In the world of The Young and the Restless, where every whispered word can spark a war and alliances shift like sand in the wind, Kyle Abbott finds himself standing on a ledge — and the ground beneath him is crumbling fast.

It begins with a cryptic message from Audra Charles: “It’s happening.” That single text sends Kyle spiraling into the heart of a Newman-orchestrated storm, one where he’s both a player and a pawn. His entanglement with Audra is no longer just risky — it’s explosive. But what makes it worse is that Victor Newman may be pulling the strings from the shadows.

As tension thickens, Kyle is forced to make choices that could redefine his future. Diane Jenkins, his mother, sees danger in every move Audra makes. “If we keep going like this, we’ll fall right into her hands,” she warns. But Kyle’s father, Jack Abbott, urges him to stand his ground. “Expose the trap and walk away victorious,” Jack says — a piece of advice shaped by years of battling Newmans and their tangled games.

Meanwhile, Kyle isn’t fighting this war alone. He reaches out to Claire Newman, who surprisingly gives him her blessing to leave for France. As he packs for the high-stakes trip, he’s aware that this move could either bring him redemption or ruin.

Back in Genoa City, Audra is already planning her next strike. She meets with Nate Hastings, wrapping him into her scheme for a mysterious perfume competition hosted by the elusive Aristotle Damas. Nate is skeptical. “That doesn’t make sense,” he tells her when she claims she was invited based on merit alone. But Audra is a master manipulator, and soon Nate is reluctantly on board — though not without a warning: “If this turns out to be a trap, don’t think I’ll let you off the hook.”

But Audra isn’t just playing one game — she’s playing several. And as her phone lights up with a message from Kyle — “Almost there. See you in France.” — she smiles, thinking the trap is ready to be sprung.

Little does she know, Kyle may not be walking into her plan blindly.

Meanwhile, across town, Chelsea Lawson storms into Crimson Lights, demanding that Victor stay away from Billy Abbott. Her anger is fueled by secrets — namely, what she’s uncovered about Aristotle Damas. She’s convinced that revealing the truth could change everything. But Victor plays it cool, hinting that he already knows who Damas is — and that it’s not Tucker McCall, as Chelsea believes.

The revelation? Tucker is in prison in India — making it impossible for him to be the mysterious Damas. Chelsea is stunned. Has she made a fatal mistake? Or is Victor simply playing another layer of his long game?

Victor challenges her: “Are you protecting Billy, or are you just a pawn in something you don’t understand?” But Chelsea isn’t backing down. She insists she’s protecting what’s right — and that she’ll expose Damas’ true identity, even if it means going against Victor himself.

As the storm brews, Sharon is facing her own fork in the road. Encouraged by Nick, she finally agrees to take a trip to France — a chance to heal from months of emotional turmoil. But her departure leaves Mariah questioning the growing closeness between her mother and Nick. Is something more than friendship rekindling?

Every thread in Genoa City is being pulled tighter. Lies, loyalty, love — and legacy — are all on the line. As each character plays their part in this expanding chess game, one question looms over them all:

👉 Who’s truly in control?