Episode 222 Recap: "Dianna Whinchil"

Jim announces his bid for governor on a live television interview with journalist Dianna Whinchil. What he didn't expect was to be ambushed by Dianna and her team, who expose Jim's secret family with former maid Celine. The older of Jim and Celine's two sons, Carlos, tells Jim it's too late for an apology, having grown up in poverty his whole life without his father.

When asked what Carlos wants to let the world know about his absent father, he tells Dianna, "Jim Cryer is a rich man who let his two children grow up in squalor. He doesn't care about people, especially the poor."

The broadcast is cut short when Maggie breaks the equipment, claiming that Dianna's journalism is nothing more than tabloid television.

The hatchet job interview puts Jim's campaign in jeopardy, and animosity intensifies between him and Veronica. When Jim asks Veronica to leave the campaign headquarters, she admits to arranging Wyatt's assault in prison. Having finally pushed Jim too far, he lunges at Veronica, requiring David to force Jim off his wife.

"I did it. You couldn't keep him in line so I showed him what it was really like in there," she says to Jim before leaving the group in a state of turmoil.

Quita is angry that Benny took Quincy Jr. from her brother's home—where the boy was being abused—and tells Quincy he needs to get his son back. She urges Quincy to use any means necessary in seeking retribution against Benny and Candace.

A police officer knocks on the door, interrupting Quita and Quincy as they plot a way to get the boy back. The officer is there investigating the abuse of Quincy Jr., but Quita says she doesn't know anything about it and lies to the cop by telling her that Quincy isn't home. The officer mentions that Quincy Jr. is in County Hospital before asking Quita to get in contact with child welfare for further inquiry.

Now that Quita and Quincy know where Quincy Jr. is, their scheme to get him back starts to take shape. Before Quincy leaves to get his son, Quita reminds him, "Take no prisoners, like we used to do, back in the day."

At the Sarandon Hotel, Landon stops by Jeffery's room with a bottle of wine, hoping to rekindle their relationship. Jeffery tells him he's not interested, but Landon suspects that he's in love with Wyatt and can't move on until he resolves his lingering feelings.

Their passionate discussion is interrupted by Veronica's arrival. She demands to know why Jeffery hasn't been to see Melissa, the woman he's impregnated. After all the terrible ways Veronica has abused and manipulated him, Jeffery doesn't believe there's anything more his mother can do to hurt him. He feels invincible and kisses Landon in front of her to prove it. Veronica is rendered speechless and promptly turns to leave.

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After she's gone, Landon asks Jeffery once more whether he can come inside. Jeffery admits that Wyatt is in his room but that nothing happened between them. Landon believes Wyatt knows Jeffery is in love with him and is using him, but Jeffery refuses to accept this and move on.

Allyah, the child welfare caseworker, drops in on Candace to assess whether she's fit to have custody of Quincy Jr. After conducting some research of her own, Allyah has discovered that Candace worked as an escort and that the company she claimed to work for has never heard of her. Candace explains that she formerly worked as an escort to pay for law school and that she hasn't started her job with the law firm yet.

After questioning how Candace can afford her extravagant home, Oscar vouches for Candace, asserting that he bought the house in her name. He transfers $500,000 into Candace's account to prove her financial stability to the caseworker. After she leaves, Oscar stresses that the money was a loan, and he expects her to pay him back in full.

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Benny takes his mother down to the tow company to show her that the work he's doing is legitimate. Afterward, he surprises her by taking her to their new house—given to him by Candace. Knowing that Hanna doesn't trust Candace's dishonest ways, Benny lies to his mother about how he acquired the house.

Hanna thinks all of Benny's successes have mounted too quickly; it just doesn't feel right to her. She refuses when he asks her to move into the house with him. She senses that there must be something ill-gotten behind Benny's newfound fortune.

Finally, Benny asks her, "Why can't this be your blessing coming true?"

At last, Hanna relents and agrees to stay—for just one night.

After the fallout from the Dianna Whinchil interview, Maggie visits Jim's office to explain why she thinks he should drop his campaign for governor. Once Maggie leaves, David confronts a stone-faced Jim about his intentions for Veronica. Now that Jim knows that she was behind his son's assault, David expects that his old friend will exact revenge against his wife.

"We've been friends for a long time," he tells Jim, "but if anything happens to my wife, I will show you an enemy like you've never seen."

After David abruptly leaves his office, Jim makes a phone call to a mysterious associate.

"I need a bloodbath," Jim says.

He orders his henchman to seek out professor Cannon, the prison guard responsible for facilitating Wyatt's prison assault, and Veronica Harrington—and kill them all.

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