At the Athletic Club, Audra demanded to know how badly Kyle had thrown her under the bus. Nate added that he was curious, too. Kyle reminded Audra of the reason that only the two of them could discuss private Glissade business, and Nate guessed Kyle was referring to the mystery investor. Audra pulled Kyle aside, and he accused her of trying to goad him into slipping up and revealing Victor's role. Audra defended that she had her hands full trying to protect herself from Kyle, adding that he still hadn't denied doing his "damnedest" to sabotage her.

Audra ordered Kyle to spill what he'd said to Victor after she'd been dismissed. He reported that they'd talked about his custody battle with Summer, and he lectured that not everything was about Glissade or Audra. Audra stressed that Victor had made it clear that he expected her and Kyle to work together. Kyle snapped that she'd been the one to set up a private meeting with Victor without Kyle. Kyle contended that if they were going to try to be the kind of partners Victor wanted them to be, they needed to put an end to the mistrust between them.

Summer apologized for interrupting and requested to speak with Kyle alone. Audra barked that there were a few things she and Summer needed to clarify first, and she accused Summer of dragging her into a custody battle with a boy she'd had zero contact with. Kyle explained that he'd been trying to understand where Summer's anger toward Audra had stemmed from, so he'd asked Audra if she'd done something to incite Summer. Audra ordered Summer to stop trying to blame her for Summer's custody issues because Audra wasn't Summer's problem -- unless Summer wanted her to be.

Summer insisted that she and Kyle talk privately, since she'd been thinking about their last conversation, and she wanted their next one to be much more civil. Audra wished him luck, and Kyle and Summer walked away. Audra rejoined Nate, who remarked, "You've gotta know this isn't going to work out, right?" Audra was taken aback that Nate thought their relationship wouldn't work because she'd stepped away for a brief conversation with a work colleague.

Nate clarified that he'd been referring to Audra's ill-fated partnership with Kyle, and he assured her that their own relationship was "oozing with potential." She smiled and confirmed that she wasn't thrilled about her partnership with Kyle. Audra intended to find a way to manipulate the dynamic to her advantage, but Nate thought it was clear that Kyle didn't trust her. Nate pointed out that Kyle had gone behind her back to make his distrust of her clear to their mystery investor -- again.

Audra explained that the investor had made it a condition of the deal that she and Kyle find a way to work together. Nate questioned why the investor was "hellbent" on keeping Kyle around. Audra figured that while she knew Glissade inside and out, Kyle had grown up in the cosmetics industry, and she surmised that the investor valued that experience. Nate argued that Kyle had simply been handed a high-level position in his family's company, yet the investor had made hiring Kyle a condition of providing his financial support. Audra suspected that Nate was attempting to get her to reveal who the investor was, but she warned that it wouldn't happen. Nate proclaimed that he already knew who it was -- Victor Newman.

Audra teased Nate for going back to his old conspiracy theory about Victor. Nate mentioned the well-known rivalry between Victor and Jack, and he thought Victor would love nothing more than to be behind a company that took down Jabot. Nate considered it to be Victor's "M.O." to find his enemy's weak spot and go after it, and Jack's love for his son was his weakness. Audra realized that Victor wasn't interested in Kyle for his business acumen but for the emotional damage it could cause Jack. Nate anticipated that if Victor was the mystery investor, Kyle would be nothing more than an asset in whatever move Victor had planned next.

Audra offered to tell Nate something highly confidential that she hadn't shared with anyone else -- but only if he swore it wouldn't go beyond that table. Nate scoffed at the idea that he'd betray her confidence. Audra glanced around, leaned in, and confirmed that Victor was her secret investor. She admitted that she'd been thrilled at first, but she didn't like where things seemed to be headed because none of it was good.

Audra shared that she hadn't thought Victor's ulterior motives would matter, since he would see she was capable of making Glissade a success. She was confident that she could manage the situation, but Nate chuckled at the idea of managing Victor. Audra recognized that the only reason Victor had invested in Glissade was to use it as a tool to hurt Jack and Jabot, and she hadn't expected it to be that personal. Audra groused that her entire job might be contingent on a family feud, and it was a battle she had no desire to get caught in the middle of.

In the jazz lounge, Summer said she regretted how far off the rails her last conversation with Kyle had gone. Kyle apologized for how he'd reacted, and Summer conceded that he'd had a point. She acknowledged that after all the years they'd spent together, they knew how to push one another's buttons. He swore that he'd been sincere about trying to find common ground, and she believed him. Kyle recounted that Summer had thrown out ultimatums about him getting Audra out of his life and business. Summer guessed he still wasn't willing to do it.

