Just like that, in The Young and the Restless episode airing on November 7, Nate (Sean Dominic) found himself out of a job. Victor (Eric Braeden) revealed that he’s been faking a mental decline for weeks and that Nate was the traitor in their midst who proved to be willing to stab Victor in the back for a power grab for him and Victoria (Amelia Heinle).
In the episode airing on November 8, Victor describes that Nate had already reached out to doctors at a facility, without anyone else knowing, to get Victor into an inpatient treatment program. Nate explains that he made the call thinking Victor was unwell and wanted to help his boss figure out his medical condition as soon as possible.
Unfortunately for Nate, Victor saw this move as an attempt to have him institutionalized, leaving Victoria to step back into the CEO role with Nate by her side helping to run the Newman Enterprises empire. Even with Nate voicing that Victoria reclaiming her seat would only be temporary, Victor is left unmoved. All The Mustache sees is a brilliant doctor turned businessman who allowed unchecked ambition to justify an act of betrayal against The Great Victor Newman.
Once Nate storms out of Victor’s office, Adam (Mark Grossman) wonders about the future of the family company. We are wondering the same thing as Victor is without a Newman COO.
In the same episode from November 8, when Adam attempts to gauge what’s next for Newman Enterprises with Nate gone, Victor responds by turning to Nick (Joshua Morrow) and asking his oldest son what his plans are. The Newman patriarch makes it crystal clear that he wants, even needs, Nick back at the family business.
With all of that being said, would Victor be inclined to rehire Nick as Newman’s COO or would he promote Adam instead?
In terms of Nick, he didn’t quickly reject Victor’s notion of returning. In previous weeks when Victoria tried to get Nick back at Newman, he quickly shot her down. So Nick’s hesitant response to his father in the present may be indicative that he’s willing to accept a pending job offer.
We also think it’s poetic justice for Nick to step back into the COO role. Over the summer, he was thriving as Newman Enterprises COO before Cameron Kirsten (Linden Ashby) blew into Genoa City to get revenge.
After Cameron’s brief reign of terror ended, and Sally (Courtney Hope) subsequently lost her baby, it was Victoria who forced her brother to take a leave of absence and replaced him with Nate. A move Victor wasn’t initially on board with, but later backed. In a sense, Nick is owed at least the chance to return to the role that was wrongfully stripped from him.
We haven’t forgotten that Nick is technically working with Sharon (Sharon Case) at the newly imagined Kirsten Incorporated at the moment. However, based on the number of discussions he’s had about going back to work at Newman lately, it seems like only a matter of time before he actually does it.
Now as far as Adam possibly being the COO, there is a case to be made for him. As Victor pointed out, Adam proved he could push his selfish ambition aside to step up for Victor, and the youngest Newman son even is willing to put his differences with his siblings aside to work together. That’s growth on Adam’s part. Plus, Adam does have leadership experience at the family company, so he’s no novice.
Unfortunately for him, we can’t see Victor naming Adam the COO if Nick declares he’s willing to accept the job. That is unless Victoria opts to leave Newman and her co-CEO position behind.
She’s very upset with Victor for all the lies he told and said she was not sure she could forgive her father. If Victoria quits Newman in anger, we can imagine a situation where Nick takes her job and Adam indeed becomes the COO.
For now, we’ll have to keep monitoring how Victor’s scheme will continue to affect his family and business.
New episodes of The Young and the Restless air weekdays on CBS. Episodes become available to stream on Paramount Plus.
