The Bold & The Beautiful Transcript Wednesday 2/20/02

By Linda
Proofread by Becky

Massimo: Oh, Stephanie, what you must be going through -- facing another scandal. Brooke -- pregnant by one of her employees. This is what your life has become -- one crisis after another. I could give you so much more. Stephanie, open your heart to me and I promise, you and ridge will never have to worry about Brooke Logan again.

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Brooke: It's true. I can't deny it. I do love the father of this baby.

Bridget: Of course you do, Mom. I'm sorry. That was an insensitive question.

Brooke: No, I understand. You're concerned.

Bridget: I'm surprised. You and Whip? I mean, I know he's worked here for a while, and I know you guys always got along, but I just never realized you were that close.

Brooke: Yeah, well, it kind of snuck up on me, too.

Bridget: It did? How?

Brooke: Oh, it's a long story.

Stephanie: A romantic tale, perhaps? I'm sure we'd all love to hear it.

Rick: Come on, Stephanie, don't do this.

Eric: We didn't come up here to argue.

Thorne: Look, maybe we should talk about this tomorrow.

Stephanie: No, we have a problem, and we're going to take care of it now.

Brooke: What problem?!

Stephanie: You. Your behavior. I don't think anyone in this family is ever going to forget what happened in that showroom tonight.

Whip: Well, if I may, Mrs.. Forrester, you were the one --

Stephanie: I'm really not interested in your opinions. You crossed the line today, Brooke. You've done a lot of stuff. You've brought a lot of disgrace and scandal to this family, to this company. But I don't know. I don't think we're ever gonna recover from this.

Brooke: My pregnancy is not going to destroy this company!

Stephanie: You're right. It doesn't have to. You're absolutely right, if you would step aside. If you really care about the legacy that you want to leave for your children, you'll resign.

Brooke: No! No, Stephanie, I will not resign!

Ridge: Brooke, you're a liability. You've got to see that.

Brooke: You know what I see? I see a bunch of greedy people here that would do anything to get rid of me, and that is not going to happen!

Thorne: Brooke, you're going to have a baby. That should be your number-one priority.

Stephanie: Well, why would this baby be a priority when the other two weren't at all? You're such a slut.

Eric: Stephanie, stop it!

Stephanie: I want you out of this building! You don't represent this company! You are a whore!

Brooke: No, you're the one who's leaving, Stephanie! Now, get the hell out of my office! I mean it!

[ Shouting over each other ]

Eric: Take it easy!

First reporter: Bridget, Rick! How does it feel to have another baby in the family?

Second reporter: Eric, what's your response to this? Forrester has been through so many changes lately. Can you handle another scandal?

Third reporter: Brooke! Turn around! Give us a shot of the baby!

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Massimo: How are they gonna respond to this, Eric? You gonna defend your family's honor? You gonna protect Stephanie and Ridge from this humiliation? Or will you fail them -- again?

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Stephanie: I can't believe what you just did!

Eric: All right, don't say anything. Let's just go in your office.

Stephanie: What are you doing? What's in your mind?

Eric: Look, I want you to calm down.

Stephanie: Calm down?!

Eric: I know you're angry with Brooke --

Stephanie: I'm not as angry with Brooke as I am with you!

Stephanie: What is wrong with you? What are you doing?

Eric: What am I doing? What am I doing? You just called our CEO a whore in front of an employee, not to mention her children -- my children!

Stephanie: Are you gonna defend her?

Eric: I'm not defending Brooke! I'm not talking about Brooke! I'm talking about you, and your behavior in that press conference, and in Brooke's office just now!

Stephanie: My behavior? She's having an illegitimate child with an employee, and you're talking about my behavior?

Eric: Look, that's a big problem, I'll grant you that, but you're not gonna make it any better by confronting Brooke in front of the media. In fact, you're making it worse. Now we have to pull together to show that -- to show the press that this company is not falling apart.

Stephanie: You can't be serious.

Eric: She's not gonna step down, Stephanie.

Stephanie: This is the moment. We could force her out.

Eric: Ridge tried that. He failed. And Thorne and Kristen are not gonna back another attempt.

Stephanie: Damn it, Eric! She's dragging Forrester through the gutter. Don't you care about that?

Eric: Of course, I care! I don't want this to happen to our company!

