On the rooftop, Ridge interrupted Marcus and Dayzee's lunch to ask Marcus to manage the press fallout over Steffy and Liam's marriage. Dayzee figured that the situation was hard for Ridge and had made it awkward between him and Brooke, too. Ridge conveyed that Brooke understood up to a point. Ridge wished that he could help Hope and that Brooke and Steffy could get along.

In Steffy's office, Brooke noted that Steffy had conveniently whisked Liam to Aspen, and his cell phone had mysteriously disappeared. Brooke added that Hope had still managed to get a message to Liam, who'd been on the mountain to meet Hope, not get married. Steffy said he wouldn't have married her if he hadn't wanted to. Brooke quipped that Steffy thought she was in control, but at that very moment, Hope was telling Liam things that Steffy didn't know.

Steffy stated that she only needed to know that she and Liam were married. Brooke contended that it never would have happened if Steffy hadn't somehow stopped the gondola, and Brooke suspected that Bill had helped. Steffy scoffed, telling Brooke to think whatever she wanted. Brooke said marriages could be annulled based upon fraud, and Liam and Hope would be together again.

Steffy left, and Madison arrived with a press release about Steffy's wedding. Brooke said to hold off on it. Madison left, and Ridge entered. Brooke explained that she'd told Liam the truth about Hope. Ridge wished Brooke hadn't gotten involved. Brooke stated that she'd told Steffy that Liam and Hope were together at that moment.

Ridge said Steffy was finally happy with the man she loved, and Brooke's fighting Steffy wasn't making things better. Brooke sympathized with Ridge for being caught in the middle, but she declared that she had to defend her daughter. Ridge stated that Steffy and Liam seemed happy together.

Though Brooke knew that Ridge loved Hope but had to put Steffy first, Brooke declared that she'd never feel the same way he did about Steffy -- especially after what she'd tried to do to Katie's marriage. Brooke called Steffy manipulative, and Ridge recalled that Stephanie had said the same thing about Brooke. Brooke asserted that she was nothing like Stephanie, who'd been wrong about Brooke. Ridge said Liam had made his decision. Brooke replied that Liam needed to know the truth, and she believed that Hope and Liam would work it out.

In the corridor, Pam stopped a preoccupied Steffy to talk about Pam's Bali honeymoon. Steffy anxiously, but patiently, listened. Finally, Steffy asked if Pam had seen Liam, and Pam replied that he was with Hope in Ridge's office. Pam advised Steffy to keep an eye on Hope. Though Pam figured she shouldn't say it because she was about to be one, she stated, "She's a Logan. You know how they are."

In Ridge's office, Hope told Liam that she'd gone to Aspen to fix the mistake she'd made. She apologized for not putting him first, and letting an ad campaign get between them. Liam replied that he'd gone crazy after she'd broken up with him over the phone. Hope asserted that she'd been wrong to do that, but she'd gone to Aspen to tell him that she never should have walked away from him.

Liam asked why she couldn't have just talked to him about the kiss she'd seen. Hope told him that she'd gone to his house the next day, but Steffy had been there, wearing Hope's ring. Hope asked how Liam could put her ring on Steffy's finger. Liam claimed that Hope had put it on the mantel as if it had meant nothing to her.

Hope screamed that she'd been hurt, but she'd searched for him at his office, where Bill had informed her that Liam had left town with his new fiancée. Hope said that since Bill had refused to help her, she'd tracked Liam down herself, and she'd flown to Aspen for him. Hope recalled her elation upon seeing him on the summit; however, she said the gondola had stopped, and Steffy had appeared with a minister. Hope recalled pounding on the windows and feeling trapped while Steffy had married the man Hope loved.

Liam hugged Hope and said he was sorry she'd seen the wedding. Hope didn't understand how he could do it, if he loved her. She guessed it was because she wouldn't sleep with him. Liam told her not to question his love, and the sex hadn't had anything to do with it. Admitting that it had been a struggle, he said he respected her values. He stated that he'd been feeling like an accessory to her campaign, and it had seemed that Steffy had understood him more than his fiancée. He asserted that it had always been Hope that he'd wanted, but everything had changed when Hope had indicated that she hadn't wanted him anymore.

