A Devastated Ridge Walks Out on Brooke — and Taylor and Steffy Leave for Aspen

At the Forrester mansion, Ridge tells Thomas, “Brooke wouldn’t do this!” Thomas reminds him they both heard the recording — there was no doubt it was her. He wearily says the only explanation is that Brooke has always hated him. Ridge denies that’s true. Thomas argues that it is true — she’s trying to take his son away from him for chopping up an apple with a knife. Ridge blurts, “She said she didn’t make the phone call! She told me! She wouldn’t lie to me about this.” He’s going to go ask her to her face. Thomas recaps that Brooke said her name on the recording and then lied to him when he asked her about it. Ridge warns him not to say a word and insists he has to give her a chance to come clean. “I’m going to go over there and I’m going to see my wife.”

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At home, Brooke texts Ridge to find out when he’s coming home. Hope comes in. She just talked to Liam and asks, “What is this about Douglas and CPS?!?” Brooke assures Hope that he is fine. Hope asks her mother to enlighten her then, because she doesn’t understand why CPS was called on Thomas. Brooke doesn’t know why but it really worries her. Somebody felt strong enough to call in and complain. She thinks Hope could use this to get Douglas where he belongs. Hope is offended on Thomas’ behalf — she can’t imagine what it must be like to have those people show up and question your parenting. Brooke narrows her eyes, “Then maybe he shouldn’t have been using a knife around his son.” Hope levels, “Oh mom!” Brooke doubles down. What’s going to happen if Douglas is running around and falls on top of the knife? Hope insists Thomas is careful. Brooke feels her daughter’s being manipulated by Thomas again now that she’s spending so much time around him. Hope fumes that she’s not naïve — if she’s defending Thomas, it’s because he deserves it. As for her spending time there, if her son is with Thomas, then that’s where she’ll be. Brooke questions if that’s really a good idea. Hope tells her she sounds just like Liam.

Hope gets a call from a man named Edgar she’s collaborating with and tells him she’ll have the lead designer, Thomas, reach out. After disconnecting, Hope urges her mother to say what she’s thinking because she has a “look” on her face. Brooke muses that listening to her just now, she realized how interwoven her life is with Thomas’. He’s worked his way into her work and home life. Hope wonders if she’s suggesting she isn’t aware of how their relationship works? “I wish that you would give me a little more credit than that.” She knows the good and bad sides of Thomas and for a long time now she’s only seen the good side. Brooke reminds her daughter he’s used Douglas in the past to manipulate her. Hope insists that’s not what he’s doing now. Thomas is finally on the right track and did not deserve what happened with CPS. Brooke’s phone goes off. She was hoping it was Ridge, but it wasn’t. Hope is heading to the office to have a conversation with Thomas and exits.

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At the cliff house, Steffy wants Taylor to get back with Ridge and complains that Brooke doesn’t deserve the consideration she’s giving her. Taylor argues you don’t treat people as bad as they are, you treat them as good as you are… when she gets back from Aspen she wants to move on completely from Ridge.

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After Steffy’s made all the arrangements for the kids, Taylor reflects that she thought she would be moving toward Ridge, but he’s married to Brooke. “It’s long past time for me to move on.” Steffy suggests she could stay in town and fight for her dad, but Taylor didn’t come back to LA to steal Brooke’s husband. “I have to love myself more than the possibility of a future with your father.” Steffy just doesn’t want her to close any doors — Brooke’s going to screw up and then he’ll realize he belongs with her! She urges her mother not to close her heart, but Taylor argues she has to close it a little bit. Taylor needs to get away from him for a bit and figure out where she’s going.

On the jet, Taylor is looking forward to a change of scenery with no Ridge reminders. Steffy reminds her how happy they were the last time they were on the jet on the way home from Monaco. They recap that Finn is back with his family and loves Steffy so much. Steffy talks of the miracle kiss in Monaco. “Know that he loves you and don’t give up.”

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After, Taylor flashes to the kiss with Ridge as Steffy emerges from a door. She contacted Finn to see if he wanted to join them. Taylor adores her son-in-law. Steffy starts back in about her keeping the door open for Ridge. Taylor doesn’t want to — that draft is cold, and he always goes back to Brooke. If she’s the love of his life and that’s who he wants, she wishes him well.

More: Did [spoiler] call CPS?

Ridge arrives at Brooke’s place as she’s making dinner reservations. She explains she wanted to get his mind off of what happened today. “That was crazy, right?” She asks if he’s learned anything else about the CPS visit. She wonders if Thomas has crossed someone lately. Perhaps the caller wanted to get back at him. Ridge complains that they questioned Douglas. Brooke reiterates that whoever it was may have only thought they were hurting Thomas. She hopes they weren’t too hard on Douglas. “I certainly don’t know who it is.” Ridge strokes her face and suddenly remembers something he left at the office. He leaves her there gawping.

Outside, Ridge sighs, “It was you.” He flashes to hearing her voice on the recording. “You lied to me. You lied to my face. It was you… it was you.”

More: Devastating Thomas twist ahead?!?

Next on The Bold and the Beautiful: Thomas marvels at Hope’s ability to always see the best in him, and Ridge contemplates his destiny.

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