In Drew's office at Aurora Media, Nina was frustrated by Drew's refusal to approve her budget, but he argued that her expenses were excessive. Nina insisted that she needed extra staff because it was fashion week in Paris, and Crimson had to have a notable presence. Unmoved, Drew stood his ground. Seconds later, Alexis appeared in the doorway, looking for Nina. Nina tried to dismiss Alexis, but Alexis explained that she needed to discuss an important matter with Nina.
Unconcerned, Nina asked if Alexis had forgotten that she was Alexis' boss. "Not anymore," Alexis replied with a smile. Annoyed, Nina asked what had upset Alexis "now." Alexis admitted that she'd been upset for a while because Nina had managed to turn a job that Alexis had never really loved into a job that Alexis hated. Nina argued that Alexis was bound by a contract, but Alexis informed Nina that Alexis and Shawn had never needed one. When Alexis mentioned that she would soon return to practicing law, Drew congratulated Alexis.
Nina was dismissive, and she informed Alexis that she intended to promote Adrian DeWitt to editor in chief of the Invader, effective immediately. After Nina marched out to make the phone call, Drew confessed that he'd enjoyed watching Alexis cut Nina down to size. It had been the most fun he'd had all week. Alexis returned his smile as he raised his hand to high-five her.
Later, Jordan stopped by for a visit with Drew. Drew was surprised to see her, so she explained that she'd just returned from a trip. Jordan revealed that she'd heard a rumor that he was running for Congress. Drew confirmed that it was true and that he planned to make the announcement once he'd changed his name to Quartermaine. Jordan was curious if the congressional run was an effort for Drew to raise his profile or if he planned to win the seat. Drew assured Jordan that he intended to give his campaign his all and secure the win.
Pleased, Jordan told Drew that he had her full support, but he had to win because his opponent -- Chelsea Grimes -- was unfit for the job. According to Jordan, Chelsea was willing to say or do anything to win, so she needed to be stopped at all costs. Jordan urged Drew not to delay his campaign. Moments later, Nina returned to pick up where she and Drew had left off, but she stopped short when she saw Jordan. Jordan explained that she had to leave, but she made a point of referring to Drew as "Congressman Quartermaine" as she bid him goodbye.
Nina questioned Drew about the reference, but Drew turned the conversation to their earlier budget talks by offering Nina a compromise. Nina happily accepted, but she reminded Drew that she had backed him when McConkey had asked her about him. She promised that she was all-in to get Drew elected, and she assured him that the Invader stood ready to support him at the "most opportune time." "If I knew what I was doing, I'd offer to be your campaign manager," Nina said. Surprised, Drew asked why she would help him.
"Why not?" Nina asked. She reminded Drew that they were getting along, Willow idolized him, and it was clearly something that he was committed to. Nina pointed out that she hadn't made it a secret that she wanted a better relationship with her daughter, and helping Drew would score points with Willow. However, Nina assured Drew that she believed in him, and he was no worse than other politicians and vastly preferrable to his opponent. Nina pointed out that -- if Drew wanted to win -- he would need all the help he could get.
At Kristina's apartment, Blaze searched for her phone. She found it seconds later, so Kristina invited Blaze to join her for breakfast. Blaze declined because she wanted to get to Deception before Natalia arrived because her mother could be demanding. Kristina reminded Blaze that Natalia had Blaze's best interests at heart. "Or what she thinks are my best interests. Not always the same thing," Blaze said.
Shortly after Blaze left, Alexis paid Kristina a visit to share the news that Alexis had quit her job at the Invader. Alexis filled her daughter in about her resignation and Nina's reaction. Kristina was happy for her mother, and she offered to make mocktails to celebrate. After Kristina disappeared into the kitchen, Alexis noticed an open file with a stack of résumés on an ottoman. Kristina returned to the living room with juice drinks and handed one to her mother. She offered a toast, but Alexis quickly seized the opportunity to ask Kristina about the résumés.
Kristina seemed hesitant as she explained that she was looking for someone to run her center while she went on maternity leave after the baby was born. Kristina admitted that she'd been overwhelmed by the impressive qualifications of the candidates, but Alexis reminded Kristina that the center wouldn't exist without Kristina. Kristina admitted that it was ironic that she would be taking a leave of absence just as the center was ready to open. Alexis assured Kristina that Kristina was entitled to take maternity leave, even as a surrogate.
Kristina appeared uncomfortable. "I know that," Kristina said as she began to fidget with the résumés. "Kristina, what aren't you saying?" Alexis asked. "That I'll be away from the center, giving birth to a baby that I have carried for nine months that was never meant to be mine," Kristina said. Kristina's eyes welled up with tears as she opened up to Alexis about the reality of her situation. Kristina acknowledged that both Sam and Alexis had been right to warn her and that she wondered if the baby would ever know that the woman holding them was their birth mother.
"I can't stop thinking about what's going to happen to me. What am I supposed to do, Mom?" Kristina asked. Alexis wiped away her own tears. Kristina wondered if she was expected to bounce back from the birth and return to the center as if nothing had happened, but Alexis assured Kristina that no one expected that. Alexis insisted that volunteering to have Molly and T.J.'s baby had been an incredibly generous gift, which was proof of Kristina's big heart. Alexis was also proud of her daughter for opening a youth center for the LGBTQ+ community.
Kristina smiled and attributed everything to having loving and supportive parents. Kristina admitted that Blaze hadn't had that with Natalia, while Kristina had been given the space to be who she was. Alexis hugged her daughter.
At Deception, Maxie, Lucy, and Scott went over the latest contract revision, which included Natalia's most recent demands. "You know that woman has given new meaning to the word 'momager,'" Lucy grumbled. Maxie added that Natalia had made certain that most of the work fell on Lois. Just then, Lois breezed into the office and explained that Brook Lynn was unable to attend the meeting because she was needed elsewhere. Lois refused to elaborate, but she happily launched into a story about being mistaken for Blaze's mom by fans during department store appearances. "Can you imagine?" Lois asked with a big smile.
