Summary of Season 02: Part II of III

(Episodes 2.16 - 2.26)

Episode #2.16:

Jem woke up after his lust-filled night with Chelsea feeling amorous, but Chelsea wasn't willing to play along. As she hurried to get dressed and leave his apartment, he tried to get her to agree that she'd enjoyed herself with him. She told him that all last night meant to her was fulfilling an immediate desire. Nothing more, nothing less. A little surprised that he didn't feel the same way, she asked him how he felt. Jem echoed her words back to her, just what she wanted to hear, but they didn't have the ring of truth.

Trying to move on from her disturbing evening with Greg, Rena stopped by Tristan's to see how he was feeling. She asked him why the hospital's honoring Philippa at the gala bothered him so much; he was reluctant to tell her, not used to sharing his thoughts about his mother with Rena. She told him that she wanted to be a better friend to him, even though Tristan admitted that he wasn't being a good friend to anyone right now. They spoke about his meeting scheduled for later with Ronald, regarding Philippa's will. Tristan said he wasn't looking forward to it, and Rena thought she understood why. But her sympathy only frustrated him, since he said he feels nothing but numbness since Philippa's death. Rena didn't believe him. In his anger, he told her to stop thinking of him so idealistically, and asked her if she feels the same way about Greg. She said 'no,' and refused to explain further. The depth of her feelings escaped Tristan, and Rena left with her secrets intact.

Beth made a hearty breakfast for Clark in gratitude for his hospitality. In turn, he tried to find out why she was really back in Schuyler Falls. Not surprisingly, she didn't reveal much. He asked her to get in touch with their mother, who's sad and distressed over the lack of relationship with her daughter. But Beth got defensive and threatened to leave if he was making her patching things up with Elaine a requisite of her staying. She told him that he has a warped view of their mother. Clark defended Elaine, but Beth wouldn't hear any of it, saying that she knows Elaine better than he thinks she does.

Elaine, meanwhile, was at the office trying to ignore Jem's lousy mood. He was having trouble finding some office equipment and took it out on her. Trying to distract him, Elaine asked him about the gala and Chelsea, and how things went with her. Pre-occupied, Jem at first thought she somehow knew about the shift in his relationship with Chelsea. But then he realized she was just talking about Chelsea's first photo assignment. In the conversation that followed, Jem--speaking in double-entendres that purposely went right over Elaine's head--revealed his dismay over Chelsea's lack of interest in continuing what they'd started last night.

Episode #2.17:

Martina ran into Alex at the courtroom. As before, he taunted her with graphic memories about their evening together. He continued to offend her by asking about her relationship with Mike--and guessing that she can't bear the thought of anyone else but Alex touching her. His words struck a chord with Martina, not for the reason he thought...

Mike, meanwhile, was discussing Martina with Frank, who was distracted by his own problems regarding a gambling ring case. Mike was beginning to doubt Martina's feelings for him, since--despite a romantic evening at the gala--she still didn't seem willing to take their relationship to the next level. Frank tried to assure him that Marty seemed 'plenty interested' in a romance, but Mike wasn't so sure.

At OmniCorp, Tristan and Olivia read through the relevant section of Philippa's will. The will, which was written before Roald's fake death, stated that if Philippa survived her spouse, her entire estate would go to her only survivor: Tristan. When Roald 'died,' Philippa never changed the will, since she thought there was no need. But of course, as Ronald pointed out, Roald wasn't dead--he didn't die until a day after Philippa fell down the steps. So, since she didn't actually survive her spouse, her house and shares of Omni stock went instead to Roald.

Beth relaxed in Clark's house, but was surprised by her mother's voice on Clark's answering machine. Though she didn't plan on picking up the phone, something in Elaine's words brought out an angry, defiant personality, one which answered the phone and revealed her presence. She told a shocked Elaine that she was back in town…and that she was willing, reluctantly, to have Elaine visit.

