The Young and the Restless Recap, April 9: Ashley breaks Traci's heart

Here’s your recap for The Young and the Restless episode on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, when Ashley talked to Alan face-to-face, and Summer made an admission to Phyllis.

What happened on The Young and the Restless

At the jazz club, Jack muted his phone and put it on speaker so that Ashley could hear the conversation Traci was having with Alan. Ashley exclaimed that Traci needed them, and they bolted upstairs.

Phyllis went into Crimson Lights and found Summer deep in thought. She told her mom she had been with Chance earlier, and he got a call about her case. Phyllis brought Summer up to date on everything Chance had discovered, including Alan and Martin. Summer told her mom that she had met Alan at the Abbott house and was shocked that such a “nice man” had anything to do with Phyllis’ kidnapping.

Phyllis clarified that they suspected that Alan was actually Martin. “Are you telling me that the man who kidnapped you and tortured you is living in the same house as my son?” Summer gasped, horrified. Phyllis assured Summer that Alan/Martin was out of the country and that she had nothing to worry about. Phyllis glowered that when they had concrete evidence, she was going to “look that bastard in the eye and make him talk.”

Phyllis tried to change the topic because Summer seemed stressed, but she didn’t want to talk about her personal life. Summer insisted she wanted to focus on Phyllis, but her mom knew something was bothering her daughter. She told her that the only thing that kept her sane while kidnapped was thinking about her family and asked Summer to talk to her. Summer admitted that Chance was done with her.

Phyllis recounted how much Summer and Chance had gone through with Heather’s death and Daniel’s arrest. She said they didn’t get a break and never had a chance to be a normal couple. Summer agreed and shared that she wanted to get to know one another again after Phyllis’ abductor was arrested. Phyllis wondered why Chance would give Summer that time, so she admitted that Chance realized she wasn’t over Kyle.

Phyllis laughed at the thought that Summer wasn’t over Kyle. Summer pointed out that she had been jealous about Claire in Harrison’s life, and Phyllis told her that was normal. Summer surprised Phyllis by saying she thought Chance was right to walk away. “Summer! Oh no, you’re not going to try to make a play for Kyle, are you?” Phyllis asked.

At Sharon’s house, Nick and Sharon recalled her hypnosis and if there was anything she said that could have led Alan to kidnapping her and Phyllis. She said the voice would taunt them and torment them, and it felt so personal. They agreed that Alan seemed like the most likely suspect. Chance returned and said he had news that couldn’t wait.

Chance confirmed that the video monitoring was being done from the farmhouse. Sharon realized that the kidnapper had no intentions of ever stepping in at the times that they almost died, and if they hadn’t saved one another, either Sharon or Phyllis could have actually wound up dead.

Chance told Sharon they also found their phones, and they were at the station. Chance advised that they would be looking at DNA and fingerprints next and hopefully find the final piece to link Alan or Martin. Chance was interrupted by a text from Jack saying that Alan was at GCAC and asked him to come immediately, so Chance raced off again.

Sharon was stunned that the person who had helped exonerate her and get through her crisis was the same person who tormented her. Nick agreed that nothing about Alan seemed off before and felt guilty he didn’t see it coming. Nick wanted justice for Sharon and Phyllis.

Sharon was out of patience and energy. “I have been holding myself together for so long now and it’s wearing me down,” Sharon admitted. She pointed out all the things that have happened since last year. “There can’t be more. Find the guilty party and put them in a cell. This has to be the end of it, this has to be!” Sharon snapped. She told Nick she had more fight in her than he knew, but he wasn’t surprised. He said he was impressed with her strength and resilience. Sharon cried that it came from necessity. She didn’t want her kids to see her break down but it meant a lot that Nick saw her that way. “Even in the worst of times, I’ve never stopped believing in you,” Nick said softly.

In their hotel room, Traci and Alan continued to discuss her need to postpone the wedding. Traci agreed they had been in sync, but then he raced off to Paris to plan their wedding without her. Alan said he was trying to find the perfect venue, but Traci didn’t understand why he wanted to do that on his own. Alan claimed it was supposed to be a surprise for her, but she asked what he had planned, and he wouldn’t tell her.

