The Young and the Restless Recap for Friday, January 3, 2025: Ian and Jordan share their plan

Phyllis was driving down the road, upset. The flashbacks of when she got run off the road and headlights were triggering her too much. She screeched to a stop on the side of the road. “I can’t do this anymore!” she cried.

At the Abbott mansion, Kyle was hanging out at home alone when there was a knock on the door. He opened it to find Claire with hats and streamers. “Happy New Year,” she said. Kyle told her about his night hanging out with Harrison, playing video games until he fell asleep around 10 p.m.

Claire said it still hadn't turned midnight in some parts of the world. “You’re saying we could still ring in the new year together,” Kyle said with a smile. They sat on the couch and counted down to New Year’s in a city in Mexico so they could kiss "at midnight."

Kyle and Claire went to bed to ring in the new year. Kyle told Claire that he felt closer to her, not just because of their intimacy. He said he felt safer with her than anyone else, and it had been that way since the beginning, even before they got romantic. He asked her if it scared her that they’d gotten so close and serious.

Claire said she trusted Kyle but wasn’t sure she trusted everything else. He was her first lover. Kyle said that she didn’t have love growing up, and now that she’s getting real love, it might feel confusing to trust in it.

At the Athletic Club, Summer returned from her room to have a drink with Daniel at the bar. They wondered why Phyllis took off and if they should be worried about her. Daniel said Phyllis would fight like hell for them, but no one was in her corner. Summer thought it was time to show Phyllis that she needed to be taken care of and that they were there for her.

Daniel said she didn’t think Phyllis wanted to be with Danny but definitely didn’t want him to be happy with Christine. They laughed at how Phyllis didn’t like to lose. They hoped this year would be different for Phyllis but knew she couldn’t let things go.

Phyllis joined them and said she went to clear her head. She said she was going to prove Daniel wrong about not being able to let things go. Phyllis said she was letting go of everything bad from 2024 and facing 2025 with a clean slate.

Summer and Daniel said they’d heard it all before and teased her a little. Phyllis was upset and said she couldn’t keep doing what she had been doing. She told them that after they saw Christine and Daniel’s gross make-out session, she needed to go for a drive. She said she was in the area of her accident and had flashbacks. This time, she saw the face of the person driving and knew it wasn’t Sharon. She told Daniel and Summer the truth.

Daniel and Summer agreed that it made the most sense that it was Sharon who had run her off the road. But the flashbacks that she was having confirmed it was not Sharon’s car, Phyllis recalled. She said she couldn’t deny the truth anymore. It wasn’t Sharon’s car or her face. Daniel asked if it was someone that she knew.

Phyllis said an older woman with wavy hair was driving. She added that she wasn’t going to hold Sharon accountable for running her off the road, but she wasn’t letting her off the hook for framing Daniel. Phyllis said that almost dying and losing everything made her realize that all of her old habits needed to go away and that she needed to focus on a new beginning.

Daniel said he needed to see it to believe it. He said even with the best intentions, it was tough for Phyllis to do the right thing. Phyllis made it clear she would never apologize for going after Sharon. However, she said if she kept obsessing over it, it would kill her, so she needed Michael and Chance to do their thing. Even if Sharon was innocent and Phyllis was wrong, she needed to back off. Phyllis assured her kids that they didn’t need to worry and that everything was going to be good.

Outside of Society, Ian told Nick that he had kept up to date on his family members. Nick thought the cop would arrest him after making some calls, but Ian was sure he would not. The policewoman came back and said his story was checked out. “You’re just going to let him walk?” Nick asked.

The cop said she couldn't arrest him unless Ian had committed a crime and left. Once alone, Nick warned Ian to stay the hell away from his family. He said if he caused any of them the slightest bit of distress, he’d make Ian wish he was ever born.

Nick came inside and told Mariah that Ian was legitimately free and couldn’t have the police take him away. Mariah panicked that Ian could just come in anytime he wanted. Nick said that Ian claimed he was there to make amends but knew he only caused trouble. He yelled that he would do whatever it took to protect everyone.

