Arlene and Hayley checked around the house, but there was no sign of Amanda. Janet said that Amanda knew that she wasn't supposed to leave home without asking permission first. Hayley forced a weak smile and asked Janet if it was possible that Amanda ran next door to one of her girlfriend's houses. Janet raced into the kitchen to place a call to all of Amanda's friends. "You know why this happened," Arlene said coldly after Janet left the room. "You scared the daylights out of her." Hayley shook her head and told her mother that she would not allow her to place the blame for Amanda's flight on her. Arlene sighed and told Hayley that she was going out to search for Amanda. Hayley phoned Mateo and Dixie to alert them to Amanda's disappearance. A few moments later, Mateo arrived. Janet told the couple that Amanda had told her that she hates her shortly before running off. Mateo assured Janet that children say things that they don't mean all the time. Janet grabbed her coat and headed out to join the search. Mateo, meanwhile, told Hayley that he knew how Janet was feeling. He felt much the same way when Max turned up missing. Hayley formed a fist and cursed her mother. "For once," she said angrily, "my mother's right about something." She went on to say that she feared that she was responsible for Amanda running away.

In the park, Arlene plopped down on a bench and prepared to take a swig of vodka. Before the bottle could touch her lips, Amanda's voice called out to her. Arlene quickly tucked the bottle away and turned to greet her niece. Arlene told Amanda that she had been so worried about her. Amanda feared that Arlene might be mad. Arlene shook her head and said that she could understand why Amanda felt the need to run away. She confessed to the little girl that she wouldn't mind running away --- if she had somewhere to go. Amanda confessed that she'd overheard Hayley's tirade. Arlene told Amanda that it hurt her to hear the mean things Hayley had to say about her especially since Hayley was her daughter. If Hayley didn't love her, Arlene wondered who would. "I will," Amanda smiled. "We're family." An out of breath Janet scurried over to the bench and wrapped her arms around her wayward daughter. A few seconds after their reunion, Janet asked Amanda if she was ready to go home. Amanda looked down at the ground and said that she'd go home --- with one condition.

One of the board members called Liza's proposal "highly unorthodox." He suggested that they contact Adam to see if he approved of Liza stepping in for him. Liza bowed her head and explained that Adam wasn't capable of making important decisions. Tad had been silent for several minutes. When he broke his silence, he told Liza that even if she was elected acting CEO he still planned to take his story to the media. Liza nodded slightly and asked Tad if she could have a few minutes with the board. After Tad left, Liza told the board that she was about to tell them something that they could not repeat outside the boardroom. Chandler Enterprises, she noted, was on the verge of collapse. Adam, on the other hand, was in no position to help the company get back on course. A female board member asked Liza if Adam was under a doctor's care. Another member wondered why Liza should be chosen over one of the board members to act as CEO. Liza glossed over the doctor question, saying that several physicians knew of Adam's condition. As for the questions about her ability to fill Adam's shoes, Liza pointed to her "crisis management" experience at WRCW. On top of that, she said that as Adam's wife she knew of Adam's vision for the company. Taking over, she assured them, would not be an easy task for anyone. "I feel like I am taking away his child," Liza noted. Again, she asked the board if she had their support. Some time later, Tad was allowed back into the room. Immediately Liza hit him up with a deal, power given to her since she had been elected acting CEO of Chandler Enterprises. Liza explained that Chandler Enterprises would sue Tad --- for blackmail and several other charges --- if he even thought of airing the tape of Adam's meltdown. In short, they'd make sure that his family suffered, that he never again appeared on television, and lost all of his amassed fortune. Tad's face fell. The only way he board would agree not to go after him was if Tad handed over the tape (and all copies of the tape) to Liza. Stunned, Tad saw no other choice but to surrender the videotape. The board erupted in applause and the meeting adjourned. As the members filed out of the room, Tad remained frozen in place, staring across the room at Liza. The door closed behind the final member and Tad leapt onto the conference table. Liza chuckled loudly as Tad moonwalked and danced around the room. Tad had barely had time to get down from the table when Barry entered the room. He warned the pair not to celebrate too soon. The attorney picked up the phone and announced that he was going to call Adam and alert him to their shenanigans. Lucky for them, though, all overseas lines were jammed and Barry could not get through. Tad offered to lock Barry back in the utility closet, but Liza declined his offer. She said that she didn't think that her lawyer would want to be locked up with brooms. Tad and Barry both cocked their heads to the side, but Tad was the first to ask why Liza was referring to Barry as her attorney. Liza smiled devilishly and said that since she now signed the paychecks, Barry really was her attorney. Barry vowed not to let Liza steal Adam's company, but Liza found a way to make Barry back down. She reminded him that he'd just gotten married to a "high maintenance" woman, was paying a huge chunk of alimony to a previous wife, had just bought a new summer home, and had an antique car collection to care for. It'd be awfully hard to take care of all those things, Liza grinned, if he was without a job. Tad laughed aloud as he realized that Barry had no other choice but to go along with Liza's plans. Barry admitted that it would not be easy to go against the man he'd been loyal to for some many years. Before Barry left, Liza made him promise that he'd have no further communication with Adam --- unless she approved it. Liza and Tad continued their victory celebration. Liza offered to cut it short so that Tad could go home and be with Dixie. Tad, though, suspected that something was up and asked Liza what she was scheming. Liza shook her head and said that she hadn't figured that out yet.

