Monday, May 22, 2006, Episode #4812

Brooke feels like Stephanie ambushed her.

While Sally holds Jarrett and the other reporters back, Eric, Stephanie, Ridge and Brooke go to Stephanie's office, where Brooke lashes out at Stephanie for ambushing her just now on national TV. She came to support Ridge, and what did she get? Half the company, Stephanie replies, once she signs the stock certificates. She's offering Brooke a place in the company AND the family, so she can't see why Brooke wouldn't accept. Brooke frets about how Ridge might have reacted to this stunt; Stephanie points out that Ridge is fine, thanks to Brooke. Eric assures Brooke that the deal is legit and well-deserved. Ridge adds that this is where Brooke belongs. Brooke feels like she's in a science fiction movie, due to Stephanie's behavior. Stephanie states that running this company is what Brooke and Ridge want. That's why she wants Brooke to come back to Ridge, to the company and to the family. Ridge tells Brooke that they can have everything they ever wanted if she'll just say yes. Before Brooke can reply, Stephen and Jackie burst in. Stephen tells his daughter not to sign anything and orders Stephanie to leave his daughter alone! Eric and Ridge tell Stephen that Stephanie is offering Brooke an olive branch, but Stephen sees it as a brass ring, a prize that Brooke for giving up her future with Nick to go back to Ridge.

Stephanie, Ridge and Eric ask Brooke to accept Stephanie's offer.

Stephanie promises that there are no strings attached to her offer and suggests that Brooke's lawyers check it out to confirm it. Ridge argues that Brooke deserves this. Stephen asks Brooke to think about what's going on here. Her time with Ridge ended when she left him, he reminds her. And it nearly killed Ridge, Stephanie responds. Jackie asks how that's Brooke's fault. Stephanie replies that it's her own fault, and she's trying to make it up to Brooke now. Stephen sees this not as an apology, but a bribe, just like the job Stephanie got Bill Spencer to give him years ago. He won't let his daughter be manipulated the same way, especially not over Stephanie's guilt. Jackie agrees; even if the stock transfer cannot be undone, she points out, Stephanie's invitation into the family can. Stephen tells Stephanie to take her dysfunctional family and company and just keep them away from his daughter! Well said, says Nick, standing in the doorway. He agrees with Stephen that Brooke should turn around now and be done with the Forrester family for good. That will never happen, Eric and Ridge point out, since Brooke has children with each of them, including Ridge's young son. A son he and Brooke will raise, Nick retorts. An angry Ridge asks Nick how he can make that claim. Nick suggests that Ridge let his mother talk for him. Brooke assures Nick that Ridge didn't know about Stephanie's offer. So this foolish act is all Stephanie's idea? Nick asks. Eric sees the offer as generous. More like desperate, Nick counters as he leads Brooke out.

Dante and Bridget discuss what Stephanie's offer means.

Backstage at Forrester, Bridget, Dante and Felicia discuss Stephanie's astounding offer to Brooke. Felicia quips to Dante that he better put money away for their son's college fund. He replies that he can send Dino to Harvard with what he makes on his art. That's good, Felicia sarcastically replies, because her inheritance shrinks after every press conference her mother holds. Bridget wonders if Nick saw the press conference on TV. Dante points out that Brooke didn't accept Stephanie's offer, but Felicia notes that she didn't turn it down, either. Bridget is more worried about what this could do to her mother's relationship with Nick. She gave up her marriage so her mom could be with Nick, so for this to happen now... If Brooke and Nick's commitment to each other is strong, Dante states, this probably won't change anything. Bridget points out that this is just what Nick was afraid of when Stephanie brought her mom back to L.A.; she knows she and Dante had plans, but she has to find her mom. She gives him a kiss on the lips and promises to make it up to him. Looking mildly annoyed, Dante tells her that he'll be at his studio.

Felicia asks Dante to consider what they'd be like together.

Dante takes Felicia to his studio, a room atop Forrester Creations. Felicia jokes that she that they used to call this "The Attic," noting that she hasn't been up here in years. It makes a great studio, Dante states, which is why he's grateful that Eric let him use the space. Felicia guesses that the light must be gorgeous in her during the day. Dante tells her that this is his favorite time to sculpt, since he can use the shadows. So he's sculpting again? she asks. Even with his work at Forrester, he explains, he is still passionate about his art. She asks how that compares to his passion for Bridget, who seems to be hung up on Nick. He assures her that Bridget is just worried about how Stephanie's offer will affect Nick and Brooke. Bridget seemed awfully concerned about the sacrifice she made being for nothing, Felicia guesses. She didn't love Nick, Dante says, guessing that Felicia is thinking about how Bridget rejected his proposal. He and Bridget have been through a lot, he says. She asks how he can be standing there looking like he does and thinking she's thinking about Bridget. She thinks he must be living a platonic life for too long. Then again, she adds, she doesn't remember their sex, even though it may have been the best in her life. She enjoyed herself, Dante says, but they weren't really together. Felicia agrees, but she suggests that owe it to their son to find out if they could be together. They then kiss passionately.

Stephen refuses to let Stephanie underestimate him.

Stephanie is in her office, on the phone with her lawyer. She tells him how to divide up the rest of the Forrester stock; in addition to Brooke's 50%, 10% each will go to Stephanie, Eric and Ridge; Thorne, Kristen and Felicia will each get 6%; and the remaining 2% will go to Taylor. As she ends the call, she sees Stephen in the doorway and guesses that Sally didn't just let him wander in. Sally's tied up with the press, he says. Stephanie say she's busy, too. Stephen tells her that he finally sees what drew Eric to his ex-wife, but he can't understand what drew Brooke to a spoiled little boy like Ridge, who was always coddled by his mother. He's glad Brooke has moved on and won't let Stephanie interfere. Stephanie says that it seems like he's coddling his child, but he says he's protecting Brooke. She thinks it's a little late for that, since he walked out on his family years ago. He admits he let her and Eric drive him from his family, which is why he's going to do everything in his power to keep Stephanie from drawing Brooke back in. She notes his confidence but still isn't worried. She advises him that the best is yet to come, so he shouldn't underestimate her. Stephen leaves. Stephanie then leaves, too, so she doesn't see Stephen step out of the shadows and go back in. He looks at the stock certificates and says that let Stephanie shouldn't underestimate him.