Hope raged that she'd seen her fiancé kissing another woman, and she'd felt like she'd lost him and their future. Hope said that if she could do it again, she wouldn't have taken off her ring; however, he'd gotten married, and it was too late. Liam wondered why Hope hadn't gone to him sooner. She explained that she'd been at his house the night of his return with Steffy, and Hope had been determined to see him. She'd heard him calling for his new wife and realized that she'd been clinging to a fantasy. She didn't know how he could fall in love with and marry Steffy so soon.

Hope figured that Liam had possessed stronger feelings for Steffy than he'd admitted. Hope asked if Liam had hesitated to marry Steffy, and Liam uttered that he'd been taken by surprise. Hope stated that it had seemed as if Steffy had wanted it done before Hope could get there. Hope accused Steffy of stopping the gondola, but Liam wasn't sure Steffy was capable of that. Hope replied that Steffy was his wife, but he didn't know her.

Just then, Steffy entered and kissed Liam. She tried to dismiss Hope, but Liam interrupted to say he had questions for Steffy. He asked if Steffy knew that Hope had been in Aspen. When Steffy stammered in reply, Liam demanded to know if she'd stopped the gondola. He asserted that if Steffy had trapped Hope in the gondola, then Hope hadn't been the only person Steffy had trapped that day.

At Forrester, Brooke and Ridge argued. Ridge said that it was impossible for Steffy to have been responsible for stopping a gondola on a mountain, but Brooked disagreed. Brooke reminded Ridge that Steffy would have had the aid of Bill. Brooke insisted that it was all too convenient that Steffy and Bill knew where Liam was, but no one else did.

Ridge told Brooke to stop spinning a conspiracy theory. Ridge warned that it wasn't good for any of those involved. Brooke said that Steffy had manipulated Liam ever since he had saved her life. Brooke added that Steffy was all about seduction because she had that type of influence on men. Taylor entered and said that she could have said the same thing about Brooke.

Brooke warned that Liam and Steffy wouldn't be married much longer. Ridge insisted that they respect the decisions made by the kids. Taylor warned that Brooke wouldn't give up. Brooke said that she wanted the truth, and she thought that Liam did too. Ridge said that Liam and Steffy had very real feelings for each other. Ridge said that both the girls were in love with the same man. The trio continued to bicker. They finally reluctantly promised one another that they would abide by whatever agreement Steffy, Hope, and Liam agreed upon.

In another office, Liam calmly asked Steffy if she had known anything about Hope being in Aspen at the same time that he and Steffy had been there. Steffy denied any knowledge of Hope being in Aspen. Steffy quizzed Hope and wondered if Hope had called Steffy's cell phone or left a message at the hotel to say that she was in Aspen. Hope seemed helpless.

Steffy turned to Liam and prattled on about all the fun they'd had when they'd arrived in Aspen. Steffy recalled how magical it had been. She claimed that she had gotten the idea to set up the makeshift wedding when she saw Liam in line at the gondola.

Steffy angrily told Hope that it was unfair to Liam and Steffy for Hope to continue to bother them. Steffy turned and professed her love for Liam and reminded both Hope and Liam that Liam had always come first in Steffy's life, but not in Hope's world.

Hope reminded Steffy that Liam had gone to the mountaintop to meet Hope -- not to marry Steffy. Hope accused Steffy of doing anything that she could to prevent Liam from seeing or talking to Hope. Steffy shouted that Hope's accusations were impossible to believe. Hope said that it had been all too convenient that Steffy had managed to arrange a wedding in minutes with wedding rings, a minister, and a witness -- all when Liam was supposed to meet Hope there.

Steffy claimed that she had been impulsive. Liam got close to Steffy and whispered that he needed the truth. He asked her, as his wife, if she had known anything about Hope being in Aspen. Steffy looked uncomfortable, and Liam insisted that she had to look at him. Steffy lied that she had known nothing.

Hope accused Steffy of scheming, manipulating and lying to her husband, but Steffy fired back that she would always make Liam her first priority. Steffy said that Liam meant everything to her. She wanted to be his lover and friend, and they had found true companionship. Steffy embraced Liam, who had tears in his eyes. Steffy said that she had done everything that she had because she loved Liam, and he was number one in her life. Steffy walked out.