"No, I can't," Natalia said from the doorway. Lois assured Natalia that she hadn't meant any disrespect, but it was Blaze's arrival that cut the tension. Blaze seemed happy about being the Face of Deception and shared that some of her fans thought Lois was her mother. Lois smiled brightly, while Maxie silently signaled to Lucy to start the meeting. Lucy took over, but things went off course when Lucy tried to take credit for splitting the duties of the Face of Deception between Blaze and Lois. Maxie was quick to remind Lucy how things had transpired and about Lucy's disastrous appearance on the Home & Heart shopping channel.
When Maxie praised Lois for being warm and approachable, Lucy was forced to agree. Meanwhile, Scott handed Natalia and Blaze each a copy of the revised contract. "Third time's the charm," Scott said. Lucy reminded everyone that it was technically the fourth time that they had tried to satisfy Blaze's mother. Natalia was unapologetic for being demanding on her daughter's behalf, and she suggested their meeting was validation that Natalia's efforts were successful. Natalia looked over things but immediately objected to one of the changes.
As Natalia, Scott, and Lucy argued about the inclusion of video interviews, Maxie's phone began to chime with alerts. Annoyed, Natalia glared at Maxie, so Maxie explained that she received notifications whenever Deception was mentioned on social media. The phone continued to sound with numerous notifications as the negotiations between Scott and Natalia continued. Eventually, Lucy asked Maxie to turn her phone off. Maxie picked it up, but her eyes landed on an article in the Invader. "Oh, my God," Maxie said.
At Metro Court, Ava stood on the balcony until she heard a knock on her suite's door. It was Trina, who had the printer's proofs for the upcoming gallery show. Ava looked the packet over, but she wasn't pleased with the results because the artist was very particular. Trina assured Ava that she would take care of things. When Trina asked if Ava needed anything else, Ava admitted that there was something. "You can tell me everything that Joss has ever told you about Sonny," Ava said. Shocked, Trina carefully explained that she didn't keep tabs on Sonny.
Ava insisted that she needed to protect herself because she was certain that Sonny intended to fight for full custody of Avery. She implored Trina to be her eyes and ears. "Please, just listen to Joss and pass on anything she says about Sonny," Ava asked. Ava feared that it was only a matter of time before Sonny revoked their shared custody agreement, which Ava refused to let that happen. Trina explained that Josslyn never talked about Sonny. Disappointed, Ava asked Trina to let her know if Trina thought of anything.
Later, Adrian DeWitt arrived, but he was not used to being summoned. Ava asked what Adrian knew about Natalia Ramirez. Adrian recalled that Natalia was the mother of pop star Blaze, so Ava asked if Adrian had listened to the small audio file that Ava had sent. Adrian admitted that it had been a busy morning, but he pulled the audio file up on his phone. His jaw dropped as he listened to Natalia talk about Blaze and Kristina's relationship in a derogatory way.
After the audio ended, Adrian asked Ava if it was real. She assured him that it was, and he could use it as long as it wasn't traced back to her. Adrian promised that he always protected his sources, but he realized the impact the bombshell would have on Blaze as the new Face of Deception. He admitted that Ava's timing was perfect because Alexis was out at the Invader, and he'd been promoted to editor in chief. Adrian instructed Ava to send the entire file to the anonymous tipline because he intended to print the story later that day.
At the hotel's pool, Gio greeted Sonny and Avery. After Avery ran over to Josslyn, Sonny asked Gio how things were going at the Quartermaine mansion. Gio admitted that it was nice to have plenty of places to go and practice his music without bothering anyone. He also revealed that Josslyn and Trina would be moving into an apartment on the property. A few minutes later, Sonny approached Josslyn and thanked her for looking out for Gio. However, he asked Josslyn not to share her personal views about him. "I think it would be better to leave the subject of me out of the equation," Sonny said.
Josslyn admitted that Gio was a nice guy, and it was clear that Gio had put Sonny on a pedestal, so she had not said anything to Gio. "And I don't expect that to change," Josslyn added. Sonny thanked her, but Josslyn admitted that she regretted trying to open Kristina's eyes about Sonny. She acknowledged that it hadn't been her place, and Kristina was entitled to "those illusions" about her father. Josslyn had no intention of making the same mistake twice, and if Gio learned the truth about Sonny, it would be because of something that Sonny had done.
A short time later, Josslyn saw Trina arrive. Josslyn ran over to her friend, but it was clear that Trina was troubled. Trina told Josslyn about the encounter with Ava, but Josslyn didn't think it was a good idea for them to talk about Ava because Josslyn couldn't be objective. Trina invited Josslyn to speak her mind, prompting Josslyn to admit that she thought Avery was better off with Sonny. Trina explained that she considered Ava to be a close friend because Ava had always been supportive. "But the Ava that I've been seeing lately...it's like the one Spencer used to talk about," Trina confided.
Josslyn was certain that a custody fight between Sonny and Ava would be ugly. Trina agreed, which was why Trina intended to stay out of it, including as a go-between. Trina felt bad for Avery because Avery would be caught in the middle.
After Josslyn returned to work, Trina ran into Gio. She explained that she was at the hotel for work. She offered to show him the proofs for the opening he was performing at. He smiled when he saw his name because he knew that it had been Trina's doing. Gio confessed that he was amazed at all the wonderful people he had met in Port Charles.
A short time later, Josslyn saw Ava arrive. She quickly enlisted Gio's help by asking him to follow her lead. Josslyn approached Avery and told her that ice cream was being served in the garden. When both Sonny and Ava agreed that Avery could have some ice cream, Gio took Avery to the garden. Once they were alone, Sonny made it clear that he had kicked Ava out because he didn't want to lay eyes on her again. Ava claimed that she had just stopped by the pool to say hello. "As long as we understand each other," Sonny said.
