In Drew's office at Aurora Media, Nina was frustrated by Drew's refusal to approve her budget, but he argued that her expenses were excessive. Nina insisted that she needed extra staff because it was fashion week in Paris, and Crimson had to have a notable presence. Unmoved, Drew stood his ground. Seconds later, Alexis appeared in the doorway, looking for Nina. Nina tried to dismiss Alexis, but Alexis explained that she needed to discuss an important matter with Nina.

Unconcerned, Nina asked if Alexis had forgotten that she was Alexis' boss. "Not anymore," Alexis replied with a smile. Annoyed, Nina asked what had upset Alexis "now." Alexis admitted that she'd been upset for a while because Nina had managed to turn a job that Alexis had never really loved into a job that Alexis hated. Nina argued that Alexis was bound by a contract, but Alexis informed Nina that Alexis and Shawn had never needed one. When Alexis mentioned that she would soon return to practicing law, Drew congratulated Alexis.

Nina was dismissive, and she informed Alexis that she intended to promote Adrian DeWitt to editor in chief of the Invader, effective immediately. After Nina marched out to make the phone call, Drew confessed that he'd enjoyed watching Alexis cut Nina down to size. It had been the most fun he'd had all week. Alexis returned his smile as he raised his hand to high-five her.

Later, Jordan stopped by for a visit with Drew. Drew was surprised to see her, so she explained that she'd just returned from a trip. Jordan revealed that she'd heard a rumor that he was running for Congress. Drew confirmed that it was true and that he planned to make the announcement once he'd changed his name to Quartermaine. Jordan was curious if the congressional run was an effort for Drew to raise his profile or if he planned to win the seat. Drew assured Jordan that he intended to give his campaign his all and secure the win.

Pleased, Jordan told Drew that he had her full support, but he had to win because his opponent -- Chelsea Grimes -- was unfit for the job. According to Jordan, Chelsea was willing to say or do anything to win, so she needed to be stopped at all costs. Jordan urged Drew not to delay his campaign. Moments later, Nina returned to pick up where she and Drew had left off, but she stopped short when she saw Jordan. Jordan explained that she had to leave, but she made a point of referring to Drew as "Congressman Quartermaine" as she bid him goodbye.

Nina questioned Drew about the reference, but Drew turned the conversation to their earlier budget talks by offering Nina a compromise. Nina happily accepted, but she reminded Drew that she had backed him when McConkey had asked her about him. She promised that she was all-in to get Drew elected, and she assured him that the Invader stood ready to support him at the "most opportune time." "If I knew what I was doing, I'd offer to be your campaign manager," Nina said. Surprised, Drew asked why she would help him.

"Why not?" Nina asked. She reminded Drew that they were getting along, Willow idolized him, and it was clearly something that he was committed to. Nina pointed out that she hadn't made it a secret that she wanted a better relationship with her daughter, and helping Drew would score points with Willow. However, Nina assured Drew that she believed in him, and he was no worse than other politicians and vastly preferrable to his opponent. Nina pointed out that -- if Drew wanted to win -- he would need all the help he could get.

At Kristina's apartment, Blaze searched for her phone. She found it seconds later, so Kristina invited Blaze to join her for breakfast. Blaze declined because she wanted to get to Deception before Natalia arrived because her mother could be demanding. Kristina reminded Blaze that Natalia had Blaze's best interests at heart. "Or what she thinks are my best interests. Not always the same thing," Blaze said.

Shortly after Blaze left, Alexis paid Kristina a visit to share the news that Alexis had quit her job at the Invader. Alexis filled her daughter in about her resignation and Nina's reaction. Kristina was happy for her mother, and she offered to make mocktails to celebrate. After Kristina disappeared into the kitchen, Alexis noticed an open file with a stack of résumés on an ottoman. Kristina returned to the living room with juice drinks and handed one to her mother. She offered a toast, but Alexis quickly seized the opportunity to ask Kristina about the résumés.

Kristina seemed hesitant as she explained that she was looking for someone to run her center while she went on maternity leave after the baby was born. Kristina admitted that she'd been overwhelmed by the impressive qualifications of the candidates, but Alexis reminded Kristina that the center wouldn't exist without Kristina. Kristina admitted that it was ironic that she would be taking a leave of absence just as the center was ready to open. Alexis assured Kristina that Kristina was entitled to take maternity leave, even as a surrogate.

