Nina was about to walk out of Gina's restaurant when she was surprised to bump into Ryan. Ryan and Nina agreed to have dinner together. When Gina saw Ryan, he told her that Nina had almost knocked him over, but they were going to have dinner together. Gina showed them to a table.
Nina asked Ryan if Victoria had a class, but Ryan said Victoria was tied up for the evening. He requested that they not talk about him. Nina agreed. He asked why Nina was out alone. She said she'd been on a downer, and she'd thought getting out and seeing people would help. She said Ryan looked down. Ryan reminded her they wouldn't talk about him, but he relented and claimed he'd been feeling crummy. Nina asked him to dance, just as Gina brought their dinner. Ryan suggested they eat first, then they would dance. She agreed.
After dinner and dancing, Nina commented that Ryan was probably anxious to get home to Victoria, but Ryan said Victoria wouldn't be home. Nina said that the evening had felt like old times. Ryan agreed and said it had been nice running into each other. Nina asked if Ryan wanted to go back to her place for a little while, since Victoria wouldn't be waiting for him. She said he only had to stay as long as he wanted. Ryan said they should just call it a night. He offered to walk her to her car.
In his penthouse with Colonel Douglas Austin, Victor received a call from his secretary, Connie. She told him Eve Howard had been trying to reach him. Victor told Connie that Eve had been his secretary years earlier. He told Connie to give Eve his address and tell her to stop by. After he ended the call, Victor wondered what Eve was up to.
Douglas questioned Victor about the woman who would be stopping by. Victor replied that she'd been a very manipulative woman when she'd worked for him. Victor stated that she had been in love with him from the day she'd started working for him. Douglas asked if Victor had had a relationship with her. Victor advised Douglas never to have an affair with any of his secretaries.
Victor told Douglas that Eve had had a child, and she'd tried to trap him. Douglas asked if she'd wanted Victor to acknowledge paternity. Victor claimed she'd brought up the paternity whenever she'd believed it had been to her advantage. The doorbell rang. Victor told Douglas he wanted to be alone. Douglas left.
When Victor opened the door, Eve said it was wonderful to see him. She informed him that he wasn't the reason for her trip. She said she remembered "so many things" they'd done, but Victor stated that Eve had a tendency to fantasize about their non-relationship. She asked if he denied they'd been intimate. Victor admitted they had been on a few occasions. He claimed that over the years, she'd turned those few intimate moments into some magnificent love affair.
Eve asked Victor to accept that she was only there to see how he was and to wish him the best. She said she had no ulterior motive. Eve asked about Nikki. Victor said Eve would have to ask Jack Abbott, because Jack and Nikki were married. Eve asked if there was anyone special in Victor's life. Victor said it felt like Eve was fishing for information, but he admitted he wasn't involved with anyone. Eve asked if the children were with Nikki. He admitted they were.
Victor questioned where Eve was going with her conversation. He said if she was going to try to pawn off her kid on him, it would be the last time they saw each other. He asked if she was willing to drop the accusation that he'd fathered her son. Eve was adamant that Victor was her son's father. She said if Victor saw him, he would see her son was very much in Victor's image. Eve said her son was in his twenties, bright, tall, and handsome, like Victor. She said if Victor saw her son, Victor would agree he was his son. She said she'd never told her son that Victor was his father, and she never would, regardless of what Victor did or didn't do.
Eve told Victor she had a picture of her son, but she wouldn't show it to him because she didn't want to force Victor into anything. Victor wondered why she had told him she had a picture of her son. Eve claimed because he'd brought up the subject of her son. She said Victor wouldn't believe that it was only a social visit with an old friend. She said she regretted stopping in. She grabbed her coat and purse, and she left. Muttering to himself, Victor said Eve hadn't changed one bit.
Lauren answered a knock on her door. It was Traci. Lauren said she hadn't realized Traci was still in town. Traci said she'd been at Brad's for several nights, at his invitation. She asked how life was treating Lauren. Lauren claimed she couldn't be better. Traci said Lauren had only been married to Scott for a few months, but she'd been seeing Brad. Lauren suggested that Traci have her informant check their information. She hoped Traci wasn't there to accuse her of messing up Traci's marriage. Traci said she wasn't, but if Lauren hadn't had her little fling, Traci would have been a few steps closer to rebuilding her marriage. Lauren asked what had happened to Traci's hot and heavy romance in New York.
Traci reminded Lauren how Lauren loved to ridicule her because she'd been overweight, or she'd been self-conscious and inhibited. She said Lauren had been so beautiful, self-assured, and popular with men -- many men. She said Lauren had once thought she had it all over Traci. Lauren claimed the more things changed, the more they remained the same. Traci disagreed. Lauren asked Traci to tell her about Traci's "wonderful little life."
Traci told Lauren she was an author -- some would say a very successful one. She said she was sharing an apartment with a man who loved her very deeply, and he wanted to marry her. Lauren said if that was her, she would jump at the offer. Traci said she wasn't Lauren, and for the first time in her life, Traci said she wouldn't trade places with Lauren for anything. She said Lauren couldn't even be honest with herself, let alone someone else.