Ava warned Sonny not to try to take Avery away from her because it would go worse for Sonny than he could imagine. Sonny asked if Ava was threatening him. "It's not a threat; it's a promise," Ava said. She advised Sonny not to forget what she was capable of because she vowed to do whatever she had to in order to keep Avery. Ava warned Sonny that he couldn't afford the type of trouble that she could make for him.
Nearby, Josslyn watched the tense exchange between Sonny and Ava.
Diane arrived at Sonny's office. Sonny told her that Avery was not safe with Ava and that Sonny wanted Avery with him. Sonny told Diane that he wanted sole custody of Avery with no visitation for Ava. Diane advised Sonny that in order for him to get sole custody of Avery, Sonny would have to prove that Ava was more unfit than Sonny to raise a child.
Diane pointed out that Avery was no longer a baby, and if Avery saw her father try to take her away from her mother, it could damage Avery's relationship with Sonny. "I'd rather her hate her father than become her mother," Sonny said. Diane started to dictate some notes for herself into her phone, but it sounded an alert. She told Sonny the alert signaled a big problem. Diane quickly excused herself to make a phone call.
Ava sat in her room at the Metro Court. Her laptop was open to the front page of the Invader. The headline read, "FACE OF HER DAUGHTER'S DECEPTION." The article revealed all the details of Allie's relationships with both her mother and Kristina. The article also included a link to the audio file of Natalia's remarks to Ava. The comments on the article were bigoted and brutal. Ava was upset at having read them. She called the Invader office and demanded that Adrian DeWitt sneak his way over to her room immediately.
Soon after, Adrian arrived, gasping for breath. He informed Ava that the story had been picked up, and Adrian was in demand by interviewers, including TMZ and Andy Cohen. Ava reminded him that she had taken great care to edit herself out of the recorded conversation with Natalia. Ava demanded that Adrian keep her name out of it.
Ava warned Adrian not to even let her name cross his lips. She threatened that she could arrange for Adrian to be forced to type with his toes. "Men have killed on my behalf for a lot less," Ava scowled. Ava ordered Adrian to take down the story, since it had served its purpose. Adrian informed Ava that the wire services had picked up the story. It was too late to turn back. Ava had a look of anxious regret on her face.
Ava told Adrian that she hadn't wanted to hurt Allie, Kristina, or herself. She told Adrian that if he kept his mouth shut, Ava would have plausible deniability. Adrian was prepared to tell anyone who asked that the recording had come in through the Invader's anonymous tip line. Ava sent Adrian on his way.
Alexis and Kristina sat on the sofa at Kristina's apartment. Kristina showed her mother the résumés of the top five candidates to fill in for Kristina at the LGBTQ center. Alexis told Kristina, "I'm not concerned about the center right now. I'm concerned about you." Alexis reminded Kristina that the last part of a pregnancy could be challenging, daunting, and scary, but she would always be there for Kristina.
Diane called Alexis and asked her about the news article. Alexis revealed that she had quit the tabloid that morning. At that point, Sonny also had the article on his computer screen. Diane assured Sonny that Alexis was with Kristina.
Diane told Alexis to go to the Invader's website immediately. Diane added, "Make sure you turn the audio up. And tell Kristina I'm sorry." Alexis sat back down on the sofa and played the audio file. Kristina couldn't bear to listen to the entire clip. Alexis offered to help, but Kristina, though angry, remained level-headed. Kristina assumed that Allie was dealing with the Deception PR people.
Kristina realized that the scandal might jeopardize her position at her own foundation. Alexis advised Kristina not to jump to conclusions. Alexis expressed concern that Allie had been robbed of the chance to come out of the closet on her own terms. Alexis grabbed her bag and dashed off to confront Adrian.
Maxie was still in her office at Deception with Allie, Natalia, Lois, Lucy, and Scott, as Maxie read the Invader article about Natalia. Lucy also got an alert about Deception being in the news. Natalia declared that if the Deception staff had created a "media disaster," Natalia wanted to know what was going on. Maxie replied, "Oh, there's a disaster, all right, but we're not the ones who caused it."
Maxie played the recording. As the clip ended, Allie was furious. "Well, don't hold back, Mom! Tell us how you really feel!" Allie exclaimed. Natalia admitted that it was her voice on the recording. Scott asked if the PR department had a crisis-management team. Lucy revealed that the team had been fired in order to cut costs.
Maxie silenced the people in the room at her Deception office. She took charge and told everyone what was going to happen: Lucy was to call the PR team to coordinate a response. Lois was to have Brook Lynne lock down all of Deception's social media accounts, "no comments allowed." Maxie told Scott to guard the door. "From who?" Scott asked. Maxie replied, "From Tracy. We're all gonna need protection if our stock takes a nosedive!"
Maxie turned to Natalia. Maxie demanded that Natalia tell her everything that Natalia knew about the recording. Natalia swore she didn't remember having said those things, nor to whom she had said them. "Because you say such vile, disgusting things so often... to so many people?" Allie snapped.
Natalia couldn't recall having ever said those words to anyone. Allie realized that the article would have an impact on her musical career. Natalia offered to draft a joint statement with Allie. Allie refused to be publicly associated with Natalia after learning how Natalia really felt about her.
Allie called her mother out on all the homophobic things Natalia had ever said. Lucy found it ironic that the person who had "locked poor Blaze in a closet is the same person who just outed her." Natalia claimed to have also been a victim of whoever had made the recording. That made Allie even angrier. Allie accused her mother of having destroyed Allie's future in music. Allie stormed off.
Scott tried to leave, but Lucy stopped him. She figured they might need a lawyer around. Lucy tore up Allie's contract, right in front of Natalia. Natalia threatened to involve the press and the courts if Deception tried to get rid of Allie. Maxie explained to Natalia that Deception, with its diverse clientele, could not afford to have a spokesperson who was afraid to be gay. Maxie gave Natalia an ultimatum: "Deception is a gay-friendly company. So, you and Blaze need to get with the program... or kick rocks."