Olivia at once realized the significance of Philippa's leaving her estate to Roald--especially since Roald had left his estate to Olivia. She gloated about this turn of events, while Tristan, aghast, exclaimed that the will has to be overturned. Ronald said that he was free to contest the will, but that there was little chance of success, since Philippa had indeed been of sound mind when it was created. He tried to cool things down by making Olivia come to an equitable agreement with Tristan, but Olivia refused, saying that the will was valid--and that's all that matters.

Angry and guilty, remembering the trouble he'd put Philippa through during his trial, Tristan agreed with Olivia. Perhaps Philippa would have wanted Tristan to be left out in the cold after all. He sarcastically wished Olivia a happy future in the home in which they'd spent so many pleasant years, and left his office.

Episode #2.18:

Olivia learned more about her new riches, thanks to the strange circumstances regarding Philippa's and Roald's estates. She was particularly interested in her majority interest in OmniCorp, and told Ronald that though she'd previously thought of selling her shares, she wasn't so sure that was what she wanted now. Ronald mentioned that she'd have to work with Tristan--something she'd expressed strong feelings against, earlier. But Olivia told the acting-CEO that perhaps she wouldn't have to work with Tris after all…

At Bert's cottage, Jonnie tried to discover why the self-amused Bert was being so generous towards him in helping to pay his legal fees. Bert said that he was aware of Jonnie's many talents from Vanessa, and that the younger man would come in handy later on. Jonnie wasn't pleased that he'd have to do someone's dirty work yet again, but Bert claimed they'd be partners.

After hearing the news about losing his mother's estate--the mansion and her shares in Omni--to Olivia, a numb Tristan went to the cemetary to stare at the graves of his entire family. He remembered the last time he saw his mother alive, the day after the testimony about Philip's supposed scandal became public. They'd fought and shared ugly words, blaming each other for their sorrows. And now, this was the only legacy he had from his mother…

More unpleasant mother/child interaction could be seen at the White residence, where Nora tried to get Daphne to talk about her new relationship with Tyler. Daphne refused, unsurprisngly, and accused Nora of hating Tyler just because he's Charles's son. Nora kept insisting she could offer Daphne advice, but this led the sullen teen to lash out, saying that the only advice Nora could give is how to get pregnant and trap a man into marrying her.

With an eye to full disclosure between 'partners,' Bert went on to talk to Jonnie about his own past, specifically the story behind his dismissal from OmniCorp. He explained that while CEO of Omni, he'd become addicted to drugs, thanks to Jim Bonkovich, who was his supplier. Needing more money (for more drugs), Bert had embezzled from his company. Tristan discovered this, and told the board. The board didn't press charges (since they didn't want a scandal), but forced Bert to resign. Jonnie was particularly surprised to learn that Bert's history with Bonkovich went back so far, and found it hard to believe that Bert didn't know about Bonkovich's plan with Vanessa to frame Tristan. But Bert then told Jonnie that of course Bonk and Vanessa kept secrets…they were sleeping together.

Back at OmniCorp, Olivia tried to get Ronald to admit that Tristan was a risk to Omni's future--and that ever since Ronald had become CEO, the company was doing as well, if not better, than it had under Tristan's reign. Ronald kept his cards close to his vest, like a good attorney. But he did admit that Philippa herself had expressed doubts about her son's ability to run her late husband's company, in light of the young man's increasingly erratic behavior. Encouraged by this admission, Olivia put her own cards on the table: Would Ronald be willing to do some unpleasant work in order to keep Omni on the right track? Ronald was willing to listen…

Episode #2.19:

Marty and Rena tried to reconnect after weeks of distance, the result of their argument during Tristan's trial. Speaking about the gala last night, Martina said it was clear, from the way they'd looked while dancing, Rena had feelings for Greg. But Rena said that she and Greg were far too different to ever work. Marty said that she was still hiding her feelings, and gently recommended that Rena tell Greg the truth about herself...

