A chilling phone call shatters Sharon’s fragile calm just as she begins to believe her family might finally be safe. The voice on the other end is trembling — Faith’s — telling her that Mariah has vanished, leaving behind only a cryptic note that reads, “I have to end this my way.” Panic grips Sharon’s heart as she realizes where Mariah might have gone: Boston, the city where whispers say Ian Ward has resurfaced, rebuilding his twisted network in the shadows. For years, Ian’s manipulation haunted Mariah’s every thought. Though she rebuilt her life in Genoa City, the scars of his control never truly faded. And now, after Noah’s disappearance and the disturbing clues pointing back to Ian, Mariah has done the unthinkable — she’s gone after the monster who once stole her identity, determined to face him on her own terms. As Sharon frantically tries to contact Nick and the authorities, the scope of the danger becomes clear. Ian isn’t just hiding; he’s waiting. Sources close to the Newman family reveal that Ian has been tracking Mariah for months, monitoring her movements through a network of loyal followers who still worship him as their “guide.” When Sharon finally reaches Nick, his reaction is immediate — fury mixed with fear. “He’s not taking another one of my family,” Nick vows, setting off for Boston with Chance and a team of private investigators in tow. Meanwhile, Mariah’s journey into Boston’s dark underworld begins at an abandoned warehouse near the harbor. There, she discovers fragments of Ian’s past — cult manifestos, stolen identities, and surveillance footage that suggest he’s been plotting revenge since his last downfall. Each step deeper into the shadows blurs the line between hunter and hunted, and Mariah begins to question whether she’s truly in control or if Ian has been pulling the strings all along. As Sharon waits in agonizing suspense, she receives another call — this time, it’s Ian himself. His calm, measured tone sends shivers down her spine. “You always underestimated her, Sharon,” he says. “Mariah has finally accepted who she really is — and soon, you will too.” The chilling implication leaves Sharon on the verge of collapse. Is Ian manipulating Mariah again? Has he planted new ideas in her mind, the same way he did years ago? In Boston, Nick and Chance follow a trail of clues that lead them to an underground safehouse where Ian’s followers are rumored to gather. But what they find shocks them — evidence that Ian has been experimenting with psychological conditioning techniques, targeting former members of his cult, including Mariah. Back in Genoa City, Faith pleads with her mother not to give up hope. “Mariah’s strong,” she insists. “She’s been through worse.” But Sharon knows this is different — this isn’t just about Ian anymore; it’s about reclaiming the power he stole from them all. Hours later, Mariah finally comes face-to-face with Ian in a dimly lit chapel hidden beneath the city. His once-charismatic smile has hardened, but his words are just as poisonous. “You think confronting me will free you?” he taunts. “You are me, Mariah. You always have been.” In that haunting moment, everything Ian ever did to her resurfaces — the lies, the manipulation, the false promises of belonging. But instead of breaking, Mariah stands tall. “You don’t control me anymore,” she says, voice steady despite her tears. “You never did.” The confrontation turns violent when Ian lunges at her, but just as the struggle reaches its breaking point, Nick bursts in, pulling Mariah to safety while Chance subdues Ian. Sirens wail in the distance as the nightmare finally ends. Later, as Sharon reunites with Mariah in the hospital, she whispers, “You saved yourself this time.” But the haunting question remains — how deep did Ian’s influence really go, and will his psychological grip ever truly fade? The harrowing events leave the Newman family shaken to its core, with fans calling it one of the most powerful and emotional arcs The Young and the Restless has delivered in years — a story of trauma, redemption, and the fight to reclaim one’s identity from the ghosts of the past. 😱💔🔥