The Young and the Restless Recap, January 2: Mariah chooses darkness as Matt makes a deadly demand

Here’s the full recap of what happened on The Young and the Restless on Friday, January 2, 2025.

What happened on The Young and the Restless

At the Newman Ranch, Nick filled Victor in about his meeting with Matt. He thought that Matt might accept the offer for the money, but Matt’s silence made him question the stability of the plan. Victor compared Matt to a desperate, wounded animal. Matt was left with nothing after the AI program took his assets, so taking the offer might be his best chance at survival.

Nick was concerned that Matt’s desperation would make him more dangerous. Victor assured Nick that they still had the upper hand. The goal was to uncover Sienna’s location and hope that Matt didn’t escalate the situation in the meantime. Nick was certain that Matt would kill Sienna if he felt it was necessary.

Victor asked Nick if Sienna could be trusted. Nick thought that Sienna could indeed be trusted, but she was trapped in a situation with Matt. He felt obligated to help Sienna because Noah was infatuated with her. Victor questioned what went wrong with Noah’s relationship with Allie, but details about their demise were scarce.

Victor agreed that Matt needed to be removed from their lives. Nick received a text from the madman himself, asking him to arrange a meeting. Victor offered security, but Nick declined because Matt was too smart to be duped like that. Victor, however, had an alternative game plan for his son.

Noah stressed about not hearing anything about Sienna’s whereabouts. However, Sharon stressed to her son that Nick was working diligently to find her. Noah blamed himself for putting him and Sienna in harm's way by not following instructions to stay put.

Adam dropped by Sharon’s house to wish everyone a Happy New Year. He knew about Sienna’s kidnapping and asked how he could help. Sharon assured Adam that Nick had things handled. Adam wasn’t shocked because he knew how fiercely Nick protected his family.

Adam asked Noah how he was holding up and reminded him that he nearly died in the accident. Noah was adamant that he needed to get out of the house and locate Sienna. Noah and Adam argued a bit over the legitimacy of his relationship with Sienna. Noah took offense to everything Adam said until Sharon stepped in.

Adam didn’t think it was a coincidence that Noah found himself in a relationship with the wife of his parents' longtime enemy. He questioned whether Noah could actually trust Sienna. Adam suggested that Matt had used Sienna as bait to lure Noah into his revenge plot. Noah shut down the conversation because he was finished with everyone thinking the worst of Sienna.

Noah laid out all of Sienna’s qualities that made her tough, but at the root of it all, he thought she had a big heart. Adam wondered how smart Sienna could have been if she had fallen for Matt’s ruse as Mitch. Noah asked Sharon if she still had doubts about the love of his life.

Sharon admitted she had been too difficult with Sienna before her disappearance. Adam apologized for piling on as well. He told Noah that if he trusted Sienna, he could climb on board. Noah was terrified at the image of Sienna being alone and scared away from him. Sharon agreed they needed help because dealing with Matt was an all-hands-on-deck situation.

Victor dropped by Sharon’s house and told Noah that Nick had agreed to meet Matt by himself. Adam and Noah wanted to provide backup, but Victor said nobody would be going. He had other plans in place.

In the motel room, Matt tried waking Sienna. Annie worried that they used too much of whatever knocked her out, but Matt said Sienna had always been a lightweight. Matt shook Sienna, urging her to wake up. Sienna started to wake, and Matt took a picture, presumably as proof of life.

Although the proof that Sienna was unharmed helped Matt in the long run, he told Sienna that she didn’t have a future.

Tessa surprised Daniel at Crimson Lights and asked to hear the new indie band he had started listening to. Daniel figured that Tessa regretted their time together on New Year’s Eve, but he didn’t. He asked Tessa if she had any, but she didn’t either. The only reason she wanted privacy on the patio was so she could kiss Daniel without prying eyes.

Tessa wasn’t sure what the future held for the two, and Daniel didn't think it needed a label yet. Daniel asked what still bothered Tessa because he noticed there was an issue. Tessa hadn’t spoken to Mariah, and the silence had only grown louder. Tessa was living in limbo, at her breaking point.