Elaine visited Beth, and was confronted by her daughter's fierce bitterness--possibly the result of an alternate personality. Beth accused Elaine of neglect, both of Beth and her father; Elaine claimed that she did what she could despite having a criminal as a husband. Clark tried to calm the situation between his mom and sister, but Beth thought that they were ganging up on her, and fled the room.

While shopping at C&B's, Chelsea noticed Jason's loneliness, and tried to cheer him up with some cynical but humorous observations about a romantic couple nearby. Jem overheard her remarks, and proceeded to joke with Chelsea about their night together. Chelsea didn't want Jason to figure out that she had slept with her boss, but Jem's words left little to the imagination...

Martina and Mike made love for the first time, even though Marty was haunted by memories of the night when Alex blackmailed her into having sex with him. But, refusing to allow Alex's touch to poison her, she tried to forget and concentrate on the man in her arms...

Episode #2.20:

The Grangers had a relaxing evening out at dinner, though Ronald put more pressure on Ross to stick up for himself at the District Attorney's office. Ronald was convinced that Ross's position beneath Alex is due to prejudice. Ross wasn't certain, and asked about Ronald's own office politics. Frances, clearly disapproving of Ronald's new partnership with Olivia, tried to make her husband feel guilty, but Ronald said he was merely doing what's best for Omni, and yes, himself too. Changing the subject herself, Frances offered to set Ross up with a young woman who works at the Arts Center (where Frances is a trustee). Ross seemed reluctant, saying that he wasn't fond of blind dates, but his parents were able to convince him to take her phone number.

After making love for the first time, Martina and Mike shared some warm, intimate conversation in bed together. Martina, still wounded from her poor judgment with Alex, told Mike how much she appreciated his ability to be strong and comforting without making her feel weak or vulnerable. Mike emphasized that it was her own strength that had first attracted him. They agreed that their relationship would be based on a give-and-take understanding, allowing each to balance out the other's needs. They seemed to grow even closer, and they joked and talked the rest of the evening.

After running into Jem at the mall, Chelsea and Jason went to the movies, Jason still trying to get Chelsea to admit that she and Jem are 'dating.' Chelsea set her brother straight about her one-night stand with her boss, and used an elaborate food analogy to explain that she'd been forced to settle for Jem--but she'd really been craving Greg. Almost reluctantly admitting that Jem had been a pretty good substitute, Chelsea found herself wanting Greg even more. Jason seemed to understand, and revealed that he was longing for Daphne, despite her being Tyler's girlfriend. This didn't matter to Chelsea, who told Jason that she'd see to it that they both got what they wanted.

Depressed after hearing the bad news about his mother's estate, Tristan went to his restaurant, Boondoggles, to do some thinking. He remembered years ago telling Philip, who co-founded the restaurant with him, that he'd been named CEO of Omni. Philip had argued that the company couldn't fulfill Tris's creative needs, and would drain his soul, but Tristan had maintained that it was his responsibility to step in their father's shoes. The memory clarified Tristan's priorities: his desire to run Omni. But he seemed to feel trapped anyway, and he turned to drink for comfort.

Episode #2.21:

Tristan arrived at OmniCorp ready for work for the first time in months. After spending the weekend in deep thought, his spirits were ready for a fight, which he was expecting later that afternoon at the board meeting. He told Martina that while Olivia may fill the Omni directors' minds with insults about him, he was confident in the board's belief in him as a leader. Later he had a meeting with his department heads, and displayed more assurance--to Ronald's surprise.

Elaine was questioning Jem about a thuglike visitor to his office when Jem, in a worse mood than usual, snapped at her with condescension. Tired of being yelled at, Elaine snapped back, and tried to get Jem to treat her with some respect. Jem reluctantly apologized, and asked her if she was having trouble at home--however, he didn't really want to know. Later, Jem went over to Howard Burrell, a reporter, and spoke with him about a story about garbage and a landfill and pollution and - in short, a perfect story for a mischievous Jem to assign to Chelsea, letting her get "down and dirty."