Janet, Arlene, and Amanda returned home. Hayley sat up and asked Amanda if she could forgive her for the things she'd said to Arlene. Amanda nodded and the two embraced. Amanda said that all was better now because Janet had promised that Arlene could stay with them permanently. Hayley smiled and held that smile until Janet and Amanda were safely out of the room. Hayley grabbed hold of her mother's arm and angrily told her that she knew what she was up to. Hayley warned her mother that she would not sit idly by and watch her destroy Amanda's life the way she'd destroyed hers. Arlene refuted Hayley's claim that she'd hurt Amanda and also tried to argue that she'd never done anything to hurt Hayley. Hayley cut her off and warned her that she'd be watching her very closely. Mateo and Hayley stormed out of the house. Arlene took a deep breath, a stray tear rolling down her cheek.

Edmund lectured Guy for allowing Alex to ride a horse that was not broken. Guy insisted that it was safe because he'd rode the horse earlier in the day. If that was the case, Edmund said, the horse would not have thrown Alex. Alex returned to the room and asked the two men if there was a problem. Guy stepped forward and explained that they'd been talking about Scorpio. Edmund left the room to check on the horse. Alex, meanwhile, continued her medical examination of the horse trainer. Alex apologized for Edmund's behavior, explaining that he was simply trying to protect her. Guy chuckled and said that he didn't think Alex need protection especially after the way she'd subdued the gunman at the mall. Alex casually admitted that she wasn't sure how she'd mustered the skills to fend off the gunman. One thing led to another and soon Alex was confessing that there were several blocks of her memory that were missing. Guy pressed her for more information, but Alex said that she wasn't comfortable discussing her past. Edmund returned to the room and forcibly whisked Alex back to the lodge. There, Edmund scolded Alex for blabbing her past to Guy. He explained that there was something about Guy that made him uneasy. Alex though carefully for several moments and asked Edmund if he was jealous because he's caught Alex touching Guy's naked chest. Edmund denied the charges. Jack entered the lodge with news that Adrian had managed to track the origin of the mysterious computer message. The message, he said, originated in Sweden, but it was highly possible that the sender had somehow hidden the original origin. Alex claimed to have a headache and asked the men if they could leave her alone. They obliged and Alex laid down on the sofa to take a nap. As she slept, she had a horrible nightmare. She recalled how Edmund had said how he feels uneasy around Guy. In her dream, Guy stormed into the lodge and pistol-whipped Edmund. She screamed as Guy pointed a gun down her fallen brother-in-law.

Back in the tack room, Guy sat down at his computer and typed yet another secret message: I have made attempts to gain her trust. A new problem has come up. Edmund Grey may prove to be an obstacle. I will take appropriate measures to remove him if necessary. After finishing the message, Guy pulled a handgun from his desk drawer. Carefully and methodically, Guy filled up the gun's clip with bullets. Then, while whistling, "Waltzing Matilda," Guy put the clip into the gun.

