The Young and the Restless Recap, April 2: Adam and Nick inch closer to a Matt Clark showdown

Here is your The Young and the Restless recap for Thursday, April 2, 2026 featuring Matt agreeing to a meeting with Spider, and Phyllis lashing out at Lily.

What happened on The Young and the Restless

The Young and the Restless' Chelsea and Sharon | Image: CBS

In Vegas, Nick took some of the pills that he bought from the dealer. He needed to take more than one because at that point, one wasn't doing the job. Sharon and Chelsea called him to get an update, and Sharon questioned if she caught him at a bad time.

Nick said that it was fine, and Sharon pointed out that nobody had heard from him all day, and with Matt still on the loose, they grew quite anxious. Nick asked if Noah and Sienna were in danger, but they assured him that everything was fine. Nick became erratically concerned, and although it was normal to be on edge, it was a bit of an overreaction.

Chelsea asked Nick where Adam was, and he revealed that he was with Riza at a private poker game. Chelsea asked how Adam was handling everything, and Nick praised his brother for infiltrating Riza's circle. The plan was working, and if she knew anything about Matt, Adam was close to finding out.

Nick needed them to understand that Adam getting Riza to trust him was their best option. Chelsea asked if Nick had met Riza for herself, but he hadn't. They couldn't risk doing anything to spook her and risk the plan falling apart. Nick vowed that Adam was doing a great job and was "completely locked in."

Chelsea was concerned that Adam might fall back into old habits. She knew how committed Adam was to finding Matt Clark, but tapping into his dark past might prove to be too much for him. Nick asked whether Chelsea was afraid that Spider would come back home to Genoa City instead of Adam.

Nick apologized for saying that and assured Chelsea that Adam wouldn't revert to his former self. Nick told the women he'd "seen the light" and changed the subject to ask about Mariah. Sharon filled him in about Mariah heading to treatment. However, both Sharon and Chelsea noticed a change in Nick's voice.

Nick said any difference in his attitude was just exhaustion about the Matt Clark situation still occurring. Sharon said that she, Nikki, and Sienna worked hard to keep Noah away from Vegas. He didn't want his son anywhere near Sin City because of the danger posed by Matt.

Chelsea inquired about when it would all come to an end. Nick simply said, "Soon," and he started to fade. He realized he was on the verge of passing out, but before he could get off the call, he lost consciousness, confusing Sharon and Chelsea.

Back at Crimson Lights, Victoria walked into the shop and joined the ladies. She revealed that she was recently back in town after visiting Summer in Milan. Sharon realized that Victoria's news explained Phyllis' somber mood when she ran into her.

Victoria enjoyed the idea of Phyllis being in emotional turmoil and estranged from her children. Sharon recalled how conflicted Phyllis was and how sick of the double standard toward her she was. Victoria showed no remorse for her feelings toward Phyllis and asked for an update on Nick and Adam's Vegas plot.

The Young and the Restless' Matt Clark | Image: CBS

In Riza's room, she and Adam continued to kiss after his stellar poker performance. Adam asked if the kiss was a reward for how well he did in the game. Riza considered it a proper way of greeting the long-awaited return of Spider.

Adam was pleased to pass her test, but she admitted he had her concerned at the beginning. He claimed he wanted to trick them into a false sense of security at the beginning. Riza didn't think Adam Newman played many cards, and although that might be true, Spider was an unmatched talent.

Adam asked about meeting Riza's partner, and he wanted to know who the man was. He needed a name because he claimed he couldn't risk working with someone too sketchy. Riza questioned how Adam knew her partner was a man when he hadn't specified that.

Eventually, Riza confirmed that her partner was indeed a male. However, she questioned if he was jealous of it all. Adam came from a wealthy and powerful family, and it had become second nature to be guarded toward new people.

Riza didn't think Adam would have any difficulty gaining her partner's approval. Adam wanted to ensure that her partner was legitimate, but despite being touched by his worry, she didn't want him to be too pressed. Adam informed Riza that he wasn't planning on leaving for quite some time. He was in it for the long haul.

