The Young and the Restless Recap for Tuesday, January 7, 2025: Mariah threatens Ian, Billy accuses Phyllis

Billy was nervous meeting with Phyllis at Society as he didn’t know what she was up to. “Nothing,” Phyllis grinned. She said for the first time in a long time, everything felt like it was in place. Phyllis explained that she had really let go of all of her anger for Sharon. Billy said he understood righteous rage and wasn’t convinced that she had actually just let it all go. He thought she sounded like she was trying to convince herself.

Phyllis said that Billy knew her and knew that when she put her mind to something, it was actually a piece of cake. “I do know you. One of the things I love about you is that when you lie to yourself or anyone else, you are fully committed. I mean, you really believe it in the moment, straight-faced and all,” Billy told her. Phyllis shared that she had made a New Year’s resolution, and she was sticking to it. Phyllis said he should be cheering her on because she was fully committed to getting Chancellor back for him. Billy confirmed she was focused, driven, and all in. “Go, team. Just one condition,” Phyllis added.

Before Phyllis could tell Billy what she wanted, Summer came in and blurted out that Chance had just told her Sharon was missing. Summer shared what she knew, but Phyllis mocked it, saying that it was just typical for Sharon to do another disappearing act for attention. Billy asked if that was her rage coming out. “This is not rage, I’m just stating reality,” Phyllis self-soothed.

Summer wondered if Phyllis really thought Sharon would just make people worry. Phyllis said that Sharon would go away for a little while, everyone would freak out, and then she’d appear again. Phyllis said that everyone would be so relieved and tell Sharon how happy they were, and all would be forgiven. Billy knew Sharon had done this before, but the timing was off. He pointed out that Phyllis just happened to let go of all her rage at the same time Sharon had gone missing. Billy asked Phyllis straight up if she knew what happened to Sharon.

Phyllis was stunned that Billy would ask that, but he pointed out how Phyllis swore revenge on Sharon. Summer was aghast that her mom had said something like wanting to make Sharon pay. Phyllis denied saying that and clarified that she didn’t want Sharon to weasel out of paying for her crimes and that she wanted her to face the music. Billy insincerely backtracked on his accusation. Sally came in, and Billy went to join her.

At another table, Sally asked Billy to come to Paris with her on a business trip that they could enjoy personally. Billy suggested they leave immediately. Sally described the romantic places she’d picked out. Billy wondered if she was hoping to distract him from his plan to go after Victor, and Sally admitted she was. But she also knew that he could continue when they got back, and she wouldn’t stop him.

Across the restaurant, Phyllis couldn’t believe Billy accused her of hurting Sharon and then was just sitting over there holding hands with his gal pal as if nothing had happened. “Why do people still think the worst of me?” Phyllis wondered. She saw Summer’s expression and said, “Oh my god, Summer, not you, too?”

Summer said she didn’t think that Phyllis did something to Sharon but wasn’t surprised that Billy asked after all of her mom’s rantings. Phyllis pointed out that Sharon confessed, so she was stating facts, not ranting, but insisted she was moving on from being obsessed with Sharon. She said that Nick and Michael could be frantic about where Sharon was, but she wasn’t going to worry about it. “If something happened to Sharon, it’s on karma, not me,” Phyllis added.

Phyllis couldn’t stop staring at Billy and Sally, so Summer asked if she wanted to sit with them so she could hear them better. Summer said that Sharon was missing, and Nick and Faith were upset. Phyllis knew that Summer cared about them but said that Sharon didn’t really care about anyone but herself. She said to let go of Sharon and her issues, and suggested they moved on as a family to heal.

Summer passed Sally as they were both leaving Society and asked if she was ready for Paris. Phyllis joined Billy when she saw him alone. Billy said that she could put her non-Sharon energy into going against Victor. “Let me get this straight. My revenge is bad, but yours is productive and healthy,” Phyllis asked. “Pretty much. Glad we got that figured out,” Billy quipped. He asked her what the one condition was. “It’s very easy. It’s Daniel. When we get Chancellor back, Daniel becomes a key figure there. A key figure,” Phyllis emphasized. She said she was doing this because she wanted to help create a path forward after what happened to Heather. “So bottom line, no Daniel, no me. Do we have a deal?” Phyllis asked.

Nick spent the night at Sharon’s and told Faith in the morning that there was still no word from Sharon, but he’d checked all of the hospitals, and a missing person report was filed with the police. Nick added that Chance, the police, and Victor’s men were all on the case. He thought that maybe Sharon just wanted to go somewhere to get a good night’s sleep. He said Sharon knew now that she wasn’t the person who hurt Heather and probably just needed to take a breath. Faith reminded him that Sharon wanted to celebrate at Society, then didn’t show up.

Nick told Faith that Shaorn could handle herself. Faith asked how long Sharon had been drugged before knowing it. She wondered if maybe the hypnosis triggered something that she couldn’t handle. Nick assured her that no matter where Sharon was, the last thing she’d want was for Faith to be upset. “What if it was Ian? The guy’s capable of anything, right? What if he did something to Mom?” Faith asked.

