Bridget wonders what will happen between her mother and Ridge.

At Brooke's house, Bridget helps Dante move in; as they come in, she says it's too bad he had to move out of the beach house because her dad needs it. Dante says that he would have stayed at a hotel, so she could have stayed with her dad. She thinks her dad needs some time alone to get over the shock of leaving Stephanie. She starts crying at the thought of Stephanie's betrayal. Dante comments that he sees what she meant when she once told him that her family was crazy. He asks how her mom is. Feeling vindicated, Bridget says, since Brooke always knew that Stephanie was faking. He asks if Brooke will be OK with him staying here. Bridget tells him that he's her guest, so he shouldn't worry. And besides, depending on how things go, her mom might move back to Ridge's now, which means Dante will soon have this whole house to himself. Will Brooke really go back to Ridge? he wonders. Bridget isn't sure, but she hopes so. Dante comments that Brooke going back to Ridge would make things easier for Bridget - and for him. Bridget asks what he means. It's just that Nick won't be happy about his living here, Dante says, asking where Nick is anyway on his honeymoon. Bridget asks him not to go there, but he notes how she still doesn't have a ring on her finger. She asks him to just let this go, but he says he'll never give up hope of being with her. Not sure how to react, Bridget takes him upstairs to show him his room.

Dante fantasizes about the perks of living in Brooke's house.

Soon after, Dante is shirtless in his room when Bridget brings in some towels. She sees he's shirtless and offers to come back, but he stops her. He notes how she can't even look at him and wonders why his being half dressed bothers her now, when it didn't in Italy. She says she's not bothered, but he sees she's blushing. He asks why she wanted him to stay here. Because his dad needed the beach house, she says. Dante moves close to her and points out that he could have stayed somewhere else - unless she wanted him here, where he'd be right next to her? They move closer and start to kiss, and they then lay down on the bed as Bridget calls out his name. Just then, Dante's brought back to reality by Bridget calling out his name. She hands him some towels and asks if there's anything else he needs. He doesn't think so; he thinks he'll be very happy here.

Ridge tells Stephanie that he's cutting her out of his life.

At the Forrester Mansion, Taylor listens from the doorway as Stephanie urges Ridge not to punish her by leaving Taylor. Brooke reminds Stephanie, "You had Ridge marry Taylor to punish me!" Stephanie says that she knows now that she was wrong, but she panicked when she saw Brooke at the beach house. Ridge tells her not to blame this on Brooke! Stephanie says she was just thinking of him, Thomas and the girls. And Thomas and the girls were worried sick about her, he points out, while he blamed himself for her even being in the hospital! Now he sees that she was making a fool of him. She says she was the foolish one by making a mistake. One that deceived the whole family, Brooke points out. Ridge pictures his mom rehearsing her "performance" and says he's actually glad she did this: it showed him how wrong he was to defend her against accusations of being manipulative all these years. Stephanie says she was just thinking of him. If she was, he says, she would have let him make his own choice. He's sickened at how he punished Brooke because of his mother's vendetta. Stephanie pleads for him to remember how he threatened to cut her out of his life if she didn't accept Brooke. She knew Brooke would make that happen. Taylor asks if Brooke ever made any ultimatums. No, Brooke says. And that's why she went ahead with this vendetta? Ridge asks his mom. Stephanie says no, but she promises not to deceive him again. She won't have a chance, Ridge says, since she's a cancer that's killing this family - and he's cutting her out forever!

Taylor can't believe what Stephanie has done.

Stephanie tells Ridge she was weak and made a poor decision. And this wasn't the first time she tried to push Brooke out of his life, he says. He walks over to Brooke, full of regret for not protecting her. He says he's sorry for letting her down. Brooke says she shouldn't have taken it out on him when it was his mother's fault: Stephanie used his compassion against him, since she knew her deception would make him do anything. Stephanie says that's a lie, but Ridge tells her to shut up. He and Brooke don't have to listen to this, he says, which is why he's taking her home. Brooke tells him he doesn't have to, since he and Taylor have a lot to talk about. Ridge however guesses that Stephanie will show up on Brooke's doorstep to harass her some more and he's not going to let that happen ever again! They leave, leaving Taylor alone with Stephanie. Well done, Taylor sarcastically tells Stephanie, who says this wasn't what she wanted. Taylor points out that this wasn't supposed to be about Stephanie. Stephanie warns her not to let Brooke have an advantage now; Taylor can't believe that Stephanie won't quit! She admits that Ridge feels guilty now, but she doesn't think her marriage is in trouble. But if it was, it would be Stephanie's fault, which is why she can't understand why Stephanie did this. Stephanie pleads with Taylor, her compassionate best friend, not to turn her back on her, but Taylor just storms out of the house.