Dan is recuperating for an illness, so today's recap was provided by Jennymc.

At the Valley Inn restaurant, as Gillian was waiting for Ruth to join her for breakfast, Greenlee spotted her and cheerily sat herself down at Gillian's table. She lost no time in bringing up the subject of Ryan, and how she and Ryan are so close. She babbled on about how wonderful their new business venture was, and gave Gillian the impression that their time in New York had been more than just a business trip. Greenlee feigned sympathy with Gillian over Jake leaving town, but made it clear what her real motives were. "Ryan cares about you," she said, dripping phony concern. "And in his heart he knows that you and Jake belong together." Gillian was obviously upset by the way the conversation was going, but managed to remain polite to Greenlee. Mercifully, Ruth arrived to cut short Greenlee's gloating, and apologized for being late.

At the shelter, Tina was putting in some volunteer time, under Grace's guidance. They chatted about life in general, and Tina talked about the new man in her life. Adrian arrived with a delivery of soda donated by Mateo from SOS. He was surprised to see Tina there. Grace was also surprised to find out that Adrian was the guy that Tina was telling her about. Alone with Adrian, she blamed him for running Belinda out of town because he couldn't commit to her. She smiled somewhat cockily and told Adrian that Belinda was now engaged to her partner in the law firm. The woman also lectured Adrian about doing the same thing to Tina. As the conversation concluded, Grace warned him that she will be keeping an eye on things.

At the Wildwind lodge, Jack updated Alex on Adrian's information about the mystery message, saying all leads were dead ends. Alex told him she was concerned about Edmund's safety, and asked him his opinion about dreams as forewarnings. She told him that she had dreamed before Dimitri's disappearance about his drowning, and that she had a dream of Guy trying to kill Edmund, and that Edmund was a bit suspicious of Guy. Jack assured her that sometimes dreams are just dreams, nothing more. "You're a beautiful woman, Edmund is a healthy man. You're a doctor - you figure it out," he told her with a smile. He advised her not to let her imagination run away with her. But Alex remained puzzled and confused, and concerned that she may be putting Edmund in danger. Edmund arrived, and told them that the doctor at the Welsh clinic was refusing all his calls, so Edmund vowed to go to Wales to talk to the man face to face. "Absolutely not!" Alex burst out.

Erica was joined at her table at the Valley Inn restaurant by Paolo, who laid it on thick, starting by kissing Erica's hand. She appeared to be intrigued by his talk of the fabulous exclusive Mediterranean island that his family supposedly owned. He kept buttering her up, and told her that she had been accepted for admittance to the exclusive resort. Erica then wrote a check for her deposit of $100,000 and handed it to a glowing Paolo. "Consider this your passport to paradise," he told her, happily pocketing the check. "Perhaps you should look at the date on the check," Erica told him. Aghast, he saw the date was the 12th of Never! Flabbergasted, he looked questioningly at Erica. "You're busted!" she told him triumphantly, revealing a tape recorder! "Consider THIS your passport to prison," she smiled. The Decaro family had never heard of him, she told him, and she had hired a private investigator to look into his past, which proved to be less than honest. As she flipped open her cell phone to call the police, Paolo spotted David entering the dining room behind Erica and immediately reached over and gave her a passionate kiss. David saw that and took off . "Someone is watching us," Paolo whispered wickedly to Erica with a grin, and Erica turned to see David disappear. She ran after him, telling Paolo to stay put. After she left, he looked very worried, then made a call on his cell phone. "Angel," he murmured, "My schedule has changed. I'm all yours! I'll be right back!" Greenlee overheard and sat herself down asking him, "What happened to your Italian accent?" He denied being Paolo Casselli, saying his name was Decaro. Amused at his protests, she told him she knows he's a gigolo and questioned him about what it's like, then speculated that he's on Erica's payroll. "Oh, that would be TOOOO delicious!" she exclaimed. But Paolo denied her accusations, brushed her off, and left for an "appointment."

