Is Claire faking it on The Young and the Restless

On The Young and the Restless this week, Claire (Hayley Erin) inevitably spotted Jordan (Colleen Zenk) in Crimson Lights, but what we didn’t expect was her reaction. Is Claire faking it with the Newmans, or was she acting for Aunt Jordan?

Claire and Jordan on The Young and the Restless

Claire thought she had a near-miss running into her Aunt Jordan at Crimson Lights. What were the chances that anyone else would order an oolong tea with agave and a double half-and-half? Claire was shaken up when she went back to work, telling Nikki about it and how it made her feel that she might have run into the aunt who ruined her childhood and raised her to hate the Newmans.

After Mariah recounted the trauma she had talking to her Jordan-equivalent trigger, Ian Ward (Ray Wise), Claire again shared the experience she’d had hearing the oolong tea order and said she didn’t know what she would do if it had turned out to be her aunt Jordan in Crimson Lights. Claire didn’t need to be in the dark for long, as Jordan entered the coffee shop right after that conversation. Hearing Jordan’s voice at the counter, Claire recognized it immediately. She called out to her aunt, but instead of turning around, Jordan bolted out the door.

Claire confronts Jordan

Claire caught up to Jordan in the park, but to every viewer’s surprise, she crumbled. Instead of ripping into her like Mariah did to Ian, Claire cried that she hated her life. She claimed that the Newmans turned out to be everything Jordan warned her about, using their power and money to manipulate people to get what they wanted, and they were just awful people.

As for her parents, Claire said the problem was that she didn’t have the connection Victoria had with Johnny and Katie. Victoria simply didn’t know Claire the way Jordan did, and that was something she would never have with her mom because she didn’t raise her. Claire told her warmly about her feelings for Kyle, and that she didn’t need to pretend with him. Kyle even knew how horrible the Newmans were, but the downfall was if Claire didn’t feel good enough to be a Newman, how could she fit into the Abbotts?

Was Claire being genuine or not?

As we learned with Jack and Diane, looks can be deceiving. If she was acting, Claire was convincing enough to have Jordan believe her. But why would she? Claire could be tricking Jordan into thinking she missed her…but why bother?

Claire chased after Jordan without telling anyone where she was going or why. Mariah and Tessa were at the coffee house when she left but were on the patio and didn’t see her.

Within minutes, Claire found herself alone, face to face with Jordan in the park at night. Did she suddenly feel vulnerable and thought it was best for her own protection? Maybe she thought it was a way to find out what Jordan was up to, to protect the Newmans, Kyle, and Harrison.

What happens next

Claire goes back to the ranch house and tells Nikki and Victoria how she spotted Jordan and that she chased her down. Claire can explain how Jordan is out of prison and why, but she also needs to explain what she said to Jordan and why she wants to see her again.

Claire tells Nikki and Victoria everything. She claims that she was lying to Jordan, but was she? For Claire, part of what she told her aunt was the truth. It would be great to think that Claire was lying to Jordan and she has completely changed to be the new person she worked hard to become. But Claire's thoughts and intentions are much, much darker than we know.

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