The Young and the Restless Recap, August 22: Cane told Phyllis what he wants her to do 

Here's what you missed on the Friday, August 22, 2025, episode of The Young and the Restless

What happened on The Young and the Restless

Phyllis showed up at Cane’s train and told him this was his lucky day. He wondered if she was going to do this often. She explained she was there to help him clear his plate, but he needed to utilize her expertise. Cane asked Phyllis why she was staring at him. She wondered if she should waste her time with him. Phyllis asked Cane if he was going to shatter her dreams.

Phyllis was stunned after being open with Cane that he turned his attention to his digital pad. Cane told Phyllis to relax. She said she couldn’t afford to, as she had put her relationship with her friends on the line. Cane asked why Phyllis thought he was going to back out. Phyllis said it seemed like Cane was stalling. Cane said he was on schedule. Phyllis asked if she could be told what the schedule was. She asked Cane if this was about his children.

Cane told Phyllis he was giving his kids space. Phyllis referred to her kids having a hard time coming around after she faked her death. She quipped that Cane’s kids finding out their dad was a billionaire might help. “Trust me, they’ll come around,” Phyllis said. Phyllis proposed that she forge ahead with Cane’s plan.

Cane asked her what that meant. She asked for a project. She wanted to work. Phyllis said she can’t wait to have Victor groveling at her feet. He asked her what she knew about Artificial Intelligence. Phyllis said she couldn’t give a TED talk on AI, but she knew something about it, calling AI the future, exciting, and scary.

Billy told Phyllis he needed her to be an expert in AI sooner rather than later. He said he brought her on because of her natural intelligence. Cane said he and Phyllis needed to stay ahead of Victor. He accused her of slinging b.s. Phyllis said she’d learn AI, but she wanted to know how it would be used. Billy said he’d tell her after she knew enough about AI to give a TED talk on it.

At Society, Lily asked Devon if their team had noticed they weren’t at the top of their game at a work meeting. Lily lamented that she’s complaining about Cane. She asked about Nate. Devon said that Audra has Nate feeling very upset. Lily hoped that Nate would see who Audra truly was.

Lily said she should have known Audra was up to something based on how she was in Nice. She conceded that Audra’s sadness over Damian seemed real. Devon theorized he might have been. Lily said she’s moved on to actually hating Audra from just disliking her.

Devon said it was understandable that Mattie and Charlie were upset that Cane lied about working with ex-cons. They wondered if the money was more important than they were. Devon said he’d been there, referring to Tucker. Lily wondered why Cane didn’t think about their kids.

Devon said that Abby’s a mess and Dominic misses Chance. He theorized Lily and Damian could have had something special. Lily said they’ll never know. She’s focused now on helping her kids get through this. Lily wishes she could turn back time to before Cane came into her life.

Lily shared that Cane has a train on every continent because he enjoys the romance of traveling by train. “Some people have just too much damn money,” Devon quipped. He asked Lily if Cane was trying to impress her. Lily wasn’t sure. She told Devon she did what Victor suggested. She didn’t let him think he had a romantic chance with her, but Lily said she’d help him smooth over things with Mattie and Charlie if Cane told her what his plan was. But that didn't work out. Lily rejected Cane, and their kids pushed him away.

At Crimson Lights, Audra maintained that she was innocent. She lied that Victor didn’t offer to fund her company in exchange for breaking up Kyle and Claire. She claimed that she walked away from Vibrante, but Nate suggested she would have hung onto it for dear life. Nate didn’t believe her story. Nate threw shade at Audra and Kyle’s idea to have a cosmetics war and involve Cane. Nate told Audra that if she didn’t come clean, he was out of there!

Audra didn’t give an inch. Everything was someone else’s fault. She went on the offensive by telling him he’d made up his mind and nothing she said was going to change it. "For the last time, nothing happened in Nice," Audra maintained.

Nate told her what he knew deep down in his gut was real. He begged for something to work with. Nate said the only one trying to make him look like a fool was her. Audra continued to hold onto her story. Nate said he’d already warned Audra about not working with Victor, so her deciding now to walk away from the mogul didn’t hold water.

She asked Nate if he was accusing her of accepting a deal from Victor in exchange for breaking up Claire and Kyle. Nate asked her if that was what happened. Audra said that Nate believes it anyway. She started to walk away. He stopped her. Audra said goodbye and added that this was his loss. Audra walked out of Crimson Lights.

Next, Cane showed up at Crimson Lights and told Nate he was sorry about Damian. Cane said that he understood Nate was angry. Nate wanted to know what Damian was doing in France, as Cane had already fired him. Cane offered no excuses. and added that what happened would haunt him. Nate quipped that maybe he could send Cane a sympathy card.

Nate asked Cane why he had lied all these years to hide behind a name as he built his fortune. Did he want to yell out from the hedges, “Surprise! Daddy’s home!” Cane maintained there were reasons, but they weren’t dark and mysterious. Nate asked why anyone would trust Cane. Nate said that if Cane felt guilty about Damian and Chance, well, he should.

Next, Nate arrived at Society and joined Devon at the bar. Nate explained that he had met with Audra and accused her of lying to him. He said the more he thought about what went down with Victor and Kyle, the more he believed it. Nate said he pushed it, but Audra kept giving him more of the same song and dance.

Devon said he felt bad about Nate’s pain, but said he didn’t need Audra in his life if she was in cahoots with Victor. Nate doubted his accusations. Devon said that Nate listened to the voice in his head, adding that Audra’s only focus in life was Audra. He said he was tired of Nate being hurt.

Meanwhile, Phyllis was alone at Chancellor Park and started to read about AI. She spied Audra. “Hey, Audra, I heard you crashed and burned again,” Phyllis quipped. She said she heard that Audra’s company ended before it got off the ground. Phyllis wondered what she called her company – Vibrator? “Very funny, yeah, you would know about that,” Audra shot back.

Audra said that she simply didn't want to be in business with Victor, so she ended things. Phyllis said that was the one smart thing she’d done. The tone between the two women softened a tiny bit when Phyllis inquired as to how Nate was doing. The peace didn’t last long as Phyllis wondered if Nate had found out about the flirting Audra was doing with Kyle in Nice. Phyllis said everyone saw it. Audra asked if Phyllis actually cared about what happened between her and Nate.

Phyllis mused that Nate deserved better than Audra. She wondered why Phyllis cared. Phyllis wondered why Cane had invited Audra to France. Audra said Phyllis’s curiosity baffled her as they were all no longer in Nice. Audra said she was flattered that Phyllis saw her as a threat. Phyllis said what Cane was working on was bigger than anything Audra could imagine. She wondered why Cane was working with Phyllis. “The pot shouldn’t piss off the kettle, Phyllis,” Audra said, pointing out that Phyllis’s past was more sketchy and longer than hers was. “Cane trusts me,” Phyllis countered. She added that they were working on something bigger than anyone could imagine.

Meanwhile, Cane greeted Esther at Crimson Lights. She congratulated him on his wealth. Esther lamented that things didn’t work out between Cane and her daughter, Chloe, but that Chloe was very happy with her fabulous “unwealthy” husband (Kevin) and their beautiful children. Esther gave Cane her genuine sympathy about Colin.

Next, Cane received a text, presumably from Charlie, that read “Please stop calling. Leave Mattie and me alone.” Lily arrived, and Cane showed her his text. She asked him if they were surprised. “I can fix it,” he claimed. Lily wondered how he could explain anything to their kids when he couldn't even tell her. Cane said he was afraid to fail. If he did fail, he feared he would not be able to live with himself.

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