Gillian and Ruth had a heart-to-heart talk over breakfast, and Ruth revealed to Gillian that she had been married before. "Jake never told you that?" she asked Gillian in surprise. She explained how Joe and she had become friends while she was married to Ted Brent, and that after his death she and Joe had realized how they felt about each other. She told Gillian she had talked about this so that Gillian would understand her. "There is no way you can make the marriage to Jake work if you still have Ryan on your mind," she told Gillian. Ruth was anxious that Gillian should be able to commit totally to Jake and their marriage. Gillian assured her that she will be waiting for Jake when he decides to return to Pine Valley.

David was on the phone in his room angrily demanding why room service hadn't brought his breakfast yet, when there was a knock on the door. It was Erica, demanding that David hear her out. But David was furious with her and refused to listen. He berated her for the way she made a public display of herself, with no regard for him, or for herself. "This relationship, or whatever the hell it is, is OVER!" he stormed.

Jack left Alex and Edmund to argue about their plans. "I have a feeling something terrible is going to happen to you," Alex told Edmund. "If you care about me, you will drop this. Can't you see, I don't want to lose you too." Edmund assured her that nothing will happen to him. At that moment, the phone rang. Alex's former patient, the little girl Karen, was at the hospital and wanted to see her. When Alex arrived at the hospital, Karen was thrilled to see her favorite doctor. Her mother told Alex that she had pressed charges and that her husband was now in jail. "He won't hurt me any more," Karen whispered to Alex. Alex stooped down and gave her a big hug. "I love you!" the little girl said. At that moment, Alex suddenly saw a scene in her mind ... A dark-haired girl is hugging Alex and saying "I love you, mommy!" To which Alex replies, "I love you, too, Robin!" The vision faded, and a badly shaken Alex bid Karen goodbye. Edmund had noticed something had really upset Alex and led her to a chair. "Alex, what is it?" he anxiously asked. Alex, visibly in torment about what she'd seen, told him, "I saw me ... and..." She hesitated. "Dear God, Edmund! I think there was a child!"

Leo popped in at the community center to visit Becca. Becca, though, sensed that Leo had ulterior motives. He wasn't very obliging, but after Becca pressed him for the truth Leo admitted that he was laying low --- laying low "from everybody." Leo mentioned the argument he and Vanessa had had, but he didn't go into much detail. His soup ladle in hand, Leo mused that he'd suddenly realized that he, like many of the people at the center, had no home. Grace stood in the doorway with a frown on her face. She was obviously not amused by Leo's humor. "I don't recall booking a comedian for the soup kitchen," she sneered. Becca introduced Grace and Leo and took it upon herself to say that Leo was there to help out. Leo nodded proudly and said that as an executive at Cortlandt Electronics he'd be more than willing to cut a check for the center. "Money's always good. Two hands are better," replied Grace. Grace led Leo out of the room just as Tina and Adrian were filing in. Tina chuckled and wondered if Leo would actually lift a finger. Becca told Tina that she was amazed by how much of her time she volunteered. Since Tina used to live in a shelter, Becca thought that it was the last place Tina would want to spend her time. Tina quickly explained that people have the wrong idea about shelters. Most shelter residents, she explained, are good people looking for someplace warm to stay and a decent meal. After Becca left the room, Adrian told Tina that he had no idea that she was once homeless. Tina shrugged it off and ordered Adrian not to feel sorry for her. Out in the main gathering room, Grace gave Leo instructions on how to stuff envelopes. Tina wandered by and asked Leo if he needed any help. Leo nodded his head and relayed Grace's instructions to Tina, Becca and Adrian. As the others sat down at the table to get to work, Leo sprung to his feet and offered to put on some working music. After he flipped on the music, he left in search of beverages. While he was gone, the trio mused about whether or not Leo would actually stuff any envelopes. Becca waited until her friend returned before jokingly calling him "a slacker." Leo countered that by grabbing hold of Becca and pulling her into an empty area of the room. There, he began to dance up a storm with her. Adrian praised Leo's dancing skills. In return, though, Leo offered a challenge to the former spy. Adrian looked to Tina and hit the floor with her. Becca and Leo scooted out of the way while Adrian and Tina accepted Leo's challenge. A slow song came on and the couples slow-danced with one another. Grace looked on and slowly walked over to Leo. She asked if she could cut in and Leo was only too happy to oblige. Grace danced with her back to Leo's front for a few moments before turning around and handing him another stack of envelopes. Everyone returned to the table and resumed stuffing envelopes. Leo, though, somehow managed to find a way out of it. He claimed that he'd remembered another engagement and quickly fled --- but not before handing over his new stack of envelopes to Becca. Grace, meanwhile, asked Adrian to turn off the music. Adrian snapped that the music helped them work, but Grace did not accept that as an answer. She turned off the music herself and flashed Adrian an icy glare. Later, Tina asked Becca about her relationship with Leo. Becca, however, insisted that her relationship with Leo was strictly platonic. Becca turned the tables and asked Tina about Adrian. Tina, though, was about as forthcoming as Becca had been.