Lois tried to defuse the situation. She suggested that the contract negotiations should wait, the rest of them should work on the PR response, and Natalia should go after Allie to try to make peace with her daughter. Natalia told Lois that Natalia's relationship with her daughter was none of Lois' business, nor that of any of the others. Natalia picked up her things and left.
Maxie, Lucy, Lois, and Scott sat down to brainstorm their next move. Lois suggested that she cut back on appearances, so as not to be projecting "business as usual." Lucy and Scott disagreed. They wanted to confront the issue head-on. Lucy insisted that Deception had to issue a statement immediately, before the backlash got any worse. Scott asked Maxie, "Is Blaze in? Or is she out?"
Sonny couldn't believe that Natalia had said such things. Sonny wondered if the clip could have been a fake. Diane reckoned that the Invader would open themselves up to a huge lawsuit if they had run such an inflammatory story without having authenticated it. Diane told Sonny that Alexis had quit the Invader that morning and that Alexis had known nothing of the story until Diane had told her. Sonny concluded, "Whoever did this, they hurt my daughter, and that means there's a target on their back."
Diane cautioned Sonny about saying things that might be recorded and used against him in a custody battle. Sonny received a news notification and got upset when he read it. He handed his phone to Diane, who said, "Activists on social media are calling on Kristina to resign from the LGBTQ center that she founded." The complaint was that Kristina was dating someone who was in the closet. Kristina was also being accused of having "internalized homophobia."
Sonny was furious. When Diane handed him back his phone, Sonny threw it across the room. It whizzed past Diane's head, hit the door, and fell to the floor.
Allie returned to the apartment. She had hoped that Kristina hadn't seen the article. Kristina had been reading comments on Instagram. "Looks like I'm canceled," Kristina said. Allie replied, "I think we both are."
Allie blamed herself for Kristina's troubles. Kristina blamed Natalia. Allie offered Kristina "no hard feelings" if Kristina wanted them to go their separate ways. Allie stood to leave. Kristina said, "Don't you dare. You're not going anywhere." Kristina told Allie that everything would be okay and that the two of them would get through it. "I have faith in us," Kristina said. She asked if Allie felt the same way. Allie, tears in her eyes, replied, "I'm sorry, Kristina. I don't."
Allie said she could not see a path forward for herself and Kristina. Kristina offered to guide them through it. Kristina insisted that Allie's big heart and Kristina's love for her would get Allie past anything anyone would ever say about them. Kristina was determined to fight for their love.
Adrian stretched out on a chaise at the Metro Court pool. He ordered a pitcher of margaritas and some food -- and put it all on Nina's tab. Alexis found him there after having harassed Adrian's assistant. Adrian tried to dismiss Alexis. Alexis told Adrian that she was going to sue both him and the Invader "into oblivion."
Adrian dared Alexis to do her worst. He reminded Alexis that, as far as recordings were concerned, New York was a one-party-consent state. Alexis suggested that Adrian seek counsel for when Nina realized how open to lawsuits Adrian had left the paper -- and Nina herself.
Adrian claimed that Blaze, as the "Face of Deception" and a famous singer, was not entitled to privacy. Alexis reminded Adrian that Natalia was not a public figure. The fact that the Invader had "monetized and commercialized the name of a private citizen without her consent" led Alexis to describe Adrian's predicament as "a career-killer."
Adrian grabbed his phone. He wanted to call his lawyer. Alexis stopped him. She offered to waive her retainer and make the whole thing go away -- in exchange for the name of the person who had provided the recording.
Natalia sat in her car. She replayed the audio clip and tried to remember to whom she had been talking. Natalia's jaw dropped a bit as a look of realization came over her face.
Later, as Sonny was showing Diane to the door, Natalia walked into Pozzulo's. Diane left. Natalia could see that Sonny had already heard the recording. Natalia knew that Sonny was upset, but she wanted to tell him about the source of the recording before she left. Natalia told Sonny that the person who had edited themself out of the recording and had supplied it to the Invader was Ava Jerome.
Ava called down to the front desk of the hotel to complain about the lateness of her room service order. While she was on the phone, there was knock at the door. Ava thought that her food had arrived, but it was Alexis who was standing at the door. Alexis said, "We need to have a conversation. One that won't be recorded."
At Josslyn and Trina's new apartment, Carly carried in a box and set it down as she spoke to Diane on the phone. Carly was eager for an update on her legal issues because she was worried. As Carly turned, she saw Josslyn. It was clear that Josslyn had overheard, so Carly ended the call and opted for the truth. Carly revealed that the FBI had a recording of her attending a meeting with other mob bosses and announcing that she was the head of the Corinthos organization. Carly explained that it had been necessary to protect the family after Sonny had been presumed dead.
Carly shared that someone at the meeting had been wired, and there was a good chance that she would be charged and sent to prison. Stunned, Josslyn asked what the FBI had on Jason. "Nothing," Carly said. Carly explained that Jason had cooperated with the FBI to protect her. Josslyn wasn't surprised because Jason had once gone to jail to safeguard Michael. Carly admitted that she had wanted to turn herself in, but Jason had been furious because it would have meant that he had wasted the past two years of his life.
Josslyn agreed with Jason, but Carly warned Josslyn that the FBI could charge Carly, even if Jason held up his end of the bargain. Carly confessed that she couldn't stand the fact that Jason had done it for her. Josslyn appreciated that Carly was willing to go to jail for Jason because Jason and Carly had been through things that others couldn't understand, but she insisted that Donna needed Carly more than ever. Josslyn reminded her mother of Sonny's recent alarming behavior.
Josslyn opened up about her own efforts to help Dex by appealing to Anna not to hire him. However, Anna hadn't listened to her, and Josslyn was glad. Josslyn assured Carly that she didn't excuse what Dex had done, but things had changed. Carly could tell that Josslyn was much happier. "I am," Josslyn said. Carly smiled as she reached for her daughter's hand. "And I'm happy for you," she told Josslyn.
