The Bold and the Beautiful Weekly Recap: Zende Calls Out Forrester Favoritism as Carter and Steffy's Secret Grows

The Forrester family loves talking about loyalty, but this week on The Bold and the Beautiful, Zende Forrester Dominguez had some legitimate questions about what that loyalty actually gets him. With Logan Designs looking to recruit him, Zende finally confronted the favoritism that has followed him throughout his career at Forrester Creations.

Meanwhile, Carter and Steffy continued playing a dangerous game with Daphne's trust, Will found himself caught between family and romance, and Electra discovered that someone close to her had been helping the competition. Between the business battles and personal betrayals, Los Angeles had no shortage of problems this week.

Daphne Wants Answers About Carter and Steffy's Surrogacy Decision

Daphne Rose Walton was stunned when Carter revealed that Steffy had already undergone the embryo implantation procedure as their surrogate.

Daphne had been looking forward to participating in every stage of their journey toward parenthood, especially after learning that she couldn't conceive. Discovering that her husband and best friend had moved forward without including her was deeply hurtful.

Carter insisted that the timing had made the decision necessary, but Steffy was visibly struggling with guilt. At one point, she nearly confessed that they had been keeping more from Daphne than she realized, but Daphne misunderstood her hesitation and believed the two had simply wanted to protect her from additional stress.

That misunderstanding allowed the truth to remain hidden. Unfortunately, Carter wasn't doing much to help himself when he spoke about Steffy's pregnancy as though it had already been confirmed, forcing him to backtrack when Daphne pointed out that they were still waiting for results.

Carter's Guilty Conscience Is Getting the Better of Him

Carter's discomfort became even more obvious when Daphne attempted to enjoy a romantic moment with him in the office. After locking the door and suggesting they share some of Eric's Scotch, Daphne tried to get close to her husband on the couch.

But Carter couldn't get past the memory of his encounter with Steffy in that same spot. He quickly put an end to the moment, telling Daphne that they should wait until they got home. She agreed, but his strange behavior gave her another reason to wonder what was happening. Things only became more complicated when Daphne learned that Finn hadn't been informed about the surrogacy arrangement. Considering his previous objections, she couldn't understand why Steffy's own husband had been excluded from such an important decision.

Meanwhile, Taylor noticed something was troubling Steffy and questioned her daughter about what she was hiding. Steffy tried to dismiss her concerns, but Taylor wasn't convinced.

Zende Finally Calls Out the Forrester Family

Over at Logan Designs, Katie and Hope continued their efforts to recruit Zende. They believed his experience and creativity would be valuable to their growing company, particularly as Deke worked to establish himself.

But Zende had questions for Hope, especially about her departure from Forrester Creations. He was hurt that she hadn't told him about her decision beforehand, given their professional relationship and the work they'd shared. Hope explained why she'd felt the need to leave, but her explanation didn't completely address why she'd kept Zende in the dark. Katie assured him that Logan could offer a fresh start, although Zende wasn't prepared to make an immediate decision.

At Forrester, his uncertainty reflected a much larger frustration with the family business. Zende had spent years watching certain relatives receive opportunities while others struggled to get the same recognition. He pointed to the history of favoritism within the company, including the treatment of Thorne, while recalling his own place in the family and the love he'd received from Kristen and Tony. His concerns weren't simply about wanting a new job. Zende wanted his talent to matter, and he wanted to know whether Forrester Creations would ever give him the opportunities he'd earned.

Eric and Ridge, meanwhile, remained focused on protecting their company from Logan's growing competition. They also recognized that keeping Zende would be important to the success of Electra's developing fashion line.

Will Stands Up for Dylan as Electra Faces Competition

Will Spencer found himself navigating more than one uncomfortable relationship this week. Although he admitted to Wyatt that he still had feelings for Electra, he remained committed to seeing where things could go with Dylan.

Electra wasn't ready to forget Will either, but Dylan made it clear that she'd been there for him when Electra walked away. Dylan had no intention of stepping aside simply because her romantic rival still had feelings for him.

Will also confronted Katie about her treatment of Dylan. After Dylan helped bring Zende to Logan Designs, Will expected his

mother to honor their agreement rather than continue using his relationship to advance her business goals.

Electra, meanwhile, remained determined to prove herself as a designer. She and R.J. discussed their developing fashion line and hoped Zende would recognize the importance of staying at Forrester.

Electra Accuses Dylan of Betrayal

Dylan's involvement in Zende's potential move to Logan eventually created a major confrontation. After Zende acknowledged that Katie and Hope had offered him a position, he thanked Dylan for encouraging him to explore the opportunity. Unfortunately, Electra overheard the conversation and was furious to discover that Dylan had helped steer Zende toward the competition.

Electra immediately confronted Dylan and brought the matter to Eric and Ridge, accusing her of being a backstabbing traitor. With Forrester trying to keep Zende and Logan determined to win him over, Dylan had managed to place herself directly in the middle of an escalating family business rivalry.

Zende still hadn't made his decision, but his frustrations weren't going away. Whether he stays or leaves, the family will have to reckon with the concerns he raised about how opportunities are distributed at Forrester Creations.

My Thoughts

ZENDE WAS OUTSTANDING THIS WEEK!!! I absolutely LOVED watching him use his personal history, along with Forrester family history, to call out the favoritism that has existed at Forrester Creations for years. Bringing up Uncle Thorne being stuck in the basement was CLASSIC! He should have mentioned Uncle Rick, too, because we all know Rick has had his own struggles with the family business.

What made the conversation especially meaningful was Zende remembering when Kristen and Tony met him and fell in love with having him as part of their family. That history added so much emotional weight to what he was saying. Eric and Ridge have always been tone-deaf when it comes to acknowledging their favoritism, and Zende finally laid everything out for them!

Melissa Dylan really DID come through for Katie and Hope, and I appreciated Hope explaining why she left Forrester.

However, she still never explained WHY she didn't tell Zende! Those are two completely different issues, and considering

their history, he deserved an honest explanation. That said, I STILL don't see Zende leaving Forrester. What exactly is Logan offering him? The opportunity to collaborate with Hope and help Deke? That's nice, but it's NOT the same as giving Zende his own line. He wants recognition for his talent, not simply another opportunity to help build somebody else's vision.

I think Eric's guilt trip will probably work, especially when he starts reminding Zende about family loyalty. But will Eric actually LISTEN to what Zende said, or will he expect him to fall in line because he's family? After such a powerful confrontation, I want to see those concerns taken seriously instead of everyone moving on like nothing happened.

Now, Carter and Steffy? THESE TWO ARE PLAYING A CRAZY GAME! Carter is already slipping, and his guilty conscience is making everything worse. Daphne deserves to know the truth, and Finn certainly deserves to know what's happening with his wife. How long do they think they can keep all of this hidden?

And then there's Electra confronting Dylan! Electra was NOT holding back, and I am here for the drama! Dylan helped Katie and Hope get a meeting with Zende, but now her actions have placed her right in the middle of the battle between Logan and Forrester.

Between Zende standing up for himself, the growing competition between the fashion houses, and Carter and Steffy's secret

threatening to explode, this was some GOOD OLE SOAP OPERA DRAMA! I want to see real consequences, real confrontations, and more of Zende speaking his mind. BRING ON THE FALLOUT! 🔥