Alex was stunned by her recollection. Edmund instructed her to take a deep breath and asked her to recall what she'd seen. Alex explained that she remembered hugging a small girl named Robin. For one reason or another, Alex said that she had a strange feeling that the girl was her daughter. "Tell me I'd remember if I had a child of my own!" Alex cried. Edmund tried to assure Alex by saying that she would not recall anything if she'd been brainwashed. Alex shook her head, refusing to believe that she could be forced to forget a life that she'd brought into the world. From there, Alex wondered if she had a husband --- or more importantly if she was still married at the time she married Dimitri. Edmund took Alex's hand and told her that he would help her get the answers she needed. Alex was still not keen on the idea of Edmund traveling to Wales. She offered to go along with him, but Edmund refused. Alex said that she was sure her martial arts skills would resurface if she needed to protect him. Edmund cocked his head to side, presumably wondering why Alex had chosen to say that he might be the one needing protection. Suddenly, he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist. Now mid-region to mid-region, Edmund told Alex that he'd allow her to accompany him if and only if she could fight her way out of his grasp. In a very sexy voice, Alex told Edmund that she had no intention of breaking free. "I can't use martial arts," Alex smiled, "because I don't want to get away from you badly enough." As the pair stood there, Guy popped into the sunroom. Edmund immediately wondered why the stable hand was there, but Gut quickly explained that he was there to get an x-ray. Edmund told Alex that he was headed home to pack. Curious, Guy asked if Edmund was going on a business trip. Edmund refused to give any specifics, saying only that he and Alex were headed "overseas."

David angrily blasted Erica for her "juvenile" behavior in the dining room. Erica argued that David was merely jealous of her relationship with Paolo. Snorting slightly, David said that Paolo was nothing more than "a toy." Erica shook her head and asserted that Paolo "has feelings for me that you couldn't even begin to fathom." She added that David's "caveman" attitude wasn't winning him any points. David saw Erica's antics as a test of his devotion. He reminded Erica that he'd already told her that he loved her --- something he'd never said to another woman. The feelings Paolo had for her were real, Erica insisted. David threw his hands into the air and told Erica that he was through with her. "Losing me," Erica retorted, "is going to be the biggest mistake of your life." Erica turned her back and stomped out of the room

Elsewhere in the hotel, Paolo exited room 920. He turned into the room to face his female companion, referring to her only as "Angel." With a board smile, he told her to take her time getting dressed because he had some errands to run.

