PHYLLIS SUMMER’S DANGEROUS GAMBLE: HER SECRET DEAL WITH VICTOR COULD COST HER EVERYTHING!
TL;DR: Phyllis Summers stole Cane Ashby’s dangerous AI program and made a deal with Victor Newman to use it to destroy Jabot Cosmetics in exchange for control of the company. But Victor always betrays his allies, and Phyllis is walking straight into a trap that will leave her with nothing.
The AI Program That Started It All
Cane Ashby (Billy Flynn) developed a powerful AI program with the potential to revolutionize business. Or destroy it. The technology is so dangerous that even Cane himself recognized it shouldn’t be used. Lily Winters (Christel Khalil) begged him to destroy it rather than risk it falling into the wrong hands. But before Cane could make that decision, someone stole the program entirely.
That someone was Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford). Phyllis saw the AI as an opportunity—a weapon she could use to settle scores, gain power, and secure her future. When Cane wouldn’t agree to use the AI for chaos, Phyllis decided to take matters into her own hands. She stole the program and immediately started shopping it around to the person who would pay the highest price.
Enter Victor Newman
Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) has been looking for a way to destroy Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman) and take down Jabot Cosmetics for years. Their rivalry is legendary, spanning decades of business battles, personal vendettas, and family warfare. When Phyllis approached Victor with Cane’s stolen AI program, he saw the perfect weapon to finally bring Jack and the Abbott family to their knees.
Victor struck a deal with Phyllis: he would use the AI to destroy Jabot, and in return, Phyllis would get control of the company once Victor took it over. On paper, it sounds like a win-win for both of them. Victor gets revenge on Jack, and Phyllis gets to run one of Genoa City’s most prestigious cosmetics companies. There’s just one enormous problem with this plan: Victor Newman NEVER keeps his promises when it comes to business deals.
Phyllis Should Know Better
Here’s what’s baffling about this situation: Phyllis has lived in Genoa City long enough to know Victor’s pattern. He makes deals, he gets what he wants, and then he betrays his allies the second it’s convenient. He’s done it to Adam, to Victoria, to Nick, to Michael, and to countless business partners over the years. Why would Phyllis think she’s special? Why would she believe Victor will actually give her control of Jabot after he’s used her to steal the AI and destroy the Abbotts?
The answer is probably a combination of arrogance and desperation. Phyllis believes she’s smart enough to outmaneuver Victor. She thinks she can use him the way he uses other people. But Phyllis is playing checkers while Victor plays chess, and she’s about to get schooled in the most brutal way possible.
Jack and Billy Are Preparing for War
Jack and Billy Abbott (Jason Thompson) are starting to piece together what’s happening. Jack receives cryptic messages warning him about a threat to Jabot. He learns from Cane that the AI program has been stolen and suspects either Victor or Phyllis—or both. Jack tasks Billy with trying to get information from Phyllis, but Billy knows Phyllis won’t talk if she’s actually working with Victor.
Jack and Billy are determined to protect Jabot and their father’s legacy. They’re shoring up their defenses, trying to figure out how Victor plans to use the AI, and preparing for the corporate warfare that’s about to explode. But here’s the problem—they’re already behind. Victor has the weapon, and by the time the Abbotts fully understand what they’re facing, it might be too late to stop the damage.
The AI Can Destroy Everything
Let’s talk about what this AI program can actually do. It’s not just a business tool. It’s a weapon capable of infiltrating systems, accessing confidential information, manipulating data, and causing catastrophic damage to a company’s operations and reputation. In Victor’s hands, this AI could leak Jabot’s formulas, destroy their supply chains, tank their stock price, and create scandals that would obliterate the company’s credibility.
Jack Abbott has built Jabot into a powerhouse over decades of hard work. The company represents his father John Abbott’s legacy and the Abbott family’s place in Genoa City’s business community. Victor using stolen AI technology to destroy all of that is personal warfare at its most vicious.
Victor’s Real Plan for Jabot
Here’s what Phyllis doesn’t understand: Victor doesn’t want to give her control of Jabot. He has no intention of honoring their agreement. Victor’s real plan is probably to install one of his own children at the helm of Jabot—most likely Adam, Victoria, or even Nick. He might even just fold Jabot into Newman Enterprises and eliminate the competition entirely.
