Thursday, October 27, 2005, Episode #4669

Eric and Ridge meet the press.

After the Forrester/Spectra showdown, members of the press interview the Forrester crew about their win. Ridge boasts about their unprecedented sales, including orders that flooded in based on word of mouth alone. A reporter asks Dante if he would credit this line's success to his spectacular prints; he tells the reporter that she can't discount Brooke's contribution. Eric agrees that with him and Brooke at the helm, along with Ridge, this is a new era for Forrester. Smarmy Jarrett asks Ridge about his son's loss today; Ridge says that Thomas has lots of talent, but he isn't ready for this cutthroat business. That's why Thomas is going to college. Once Thomas is done with school, however, Ridge expects him to come back here to Forrester where he belongs. Jarrett asks if there is also room for Thorne here after Spectra's loss. Eric tells him not to count Spectra out just yet.

Sally and Clarke chime in about Thomas's loss.

But backstage, in the Spectra area, Thorne laments to Darla that they're finished. Thomas says he's sorry, but Darla tells him that it wasn't his fault. Why blame the designer? Clarke sarcastically quips. Sally says that they should look to her if they want to cast blame, as she's the one who went out an a limb that got sawed off. She assures Thomas that she'll bounce back, like she always does. Besides, she thinks he has more important things to worry about. They look to Gaby, who hugs Thomas. Thomas doesn't want to lose her, but she says they have no choice. He tells her that he won't let his parents take her from him, just as Ridge and Taylor come back.

Thomas and Gaby face the music.

Thomas pleads with his dad not to hold him to their deal, as it's wrong. Ridge tells his son that he has to face the consequences of his actions. Thorne can't believe Ridge is going through with this, as he thinks Ridge cheated with his new ad campaign. Ridge says he knows what's best for his son; he looks to Gaby and reminds her of their deal. Gaby walks toward Ridge. Thomas stops her. Gaby tells him that they gave his parents their word. She'll never forget what he did for her, their wedding night or their marriage, because she loves him. She kisses him. She then turns to Taylor and guesses that Taylor won. She recalls how Taylor wanted her out and guesses that she just wasn't good enough. She was good enough to be Thomas's friend, Taylor says, but they were too young to get married. Just then, INS Agent Dunn appears. Gaby can't believe that Taylor had so little faith in Thomas that she already called Immigration. Agent Dunn has some papers Gaby has to sign. Thomas asks if they have to do this here. It was Taylor's idea, Dunn says, handing Gaby the papers and suggesting she read them in private.

Taylor's actions surprise Gaby.

Thomas and Gaby read the papers and are shocked and confused: the papers state that Gaby's status has been reinstated. But how? Gaby asks. Dunn explains that they received a convincing set of letters and phone calls. Gaby looks to Thomas, who says it wasn't him. Then who? Gaby asks. It was Taylor, Ridge replies. Taylor then explains that she's been writing and calling the INS in Sacramento about Gaby; she even took a trip to Sacramento (she mentioned going there last week) to plead Gaby's case, because she didn't think it was fair for Gaby to be deported. After Taylor drove Sacramento crazy, Dunn states, they agreed to restore Gaby's status, and her scholarship has been reinstated. Gaby signs the papers and hands them back to Dunn. She then thanks Taylor; she says that she thought... They both thought and said things they didn't mean, Taylor says. She never wanted Gaby to have to leave the country and even wants Gaby to be friends with Thomas, and with the family. Gaby thanks her again and hugs her. Gaby then hugs Thomas as Ridge commends his wife on what she did for Gaby. He just hopes Gaby will come through for them now the same way. Taylor says that Gaby cares for Thomas, so they'll have to see if Gaby will do what's best for their son. Ridge hopes Gaby will be able to let go.

Gaby looks at her green card. Thomas teases that she'll wear it out. She says that she fears it will disappear if she stops looking at it. She can't believe that his mom helped her, after all the times she accused Taylor of being against them. Thomas says that their marriage started to get her a green card, but it became something more. He asks if she really wants an annulment and offers to fight his parents if she doesn't. She asks him if he would have married her if her status hadn't expired. He isn't sure. She tells him that his mom has given her the chance to go to school here, and for the two of them to figure out what they want. If they're meant to be, she says softly, they will be, and if they ever get married again, they'll do it the right way. She takes off her wedding ring and hands it to him, saying that he doesn't have to fight any more battles for her. She says he's her hero and hugs him.

In Eric's office, Stephanie considers the notion that she owns Forrester. The Stephanie Douglas trust owns it, Massimo reminds her, but she is the sole beneficiary. Stephanie recalls that Eric just named Brooke co-CEO, but these papers say they work for her. As long as her father didn't modify the trust before he died, Massimo explains. They need to verify this, so he suggests calling his financial planning attorney to do just that. He adds that this document could change the future and history of the company and of the Forrester family itself. Mass then calls his attorney, who is in a meeting; he leaves a message, explaining that this must be kept quiet. As he ends the call. Stephanie wonders why no one said anything about this trust when they divided the stock up over the years. Mass asks again if her father ever said anything. She says he didn't, although she guesses he intended to but never got the chance. Things happened so quickly. She was pregnant with Ridge, and it was hard to convince her father that Eric could make this company thrive when she asked her father for the money. Massimo recalls how John Douglas wasn't happy about her marrying Eric, a flaky guy from California. That's why he's not surprised that John drew up this trust to protect his daughter and her children. Stephanie comments that her dad was really good. Massimo reminds her how he told her not to give up. He notes that these documents show how her father is still looking after her now, so she can't walk away from the company her father wanted her to have.

Stephanie and Massimo consider what the trust they found means.

Stephanie wonders if her father never told her about the trust because he knew she's just give her shares to Eric. The trust would never let her do something so stupid, Mass says. She doesn't think Eric knew about the trust. But the documents were in Eric's safe, Mass says. But that would mean Eric knew he was acting illegally every time they divided the stock, Stephanie says. Why would that surprise her? Mass asks, reminding her how Eric used her own power of attorney against her to divorce her without her knowledge. Stephanie wonders if she's been blaming Brooke for luring Eric away when he wanted out all along. She recalls how she told Bridget not to live in a fool's paradise, but now she sees that she's the biggest fool for letting Eric con her. She thinks about and says it can't be right; Eric's not a liar and a cheat and would never take her inheritance from her. The envelope was sealed, she reminds Massimo, so Eric has probably never even read it. She's sure Eric will be as surprised as they were at this news.