Stephanie: It's not about demeaning the company! It's about demeaning the name of Forrester! Can't you see that?! Aren't you humiliated by that!? My god, it's your name on the building! She's spitting on it! Can't you see what that is doing to me?

Eric: This is not about you! It's not about you and your feelings about Brooke! Now, her behavior is reckless and irresponsible, I'll grant you that, but I cannot allow your personal reaction to it to tear this company apart! Now, if we don't show a united front here --

Stephanie: Don't you talk to me about any damn united front!

Eric: You and I --

Stephanie: I don't want to talk to you --

Eric: You and I have to talk about this!

Stephanie: I am not discussing anything with you again. I don't want to talk. I don't want to talk to you.

[ Door slams ]

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Brooke: God, I can't believe this. They want me to resign.

Bridget: Mom, calm down, please.

Rick: Mom, nobody is forcing you out of the company.

Brooke: Why? Why did I even go to that press conference?

Deacon: Brooke, it's gonna be all right. Look, we're gonna fix this.

Brooke: You know, I knew this was gonna happen -- Stephanie's tirade, the media frenzy, all of it. I should have just stayed up in Ojai.

Rick: No. No, Mom. This is your company. This is where you belong.

Deacon: Rick's right. Ridge, Stephanie -- they're just trying to rattle you. Don't let them.

Whip: Yeah, that's right. Everything is gonna be fine. We're going to get through this, okay? You, me and our little baby.

Ridge: I can't believe this! I just can't believe it!

Taylor: Well, what happened?

Ridge: Dad defended Brooke. Mother was letting Brooke have it, and dad tells mother to back off! Brooke has consistently compromised everything this company depends on -- our integrity, our class and our reputation. I have tried and tried to make our name mean something again. Dad just wants to stand by and let her destroy all of it. Well, we can't appease this woman anymore. No more! We've got to get Brooke out of the driver's seat, or she's going to drive this company into the ground. And if dad doesn't have the guts to do it, I will by god.

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[ Door opens ]

Stephanie: Eric, I told you I don't want to talk anymore. Massimo?

Massimo: Oh, Stephanie, I'm so sorry.

Stephanie: Obviously you heard.

Massimo: Brooke's pregnant.

Stephanie: Yes.

Massimo: Oh, god, how appalling!

Stephanie: It just all fell apart. I mean -- a month ago, Eric -- Eric was okay and happy about the idea that Ridge was going to be the CEO, and he was starting to restore the dignity, the respect of the label again. It was all working out so well for ridge, and now -- now, I thought, "well, we get on with our lives. It'll be fine. Brooke will be out of the picture." Then this happens. I don't know how much more of this I can take, and I shouldn't have to fight this alone.

Massimo: You shouldn't have to fight this at all. Stephanie, you're one of the most powerful and respected women in the fashion industry. You shouldn't have to deal with the likes of Brooke Logan and her scandals. It is beneath you.

Stephanie: You know, one of the reporters had the audacity just to assume that it was Ridge's baby. He's married with three children. What is this going to do with his wife?

Massimo: I know, I know. He doesn't deserve that and neither do you.

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Taylor: Ridge, I completely understand. You're angry, and you should be.

Ridge: Brooke is ruining our reputation, Taylor. Our clients weren't comfortable with the bedroom line to begin with. How do you think they're gonna react to this now? How many orders are we gonna lose? Brooke's pregnancy is gonna cost this company a fortune.

Taylor: Is that what you're really upset about? Is it the money?

Ridge: No, Taylor, it's not the money. It's the principle. After going on and on about family values and integrity, she turns out to be pregnant by an employee. Isn't that lovely? God, unbelievable. What a hypocrite she is. Unforgivable. Dad doesn't get that. He thinks we should just sweep it under the rug, smile like nothing's wrong, like we're one big, happy family. Well, guess what?! We're not! You know, the way I see it -- the way I see it is the battle lines are drawn. This -- this is a war.

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Bridget: You and mom are gonna get through this together?

Whip: Yes, and I hope that we can count on everybody's support.

Rick: If this is what you want, Mom, then you can count on us.

Brooke: There's still a few details that need to be worked out.

Bridget: "Details"? Mom, you're making it sound like a business arrangement or something. You're having a baby.

Whip: Yes, and we're very excited about it.

Brooke: This child will be very loved.