Kyle asked Summer to explain her intense hatred toward Audra. Summer admitted that she couldn't trust Audra, and something inside her couldn't stand the idea of Audra being around Harrison. Summer believed that Audra had a negative effect on Kyle, and it had been the reason he'd turned his back on his parents and Jabot. Kyle insisted that it had been more about his mother. Summer recalled that Audra had turned on Kyle the first time they'd partnered together.

Summer had thought Kyle had learned his lesson after Audra had played him, but he vaguely stated that the situation was more complicated than that. Summer asserted that the only reason Audra had Glissade was because she'd stabbed Tucker in the back, too, and someone that untrustworthy didn't need to be around Harrison. Summer confessed that what bothered her most was that Kyle didn't see it, and she didn't understand why he was adamant about being in business with someone who'd already screwed him over. Summer scrutinized the look on his face and realized he didn't trust Audra, either.

Kyle recounted that his mother had fired him from the family company, and his father had done nothing to defend him. He asserted that his knowledge of the industry made him the partner Audra had been looking for, and there had been no reason not to jump on a great offer. He reasoned that he and Audra didn't have to like one another to work together. Summer argued that the two had to trust one another, but he didn't trust Audra. Summer thought there was more to it than what he was saying.

At Newman Enterprises, Michael asked if Victor had a spare moment for an ex-staffer. Victor gruffly replied that human resources was one floor down, but Michael told him not to be that way when Victor was about to reinstate his past and future number one employee. Victor huffed that it depended on whether or not Michael was there empty-handed, and he inquired whether Michael had something damaging to report about Billy. Michael indicated that Billy had been keeping his nose clean, and there had been no new screwups since the disaster at ChancComm.

Michael cited Billy's old transgressions, noting that they were well-known and wouldn't be useful. Victor insisted that Michael find something new. Michael explained that Billy had remained scandal-free, in spite of hopping from company to company, and Billy's personal life had been pristine since he'd been with Chelsea. Michael revealed that he'd discovered something else disturbing that wasn't directly related to Billy, and he didn't think Victor was going to like it.

Michael was sure Victor was aware of the rumor that Billy would be taking control of Chancellor and overseeing the split with Winters. Michael shared that he'd wondered why Jill had suddenly relinquished control, so he'd done some investigating and found out that Jill was with her brother, Snapper -- the doctor. Michael reported that Jill seemed to be undergoing medical treatment for cardiac issues. Victor said he was sorry to hear it.

Michael disclosed that he knew nothing more than that Jill was being treated, but he believed it explained why she'd suddenly handed control of Chancellor to her son. Victor bet Jill was testing whether Billy was able to do the job, and he would have preferred if Jill had put the company in Lily's capable hands. Victor groused that "Billy Boy" might be Jill's son, but Billy had nothing where business savvy was concerned, nor had he inherited any of his father's business acumen.

Michael declared that he'd upheld his end of the bargain, and he wanted answers about why Victor was so interested in Billy and Chancellor. Michael guessed that Victor was planning to wrestle the company away from Billy. Victor contended that there was no need because Billy would tank the company on his own, and Victor would swoop in and save Katherine's legacy by putting Nikki in charge. Michael called it the perfect choice, given how close the women had been.

Michael begged Victor not to weaponize Jill's medical condition against her own son. Victor instructed Michael to find out everything he could about the severity of Jill's heart problems, and he suggested Lauren might know what was going on with her sister. Michael hesitated to use his family connections, but he agreed to see what he could do. "So, we're all good?" Michael asked. Victor barked that they weren't, but they would talk about it if Michael found some useful information.

On the Crimson Lights patio, Billy told Chelsea he'd overheard her in the park, and she was clearly keeping something from him. She maintained that she still felt guilty about getting into a fight with Adam when she should have been focused on Connor. Billy swore that he wasn't trying to accuse her of anything, but he could tell that whatever secret she was keeping was eating her up. He urged her to just tell him what had really happened in Baltimore with Adam. Chelsea blurted out that she couldn't deal with "this" with everything that was going on.

Billy inquired whether Chelsea didn't trust him enough to open up to him. Chelsea insisted that she trusted him, but Connor was upstairs alone and needed her full attention. Billy worried that whatever was bothering her wasn't good for her, and he thought it was important that they talk about it. Chelsea objected to doing it then, and she rambled about needing to spend time with Connor to be able to answer the doctors' questions about how he was doing. Billy questioned whether she didn't have time for him or their relationship.

Chelsea supposed she needed a bit of time and space to focus on Connor's recovery. Billy agreed to give her space, but he warned that she couldn't avoid the topic forever. Chelsea swore she wasn't trying to avoid Billy, but she needed to make Connor her priority and wasn't sure she could set aside an uninterrupted block of time. Billy cautioned that he could see that the stress of the secret was tearing her up inside, and it wasn't good. Chelsea repeated that she couldn't do it right then. She kissed him and walked away.