Phyllis is a means to an end. She stole the AI, she delivered the weapon, and now Victor will use her until she’s no longer useful. Then he’ll discard her without a second thought, leaving her to face the consequences of betraying Jack, destroying the Abbotts, and stealing dangerous technology. Phyllis will have burned every bridge in Genoa City for absolutely nothing.
Michael Baldwin’s Second Chance
Adding another layer to this story, Victor offers Michael Baldwin (Christian Jules LeBlanc) a second chance to get back into his good graces. Michael has been on the outs with Victor, but the AI plot might be Victor’s way of bringing Michael back into the fold—possibly to serve as the legal fixer who helps Victor navigate the fallout of using stolen technology to destroy Jabot.
The question is whether Michael will accept Victor’s offer and become complicit in this scheme. Michael has a conscience, and he might balk at helping Victor use stolen AI technology to destroy a family company. But Victor is persuasive, and Michael has always struggled with saying no to the Newman patriarch.
Billy Punches Adam
In related drama, Billy’s rage at what’s happening boils over when Adam Newman (Mark Grossman) pushes him too far. Billy delivers a devastating punch that literally floors Adam in the Grand Phoenix lobby, with Chelsea Lawson (Melissa Claire Egan) watching in horror. While this confrontation isn’t directly about the AI plot, it shows how high tensions are running in Genoa City as the corporate warfare escalates.
Billy is watching his family’s company come under attack, and Adam represents everything he hates about the Newmans—the entitled arrogance, the willingness to destroy others for power, the complete lack of moral boundaries. Adam’s probably running his mouth about the Abbotts deserving whatever happens to them, and Billy snaps. The punch is satisfying to watch, but it’s also a sign of how desperate Billy feels about protecting Jabot.
The Betrayal Is Coming
The question isn’t whether Victor will betray Phyllis—it’s when and how. Will he wait until after Jabot is destroyed to reveal he never intended to give her control? Will he throw her under the bus if the authorities start investigating who stole the AI? Will he gaslight her into thinking she misunderstood their arrangement?
Victor Newman has perfected the art of the betrayal over decades in business. He knows exactly how to make people believe they’re his partner right up until the moment he stabs them in the back. Phyllis is about to become the latest victim of Victor’s scorched-earth approach to business warfare.
The Fallout Will Be Nuclear
When the truth comes out—and it will—the fallout will be catastrophic. Jack will be devastated by Phyllis’s betrayal. They have history together, and despite their complicated relationship, Jack never expected Phyllis to go this far. Diane Jenkins (Susan Walters) will probably use this as further evidence that Phyllis is dangerous and unstable.
Lily will be furious that Phyllis stole Cane’s AI after Lily explicitly wanted it destroyed. Cane will face questions about why he created such dangerous technology in the first place. And Phyllis? She’ll be left with nothing—no Jabot, no Victor’s support, no friends, and a whole city full of people who want nothing to do with her.
Why Phyllis Never Learns
This isn’t Phyllis’s first rodeo with terrible decisions. She has a pattern of acting impulsively, burning bridges, and trusting the wrong people. She gets so focused on what she wants in the moment that she doesn’t think through the long-term consequences. She believes she’s the smartest person in the room and that she can outmaneuver anyone—including Victor Newman, which is delusional.
The tragedy of Phyllis is that she’s actually brilliant and capable. If she used her intelligence and determination for good instead of schemes and revenge, she could accomplish amazing things. Instead, she keeps making deals with devils and wondering why she gets burned.
Let’s Wrap This Up With a Bow
Phyllis Summers has made a deal with Victor Newman to destroy Jabot Cosmetics in exchange for control of the company. But Victor always betrays his allies, and Phyllis is walking straight into a trap. She stole dangerous AI technology, handed it to Genoa City’s most ruthless businessman, and somehow convinced herself he’ll honor their agreement.
The Abbotts are preparing for war. Victor is preparing to strike. And Phyllis is about to learn the hardest lesson of her life: never make a deal with the devil, especially when the devil is Victor Newman. The betrayal is coming, and when it does, Phyllis will have no one to blame but herself.
