Young & Restless’ Cole may be feeling the full effect of that old saying, “Be careful what you wish for,” given his shocking discovery at the ranch. As the episode ended, the question on everyone’s mind — and Cole’s we’re certain — is, “Now what?!” Yep, Victoria’s ex has landed himself in a situation so untenable that both literally and figuratively there may be no way out.

Being a novelist, Cole has a keen eye for detail, and that included noticing the subtle shifts in Victor’s behavior at the ranch. Authors also have a knack for research, so investigating a mystery is practically second nature. Perhaps that’s why Cole persisted in questioning his former father-in-law when his hunch told him he was hiding something… and it had to do with Jordan.

That being said, Cole may not have thought this through as well as he might have because now he’s faced with dealing with suspicions that have proven to be true beyond his wildest imaginings.

We’re sure Cole had no idea that when following Victor and his tray of brussel sprouts around the ranch, he’d wind up face-to-face with the presumed-dead crazy aunt who tried to kill him and abducted his daughter. Anyone watching could see he was utterly shocked.

That brings us to the “now what?” Cole is not known for being a cruel guy, so we have to assume he’s going to want to “do the right thing,” which will piss Victor off to absolutely no end. This can only mean there will be a showdown. Unless…

If Cole takes action before Victor returns, he could remove his aunt from the cage and hand her over to the authorities, but that’s highly unlikely. First of all, Jordan, even in her weakened state, would surely find a way to escape her nephew’s custody, which would leave her on the loose again… and it would be all Cole’s fault.

Second, Young & Restless spoilers paint a different picture, one which involves Jordan plotting her escape, which undoubtedly involves convincing Cole to free her. But teasers have Victor discovering the escape plan, which sets up a confrontation between him and Cole.

Now, Victor’s not one to let collateral damage stop him from carrying out his plan, so we fear for Cole in this scenario. Diabolically speaking, he’s no match for the Mustache, so he could end up in the cage with Jordan and her brussel sprouts, or worse. We could easily imagine Victor informing Victoria and Claire that Cole had to leave town in a hurry and didn’t say when or if he’d be back.

It all boils down to when and how Victor discovers that Cole knows the truth. If Cole manages to get himself out of that basement before the Black Knight catches him down there, then he’s in a much stronger position to bargain. He can threaten to tell Victor’s family what he’s up to, which gives him some leverage. But if his end goal is to get his aunt back to prison, he might meet with more resistance than he anticipates.

Why? Nikki’s headed home from rehab and her biggest regret is that she let Jordan live when she drank the poison in the dungeon. She’s not likely to be sympathetic to Cole’s plight regarding his evil aunt.

Of course, there’s a small chance, that after everything Jordan has done, Cole will let Victor’s plot play out… but we doubt it. It would be too out of character. That means that Cole is likely in for the fight of his life versus none other than Victor Newman.