Liam admitted that he believed Steffy. Hope wasn't surprised. She said that he was standing by his wife. Hope admitted that she had overreacted by breaking off their engagement, but he had made matters worse by getting married the day after they had broken up. "I'm sorry, I'm still trying to process all of this," Liam said.

He admitted that that he would never be able to explain his feelings and that he never should have kissed Steffy in the first place. Hope confessed that she should never have walked out on him and left his house like a scared little girl. She had been immature, she said. But Hope added that what Liam had done was a whole new level of stupid.

Hope said that she felt Liam had insulted her for having morals and being old-fashioned, but Liam disagreed and said that he had respected her. Hope promised to respect his marriage no matter how much it hurt her. She tearfully said that she might never love another man the way she loved him. "You made a choice, Liam," Hope said. She kissed Liam and coldly said, "Good luck." She walked out. Liam looked hurt and walked around the office in a confused state.

Outside in the hallway, Hope got into the elevator and caught a glimpse of Steffy in the hallway. Hope glared at Steffy, and Steffy looked unsettled. After the elevator doors closed, Hope broke into sobs.

At Forrester, Brooke and Rick had coffee, and Rick inquired what had happened to Hope and Liam. Rick surmised that Hope and Liam had patched things up and had decided to spend the day together. Brooke said that Liam had believed Steffy. Hope had given up on Liam. Brooke insisted that Steffy had lied. Rick agreed, and Brooke wanted Hope to confront Liam, but Hope had decided that Liam had made his choice.

Ridge entered and told Brooke to stop interfering. Rick said that he was also worried about Hope, but Ridge said that Hope had made her decision. Ridge wanted Brooke to let go of the drama so the family could move on. Rick defended his mother and said that Brooke had reasonable questions about how Steffy could possibly have managed to get Liam to marry her within 24 hours after Liam and Hope had broken up.

Rick agreed that Steffy had trapped Liam. Ridge argued that Stephanie had spent years discouraging Brooke from marrying Ridge, and Ridge noted that it had been detrimental to their relationship. Ridge begged Brooke to let Hope put it all behind her. Ridge encouraged Brooke to stop digging into the past. Ridge added that all the arguing and infighting weakened the family and the business. It had happened before, and he didn't want to see it happen again. Ridge said that he had a meeting.

Brooke left, and Rick stayed to tell Ridge that he sided with Brooke. Ridge said that he understood that Rick wanted to defend Hope, but it appeared that Hope had made a decision. Eric entered and wanted to know why Thorne had called a meeting. Rick inquired what meeting Eric was discussing, and Ridge said that it was nothing that Rick needed to worry about. The meeting had to do with Thorne's vision for the company.

In the Forrester basement offices, Thorne and Thomas discussed that they wanted to make changes at Forrester. Taylor entered, and Thorne told her that he had called a meeting with Ridge and Eric. Thorne said that Ridge had wrongly pinned all the company's ad dollars on Hope for the Future, which had proven it was no longer a sure thing since Liam and Hope were no longer together.

Thorne and Taylor discussed that Ridge had not been looking out for the best interests of the company. Thomas wanted to attend the meeting, but Thorne suggested that Steffy and Thomas should stay out of the meeting. Thorne wanted to hear Ridge's plans on what roles Thomas and Steffy would play in the company. Thorne wanted to discuss with his father and Ridge what the company needed.

At lunch, Nick and Jackie discussed a deal with Bill to gain controlling interest in Jackie M. Nick and Jackie rehashed business, but Nick worried that Jackie had been working too hard. Nick suggested that Jackie find a new playmate. He recalled that Jackie and Owen always had a lot of fun together. Jackie agreed, but said that Owen would be happier with Bridget.

Nick suggested that Jackie find someone who wasn't just fun but more mature. Jackie warned him not to suggest she find someone closer to her own age. She said that she did not want to discuss her own love life.

Jackie suggested that Nick find his own love life. Nick said that he had been busy, but Jackie said that he had to do more than work and play with his son. Jackie brought up Brooke and said that she knew Brooke was not available, but she remembered that Nick had been very happy with her. Jackie suggested that Nick try to recapture what he'd had with Brooke. She suggested that Nick needed to be optimistic about the future.

