The Bold and the Beautiful Recap, January 9: Deacon struggles to walk away from Taylor

The January 9, 2025 episode of The Bold and the Beautiful pushed Deacon into a moment he couldn’t talk his way around on Friday. As his connection with Taylor refused to fade, the episode made it clear that walking away would not be as simple as Taylor wanted it to be. Deacon found himself stuck between the life he chose with Sheila and the feelings he couldn’t ignore.

What happened on The Bold and the Beautiful

At Il Giardino, Deke persisted in urging his father to leave Sheila to pursue something with Taylor. Deacon insisted that Sheila was his wife, but Deke asked him to end his marriage. He refused to acknowledge Sheila as his stepmother and wanted his father to be with someone that had decent morals and no criminal record.

One of the new employees, Tyler, tried hitting on Deke, but Sheila interrupted everything, and pulled Deke aside. She revealed that she overheard his conversation with Deacon. Deke asked for clarification about what she heard, and luckily for everyone, she missed the parts about Taylor.

Sheila felt betrayed at the idea of her stepson actively asking Deacon to walk away from her. She understood why Deke had the opinion of her that he did, and she wasn't proud of her twisted past. Sheila pointed out the positive changes she had made, and she asked Deke to open his heart to forgiveness. All Sheila wanted was a chance to prove herself.

Sheila professed her undying love for Deacon, and she requested Deke and Hope to offer a semblance of support. While alone, Sheila told herself that nobody would ever come between her and Deacon. She didn't care who got in the way.

Steffy continued to berate Taylor for her attraction toward Deacon. She reminded her mother that he was married to Sheila who was dangerous and unpredictable. Steffy demanded that Taylor cut ties with Deacon, both personally and professionally.

After Steffy departed, Deacon quickly arrived after he received an urgent text from Taylor. He asked what was wrong, and she told him that Steffy witnessed the two of them in their boundary crossing moment. Steffy was concerned with what she saw, and Taylor understood her daughter's concerns. Taylor told Deacon, "I think you need to find a new therapist."

Deacon looked forward to his sessions with Taylor more than anything. He referred to both of them as two consenting adults, and he didn't see what the harm was. Deacon had never opened himself up to anyone the way he had with Taylor, and he didn't want to be dropped as a client.

Taylor wanted the best for Deacon. She tried to say she wasn't abandoning him, but Deacon wanted to keep Taylor in his life. Deacon said that he was the best version of himself when he was with Taylor. He couldn't be vulnerable like this with anyone else. Taylor was it for him.

Taylor appreciated the kind words, and she told Deacon that he knew how she felt about him. She reminded Deacon that anything between them would be problematic with Sheila as his wife.

Deacon was terrified to unleash the old Sheila on Taylor if she ever found out about their unique connection. Taylor understood that, and she was sad to see their sessions come to an end. Deacon and Taylor ultimately agreed to remain friends, even if their professional connection was over.

Taylor asked Deacon if he was genuinely happy with Sheila, and he replied, "Happy enough." He questioned if maybe he and Taylor hadn't found their fairy-tale partners....yet.

In the Forrester showroom, Carter pleaded his case to Daphne, asking her to remain in Los Angeles. He didn't want her to leave, and despite insisting she was happy, she still wanted to leave. Daphne said her entire life was in Paris, and she couldn't keep her family waiting any longer.

Daphne thought the best course of action was for she and Carter to forget about each other. However, Carter couldn't do that. He couldn't just cut Daphne out of his mind or his heart. Carter asked Daphne to do a better job at explaining why she needed to abruptly end things between them.

Daphne spent years focusing on her career, and that professional determination came with significant personal sacrifices. Carter vowed to never hold Daphne back in her career, and although she knew that, she worried she couldn't have it all. Daphne loved her career, perhaps more than she should, and there as a sizable part of her that wished to start a family.

Carter asked Daphne to explain herself more. He wanted to talk things through and get a better grasp on what she truly wanted. Daphne told Carter to pursue his pick of the eligible women in the Forrester halls. Carter asked Daphne if she wanted to know a secret, and he confessed that he too wanted to become a father.

Carter thought Daphne was the best possible option to start a family with. Daphne thought that Carter was making things up to keep her in town. She wanted a child with someone who was in love with her and committed for life. Carter claimed that Daphne was the only person for him, but she still wasn't convinced.

Daphne turned to walk away, but Carter asked her to wait. When she turned around, the Forrester COO was on bended knee, but Daphne's reaction wasn't what he expected. Daphne said she didn't want it.

Carter reached into his pocket, pulled out a ring, and said, "You're not pushing me away because you don't want me. You're pushing me away because you do. I see you, and I love you, and I want to be your husband. Will you marry me?"

Steffy returned to Forrester, summoning Hope to the CEO's office. Hope walked in, and Steffy told her that Deacon was actively making a play for her mother. Hope defended her father and refused to believe that Deacon would make an active play for Taylor.

Steffy confessed that Deacon didn't do anything specific, and she thought that there was a mutual connection between their parents. Lightbulbs went off in Hope's head, and she realized that Deacon might leave Sheila over this. This was the best chance for Deacon and Sheila's marriage to come to an end, but the thought of it left Steffy petrified.

Steffy knew the danger that Sheila posed to her entire family, and she told Hope that they could not let this relationship come to fruition. Steffy needed the situation to come to an end before it got started. She was adamant that it could not happen.

Hope was aware of how dangerous Sheila was, but Steffy wasn't so sure that she was. Steffy recalled how Sheila had not only shot her in the past, but she also shot Brooke and Taylor. Steffy demanded that Hope exert every possible resource to ensure that Deacon opted not to pursue Taylor.

Catch all-new episodes of The Bold and the Beautiful weekdays on CBS and Paramount Plus.