At a table in the dining area of the hotel, Palmer grumbled about having to wait for Vanessa to show up. He placed a call to the office and learned that Leo hadn't reported for work. Palmer asked a passing waiter for the check. He then chirped that he'd give the waiter a job as Vice President of International Affairs if he could find him a wife who showed up for meals on time! An out of breath Vanessa scurried into the room and plopped down at the table. She immediately apologized for her lateness. Palmer grumbled that tardiness seemed to run in her family. Palmer watched his wife curiously and asked her if she'd been engaged in any exercise before joining him. Vanessa looked unsettled, chalking her flushed face up to the way Palmer made her feel. Palmer told Vanessa that he'd had just about enough of Leo and was going to fire him. The only way he wouldn't, he growled, was if Leo showed up within five minutes and groveled at his feet. Vanessa took a deep breath. Through gritted teeth, she reminded Palmer of his plot to "eliminate" her. Palmer buried his head in his hands and stated that he'd used poor judgment when he planned to off her. Nevertheless, Vanessa noted that most people would have ended up in jail for such a crime.
In the lobby, Erica walked up to Paolo and told him that they needed to talk. Paolo nodded and told Erica to join him upstairs. Somewhere several floors up, Paolo unlocked the door to his hotel room and asked Erica to join him inside. "You must be kidding," she laughed. Erica told Paolo that she'd "found a use" for him. Paolo smiled broadly and asked if he'd be the next Man of Enchantment. Again, Erica rolled her eyes. Erica let her intentions be known almost immediately: She wanted to hire Paolo to be her man. She explained that Paolo's job would be to "be solicitous in public and cater to [her] every whim." Paolo questioned why Erica would choose him when she could have any man. Then he answered his own question: she wanted to make David jealous. Paolo told Erica that he'd have expenses. She quickly produced another check. Before forking over the check, Erica warned Paolo that she'd go to the police if he even thought of double-crossing her. Erica noticed that the handkerchief in Paolo's pocket had a lipstick smudge on it. She plucked it away from him and groaned. She couldn't believe that he'd have a tryst with someone in such a short amount of time. Paolo claimed that the lipstick smudge was from when he'd kissed her in the dining room. Erica shifted her weigh, saying that her lipstick didn't smudge --- and that she would never be caught wearing such a hideous shade. Erica told Paolo in no uncertain terms that he was not to be seen with any other women. She handed Paolo the check --- which appeared to be sizeable based upon Paolo's bulging eyes --- and walked away.

Back downstairs, Leo finally showed up. Palmer told Leo that he was about to fire him, but that Vanessa went to bat for him. To everyone's surprise, Leo told Palmer that he was sorry that his mother was pressuring him. He flatly stated that he didn't want to work at Cortlandt Electronics. Vanessa gasped audibly. David, who'd been watching from nearby, applauded his stepbrother's honesty. "I quit," Leo chirped.

Back at the hunting lodge, Edmund helped Alex gather her things for their trip. He told her that he still wished she'd stay home. Before leaving, Edmund fired off an Email to Dr. Griffith at the Welsh mental hospital advising him that he and Alex would be there within a day. The pair turned off the lights, locked the door, and headed off for the airport. Only a few moments later, the door was unlocked. Guy swaggered into the room and sat down at the desk. He read the email that Edmund had sent and quickly reached for his cellular phone. He placed a call and asked the person on the other end if he'd gotten Edmund's message. When the person confirmed that he'd (or she'd) gotten the message, Guy stated that he was going to be on the next plane to Cardiff. Guy hit a button and the screen went blank. He turned off the lights and left the lodge. Second later, the computerized again sounded an alarm. "Edmund. Do not come to Wales," the voice stated. "Danger is everywhere here. Stay away! Stay away!"

With another history exam coming in a day or two, Janet sat down with Amanda to make sure that her daughter didn't get another "F." Amanda grumbled about not being able to go outside and play, but her hard work would be rewarded. Hayley burst into the house and asked Janet and Amanda if they'd like to be guests on Wave's special mother-daughter fashion show. Janet accepted the offer and Amanda immediately raced upstairs to call all of her friends. Shortly after Amanda was out of sight, Hayley told Janet that she hoped that the guest spot on the show would make up for the way she'd made Amanda run off. Janet assured her that she hadn't made Amanda bolt, but Hayley wasn't so sure. Hayley had to run off to the station and Janet needed to go upstairs and get ready to leave. Shortly after everyone had dispersed, Arlene rounded the corner; she'd overheard everything. Later, Amanda returned downstairs and asked her aunt if she'd be going to the fashion show. After all, Amanda noted, Arlene was Hayley's mother. Arlene pursed her lips together and politely stated that she wasn't sure whether or not Hayley would want her on the show. Amanda lowered her head and asked if she and Hayley were still mad at each other. Arlene nodded slightly. Amanda said that Trevor had always told her that the Dillons never stay mad at someone. She then wrapped her little arms around her aunt and offered her a comforting embrace. Janet appeared on the staircase and flashed an expression of concern; she wanted to know what was going on. Amanda pulled away and asked her mother if Arlene could tag along with them to the studio. Janet shook her head and said that she wasn't sure it was such a good idea. Janet said that it was up to Hayley and her mother to work out their differences. Amanda, though, would not be denied. She pleaded and begged until there was no other choice but to allow Arlene to accompany them.