Kristina appeared uncomfortable. "I know that," Kristina said as she began to fidget with the résumés. "Kristina, what aren't you saying?" Alexis asked. "That I'll be away from the center, giving birth to a baby that I have carried for nine months that was never meant to be mine," Kristina said. Kristina's eyes welled up with tears as she opened up to Alexis about the reality of her situation. Kristina acknowledged that both Sam and Alexis had been right to warn her and that she wondered if the baby would ever know that the woman holding them was their birth mother.

"I can't stop thinking about what's going to happen to me. What am I supposed to do, Mom?" Kristina asked. Alexis wiped away her own tears. Kristina wondered if she was expected to bounce back from the birth and return to the center as if nothing had happened, but Alexis assured Kristina that no one expected that. Alexis insisted that volunteering to have Molly and T.J.'s baby had been an incredibly generous gift, which was proof of Kristina's big heart. Alexis was also proud of her daughter for opening a youth center for the LGBTQ+ community.

Kristina smiled and attributed everything to having loving and supportive parents. Kristina admitted that Blaze hadn't had that with Natalia, while Kristina had been given the space to be who she was. Alexis hugged her daughter.

At Deception, Maxie, Lucy, and Scott went over the latest contract revision, which included Natalia's most recent demands. "You know that woman has given new meaning to the word 'momager,'" Lucy grumbled. Maxie added that Natalia had made certain that most of the work fell on Lois. Just then, Lois breezed into the office and explained that Brook Lynn was unable to attend the meeting because she was needed elsewhere. Lois refused to elaborate, but she happily launched into a story about being mistaken for Blaze's mom by fans during department store appearances. "Can you imagine?" Lois asked with a big smile.

"No, I can't," Natalia said from the doorway. Lois assured Natalia that she hadn't meant any disrespect, but it was Blaze's arrival that cut the tension. Blaze seemed happy about being the Face of Deception and shared that some of her fans thought Lois was her mother. Lois smiled brightly, while Maxie silently signaled to Lucy to start the meeting. Lucy took over, but things went off course when Lucy tried to take credit for splitting the duties of the Face of Deception between Blaze and Lois. Maxie was quick to remind Lucy how things had transpired and about Lucy's disastrous appearance on the Home & Heart shopping channel.

When Maxie praised Lois for being warm and approachable, Lucy was forced to agree. Meanwhile, Scott handed Natalia and Blaze each a copy of the revised contract. "Third time's the charm," Scott said. Lucy reminded everyone that it was technically the fourth time that they had tried to satisfy Blaze's mother. Natalia was unapologetic for being demanding on her daughter's behalf, and she suggested their meeting was validation that Natalia's efforts were successful. Natalia looked over things but immediately objected to one of the changes.

As Natalia, Scott, and Lucy argued about the inclusion of video interviews, Maxie's phone began to chime with alerts. Annoyed, Natalia glared at Maxie, so Maxie explained that she received notifications whenever Deception was mentioned on social media. The phone continued to sound with numerous notifications as the negotiations between Scott and Natalia continued. Eventually, Lucy asked Maxie to turn her phone off. Maxie picked it up, but her eyes landed on an article in the Invader. "Oh, my God," Maxie said.

At Metro Court, Ava stood on the balcony until she heard a knock on her suite's door. It was Trina, who had the printer's proofs for the upcoming gallery show. Ava looked the packet over, but she wasn't pleased with the results because the artist was very particular. Trina assured Ava that she would take care of things. When Trina asked if Ava needed anything else, Ava admitted that there was something. "You can tell me everything that Joss has ever told you about Sonny," Ava said. Shocked, Trina carefully explained that she didn't keep tabs on Sonny.

Ava insisted that she needed to protect herself because she was certain that Sonny intended to fight for full custody of Avery. She implored Trina to be her eyes and ears. "Please, just listen to Joss and pass on anything she says about Sonny," Ava asked. Ava feared that it was only a matter of time before Sonny revoked their shared custody agreement, which Ava refused to let that happen. Trina explained that Josslyn never talked about Sonny. Disappointed, Ava asked Trina to let her know if Trina thought of anything.

