The hour opens at Lulu’s, where Tracy Quartermaine is wrestling with guilt and suspicion. In a tense conversation with Lulu, Tracy retraces the steps that led her

to betray Michael Corinthos, her own family, and the promise she made to Monica. The realization is chilling: the only private conversation she had that night was inside

her own home. Someone close to her fed Alexis Davis the information that pushed her to testify the way she did. As they narrow down the possible culprits, Tracy’s fury sharpens.

If Chase is involved, she warns, the consequences will be severe. Across town at the Port Charles Grill, Laura Collins attempts to maintain a sense of normalcy, but politics and family drama quickly intrude. Ezra Boyle, never missing an opportunity to assert himself, interrupts Laura while she waits for her brother Martin. Oozing arrogance, Ezra assures her he’s not there for her and saunters off to the bar. When Martin arrives, Laura reveals a startling decision: Ace has been sent to Ireland with Kevin. Laura insists it was her idea, claiming the chaos in Port Charles has made it unsafe for a child. Martin is unconvinced. When Laura adds that Valentin Cassadine is on the run and Ace is the sole heir to the Cassadine fortune, Martin begins to understand her fear, even if he struggles to believe Valentin would ever target a child.

The tension escalates when Tracy joins them, demanding answers about her missing heirlooms. Martin swears he’s trying, but Drew Cain has become nearly impossible to track down. Tracy coolly reminds him that she could still have him thrown in jail for his past misdeeds. The power dynamic is unmistakable: Tracy may be wounded, but she is far from powerless.

Meanwhile, Ezra’s personal life takes an unsettling turn. He meets Justinda openly, convinced that now their connection is public knowledge, there’s no reason to hide. Justinda worries about the political fallout, but Ezra is dismissive. He suggests they build something “real,” even floating the idea of leaving town together to start fresh. Their flirtation, dripping with self-interest, is interrupted only by Ezra heading to the bar, blissfully unaware that his choices are already reverberating through multiple lives.

At Alexis Davis’s office, the legal battle surrounding Willow Corinthos reaches a critical crossroads. Suzanne arrives with a Greek New Year’s cake, a gesture of luck on the eve of closing arguments. Drew and Willow soon follow, and Drew immediately applies pressure, demanding Alexis put him on the stand so he can “bury” Michael. Alexis refuses, warning that Drew’s testimony would undo all the progress she’s made. Willow agrees, reluctantly acknowledging her own history of emotional breakdowns in court. Alexis makes her position clear: neither Drew nor Willow will testify. She plans to rest her case and protect Willow from self-destruction. Drew, furious, reminds Alexis that Scout’s visitation rights are at stake and accuses her of ignoring the bigger picture. Alexis calmly warns him that if he insists on testifying, he does so against her advice.

Elsewhere, Michael returns to the Quartermaine mansion shaken and defeated. Gio notices his distress and offers help, but Michael brushes him off, thanking him only for lifting everyone’s spirits with his Christmas performance. Christina arrives soon after, having pieced together more than Michael realizes. She admits she understood their mother’s intentions after finding a note about Michael and Tracy from the night of the shooting. Wanting to protect both Michael and Alexis’s case, Christina secretly paid Justinda to leave town and preserve Michael’s alibi. Michael is stunned and deeply troubled, especially when he reveals that Justinda later showed up in court to warn him that something terrible was coming. His fear cuts deep: his lies may cost him his children.

While Michael spirals, Trina Robinson and Kai Taylor are quietly chasing the truth. Still haunted by the night Drew was shot, they debate whether Michael is the real shooter. Kai believes they have a moral obligation to come forward, while Trina worries about the devastation it would cause Jocelyn. They agree on a cautious plan: confirm whether the ringtone they heard that night belongs to Michael. If it does, they’ll decide what to do next.

Their plan leads them to Gio. Reluctant at first, Gio demands honesty. Trina admits they’re trying to help Willow, and eventually Gio agrees to assist for Wy and Amelia’s sake. He promises to get Wy to call Michael and report back on the ringtone.

Back at the police station, Dante Falconeri is unraveling under the weight of doubt. He confides in Nathan that it’s possible Michael framed Willow, and asks him to re-examine all the evidence, including Michael’s phone records. Dante no longer trusts his own instincts. Molly soon arrives, requesting a progress report for Turner to formally close the case against Willow, making it clear she’s there strictly in a professional capacity.

In a quiet but emotional moment, Dante seeks out Lulu. He admits he may have unintentionally steered the investigation away from Michael and questions his own judgment. Lulu reassures him, reminding him that self-reflection is what makes him a good cop.

The episode’s most explosive revelation comes when Martin, alone with his thoughts, recalls overhearing Tracy and Michael discussing the night of the shooting in the Quartermaine kitchen. It was Martin who anonymously tipped Alexis off, setting everything in motion.

As the hour draws to a close, Gio’s message finally arrives. Wy’s ringtone is not “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” The realization hits Trina and Kai hard. The melody they heard that night wasn’t Michael’s at all. It belonged to Drew’s phone, likely ringing with a call from Scout after the shooting. The implication is staggering: Michael may not be guilty after all.

Outside Alexis’s office, Drew promises Willow that Michael will pay and that tomorrow will change everything. Willow, trapped between fear and doubt, doesn’t share his confidence.