The Young and the Restless recap for Thursday, May 1 sees lines drawn as Kyle protects Claire from Victor’s grip, Audra fires warning shots, and Chelsea and Sally face choices that could upend Marchetti.
What Happened on The Young and the Restless?
At Jabot, Kyle (Michael Mealor) told Diane (Susan Walters) about Claire’s (Hayley Erin) excitement over the house remodel — and his firm decision not to move in. As much as he wanted a future with Claire, he wasn’t about to hand Victor (Eric Braeden) another reason to go after her. The last thing he wanted was to let Victor weaponize their relationship.
Diane was frustrated by the family dynamic. Despite being full-grown adults, Victoria (Amelia Heinle) and the others still bent over backward to appease their father. Kyle vowed to help Claire reclaim her independence, one subtle act of rebellion at a time.
MORE: Here’s what’s next on Y&R.
Mystery Illness
At the tack house, Cole’s (J. Eddie Peck) health took a turn as Victoria and Claire tried to shuffle him out the door and off to the doctor. His apologies and raspy coughs filled the air, making it clear this was more than a passing illness.
Meanwhile, over at Crimson Lights, Audra (Zuleyka Silver) was thrilled to run into Victor. She’d been trying to get his attention and wanted funding for her new company, Vibrante. But Victor wasn’t budging — not unless she started actively “demeaning” Kyle. He didn’t care for the details of her plan, just the results. Every jab at Kyle would earn a payout, he said. Audra swore she was committed, but Victor didn’t trust her as far as he could throw her.
After he walked off, Kyle showed up, and the two sparred. Audra called him a nepo baby, bragged about her up-and-coming brand, and told him his time was up. Kyle reminded her how many companies had tried and failed to challenge Jabot — even Newman Cosmetics. She clearly didn’t know what she was doing, he said. Audra relished the attention and fired back before Claire arrived.
Claire shared that Cole was really sick and on his way to the doctor. Kyle reassured her, wrapping her in a hug and a kiss. But as they tried to regroup emotionally, Audra lurked nearby, eavesdropping. They took a table and discussed Audra and her supposed startup. Kyle suspected she had backing — and Claire confirmed it: her grandfather was involved.
New Job
Later, Chelsea (Melissa Claire Egan) sat down with Summer (Allison Lanier, who is OUT as Summer) and Sally (Courtney Hope) at Society. She asked them to keep an open mind before dropping her news — she’d been offered a new job. Summer was stunned. Chelsea reassured her it wasn’t about leaving for another fashion house. This was about growth and a fresh challenge. Sally immediately suspected Adam (Mark Grossman).
Chelsea didn’t want to abandon Marchetti without a succession plan. She floated the idea of Sally stepping into her role. Summer asked how Sally felt about taking on the creative director title. Sally was flattered but cautious. She had an offer of her own to consider. Summer reeled at the possibility of losing both designers in one fell swoop.
Loyalty Test
Meanwhile, Michael (Christian Le Blanc) and Lauren (Tracey Bregman) had a tense lunch at the club. He admitted his recent meeting with Jack (Peter Bergman) wasn’t just social — he was trying to act as a secret buffer between Jack and Victor. Lauren warned him this would blow up in his face. She’d seen this before and feared he was slipping further under Victor’s control.
Michael insisted he was trying to keep the peace, but Lauren wasn’t buying it. She offered a simple solution — quit working for Victor. Michael saw it as an ultimatum. Diane showed up mid-conversation and quickly caught on that the topic involved the “evil master.” The women pushed back on Michael’s loyalty, questioning whether he stood by his friends or by the man who signed his checks.
Back at the GCAC, Michael received a text from Victor. Lauren ordered him to walk away before it was too late.
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