Later, Adrian DeWitt arrived, but he was not used to being summoned. Ava asked what Adrian knew about Natalia Ramirez. Adrian recalled that Natalia was the mother of pop star Blaze, so Ava asked if Adrian had listened to the small audio file that Ava had sent. Adrian admitted that it had been a busy morning, but he pulled the audio file up on his phone. His jaw dropped as he listened to Natalia talk about Blaze and Kristina's relationship in a derogatory way.

After the audio ended, Adrian asked Ava if it was real. She assured him that it was, and he could use it as long as it wasn't traced back to her. Adrian promised that he always protected his sources, but he realized the impact the bombshell would have on Blaze as the new Face of Deception. He admitted that Ava's timing was perfect because Alexis was out at the Invader, and he'd been promoted to editor in chief. Adrian instructed Ava to send the entire file to the anonymous tipline because he intended to print the story later that day.

At the hotel's pool, Gio greeted Sonny and Avery. After Avery ran over to Josslyn, Sonny asked Gio how things were going at the Quartermaine mansion. Gio admitted that it was nice to have plenty of places to go and practice his music without bothering anyone. He also revealed that Josslyn and Trina would be moving into an apartment on the property. A few minutes later, Sonny approached Josslyn and thanked her for looking out for Gio. However, he asked Josslyn not to share her personal views about him. "I think it would be better to leave the subject of me out of the equation," Sonny said.

Josslyn admitted that Gio was a nice guy, and it was clear that Gio had put Sonny on a pedestal, so she had not said anything to Gio. "And I don't expect that to change," Josslyn added. Sonny thanked her, but Josslyn admitted that she regretted trying to open Kristina's eyes about Sonny. She acknowledged that it hadn't been her place, and Kristina was entitled to "those illusions" about her father. Josslyn had no intention of making the same mistake twice, and if Gio learned the truth about Sonny, it would be because of something that Sonny had done.

A short time later, Josslyn saw Trina arrive. Josslyn ran over to her friend, but it was clear that Trina was troubled. Trina told Josslyn about the encounter with Ava, but Josslyn didn't think it was a good idea for them to talk about Ava because Josslyn couldn't be objective. Trina invited Josslyn to speak her mind, prompting Josslyn to admit that she thought Avery was better off with Sonny. Trina explained that she considered Ava to be a close friend because Ava had always been supportive. "But the Ava that I've been seeing lately...it's like the one Spencer used to talk about," Trina confided.

Josslyn was certain that a custody fight between Sonny and Ava would be ugly. Trina agreed, which was why Trina intended to stay out of it, including as a go-between. Trina felt bad for Avery because Avery would be caught in the middle.

After Josslyn returned to work, Trina ran into Gio. She explained that she was at the hotel for work. She offered to show him the proofs for the opening he was performing at. He smiled when he saw his name because he knew that it had been Trina's doing. Gio confessed that he was amazed at all the wonderful people he had met in Port Charles.

A short time later, Josslyn saw Ava arrive. She quickly enlisted Gio's help by asking him to follow her lead. Josslyn approached Avery and told her that ice cream was being served in the garden. When both Sonny and Ava agreed that Avery could have some ice cream, Gio took Avery to the garden. Once they were alone, Sonny made it clear that he had kicked Ava out because he didn't want to lay eyes on her again. Ava claimed that she had just stopped by the pool to say hello. "As long as we understand each other," Sonny said.

Ava warned Sonny not to try to take Avery away from her because it would go worse for Sonny than he could imagine. Sonny asked if Ava was threatening him. "It's not a threat; it's a promise," Ava said. She advised Sonny not to forget what she was capable of because she vowed to do whatever she had to in order to keep Avery. Ava warned Sonny that he couldn't afford the type of trouble that she could make for him.

Nearby, Josslyn watched the tense exchange between Sonny and Ava.

• Maxie tells Natalia that it's time to get with the program or kick rocks

• "Tell us how you really feel?" an upset Blaze asks

• "I can't risk anybody seeing you come to my door," Ava explains

• "That means there's a target on her back," Sonny says