In Maxie's office, Maxie agreed with Lucy that they needed to make it clear that Deception didn't support Natalia's views, but Maxie refused to fire Blaze. Lucy questioned what message that would send, so Maxie explained that it would show the world that they stood behind Blaze's right to define herself. "Which means coming out on her own terms in her own time," Maxie said. Lois agreed, but Lucy reminded Lois that Lois was a spokesperson, not a business partner. Grudgingly, Lucy agreed that Maxie was right.
Scott suggested moving on to damage control. Just then, Nina knocked on the door and entered. Nina shared that she'd heard the recording, and it was a disaster. "And what does the Invader have to say for itself?" Maxie asked. Nina promised to get to that. "Right now, I'm here regarding your company," Nina explained.
Nina revealed that she had held off the print run of the two-page ad in Crimson featuring Blaze because the timing of the ad would have been disastrous. Maxie agreed. Lucy suggested that they run a short history of Deception instead, and she volunteered to give an interview, but Maxie shot down the idea because of Lucy's ratings bomb on the Home & Heart shopping channel. Lois proposed giving ad space to Blaze for a statement, but Maxie, Lucy, and Nina nixed the idea. Maxie thought a simple message on the two pages would be effective. "No one cancels love" Maxie said. She suggested the message be written in white block letters with a black backdrop. Everyone agreed that it was perfect.
Scott wanted to know the next step, so Nina informed everyone that Adrian DeWitt would answer for what he had done. A short time later, Adrian entered the office, full of confidence because the story had boosted traffic to the newspaper's website. Nina quickly tossed cold water on his victory by informing him that she was not pleased. Adrian suggested it was the wrong venue to discuss office business, but Nina disagreed because Adrian's lack of judgment had affected Deception. Nina demanded to know where Adrian had gotten the recording and why he hadn't consulted her before running the inflammatory article featuring doctored footage.
Adrian denied the recording had been doctored. "It was edited," he clarified. Adrian insisted that only Natalia's comments had been relevant, but Nina reminded him of Kristina and Blaze. She asked if it had ever occurred to Adrian that running a hit piece that was detrimental to Nina's ex-husband's daughter might be perceived as if Nina were using the newspaper to lash out at Sonny. Adrian claimed that he had assumed Nina's reputation was above reproach. "Please, Adrian. Even I know that my reputation is far from sterling," Nina said.
Nina threatened to fire Adrian unless he gave her the name of his source. "Ava Jerome," Adrian blurted out. Lucy immediately turned to Scott and made it clear that she expected him to drop Ava as a client in the custody case. Nina warned Adrian not to say anything and promptly fired him because no good journalist would have divulged their source. Maxie advised Nina to reconsider because Adrian still had much to offer. "His complete obedience," Maxie explained.
Maxie pointed out that Adrian would be in a position to print whatever Nina wanted because -- if he disobeyed -- everyone would find out about the role he had played "in today's horror show." Maxie was certain that once Adrian's ethics were exposed, he would be ruined. Nina approved of the plan.
At Metro Court, Alexis told Ava that they needed to have a conversation. "One that won't be recorded," Alexis said. Ava started to close the door, but Alexis pushed past Ava and entered the suite. "Hurting me is one thing; hurting my daughter is another. That was a big mistake," Alexis warned. Alexis confronted Ava about the article in the Invader, but Ava denied any involvement. Alexis revealed that Adrian had named Ava, but Ava accused Nina and Adrian of being in league and framing her.
Undaunted, Alexis threatened to subpoena Ava's phone records. "Based on what?" Ava asked. Rather than answer, Alexis shared that she would soon be practicing law again, and she would be joining Diane's law firm. She disclosed that she wouldn't be taking on clients because she would be too busy working a big case that promised to be a "bloodbath." "Care to guess what it is?" Alexis asked. Ava reminded Alexis that it was not illegal in the state of New York to record someone. Alexis agreed that a public person had a limited expectation of privacy, but she informed Ava that Natalia was a private citizen. "Even so, not illegal," Ava argued.
Alexis threatened to file a lawsuit against Ava on the basis of intentional malice. "You know, how you intentionally tampered with recorded files, negating all the legal protections you just mentioned," Alexis said. Ava suggested whoever had leaked the audio recording had done a public service by exposing Natalia as a bigot. Alexis accused Ava of being a homophobe, but Ava denied it because Ava encouraged everyone to live their truth. Alexis smiled because she looked forward to Ava's confession of "that certain murder." "Unless, of course, that's a truth you don't want to live," Alexis added.
Ava denied killing anyone, but Alexis doubted Connie Falconeri would agree. Alexis was frustrated that Ava would hurt Kristina to get to Alexis, but Ava argued that not everything was about Alexis. Alexis looked around and asked where Avery was. Ava assured Alexis that Avery would be with her soon. "Permanently," Ava said. Alexis advised Ava not to put that one remaining egg in Ava's big empty basket.
"Look around. You are alone, and you have no friends. You wreak havoc on everyone's lives, and you never stopped to consider that the life you'd be ruining would be your own," Alexis said. Ava told Alexis that it was time for Alexis to leave, so Alexis took the opportunity to suggest that she had recorded their conversation. Ava was confident that the recording wouldn't help Alexis' case. Alexis agreed, which was why she hadn't recorded Ava. "Or did I?" Alexis asked.
Shortly after Alexis left, Scott arrived to talk to Ava about the article in the Invader. Ava assumed that Alexis had talked to Scott, but he admitted that he hadn't talked to Alexis in a year. He complained that Alexis had always looked down her nose at him, but she was no longer a lawyer. Ava shared that Alexis would soon be practicing law again, so Scott warned Ava it was bad news for Ava because Alexis was a tough opponent. Ava had confidence in Scott's ability, but she switched gears because she wanted to know how things were going building a case against Sonny.
