The Young and the Restless Recap for Friday, February 21, 2025: Damian makes ground, Victor gets background info

Claire met Kyle at Crimson Lights. She gave him a gift as an apology for how Victor had treated him the night before. The gift was earbuds, but Claire told him they were custom-made to cancel any noise coming from her grandfather about their relationship.

Kyle wasn’t upset about Victor because he had no expectations otherwise. He said Victor’s whole charade the night before was for Claire’s benefit, to scare her off from him and his family. Kyle thought Victor was being diplomatic, in his style. He reminded Claire that he warned her Victor would act this way, but it wouldn’t scare him off. Kyle told Claire they were right together, but Victor was relentless, and he would find a way to push them apart. He was concerned that Claire would eventually be exhausted from the pressure and give up on them as a couple.

Claire was surprised that Kyle would suggest she would cave to Victor’s harassment. She reminded him about how she grew up with someone controlling everything, including her feelings. “I am with you, Kyle. Period,” Claire told him firmly. She added that if Victor couldn’t see past his decades-old hatred of Jack to see how happy she was, then that was Victor’s problem.

Summer was texting Phyllis again as she came into Crimson Lights. She saw Kyle at the counter and worriedly told Kyle that Phyllis was missing. Kyle hugged her as Summer shared how scared she was. Across the room, Claire watched as Summer told Kyle what was going on.

Kyle invited Summer to join him and Claire. She asked how the dinner with Victor went, then repeated all of their concerns that Victor would relentlessly interfere until they were broken up. Summer added to Claire that she felt bad for her and assumed it was her first Romanic relationship. For good measure, Summer casually noted that she and Kyle never had to deal with Victor’s wrath about their relationship. “Right? Am I remembering that correctly?” Summer asked wide-eyed, making Claire bristle.

Kyle said Summer remembered correctly but noted that Victor didn’t have it out for Kyle back then and that Victor was protective of Claire. Summer agreed but noted that Victor knew she could look out for herself. “I can look out for myself too, Summer. I’m not going to let my grandfather ruin this for me — or anyone else. I’m too happy,” Claire told her intently. “We’re too happy,” Kyle softly chimed in. Summer shrugged and said she had to get back to work. Kyle assured her that Phyllis would be okay. Before leaving, Summer looked over her shoulder and saw Claire and Kyle being happy together.

At the main house on the ranch, Lily came to see Victor to hear what he knew about Damian. Victor said he found out that Damian had an overnight success in business but was an interesting, mysterious fellow. He said he owned two investment and property management firms, Monte Cristo and Danglars. Victor noted the “obvious” literary reference to the book The Count of Monte Cristo.

Victor continued that Damian came to Los Angeles years ago without means, and the companies were already established. “He merely took them over,” Victor added but said the fact that he didn’t have the means to do so was the mystery.

Victor said Damian was just granted ownership of the two companies, at least on paper. The real owner’s name was Aristotle Dumas. Lily noted the author of The Count of Monte Cristo was Alexander Dumas. Victor had heard of Aristotle Dumas but had never met him. He added that Damian was running his huge corporation, called Arabesque, an international investment and properties company. Victor told Lily that the company always wound up on top no matter what or what market fluctuations happened. Victor surmised that he was either a brilliant businessman or up to some suspicious activities.

Lily knew that because Arabesque was a private company, it was harder to monitor their transactions. Victor wondered why Lily was so interested in Damian, if she had business with him, and what she was getting herself into.

Lily denied any business with Damian. “Oh, it’s personal?” Victor asked, bemused. Lily refused to share her interest in Damian. Victor noted that he’d known her many years and had never known her to be so evasive. Lily quipped that she’d learned it from him as he and Nikki were masters at hiding the truth. “You realize, of course, I will find out one way or the other,” Victor warned. Lily told him she had nothing to hide.

At Nate’s, Damian told Nate and Amy that he hadn’t reconsidered anything, but he had been thinking. Nate wished there was a softer, easier way to talk about everything. Damian agreed but asked to speak to Amy alone. Nate offered to give them privacy as he had a meeting. He also asked for a conversation with Damian before he left town. Once alone, Damian asked his mom what she expected and wanted from him.

Amy said all she wanted was what she had already asked for: his forgiveness. She wanted to know that when she said goodbye, they were okay again. She also wanted him to get to know Nate, but Damian just wanted to discuss the two of them.