Clark tried to find out the truth about Beth's firing from the boutique. But Beth did not tell him that it was a disturbing outburst that resulted in her dismissal. Later, Clark had lunch with Elaine, and they discussed Beth's circumstances. Elaine expressed her frustration with constantly having to defend herself to Beth, but also remorse at her own drug-abusing past. She admitted to neglecting Beth as a child, and being jealous over how Beth had been the only person to be treated well by Jack Durand (Elaine's husband, and Clark and Beth's father). Clark tried to make her feel better by saying she'd been a better mother than Jack had been a father. And added that it was time for Beth to get over Elaine's neglect.

Ronald spoke with Olivia about plans for the board meeting, and told her about Tristan's new attitude-far from the man in freefall she's described. Olivia got defensive and asked him if he were switching sides again. He told her that just because he was able to see Tristan in an objective light, didn't mean he's blind to Tristan's faults as Omni's chairman. Ronald also warned her that if she were to display her anger and desire for revenge in front of the directors, they would know exactly what she was up to--and vote in favor of Tristan.

Episode #2.22:

While testifying in a prostitution case, Mike found himself the target of Alex's sly hostility. Although Mike was supposed to be helping the prosecution, Alex treated him as a suspect, playing up the defendant's claims that the detective had tried to get sex in lieu of arresting her. Secretly enjoying the parallels between this case and in his own foul deal with Martina, Alex continued to taunt Mike after the trial ended for the day. Mike thought he had the last laugh when he revealed to a disappointed Alex that Mike's relationship with Martina is stronger than ever. But Alex isn't known for being a graceful loser…

Chelsea, unaware of Jem's plans for her, impatiently waited to hear what her newest photographic assignment at the paper would be. Finished with her day of work, Elaine caught up with Chelsea, and the two women discussed Jem and the Crystal Ball. Chelsea was surprised to learn that Clark was Elaine's son, and--clueless regarding Clark's sexual preference--seemed interested in pairing Clark and Rena together, thus leaving the field for Greg's affection clear for herself.

While talking to Chelsea, Elaine remembered that the younger woman works in purchasing at the C&B Department store. Her daughter's unemployed state uppermost in her mind, she asked Chelsea if C&B ever took a chance on new designers. A cynical Chelsea agreed to take a look at Beth's portfolio--now all Elaine has to do is have a conversation with Beth that doesn't end in tears or fury.

The OmniCorp board of directors meeting began with a discussion of Olivia's rights as a potential majority stockholder. Some of the board members weren't convinced that any action was necessary, since her inheritance from Roald and Philippa couldn't go into affect for some time. But Olivia pressed the issue, and to Tristan's dismay, she brought up his arrest record, his self-destructive behavior, and--worst of all--the revelation that Philippa herself did not think her son should continue as Chairman.

Martina and Mike, who was still frustrated after his treatment in court that day, discussed Alex's manipulations over what should have been a romantic dinner. Marty was concerned over her ex-fiance's attempts to hurt Mike's reputation. Mike finally asked her to explain just how she got involved with a man like Alex in the first place--he couldn't understand the attraction, much less how it had gotten as far as getting engaged to a rat like Alex. Reluctant, Martina finally decided to tell all…or at least, what she felt safe to reveal.

Back at OmniCorp, Tristan took the first opportunity to leave the meeting during a break to confront Ronald, who he knew had given Olivia the damning information about Philippa. (Philippa had been preparing some kind of proposal, the specifics of which have not yet been revealed, that she would have presented to the directors had she survived.) Trying to defend himself against Philippa's and Olivia's accusations, and knowing that the town thinks he may have inherited his father's unstable behavior, Tristan finally told Ronald his secret suspicions that Winston's murders may not have been his fault.

