The next two weeks in Genoa City will not be for the faint of heart. WhenThe Young and the RestlessEntering the period from January 5th to 16th, a name that once sowed terror is returning to the center of the storm: Ian Ward. And this time, he’s not just back — he’s tightening the noose, dragging the entire city into an inescapable psychological game.

Ian Ward: When the Hunter No Longer Hides

Ian no longer ambushed from the shadows. He appeared with a terrifying composure, as if every piece had been placed in its proper position. The whispers, the seemingly harmless encounters… all were bait. He knew who was weak, who was afraid, who was desperate. And he struck at each point.

Phyllis Summers & The Call That Smells Dead

Phyllis Summers wasn’t the type to shy away from danger—she threw herself into it. Feeling cornered, Phyllis faced a temptation too sweet to refuse. A chance to change her life? Or a velvet-lined trap? Ian knew Phyllis well: when provoked, she wouldn’t back down. And that was when she was most dangerous.

Nikki & Victor: Power is Challenged

Nikki Newman began to sense a familiar unsettling smell—a smell only those who had survived hell could recognize. Meanwhile, Victor Newman refused to be manipulated. But Ian was no ordinary enemy. He didn’t need power; he needed the misguided faith of his victims.

Widespread Tensions: No One Is Truly Safe

Fractured relationships. Overheard conversations. Hasty decisions made out of fear. Genoa City enters a state of red alert, where every smile could be a mask, every promise a curse.

Two Fateful Weeks: Who Will Pay the Price?

When Ian Ward tightened the final trap, the question was no longer “who was targeted”—but who would fall into the trap first. And as Phyllis Summers moved closer to the brink of danger, was this a saving grace… or an irreparable mistake?

Genoa City is facing a deadly choice — and not everyone survives it?