Damian wasn’t buying it. He said his telling her he forgave her was just words and said to tell him the truth. He suggested she wanted him to stay with her to the end, holding her hand and caring for her. Amy said she wouldn’t be that selfish to expect that from him. “So if I were to tell you right here and now that I forgave you and move on, that would be enough for you?” Damian asked. Amy said she’d have no choice.

Damian suggested he could fake it to be kind, and she wouldn’t know, but Amy said all she’d have to do is look in his eyes, and she’d know the truth as a mother and son bond couldn’t be broken. She begged him to tell her what it was she did to him that was so unforgivable. Damian bellowed that she let his father die. “And now it feels like you’ve taken him away from me all over again,” Damian said emotionally.

Amy told Damian she did everything she could to get Jackson to hang on. Damian recalled her being cold and detached, going to work every day as if it were business as usual while his dad was dying. Amy was taken aback, but Damian revealed that he would skip school to be with Jackson as he worried he’d die alone if he didn’t. “Instead of being surrounded by love, your love, at the end, you were absent,” Damian told her. Damian thought if he felt that way, his dad did as well. He said he was just a kid, and she left him alone to watch his father die.

Amy explained she pulled herself away every day because they didn’t have insurance, and she had to get a second job to pay the bills, and even that wasn’t enough. She said she wasn’t detached; she did everything she needed to do to keep him alive as long as possible. Damian said he didn’t know the money was so tight. Amy added she was dying inside losing Jackson but had to be strong for both of them.

Amy shared that Jackson knew the end was coming and wanted to know they would survive after he was gone. “So what you thought was me not giving a damn was me trying to keep my feelings together so I could keep our family going,” Amy told him. She sobbed as she added it broke her heart to know her decision hurt him and that he hated her for it.

Amy asked Damian to find the strength to understand and forgive her. Damian said that all he remembered was her being gone, but he admitted that he was so focused on his dad that he didn’t consider what she may have been going through. That said, he couldn’t undo years of resentment in one conversation, either, especially with the latest bombshell about Jackson not being his biological father.

Amy tried to say she needed to tell him, but Damian disagreed. He said some truths didn’t need to be told, and that was one of them. He was also upset that Amy lied to Jackson his whole life that he was his son. Damian said he was trying to understand it all, but it was going to take a bit, although he knew Amy didn’t have much time. Amy asked if Damian decided he couldn’t take those last steps with her to tell her in person. Damian agreed to do that. She asked if she could give him the hug he wanted so long ago. He reluctantly stood as Amy clutched him and cried on his shoulder.

Nate was having breakfast at the Athletic Club when Damian came in. He noted that his meeting was canceled and asked how Damian’s talk with Amy went. Damian shared that they talked about some heavy stuff, but it wasn’t resolved. Nate said it wasn’t going to happen with one conversation, but it sounded like they made some progress and should have another talk. Damian admitted that he was thinking as he walked out that he wished Nate had never contacted him.

Nate understood, as he never expected all of this to drop into his lap, either. He told Damian he was trying to help him reconnect with Amy because she loved him. Damian admitted he learned a few things that day that he hadn’t considered. Nate implored Damian to forgive Amy and tell her as it would mean the world to her.

Before Damian could respond, Lily walked in and greeted them both. Nate was surprised they had already met. “Damian introduced himself to me recently,” Lily explained. Damian chuckled it was just one of those happy coincidences running into ‘another member of the family.’

Nate said he was going to go check on Amy as it seemed they’d had an emotional conversation, which could take a toll on her physically. Damian hadn’t considered that and asked Nate to let him know if she was okay. Nate agreed and told Damian he still wanted to have a conversation with him later. They parted by smiling and shaking hands.

Once alone, Damian told Lily he met with his mom. She asked how it went, but he said she needed to agree to have dinner with him to find out. “Sure, you’re on,” Lily told him.

Nate came home and Amy agreed she was physically and emotionally exhausted. She told him that she didn’t think Damian was going to forgive her. “I all but forced him to give me a hug when he left,” Amy shared. Nate told her that he had just seen Damian, and he didn’t get the impression he wasn’t coming back. Nate pointed out that Damian was shaken, said he had a lot to think about, and was concerned about her health. “I disagree with you, Amy. I don’t think it’s the end at all. I think it’s the beginning of Damian starting to let go of all that anger,” Nate shared, adding that he believed Damian wanted to, he just didn’t know how. “We’re close, so please don’t give up,” Nate told Amy.

At the ranch, Victor mused on the name Aristotle Dumas. He called Michael and asked him to come see him. “I have another job for you,” Victor told him.

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