The winds of change are howling through Genoa City once more, and Monday’s full episode of

The Young and the Restless (May 12, 2025) delivers a high-stakes saga of power, betrayal, and desperate alliances.

As the sun rises over this troubled town, the players are in place, but the game has changed—and no one is safe.

At the heart of the turmoil lies a name that sends a chill down the spines of corporate titans and socialites alike: Aristotle Dumas. The enigmatic financier, whose empire appears to stretch from back-channel tech start-ups to shadowy international holdings, has emerged as the latest threat—or opportunity—depending on who you ask. Whispers of his influence now echo through every boardroom, café, and penthouse suite in Genoa City, and the mere mention of his name inspires fear, fascination, and fierce ambition.

Victor Newman Walks the Razor’s Edge

True to form, Victor Newman refuses to be intimidated. But this time, the patriarch of the Newman dynasty might be in over his head. With Dumas’s reach extending far beyond what even Victor anticipated, the tycoon is playing a game of brinksmanship that could backfire in spectacular fashion. Rather than bow to this new financial power, Victor is poised to strike—but his approach is one of subterfuge, deception, and manipulation.

Adam Newman finds himself at a crossroads. Caught between his father’s ruthless agenda and the remnants of his conscience, Adam pledges to Chelsea Lawson that he will not partake in the ongoing smear campaign against Billy Abbott. Chelsea, ever passionate in her loyalty to Billy, pulls this vow from Adam in a moment of raw emotional clarity. She reminds him—pointedly—of the personal cost their public vendettas have wrought: broken families, shattered reputations, and a city wearied by scandal.

But in the chess game of Victor Newman, such promises are simply pawns. The elder Newman sees Adam’s pledge not as a hindrance, but as a strategic tool. In a chilling private meeting, Victor outlines his next move: a full-scale media blitz designed to obliterate Billy Abbott’s new company. Through the power of Newman Media, Victor aims to unleash a tidal wave of editorials, leaks, and insinuations, painting Billy as reckless, corrupt, and dangerously unfit to lead.

Billy Abbott: Between Loyalty and Survival

Billy, sensing the oncoming storm, is pushed to the edge. Headlines begin shifting from celebratory praise to pointed accusations. Allegations of financial mismanagement and hidden conflicts begin surfacing in rapid succession. The redemption arc Billy fought so hard for starts unraveling before the public’s eyes. Faced with a crumbling empire and nowhere to turn, Billy makes the most shocking move of all: he reaches out to Aristotle Dumas.

In a move dripping with irony, Billy now seeks an alliance with the very man Victor fears most. If Dumas agrees, it could shift the balance of power not just within Newman Enterprises—but throughout all of Genoa City.

Lily Winters Makes Her Move

Meanwhile, Lily Winters, never one to sit idle in the face of chaos, crafts a plan that could either dismantle Dumas’s empire from within or destroy everything she holds dear. Seeing opportunity where others see peril, Lily proposes an audacious operation: embedding Damian King, a skilled yet morally conflicted operative, deep within Dumas’s organization.

But the move proves divisive.

To Lily, Damian is the key to unlocking the billionaire’s secrets and steering the future of the city away from Dumas’s silent tyranny. She frames it as a noble cause—one that may require ethical compromises, but promises a greater good.

The Ethics of Espionage: Nate and Devon Push Back

Her plan, however, sparks immediate opposition. Nate Hastings, a principled journalist and stalwart defender of integrity, is appalled. He sees the maneuver as a descent into the very world of espionage and deceit that Lily claims to oppose. In impassioned texts and late-night calls, Nate begs her to reconsider, reminding her of the line between tactical brilliance and moral bankruptcy.

Devon Winters joins Nate in opposition. His objections come not only from a place of principle, but of personal concern. Devon doesn’t trust Damian King—and he’s seen too many people crushed under the weight of such covert schemes. His warning is clear: once you blur the lines of loyalty and truth, it’s nearly impossible to find your way back.

Still, Lily remains resolute. She sees a future where the city’s major power players are no longer held hostage by fear. And if she must break a few rules to get there, so be it.

Jack Abbott and the Family Fallout

Back at Jabot, Jack Abbott watches all this unfold with growing concern. The ripple effect of Victor’s campaign and Billy’s desperation threatens to reach his doorstep. Jack’s loyalty to his brother is unwavering, but he knows that entanglements with someone like Dumas don’t end cleanly. He begins working behind the scenes to prepare for the worst, reaching out to old allies and reexamining Jabot’s own vulnerabilities.

Even within the walls of the Abbott estate, the impact is felt. Jill Abbott, ever watchful, warns Jack not to let family sentiment blind him to business realities. If Billy falls, Jabot could be next.

The Storm Has Only Just Begun

As Monday’s episode comes to a close, Genoa City stands at the brink of another dramatic transformation. Victor has declared war. Billy has made a deal with the devil. Adam is torn between redemption and legacy. Lily is betting it all on subterfuge, while her closest allies plead for restraint.

And in the shadows, Aristotle Dumas watches—and waits.

The question now is not who will win, but who will survive.

Stay tuned. Genoa City has never been this combustible.