Newman Ranch

Victor gets home and calls out, looking around for his wife.

Nikki steps out in a red dress and music starts to play. She says that every day she spends with him needs to be celebrated. It’s his turn to be surprised and spoiled!

Victor smiles and kisses her.

They sit down in the breakfast nook, and Nikki pours him some champagne and says she’s going to pamper him. She pours herself a glass of non-alcoholic champagne and says their lives had too much chaos in the last few months; she wanted to slow things down and focus on each other. She holds up her glass and toasts. “To the love of my life!”

Food is served, and they eat. It’s all of Victor’s favorites, and he says this is just what he needed.

Nikki smiles and says she needed it, too… She almost lost Victor to a bullet, Nick was held hostage in Nice, and then they got home and learned of Cole’s death.

Victor nods. It was tough, but their whole family came together to help Claire and Victoria through their grief.

Nikki reminds him that he almost lost Claire by testing Kyle’s love for her.

Victor only wanted Claire to be happy, and he trusts her and Kyle now… Now they have nothing to worry about!

Nikki doesn’t agree… They still have Cane to worry about!

Victor says he’s ready for anything. He’s been ready since he grew up in an orphanage! Cane doesn’t know who he’s dealing with!

Nikki agrees. She asks if Victor really will leave Kyle and Claire alone now.

Victor promises. He pushed Kyle to see if he would break!

Nikki says she believes Kyle truly loves Claire… That’s why he wouldn’t break! She tells Victor to finish the last oyster. He says he’s full, but she insists… The last one is the best one!

Victor looks in the oyster and fishes out a ring. He laughs and asks what this is all about.

Nikki asks if he remembers what he told her when he put a pearl ring into an oyster years ago… He told her that a pearl was a grain of sand turned into a thing of beauty. She never dreamed she’d live a life like this or be worthy of this type of life… But Victor made it all possible! She says she’s competing with decades of over-the-top gifts, and she can’t beat them, but she can honor some of her favorite memories.

Victor grins and says he loves her.

Nikki says their first Christmas together, he gifted her a coat, and she wants him to feel the same way now. She gets a big box out and gives it to him.

Victor opens it. It’s a leather jacket. He loves it! They move to the couch, and he wonders if this is a way of thanking him for leaving Kyle alone.

Nikki asks if he’s suggesting she planned this romantic dinner to manipulate him… Well, maybe she did, but he was so angry about Claire and Kyle’s relationship for so long!

Victor laughs. He knows, and he’s gotten over it. Now he’s only focused on Cane and how to bring him down. He says that Cane made his fortune because Colin swindled Madame de Lion out of her chateau, vinyard, and her fortune!

Nikki is shocked. Did Cane know about that?

Victor says he believes Cane was complicit in his father’s con, and if this ever becomes public, it’d be crippling news for him. If Cane doesn’t do what Victor wants, it’ll be even worse! He thanks her for a wonderful evening.

Nikki asks if he remembers when they celebrated his birthday. She wore a black negligee, and they danced.

Victor smiles. He remembers that night! They stand up and kiss tenderly as they dance.

They flash back to them dancing throughout the years, and they kiss, affirming their love.