At home, Sally said she knew Adam, and there was no denying that he was keeping something from her. She said she couldn't take it anymore, and he asked why she kept pushing. Sally demanded an end to the deception, and she implored him to stop gaslighting her and tell her what was going on. She added that she knew deception because she'd spent her life perfecting the skill -- and she was good at it and even better at spotting it. Sally flatly asked what had happened that had made Chelsea feel so guilty about "that one night."

Adam stuck to the story that he and Chelsea had said a lot of unforgettable and unforgivable things during their fight in Baltimore. Adam continued that Connor's situation had had them both on edge, and they'd been devastated when the doctor had told them that their presence could trigger their son's OCD. Sally sympathized that it had been a difficult time, and Adam apologized for not being as attentive as he should have been toward her. He swore that he was trying to get a handle on it, and he begged her to believe him. Sally replied that she wanted to believe him more than anything, but she couldn't shake the feeling he was lying to her.

Adam questioned why he'd lie to Sally. She recalled that when she and Billy had seen Adam and Chelsea in the park, there had been a lot more going on than what Adam had claimed. Sally referred to the tone of their voices and the expressions on their faces that had shown no anger or resentment. Adam reasoned that he and Chelsea had already gotten through the worst of it, but Chelsea was still struggling with the guilt she felt.

Adam chalked it up to him and Chelsea having to learn how to parent Connor all over again to properly manage Connor's OCD, fighting their instincts because they'd had to change how they reacted to their son. Adam contended that Chelsea was worried they'd make a mistake that would cause a setback, and the responsibility was overwhelming. Adam spat that it didn't help that Billy kept hammering Chelsea with questions and suspicions, and he wished Billy would keep his insecurities to himself. Adam asked Sally to promise that she wouldn't let Billy's paranoia get to her.

Adam asked if Sally trusted him. She replied that she'd thought she did, but he'd been keeping her at a distance since he'd gotten back from Baltimore, and she knew something was going on with him that he wasn't telling her about. Sally continued that he'd asked her to move in with him to be closer, but she'd felt further away from him than when they'd lived apart. Adam swore that he couldn't be happier that she'd moved in, and it meant everything to him.

Adam wished Sally could believe him. "I do, too, but I don't," she tearfully responded. Adam proclaimed his love and promised that things would get better. Sally asked if he expected her to just wait around until that magically happened, and he remained silent. She grabbed her purse and keys and walked out.

Billy strolled through the park and despondently plopped down on a bench. A glum Sally approached, and Billy asked if Adam had opened up to her about what they'd overheard. Sally relayed that it had just been more of the same story about Adam and Chelsea's fight. Billy wasn't surprised, and he shared that Chelsea had made a few excuses before running out as soon as she could. Billy sensed that it was getting difficult for Chelsea to keep it in, and she wouldn't be able to do it much longer. Sally griped that she was sick of trying to fill in the blanks of what had really happened on "that one night."

Meanwhile, Adam descended the stairs after getting Connor settled in and thanked Chelsea for dropping their son off. Adam asked what had happened with Billy. Chelsea reported that her beau had wanted to talk, but she'd pushed him away by telling him she needed space. Chelsea wailed that she couldn't keep putting Billy off by avoiding his questions and making excuses about why she couldn't talk to him. She insisted that her focus be on Connor and not worrying that the secret would get out. Adam empathized that he felt the same way with Sally, and he thought it would help everyone if Billy would "back the hell off."

Chelsea anticipated that Billy wouldn't back down, since he had every right and reason to ask questions. Adam insisted that she find a way to stop torturing herself, but she panicked that the more she evaded Billy's questions, the more suspicious he became. Chelsea asked what had happened with Sally. Adam groaned that it had killed him to flat-out lie to her, because he'd finally found someone who understood him for the first time in a long time. Chelsea felt the same way about Billy, and she thought Billy knew them well enough to know they were lying.

Adam growled that Billy had Sally worked up with his constant probing, and they had to find a way to put it behind them once and for all. Chelsea lamented that it was too late for that, and she questioned how many times she could push Billy away before he stopped coming back. Chelsea cried that they'd tried but failed to make it go away, and there was only one way out.

Adam protested that confessing would ruin everything, and he urged Chelsea not to give in. Chelsea refused to keep pushing Billy away when all she wanted was to hold onto him for dear life, and she couldn't lose him. She firmly stated that they had only one option -- they had to tell the truth.

• Kyle demands to know what Summer let happen to Harrison

• "Cameron" tells Sharon that he is there because she wants him to be

• Faith gets angry at Lucy for drinking at the concert