions getting erased?” Hope fumed.

Hope told her mom that Brooke deserved to have a legacy as well. “If Steffy fired Thomas or RJ, do you think that Ridge would have gone along with it or not intervened?” Hope asked, noting that Ridge only went along with it because she was not his child. ”Honey, I know you feel wronged and shut out,” Brooke said but noted that Hope had taken things too far. Hope said Steffy got rid of her and disrespected her. In doing so, Steffy and Ridge showed the company that Brooke didn’t have any pull at the company. Hope repeated that Carter would right the wrong for her, and he was fighting Hope, Brooke, Katie, the Logans, and anyone at the company who had ever felt they had been wronged. “And I love him for that, Mom,” Hope added.

“He’s not just trying to make Forrester Creations into a global luxury brand, but he’s trying to make it a safe environment for everyone to feel appreciated and valued,” Hope told Brooke. She asked how anyone could not respect that. “Don’t you see what an amazing man he is?” Hope cried.

Brooke reacted when Hope claimed that Carter was trying to bring back justice and fairness. “Justice and fairness? He got them to sign those LLC papers. Honey, he stole Forrester Creations from them! That is not justice,” Brook implored. Hope crossed her arms and looked away. She dismissively said that Ridge and Steffy had signed the papers of their own volition, and no one had forced them.

Brooke told Hope to stop and noted it was deceptive. Hope defended Carter and said he was trying to protect the integrity of Forrester. Brooke repeated that she knew it felt good to have someone in her corner, but she couldn’t believe it was the best plan for the company. Hope insisted that Steffy made bad decisions and it was Carter’s responsibility to take over.

Hope reiterated that Carter loved the company and the family and that it had been incredibly hard for him to take the company from them. “If it’s been incredibly hard on him, then maybe he’ll come to his senses and realize this is not the right decision,” Brooke said.

In the salon, Will helped Zende pack up Hope for the Future items to be archived. Will noted that Pam was standing guard outside the CEO's office. Zende didn’t know what was happening but knew whatever it was, it was major. Electra came in, and they told her something big was going on in the CEO's office.

Zende assumed that whatever was happening it wasn’t good. He saw Justin Barber walking in as he passed the CEO’s office and thought that was an indicator of the situation. He wondered with all of the changes around Forrester lately, what was next.

At the prison, Luna couldn’t believe that Bill was there. Bill told her that he had read her letters against his better judgment, but Luna was excited and happy. She said Bill was the only person she could write to and who would understand. “It’s a big ask,” Bill growled.

Luna compared herself to Bill, as he was someone who had done bad things and had bad things done to him. She thought he might not judge her. Luna shared that she felt bad for what she did and couldn’t deal with being in prison. She said that she stared at the walls, picturing the faces of Tom and Hollis, and it was horrifying. “I’m not a monster,” Luna cried. She said she felt like she was outside of her body while she was doing horrible things. She said it was like she was watching a girl do the things she did while thinking that was not who she was.

Luna told Bill that when she was little, Poppy would bring random men home and do drugs with them in the bedroom while she was on the couch. She said that she would try to pretend it wasn’t her there on the sofa to avoid dealing with it. “The things I did wasn’t who I am. That wasn’t me,” Luna implored.

Luna said that the first time she ever felt safe was in Bill’s house, and she never wanted to go back to her old life, which had too much pain. She said she could tell that Bill trusted her and understood. She reiterated about Poppy’s parade of men, the drugs, and how none of it scared away Bill because he knew what it was like to be a child who was scared like that. She told Bill they saw each other for who they were, faults and all.

Luna recounted how Bill told her that they were raised by wolves who had to fend for themselves. Luna noted that it wouldn’t justify what she did but couldn’t bear him thinking she was a monster. “You know the real me, so many you could have a little understanding and forgiveness?” she pleaded. She told him they were more alike than he realized.

In the CEO’s office, Eric watched Carter move behind the desk and told him, “Look at you, standing behind this desk, trying to convince yourself that you actually belong there.” Eric reminded Carter that they considered him part of the family. “Except I’m not. I’m not a Forrester, and that’s the only name that matters here. Until today,” Carter replied.

Steffy told Carter he was throwing away his career, and Ridge told him no one cared about the papers; they would never hand over the company to him. Ridge called on Justin to confirm to Carter that the takeover wouldn’t happen, but Justin said that the papers filed said otherwise.

Carter said he only wanted what was best for the company, and it didn’t need to be combative. “Are you kidding? This is the definition of a hostile takeover!” Steffy snapped. Ridge told Carter they weren’t going to just handshake and go back to normal, except with Carter in charge. Eric started to say how they made Carter COO, but he interrupted. “You didn’t make me anything. I earned that,” Carter told Eric.

Eric said he should have seen who Carter really was when he had an affair with Quinn, but he forgave him because of his history with the family. “I forgave you because we loved and respected you,” Eric added. He asked how Carter could have repaid him with betrayal.

Justin said it wasn’t the news they wanted to hear, but it was the truth, and Carter now ran the company. “I’m not kicking you out,” Carter told Eric. Ridge mocked Carter for being so gracious to allow them to stay. Carter said they wouldn’t see it now, but he was doing what was right for the company and that firing Hope was bad business. “And Brooke has no real position here. You’ve reduced her to an ordinary employee,” Carter added.

Ridge thought Carter was being ridiculous but Carter said Brooke had no power, and if Ridge wouldn’t defend her, he would. “Don’t do that, Carter. Don’t tell me how to defend Brooke,” Eric snapped, “She and I share a history YOU will never understand. I’ve never treated Brooke with anything less than great respect.”

Steffy told Eric it wasn’t about Brooke. It was about Hope. “Admit it, Carter,” Steffy challenged. She said that Carter was willing to stab them all in the back because he thought he was in love with Hope.

Steffy implored Carter to think about how well they had been working together and that she respected him. “Until you didn’t,” he snapped. Eric asked if it was about the expansion idea, but Carter said it was much more than that. Steffy pleaded with Carter not to throw away his career for Hope and to wake up to how she’d manipulated him to turn on all of them, but it wasn’t who he was. Carter sneered that he could think for himself.

Carter growled to Steffy that she wasn’t doing herself any favors by disparaging Hope. “This isn’t you. The Carter Walton I know would never betray his friends or his co-workers. And the only thing that’s changed is that Hope’s in your life,” Steffy replied. Carter repeated he was defending Hope, Brooke, and all the Logans for the benefit of this company. “Hang on one second,” Ridge said as he walked towards Carter.

“You tricked us into signing the papers so you could take control of the company. Isn’t that what happened?” Ridge asked. Carter said that resurrecting Hope’s line was part of his plan. Steffy got frustrated and pointed out that Carter had been calling her out for making personal decisions, yet he was taking over a company as retribution for Hope. “The hypocrisy here!” Steffy fumed.

Ridge said that they weren’t questioning his relationship with Hope as who he dated was his business, but they were questioning who Carter had become because of her. “This isn’t you. You wouldn’t do this. You wouldn’t do this to Dad. It’s his company. He worked his whole life to build this. And you’re going to steal it from him? That’s not who you are,” Ridge told Carter.

Ridge continued to tell Carter that he was a good, honest man who honored his friends. Ridge suggested that with Justin there, and Carter also being a great attorney, they get together and reverse it and make it go away. He turned to Eric and Steffy and said it was okay with them, he wanted to give Carter one more chance to make it right. “Don’t blow it,” Ridge said intently.

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