On the January 20, 2026, episode of The Young and the Restless, Victoria called out Billy’s obsession, Chelsea pondered her future with Adam, and Matt Clark faced his victims for the final time.
What happened on The Young and the Restless
Billy ran into Victoria at Crimson Lights patio, noting that she was working overtime. She asked what he was doing there, and he realized she was wired more than usual. Victoria tried to downplay her emotions, but Billy revealed he knew what was happening, and Victoria had no reason to lie to him.
Victoria tried to deflect, but Billy called her out. She pretended that she got behind during the holidays, but there was no chance he’d buy that. Victoria walked into Crimson Lights to avoid him. Billy followed right behind her, unwilling to let the mouse go.
Billy claimed that his goal was to ensure that Victoria was doing well. Victoria accused Billy of fishing for a comment on the record for Abbott Communications. He worried that their children would begin hearing rumblings of what was going on and start asking questions.
Victoria caved and told Billy that Newman was under attack, and Cane was the one responsible for the crisis. Billy apologized for what Victoria was dealing with, but his pity didn’t extend to Victor. He asked how extensive the damage had been, but Victoria refused to fully let her guard down with her ex-husband.
Victoria urged Billy not to get bored with Sally running Abbott Communications. She knew him well enough to know that he always chased the next big thing. Victoria told Billy about Sally’s concerns about his well-being on Christmas, and she hoped that Billy had taken her worries seriously. Victoria outright asked Billy if he wanted to regain control of Chancellor.
Billy and Victoria’s conversation devolved into a massive argument about his obsession with taking down Victor. Although they cared about each other, Billy told her that he wasn’t going to stop going after what he wanted. They left things on horrible terms, which was a staunch departure from their recent interactions.
At the ranch, Chelsea thanked Nikki for looking after her. She only recently recovered from the flu, and she remarked that a family crisis was the perfect way to whip her back into reality. Nikki appreciated everything that Chelsea was doing to protect all of Newman Enterprises, and she believed that they needed all hands on deck.
Chelsea joined Nikki in the living room, and although she knew how determined Victor was to fix things, Chelsea knew the extent of damage caused by the AI program. There was a considerable amount of destruction already left by the parasitic software.
Beyond Newman Media, Nikki noticed that Chancellor was on the brink of being ripped away as well. Chelsea asked Nikki what she’d do if she actually lost control of Chancellor to Cane and Phyllis. Nikki recalled that Newman Enterprises had been under attack in the past, but Chelsea pointed out how different Cane’s cyber assault was. This was a threat that they weren’t prepared to beat.
Chelsea didn’t think that Cane was a match for their family. However, Nikki recognized that Cane and Phyllis would play dirty, so this would be a nasty war. She praised Chelsea for fighting for the people that she loved, and she understood why Adam loved her so much.
Chelsea and Nikki both believed that their family could rebuild from the ashes of their empire, fully toppled. Nikki took Chelsea by the hand and assured her that she was proud to have her by their side as they navigated the crisis.
Chelsea worried that the Newman family wouldn’t accept her back into the fold because of her sketchy past. Nikki documented Chelsea’s life changes and told her that it hadn’t gone unnoticed. She wondered, though, if Chelsea and Adam had floated the idea of taking the next step in their relationship.
Chelsea liked the idea of marrying Adam again, but she worried that making things official could ruin what they’ve built. She was happy with the place that they were in, but before she could say more, Adam trotted through the door.
Adam encouraged Chelsea to get some rest, so she could keep her strength up. The fight to save Newman wouldn’t end that night, so they could take a break for the time being.
At Sharon’s house, Nick’s family grew increasingly concerned with his condition, which had worsened. Victor insisted that Nick allow him to handle Matt Clark, so he could focus on his road to recovery. Despite Nick’s assertion that he was fine, Victor knew that wasn’t the case.
Nick ultimately agreed to transfer possession of Matt to Victor, but only under one condition. Nick requested five minutes alone with Matt, some sort of final showdown, and then and only then would he hand him off to his father. Sharon pleaded with Victor to reject Nick’s request, but Victor agreed to give Nick his closure.
Victor motioned to Sharon that he had things handled. Sharon and Sienna both had reservations about Nick’s ability to handle Matt in his current condition. However, Noah was confident that his father would be just fine.
Sienna, recognizing the tension in the room, apologized if going to Victor had made things more complicated for their family. She only wanted to help the situation, and although she understood why they would want Matt dead, she didn’t want Nick and Noah to cross a line. They couldn’t become the monster that they wished to defeat. Sienna questioned if Victor would hand Matt over to the police, but that much wasn’t entirely clear.
Nick confronted Matt outside, acting like his enemy’s judge, jury, and executioner. Victor rounded the corner and referred to himself as Matt’s judge. The fate of the madman rested solely in the hands of the great Victor Newman. Unfortunately for Matt, Victor had a great deal of pent-up aggression at the moment, so his outcome was bleak.
Matt was paraded into Sharon’s living room, so everyone could take a final whack at the man. Victor told Matt to soak in the sights because it would be the final time he saw any of their faces.
Noah spoke first. He was thrilled when he first met “Mitch.” Noah felt like a legend of the nightlife scene had taken him under his wing to become his mentor. He was oblivious to the monster that Matt was and the secret vendetta that he held toward his family. Noah told Matt that he never deserved Sienna, and he’d be forced to live the rest of his life knowing he lost his wife to a Newman.
Sienna spoke after Noah. She was visibly emotional as she thought back to the early days of their relationship. Sienna knew that Matt had a heightened level of danger to him, but she found that exciting. However, she no longer recognized him
Sienna refused to believe that Matt had duped her for all of those years, and she questioned whether or not any of his feelings toward her were genuine. Sienna acknowledged that looking back on the past didn’t matter because they’d never see each other again.
Sharon was up next, and she walked Matt through the legal process of why victims got the ability to speak directly to the guilty party. The goal was to get him to feel remorse, but Sharon knew better than anyone that Matt wasn’t sorry for any of his actions. Sharon also refused to call herself one of his victims. She believed that he failed in his attempt to destroy her.
Sharon recalled how Noah nearly lost his life because of Matt. She called him a “miserable failure of a man.” Once she finished berating him, Nick took the reins. Nick discussed how Matt terrorized his loved ones for years, which included a failed attempt to frame him for murder. Nick was done playing games. He urged Matt to take some final breaths, which he hoped would be his last.
Matt laughed at everyone’s speeches, and he flipped the script and said that they were the ones threatening him. Matt called the entire family (and Sienna) cowards as he was hauled away by Victor’s henchmen. Sienna hoped that he would have apologized, but Sharon told her that it was no use. He wasn’t a remorseful person.
Nick wouldn’t tell Sharon, Noah, and Sienna about the ongoing issues that plagued Newman. He uncharacteristically shouted at Sharon, which left her visibly confused. Sienna assumed that she was the reason for Nick playing coy about the issues. Noah tried to assure her that she wasn’t, but Nick confirmed that she actually was.
Nick told Sienna that he didn’t appreciate her interrupting his plans for Matt Clark. According to Nick, this wasn’t Sienna’s family, which implied that she needed to know her role. Noah immediately defended Sienna against his father, and when Nick refused to back down, Sharon shut the argument down.
Sharon wanted Nick to stay in the guest room, so he wouldn’t bother Christian when he returned him. Nick responded with, “Fine. I’ll stay.” The version of Nick that was being presented to his family was far from the person that they knew and loved. Nick went outside to get some air, and when he reached into his pocket, he found a bag of fentanyl in his jacket.