Riza said she'd watched Adam play poker long enough to know when he was bluffing. She knew he had an ulterior motive for wanting to know her partner's identity. Riza asked Adam to explain what he truly wanted. It wasn't just poker playing. Adam wanted her partner to give him the green light, so they could all become rich.

Matt returned to Riza's room, and he asked how the poker night went. She told Matt that Spider was quite possibly better than he used to be. Riza informed Matt that Spider was ready to meet him whenever. He requested she set up a private one-on-one meeting with him.

The Young and the Restless' Nick and Adam Newman | Image: CBS

Later, Adam returned to the room and noticed how rough Nick looked. Nick told Adam that he went to the gym and overdid it. Nick wanted immediate answers, despite Adam's insistence that it could wait. Adam suggested they make some coffee before diving into what he learned from Riza.

Nick took some of the alternative drugs that the dealer gave him, and Adam observed how suddenly refreshed he'd become. Adam said sliding back into the role of Spider was easier than expected. However, Riza needed to run things by her partner, and they both believed the partner was Matt Clark.

The Young and the Restless' Lily and Victoria | Image: CBS

Lily walked into the GCAC and found Phyllis sitting alone at a table. She tried to avoid her, but Phyllis wasn't going to let that side. Phyllis joked that Lily was back from her time in "captivity." Lily didn't want to interact at all, but Phyllis agreed to do all of the talking.

Phyllis asked Lily how she could live with herself after faking her kidnapping and leaving her worried about her safety. She proposed that Lily's family may never forgive her for what she did to them. Phyllis told Lily how terrified Cane was about her kidnapping, and despite her attempts to convince him otherwise, he was adamant she was in danger.

Lily threatened to leave the bar, but Phyllis didn't care. She remarked that Cane didn't seem as high on Lily as he had been prior to her staged abduction. Cane mentioned someone stabbing him in the back, and Phyllis was certain it was Lily. He spent so long pining after his ex-wife, only for her and the kids to betray him.

Phyllis asked why Lily stooped so low, and she offered to make a toast. Phyllis said, "A toast to Queen Lily. Queen of Broken Hearts." Lily thought that Phyllis was a hypocrite because she turned on Cane in the same type of way. She stole Newman out from underneath Cane, so she didn't have room to talk.

Phyllis told Lily that Cane had become a shell of himself. Lily fired back, placing some of the blame on Cane because his fatal attraction to Phyllis had gotten them into their current mess. Phyllis took that as an indication that Lily was jealous of her and Cane's romantic connection.

Lily claimed that it made her physically ill and denied any potential jealousy toward Phyllis. She tried to shame Phyllis for sleeping with many men in town, but Phyllis was quick to recall how Lily was hardly a virgin.

Phyllis figured that Victor promised Lily something in return for her help, especially after he previously ripped Chancellor away from her. Lily encouraged Phyllis to fish all that she wanted, but she had no desire to divulge anything to do. Phyllis wondered why Lily wasn't happy that Victor and Cane got what was coming to them.

Lily thought they deserved it, but she didn't approve of how Phyllis went about getting it. She warned Phyllis that Victor wouldn't rest until his empire was returned to him. However, Phyllis showed no signs of being afraid of what Victor was capable of.

Lily laughed out loud about Phyllis changing the name to "Summers Conglomerate." She didn't think Phyllis had what it took to run a corporation by herself. Phyllis stunned her by revealing that she wasn't doing it alone. Lauren had agreed to become her second-in-command.

Lily questioned how Daniel and Summer reacted to Phyllis stealing Newman, and Victoria arrived and confirmed they cut her off. Victoria essentially confirmed that Lily was never kidnapped, and Phyllis called them out as the true villains of the story.

Victoria and Lily urged her to make things right as soon as possible. Choosing her children made the most sense. Was winning Newman a victory if she had nobody to share in her success?

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