Part 1: A hesitant Ashley finally opens the little black box and is relieved to find diamond earrings inside and not a ring. After Ridge has a laugh, things heat up and Ridge takes her upstairs where they have sex. Showing up at Jean Claude's party, Nick is embarrassed when Taylor reveals that Brooke already told her that he hired her back to Forrester. He claims he hired her because he knows she can help the business. Taylor asks if there were any personal reasons but he denies it. After yet another glass of champagne, Thorne is taken aback when one of the wandering models wearing Jean Claude's latest designs turns into a vision of Darla.

Part 2: Afterwards, he interrupts Taylor and Nick's evening by reminding Taylor that he can never enjoy another woman because Darla is gone. Rick encourages his mother to reconsider going to work for Nick. She leaks that she almost kissed Nick the other night while on the Shady Marlin II. When he presses her to be honest, Brooke asks him to forget about her love life. After he leaves, she calls Ridge and is outraged to hear that he sent the kids to spend the night with Stephanie and Eric.

Part 3: Ridge calls Stephanie to warn her and when Brooke arrives, Stephanie won't let her inside the mansion and has her security crew physically remove her from the property.