Brooke was bombarded with questions when she walked through the door from the press conference. Bridget didn't buy the whole story that Whip was the father. She pleaded with Brooke to tell her the truth. Brooke said that there wasn't anything to explain. Bridget said that the situation with Whip just did not add up. "You never had a date with this man, let alone a relationship that would produce a baby," Bridget noted.
Brooke told Bridget, Rick, and Amber that the baby was a positive thing, and there was nothing negative about it. They commented that she certainly didn't show any feelings toward Whip. She told them that he was not going to be a part of the baby's life. "Then why would he announce it to the whole press?" they asked. She told them not to worry about it; she was happy to be having the baby. "Just put it out of your minds," she requested. They told her they just couldn't do that.
Meanwhile, Deacon and Megan were checking out Whip's background. Noticing he had started out in shipping, they were curious how Eric's assistant became a major player in advertising. Deacon warned Megan that he was only an opportunist out to manipulate the situation for his own personal benefit. Deacon said that Whip couldn't find out he was the father, or Whip would own all of them. "I can't let that happen," he warned.
Whip arrived at his apartment and proceeded to tell his mother he had been overlooked for the job Deacon had received, but he had a much better opportunity set in motion. His mother, not understanding, asked what he was going to do. He told her he had taken the rap for Brooke's pregnancy, and he was going to use it to get big bucks. She told him it was not right, and he couldn't do it. "We have paid enough dues. Now it's their turn," he stated. He said he wasn't blackmailing Brooke; she was just paying him to keep a secret for her.
Deacon called Brooke. She told him she felt Whip was harmless, but she received another call, and it was Whip asking to stop over and help her relax. She told him she didn't want company. She got back on the phone with Deacon and told him that Whip was going to be trouble. Deacon was livid.
While Brooke was resting in her office, she dreamed that she and Deacon had a chat about their future together. In the dream, Deacon told Brooke that he loved her and wanted everyone to know that he was the father of her baby. Megan interrupted Brooke's dream when she went into Brooke's office to inform Brooke that news reporters were waiting to interview her.
Megan encouraged Brooke to stop all of her lies and reveal that Deacon was the father of her child. Brooke told Megan she could never do that, even though she and Deacon loved each other very much. Brooke acknowledged that Bridget loved Deacon very much also. Brooke agreed with Megan that the media had created a circus out of her situation. Brooke admitted she was willing to put up with the media in order to protect Bridget from learning that Deacon was the father of her baby.
Whip showed his mother the newspaper article that named him as the father of Brooke's baby. Whip remarked that he had done things the honest way by working hard for the past twelve years at Forrester Creations. Whip said the job he should have been promoted to had been given away to a bartender, who was Brooke's son-in-law. Whip told his mother he would gain money and prestige by being the father of Brooke's baby.
In Deacon's office, Bridget suggested to Deacon that they could provide Brooke with an example of what a healthy relationship was like. Bridget figured that the next time Brooke got into a relationship, she would know how to pick a man as wonderful as Deacon was. Bridget confided to Deacon that for many reasons, she'd never like Whip. Bridget particularly didn't trust him because he'd just stood by while Brooke had almost lost her company.
Whip went to Brooke's office with reporters, Janine and Todd. Whip told the reporters to snap photos of him and Brooke together in their happy relationship. After the reporters left, Whip tried to ply information from Brooke about who the father of her baby was. Whip began to become somewhat romantic with Brooke. Brooke told Whip never to touch her.
Deacon entered the office and saw that Whip had his hands on Brooke. Deacon lunged at Whip and knocked him over with a punch. Whip accused Deacon of acting like a jealous boyfriend. Suddenly, Whip realized that Deacon was the father of Brooke's baby.
Amber envisioned a life at Forrester Creations as a designer. While Amber worked on a sketch, Ridge interrupted and quickly put her in her place. He told Amber that she was qualified to work there as a janitor and promised that no sketch of hers would ever see the light of day while he was head designer. Rick, however, promised to show Amber's sketch to his mother for possible production at Forrester.
Realizing that Whip might know Deacon's paternity secret, Deacon pretended to be amused at the suggestion of being the father of Brooke's baby. Deacon encouraged Brooke to tell the truth to Whip about the baby's paternity. Brooke refused, saying that it was none of Deacon's business. Bridget walked into Brooke's office and scolded Whip for not caring more about her mother and the baby. Whip told her that Deacon was being very caring and protective of her mother.
Whip informed Bridget that he and the man who had done that to her mother were two totally different people. Whip told Brooke that he was not the enemy and that he, Deacon, and Brooke were all in the mess together. As Whip left the office, smirking, Brooke and Deacon were more fearful that Whip knew their dirty secret.
Outside Brooke's office, Whip eavesdropped on Brooke and Deacon. Whip figured that Brooke and Deacon were scared that he'd tell Bridget that Deacon was the father of Brooke's baby. Whip arrogantly thought they should be scared if Deacon was the baby's father.
Meanwhile, Brooke criticized Deacon for attacking Whip. That was the reason Whip was suspicious that Deacon was the father of her baby. Brooke was worried that if Whip told Bridget the truth, Amber would know it was true. Brooke was worried that Amber would tell Bridget that Deacon had lied about his whereabouts when he'd gone to Ojai to visit Brooke. Deacon advised Brooke to bury the hatchet with Amber because they could need her as an ally in the future.