To his dismay, Ronald told him that it didn't matter; that whatever may have happened in the distant past, Tristan's own current behavior is what counts, as far as the board is concerned. Ronald then calmly explained that his duty to the company made it vital to tell Olivia of Philippa's doubts about her son. Nevertheless, he went on to urge Tristan to return to the meeting and put forth the best possible argument for his case. But Tristan was too wounded by the perceived betrayal, and the new knowledge of his mother's dissatisfaction in his performance, to care. He was certain that his fate at OmniCorp was sealed.

Episode #2.23:

To Tristan's chagrin, the OmniCorp board voted to replace him as Chairman and CEO with an exultant Olivia. She, meanwhile, revealed that she had no interest in performing both roles, and recommended Ronald as CEO. The board acquiesced, and Tristan was out of a job. Cruelly, Olivia offered him a position at the company he'd been running for years--her old position, that of Executive Vice President. A disgusted Tristan refused and walked out.

At a Narcotics Anonymous meeting, Elaine talked with Father Ryan about Doug, who--at his second NA appearance-was still distant and isolated. Ryan asked her if she would try to reach out to the newcomer. Elaine was surprised, considering Ryan had told her last week that she wasn't ready to be a sponsor, but Ryan wasn't talking about sponsorship--he just wanted her to make an effort. Besides, Ryan added…helping someone else might be just what Elaine needs. She agreed.

Though she's been trying to avoid him, Rena bumped into Greg while working late at the hospital…and just as she feared, he brought up the night of the gala. He told her that he missed their friendship, and that he didn't understand why she was always pushing him away. She reiterated that he's not her type, and vice versa--and suddenly Greg thought he knew why: Rena must be a lesbian!

Leaving OmniCorp alone, after everyone else, Olivia had a sense of fear that brought her back to the evening she was brutally assaulted. The déjà vu nearly sent her into hysterics when she heard footsteps and was attacked--by Baxter, Frank's dog, who actually just wanted to play. Frank calmed Baxter down, and, still feeling protective of Olivia after the weeks he spent searching for her, asked Olivia what she was doing at Omni so late. She told him about the meeting, and wasn't surprised by Frank's less-than-impressed reaction. Secretly, he did admire her ambition, even if he didn't approve of her cutthroat nature. But Olivia was defensive, and nastily brought up his own mistakes in the Campbell case. She regretted the remark almost instantly. Frank, though insulted, accepted her apology and reminded her that the world isn't her enemy. Bitter, Olivia drove away, but not before she told him that he was wrong.

Elaine went over to Doug, who wasn't receptive to her friendly overture. Noticing that he was extremely tense and high-strung, she wondered if he was hyped up on something even now. But his reaction made her correctly deduce that Doug's drugs of choice are actually downers. Doug insisted that he has no drug problem at all, that he just uses them for medication, but an experienced Elaine grilled him about how the drugs affect him and his family. Asking him a barrage of questions about his daughter, none of which Doug could answer, Elaine proved her point: he clearly neglects his family, just like most users--just like she did, herself, with Beth. She left him alone to let this realization sink in.

Rena laughed at Greg's stereotypical response to her rejection of him, and said that she's not a lesbian, just not interested. Greg wouldn't believe this, reminding her of their kiss and how she clearly enjoyed their romantic moments together at the dance. He apologized for not realizing she wasn't someone to take sex lightly, but asked her to explain why she keeps denying the pleasure she obviously felt in his arms. Rena brought up his past actions with women, his tendency to have one-night-stands and/or short, uncommitted relationships. Though he admitted it, he didn't understand why they couldn't just have fun together. Finally, he asked if they could start over as friends…possibly leading to something more. Rena wasn't certain, but agreed to think it over.

