The Young and the Restless: Will Victor Let His Hatred of Jack Get in the Way of Nick’s Recovery

Victor Newman has spent years making it clear that he has no intention of forgiving and forgetting, and his latest confrontation with Jack proved that the grudge is still very much alive. When Jack went to the Newman ranch to talk about helping Nick through recovery, Victor immediately brought up the “night of debauchery” at the Athletic Club, reminding Jack that his relapse nearly cost Nikki her life. 

Jack wasn’t asking Victor to forget what happened or excuse it. He was offering to help Nick because he understands addiction from the inside, something Victor may not be willing to hear from the man he considers one of his greatest enemies.

That leaves an interesting question hanging over Nick’s recovery: Will Victor put his hatred of Jack ahead of what his son actually needs?

Victor Has Never Been Able To Let Go of His Feuds

The “night of debauchery” may be the incident Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) cites most often now, but it certainly isn’t where his hatred of Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman) began. These two men have spent decades battling over business, family, and Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott), with their personal war repeatedly spilling over onto the people around them. 

The Athletic Club incident in 2024 simply gave Victor another reason to justify a hatred that was already firmly established. In Victor’s mind, Jack’s relapse nearly killed Nikki — Jack’s near-death experience is inconsequential to Victor — and that makes the incident something he can never forgive. 

But Victor’s actions toward Jack in 2026 have added another layer to the feud, particularly because Victor knew exactly how vulnerable Jack was when he set the Patty Williams (Stacy Haiduk) scheme in motion. Jack was drugged and manipulated into a situation with Patty, and the fallout nearly destroyed his marriage to Diane (Susan Walters). Patty later attacked Jack and Diane again, nearly killing Jack by stabbing him with a knife, and Diane was hospitalized when Patty stabbed her with a needle.

Victor wants to hold Jack permanently responsible for a relapse that nearly killed Nikki, yet he has also demonstrated that he is willing to exploit Jack’s history with addiction when he wants to hurt him. It becomes harder for Victor to position himself as the morally superior party in this feud when his own actions have caused enormous damage to Jack and his family.

Victor Has Already Had To Choose Nikki Over Jack

Victor’s hatred of Jack became so consuming that it threatened his marriage to Nikki. After his attack using Patty Williams, Nikki left Victor and moved into the GCAC. After months apart, Nikki and Victor were ultimately reunited after a health crisis. Nikki eventually asked Victor whether his hatred of Jack was greater than his love for her, and Victor admitted that his love for Nikki was stronger.

That should have been a lesson for Victor. Instead, Jack remains one of the quickest ways to push Victor’s buttons. Even after reconciling with Nikki, Victor hasn’t actually let go of his hatred — and now, Nick (Joshua Morrow) has entered the equation.

Jack May Be Exactly Who Nick Needs

Jack understands what Nick is facing. When Jack told Victor that he is an addict himself and knows what Nick is suffering “on a cellular level,” he wasn’t trying to win an argument. He was explaining why he truly believes he can help Nick. 

Unfortunately, that’s where Victor could become a problem. Victor has already made it clear that he doesn’t trust Jack around Nikki or her sobriety. He doesn’t trust Jack’s judgment or his motives. And he certainly hasn’t forgiven him for the Athletic Club.

But Nick isn’t Nikki. This isn’t about whether Jack should be allowed back into Nikki’s life or whether Victor has to suddenly become friends with his longtime rival. It’s about whether Jack can help Nick stay clean.

For Victor, however, it’s not about the help — at least not the way others see it. Victor wants Nick to be free from his addiction, but not if he has Jack to thank for it, even in part. And that’s exactly why he can never let go of the so-called ‘night of debauchery’ with Nikki. It wasn’t about Jack’s relapse, or the fact that Nikki was drinking herself to death. Victor doesn’t want to thank Jack. 

Will Victor Interfere?

Victor has never been good at watching a situation unfold — he always believes he can control the outcome. He knows he can’t just make Nick clean, or prevent a relapse, but he can control who helps his son during his recovery.

Victor once had to decide whether his hatred of Jack was more important than his love for Nikki. Now he may have to make the same choice where Nick is concerned. If Jack can help his son stay sober, does Victor really want his decades-long grudge to stand in the way?

After everything that has happened between these two men, that shouldn’t be such a difficult choice.