The real reason The Young and the Restless’ Phyllis is playing a dangerous game

The Young and the Restless' Phyllis has been playing with fire, keeping Matt in a room at the GCAC while trying to make a deal with Nick to drop the charges against her in exchange for Matt. Doesn't she realize that by hitting him over the head, as she did in today's episode, she probably restored his memory?

Matt, Phyllis, and Patty on The Young and the Restless

Matt is caught between Patty and Phyllis on The Young and the Restless | Image: CBS

Phyllis (Michelle Stafford) has always been known to be reckless, but lately, she's been taking her recklessness to extremes. She may think she has Matt right where she wants him, now that she knocked him out and tied him up. We assume she put him in the bathroom of his room at the GCAC.

But we can guess how this is all going to play out. Once Nick (Joshua Morrow) arrives and looks in the bathroom, Matt will be gone! While Phyllis spoke to Michael (Christian LeBlanc) and later to Nick, Matt likely woke up, remembered who he is, untied himself, and climbed out the window or through the vent in the ceiling. Nick will be furious that he disappeared -- again!

And once Matt finds out that Phyllis has been using him as a bargaining chip against the Newmans, he will seek vengeance against her. He will probably continue to be friends with Patty (Stacy Haiduk), because she hasn't done anything to manipulate him. She simply acted like a caring friend, and he somehow sensed that they had a lot in common. Phyllis handled this all wrong, but what else is new?

Phyllis could be in trouble

Sharon can't get through to Phyllis on The Young and the Restless | Image: CBS

Phyllis always seems to be a magnet for trouble. She should have just called the police the minute she learned that the amnesiac stranger she met was Matt Clark. Sharon (Sharon Case) tried to talk sense to her, but she insisted that she had everything under control. Phyllis is always overconfident, which has been her downfall many times in the past.

She should have known that Victor (Eric Braeden) wouldn't play by her rules and agree to her deal that had her handing Matt over to Victor in exchange for him dropping the charges against her. This is Victor Newman. He wants it all -- both Matt Clark and Newman Enterprises. We all know how adamant Victor is. When he makes a decision, no one can change his mind!

Phyllis has only seen Matt as a nice guy who is a victim of amnesia. Once he regains his memory, he's going to turn back into a loose cannon. Phyllis has never seen that side of him before, but she just may, if he makes her his next victim.

Nick doesn't need any more chaos in his life

Nick's life is spiraling on The Young and the Restless | Image: CBS

Phyllis has gotten Nick's hopes up by sending him that photo of a tied-up, knocked-out Matt. But somehow, we think Nick is going to be disappointed when he goes to the GCAC room to get Matt. Nick's life has been loaded with enough chaos as it is. Phyllis stole Newman Enterprises and refuses to return it to Victor. Nick has been trying unsuccessfully to get Matt out of the Newmans' lives for good. And now, he is struggling with an addiction to fentanyl, an addiction that Matt set into motion after he caused Nick to crash his car.

Since Matt loves to kidnap people, he may decide to kidnap Phyllis next -- and then he may use her as a bargaining chip against the Newmans. That would be one more major problem for Nick to deal with. Phyllis is the mother of his daughter, Summer (Allison Lanier), so he doesn't want to see any harm come to her.

Also, if Matt kidnaps Phyllis, then Victor won't be able to get his company back until she is saved. We get the feeling that's where the Y&R writers are going with this storyline. Phyllis is going to become the victim of yet another kidnapping. That will remind her of the nightmare that Martin Laurent (Christopher Cousins) put her and Sharon through last year when he kidnapped them and kept them in an abandoned psychiatric facility. She doesn't like it when Sharon reminds her of that experience, but she's been playing a dangerous game with Matt. So she just may be putting herself in the crosshairs of yet another psychopath!

Phyllis is going to regret the way she handled this whole situation. Stay tuned, Y&R fans. Thursday's episode will tell us whether our suspicions are correct. When Phyllis conked Matt over the head, did she reawaken the monster that is Matt Clark? Tell us what you think!

Catch all-new episodes of The Young and the Restless weekdays on CBS and Paramount Plus.