Back at the Whites' home, the usually selfish Daphne noticed Nora's physical discomfort with her advancing pregnancy. Mother and daughter nearly bonded, but Doug's arrival nipped that in the bud. Doug, with Elaine's remarks still resonating in his mind, made some feeble attempts to connect with his daughter, but Daphne was far too bitter to allow him inside. Doug gave up and then tried with Nora, who was surprised at the sudden concern. He asked Daphne to get Nora's slippers from their room, and a reluctant Daphne agreed. Once upstairs, the teenager's search for the slippers under her parents' bed led to her finding a keepsake box--filled with photographs of Doug romancing other women, and newspaper clippings describing two mysterious deaths…

Episode #2.24:

Martina, at Mike's request, revisited her past--the night Alex proposed to her. In these vivid recollections, Martina had found herself swept away by her fellow law school student, who'd seemed to have a conscience despite his sharp ambition to be a prosecutor. Young Alex had also seemed to appreciate her own desire to become a defense attorney, and thought they'd make a perfect team. Even though she hadn't met his family, and even though they'd known each other only a few months, Martina had accepted his proposal.

Daphne's reaction to the box found under her father's side of the bed was one of disgust and contempt. The photographs depicting her father and his lovers were proof of his infidelity towards her mother, and the obituaries…Daphne didn't know what to make of the deaths of two of his girlfriends, but when Doug caught her in his bedroom, she felt afraid of him for the first time.

Ronald tried to celebrate his new exalted position at OmniCorp, but neither Frances nor Ross were able to give him unequivocal support. Both were dismayed at the methods Olivia and Ronald had used to gain control of the company from Tristan. Ronald tried to defend his actions, but admitted that he wasn't pleased with the way things had turned out either. Still, it was the only way Ronald could have risen to the position he deserves--according to him, Tristan liked to keep him in the background. Ross still had problems with the situation, which left Tristan devastated. Ronald remarked that life is full of fate's turnabouts, and it's easy to fall from a lofty position into disgrace. He added that this was something Ross should keep in mind…

After finishing her story, Martina found herself depressed and angry at having been foolish enough to fall for Alex's charm. Mike tried to console her, reminding her that she was young at the time…and besides, at least she dumped the jerk later on. Martina didn't feel much better at this, and Mike regretted having asked her to dredge up the past. Still, she needed to put some closure on the memories, and so she decided to tell Mike about the night she broke up with Alex.

Ross didn't understand to what his father was referring, and Frances was curious as well. Why should Ross be concerned about disgrace? Ronald hesitated, and then explained that just meant Alex, Ross's superior at the DA's office. Alex had been doing well until he messed up by hounding Tristan…now it was Ross's turn to take advantage of Alex's mistakes. However, Ross said he didn't enjoy playing that kind of game. The conversation wound back to OmniCorp, and Ronald took his family's admonitions to heart. He told them that he'd do his best to try to get Tristan to take the job Olivia had offered him. It might not be pleasant, but it would be the best thing for the former Chairman, pride or no pride.

Continuing to tell Mike about her past with Alex, Martina related an event that occured seven years ago at the dinner party thrown by Senator Eckhert and Mrs. Eckhert in the newly engaged couple's honor. The evening had started out well, but soon Alex's father was trying to intimidate her, telling her she'd have to give up her career if Alex became a politician. Alex had defended his father, and in doing so revealed that he, too, had some misgivings about Martina's background--in particular, her late father Abraham's political leanings. Marty had been shocked to learn that the Senator's office had researched her family, and that they still cared about activities her father had been involved in nearly fifty years ago. Alex had not only known about the research, he was in favor of it. This seemed to be proof that he prized his ambition above his love for her. She'd sadly returned his engagement ring, knowing they were too different to last. Alex had been furious and embarrassed at this state of events, and vowed that she'd regret it.

Daphne called Tyler to tell him about what she'd found in her parents' room. Tyler consoled her, and teens tried to figure out what it all meant. Daphne showed Tyler a card with an unknown woman's name and phone number on it, which she'd stolen from the secret box. To her surprise, Tyler told her that there's only one way to find out who this woman is: call her.