Inside of Society, Mariah described to Tessa, Nick, and Faith how Ian sucked people into thinking he was kind, and the next thing they knew, they were following him, and then he would drive them over a cliff. They couldn’t imagine what Mariah was feeling after everything Ian had put her through. Nick wondered if Ian had anything to do with Sharon’s meds being tampered with.

Faith wondered why Ian would do that to her mom. Nick said Ian’s actual obsession is with Mariah. They decided to try to call Sharon again. Faith thought Sharon had changed her mind and stayed home, so she and Nick decided to go to her place to find out. He told them to lock up and call if they heard from Sharon.

Nick and Faith came to Sharon’s, but she wasn’t there, and neither was her car. Nick called Victor and told him he needed to go to the main house and talk to him and Nikki immediately.

Nick and Faith went to the main house and told Victor that Ian Ward was out of prison and back in Genoa City. They said they couldn’t find Sharon. Faith wondered if Ian had done something to her mom. Victor asked what the cops said, and Nick explained that he had been released. Victor picked up his phone and started to dial. "We will have him found. And then we will have a talk with him," Victor told them.

At Society, Mariah fretted while Tessa noted that Ian had saved her life. She said she heard all of the terrible things that he had done but thought it was notable that he stopped to help her when she couldn’t breathe. Faith texted and said Sharon wasn’t at home. Mariah called and left another message for Sharon.

Mariah was worried about Sharon and knew she wouldn’t ignore their texts and calls unless something was really wrong. Tessa said she had an eye on Ian all night, and he couldn’t have slipped off and done something to Sharon. She said she was more worried about Mariah. She wondered if Mariah was worried about Ian manipulating her again, but Mariah insisted it couldn’t happen as she was stronger now and she would do whatever it took to keep her family safe.

At the motel, Ian saw Sharon bound and gagged in the room. “Looks like this year is going to be a good year,” Ian muttered to Jordan. Jordan asked what they were going to do with her. “Say goodbye,” Ian said simply. Jordan told him that they had to get it right. “Kill the blonde and hang the blame on your redhead?” Jordan asked. Ian said the opportunity might allow them to tie it all up with one neat little blow. Ian noted that Phyllis’s animosity towards Sharon was the perfect setup and would be Phyllis’ undoing.

Ian and Jordan discussed ways to kill Sharon and frame Phyllis. They decided to have it look like Phyllis ran Sharon off the road and let her drown in the same spot where Sharon dumped Heather’s body. Jordan said she wanted to discuss their plan for Claire next. Ian said achieving his goals was bringing Jordan closer to hers.

Jordan said that Ian hadn’t been doing his part for her plan. She accused him of thinking she was stupid and playing her. Ian insisted he had nothing but respect for her intelligence. He said he considered her an equal and thought she understood the plan. “Once Sharon reaches her watery grave, Mariah will be inconsolable and grief-stricken. The only thing that will console her is the love of a parent,” Ian said. He explained that he took the first step by saving Tessa’s life. He was sure that he could convince Mariah to trust him again. Ian said Jordan must be intelligent because she couldn’t be stupid enough to bail on their partnership when they’re so close to having what they wanted. He said through Mariah's friendship with Claire, Jordan would get her back, and he would win Mariah.

Next week on The Young and the Restless

Nate sits with Damian at the table outside. “It’s not every day I get cold-called for a job, let alone an exec flying out to meet me,” Damian tells Nate. “When I see someone I like, I don’t waste time,” Nate replies.

“You should be grateful you’re not at the bottom of the river...at least not yet,” Jordan tells Sharon.

“What’s going on? I heard voices,” Nikki says as she comes downstairs. She gasps when she sees Ian in her living room. “What the hell is he doing here?” she asks Victor.

Watch full episodes of The Young and the Restless weekdays on CBS or stream on Paramount Plus.