The fashion show continued while in the back room, Thorne, Felicia, and Stephanie were watching it on camera. Stephanie looked at Donna, who was fixing her makeup, and Stephanie told her kids that she loved Eric so much that she didn't want to see him take a big pratfall in front of the entire industry. Just then, someone delivered Donna a box of chocolates from Eric, who walked up from behind the mirror. She smiled and asked him how she was supposed to keep the hot body he liked so much when he gave her chocolates. Eric told her that it was the sweetness she gave him that he was returning with gratitude. They kissed and listened to the crowd applauding his designs.
Ridge reminded the models about their props, and Phoebe stepped in front of him, as she was next on the runway to model her outfit. Ridge ran into Brooke, and she told him she had been with Donna, who was on cloud nine. Ridge told her it should worry her, as Eric wasn't talking marriage, kids, or anything permanent. Brooke told him not to ruin that time for them as he looked at her skeptically.
Stephen, Katie, and Storm were watching the show, and Stephen was looking around, saying he was making sure Stephanie wasn't around, and Storm told him to give it a rest. Stephen announced he was going backstage to check on the girls and left with Katie following, telling Storm she'd handle it.
Donna was standing in front of a mirror when Stephanie walked up behind her. Donna turned, glared at her, and said, "Move, please. I need this mirror, and I don't want you cracking it." Stephanie replied, "If it's seven years bad luck you're worried about, believe me, if anything happens to you, luck will have nothing to do with it." Stephanie told Donna what a mistake she'd be making, and she asked if Donna would really want to humiliate Eric like that.
Donna insisted to Stephanie that she loved Eric, and Stephanie told her that if she really loved him, she wouldn't go out there. Stephanie told her it would embarrass Eric, and Donna told Stephanie to leave her alone as Stephen walked up. He told Stephanie that if she ruined it for his daughter, he'd tear her to pieces. Katie walked up and told him to calm down. Stephanie said that she'd tried, and she walked away.
Looking frustrated, Katie grabbed bottled water as Thorne sneaked up behind her and said, "Hello, gorgeous. Why the long face?" She told him she was trying to prevent an all-out war between her father and his mother. She told him that Stephen was afraid Stephanie was going to do something to ruin Donna's big moment, and Thorne told her no comment. Katie snapped at him and said, "Look, your father made a choice, so get used to it." She apologized to him, and they agreed they would set an example of peace between their families and seal it with a kiss.
Eric was watching the show from backstage, and he remembered past fashion shows with Stephanie by his side and her support and encouragement. He remembered her last words, telling him she loved him and begging him not to ruin his big moment. Meanwhile, backstage, Stephanie told Thorne and Felicia there was no dealing with Donna, and they had to go to Plan B. At the same time, Donna walked up to Eric, telling him that a rep from a department store had bought the whole line, sight unseen. They hugged and kissed, and she left to fix her lipstick.
Donna sat down and asked Felicia where her lipstick was. Felicia said she didn't know, and when Donna got up to look, Felicia told her she had a big chocolate stain on the back of her dress. She ushered Donna over to where Thorne was. He told her that steam should do the trick and hauled her over his shoulder. He and Felicia raced out of the room into the weight room, laughing hysterically.
Thorne told Donna he hadn't carried her over the threshold, so it should do as he put her down inside the steam room and shut the door. Felicia told Donna she was doing it for her father and the company and saving it from being trashed by Donna. They put a bar across the handle and told her they'd let her out when the fashion show ended, and they high-fived, blew Donna kisses, and left while Donna was banging and yelling to be let out. Stephanie ran into them, and they told her it was done.
In Jackie's office, she was telling Nick about Stephanie tossing her out of the fashion show. Nick was not pleased, so he got on the phone with his lawyer to find out how they could enforce the clause in the contract and then nail Stephanie for slandering his mother. Jackie told Nick that Clarke was downloading the designs from the Internet and working on them. He and Jackie agreed to go and check things out for themselves at the fashion show.
Nick and Jackie had walked into the showroom, and Stephen and Katie had returned to their seats as Eric walked out to announce the finale. He thanked everyone for attending and talked about his new love, his muse, and his inspiration that had gotten his creative juices flowing. He asked her to join him onstage without saying her name, and from behind the curtains, Thorne and Felicia encouraged Stephanie to go join him, where she belonged.
Stephanie walked out to a shocked Eric, Nick, Jackie, and Logan family and joined Eric. The platform started to rise as Eric asked where Donna was. Stephanie told him to put his arm around her, smile, and enjoy it. She told him they all loved him, and she loved him. He pasted on a forced smile for the crowd. Stephen watched, looking ready to kill.
After the Forrester Creations fashion show, Eric, was totally disgusted with Stephanie. Eric knew that Stephanie was responsible for Donna not being available for the showstopper and grand finale. Eric ordered Stephanie to meet him later in the showroom to discuss what she had done.
Eric, Stephen, Katie, Brooke, and Jake all searched frantically for Donna. They were worried that Stephanie had done physical harm to Donna. Jake located Donna and freed her from the sauna room. Donna told Eric that she could forgive Thorne and Felicia for locking her in the sauna room. Donna advised Eric that she would not forgive Stephanie. Donna wanted to put a stop to Stephanie's future evil deeds.
Ridge, Thorne, and Felicia approached Eric in his office to obtain his forgiveness. Ridge pointed out that although he had not known what Thorne and Felicia had planned for Donna, he agreed that it would have created a lot of scandal had Donna walked the runway with Eric. Eric was livid with all of them and explained that their behavior was an example of why he no longer wanted to live with the family. Felicia tried to convince Eric that he should remain with Stephanie, whom he still loved. She further hoped that they would be together in their golden years.
Stephen saw Stephanie in the showroom. He told Stephanie it would be his last conversation with her. Stephen proceeded to threaten Stephanie. Stephen told Stephanie that he was "not finished" with her, and that he would take care of her for hurting his family "all these years" and she "will never see it coming." Stephen left the room, and Stephanie did nothing about her conversation with Stephen.
Donna approached Stephanie. Stephanie rationalized preventing Donna from walking on the runway with Eric. Stephanie gave Donna the same old speech of how Eric would become tired of her after a while and return to Stephanie. Donna acknowledged that perhaps Eric would tire of her, but she would respect his choice, unlike Stephanie.
Donna told Stephanie it was the last time she would hurt Donna's family.
A few minutes later, while Stephanie was alone in the showroom, a gunshot rang out, and Stephanie was hit by the bullet. Stephanie fell to the floor.
Katie acted suspiciously when she stumbled upon Eric. Eric asked her if she had heard a loud noise. Donna entered the showroom and found Stephanie facedown on the floor, lying in a pool of blood. After seeing Stephanie's condition, Eric immediately called security for help. Eric commanded them to close off the building, just as Jackie rushed out the door.
News of the shooting spread throughout the building as all rushed in. Lt. Charlie Baker arrived, having been called by Storm regarding Donna's kidnapping. They immediately began questioning those who'd had motive to shoot Stephanie, namely, everybody in the room. Eric accompanied Stephanie to the emergency room and kissed her, to which Stephanie opened her eyes.
Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, CBS Daytime opted to air episodes of The Price is Right in place of its regular daytime dramas. No new episodes were broadcast. This schedule change was accounted for, and there were no "lost" episodes as a result of the programming change.
Regular broadcasting resumed on Monday, November 26.
Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, CBS opted to air college football in place of its regular daytime dramas. No new episodes were broadcast. This schedule change was accounted for, and there were no "lost" episodes as a result of the programming change.
Regular broadcasting resumed on Monday, November 26.