Scott explained that Ava's latest stunt wouldn't help Ava's case, but Ava argued that she had exposed a bigot. Scott pointed out that Ava had also outed Kristina and Blaze to the world, so Ava conceded that it hadn't been her intention. Scott warned Ava that she was "kinda screwed" unless Sonny killed someone on camera and in front of witnesses -- or Sonny had a public nervous breakdown. Ava's expression turned calculating.
At Kristina's apartment, Kristina snatched "Allie's" phone out of her hand to keep Allie from reading all the hateful comments directed at them. Allie was upset and filled with regret because she had wanted to come out about her sexuality, but she had allowed her mother to pressure her into staying in the closet. "And now, my weakness ended up hurting you," Allie said. Kristina told Allie to stop apologizing because Allie's life was her own, and Allie was not obligated to share her personal business with anyone. Kristina insisted that Allie owed her fans great songs and shows, but Allie didn't owe them anything beyond that. Kristina explained that the people who wanted her to step down from the center that she had built from the ground up and the people who called Allie a hypocrite didn't know why Kristina and Allie had made the decisions they had.
"They are the ones in the wrong," Kristina insisted. Kristina was adamant that she and Allie had nothing to be ashamed of, and the person who had leaked the recording had violated Kristina and Allie's privacy. Allie reluctantly agreed. Satisfied, Kristina reminded Allie that all they could do was move forward. Moments later, someone knocked on the door. Allie worried that it might be a reporter.
Kristina answered the door and was surprised to see Sasha. Sasha revealed that reporters were gathered outside, but the doorman had done a good job keeping them out. Sasha explained that she'd been out running errands for the Quartermaines when the news about Natalia had broken, so Sasha had stopped by to give Kristina and "Blaze" the benefit of Sasha's hard-won experience dealing with a public scandal. Sasha advised both Kristina and Blaze to stay offline and to ignore the angry mob with their torches and pitchforks, because they would eventually go away. Kristina and Blaze were grateful for the support.
As Kristina walked Sasha to the door and opened it, Kristina and Sasha were surprised to see Nina standing on the doorstep. Nina smiled when she saw Sasha, but she quickly turned her attention to Kristina and Blaze. Nina apologized and admitted that she'd been appalled when she'd seen the article, but she had wanted to reveal the source of the recording. "It was Ava Jerome," Nina said.
At Pozzulo's, Natalia revealed that Ava had leaked the audio recording to the Invader, and Ava had carefully edited out her end of the conversation. Sonny revealed that there were demands for Kristina to step down from the center because Kristina had been accused of being ashamed of being gay. Natalia felt terrible and apologized. "You may have said the words, but it was Ava who delivered that recording. And now she's gonna pay for it," Sonny said in a menacing tone.
Natalia told Sonny about her visit to his penthouse to drop off a bottle of scotch and her conversation with Ava. Natalia painted herself the victim and suggested that Ava had set her up. According to Natalia, she'd been too arrogant in believing that she could handle anything until that very morning. She couldn't understand why Ava would do that to her. "I never thought that she would come after my daughter like this," Sonny explained. Natalia admitted that she'd been so blindsided by the recording that she hadn't recognized her own voice.
Natalia became choked up with emotion as she talked about the shock and betrayal on her daughter's face and realizing how the recording would completely ruin "Allie's" career. Natalia lamented that all their hard work had gone up in flames, but Sonny asked if she had thought about how Allie had felt. "Of course, I did," Natalia assured him. Natalia insisted that she had never wanted her daughter to hear those things. Sonny empathized because he had gone through something similar with Kristina in recent weeks when Kristina had seen a side of him that he'd never wanted his daughter to see. He confessed that he'd feared he would never see Kristina again.
Natalia felt the same way about Allie. Natalia promised that she thought of Kristina as a lovely young lady. Sonny believed Natalia because he knew how much she loved her own daughter. Sonny also acknowledged that Natalia had treated Kristina with respect and courtesy. "That's all that matters," he said. Natalia was grateful.
Sonny explained that Ava had leaked the recording to hurt him through Kristina, and both Natalia and Allie had been collateral damage. Sonny promised to take care of Ava. Moments later, Alexis entered. The tension was thick as Natalia and Alexis exchanged greetings. Natalia started to explain that the recording had been a private conversation, but Alexis asked if that justified the hatred. Natalia admitted that she regretted that their daughters had heard what she had said, but Natalia couldn't help how she felt.
Alexis disagreed because Natalia could try to open her mind. Sonny reminded Alexis that Natalia was his guest, but Natalia decided it was her cue to leave, and she quickly departed. After Natalia left, Sonny assured Alexis that he hadn't condoned the things that Natalia had said. Alexis revealed that she was there to let him know that Ava had been behind the recording, but Sonny admitted that he already knew. Alexis told him about her plan to file a lawsuit against Ava, but she conceded that the legal grounds were shaky.
Alexis admitted that she would settle for Ava's reputation being decimated in the same way that Ava had hurt Kristina and "Blaze." Sonny vowed to make certain that Ava's life was not worth living. "And Diane will make sure Ava never lays eyes on Avery again," Sonny said.
Due to the Independence Day holiday, General Hospital did not broadcast a new episode. The ABC soap opted to rebroadcast the episode that originally aired on July 7, 2023.
In the episode, Kristina suggested that she could be Molly and T.J.'s surrogate, Brook Lynn refused to be Tracy's mole at Deception, Sonny asked Dante to be his best man, and shots rang out at the Metro Court pool. A complete recap of the episode is available here.
There were no "lost" episodes as a result of this holiday scheduling. Regular programming resumed on Friday, July 5, and picked up where the Wednesday, July 3, episode concluded.
Drew ran into Jordan at the Metro Court pool. Jordan was enjoying a rare afternoon off. Drew wanted to get some pool time in before his political announcement would mean nothing but crazy days. Jordan asked Drew what Scout thought about the campaign. Drew explained that he wanted to make sure everything was in order before informing Scout, so as not to disrupt his daughter's life more than necessary.
