Stephanie considers her fate.

In the living room at the Forrester mansion, a sad Stephanie stands alone, lamenting how she's lost everything while she drowns her sorrows in alcohol. She remembers Ridge saying that he's not her son anymore and calling her the cancer that killed this family; as his words echo in her head, she says it's all gone, even though she only wanted to protect them. She guesses she didn't do a good job as she takes another drink. Gaby comes in and finds Stephanie sitting there, staring into space. She asks if the wedding took place. No, Stephanie says. Gaby says she's sorry. Stephanie chuckles that she's the one who's sorry, that this whole evening ever happened! Gaby tries to cheer her up by saying they can save everything for tomorrow, when everyone can come back. No, Stephanie tells her, no one's coming back - not tomorrow and not ever!

Gaby tries to reassure Stephanie.

Stephanie tells a confused Gaby that her husband and children left and aren't coming back, because she ruined all their lives, including her own. Now they all hate her - and maybe they should. Gaby says that can't be true. Stephanie finishes her drink and asks Gaby to pour another, inviting the young woman to join her and celebrate the end of life as she knows it. Gaby is unsure, but Stephanie tells her to go ahead. Gaby returns with water instead. Stephanie says that she asked for champagne. Gaby says, "Mrs. Forrester, I don't know what's going on..." Stephanie replies that she used to be so proud to be Mrs. Forrester, and she was proud of her family. All she wanted was to protect them and to guide them, like their compass. And she was, Gaby insists, pointing out how everyone looks up to Stephanie. Stephanie thinks about how they trusted her and her integrity. Now she's thrown it all away and she doesn't know why. She asks Gaby to leave. Gaby doesn't think that's a good idea, but Stephanie tells her to go. Once Gaby leaves, Stephanie smashes the glass, sits down and sighs, shaking her head and holding back her tears.

Taylor tells Thomas about what Stephanie did.

Taylor returns to Ridge's Bel Air mansion, nearly in tears. A shirtless Thomas comes in, a sandwich in hand, and asks what's wrong. She asks if Ridge is there, but he says no. He hopes Grandma didn't have a relapse and asks if that's why everyone had to leave the wedding. Taylor levels with her son: his grandmother faked her heart attack, just to make sure his father chose her over Brooke. She can't even begin to explain why Stephanie put them through this cruel crisis, and she's especially worried about Ridge. Thomas asks if his dad knows; when Taylor sobs, yes, Thomas says they have to find him. Taylor points out that Ridge was with Brooke when she last saw him. Thomas asks his mom if that means his father might be changing his mind about choosing her over Brooke. She reminds him that his father takes commitment very seriously. At the same time, she adds, she gave Ridge a chance to change his mind, and he didn't. But what if he feels guilty about what he did to Brooke? Thomas asks. Taylor reminds him that his dad didn't do this to Brooke, Stephanie did. Thomas guesses that his dad is furious about that and recalls how Brooke had to move out, taking Hope and RJ with her. Even though Stephanie's heart attack wasn't real, Taylor says, the vows she and Ridge took were, which is why she's sure Ridge is coming back here tonight, where he belongs.

At Brooke's house, Brooke reminds Ridge that he's free of his mother's control now. She knows it was a difficult decision, since he has two kids with her and three with Taylor. Ridge recalls how thrilled Thomas and the twins were when he renewed his vows with Taylor. But it was based on a lie, she says, and his kids with Taylor are old enough to understand that you can't commit that way. Ridge reminds her that he said the words. Only because his mother manipulated him into saying them, she says. That night seems like a blur, he recalls. She tells him that he was terrified that his mother was dying, and he was confused. But now that he knows the truth, there's nothing to stop him from committing to the family they were building. She asks if he's ready for that, but he's silent. Brooke can't believe that she's asking the most important question of their lives, and he's silent. She asks if he knows how he feels. What he knows, he says, is that this has been an emotional day, so he can't do this right now. Brooke is stunned: she realizes that he can't make a commitment!

Brooke comes to a realization about Ridge.

Ridge says he didn't say that as he sits down next to Brooke. And that's the problem, she says - and it always has been, since she keeps letting him do it to her. She pinned her hopes on him again. Ridge says that he didn't say he doesn't love her. Then tell her that their family is his top priority, she says. Ridge is silent again; Brooke then realizes that their family isn't his top priority and never has been! "Logan," he says, but she tells him not to call her that! She's tired of being his second choice, and of wasting her life waiting for him! Ridge says she doesn't mean that. She tells him that she thought his indecision was all his mother's fault. Ridge asks why they have to get into this tonight; Brooke says she'll make it easy so they don't EVER have to get into it! Ridge asks her to let him explain. She says she needed an answer, not an explanation - and she got one. He points out that he didn't say anything definitive. And he probably never will, she says. She thinks their eyes were opened tonight, and she's through deluding herself. She's through being humiliated by him and his mother. She's going to live her life on her own terms from now on - without him.

Ridge tells her it's not over, as he's always going to be in her life. And he can always count on that, she says, because he knows she'll be there, like a doormat. He says that it's crazy to talk like that. What's crazy, she says, is to chase after a man who doesn't respect her, and to crave his family's approval, but never get it. He says that's because he didn't protect her. Stephanie predicted this would happen, she says. Nothing happened, he says, as he's not rejecting her. But she's rejecting him, she says. She doesn't know why it took so long to see it when the writing was on the wall after their first two marriages. She sees now that she was chasing a fantasy. Ridge says that's not true. Then prove it, she says. He's silent; she takes that to mean that he can't. He asks her again why he has to decide right now. He doesn't, she says: she's making it easy for him, because she's deciding. based on what's best for her and her children. Ridge says she's not hearing him, but she says he's not hearing her, She's taking control, she says. She's not going to be defined by how he or his mother see her. She sees now that she has to respect herself to be respected. Her days of being insecure are finally over.