Alan questioned why Traci had her hand in her pocket. Traci told him the conversation had been turned upside down and that she didn’t want it so contentious; she said his reaction to everything frightened her. Alan told Traci he saw fear in her eyes when he walked in. “It’s ruined. You wish I never came back,” he claimed. Traci cried, saying that it was breaking her heart to hear him say what he was and that she thought the conversation was doing more harm than good. She asked him to leave.

Alan softened and said he could tell something had changed while he was gone. He asked her to trust him with honesty and tell her what was on her mind. Traci just started to talk when Jack knocked on the door. Alan turned dark again, then accused Traci of having her phone in her pocket and calling Jack to save her. Traci asked why she would need saving and opened the door to Jack and Ashley. They saw she was crying and distressed but acted like everything was fine.

Traci composed herself as she hugged Ashley, and Jack told Alan how much Traci had missed him while he was gone. Ashley congratulated Alan on the engagement, but he announced that it might be premature. Jack asked what was up, so Traci explained that she wanted a longer engagement.

Ashley pointed out to Alan that he had once told her there was charm in delaying gratification, but he didn’t remember. “It’s kind of interesting you don’t remember because it left quite an impression on me,” Ashley told him, recalling a conversation they’d once had at a cafe. Alan interrupted and dismissed what she was saying, claiming this situation was different. “I left a loving fiance and came to an entirely different person,” he explained.

Ashley, Jack, and Traci couldn’t understand why Alan was so negative, as Traci still loved him and wanted to marry him. Alan insisted everything had changed. He said he needed to clear his head and went to leave, but Traci stopped him. She asked him not to leave so upset but he said he needed time. Traci kissed Alan and asked him to believe that everything was going to be alright. Alan nodded, then left, and Traci collapsed in her siblings’ arms.

Ashley told Traci that Jack had told her everything, and she was relieved. She sobbed, asking them to help her. Traci told Ashley and Jack about their conversation. Ashley said she knew what it was like to look in his eyes and see someone else. Traci insisted that it made sense that Alan would be hurt by the conversation and that when she looked in his eyes, all she saw was sadness.

Ashley suggested Traci was seeing what she was feeling. Traci asked Ashley if she had seen something that Traci hadn’t. Ashley agreed that she had known Alan for a really long time. “I’m so sorry. That’s not Alan. It’s been Martin all along,” Ashley cried. Traci sobbed as her heart shattered, and Ashley told her sister how sorry she was.

Ashley explained that she thought she heard it on the phone, but in person, she could see that Martin was being calculating about how to act in front of them, and to convince everyone that he was someone else. Traci sobbed that she had been wrong all the months. Jack called Chance to tell him that Ashley is convinced Alan is Martin, and that he had just left.

Traci explained that she told Alan she wanted to postpone the wedding as a test. The Alan she knew always wanted to talk everything out. “And then he proposed,” she said. Traci said that suddenly, “Alan” was in a rush and demanding, and everything felt different. Ashley thought that was the first crack in Martin’s cover. Traci added that when Alan returned and she asked to wait to get married, his reaction was to ask what she had heard about him and why she was scared of him.

Ashley reminded Traci that Martin was an unhinged psychopath and he was dangerous. She said that he was a genius at impersonating people. Traci knew that Martin couldn’t keep the mask on for long, so she was trying to get him to drop it but now questioned if it was Alan just being hurt. Ashley cried that she knew it was Martin and wished she’d realized it sooner. As Traci sobbed, Ashley added that if Traci had gotten to know the real Alan, they could have fallen in love, but it was not Alan. “It’s Martin,” Ashley insisted. Traci ran out and they went after her.

Downstairs, Chance spotted Martin at the bar and approached him. He asked if he minded answering a couple of questions for him. Martin was agitated when Chance asked him about the farmhouse. He noted that “Alan” was on the board that paid for it. Martin said he’d be happy to look into it for him in the morning. Chance asked if he’d find his fingerprints at the house. Alan/Martin said he felt like he was being interrogated, and Chance offered to give him a ride to the station and talk about it.

Just then, Traci marched up. Surrounded by Traci, Jack, Ashley, and Chance, Alan/Martin glanced around and sighed as Traci demanded, “If you ever felt anything for me, anything at all, you tell me who you are right now!”

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