While Hope’s resurrection story unfolds, another storm brews—this time in the sterile halls of a hospital. Bill Spencer, the indomitable titan of Spencer Publications, collapses in his penthouse, his body succumbing to years of ignored ailments. A near-fatal cardiac event silences the lion, placing him on life support.

But Bill’s collapse ignites more than just medical alarms. It sets off a war.

Unbeknownst to anyone, Bill had recently revised his will. A clause now dictates that control of Spencer Publications will transfer to his “most recent legally recognized spouse” in the event of death or incapacitation. With Bill unconscious and barely clinging to life, his ICU room transforms into a corporate battleground.

Katie Logan arrives first—former wife, mother of his child, and emotional cornerstone through years of turbulent love. But she is not alone. Brooke storms in next—Bill’s scandalous love interest, whose past with him burned hot and destructive. Finally, Dr. Lee Finnegan enters the fray—not a lover, but a wild card with a medical power of attorney and no romantic entanglements clouding her focus.

Three women. One empire. Zero agreement.

Katie argues legacy. Brooke fights for passion. Lee enforces legal authority. Each woman believes she is best suited to protect Bill’s legacy—or control it. The ICU becomes a courtroom, thick with resentment and desperation. Divorce papers are scrutinized. Private agreements resurface. Power of attorney documents are brandished like weapons.

Meanwhile, the board of Spencer Publications demands clarity. Share prices wobble. Reporters circle. Even Ridge, Steffy, Hope, and Eric try to intervene, but the conflict is sealed behind the hospital’s locked doors.

Tensions flare. Katie accuses Brooke of never truly earning Bill’s heart. Brooke calls Katie weak and naïve. Lee warns them both that sentiment will not save an empire. As legal teams assemble and stockholders grow restless, the question lingers: Who will control the company if Bill never wakes?

Then, after three days of chaos, a flicker. Bill’s hand twitches. His eyes open. And with faint breath, he utters one name: “Liam.”

He doesn’t ask about the company. Not about control or legacy. He asks about his son.

Because in the end, Bill didn’t update his will for power plays. He did it to protect his empire while trying to save his child. But now, awake and fragile, he faces a board on edge, a company destabilized, and three women who’ve tasted power—and may not be willing to let it go.

The empire may still have its king, but the vultures have already circled. And what happens next won’t be a reunion. It will be a reckoning.