Tuesday, February 13, 2007, Episode #4997

Stephanie tells her family that she's proud of them.

At Forrester Originals, Eric, Stephanie, Ridge, Brooke, Felicia, Rick, Phoebe and Pam gather together as the time of the company's debut fashion show approaches. After last minute preparations are made, Felicia asks Eric if he has any last minute jitters. Stephanie remarks that Eric's an old pro at this, but Eric admits it's been a long time since he started a whole new company. Brooke assures him that they all believe in his and Ridge's talent, and Rick adds that Eric's designs are just inspired. Ridge gibes, "Thanks for the compliment, Rick," but Rick says he was talking to his dad. Felicia, Pam and Phoebe all tell Ridge and Rick to quit their bantering, since they don't want to ruin Eric's big day. Stephanie says that nothing can ruin this day and breaks out some champagne to toast the launch of their new venture. She wants everyone, and especially Eric, to know how proud she is, since their hard work brought them back from their lowest point ever to start this new company. She toasts to Forrester Originals, saying that the best is yet to come. The others clink their glasses together in agreement.

Donna praises Nick for pulling off a fashion coup.

Meanwhile, at Forrester Creations, everyone is also busy. Jackie calls her new boutiques, instructing them on when to unveil the new Jackie M signs. Nick also makes calls with directions for their newly acquired companies. Donna comes in and tells Nick that's she's ready to call the press over when he gives the word. When Jackie says that the stores are putting up the new signs as they speak, Donna wonders what they'll do if the Forresters spot the Jackie M signs in the Harrison's shop there in L.A. Nick says it won't matter, since that store and the others like it are his now, and the Forresters can't do a thing to stop him. Donna points out that he doesn't own Fenmore's; Jackie touts that Genoa City is hardly a hub for haute couture, so the Forresters will need a much wider distribution chain. And now that the other outlets are part of Jackie M... The Forresters will have no place to send their line, Donna concludes, praising Nick for pulling this off. And most of all, Nick adds, Stephanie will be held accountable in a way she'll never forget.

In the Forrester Originals showroom, Jarrett, Danica and the rest of the usual members of the fashion press gather for the new company's debut showing. The reporters wonder where all the buyers are, since the show will start soon. Jarrett gets a tip on his cell phone that the world's high end boutiques have been sold, with Jackie M signs going up in Harrison's stores. When he shares the news with Danica and the others, they decide to high-tail it over to Forrester Creations to see what's up with Jackie M.

A stunned Ridge and Eric wonder where their distributors are.

Backstage, Rick peeks into the showroom and sees that none of the buyers are there. Eric explains that he knew Lauren Fenmore wasn't coming - which isn't surprising given what she just went through with her old nemesis Sheila Carter on The Young and The Restless, but that's a story for another day - but he already has her order. Even so, Rick, Brooke and Stephanie wonder about Harrison, Chen, Golden and Yvette. Stephanie recalls sensing something odd when she saw Yvette in Nick's office recently. To add to the confusion, Felicia says she just got a call from the hotel where their buyers usually stay; she ordered champagne and flowers, like they always do, but the hotel clerk claims that none of the buyers checked in, and that Arthur Harrison even canceled his reservation. Wanting to get to the bottom of this, Eric calls Arthur, who tells Eric that he's still in San Francisco. When Eric asks why, Arthur says he's bound by a confidentiality agreement and can't say any more. Eric tries to press Arthur for answers, but Arthur ends the call.

Felicia frets that her contacts won't give her any information.

Rick looks into the showroom again and sees that the reporters left, leaving only the caterers. While Felicia tries to call Jarrett, Eric and Ridge try Chen and Golden and are stonewalled. Stephanie similarly gets no response when she calls Yvette St. Julienne, who says she's too busy to talk. Meanwhile, Rick tries to calm Jenna and the models, who ask what the holdup is. Rick tries to reassure Phoebe, since her big debut is ruined. Phoebe is more worried at how bad this is for her grandpa. Felicia can't get any information from her press contacts, and Ridge is similarly getting nowhere calling the buyers. Thorne comes in, having chartered a plane to get back in time for the showing; he confirms that he can't reach any of their top buyers, either, and word on the street is that all the boutiques that would carry their line are temporarily closed.

