Friday, May 26, 2006, Episode #4816

Nick reads about Stephanie's offer in the paper.

In his office, Nick reads a newspaper account of Brooke's possible return to Forrester, complete with a lingerie clad photo of Brooke promoting the Bedroom line. He doesn't look happy. Stephen enters; Nick asks if he saw the article. Stephen replies that his daughter's return to Forrester is big news. It will be if she accepts, Nick says - which she hasn't. She hasn't turned it down, Stephen points out. He's tried to get a hold of Brooke to discuss it, but she's nowhere to be found. She doesn't want to be pressured, Nick explains. Stephen asks if Nick has told Brooke about his idea. Nick responds that Brooke knows he doesn't want her working with Ridge. Stephen points out that Brooke could control the company without the Forresters if they had Taylor's 2%. He tells Nick that he ran the idea by Taylor at dinner last night, and she wanted to sleep on it. Nick suggests that Stephen not push her, but Stephen needs to know, so he calls Taylor and asks if she's decided. She doesn't want any part of his revenge plan. She just wants to move on with her life, so she's giving her stock back. After he hangs up, Stephen tells Nick the news; he can't understand why Taylor would just give the stock back after how upset she was last night, even if she wants to cut all ties with the Forresters. Nick can't really blame her. Stephen is angry at the Forresters using everyone like pawns again, like they did to him, Beth and Brooke.

Stephen asks for Nick's help.

So it's about revenge? Nick asks. It's about justice, Stephen replies, and about Brooke getting what she deserves - and if Stephanie and Ridge get some of what they deserve along the way, so much the better. But they can't succeed without Taylor's 2%. Nick points out that Brooke hasn't accepted Stephanie's offer. Stephen knows that running Forrester is Brooke's dream come true. Brooke has other dreams now, Nick states. Stephen tells Nick a story Beth told him of when Brooke was in high school; Brooke was accused of cheating when she aced a chemistry test with the same answers as a boy next to her. They thought she was too pretty to be smart. So she's always had to fight for what she wants. And now she wants Forrester - and she can have it if she gets 51% of the stock, so he's asking for Nick's help to make that happen. Nick says he loves Brooke and would help for her sake, but he thinks Stephen's plan comes down to one person. The phone rings; Nick answers and it's Brooke. She's made a decision, but she wants to tell him in person and wants to meet him. He thinks she sounded serious. She wouldn't have to choose if they had Taylor's 2%, Stephen says. Nick turns to the door and says that ship has sailed, so he suggests Stephen let it go.

Thorne mulls over what his mother's offer to Brooke means.

Stephanie and Eric have called Ridge, Thorne, Kristen and Felicia to the mansion. A glum Thorne asks why they need to talk, while Kristen asks Stephanie why she gave Brooke, who she's hated for years, half the company. Stephanie says she can't change the past, but she wanted to make amends. Kristen thinks Stephanie could have just been nice to Brooke without giving away 50% of Forrester. Half the company is a sweet deal, Thorne chimes in. Eric says he thought Thorne was OK with this. Whatever makes Ridge happy, Thorne replies. Ridge says this isn't about him. Since when? Thorne asks. Ridge insists that Brooke earned this.

Ridge explains to Kristen about what their mother has done.

Stephanie breaks them up and says that her decision is made and hands out the envelopes with the stock certificates to her children. When she explains the distribution, Kristen asks why Thorne gets less than Ridge. Thorne says he's OK with it; he made some bad calls when he last had stock, so he's grateful for 6%. Felicia does the math and asks who gets the last 2% of the pie. Taylor, Stephanie replies, since she's part of the family. Taylor comes in and says that's bull! She states that the stock was Stephanie's way of easing her guilty conscience, but she refuses to be bought!

Stephanie and Eric try to reassure Taylor.

