The Young and the Restless Recap, December 31: Lily and Cane end the year with a kiss 

Here’s the full recap of what happened on The Young and the Restless on Wednesday, December 31, 2025.

What happened on The Young and the Restless

Adam and Sally’s Society orders got mixed up, which again brought them into each other’s paths. Sally skipped the pleasantries and asked if he was willing to help broker peace between the Newmans and Abbotts. Adam barked that he knew the spiel already, that Sally believed he couldn't think or act for himself. Sally assured him that she didn’t imply that. She knew he could think for himself, and she believed he had a moral compass buried somewhere.

Sally knew how badly Adam struggled with Victor’s pull, but at the same time, she knew he could resist it. Both Adam and Sally admitted their partners were sidelined by various issues, prompting the two to sit down and try to have a civil discussion. Adam didn’t want to discuss Victor, but Sally couldn’t make any promises.

Adam and Sally ultimately agreed on no work talk, which quickly became awkward. However, once they reminisced about a previous New Year’s Eve together, that seemed to lighten the mood. Sally asked how his relationship with Chelsea was going, and Adam had no complaints. They’d really come together as a family. Sally was pleased to hear that Connor had found a way to manage his OCD.

Adam expressed concern for Sally’s future with Billy. He knew how easily Billy could self-sabotage. Once he went off the rails again, Adam was afraid that Sally would become collateral damage. Sally’s silence spoke volumes. He realized that Sally had the same concerns about the future of her relationship.

Meanwhile, at the GCAC, Kyle ran into Victoria, who asked how his evening was. He asked if she was there to meet Nate, and she admitted they had become close again. However, she wasn’t meeting him. Nate had plans with Amy, as it was the first New Year’s Eve since Damian’s murder. Victoria referenced his breakup with Claire and recognized it was a difficult decision for him.

Victoria acknowledged how difficult the holidays can be if you are separated from someone you love. Kyle was reminded that it was Victoria’s first set of holidays without Cole, and assumed it had been difficult. Victoria recounted how Claire surprised her with a gift that bore Cole’s imprint, and Kyle admired how Claire and her father were a great team, even in death.

Victoria wanted to know how Kyle was processing the end of his relationship. He was doing fine, and he knew that it was time for it to end. Kyle struggled with the intricate balance between hoping for the best and preparing for the worst, and it had become too much. The balancing act wasn’t fair to either party, so it was best to call it quits.

Kyle pointed out that Victor was the biggest obstacle that had sidetracked their relationship. However, Victoria recalled how Victor eventually gave his blessing for the two to be together. Despite this, Kyle pleaded with her to see reason about Victor’s pursuit to destroy Jack and all of Jabot.

Kyle wished Victoria would step in and speak up against Victor’s actions. He believed that the family's revolt against him could be the game-changer they needed to get him to back off. Kyle thought it was worth a shot, but Victora told him that Victor was already aware of their feelings.

Kyle begged Victoria and Nikki to intervene on his family's behalf. Kyle wanted to know why, if Nikki was willing to stand up to Victor, why Victoria still fell in line. Victoria didn’t appreciate the implication, so Kyle apologized. Kyle ran through all the siblings and believed Victoria to be the most independent.

Victoria discussed how she and her siblings sued Victor for misuse of their trusts. Regardless, Kyle wanted her to take a strand with the rest of her siblings to help the Abbotts regain control of their company. Kyle told her that her father wasn’t the god, but Victoria asked who had beaten him. They couldn’t name anyone.

Kyle mentioned that Jack had won a few battles throughout their decades-long war. That gave Victoria the fuel to point out how Jack also kept the war going, and it wasn’t just Victor stoking the flames. Kyle once again pleaded with Victoria to take a stand. She talked in circles until she ultimately agreed to do what she could to help persuade Victor to leave Kyle’s family alone.

Later, outside of Crimson Lights, Daniel and Tessa practiced their guitar playing, and he noticed that she was going through something. Tessa still left out what happened between her and Mariah, and Daniel was ready to listen. She asked if he ever tired of being sweet to her. Tessa was always going through something, and Daniel was always ready and willing to help her through it.

Tessa didn’t want to speak about it. Nothing would change by doing so. She told him, “I’ve lost Mariah, and now I’m lost too.” Tessa learned that Mariah had left the clinic when she noticed her location change on their family tracking app.

Tessa left two messages, but she didn’t hear back from Mariah until she got a text saying Mariah had checked out of the Boston clinic. Mariah managed to send a Christmas gift for Aria, but that was as far as it went. She refused to do a video call with her. Mariah also told Tessa not to expect any further correspondence from her.

Tessa was conflicted about how to process her new reality. Although she knew this was coming, she felt blindsided. Daniel wanted Tessa to understand that nobody knew what was going on inside Mariah’s head. Tessa no longer wished to live in a state of uncertainty. She wanted to be with someone who valued the things she said and did. Tessa said she needed to feel loved, which led her and Daniel to share a kiss on the patio.

Tessa and Daniel returned to his suite at the GCAC and turned up the heat. Daniel wanted to make sure that Tessa was thinking clearly and wouldn’t later regret sleeping together. Tessa admitted she had dreamed about it, and she needed him to keep going.

Elsewhere, Cane planned to welcome the New Year alone on his train. He was pleasantly surprised to see Lily and commented that her timing was impeccable. Lily acknowledged her unexpected arrival, and he assured her that there was no one else he would rather spend time with.

Much to Cane’s dismay, Lily didn’t want to stay. Cane offered her a glass of champagne, but she wanted to stick to her reason for being there. Lily iterated that the non-date between them for the Abbott Communications launch party was a one-off, and she didn’t want to leave him with false hope.

Cane thought they had a decent time together, and they had settled back into their previous dynamic. Lily made it clear that a reunion was not on the table and that they were farther apart than they’d ever been. Cane was confused about why Lily would take time out of her schedule on a holiday just to inform him that she wasn’t interested. Something wasn’t adding up to Cane.

Lily thought that equating their hangout as a “great time” overstated things. Cane believed that Lily could’ve sent that in a text. Lily called Cane a liar, and he wondered what he could possibly be holding back from her. He asked whether Devon or the kids had gotten into her head. They both thought they were heading toward reconciliation, but Lily refused to fall for his game again.

Cane ranted that he was entirely honest and forthcoming with his actions over the last three years. Lily eventually reached a breaking point and told him that she walked in on him and Phyllis kissing. She felt stupid for believing they could have gotten back together. Lily urged him to be with Phyllis, since they had so much in common. Cane tried to get her to realize that Phylis initiated it, but she wouldn’t listen to reason.

Cane told Lily that he put a stop to the kiss the moment it happened. Lily didn’t believe him, and Cane insisted it was one-tenth of a second and that if he had stayed and waited, she would have seen it for herself. Cane yelled that Phyllis always has an agenda, and that Phyllis would thrive on the idea of Lily doubting him.

Cane questioned whether Lily was looking for any excuse to avoid giving him a chance. He wouldn't risk losing her again, but she won’t allow it. Cane vowed that he had only ever loved one woman, and Lily was it.

Lily asked Cane to stay away from her and demanded that he respect her request. However, he said that she wanted him as much as he wanted her, and he wanted Lily to admit the truth. Cane asked her to stop pretending that she hated him. He stepped closer to her, and listed all of the things that stood in between them, and he asked her to stop pretending like they don’t belong together.”

Cane told her, “I love you more than anything in the whole entire world, so will you please, please let me love you,” which was immediately followed up with the kiss heard around the world.

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