Back at Forrester Creations, Storm joins his sister, Nick and Jackie as they wonder how the Forresters are handling the sight of their empty showroom. Storm suggests that Stephanie will go ballistic when she figures out what's going on; Jackie predicts that he's right, since she just got off the phone with Yvette and learned about Stephanie's phone call to Ms. St. Julienne. She's pleased to report that Yvette lived up to her confidentiality agreement and evaded Stephanie's queries. Storm predicts that will certainly set off some red flags for La Forrester, so Donna orders extra security at the front door. As they continue to call their new stores, Nick sees Jackie suffer from one of her headaches. He tells his mother that he's sorry she's in pain, but at least their actions will make Stephanie feel the same type of pain, both physically and emotionally, for a long time to come.

Jarrett and the other reporters have questions for Nick.

Eric fumes that none of this makes sense. He laments that they can't introduce a new company or a new line without buyers to see them, so he fears that they have to cancel the show. Ridge protests, since he thinks they can still get to the bottom of this, but Stephanie says that the damage is done. Rick asks if they're blaming that on his dad. As Ridge tells Rick to stop, Felicia tells them all to pipe down and turn on the Fashion Channel, since she just learned that Nick and Jackie have called a press conference at Forrester Creations. The Forresters tune in and watch as Jackie announces a major expansion for Forrester Creations in partnership with Jackie M. She then turns the floor over to the architect of that expansion, her brilliant son Dominick, who explains that the boutiques owned by Chen, Harrison, St. Julienne and Golden are now part of the Jackie M chain. The Forresters are all horrified and stunned to learn what Nick has been up to. Donna tells the members of the press to look to their press kits for answers to their questions, but Jarrett has one question for Nick first. He asks if the Jackie M stores will carry the Forrester Originals line, which another reporter adds is rumored to be Eric's best work ever. Nick gets to the point and replies, point-blank, "For the record, Forrester Originals will never be carried by Jackie M International - now or ever."

Pam offers Eric her support.

The Forresters remain shocked at what they just watched. Rick and Thorne conclude that Nick couldn't compete with them on the runway, so he attacked from the business side instead. Ridge wonders where Nick got the capital to do this, but Eric says it doesn't matter, since Nick already did it. Pam tells Eric that she's sorry, but Stephanie says she's the one who should be sorry. That's why she's going over to Forrester Creations to confront that son of a bitch! Eric tells her to wait, since she may make matters worse, but Stephanie leaves anyway. The others lament that they have all their assets invested in this new company. Phoebe and Felicia point out that Nick didn't mention Fenmore's, but Ridge asserts that the Midwest market isn't enough to keep them afloat on its own. And now Nick owns the other markets, Eric fumes. Ridge wants to wring Nick's neck, but Brooke asks what that would accomplish. Ridge asks her why she's defending Nick, and Rick responds by telling Ridge to lay off his mom. Eric has had enough of all the bickering and orders everyone out of the office! On her way out, Pam tells Eric she'll help in any way she can and offers him a comforting hug.

Nick tells Stephanie to blame herself for her family's predicament.

At Forrester Creations, Nick flashes back to a conversation he had with Brooke when he made his initial ultimatum to the Forresters, where he promised to do anything to protect his loved ones. He then recalls his telling Jackie how he would break the Forresters by gaining control of the world's couture distributors, creating "a bust of biblical proportions" where the Forresters would have to turn to him. Stephanie comes in and admits to Nick that she underestimated him and dropped her guard, so he now has his revenge. Nick calls it justice for every miserable thing Stephanie ever did, to finally make her accountable. Stephanie again says she didn't push Jackie over the balcony, but Nick counters that this is about more than his mother. It's about all the people Stephanie has manipulated over the years. He laments that he was a simple man until Stephanie turned him to a place he can never turn back from. Stephanie asks him not to drag her family into his plans to punish her, but Nick feels that her family brought this on themselves by empowering her. Stephanie asks how he can do this to Eric, who his mother claims to care about so much. She wonders if Jackie is so desperate to think she can lure Eric away in a moment of weakness.