Nick left and ran into Brooke at another table. They discussed that Jackie and Owen had broken up. Nick defended his mother's decision. Brooke told the whole sordid tale of Hope's romance, and Nick agreed that it certainly appeared that Steffy had tricked Liam. Nick suggested that life was still complicated at her house and at work.

Nick shared that Jackie had been working overtime to escape her sadness at letting Owen go. He added that Jackie had teased him about not having a love life. Brooke gushed that Nick was an amazing man and would have a wonderful woman in his life again someday. She said that the woman would truly love him because he was loyal, caring and thoughtful.

At Forrester, Thorne and Taylor entered to meet with Eric and Ridge, but Ridge wondered what they were meeting about. He added that if Thorne wanted a board meeting, he had to invite the entire board. Thorne said that he felt they could iron out their differences without involving everyone. Thorne reminded Eric and Ridge that Taylor and her kids controlled 55 percent of the company.

Ridge said that Eric and Ridge created the designs and made the company decisions. It had always been that way, and it worked. Eric agreed. Thorne snarked that the family company was run by a non-family member because Ridge wasn't Eric's son. Eric said that Ridge had always been loyal. Thorne questioned that statement and said that Eric had given everything to Ridge, including Eric's title and his office. In the process, Thorne reminded, Ridge had taken the company down the wrong path.

Thorne said that he, Thomas, Taylor, and Steffy were ready to step up and reboot the company. Ridge scoffed, but Thorne suggested that with Taylor's 55 percent control of the company, a vote would swing toward Thorne's plan and away from Ridge's.

Ridge put on the pressure and asked Taylor if she and his children would really side with Thorne. He asked if Thorne had whispered in her ear and persuaded her to trust Thorne and take away Ridge's legacy. Everyone waited for Taylor to answer.

In Thomas' office, Rick asked about the meeting upstairs, and Thomas said that his mother had controlling interest in the company. Thomas added that Thorne was concerned that the business was headed in the wrong direction. Thomas wondered what the shift in shares would mean to Rick's role in the company.

At the coffeehouse, Amber was delighted to encounter Rick. He said she looked happy. Amber stated that Rosey was the best thing that had ever happened to her, but what she and Rick had once shared had been pretty special, too. Amber claimed that she was changing for Rosey's sake, though she was sure Rick would recall that she was prone to backsliding.

Amber mentioned her disappointment that Marcus was with Dayzee, and not her and Rosey. Rick said it was understandable that Amber would need love. Amber called him a great guy and wondered why he wasn't married. Touching Rick's hand, she said she regretted hurting him in the past.

Amber reminisced about Insomnia, CJ, and Raymond. She remarked that Raymond had become a big star. Rick grew silent, and Amber realized that she wasn't kidding even herself. She knew she'd made mistakes, but she hoped life would be better for her daughter. Amber wished Rosey would snag herself a Forrester, as Amber had always wanted to do. Amber recalled that her and Rick's first kiss had been "so hot." Rick figured that being a Forrester had clinched it for him.

Amber wished she hadn't screwed things up between her and Rick, but Rick told her not to regret the past. Rick received a phone call and said he had to go. Amber asked if they could get together again, and she even offered to cook for him. He said they'd see. Rick left in a hurry, and Amber picked up the portfolio case he'd left behind. She peeked inside, and her eyebrows rose.

In Ridge's office, Ridge accused Thorne of using Taylor to make his great escape from the basement. Eric tried to deter Ridge from being condescending, but Thorne replied that his brother was conceited. Ridge told Taylor to end the nonsense by siding with the father of her children.

Eric ordered his sons to stop tearing each other apart, but Thorne figured Eric would allow Ridge to continue tearing apart the company and family. Ridge accused Thorne of doing that and said anyone would attest to Forrester being in the best hands. Thorne retorted that people thought Ridge was pompous, and they'd prefer Thorne, a real Forrester, not a Marone, at the helm.