Tessa deserved better. Aria deserved better. To improve their lives, she had begun divorce proceedings. Daniel was somewhat surprised at Tessa’s decision because it had a finality to it. He didn’t want her to second-guess her decision. Daniel never anticipated falling for Tessa, and he meant it when he told people they were just friends. However, things naturally progressed.

Daniel offered Tessa a confession about their song. Any attempt to work on the song was unproductive until he saw Tessa, and looking into her eyes led to the creative juices flowing. Tessa had something to look forward to, and she believed there were more songs in their future.

Tessa reminded Daniel that he had encouraged him to fight for her marriage. He wasn’t to blame for her impending divorce. Daniel tried to compare himself to Mariah, and his situation with Heather, and how he also left his family. However, he fought through it, whereas Mariah had not.

Daniel called Tessa brave because she made the most difficult choice of her life. He vowed to continue being there for her, but he offered to step back if she needed him to. Tessa told him not to do that because pushing her away was no different from pushing Mariah.

Elsewhere, Mariah was shown in a motel, looking at a photo of her fractured family. She reflected on Tessa’s singing ability and how she probably sang to Aria before bed. The thought led Mariah to recall how she sang to Dominic when she served as Abby and Chance’s surrogate.

Mariah said she was trapped in a nightmare every time she closed her eyes. Ian quickly emerged in the room and asked if that was “anyone to talk about the person that loves you the most.” Mariah asked Ian to leave, but he refused. She wanted peace and ordered him not to mention Tessa and Aria.

Mariah had plans to return to her family, but Ian called that a fairy tale. She was determined to work through her issues and figure out a way back to them. Ian believed she needed him, despite her efforts to make him disappear. He made her stare into the mirror and reminded her that she purposely pushed her family away.

Mariah wondered if that was the best course of action. However, Ian urged her that it was. He told her to “do what needs to be done.” Ian told Mariah that she burned her life to the ground, and Tessa had already moved on without her. He needed her to do the same for herself and let that part of her life fade into a distant memory.

Mariah sobbed as she realized reentering Tessa and Aria’s lives would hurt them even more. All she wanted was to be welcomed back home, and that was the single motivating factor keeping her going. Mariah wanted her life back. Ian told her that her desire to regain her family clouded her judgment and prevented her from achieving her true purpose.

Ian told Mariah that Aria wasn’t her “flesh and blood child,” and it was time for her to say goodbye to her family. He promised to help her through it. Ian handed her the photo of herself, Tessa, and Aria, which she tore, leading to guttural screams from Mariah. He was proud of her and encouraged her to believe that her faith could light the way.

Ian told Mariah she was the only one who could repair herself, but only by embracing her dark side. He cited a Bible verse about faith, not sight. Ian referred to himself as her fallen guardian angel, and she questioned whether or not they could pull off what he wanted from her. Ian was convinced that she could do whatever she put her mind to, as she was the smartest disciple he had ever met.

Ian suggested to Mariah that it was the right time for her to follow the path. Mariah agreed and believed nothing could go wrong with their plan.

Nick met with Matt later on, and he demanded to know where Sienna was. Matt promised to reveal her location, but only if Nick met the terms of their arrangement. Nick asked for proof of life, which Matt provided. Instead of a still photo, Matt showcased a video of a drugged but alive Sienna in a motel room.

Nick told Matt there was a process to get the money, but Matt now wanted five million dollars. He refused to release Sienna until he got what he wanted. He would kill her if Nick didn’t follow orders accordingly. Nick immediately called Victor and told him that Matt was “on the move.” Evidently, things were going according to plan.

Nick returned to Sharon’s house and confirmed to everyone that Sienna was alive. Nick gave an update on Matt’s financial demands, and Noah was furious. Adam insisted that they knew Sienna was still alive, so that is what mattered most. Victor encouraged Noah that Sienna would be returned safely.

Matt returned to the motel room, and Annie asked if Nick could be trusted to agree to the deal. She assumed that since Matt agreed to the terms and the money would be transferred, that Sienna and Noah would live. Matt gave her a confused look and said, “What would give you that idea?”

Matt told Annie that this only ended with Sienna and Noah in a “deep, dark grave.”

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