The Young and the Restless Recap, August 12, 2025: Phyllis reveals Cane's plan to Daniel 

On the episode of The Young and the Restless that aired on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, Phyllis told Daniel more than she should have, Audra played mind games with Kyle and Claire, and Victoria and Nate bonded over mutual loss.

What happened on The Young and the Restless

Phyllis came upon Daniel playing guitar in the park. She applauded his performance, telling him it was in his genes. She added that she was in a great mood. “I feel like things are finally coming together,” the redhead said. Daniel admitted to not having seen his mother like this in a while.

Daniel quipped it sounded like Phyllis and Cane were ready to take over the world. “We are,” Phyllis responded with a smile. She wasn’t happy that Daniel was sounding so negative about her business ventures.

Daniel said he was glad that Phyllis was working on her life and not his. She told him he had to think about his future. “I will if you will,” Daniel quipped. Phyllis asked what that meant. He wondered if Phyllis’s optimism was hiding her kidnapping ordeal. She begged Daniel to stop talking about it, and added that she would never stop worrying about him.

“It’s you and me against the world, Daniel,” Phyllis told her son. Daniel wondered how Phyllis was going to work with Billy and Cane, as her last working relationship with the Abbott heir didn’t go well. Phyllis asked Daniel to believe her deal with Cane was solid. Daniel said these are all abstracts. Phyllis said she couldn’t do that. Daniel said it sounded like Phyllis didn’t have a plan, but rather a wish list. Phyllis revealed that Cane was going after Jabot, Newman, and Chancellor. He was going to put them under one big conglomerate. Daniel chuckled at Phyllis working alongside Cane. Phyllis said this was a huge plan.

Phyllis couldn’t believe that she shared details of Cane’s plan and noted that he would not be happy. She admitted to Daniel that Cane’s plan wouldn’t be easy to pull off. Daniel pointed out that the families that own the companies he wants to take over are all privately held. He asked Phyllis what her role was in this impossible mission.

Phyllis maintained that Cane respects her business acumen. Daniel wondered why Cane wanted to work with Phyllis, as there are other people out there with great resumes. Daniel said he wouldn’t tell people about Cane’s plan for one simple reason: people would think he was nuts. He asked his mother to get away from Cane as fast as possible.

Daniel reminded his mother that he had advised her against going into business with Billy. Daniel added that Cane's plan will ruin family legacies as the companies he's going after are family-owned. “Cane is going to do this with or without me,” Phyllis shrugged. Daniel asked if Phyllis would be okay if Nick, Lily, and Summer were all hurt. Phyllis said she’d protect Summer. Daniel said Phyllis would be working for Cane, not the other way around. He added that Cane has no loyalty.

Phyllis started to cry over her ordeal, but she pointed out that going to Nice helped her -- even though some bad things happened there. She conceded that she couldn’t fully trust Cane. Phyllis asked Daniel to stop as Cane was offering her a way out of the darkness. Daniel wouldn’t give up. Phyllis begged for her son’s support. Daniel said his mother’s insane plan would blow up, and she’d get burned worse than before. “There is no way that Cane can pull this off,” Daniel asserted. He added that even trying will bring down the wrath of every company that he is targeting. “You need to get out and you need to get out now,” Daniel said as he picked up his guitar and walked away.

Nate dropped by to see Victoria. He said he was sorry he couldn’t attend Cole’s memorial. Vicki said that Nate was going through his loss, losing his brother, Damian. Vicki said she had planned on visiting him. Nate said that when he was a doctor, he was struck by the strength people received while being around people who had similar losses.

Nate said that sometimes a look or a kind word can make a difference. Vicki said she could understand more than most what Nate was going through. Vicki gave Nate a glass of lemonade. He asked about Cole’s service. Vicki said she was glad it was over, but that she was worried about Claire. “She’s suffering more than she’s willing to let on,” Vicki said. She wondered how she could help her. Nate said he and Claire were going through the same thing.

Vicki confided in Nate that Victor was warring against Kyle. Nate said he understood how Victor could be. “I am no stranger to your father’s antics,” Nate said. Vicki said venting about her dad was what she needed.

Nate said the service for Damian was set for tomorrow. Vicki said she was worried about Amy. Nate said that he told Amy she can rely on him. He added that the unfair nature of Damian's death was gut-wrenching. Nate feared Amy was retreating into her old shell. Vicki suggested that he give her time. “Thank God, she has you to get her through this,” Vicki said.

Nate picked up on a certain tone Victoria used when referencing Audra. He asked her if there was a problem. Vicki said she didn’t want to upset Nate more than he was. Nate urged her to speak her peace. Victoria wasn’t sure why Victor and Audra would be in a partnership. Nate said that the union between Victor and Audra was over because she ended it. He believed her. Vicki was suspicious. Nate said Audra put her integrity before being beholden to Victor.

Nate conceded that Audra was a bit of a pariah in Genoa City. He pressed Vicki for details but was interrupted by Claire’s entrance. She said she had something to say to him. Vicki reminded Claire that Nate was going to be leaving for Damian’s service soon. Claire backed down from talking to Nate about Audra. Nate thanked Vicki and Claire for being there. “We all need someone to lean on in difficult times,” Vicki said.

After Nate left, Victoria asked her daughter if she was about to tell him about Audra and Kyle. Claire said if Vicki hadn’t stopped her, she would have told Nate about Audra. Then, Claire brought her mother up to speed on Audra’s latest stint when she kissed Kyle at Society. Claire agreed that now was not the time to dump this on Nate as he was burying his brother. Claire said Nate has been a good friend, but as soon as he got back from Chicago, she was going to tell him about what a viper Audra has been.

Meanwhile, Audra told Kyle she could seduce him. She grabbed him and pulled him into a kiss. He pulled away and asked her what she was doing as Claire entered Society and announced she’d like to know the answer to that, too.

Audra capitalized on Claire’s timing and claimed that the kiss was reciprocal. Kyle claimed that Audra was out of her mind. Audra suggested it might have gone further had Claire not arrived. Kyle asked why Audra was lying.

Audra accused Kyle of lusting after her. Kyle said Audra couldn’t save her company’s finances by driving a wedge between Kyle and Claire. Audra gave her sympathies to Claire as she, Audra, was the kind of woman that Kyle truly wanted. She maintained that what went on in Nice was mutual.

Claire asked Audra why she would believe anything she said. Audra encouraged Claire to believe what she saw with her own two eyes when she walked into Society. Kyle tried to leave with Claire, but Audra told him he could run, but he couldn’t hide from the truth. She asked Claire if Kyle would have told her about the kiss if she hadn’t turned up. Audra wanted to know why Kyle didn’t tell Claire about what happened in Nice right away. Kyle pointed out that Cole had just died.

Audra asked Claire how well she knew her boyfriend. Claire quipped she knew him better than Audra did. Audra left, telling Kyle she’d see him soon. Kyle told Claire not to let that “witch” get inside her head. Kyle followed Claire out of Society, as he begged her not to believe that Claire had the upper hand. Kyle took a call while Claire said she knew how to turn the tables.

Nate joined Audra at Crimson Lights, and they talked about driving to Chicago for Damian’s memorial. They’re both worried about Amy. Nate said that he stopped by to see Vicki and that both she and Claire were upset about something. He added that Vicki cut off Claire before she could say anything. “That’s weird,” Audra said. Nate wondered if Vicki and Claire’s attitudes had anything to do with Audra and Victor ending things.

Audra wondered why Claire would know about her deal with Victor. Nate said now wasn’t the time to worry about it. He left to call Amy. Audra said if “little Miss Claire” wanted to go to war, then war it would be!

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