A panicked Vanessa told Palmer that Leo was only joking. Palmer smiled broadly and praised Leo for showing initiative --- even if this was the first time that he'd shown initiative. Vanessa continued to make excuses for her son, saying that he was "exhausted" from working two jobs. David stepped forward and applauded his brother for showing that he was becoming independent. Vanessa turned and angrily asked David to leave. David, though, refused to budge. He commented that he was not about to miss his "baby brother's" first signs of showing that he had something more than "oatmeal" for brains. Palmer rose to his feet and threw his hands in the air. "What kind of family have I married into?" he squawked. Palmer walked away from the table, leaving Vanessa and her two sons to discuss what had just taken place. David continued to sing Leo's praises for speaking up for himself. "He is on his way to freedom," David chirped. He turned to Leo and urged him to "take a chance --- break away [and] don't look back." In conclusion, David warned Leo not to let his mother parade him around on a leash. Leo wittily snapped that David was the one being paraded around every time he was with Erica. David shook his head and walked away from the table. Vanessa asked Leo why he'd resigned his post at Cortlandt Electronics. "I'm not qualified," Leo replied. Vanessa told her son that he didn't have to be qualified because he had Palmer as his mentor. Shaking his head, Leo reminded her mother that Palmer couldn't stand being around him. Vanessa chalked up Leo's grumpiness to his fear of being blackmailed. She reminded Leo that she was unable to help him out of his jam because she was fighting battles of her own. That battle, of course, being her continuing effort to get Palmer to draft a new will. After a lifetime of being front and center in his mother's life, Leo said that he now felt more like "an accessory." Vanessa tried to convince her son that the good times were just ahead, but Leo seemed to doubt his mother's words. She urged her son to report to work early the next morning and stay a little later. Leo angrily asked his mother if she'd been listening to anything he'd said; he wanted nothing to do with Cortlandt Electronics. Again David loomed in the background. This time, he told Leo that Vanessa would never respect him as a freethinking person. Vanessa and David bickered back and forth until Leo jumped to his feet and ordered them to be quiet. Leo stormed out of the dining area and David went on his way. In the lobby, Paolo latched on to Leo's arm and pulled him aside. Paolo demanded $30,000 from Leo, but Leo said that he couldn't pay. Paolo tried to pressure his friend by saying that he'd go to Adam if he didn't shell out the cash, but Leo didn't flinch. Adam or no Adam, he simply didn't have the money to pay. Palmer returned to the dining area and sat back down next to Vanessa. Vanessa smiled nervously and told her husband that she was glad that they were alone again. Now, she said, they could focus on themselves. "There is no us," Palmer replied. At one time, Vanessa had "brightened" Palmer's life --- but not any more. "I married you not your two sons," he groused. Palmer warned her to clean up her family's act or their marriage would be over. Before parting the table, Palmer told Vanessa that her days of running the sugar daddy game were just about over. Asking her if she'd looked in the mirror lately, Palmer spouted off a French phrase. He called Vanessa "une femme a certain age," which very loosely translated means that she's "over the hill."