Bridget: And what about you and Whip? You say you love him, but the way you're acting -- is everything all right? Because I get the feeling there's something you're not telling us.

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Taylor: Ridge, you're talking about going to war with your own family.

Ridge: Yeah, well, sometimes you just don't have a choice. Some things can't be solved peacefully.

Taylor: Where did you hear that?

Ridge: From someone I used to detest who I'm now starting to respect.

Taylor: Massimo?

Ridge: Yeah, how did you know?

Taylor: You sounded just like him.

Ridge: Yeah, well, maybe I should ask him to address the board. The guy's making a lot of sense to me, as opposed to my father, all this peace at any cost. That is no way to run a business!

Taylor: Ridge, you can't put all of this on your father. He's just trying to find a way to get out of this mess. You can thank Brooke for causing it.

Ridge: That's not necessarily true, Taylor. None of this would be happening if dad hadn't married Brooke. He let her work without a contract. He put the company at risk. She took advantage. He let his guard down, plain and simple. Now we're all paying for it, especially my mother. It just kills her every time Brooke pulls one of these stunts because she knows -- she knows that it all goes back to my father's infidelities, to his affair with Brooke. No. None of this would have happened. If my father had kept his commitment to my mother, none of this would have happened. That's the kind of man that my mother deserves -- someone strong, someone true, someone she can count on. And that's the kind of man that my father should have been.

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Stephanie: You know, I asked Brooke to resign.

Massimo: That would be the honorable thing for her to do.

Stephanie: And of course, she's not going to do it. Even though she knows this scandal could destroy the company, she doesn't care. I don't think she cares. But what I can't understand and what upsets me so much is Eric doesn't seem to care.

Massimo: But this is his business.

Stephanie: He wants Ridge and me to support her.

Massimo: No.

Stephanie: Yes. He defended her. He told me I was out of line.

Massimo: Oh, god. She seduces one of her employees, she's carrying his illegitimate child, and you are out of line? Oh.

Stephanie: I said some pretty terrible things. Maybe --

Massimo: Listen, no matter what you said, it couldn't possibly have been strong enough.

Stephanie: Why can't he see it, Mas? Why doesn't he understand that she divides us every single time? And she's doing it again. It's father against son. It's brother against brother. I just thank god Ridge didn't hear what Eric said to me today.

Massimo: You know that Ridge is not going to take this lying down. I mean, he's a proud man. He's gonna fight Brooke and anyone who takes her side.

Stephanie: I didn't want this for my family.

Massimo: You don't have to take this, Stephanie. You don't have to live this way anymore. You and Ridge can regain your independence, your respectability. Give the company to Rick and Brooke. Leave Eric and his indiscretions behind. Stephanie -- you know that I could make you happy. You know that I can give you the life that you deserve. I can save you from any further humiliations. I can save you and ridge from this disgrace. Come away with me. No, no, no, Stephanie. You and our son. Come with me. Let me take you away from all this.

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Whip: You know what? It's been a long day, and your mother's not quite feeling like herself.

Bridget: Excuse me, whip. I wasn't talking to you.

Brooke: Honey, I know you're upset, and you feel like I've been keeping secrets from you. Well, I have. But it's only because I want to protect you.

Bridget: Well, you don't have to protect me anymore. Just tell me what's going on with you.

Whip: Don't worry, Bridget. Your mother and I, we're gonna be fine. Aren't we, Brooke?

Brooke: Yes.

Whip: Yeah, we knew it wasn't gonna be easy. You know, coming clean about our relationship, facing the Forrester's wrath. But what we shared was beautiful. It wasn't ugly like you think. Just like this baby's gonna be beautiful. Right?

Brooke: My main concern is this baby. I want to make sure that I can give my child the best life that I can.

Whip: Yeah, we both do.

Brooke: But right now, I think the best thing for my child is if I were to relax. So if you don't mind, I just need to be by myself.

Rick: No problem.

Whip: We have a lot to discuss, you know.

Brooke: I meant alone, Whip.

Whip: Right. Well, we'll talk later. Okay?

Rick: Come on, let's go.

Bridget: Call me if you need anything, okay?

Brooke: Yeah. Yeah, I will. Thanks, honey.

Deacon: I want you to be careful. Do you hear me? I got a bad feeling about this guy, Brooke. I got a very bad feeling. I don't know, but something tells me that Whip Jones is gonna be nothing but trouble.