Philip later re-enters and brings her what appears to be coffee. She sarcastically wonders if it’s a peace offering. He claims they’re at war, but Chloe moans how she’s a prisoner. Philip refers to Shawn as someone who lacks confidence and craves respect. He surmises that Belle tries to fix things in order to bolster Shawn’s ego. “It’s crazy. Shawn’s fine the way he is,” states Chloe. “Your job is to make him believe in himself. Once he sees that confidence in your eyes, the rest will take care of itself,” he predicts. Philip taunts her about going to a Vienna prison if she refuses his deal. Chloe sighs before she questions how long until she’s out. He proposes they ring in the new year together.
Chloe later consults with her lawyer. Before Philip heads out, Chloe reveals that the men who took Brady also took a picture of Belle and mentioned her name. Philip insists he needs to find Belle right away.
At the pub, Shawn encourages a sobbing Belle to fess up. “I cheated on you. I slept with Philip,” she confesses. She tearfully apologizes and professes to love him, insisting she doesn’t want to start the new year with lies. Shawn turns away and accuses her of running to Philip when she has a problem and then sleeping with him. He questions if she slept with him before or after they got married. “Before,” she quivers. He accuses her of standing at the altar and promising to be faithful to him. “All the nights we were together you were lying next to me and it was all a lie,” he sneers. Belle re-professes to love him. “And you love Philip too,” he adds. She doesn’t exactly deny that and begs him to forgive her. He rehashes how he forgave her for trying to keep him out of the academy and plotting with Philip to make him look like a phony hero. A distraught Belle reminds him that they have a daughter. He questions if she even thought about Claire when she was in bed with Philip. “I can’t take back what I did,” she responds. He questions why she even married him. “Because I love you, and I want to spend my life with you,” she cries. He rehashes the job set-up she plotted with Philip last summer and blames himself for trusting her one too many times. She refuses to give up and professes to love him. “Those are just words, Belle. You don’t love anyone. I was just too blind to see it,” he counters. Shawn implores her to give him a reason why she cheated and rehashes how he bent over backwards to make her and Claire happy, then accuses her of taking the one last thing he had left, which is his pride. She asks his if he still loves her, even after everything she’s told him. “Yes,” he whispers. She sobs and begs him to start over with her. “What I want, is a divorce,” he demands. She begs him to reconsider, but he grumbles how they never should’ve gotten married and suggests Belle go to Marlena’s to spend the night. She tries to touch him, but Shawn coldly claims he has a lot to do before his parents arrive. Belle continues to sob.
A forlorn Belle is later packed up ready to go, who mentions that Claire is still asleep. She is in disbelief that it’s over and that he’s not fighting for them. “There’s nothing left to fight for,” he claims. She then walks out and sobs outside the pub, then is encountered by Philip. He asks what’s wrong. She reveals that she told Shawn the truth. He shows concern for Belle and warns her how Chloe suspects that she’s in danger. “Chloe can go to he!!. And so can you,” she spits before walking off.
Marlena later heads to the police station and asks Roman where Chloe is. Roman tells her how great she looks before Chloe and her lawyer emerge. “Where is Brady?” demands Marlena. Chloe claims her lawyer says she can’t discuss it. Marlena grabs her arm and reiterates her question. The lawyer notes how Chloe was just assaulted by Marlena. Roman barks at him to back off. Chloe insists it’s alright and she’ll handle it herself, then claims she has to go. Marlena demands to know who Crystal is and wonders if she and Chloe are in cahoots. Chloe denies knowing anything and tells Marlena to call her lawyer if she has any more questions, then walks out. An angry Marlena proceeds to follow her, but Roman encourages her to let Chloe go.
Bo, Hope, Steve, and Kayla later head to the pub for more celebration. Hope asks Shawn where Belle is. Shawn claims that Belle decided to go over to Marlena’s and ring in New Year’s with her, but doesn’t divulge any details. They all note how sweet Belle was to do that. Bo makes another toast to their kids and wishes for the new year to bring love, peace, and happiness to Shawn.
A devastated Belle later heads to Marlena’s and embraces her as she cries how she had nowhere else to go. Marlena admits how glad she is that Belle came there and encourages her to give Shawn time. Belle sobs how she asked Shawn to forgive her, but he said it was too much to expect after what she did. “That isn’t so. Forgiveness is never too much to expect from someone you love,” counters Marlena, who gazes across the room at John’s picture as she comforts Belle.
Back at the pub, the gang toots horns and counts down to New Year’s. During the countdown, Marlena covers Belle on the couch. Philip and Chloe ring New Year’a together as Philip actually smiles at her. Back at Marlena’s, the song “Auld Lang Syne” plays in the background as Belle sleeps on the couch and Marlena gazes at John’s picture. At the pub, Bo and Hope share a kiss, as do Steve and Kayla. Philip walks past Chloe and smiles at the possibilities of the new year. “I made a promise, I would put this family back together. And God help anybody who tries to stop me,” vows Marlena to John before she retires for the night.
