Everyone thought Claire Grace (Hayley Erin) could do no wrong as the perfect assistant to Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott) on The Young and the Restless. Then viewers watched as Claire spent weeks fawning over Nikki…only to turn around and kidnap her boss.
It’s clear that this attack on the beloved heroine isn’t your average hostage situation. Not only is Claire keeping Nikki a prisoner, but she’s also doing something much more serious: She’s reactivating Nikki’s alcoholism by drugging her with a booze-filled IV. (Talk about cruel!)
(Credit: Howard Wise / JPI Studios)
One thing that Nikki can count on, though: If Claire doesn’t know this already, she’ll eventually discover that her foe doesn’t give up easily. “Nikki’s a fighter, so we will see her do her very best to escape Claire’s — and her partner in crime’s — clutches,” Scott shares. “Nobody crosses Nikki Newman, so Nikki looks forward to teaching Claire that lesson sooner rather than later.”
Another factor to consider: Nikki’s not alone. Her husband Victor (Eric Braeden) and their children Victoria (Amelia Heinle) and Nicholas (Joshua Morrow) are a formidable trio. “Nikki’s captors take glee in threatening her family, which makes Nikki fearful for their safety,” Scott previews. “However, Nikki does know that Victor will stop at nothing once he learns that Nikki is in peril.”
Unfortunately, her former friend isn’t working alone either. “Claire is keeping Nikki in the dark as to her motives, but they soon will become very clear, and Claire is not standing alone in this vendetta against Nikki,” Scott says.
Nikki’s already lost out on Thanksgiving because of this ordeal. Is there hope that the best crier in daytime TV can be saved by Christmas? “Things will get much worse for Nikki before they get better,” Scott teases, “so there will be lots to cry about.”