Stephanie advised Ridge that Eric would not allow Brooke to put Amber's design into production. Stephanie explained that Eric hadn't fought Brooke before then because she hadn't interfered with designs.
Brooke told Amber that she liked Amber's design. With a little convincing from Rick, Brooke agreed to put Amber's design into production immediately. Brooke and Rick decided to inform the board of the decision at that day's meeting. Brooke's mission to win Amber over was partially accomplished.
Amber was completely thrilled that Brooke was going to put her design into production. Amber told Rick, "Nobody can call me trailer trash any longer." Rick assured her that she had really made something of herself, and he was proud of her for it.
Prior to the board meeting, Kristen advised Eric and Thorne that Amber had a design to submit. Eric advised them to go along with Brooke if she chose to put Amber's design into production. Eric thought that perhaps Amber should have her own line because it would most certainly fail quickly. Thorne was surprised that Eric would allow Amber's design to be put into production. Eric explained that he wanted to keep peace in the family at any cost.
Brooke took Amber to the board meeting. Rick announced that Amber's design would be put into production with Brooke's approval. Ridge was mortified that Eric was not fighting with Brooke over Amber's design. Ridge demanded that Brooke reinstate him as CEO of Forrester Creations, or he would resign.
Eric accused Ridge of being selfish and angry because he wasn't getting his way. Eric suggested that the board vote whether or not they should accept Ridge's resignation. Stephanie voted against accepting Ridge's resignation. On the other hand, Thorne, Kristen, Brooke, and Eric all voted to accept Ridge's resignation from Forrester Creations.
Ridge was furious with the board for thinking they could vote him out and expect the company to still be successful. According to him, he was "Forrester's lifeblood." He just could not believe that his father, brother Thorne, and sister Kristen could all band together and side with Brooke and Rick to vote him out -- Ridge Forrester, fired! He told them every one of them made him sick. Brooke said they were not getting anywhere with Ridge being as angry as he was and suggested they take a break and return after he cooled down.
Everyone made a move to leave the room, but Ridge stopped Eric and told him they were not through yet. Eric tried to explain to Ridge that he hadn't voted against Ridge; he had voted against chaos and in favor of restoring harmony to the scandal-riddled company. He said he'd asked Ridge time after time to adjust his attitude, redirect, and focus his attention on moving forward instead of concentrating on destructive and disruptive behavior that kept making things crazy at Forrester.
Ridge told Eric that Eric hadn't explored every possible way of fighting Brooke; he had just taken her side. Stephanie, who was also in the room, said she didn't understand Eric's actions either.
After Ridge stormed out, Stephanie really tore into Eric, telling him not to kid himself into thinking that he'd done what he had for the sake of the company. Stephanie told Eric that Ridge wasn't fighting Brooke for himself as much as he was fighting for Eric and Eric's dreams for the company. Stephanie said that by siding with Brooke, Eric had helped to turn the company over to amateurs and stabbed Ridge in the back. Ultimately, she insisted that, by his actions, he had not only betrayed Ridge but himself -- and in the process, destroyed whatever legacy he'd thought he would be establishing at Forrester.
Massimo ran into Taylor at Insomnia. Taylor told him she was aware of the job offer he had made to Ridge but questioned his motives. Taylor indicated she didn't completely understand Massimo's behavior and speculated he might be making the offer to Ridge as a means of driving a wedge between Ridge and Eric. Taylor indicated that no matter what happened, Eric would never let Ridge down. Every time Massimo said something negative about Eric and his disloyalty to his family, Taylor questioned Massimo on his own character. Massimo told Taylor he was jealous of her and what she had in terms of family life and happiness.
Rick, Amber, Deacon, and Whip all went to Ridge's office to try to get him to sit down with them and "talk over" their differences. Ridge got verbally down and dirty. He told them again they were a bunch of amateurs: a college boy, Rick; a bartender, Deacon; an everyday high-profile employee who happened to have impregnated the head of the company, Whip; and a tramp, as in trailer trash, Amber.
When Amber asked Ridge, "What did you call me?" Ridge didn't hesitate to repeat his comments and add to them by telling Amber she really fit right in at Forrester, based on the way she had lied and manipulated her way into the family. He added, "One thing about trash is that no matter where it goes, it still stinks." Rick got between Amber and Ridge as the pregnant Amber charged at Ridge. Ridge threw Rick up against the wall. Deacon tried to break it up and told Ridge to "leave the kid alone." Whip was getting a good laugh at all the goings-on.
When Ridge still held onto Rick, Deacon moved to try to get him to take his hands off Rick, and Ridge swung around and punched Deacon, a hard right to the jaw, knocking him down. Deacon jumped up and didn't hold back with his knowledge of karate. A roundhouse kick to the head and a kick to the chest sent Ridge over the top of the desk and onto the floor. Unfortunately, in the fall, glass broke, and Ridge ended up with blood running down his left hand and a piece of glass protruding from the top of his hand. Ridge twisted in pain, holding his hand and crying, "My hand, my hand."