Eric interjected that Ridge and Thorne were both his sons. Thorne asked why he'd always been passed over. Thorne said he'd been powerless for years, and Steffy and Thomas had been slighted in favor of Brooke and Hope for too long. Thorne declared that they had the shares to change all that; however, Taylor regretfully told Thorne that she couldn't pit Steffy and Thomas against their father. Thorne frowned, and Ridge rasped that he should fire Thorne's insubordinate "ass."

Thorne told Eric that he'd given Ridge everything, but Ridge was nothing like Eric. Thorne called his brother a selfish man, who was loyal only to Stephanie. "Because he's part her, and he's part Massimo, the man you despise, the man whose blood pumps through his veins -- just like yours pumps through mine," Thorne stated. Eric was speechless in reply. Disgusted, Thorne twitched his lips and stormed out. Ridge said to let Thorne go, because he'd brought it all on himself.

In the basement, Thorne strode into his office and found it cluttered with storage items. A worker explained that Ridge had said to store the things there. The man left, and Thorne chucked aside an old poster of Ridge. Taylor arrived and said she wouldn't blame Thorne if he wouldn't speak to her again. Thorne said Eric had let him down, not Taylor; however, something far more significant had evolved from the situation. "Maybe it's our time," he said, stroking her face.

Taylor seemed hesitant, and Thorne wondered if he was moving too fast. Taylor said they might have gotten caught up in Anthony's prediction. She appreciated Thorne's concern about her children, but she didn't know if it were the right time to have a new man in her life. Hugging him, she called him a dear, special man whom she cared about.

Later, Eric went to lunch at the outdoor café. Jackie flagged him over to her table, and upon sitting down, Eric said he wouldn't be good company. Jackie took his hand and offered to help. She recalled that things had gone well with Stephanie's tests, and Eric confided in Jackie about Stephanie misreading his intentions when he'd given her the lingerie he'd designed. Eric declared that he'd be more patient with Stephanie. Caressing his hand, Jackie said Stephanie was lucky to have him.

Jackie offered to make Eric dinner while Stephanie was away. Jackie teased that there would be no hanky-panky, because she still loved Owen. Eric asked how Jackie was holding up, and she admitted to missing being in Owen's arms. She revealed that, besides Owen, Eric had been the only man who'd been so gentle and sensitive with her. Eric leaned in and stroked wisps of hair away from her face.

At another table, Ridge ended a call with Stephanie, who was on a short trip out of town. After the call, Brooke sat down, and she noticed that Eric was across the room. Ridge briefed Brooke about the earlier meeting and said his parents supported him over Thorne.

Ridge wished Eric could have gone to support Stephanie in Washington. Ridge started going on about how Eric would be lost without Stephanie. Suddenly, Ridge stopped talking, and his eyes bulged. Brooke turned to see what he was looking at, and she and Ridge witnessed Jackie and Eric kissing at the other table.

At the outdoor café, Ridge wondered "what the hell" his father was doing "sucking face" with Jackie. Brooke couldn't believe it was what it seemed. She said affection was just Jackie's way, but Ridge retorted that cheating was Eric's way. Brooke reminded Ridge that Eric had supported Stephanie through her cancer, and Jackie had become close friends with Stephanie. Brooke remarked that Eric and Jackie had a history, but Brooke doubted they'd conduct an affair in public.

Brooke wanted to leave, but Ridge continued to glare at his father's table. He insisted that something inappropriate was doing on. He asked if Brooke had ever had to worry about him cheating, and she responded that she hadn't. He stated that what they'd witnessed had constantly plagued Stephanie's marriage. He recalled past times when Stephanie had called the office to see if Eric had left, or if a particular female employee was still there. Though Ridge wasn't saying his father had always been up to something, he asked Brooke to imagine being unable to trust her mate.

Across the room, Jackie wiped her lipstick off Eric's face and apologized. Eric accepted the apology, but said he'd forgotten how good it felt to be kissed that way. Jackie decided to return to work, though she admitted that business wasn't great. Eric remarked that business was booming at Forrester, but he grumbled that he wasn't sitting in the big chair. Caressing his hands, Jackie asked him to work for her, because it gave her shivers to imagine his hands designing gowns for her.