Stephanie invites Taylor in. To join the family? Taylor asks. Stephanie says she IS family. Until something better comes along, Taylor retorts. After all, Brooke got 50%, and she got 2%. Eric knows it sounds like a small amount. It's not about the money, Taylor says. She loves them all. And they love her, Kristen says. Really? Taylor asks, recalling how she was always there for Kristen and Tony. But did Kristen even call when Ridge ended their marriage? Kristen didn't know what to say, Thorne says. Taylor tells him Kristen would know what to say if it was his marriage. She thought she mattered to them. She does, Eric says, pointing out that she has three children with Ridge. Sired by Ridge with Taylor the fool, she retorts, like she was a brood mare "popping them out" for King Ridge. Ridge tries to calm her, but she asks how she can tell her kids that their grandmother regrets coming between their dad and the woman he REALLY loves. Thorne empathizes, since he also knows what it's like to be second best. She says that's his cross to bear. She, however, was good enough, until she confessed her sins and shattered her perfect image! Thorne sees she's really upset about the stock. It's not about that, she says. She asks when he or Darla invited her to their house for a barbecue. People get busy, Felicia chimes in. Taylor turns to her and says she wasn't busy when Felicia had cancer, or when they learned Dante was Dominick's father. Stephanie states that Felicia was fighting for her life. Taylor counters that she was fighting for hers, since this family was her life!

Taylor goes on about how she wasn't even asked to be here today. Stephanie replies she wanted to give Taylor her stock when Taylor asked her to come to her office, but Taylor threw her out. "You betrayed me." Taylor accuses. Stephanie says she didn't mean to do that and is sorry. Eric assures Taylor she's part of the family. This isn't a family, Taylor says. It's a dictatorship where they all bow and scrape like drones around a queen. Felicia tells Taylor to stop, but Taylor asks Stephanie who will have her favor today. Maybe Eric? She then says no, since he can't possibly compete with her. She thinks she should go. Stephanie asks everyone to leave so she can have a word with Taylor alone. Once everyone leaves, Stephanie asks Taylor about this "hit and run." Taylor says she just came to give her stock back, as she wants no part of a meaningless gesture. Stephanie says she would never have offered it if she knew it would rub salt in an old wound. Taylor asks how she could not know; she states that her best friend, her mother figure, stabbed her in the back and told the world her marriage to Ridge meant nothing! Stephanie says she can't say she's sorry; she knows this hurts Taylor, but she sees now that Ridge has loved Brooke his whole adult life and has accepted it. Because Ridge was dying, Taylor says. She thinks Stephanie was glad when Brooke quit Forrester, since that meant Stephanie would have Ridge to herself!

Stephanie says she wanted her son to be happy. Taylor thinks that must be why Stephanie chose her to be Ridge's wife; she was Stephanie's surrogate. So Ridge rejecting her was like rejecting Stephanie, too. And that hurt Stephanie, to be dumped for a woman like Brooke, who Stephanie hated all her life and still hates - because Brooke has Ridge and Stephanie doesn't! Stephanie thinks Taylor needs help. Taylor says she's being honest; she thought Stephanie like that about her. Stephanie points out that she warned Taylor not to tell Ridge about James. Taylor says she did it to be honest. Some things are better left unsaid, Stephanie says. She thinks Taylor made a mistake and has to move on. Taylor says she has, but Stephanie thinks Taylor hasn't, since she's obviously still obsessed with Ridge. Taylor says that Stephanie is the one who's obsessed. A mother's love is supposed to be pure, she says. Stephanie asks Taylor to leave, but Taylor rails on what Stephanie did to her family. Thorne had to live with being second all his life. Kristen had to move across the county. And Felicia went from man to man, hoping for half the attention Ridge got. Stephanie warns Taylor to stop, but Taylor goes on to Eric, who is in a passionless marriage, because his wife gives all her passion to Ridge. She thinks Stephanie only let her marry Ridge because she wasn't a threat to Stephanie. She didn't have Brooke's sexual hold on Ridge, which galled Stephanie, because Brooke had something Stephanie wanted and could never have! Fed up, Stephanie slaps Taylor in the face!