Episode #2.25:

Tyler and Daphne cut school and went to Tyler's house, where Daphne called up the mysterious name on the business card she found. Claiming that she was Doug's assistant, she asked the woman who answered exactly what her relationship with Doug was. However, the object of her interest didn't believe a word of her story, and Daphne hung up at once. Though Daphne didn't get anything useful from the conversation, the mystery woman used Caller ID to trace and locate the origin of the odd phone call…

To Nora's dismay, Tristan arrived on her doorstep to find more about his mother. Not having seen him since Philippa's funeral, Nora was almost overwhelmed with guilt. Still hoping that the documents Olivia had produced at the board meeting were forged-- not wanting to believe that his mother could have had such a low opinion of him as to want to kick him out of her company--Tristan asked Nora if she knew anything about Philippa's opinion of him as head of OmniCorp. Nora refused to tell him anything negative. But Doug overheard the question, and had no problem in revealing the truth…

At the District Attorney's office, Martina met with Ross in order to get her client, a bookie, a lesser sentence in exchange for a guilty plea. Their meeting was interrupted by Frank, who arrived early for his own appointment with Ross. Ross explained that his office and the Police have been investigating illegal gambling activity over the past few months to no avail. Perhaps Marty's client would be interested in helping the investigation, in exchange for some leniancy? Marty agreed to take the deal to the bookie. Before the meeting broke up, she and Frank tried to accept that they'd be working together, despite their cool relationship. Afterward, Ross escorted Marty to the elevators, and--when she told him she was meeting Clark for lunch--was glad to reveal that he had his own lunch plans. Exaggerating what was really a blind date, Ross implied that he and the young woman could soon be 'serious.'

Chelsea was busy making her latest assistant's day miserable when she received a call from Howard Burrell, the reporter from the Record. He told her of her new assignment, but thanks to a poor connection on his cell phone, Chelsea didn't get a clear understanding of its true nature. Hearing only what she expected to hear, she dashed off to get ready for yet another society gala shoot. Later, dolled up in a sexy dress and heels, she arrived at the docks thinking she was going to be photographing a party on a yacht. But when she saw the boat that would take her to her destination, this clearly was not the case…

Doug told Tristan everything that Philippa had told him in the last weeks of their affair (not, of course, mentioning the true nature of their relationship). That she'd been disappointed in her son since his marriage to Vanessa, and his subsequent relationship with Camilla. That she blamed him for causing Philip's embarrassing photographs to be revealed. That she wanted to throw him out of Omni. And that she'd even wanted to ask him to sell his shares of stock in order to pay her back for bailing him out of jail. Nora was almost as devastated as Tristan at this grim recitation, and when the young man left, she broke down in guilt-ridden tears. She asked Doug how he could have told Tristan such things. Doug replied, with unusual candor, that Tristan was brave enough to want the truth--unlike himself.

At lunch with Marty, Clark was surprised to hear about Ross's date. Marty didn't realize Clark's interest in Ross is more than casual, and told him that things seem serious between Ross and this stranger. Clark hid his disappointment in his usual banter. Soon the conversation turned to his family, Beth in particular. Clark said that he was concerned that when Elaine tells his sister about a possible job with C&B, Beth may hit the roof. Marty asked him why he's so protective of Beth; Clark said it was ironic considering he was the one who really could have used some protection from their father…

Olivia was preparing for a staff meeting--her first as Chairman--when Tristan stopped by his former office. He found that all his personal belongings had been packed away in boxes, and snidely commented on Olivia's not letting any grass grow beneath her feet in making herself at home. The conversation spiraled downwards, with Olivia telling Tristan that he was doomed to failure, and that Omni would be better off without him. Tristan had little spirit left to argue, but commented that he'd never thought she would get such pleasure out of someone else's downfall. Olivia told him that she was glad to see her father's killer defeated. When Tristan finally left, Olivia tried to enjoy the moment she'd been waiting for…but instead found herself sobbing alone, unsatisfied, and unloved.

