The Young and the Restless Recap Dec 17: Sally breaks her word to Jill, Jack asks Nikki if she told Victor
In The Young and the Restless recap for Wednesday, December 17, 2025, Nikki discovers her breaking point, Claire feels guilty, and Kyle and Audra are still obsessed with one another, despite their lives falling apart.
The Young and the Restless Recap
The morning after the launch, Sally and Audra met at Society to discuss the party and the Jabot press release. Audra had no sympathy for Kyle and said now he’d know how it felt to be in her position. Sally thought Audra sounded a little obsessed with Kyle and wondered if it was more than revenge. “You think I have a thing for Kyle?” Audra asked.
Sally said Audra and Kyle throw insults like it’s their love language. Audra insisted she found Kyle revolting and regretted ever letting him touch her. She pointed out that Kyle and Claire wanted her run out of town, and was just doing what she needed to protect herself.
Sally told Audra she wanted to move ahead with bringing her on at Abbott Communications and thought Audra should meet with the investor to charm them. Audra asked who it was. Sally told her she couldn’t say because she’d made a promise.
Audra guessed it was Jill, but assured Sally she’d never tell anyone. Sally advised her to prepare herself to meet with Jill and impress her. Audra worried that her charm wouldn’t work on Jill. Sally thought she should emphasize that she’d turned a new leaf since her Chancellor-Winters days, and not to mention her loathing for certain people.
Audra told Sally again that Kyle attacked her first but Sally said it didn’t matter. She said again that it seemed like more than revenge but that she was offering Audra a life raft, to quit focusing on Claire and Kyle, and get in.
At GCAC, Jack met with Nikki, who asked him whether Jabot was really in trouble and whether Victor had unleashed the AI app. Jack said he had not attacked them with the program, but he knew about their shuttering and announced it to the world during the Abbott Communications launch party.
Jack said he had to ask if Nikki told Victor anything. She was aghast that he would even think she’d betray him, then confessed she’d overheard Victor talking the night before that there would be a shutdown at Jabot, around the same time as the launch party began. She considered saying something, but thought she’d sleep on it first.
Jack was infuriated that Nikki didn’t tell him immediately that Victor somehow found out. He claimed it would have changed everything if she had. Nikki felt bad, but Jack forgave her. He asked if she knew where Victor was storing the program, but she only knew where it wasn’t: on the Newman Enterprises server. Nikki wished they were celebrating the holidays rather than engaging in corporate warfare. Jack told Nikki to prepare herself, because things were about to get ugly.
Claire saw Kyle at Crimson Lights and told him she’d heard about the reports of Jabot being in trouble. He tried to bolt, but she told him that she was still his friend and he could talk to her. They sat down, and Claire asked if her grandfather had anything to do with it.
As soon as Kyle said that they were sure Victor was behind it, Claire wanted Kyle to explain himself as she didn’t think Victor was to blame, unless he unleashed the AI app. Kyle explained they didn’t give him the chance as the Abbotts had been quietly shutting down Jabot. “So how is Victor to blame if you and your family have done this?” Claire asked.
Kyle said they were quietly doing but Victor announced it to the world, which was insidious. “You’re accusing my grandfather of a crime without any evidence,” Claire said. Kyle snapped that they were trying to save their company, but if things get any worse, there won’t be a company to save.
Kyle explained that Arabesque was completely dismantled, and they couldn’t let that happen. When Kyle said they planned to make the announcement themselves, Claire said that Victor just beat them to the punch and that wasn’t a crime.
Kyle told Claire about Victor’s determination to ruin Jack at all costs, and it all goes back to the night Jack tried to save Nikki from drinking herself to death. Claire said that everything was her fault then, since she was the one who made Nikki drink.
Kyle didn’t blame Claire, but wanted to be honest. He said that Jabot was Jack’s connection to John and his connection to his dad. He’d hoped to give it to Harrison one day but their legacy was on the brink of ruin. Just then, Kyle got a message from Jack and had to go, but he offered to meet up later to talk about how to ruin Audra’s life.
Claire went to the ranch to see Victor but found Nikki instead. She told her about her conversation with Kyle and asked if it was true that Victor was really involved. Nikki admitted that Victor had Cane’s AI program, and he used it to attack Arabesque. She said that the Abbotts tried to protect themselves, and Victor spun it in the media to hurt them.
Claire thought it was vindictive and unnecessary. Nikki said she’d tried to diffuse the war for years to no avail. She told Claire it wasn’t her fault; they’d been battling for decades. Nikki told Claire that she was going to tell Victor that if he planned to make Jack lose Jabot, he’d lose something precious as well.
Nikki explained that she’d stood by him while Victor committed horrible acts in the name of loyalty, but didn’t think she could forgive him this time.
Kyle went home and told Jack he’d spoken to Claire. Jack revealed they were going to use a new strategy to save Jabot by talking to Phyllis. Kyle reluctantly thought it was worth a shot. Jack wanted Kyle to call Summer and tell her what was going on and see if she had any influence on Phyllis or Victor.
Kyle took a moment to complain about Audra’s existence and said how he and Claire planned to go after her. Jack disagreed and thought it was more important than ever to just ignore Claire,but Kyle seethed the only way was to attack her first. Jack wanted to get back to saving Jabot.
Jack asked Kyle to talk to Claire and see if she’d go to Victor and ask him to do the right thing.