Friday, January 27, 2012, Episode #6248

Justin learns that his boss' secret is out.

At Spencer Publications, Bill calls Ramon to thank him for his help. Justin enters as Bill hangs up, asking what's up. Bill explains that the cat is out of the bag and his wife, son and daughter-in-law all want nothing to do with him. He fears that trying to save his son's marriage may have destroyed it. Justin guesses that Katie was the one who took the MRI from Alison's desk. Bill confirms, explaining how Katie's doctor compared the MRI to Steffy's MRI from last year and realized the scan from Mexico wasn't Steffy's. Pouring a drink, he sighs that his family is looking at him like he's a criminal and he has to make things right.

Ridge gets some news from Brooke.

Brooke paces nervously around Ridge's office. When Ridge arrives, he sees the look on her face and asks if she's OK. She tells him Liam and Steffy's marriage may be over. Ridge asks for details, but before Brooke can answer, Taylor and Thomas pop in to see if Ridge wants to join them and Steffy for dinner. Ridge thinks they might want to wait based on what Brooke just told him. Brooke shares that she just told Ridge that Liam and Steffy might be ending their marriage. Taylor and Thomas can't believe it. Ridge asks again how this happened, so Brooke recounts how Liam showed up while she was talking to Hope and kissed Hope right in front of her.

Steffy tries to make her case.

On the Forrester Creations rooftop, Steffy insists to a disbelieving Liam that Bill acted alone to have the doctors fake her MRI results. Not buying it given all the times she conspired with his dad since the wedding, Liam fumes that they went too far this time and wonders if he even knows his wife. Steffy again asserts that she would never lie like this, so Liam asks if he should lay all the blame with his dad. Steffy urges him not to turn on his father, the only parent he has. She knows how he feels since she's furious, too, but she points out that taking control without thinking about consequences is just Bill's way. Hope asks Steffy why she's defending Bill. Liam agrees given his wife and dad's history of lies and manipulation; he bets that switching the MRIs was just like stopping the gondola in Aspen. Steffy suggests that Bill knew of his son's plan to leave her in Cabo and decided he had to take drastic action. Liam scoffs that she's sticking to her story. Steffy admits there are things she did she's not proud of of, but this wasn't one of them; she reminds Liam that she thought she could die and argues that they're both victims. Liam reminds her how often he believed her justifications for her lies. Steffy concedes that maybe she didn't deserve forgiveness in the past, but she feels things are different now since she did nothing wrong this time. Pointing out that she's married to Liam, she asks Hope if she wants to break up a marriage over something Steffy didn't do. Her voice breaking up, Steffy begs Liam to believe her. Liam tells Hope to come with him so they can get some answers.

Taylor and Thomas worry about Steffy.

When Taylor and Thomas seethe that Liam would kiss Hope when Steffy has to avoid stress to stay alive, Brooke tells them that Liam said Steffy was fine and Steffy confirmed it. Ridge and Taylor don't buy that since Steffy has a potentially fatal clot in her brain. On cue, Steffy arrives and announces to her parents and brother that they don't have to worry since the blood clot is gone! Taylor asks if she's sure, since clots don't go away that quickly. Steffy admits she was surprised, too, but they confirmed it after her latest MRI. Taylor is confused, but relieved. Ridge and Thomas are pleased by the good news. Taylor asks Steffy about Liam based on what Brooke just shared with them. Steffy states that Liam's upset with her over a misunderstanding over something that happened in Cabo. Thomas blames what happened there on Liam's refusal to keep his hands off Hope, but Ridge doesn't think that matters and asks Steffy where things stand with her. She declares that she's not giving up on her marriage. Ridge offers to talk to Liam, but Steffy doesn't think that's necessary since Liam's not the bad guy. When Thomas disagrees, Steffy reminds him that they both did things they shouldn't have in Mexico that only made things worse. Ridge asks if Bill was involved. Steffy refuses to answer, so Ridge takes that as a yes. Taylor and Brooke ask where Liam is now. Steffy explains that he and Hope went to see Bill. Ridge wants to know why, so Steffy says she wants everyone to knows she's fine and assures that she and Liam will get through this. After Steffy leaves, Ridge, Taylor and Thomas wonder what they can do to get Steffy's marriage back on track. Believing the "misunderstanding" was more serious than Steffy let on given the romantic exchange she witnessed earlier on the roof, Brooke predicts that Hope and Liam have already recommitted to each other.

Hope and Liam demand answers from Bill.

Liam enters his dad's office, Hope by his side, and demands to hear the truth about the MRI. Bill warns that the truth doesn't always lead to freedom, but Liam counters that the same can be said of lies. When Bill claims he simply acted to keep his son from making the biggest mistake of his life, Liam states that he's not a puppet to be controlled and asks how the MRIs got switched. When Bill says he made a generous contribution to the hospital, Liam scoffs at the "philanthropic" gesture. Feeling like a chess pawn, Liam asks his father if Steffy was involved. Bill insists that she wasn't. Liam asks Bill why he did it; Bill claims he saw a problem and acted to fix it. Liam shakes his head at the collateral damage that came out of his father's act. Hope calls Bill arrogant; "Yes, I am," Bill agrees. "It's a byproduct of my success." Hope calls him out for hurting her, Liam and Steffy. Liam adds Katie to the list of those hurt. Bill says he's suffering the consequences of that, but Hope asks how that's possible when he hurt not only his son, but Steffy, Ridge, Taylor and her, the thorn in his side he loves to hate. Bill insists that he respects her and wants to make it up to her, but Hope refuses to be bought. Liam accuses Bill of treating his family like a business deal. Bill claims he's just learning that and asks Hope and Liam to help him by keeping this quiet. Hope can't believe he can ask that. Bill says he'll give her anything she wants, so she asks for his respect, his support... and his son. Liam asks how he can help; Bill asks for forgiveness, but Liam doesn't know if he can give that.

Bill backs up Steffy's story.

Bill states that he handled things the way he does in business, not realizing being a father isn't like being a CEO. Liam calls him out for treating their relationship like a deal. Bill suggests that he might overcompensate as a father because his father was never around, but he insists he wants a chance to do better. Steffy interrupts and asks Bill if he told Liam that she wasn't part of his insane plan. Bill states that he did. Steffy asks if they believed him. Bill tells Liam again that Steffy was not involved in his plans; he tells Liam to hate him if he needs someone to blame, since Steffy was not responsible, and he urges his son not to end his marriage over this. Bill then turns to Hope, apologizing for what he put her through while asking her not to interfere in Liam's marriage. Bill then turns back to Liam, stating that his son has two wonderful women who love him, but only one who is married to him. "Do what's right... stay with your wife," Bill implores.