I have been watching The Young and the Restless long enough to know when a character is about to ruin their life for good, and right now, Cane Ashby is right there. The most recent preview gave more than just a hint of a possible murder attempt; it screamed set-up.
A knife, a weird look from Cane, and an adversary popping up at the right time; there is no way Cane is a victim here. Cane cannot possibly be a victim after he suddenly humps back into Lily’s orbit, especially after viewers watch Damian and Lily start to go emotionally down the proverbial rabbit hole.
This storyline is not about upholding justice or survival. It is about Cane regaining contro, specifically over a story he lost control of a long time ago, and maybe some control over Lily as well.
The sickest and twisted thought? I think it can work. However, it might not necessarily be a good thing because if Cane is faking this attack, and I’m betting he is, he is playing with fire and burning down every chance he ever had with Lily.
If Lily finds out what he did, there is no coming back from that kind of betrayal on The Young and the Restless.
Cane is in Nice, surrounded by masses who either distrust him or want something from him. He is already thinking that Damian may make a move. However, instead of strengthening security or informing the authorities, he casually strolls around the property with an exposed vulnerability that appears contrived.
Then, there is the knife, purposefully positioned. Cane knows the knife’s fingerprints are Damian’s. He knows the motive is there. And most importantly, he knows Lily is watching.
This “attempt” on his life would make Cane a victim, delegitimize Damian’s reputation, and then send Lily back into his arms. Coercive and cold – exactly how Cane plays the game if his back is against the wall.
The problem is that Lily isn’t the girl she used to be when she fell for Cane. She is stronger and smarter, and if she finds out he staged the whole thing to frame Damian, it very well could be the final straw.
It won’t just destroy her trust in Cane; it could obliterate her faith in her instincts. After years of bedlam, she’s learned how to love again and open her heart. If Cane rips it apart under the guise of “protection,” there’s no telling how deep that wound will go in the series.
What’s painful to me as a long-time viewer of The Young and the Restless is that this could’ve been Cane’s redemption arc. With Billy Flynn’s casting, the character had the opportunity for relevance again. There is room for development, for him to show he has bettered himself post-cheating, lies, and deception.
However, he seems to be returning to manipulation and scheming. To pretend to be the victim of an attack to win Lily back is not only low but an affront to everything he claimed to learn from this experience.
There is also collateral damage. While Damian has issues, he doesn’t deserve to be taken advantage of. If Cane pulls this off, Damian could be in real jeopardy, go to jail, suffer a loss of reputation, and lose Lily’s trust, all for a crime he didn’t commit. It’s the first day of Cane 101 – create chaos and play the victim.
If the writers take this story arc, and I think they will, the worst part won’t be the attack itself but the betrayal of trust. The trust that Lily has in Cane, sure, but also the trust that she has in herself.
Cane’s desperate attempt is likely to leave a much deeper wound than a blade ever could. I’m not saying I don’t love a good twist, I do. But this one might be too dark, too personal, and too damaging to ever come back from for The Young and the Restless.
