Sharon Newman had always relied on her instincts, and in Genoa City, those instincts had saved her more than once. Lately, every time Detective Tam Burroughs stopped by Crimson Lights with his clipped voice and vague updates about Noah’s disappearance, her nerves tightened. He always offered the same empty reassurances, the same hollow stare—and Sharon no longer believed a word he said. Losing Noah had already torn her apart, and the chaos swirling around Kyle and Clare only added another layer of dread over the Abbott–Newman households. Sharon felt every lie, every evasion, settling beneath her skin like a warning siren. Burroughs wasn’t investigating properly. In fact, she feared he wasn’t investigating at all.

Across town at the Newman Ranch, Victor stood by the window, surveying his empire with the caution of a man who had weathered countless storms. When Adam arrived, tense and focused, Victor immediately sensed that another silent war was forming. Adam wanted to know whether their plan to derail Abbott Communications was still on track. Billy’s rising venture threatened to carve out too much power, and Adam was determined to stop it before it gained momentum.

Victor revealed that Jill Abbott denied owning any stake in the company, dismissing Adam’s claims despite the generous offer he’d extended to buy her out. Adam insisted she was lying and hinted bitterly that Sally Spectra might be involved. Victor, taking in every flicker of frustration in his son, agreed to slow their attack—not because he wanted to, but because he knew patience was a weapon.

Meanwhile, a much smaller storm brewed inside the Abbott family. Young Harrison, perceptive beyond his years, had begun to sense the danger Clare Newman carried with her. Her soft voice and polite smile did little to mask the agitation he saw whenever she believed no one was watching. After witnessing her disturbing behavior with Kyle, the child carried a secret fear lodged deep inside him. He knew Clare wasn’t done causing trouble. He could feel it.

So when Kyle unexpectedly crossed paths with Clare at Crimson Lights, the moment hung with tension. Clare acted overly cheerful, as if their recent clashes had never happened, and even suggested she join the Abbotts for Thanksgiving. Kyle declined and told her she would need to ask the family herself. He expected that to be the end of it, but Clare’s confident smile said otherwise—she fully intended to show up.

Her determination unsettled Kyle long after he walked away.

Harrison, meanwhile, watched Clare with vigilance. Her apologies felt fake. Her calmness unnerved him. And every time she floated the idea of visiting the Abbotts, he felt a darkness creeping closer.

Back at the ranch, Victor sensed the emotional fractures widening across both families. He knew the battle he was preparing for went far deeper than corporate warfare. Something dangerous was building—something involving Clare.

Clare, meanwhile, lingered alone at Crimson Lights long after Kyle left. She sat stirring sugar into a mug she didn’t intend to drink, her thoughts spiraling into obsession. She resented Kyle’s distance, Sharon’s suspicious glances, and Harrison’s increasingly bold refusal to trust her. But Thanksgiving, she realized, offered an opening. A holiday full of guests, unlocked doors, and distractions. A perfect setting for her to slip back into Kyle’s life—or exact revenge.

At the Abbott estate, the family prepared for the holiday chaos. Sally and Billy arrived with pies, followed by laughter and awkward overlap. But upstairs, Kyle fought anxiety he could no longer hide. Harrison sensed it too.

When Kyle finally arrived home, Harrison ran into his arms—but the moment shattered when Clare appeared at the doorway holding the pumpkin pie Nikki had requested. The smile on her face was pleasant, but her eyes told a different story.

Then came the shock: Harrison tugged at Clare’s sleeve and begged her to stay. The family interpreted it as kindness. Kyle saw it for what it truly was—a desperate attempt by his son to keep Clare where he could watch her.

Her eyes flickered darkly for an instant before she masked it with a smile. She agreed to stay “just for a little while,” but the tension in the room thickened. Kyle could sense that Clare wasn’t there to celebrate. She was assessing the house—its layout, its exits, its vulnerabilities.

And elsewhere, far from the warmth of the Abbott home, Sharon and Nick followed a trail that led them to an abandoned building. A memory from the past resurfaced—the moment Nick nearly strangled Matt Clark as he taunted them about Noah’s whereabouts. Matt had left them with an address and a pouch of fentanyl, claiming it would “open doors.”

Now, standing before the derelict building, Nick found another fentanyl packet buried near the entrance. Horror filled Sharon’s eyes. Then came footsteps—Detective Stuart and Detective Burroughs.

Nick demanded their help, and Stuart immediately stepped forward. Burroughs echoed her words, but his calmness was too perfect… too practiced.

When Nick rushed inside with Stuart, Sharon stayed behind—and finally confronted Burroughs with the question that had been clawing at her:

“Are you really trying to find my son? Because I don’t believe you.”

Burroughs didn’t deny it.
He didn’t get angry.
He simply looked caught.

And that terrified her more than anything.