Monday, November 07, 2005, Episode #4676

Jackie tells Nick she is proud of him.

At Marone, Nick flashes back to his last conversation with Brooke as he explains to Jackie that he sees now that Brooke was right. He knows now that he and Brooke can never be together, since they'd hate themselves for doing the one thing they promised they'd never do to Bridget. He intends to be there for his wife and child, he tells his mom. Jackie says she's proud of him. She's glad he told her, since she's been confused by Brooke's actions of late. She wonders if Brooke knew how close she [Jackie] was to Eric, who obviously sees Brooke as a "safe" place. But she's anything but, Nick points out, since no one believes that marriage is real. Nick's assistant brings in a package; he's stunned to read that it's a copy of the Stephanie Douglas Trust, which makes Stephanie sole owner of Forrester Creations. Jackie is stunned as she listens, since she can't believe Eric would keep something like that a secret. Nick reads a note from Massimo that came with the document: his pop wanted to be the one to tell him about this, since Mass knew he'd be concerned. For Brooke, Jackie surmises, since Brooke will be Stephanie's first target. But Brooke isn't his concern anymore, Nick says, taking out his wedding band from a wooden box. As he and his mom discuss whether Bridget will take him back, he puts the wedding band back on.

At Forrester, Thorne and Darla arrive as Stephanie tells Brooke to blame her "lying SOB of a husband" for the loss of Brooke's place at Forrester, although she thinks the fact that Brooke stole Eric away from her twice is reward enough.

Eric, Brooke, Ridge and Rick stand united.

Eric tells Stephanie to stop it: this trust, he says, was the price he had to pay to get $100,000 from her condescending father to start the company. Only $100,000? Ridge asks. Eric explains that the trust was created because of the typically "Douglas" way that Stephanie's father demeaned him and his dreams. He adds that John Douglas kept it secret since he knew his daughter would have torn it up if she knew about it. Stephanie agrees that had she found out about this trust a year ago, or even a few short months ago, she would have torn it up. Eric says that he knew that long ago, which is why he hid the document away. He considered the company to be his and Stephanie's, even though it was built on his vision, the same vision Stephanie claims she wants to recapture. Everyone in this room contributed to that vision over the years, Eric points out, except the two people (Massimo and Taylor) that Stephanie brought with her. Rick echoes Ridge's sentiment that $100,000 isn't a lot of money. It was 40 years ago, Stephanie says. Brooke says Eric could have gone to a bank. But he didn't, Stephanie says. Eric says he couldn't, because he had a pregnant wife - one who was carrying a child that turned out not to be his! So he put himself in her hands to pursue his dreams, all for a lie. But even if he gave his life to her, he's not about to let her take his life's work from him, too.

Massimo helps Stephanie assert her position.

Stephanie laughs at Eric's claims of sacrifice, since the only "prize" she got from their marriage was a life of being in the tabloids as she got pushed in and out of Eric's life whenever this "slut" (pointing to Brooke) changed her mind about being Eric's wife. Rick tells Stephanie to stop that. She apologizes, since she knows this is hard for him. Eric tells Stephanie to come after him with all the divorce lawyers she wants, but leave the company alone. She can do both, Mass says. Eric bets Mass is loving this, since it gives him a way to get a piece of this company. Taylor advises Eric to stop opening old wounds this way. And of course she's here, Eric tells Taylor, to be the "voice of reason." Taylor suggests they concentrate on the legal realities here. Of course she'd say that, Brooke tells Taylor. She asks Taylor what about the moral issues of what Stephanie is doing. Stephanie thinks she has a right after a lifetime of being lied to and cheated. She intends to restore dignity to the company. Without Eric or Brooke? Ridge asks. Rick asks Stephanie if she intends to design herself. She's no designer, she says, which is why she's chosen someone as her new president that has the creative vision to drive this company: her son. Ridge is glad to accept and recommends that they rehire Eric and Brooke, but Stephanie tells him she was talking about her OTHER son.

Thorne and Darla are stunned by Stephanie's announcement.

Eric points out that Thorne is obligated to Spectra, but Stephanie is sure she can work it out with Sally, since this can't be a true family business without Thorne. Ridge scoffs at the thought of the man who drove Spectra into the ground running Forrester. Listening to his brother demean him, Thorne is more than happy to accept. Ridge asks if he's supposed to work FOR Thorne. WITH him, Stephanie says, as Head Designer with complete control. As long as it's at Thorne's whim, Ridge supposes.

Stephanie then says that she has one more thing in mind: she thinks the image of Forrester they've had of late, that of Brooke in her underwear, sends a bad message to women. She wants this company to lead the way in promoting a positive image of pride in themselves, which is why she's picked a new Face of Forrester to project that image of class and elegance: Taylor! Brooke laughs at the thought of Taylor psychoanalyzing their skirts for the masses, but Taylor thinks Stephanie has a good idea. She's always been worried about her teenage girls being influenced by sexual displays in advertising and is sick of it, so why not give them a positive role model? She accepts Stephanie's offer, as long as Thorne is OK with it. Ridge tells his brother to start being a "yes-man" and voice his opinion. Thorne replies that Taylor is perfect for the job, Because she has the class they want and because she's a member of the family. He welcomes her to the team.