Managing to fly back to Africa quickly, Tony and Kristen stop by the orphanage and learn Zende tested negative for HIV. They then surprise Zende and claim that they left behind something very important when they left town. He's caught off guard when they reveal that they want to adopt him. Megan updates Brooke on the plans she has made for her out-of-town "retreat" and assures her that she has made sure that she will be near very competent OB/GYNs where she's staying. Brooke laments her nights with Deacon that have resulted in her pregnancy but Megan is quick to remind her of her many excuses. Eric advises Thorne about Ridge's anger over his decision regarding the breakdown of his shares of Forrester Creations stock. Hearing Ridge wants controlling interest, Thorne doesn't see the reason for Ridge's concern and stews about his selfishness. Ridge lets Brooke know that he was wrong to become so upset by her changing her mind about the stock and apologizes for his harsh words. Brooke announces that she's leaving town for awhile because of something that she did but then leaves him hanging when she won't reveals her reasons for the lengthy departure. Stephanie thanks Massimo for his talk with her about Ridge's future but he's not satisfied by Eric's offer.
Due to the Christmas holiday, a special "classic" episode was broadcast today in place of a regular episode. Programming will resume on Wednesday the 26th where Monday's show concluded.
Zende finally agrees when Tony and Kristen ask if he'd like to be adopted by them and live in America. He then says farewell to his friends at the orphanage and leaves with his new parents. Megan urges Brooke to stop beating herself up about her affair with Deacon and resulting pregnancy. She's shocked when Brooke admits that she almost told Ridge and advises her not to tell anyone. Discussing what's going to happen once she gives birth, Brooke explains to Megan that she can't end the pregnancy and doesn't know if she can give the baby up for adoption as Megan has urged. Megan then badmouths Deacon and stresses that he can never find out about the baby. After her children start guessing why she's leaving town, Brooke comes downstairs and wishes them well as she leaves. At Forrester, Ridge, Stephanie and Eric await the arrival of Jonathan to work on the new legal document concerning the stock transfer. Brooke arrives and announces that she is leaving town but not resigning. Stephanie demands to know where she's going but Brooke won't say and reminds them all that she owns 51% of the company through her blood, sweat and tears. Following her out, a smug Stephanie confronts Brooke and accuses her of abandoning her children. She later secretly watches as Brooke runs into Deacon and announces that she hates him for what he has done to her life.
At the Insomnia Café, Massimo noticed that Ridge was there. He congratulated Ridge on the fact that Eric would be turning his stocks over which would make Ridge CEO of Forrester Creations. Ridge was angry because he knew that if Massimo knew about Forrester business, that Stephanie was still friendly with Massimo. Ridge refused to shake Massimo's hand, then walked away from him.
At Forrester, Bridget worried about Brooke. As she started to go visit Brooke, Amber convinced her to stay for the important meeting at Forrester Creations instead. When Ridge arrived at Eric's meeting involving stock transfer, he told Stephanie he had spoken to Massimo at the Insomnia Café. Ridge told Stephanie he was angry that she was still friendly with Massimo. He blamed Massimo for ruining this day, the day that he would take control of Forrester Creations. Stephanie warned him that Brooke; not Massimo could ruin his day depending on what she does with her 51% share of the Forrester stocks. Connor Davis arrived to represent Brooke at the meeting. He wouldn't divulge in advance, what Brooke had planned.
Deacon popped into Brooke's office to inquire about her. Amber assured him that Bridget would be visiting her the following day to find out why she seems so depressed. Deacon's concern that Bridget would find out that he and Brooke had made love vanished when Amber told him that Rick and Bridget would soon be inheriting their 51% of Forrester Creations making them the chief owners. Deacon was delighted to hear this news.
At the Forrester Creations stockholders meeting, Eric told Rick and Bridget that when Brooke transfers her 51% of the stocks to them, he plans to exclude them from inheriting any part of his 49%. Rick and Bridget were in agreement with Eric's plan. Connor advised that Brooke who was not present at the meeting, had decided not to transfer her stocks at this time. Connor notified them that Brooke had decided the stocks could be transferred to Rick and Bridget upon her death or at any time earlier that she deems appropriate. Brooke designated Ridge as CEO during her leave of absence from Forrester. The Forrester's celebrated because Ridge would now run Forrester Creations in Brooke's absence.
Massimo fantasized that Ridge would come to love and respect him. Massimo also felt very deeply that some day this would be true. Massimo was concerned that Ridge's appointment of CEO of Forrester Creations would be worthless without his being the majority stockholder.
Eric tells Ridge that Forrester has never been in better hands. Stephanie is ecstatic that Brooke is gone and Ridge is in charge. Amber isn't thrilled about Eric's change in the division of stock and urges Rick to keep an eye on how Ridge is running the company. Rick assures Amber that Ridge is going to take great care of the company and not make any changes. Amber finally convinces him to go check things out. Ridge tells Eric that he intends to get back to the way the company was run in its golden age. Stephanie tells Taylor that she plans to take Brooke's office back as her own and tells Megan to have some men come and move the bed out so she can begin her purge. Megan interrupts Ridge and Eric to tell them that Stephanie has the movers in Brooke's office. Rick overhears Stephanie and Taylor trashing Brooke and confronts them, enraged.
