Wednesday, February 04, 2009, Episode #5494

Nick and Katie argue about the stolen designs.

At Jackie M, Nick gets ready to meet with the banker. Jackie comes over to help him and reminds him to tell the banker about their new designer. Nick asks if he can meet the new designer. Jackie tells him that their new hire is very private and will only work with her, but she can tell him that the newcomer goes by the name of "Madame X." Tired of the mysterious nature of this business, Nick quips, "Can I please go back and live on my boat?" Jackie doesn't think that's suitable for him anymore, and she bets his fiancee would agree. Right on cue, Katie comes in and greets Nick with a kiss. As Jackie looks on disapprovingly, Katie tells Nick that she brought him some papers he left on the kitchen table. Jackie thinks that's her cue to leave, but Katie's not about to let her slip off and duck the issue of the stolen designs. Jackie insists that she didn't steal anything since the designs were sent to them, but Katie counters that Jackie M still passed the designs off as their own and sold them, forcing Eric and Ridge to redesign their whole collection. Nick insists that he made the call to use the designs, but Katie bets that Jackie pressured him into it. She also thinks both Nick and Jackie should have known that suspicion would fall on her, since she's both a Forrester employee and Nick's fiancee. Jackie apologizes for putting Katie in an awkward position, but she has a business to run. Having said her piece, Jackie storms out. Nick tells Katie that he's been honest with her about this and has apologized, so he thinks it's time to move on.

Jackie is surprised when she sees Bridget's new persona.

Elsewhere, Bridget lays out an outfit consisting of a sexy red dress, a black leather jacket, black stockings and matching high heeled boots. After putting on the outfit, she puts on a black wig and some bright red lipstick, dons a pair of sunglasses and heads over to Jackie M. When Jackie returns to her office, she finds this woman there wearing this sexy outfit and speaking in a heavy accent. Jackie is shocked when she realizes that it's Bridget! Bridget's a bit upset that Jackie saw through her disguise, but Jackie assures her that no one else would recognize "the good Dr. B." in that outfit. After Jackie gives her stamp of approval on the disguise, she starts to move some things around in the office to give Bridget a place to work. Bridget asks if it would be better to hide her in some corner office where she won't run into Nick, but Jackie assures her that Nick won't be around much. Bridget thinks that Nick will at least want to meet his new designer, but Jackie explains that she told Nick that the newcomer, "Madame X," would be working only with her.

Bridget worries about being interviewed.

Bridget asks if the name "Madame X" refers to her being Nick's EX-wife. Jackie laughs that she hadn't thought of that, but she thinks it's quite appropriate. In addition, she likes the idea of Bridget using an accent for her new persona and bets that the press will eat that up, too, so she suggests they create a back-story for "Madame X" to use when she's interviewed. Bridget isn't too keen on being interviewed, but Jackie points out that it's part of the job. She knows she agreed to keep Bridget's working for her a secret for now, but she thinks it's only a matter of time before Bridget's family learns that she's working for the competition. Besides, she's confident that Bridget's brilliant designs will generate a ton of buzz, and they'll have to be ready with a back story for the press when that happens. Nick walks in and tells his mother that "Banker Bob" wants more information on their new designer. Bridget quickly turns her back to Nick and puts on her sunglasses. Jackie tells Nick that she's in a meeting, but Nick wants to join it and meet their new employee. Nick then introduces himself to the new designer, who turns around and introduces herself using a fake French accent.

Rick tells Stephanie that he can't end things with Steffy.