Jordan suggested that Drew take Scout with him on the campaign trail. Jordan explained that people voted with their emotions and that voters would fall in love with Scout. Curtis arrived and told Drew that he'd already had Curtis' vote before he'd known Scout was on the ticket. Drew and Curtis went to do laps in the pool, as Jordan decided to enjoy a virgin strawberry daiquiri and soak up the sun.
After Drew and Curtis' time in the pool, Curtis vowed that he would keep swimming laps and building up his strength until he could pass Drew. Curtis said, "I can't, y'know, have you flappin' your pruney feet in front of me all summer!" Drew informed Curtis that the campaign announcement would happen at the Quartermaines' July Fourth picnic. Curtis said he would be there. Drew thanked Curtis for all Curtis' help on the Wellness Division rollout.
Curtis called Drew's congressional opponent, Chelsea Grimes, a "populist reactionary." Curtis suspected that she was only running to satisfy her ego and recruit more followers. Curtis explained that part of his campaign would involve taking Chelsea down. Curtis offered to help in any way he could.
Nina arrived at the pool. Surprised to see a shirtless Drew at the poolside bar, she gawked for a moment, collected herself, and turned her attention to Jordan. Nina and Jordan made small talk for a moment, then Nina walked over to Drew and Curtis.
Nina brought Drew and Curtis up to speed about Natalia's homophobic remarks having gone public. She told Drew about the "No one cancels love" two-page statement that would appear in the next issue of Crimson in about 24 hours. Drew told Nina that she had made the right move, despite the costs involved. He praised Nina's compassion for Allie.
Jordan brought Drew's phone over to him. Drew had received five messages in the short time it had taken Jordan to cross the pool area. Drew read the messages. He told the others that the name change had gone through and was official. Drew said, "You are now looking at Drew... Quartermaine."
Dex helped Josslyn and Trina move into their new apartment above the Quartermaines' garage. Dex and Josslyn went downstairs to borrow some tools. Trina unpacked a coffee table book. It was the copy of Molyneaux: His Life as a Modern Artist that Spencer had given her. Trina opened the book to the title page and Spencer's inscription: "To Trina and our shared passion. Spencer" Trina sat down and became lost in thought. Gio entered. Trina was startled and dropped the book.
Gio apologized for having startled Trina. Trina picked up the book and told Gio she had been lost in a memory. She explained that the book had been given to her by Spencer. Trina talked about the love of art she and Spencer had shared. Trina told Gio that she still wished that Spencer would, one day, walk through her door.
Gio told Trina that he had lost his mother when he'd been ten years old. He explained that his mom had been Gio's first violin teacher and that he and his mom had felt like their own little family within the huge Cerullo clan. Gio and Trina both understood the feeling of having someone who had filled up one's life suddenly taken away. Gio prevented the mood from getting too melancholy by offering to go get them some bottled water from the house.
While attempting to change the smoke-detector battery, Josslyn slipped and fell into Dex's arms. Josslyn admitted that she might have been overconfident when she had said that she and Trina could handle the move by themselves. "So, am I hearing that you're happy for my help, even though you were too stubborn to ask for it?" Dex asked with a smile. "Me? Stubborn? You sound crazy. You couldn't be further from the truth," Josslyn replied. Josslyn insisted, "I'm never gonna admit that I'm stubborn because I'm not. I'm not!" "Fine. You're a human willow tree," Dex replied. Josslyn maintained that she could adapt her thinking and stances when new information presented itself.
Josslyn declared that she could write someone off but could also know when they had changed. Josslyn said that she also knew when she had to change, that no one knew everything, and that no one was perfect. Dex drew closer to Josslyn. He told her, "You come pretty close, though." "Pretty close, huh?" Josslyn said with a smile. They kissed.
After a moment, Josslyn broke the kiss and told Dex that she didn't want to rush things. Dex said, "Me, neither. That's not true. I do wanna rush it, but I won't risk messing it up." They started kissing again, but Trina and Gio returned. Dex and Josslyn were surprised when they heard a wide-eyed Trina exclaim, "Ohhh, wow."
Later, Gio and Trina were arranging pillows on the sofa. Trina absentmindedly sang "Beautiful Dreamer" as she worked. She caught sight of Gio, realized what she had been doing, and abruptly stopped singing. Gio complimented Trina's voice. Gio pointed out that Trina's voice was her instrument and that, if it brought her joy, that was all that mattered. "Well, you have to say that because you are my friend," Trina protested. Gio replied, "I don't say anything about music that I don't mean."
Gio asked Trina whom she considered to be a music legend. Trina replied "Aretha." Gio smiled and said, "Hard to imagine anyone giving you anything but R-E-S-P-E-C-T." Josslyn and Dex returned to the apartment with a six-pack of beer. The four of them each took one, and Trina toasted, "To good friends, independence, and new adventures."
Maxie and Brook Lynn walked into Maxie's office. They complained about the Internet trolls who had made awful comments about Allie and Deception. Both women felt bad for Allie, whose mother had known about Allie's sexuality but had said those horrible things, anyway. Maxie and Brook Lynn wished that Allie had been able to come out of the closet in her own time. Maxie was also upset that someone had taken away the right of Allie and Natalia to navigate the situation privately. The two Deception executives needed to find a solution to the PR problems before Allie and Deception were both canceled. Maxie wondered if it might be best to step back from having Allie as the Face of Deception.
Allie dropped in to Maxie's office. Allie apologized for the things her mother had said. She apologized for having stayed closeted for so long. Allie felt like she was a liability to Deception. "I resign," Allie declared. Maxie explained that she and Brook Lynn were hurting for what Allie was going through, but they thought it might be a good strategy for Allie to take a break as the Face of Deception. Brook Lynn received a news alert: Allie's record label had just dropped her. Allie resigned herself to the fact that she no longer had anything to offer as the Face of Deception.