At WRCW, Scott stomped around the studio doing everything he could to avoid talking to Becca. Becca, who was subbing for a missing-in-action Greenlee, tried her best to ask Scott what was troubling him. Scott blathered on about how he didn't care what she did in her free time or who she spent it with, but it was clear that he was upset that Becca was spending time with Leo. Becca tried to explain that she and Leo were only friends, but she refused to part with the secret that she was helping Leo with his math. The fact that Becca felt that Leo's secret was more important than being truthful to him made Scott furious. He walked away from Becca and went back to work. Mateo and Hayley arrived at the studio and observed Scott and Becca's tiff, but they opted to stay out of it. Instead, they daydreamed of a future Wave episode when they would have a daughter of her own to parade around on the mother-daughter fashion show. Amanda and Janet appeared and Amanda smiled broadly as she told Hayley that she'd brought her a present. A split-second later Arlene appeared in the background. Hayley and Mateo watched as Arlene poked around the wardrobe rack. Hayley asked Mateo to show Janet and Amanda to the dressing area. With them safely gone, Hayley stormed her mother's location and ordered her to leave. Arlene explained that Amanda had begged her to accompany her to the studio. Arlene flashed a grin and said that she wouldn't mind being a part of the mother-daughter show. Hayley shook her head and told her mother that there was no way that she was going to get on the show. However, to be fair and honor Amanda's wishes, Hayley gave Arlene permission to watch the show --- from the background. The show's theme music started and everyone took to their appropriate places. Hayley introduced Janet and Amanda and the mother-daughter team showed off their matching outfits. The segment concluded with Hayley asking Amanda how she and her mother remained so close. Amanda smiled and said that she knows that no matter what she does her mother will always love her. With that, the show ended. Under her breath, Arlene grumbled that "that could've been us." She vowed to make her daughter see what she was missing out on.

Becca returned home to her room and found a surprise visitor lounging on her bed --- Leo!

In Adam's office at Chandler Mansion, Tad and Liza looked over a plan for their payback scheme. Tad gushed endless praise for Liza, but Marian, who was seated in a chair on the other side of the room, looked uncomfortable. Barry popped into the room and warned Liza and Tad that their joyride has about to come to a crashing end. Two members of the Chandler Enterprises board had called an emergency meeting to thwart Liza's attempt to take control of the company. Liza and Barry left the room to do damage control, though Tad remained extremely optimistic. He looked across the room and asked Marian why she wasn't joining in on the celebration. "I really hate to see you in cahoots with my daughter," Marian replied. "You're not good for Liza." Tad countered that it was Adam, not him, who was bad for Liza. His blood pressure rising, Tad blamed Marian for starting the ball rolling. She, he noted, had started everything by locking Adam up in the safe room. Liza returned to the room and sensed the hostilities in the air. Tad immediately told her that Marian was having second thoughts. Liza assured her mother that their plan would not backfire. Actually, that was what Marian was afraid of. "Stuart has given me faith," Marian responded. She explained that wanted to find a way to get back at Adam without ruining him. "Someone has to stop him for good," Liza snarled. Going easy on her husband was not an option. "He's your husband," Marian said softly. Liza chuckled slightly and reminded Marian that their husbands were two different men. Stuart, she said, romances Marian with handpicked flowers, paintings, and walks through the park. Adam, on the other hand, has his secretary order flowers and whisks Liza off to Paris for dinner. Liza sighed and said that she wants the "little things" in life. Marian claimed that Liza wasn't just trying to destroy Adam --- she was trying her best to destroy the feelings of love she still have for him. Liza made no attempt to deny her mother's insinuations that she still loved Adam. Instead, she focused on moving forward with her plan. Liza was willing to keep quiet about Adam's involvement with Paolo for Stuart's sake. Tad and Marian were also in agreement; no one wanted to hurt Stuart. Liza told Tad that it was time for them to put the next phase of their plan into motion. Liza picked up the phone and dialed the numbers to Adam's cell phone. She quickly handed the phone over to Tad so that it would not look like she was involved in any way with what Tad was about to say. Upon hearing Tad's voice, Adam demanded to know how he'd gotten his private phone number. Tad told Adam that he was about to show his jailhouse video to the board of Chandler Enterprises. Adam was furious with Tad. He hollered the pilot of his private jet to change their flight plan; he wanted to go directly to Pine Valley. Tad hung up the phone and he and Liza laughed fiendishly. "The die is cast," Tad stated. "It's a go."

Paolo sat on the edge of the bed in his hotel room. A knock sounded on the door and he told the person on the other side to enter. Paolo looked up and smiled at his visitor. "Angel Face," he smiled. "Back from war already?" The woman slowly walked towards the edge of the bed. "Paolo," Vanessa said with a slight whimper. "Make me feel better."