At the beach house, a shirtless Rick opens his front door and finds Stephanie, who wants to make sure that it's over between him and Steffy. Rick tells her that he agonized over this all night and decided that he loves Steffy too much to let her go. Stephanie tells him that it's not going to work. Rick disagrees, since he thinks Ridge will have to take Steffy's wishes into account if he really loves his daughter. He thinks Ridge will have no choice but to accept Steffy's relationship with him once Steffy tells him how she really feels. Stephanie asks if he intends to make Steffy choose between him and her father. That will be Ridge's choice, Rick asserts, not Steffy's. Stephanie begs him yet again to do the right thing and end things with Steffy now, before he does something he regrets, but Rick insists that he loves Steffy and wants a future with her. It will be a future filled with conflict, Stephanie predicts, and she thinks it's doomed to end disastrously. Rick compares her efforts to break him and Steffy up to all the times she tried unsuccessfully to keep his mother and Ridge apart. Stephanie thinks he's being naive if he thinks that the family will support him and Steffy as a couple, especially if he remembers the struggles his mother faced while he was growing up, and she cautions that he'll be fighting not only against her as his mom did, but against the entire family. Fed up, Rick opens the door and asks Stephanie to leave. On her way out, she asks Rick if he really wants to fight this battle. Rick tells her that he's not afraid of her. "You should be," she warns as she walks out.

Steffy learns that her grandmother knows everything.

Later, Steffy comes over to see Rick. As they embrace, she tells him that she missed him last night. Rick tells her that they have a big problem, since Stephanie spied on them last night and now knows everything. Steffy freaks out, since she knows how much her grandmother hates his family and him in particular. Rick acknowledges that Stephanie thinks he's an opportunist like his mom who is using the situation to stick it to Ridge. Steffy wants to talk to her grandmother to explain, but Rick doesn't think it will do any good since Stephanie wants them to end their relationship. Steffy asks Rick if he's going to do that. Rick admits that he thought about it, since Stephanie made a lot of points that made sense, but he loves Steffy too much to actually do it. He then tells Steffy how he tried to make Stephanie see that their relationship is something real, but she wouldn't listen. Steffy fears that Stephanie is going to tell her father. Rick doesn't think Stephanie will do it, but Steffy advises that her grandmother doesn't bluff and doesn't give up. "She'll split us up no matter what, no matter who she hurts," Steffy laments.

Steffy walks outside to the porch, with Rick following right behind. Rick tries to convince her that Stephanie doesn't want Ridge to find out any more than they do. Steffy tells him that her dad CAN'T find out, since she talked to him yesterday and he's being completely paranoid about the situation. Seeing how Ridge sees Rick as a "devil" that she has to be protected from, she doesn't even want to think about what will happen if her dad finds out that she has feelings for Rick. Rick tells her that her dad will find out eventually; after all, if they want people to accept them as a couple, they'll have to show people that what they share is real, and that's especially true where Ridge is concerned. Steffy sobs that her dad is nowhere ready. Rick points out that Stephanie's knowing about them will eventually lead to others finding out as well, and he doesn't think Steffy wants her father to find out from a third party. Steffy weeps that she doesn't know what to do. She thinks she needs advice from someone who can handle her grandmother and her dad, and she suddenly realizes who fits that bill. "We have to talk to my mom!" she concludes.

Stephanie has disconcerting news for Taylor.

Stephanie drops by the Bel Air mansion to see Taylor, who is thrilled to see a friendly face. Stephanie asks what's wrong. Taylor says that she had a bad morning; she woke up and smelled coffee brewing, so she headed downstairs expecting to find Phoebe and Steffy making breakfast. But as she was about to call out to Phoebe, she remembered that her daughter is gone. Stephanie tells Taylor that she's sorry and hugs her. As Taylor calms down, Stephanie asks if Steffy is there. Taylor says that Steffy is at work. She explains that Steffy always leaves her notes by the coffee pot before she leaves for work and listens outside her door to make sure she's OK. Stephanie asks if Taylor has noticed any changes in Steffy lately. Taylor answers that she sometimes catches Steffy smiling, although she sees Steffy trying to hide it and assures her daughter that it's OK to be happy. Stephanie asks how Steffy is coping with Phoebe's death. Taylor says that she and Steffy have talked about it, and she's warned Steffy to recognize that being vulnerable after such a loss might push her to fill the void with something positive or something negative. Stephanie states that she thinks Steffy has found a way to fill the void, but she fears that it's not in a positive way.