Nick told Faith he knew she was scared but didn’t think Ian had a way to tamper with Sharon’s meds again. Faith said Ian wasn’t here to make people nervous; he was here for a reason. “What if that reason was Mom?” Faith cried. Nick said there was too much security at the ranch, but Faith pointed out that it wasn’t in place until after Sharon went missing, and they knew Ian was in town.

Faith asked if Nick thought she was overreacting. Nick said she had seen evil up close and had to deal with danger more times than anyone should. He said Sharon seemed solid recently and wasn’t dealing with drugs in her system. Faith agreed. “Then where is she?” Faith asked.

At the ranch house, Victor promised Nikki that Ian Ward would not hurt anyone in his family. Nikki said that Ian should not be underestimated. Victor assured her that he would deal with Ian. Nikki recounted some of the things that Ian had done to them as if Victor needed reminding. Victor said no one would catch them off guard ever again. “How dare he come back here after all of the damage he has caused?” Nikki cried.

Nikki told Victor that all Ian did was create havoc and that she hated him. She didn’t understand how he was released, but Victor pointed out Ian was a massive manipulator and relentless. “Blackmail, kidnapping, attempted murder, teaming up with Adam…you were shot because of him!” Nikki cried. Victor promised that Ian would no longer be a problem for their family.

Nick came to the main house, and they compared notes on the Sharon situation. He said that he couldn’t stay on top of things at Newman with everything going on. Nick said Faith was at Sharon’s with Christian and asked Nikki to arrange a play date with his cousins as a distraction. Victor said he was almost convinced that Ian had everything to do with Sharon’s disappearance. Nick wondered why Ian would show up and what he wanted now.

They all agreed that Ian’s chaplain routine was a joke and that no one would believe his redemption. Nikki told Nick that Ian had written a letter to the police warning them that the Newmans were to blame if anything happened to him. Chance called Nick and told him they found Sharon’s car in the river.

After he hung up with Chance, Nick explained to his parents that someone reported seeing Sharon's car drive off the bridge near where Heather’s body was found. He said the police retrieved it, and it was definitely Sharon’s car, but so far, Sharon hadn’t been found.

Mariah and Tessa walked through the park with Aria and bumped into Ian, who was sitting on a park bench reading his Bible. Ian stood and said, “Good morning. And this little angel must be Aria.” Mariah moved quickly between Ian and the stroller.

Ian understood Mariah’s defensiveness but said she didn’t need to be. Mariah told him he turned her stomach and asked how he could stand to hear himself talk. Ian begged her not to leave and pointed out one of Victor’s guards, noting that he had been following Ian around all day. “And I welcome it. Perhaps all the people around town will see I’m no kind of threat,” Ian explained. “Until he turns his back or you come up with distraction or whatever sick plan you have going on,” Mariah snapped. Tessa asked what Ian wanted. Ian insisted he wasn’t the man that he was and that he wanted to make amends. “If you could just give me one moment, perhaps I can begin to make that journey,” Ian told them.

Mariah told Ian the deal was that she would never have to see him again, and given the chance with a parole board, she would have told him to keep him locked up. Ian said he didn’t expect her to forgive him. He said everything was his fault, but he also knew that trauma can cause confusion in a young person’s mind, and they sometimes believe they are responsible for their own pain. “What? Are you insane? I never said any of that!” Mariah snapped. Ian insisted he was ashamed of his actions and mistakes and wanted to make amends but didn’t expect forgiveness. Mariah said she wasn’t going to let him waste another second of her time. “I understand,” Ian insisted.

Ian turned to Tessa and told her he hoped she felt better. He asked if the doctor had told her why she’d had that asthma attack. Tessa stammered that there had been no explanation but thanked him for using the inhaler as Mariah glared. Ian said that when he helped Tessa, it all became clear that he had come to town and been there at that exact moment. “No, you’re not going to do this! You're not going to come in and say that you were the hero of the situation and it was God’s plan because I can guarantee he doesn’t want anything to do with you!” Mariah yelled. “There’s always a plan, Mariah, whether we want to accept it or not. And it seems we are intertwined until the end,” Ian soothed.

Mariah told Ian that no higher power was guiding him and that he’d know if he had anything other than evil in him. Ian told Tessa there was no need to thank him and explained Mariah’s anger as he had caused her a lot of hurt. Mariah said she wanted to vomit. She informed Ian that Tessa had seen monsters in her life, too, just like Ian, so he couldn’t con her. Ian said that he had spoken too much about himself and shared that one day, he hoped Mariah would find forgiveness, as it could work wonders on a damaged heart.

Ian told Mariah and Tessa that he was sure they were raising Aria with all of the love he deprived Mariah of as a child. “It’s what happens when you buy a kid to expand your cult,” Mariah snapped. Ian said some would condemn their lifestyle choices and their union, but he did not. Mariah told Tessa to take Aria ahead, and she’d join them when she was done with Ian.

Tessa told Mariah that the three of them should leave together, but Mariah insisted she was to go ahead as she needed one minute with Ian. Once alone, Mariah said she wanted to be clear as she didn’t want to speak to him again. “Do not talk to my wife. Do not so much as look at my daughter. I will never forgive you, much less tolerate you. Stay away from my family, or I swear to god I am going to kill you,” Mariah promised.

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