This is the Canadian Y&R day ahead recap from the Wednesday, May 12, 2021 episode, which airs in the USA Thursday, May 13. In the previous episode, Sharon walked away from Rey when he asked her if she and Adam had an affair, while today’s episode is a stand-alone episode for Adam Newman.
Adam and Victor sit at a chess table, in a room made up to look like a chessboard as Rey tells Adam that he shouldn’t have been at their wedding, that he should have been with Chelsea. He accuses him of not being able to have a stable forever kind of love. He thinks something is broken in Adam, which is why he thinks Sharon can save him. Adam admits it is an obsession. Rey says he needs to give her up, to break his hold over her. Victor tells Adam, “It’s your move, son.” Adam won’t take his knight. He wants to win but there may be a different way to go about it. Adam tosses and turns in his sleep. He dreams Chloe tells him that the pawn can be the key to the whole game. Adam sneers. It’s the piece everyone sacrifices in service to their goals. Like Chelsea did with Chloe. He suspected she was her accomplice. Chloe teases. Maybe she was. Maybe she wasn’t. She reminds him she put him in the hospital last time. She doesn’t like being dismissed as the pathetic grieving woman and how he saw Billy as a power player seeking vengeance for his daughter. Adam thought they have worked through that. Chloe doesn’t think he considers the ramifications of his moves. She brings up what he did to Lily and he reminds her he apologized for that. She talks about her wonderful life with Kevin and her kids. “Compared to you, I’m winning.” Adam says she’s not even a factor in this game. She tells him the pawn can be a Rook, Knight, or Queen, which grows stronger with perseverance. She urges him to take a look at his first move. Adam wants to protect his Rook. Billy Newman turns up. This is his last chance at redemption. He urges Adam to think of this game differently or he’ll wind up with nothing. Billy doesn’t think Adam remembers what it’s like to feel joy since he cut himself off from it.
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Billy tells Adam that they’re forever connected because his daughter stepped off the curb and Adam was speeding around the corner. The lengths he went through to cover it up was a defining moment in both their lives. Victor asks his son to think of all of the repercussions over the years. The moves they’ve made against each other. Adam asks what he should do. Forgive him? Billy thinks he needs to forgive him. “If you don’t take those walls down, you don’t have the slightest chance.” Adam makes a move and Victor counters. Billy says, “Good for you,” and Victor tells his son, “You’re one step closer.”
Adam stirs in his sleep.
Vic calls the Bishop the most dangerous on the board. Phylis appears. She tells Victor he sees her as a threat. He calls her a Dark Shaman. Phyllis says, “The Grim Reaper calling me dark. That’s rich. Let’s lighten the mood.” Adam doesn’t want her input. She leans into him and reminds him when they had fun. “Blackmail, espionage, hacking.” She calsl him sad and miserable now. He insists he’s trying to change his life but Phyllis doesn’t think he can. Victor tells her that’s enough. Phyllis reminds him he doesn’t control her. This is his game to lose. “You have to be ruthless like your dear old dad.”
Adam rolls over in his fitful sleep.
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Victor makes another move. He goes after Adam’s Queen. Nick appears. He’s her best chance of protecting her. “The White Knight, coming in like the calvary to save your sorry behind.” Who are they protecting? Adam’s not sure. Nick says it’s Sharon. He calls his move a constant play on Sharon’s emotions. Someone who is truly seeking redemption. Adam says he is and he thinks Nick knows it’s true. Nick made his move to help Sharon. They’ve been down this road before. Whenever he talks about changing, he quits. Victor says the point of the game is to protect those they love. He tells Nick if he doesn’t want to be a part of that then kindly leave. Nick goes.
Sharon appears. She’s nobody’s Queen. Adam asks if it’s because he’s toxic and destroys all that he touches. Is that whats she believes. She denies that. She wants him to find peace and truly believed she was helping him. He says she was and is. She’s the only one who can force him to see what he’s done. “I was your crutch,” Sharon says, a way to avoid his demons. Sharon thanks him for saving her daughter’s life and asks him to do what’s best for them both and to let her go.
Adam tosses in his sleep.
He has fewer options and Victor tells him he can win easily but Adam’s left himself too vulnerable. Perhaps that’s the point. Does his dad enjoy seeing him vulnerable? He forfeits. “Son, you don’t mean that,” Victor tells him but Adam insists. Chelsea turns up. he never meant to hurt her but she tells him his actions showed otherwise. He just wanted to help her recover but sending Sharon to her hurt her. She brings up the kiss and Adam calls it a mistake. He only wanted Chelsea to get better so they could have their family back. She shows him she was his Queen and how he could have won. “See? Checkmate,” she shows him on the board. She goes and Victor says she never minces words. He played a hell of a game.
Victoria shows up and thinks he’s made a mess. Does he think he deserves a do-over? He’ll never be a knight like Nick or Rey. Adam doesn’t want to go down that path any longer. Victoria isn’t sure she buys into his “crap.” She says this is all about winning and calls “Check.” He doesn’t want to fight with her anymore. She tells him it’s too late for that. He taunted her and provoked her and underestimated her. Shes’ the one he should fear the most.
Adam startles himself awake.
In the waiting room, Faith’s body is accepting the transplant, Nate says. Nick and Sharon are relieved. They see Adam walking and are concerned. Nate says he’s fine. Nick follows Adam to Faith’s room. He stands outside and asks how Adam’s feeling. Adam’s had better days but all that matters is Faith. Nick shares that the kidney is being accepted. Adam tells his brother he’s sorry for everything. He goes and Sharon appears. Nick says he was acting strangely and talking about making amends. Later, Sharon visits Adam in his room. He talks about using his powers for good instead of evil. She tells him to get some rest. Victor visits and says he looks good. Adam is ready to get back in the game with his dad and won’t let him down. Victor has confidence.
Nick finds Phyllis at the club. He tells her the good news. She’s thrilled and Nick thanks her for being a comfort. He knows his mama didn’t make it easy. Phyllis assures that she and Nikki rose above. She’s changed for the better because of him. He knows and likes the dependable Phyllis better. They talk about Chelsea poisoning Rey. Still, Nick feels for her. It might be a moment of truth for Adam who wants to turn his life around. 
At home, Victor has a drink and looks at his chessboard. “It was there all along,” he says. “Checkmate.”
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