Episode #2.26:

Chelsea discovered that her fears were correct--she'd misheard Burrell, and her destination wasn't a society party at all, but rather a revolting landfill. When Burrell told her that Jem thought she'd never go through with the assignment--and that he supposedly planned to use this as a reason to fire her--Chelsea forced herself to get to work despite the rain, the smell and the muck. The only thing that kept her going was the thought of revenge…

Talking with Alex, Ross revealed that his plans are to crack open the gambling ring by using an informant--Martina's client. Alex wasn't too pleased with Ross's newfound importance, but pretended to offer support. Naturally, mention of Martina brought up some issues as well, and Ross enjoyed digging into Alex's mistakes in the Campbell case. Alex claimed that Martina was the one who refused to perform her part of their plea bargain to his satisfaction, and added that Marty's much more manipulative and scheming than she appears. He also implied that their breakup was not really Martina's decision…

Fragile Beth was spooked by Elaine's surprise appearance in Clark's house--thanks to an extra key--and quickly protected herself by disappearing into the hard shell of one of her alternate personalities. Elaine was put off by the defensive posture and asked how many times she'd have to apologize for what she did years in the past; the cold reply was, "a million times." Angry, Elaine got to the point of the visit: her conversation with Chelsea, in which the C&B Purchasing Director had agreed to look at Beth's designs. The voices inside Beth fought with each other to decide whether to accept Elaine's offer of help, but Molly--the main "alter"--flatly stated that it was the least Elaine could do. Elaine gave her Chelsea's business card and left the house, disappointed and upset. Once her mother was safely gone, Beth returned…not understanding why the card was on her table.

Ronald and Olivia left their first executive staff meeting as the heads of OmniCorp very pleased at their success. However, Ronald was concerned about the staff's morale, noting that some of them seemed confused and taken aback by all the sudden changes. Olivia remarked that they'd better get used to it, or leave. Her CEO was still worried about Tristan, and said that even though the young man had refused the offer of Olivia's old position, perhaps they could offer him a job as consultant instead? Though she knew Ronald was feeling guilty, Olivia laughed the suggestion off, convinced that Tristan would never accept any position other than Chairman. She was more concerned about whom they should promote to take her place as Exec. VP. Ronald mentioned Bert Brooke as a possibility…

The woman whom Daphne called--the one from the business card in the secret keepsake box--had clearly had her curiosity piqued by Daphne's phone call. She examined a file filled with pictures and notebook pages, and tried to figure out why someone named Stanford (she'd traced Daphne's phone call back to the Stanford house) was digging into Doug White's past. One piece of information from one of the notebook pages caught her eye, and it led her to the computer for more research…

Meanwhile, Nora was absently reading a book when her daughter came home from Tyler's house. She noticed Daphne's miserable pale face, and grew worried about her child's health. Daphne, in an unusual display of concern and vulnerability, suddenly asked her mom just why she remained married to a 'lousy husband' like Doug. Nora was surprised, and tried to defend Doug, but Daphne--though she stopped short of revealing what she knew about Doug's extramarital affairs-- refused to accept any excuse. Nora explained her rationale, that Doug loved them but was too afraid and insecure to understand that. Families must remain together--her own parents were divorced and it broke Nora's heart. She'd never let that happen to Daphne. Weeping, Daphne let her mother embrace her for the first time in months. And Nora secretly tried to convince herself that everything she'd done to keep her marriage together was worth the horrible pain and guilt…

Jem received the notice of probate regarding Philippa's will, in which he would receive two percent of Philippa's estate--but, as Ronald explained when the excited newspaper editor called him--only after all debts and other bequests had been paid out. Jem, clearly still worried about the paper's finances, tried to get more details about the bequest, but Ronald couldn't help him. Jem said he understood, and took the opportunity to ask Ronald for an interview for the paper. A self-satisfied Jem was just hanging up the phone and putting away the notice when a slime-covered someone--or something--appeared in his doorway. Advancing on him, the grim figure warned Jem to be prepared for death…

Continue to the final part of the Season 02 summary...