As Brooke departed and Ridge continued to stare, Jackie asked that Eric at least have dinner with her some evening. Eric said she shouldn't trust him, but Jackie joked that she never had trusted him. Eric wondered if Jackie thought Owen would return to her, but she said Owen had made a serious commitment to Bridget. Jackie considered her time had passed, but Eric said it wouldn't ever pass for love. He offered to pay the bill, because the lunch had been less expensive than therapy.

Jackie left, and Ridge strode up to order Eric to explain "what the hell" was going on. "Excuse me?" Eric asked. Ridge demanded to know how long Eric had been seeing Jackie. Eric denied that he'd been seeing her, but Ridge asked if Eric knew where Stephanie was at that moment. Eric asked if Ridge wanted the longitude and latitude of Stephanie's Washington location. Ridge said Stephanie was doing charity while Eric was holding hands and kissing Jackie before the world.

Eric warned that Ridge didn't want to have that conversation with Eric, who had a unique relationship with Jackie. Ridge claimed that the "relationship" was all too common for Eric, and Ridge felt that he could no longer allow Eric to make a fool of Eric and Stephanie. Eric reminded Ridge that he'd stood up for Ridge over Thorne earlier. Ridge claimed that had been business, but Ridge wouldn't tolerate another public infidelity from Eric. "You won't -- you won't tolerate?" Eric indignantly seethed.

Eric stated that Stephanie was magnificent, but when she shut down, she shut down. Eric said he'd love her until he died, but he wouldn't discuss his marriage with Ridge. Ridge retorted that Eric should be ashamed, because Stephanie's failing to meet Eric's needs during a cancer battle paled in comparison to the pain Eric had caused her over the years. Ridge stated that, as a partner and a family patriarch, Eric was a huge disappointment, and Ridge refused to let Eric humiliate Ridge's mother again.

At Jackie M, Brooke arrived in Nick's office as Taylor was alone inside, dropping off Jack's medical records. Brooke noted that Taylor had supported Ridge in the meeting earlier. Taylor explained that she'd done it because she didn't want to turn her kids against their father; however, she didn't want to see Thomas meet the same fate as Thorne had, either. Taylor felt that Ridge could have done more to improve Thorne's situation instead of lording his power over Thorne. Brooke suggested that Taylor take Brooke's lead by not bothering to interfere in Thorne and Ridge's complicated relationship.

Taylor left, and Jackie arrived with Amber on her heels, begging for a job. Jackie declared that she'd never rehire Amber, who'd killed Jackie's faith in her. Amber claimed to have an amazing idea, but Jackie wasn't interested. Amber said she was sorry about Owen and invited Jackie to the Bikini Bar's Halloween party. Amber left, and the exasperated Jackie expressed her delight at seeing Brooke. Brooke mentioned seeing Jackie and Eric at the café, and Jackie asked why Brooke hadn't spoken to them. Brooke precariously replied that it had seemed like an intimate situation.

Jackie remarked that appearances could be deceiving. Though Brooke was glad to hear that, she said Ridge was upset about it. "Oh, Brooke, if you had to marry a moralistic prig, why couldn't it have been my son?" Jackie asked. Jackie assured Brooke that there was nothing happening. Jackie said she and Eric could hold hands -- or even kiss -- but it was natural, not dangerous. Brooke reasoned that it wasn't natural to Stephanie or Ridge. Recalling that Brooke had been married to Eric, Jackie stated that Brooke knew how much he craved simple things that, for some reason, Stephanie couldn't give him.

At the Bikini Bar, the staff decorated for Halloween. Alone, Thorne stewed over the times Ridge had gotten physical with him. Thorne told his waitress to keep the drinks flowing because he didn't want to think that night. To the bartender, he said it was always a Halloween masquerade for his family, because no one really "gave a damn" about each other. He remarked that his family liked to recall the good old days, but the childhood he remembered was his brother's, not his own.

The Halloween party began, and Thorne lamented more of the past. He wondered if Eric would ever see what a bully Ridge was. Thorne remembered the way Taylor had let him down earlier, and then he thought of Ridge threatening to fire him. Thorne threw back another drink as he remembered Ridge hitting him a few weeks earlier. Amber, dressed as a pirate, growled at him from behind. He turned, and she said that it was his lucky night -- or hers.