Traci stated that Lauren had a chain of department stores; she had power, prestige, money, and anything she wanted, but in the end, Lauren had very little. Traci said Lauren had a husband, but not a marriage -- or her own child, since that depended on whether the court would grant Lauren joint custody of her own child. Traci said that in the middle of it all, Lauren had had an affair. Traci asked what was wrong with Lauren's judgment. Lauren claimed Traci was off base, and she told Traci to leave. Traci said she was returning to New York the next day, but she hadn't been able to resist the chance to say a personal goodbye. Traci left.
A short time later, a hotel employee brought Lauren's mail. One envelope caught her interest, and she opened it. There was a large puzzle piece and a note that read, "The picture starts to come alive with puzzle piece number five. Before too long, you will see something fascinating to you and me. Isn't this fun, and the best is yet to come." She opened a drawer and pulled out the other puzzle pieces and joined the new piece to the existing puzzle. She asked "what the hell" it was.
At the ranch, Nick arrived home from school and said he'd seen Victoria's car in the driveway. Nikki told him Victoria was in her room and would be staying for a few days. Nick asked if Victoria was okay and why Ryan wasn't with her. He asked if Nikki was happy Victoria was home. Nikki said it was wonderful having Victoria home. Nick went upstairs to see Victoria.
Jack arrived and greeted Nikki with a kiss. He asked about the baby. Nikki replied it had been very active. She put Jack's hand on her belly. Jack beamed. He said if anyone had told him he would be happily married to the woman of his dreams and expecting their first child, he would have said they were crazy. He claimed Nikki had changed his life entirely. He said nothing was more important to him than the child they shared together.
Nikki informed Jack that Victoria would be staying with them for a few days. She said Victoria's sex therapist had advised her to move back home for a few days because of her sexual problems. Jack asked how Victoria was supposed to deal with her problem that way. Nikki said she didn't have a clue what Victoria's problems were, and she hadn't pressed for any answers. She asked Jack not to, either. Jack vowed he wouldn't push Victoria, but he was surprised Nikki hadn't asked more questions.
Nikki told Jack she was happy Victoria was away from her marriage for a few days, and she hoped it would give Victoria a better perspective. She said Victoria being with her family might inspire her to want to come home again. Nikki felt it was more likely to happen if Victoria wasn't pressured. Jack agreed. Nikki said Victoria had also requested that Victor not be told she was at the ranch.
Jack told Nikki that Victoria was smart not telling Victor she was there; otherwise, Victor would get in the middle of it, and he would drive Victoria out. Nikki said when Victoria had arrived, Nikki had hoped Victoria's marriage to Ryan was over. Jack claimed it was possible that could happen. He said if Victoria spent time with her family, she might realize she was in over her head and much too young to be married.
In her room, Victoria called Ryan, but there was no answer.
Talking to himself in his hotel room, Michael grumbled that a private detective had been hired to protect Christine, as if that would stop him after what "that bitch" had done to him. He said he needed a perfect plan, because if anything happened to Christine, he didn't want to be a suspect. Michael called Trans Global Airlines. He ordered a one-way ticket to New York City on their first flight out. Once that was done, he wrote a letter to Christine.
Dear Christine, I'm about to take a plane to New York where I've been offered a fine opportunity. I hate to leave Genoa City, but I guess I had that coming. I just want you to know there are no hard feelings. I wish you and Danny all the best in the years ahead. I will send you my address as soon as I locate, and if you are ever in New York, we might get together and try to heal old wounds. Most sincerely, Michael."
He left his hotel room, taking the letter with him.
At home, Ryan received a call from Victoria. He was happy to hear from her. She said she'd called a couple of times earlier, and she asked where he'd been. He said he'd been at Gina's for dinner, since there wasn't much in the fridge. She asked if he'd been alone. He lied and said he'd been alone. She said she'd wanted to call to tell him how much she missed him and that she didn't like being away from him.
Ryan asked Victoria how things had gone at home and if she'd been asked a lot of questions. She admitted it hadn't been too bad. She said when Nikki had seen her arrive with a suitcase, she'd immediately assumed... Ryan interrupted and said Nikki thought Victoria had dumped him. Victoria said she'd made it very clear they hadn't separated and that she would be returning to Ryan in a couple of days.
Ryan told Victoria he hoped Victor wouldn't find out about them, because he would interfere. Victoria claimed Victor wouldn't find out. She said Nikki and Nick had promised they wouldn't say anything. Victoria said she was sorry things had to be that way, but Ryan said it wasn't her fault; the therapist had suggested it, and it might help. They said they loved each other, and they ended the call.
Ryan received a call from Nina. She said she wanted to thank him for dinner and tell him that she'd had a great time. Ryan said he was glad they'd run into each other. Nina told him that when he had another free night, she would love to do that again, her treat. She said she wished he was there with her. She said she'd had a shower, and she asked if he was sure he didn't want to pay her a visit. Ryan claimed he couldn't. They ended the call.