Brook Lynn tried to reassure Allie. "We believe in you. We know what you have to offer." Maxie added, "We have been counted down and out several times, and Lucy has come back a miraculous and upsetting number of times. And she doesn't have a tenth of what you have to offer. You can ride this out." Maxie and Brook Lynn promised to be there with and for Allie. Without giving an indication of a decision, Allie said, "Thank you both, really," and left.
Maxie and Brook Lynn reaffirmed their commitment to support Allie. Brook Lynn declared, "I may have lost my chance to sing, but there is no way I'm letting Blaze lose hers!"
Kristina insistently knocked on Natalia's door. Natalia opened the door. Kristina charged in and chastised Natalia about hurting Allie, barely letting Natalia get a word in edgewise. Kristina shouted, "You're her mother! You're supposed to protect her! What's wrong with you?"
Kristina threw Natalia's bigoted words back in Natalia's face: "not serious," "alphabet soup," "flighty." Kristina snidely complimented Natalia on how much homophobia Natalia had been able to fit into one sentence. Kristina told Natalia that Allie was hard-working and serious about her career as Blaze. Kristina added, "And 'flighty'? I don't even know where you got that!" Natalia replied, "Maybe I wasn't referring to her."
Kristina accused Natalia of knowing even lees about Kristina than she did her own daughter. Natalia got defensive and remarked that Kristina had only seen "a snapshot" of the decades-long relationship between Natalia and Allie.
Natalia challenged Kristina to wait and see what she would do in 20 years when her baby was in pain. Natalia cautioned Kristina, "Now, I know that you are not having this baby because you want to be a mother, but I just think that you are in for some pretty big surprises." Kristina replied, "You don't know anything about why I'm carrying this child. I am doing this for my sister because I love her, and I have never been more serious about anything in my entire life!"
Natalia declared that her babies were her life and that she hadn't stopped loving them when they'd no longer needed Natalia for literal survival. Kristina pointed out, "But your love is limited, and you can't love Allie for who she is." Natalia admitted that she was struggling with accepting something that she had grown up thinking was wrong. Kristina told Natalia that science and genetics had proven that being gay was not a choice. Natalia explained that it would take time for her because it was a matter of reconciling a past with a present.
Kristina insisted that Natalia was a bigot because she had chosen to be a bigot. Kristina declared, "While you are working so hard to become a decent human being, your daughter is hurting and she is in pain... and you are the reason for that."
Natalia told Kristina not to question Natalia's love for Allie. Kristina asked, "Exactly where was that love in the things that you said about her?" Natalia declared that she had only let Kristina go on so long out of respect for Sonny. "Oh, but not out of respect for your own daughter? Hey, now that is consistent!" Kristina shot back.
As Kristina left, Natalia said, "Tell my daughter I love her." Kristina turned back and declared, "Nobody needs the kind of love you have. And I'm going to make sure that Allie doesn't need you again--for anything." Kristina left. Kristina returned home and found Allie crying. Allie revealed that she had been dropped by her label. Kristina held Allie as Allie sobbed on her shoulder.
Dante visited Sonny's office at Pozzulo's Restaurant. Sonny greeted Dante by asking, "What can I do for you, officer?" Dante said he was checking in. Sonny tried to dismiss Dante, but Dante stayed. Dante brought up Natalia. Sonny said that he hated the things Natalia had said, but Ava was at fault. Sonny declared, "I'm gonna hurt her in ways she doesn't even know."
Sonny explained to Dante that Ava had recorded Natalia and had sent the file to the Invader. Dante asked why Ava would bother. Sonny said it was because Ava had been jealous that Sonny had taken Natalia to Chase and Brook Lynn's wedding. Sonny said that he had told Ava that he would not disrespect the Falconeri family by bringing Connie's killer to the wedding. Sonny told Dante about the upcoming custody battle for Avery. Sonny was adamant. He said, "You come after me? You're an idiot. You come after my daughters? You're a dead man."
Dante tried to talk Sonny down, but Sonny asked, "Do you have a warrant, officer?" Dante asked, "For what?" Sonny replied, "If you don't have a warrant, then you need to get out of my place." Sonny told Dante to get out of his life. Dante refused. Dante could tell that Sonny was itching to act. Dante told his father, "The last thing I'm gonna do is walk out that door and let you do something that could come back and destroy you."
Dante pointed out that Sonny knew how to take the emotion out of a situation and "think while the other guy's reacting." Dante maintained that doing something regrettable because of Ava was not like Sonny at all. Sonny remarked that it was not like him to have invited Ava to live under his roof.
Dante suggested that perhaps Sonny had felt like a little family with Ava and Avery there. Sonny shouted, "The Jeromes aren't my family! My family's dead because of them! Connie was murdered! Morgan! Ava messed with his medication." Sonny wondered why he had always tried to keep Ava safe when she kept repeatedly stabbing him in the back.
Dante said that he hated what had happened to Kristina, but he wasn't worried about her. Dante called his sister "a fighter" and "a protector." He credited Sonny for those qualities in Kristina. Sonny said that the only thing Kristina had gotten from him were his mistakes. Sonny listed some: having let Ava back into his life, having let Ava move in, and not having found a different way to keep Ava safe.
Sonny maintained that his "code" made him different from the Jeromes. Dante called Olivia Jerome "a certified psychopath." Sonny replied, "So is Ava. She just puts a face on it. That's what makes her more dangerous." Sonny added, "Ava is what she is -- the last of the Jeromes... and I'm gonna take that last psycho down."
Dante warned Sonny, "You go after Ava, you lose Avery. Simple as that. And that's what she wants you to do. She wants you to do something stupid, so that she can be standing there with a camera and a tape recorder and a lawyer to take the whole thing in!" Sonny was furious. He declared that he should start acting like the person everyone thought he was. Dante said, "You lash out at Ava, you cut your own throat. You want to beat her, you gotta pull it together. Everyone needs you to pull it together."
