BTG Short Recap Tuesday, August 4, 2026

Daytime Soap Opera Short Recaps

 

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Recap written by Michelle & Cheryl

Naomi went to Bill’s office to see if he and Hayley had a pre-nup. Tomas walked in and wanted to know why she was looking in Bill’s desk. Naomi made an excuse and walked out. Later on, Naomi went to Jacob and told him about his theories about Hayley and Randy. Jacob said they needed to compare notes. Chelsea went to Uptown to see what information she could get from Caroline. Hayley told Bill she wanted to go on their trip right away. Bill told her he was having health issues. While they were talking, they decided to stay home. Dani showed up while they were talking. She warned Hayley that she could play any game she wanted but the Dupree women were there to stay. Eva took Noah to Uptown to celebrate his first day at the clinic. Leslie showed up and took credit for him getting the job. Izaiah showed up. He and Eva left. Leslie told him to be a music star. She warned him about Anita and Nicole. While they were talking, the bonded over their mothers being dead. Nicole let Carlton know that she made her choice. He didn’t understand that she chose Kial. While they were talking, Kial showed up. They left the hospital together.

 

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Days Short Recap Wednesday, August 5, 2026

Daytime Soap Opera Short Recaps

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Recap written by Michele and Cheryl

Paulina wanted to talk to Lani about Lexie. She told Lani that Lexie woke up, staked her claim on Abe, and ran off. Johnny interrupted their conversation to ask Lani about Kristen. Lani said she tried calling her, but her phone was out of service. She told him about the last time she saw Kristen and how it felt like a farewell. Johnny left to look into the situation. Paulina wanted Lani to do some digging into Lexie’s disappearance. Lani didn’t like the idea. Paulina said she wasn’t looking for dirt on Lexie. She said she didn’t want Abe to get hurt. Paulina said Lexie might not be in her right frame of mind. Lani was convinced to help. In the bunker, Lexie called Theo and lied about being in Johannesburg. EJ overheard the conversation and told her she was making a mistake. He said she should be with Abe and Theo. Lexie said she didn’t want to ruin their memory of her. She told him to go easy on Kristen because he was going to regret what he was doing and end up alone. EJ said he would keep that in mind. Lexie asked for paper so she could write notes for Abe and Theo when she died.

Stephanie went to see Theo and noticed that he was upset. He said something was off with Lexie. Stephanie assured him that everything was okay. Theo changed the subject to ask Stephanie what was going on with her. Stephanie told him what happened. She said she let Joy get to her and made things worse. Stephanie said she kept screwing up when it concerned Joy. Theo advised her to talk to Alex. At the pub, Alex wanted to apologize to Joy for rushing out of the custody signing. Joy said she didn’t need Alex or his help with raising Kelsey. She said she could go back to New York and he could go back to his uncomplicated life. Joy said he could visit them in New York. She told him that she hadn’t changed her mind about Stephanie after what happened. Joy told Alex what happened with Stephanie. She told him she changed her mind about letting Stephanie see Kelsey until her overreaction made her realize she was right about her. Joy said she was done and ready to go back to New York. Alex let her know that he had paternal rights. He was about to threaten her by taking it to a judge until he stopped himself. Alex said he was part of Kelsey’s life. Joy said she would stay if Alex got Stephanie to leave her alone. Alex said that was good enough and left. He ended up running into Stephanie. Alex told her she could have ruined everything. Stephanie tried to explain, but Alex wouldn’t let her talk. He said Joy almost left town with his daughter. Alex told her she couldn’t go around attacking Joy. Before Stephanie could say anything, Alex walked off. Johnny went to see EJ to ask about Kristen. He asked EJ what he did. EJ said he didn’t make Kristen disappear. He told Johnny that Kristen probably left town after she tried to kill him. Johnny was shocked. EJ told him what Kristen did. He told Johnny that he wasn’t going to risk his life. EJ told Johnny what he planned to do to Kristen, but she left. He wanted Johnny to be careful because Kristen wasn’t going to hurt his children.

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BTG Short Recap Monday, August 3, 2026

Daytime Soap Opera Short Recaps

 

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Recap written by Michele & Cheryl

Hayley tried to reach out to Randy, but he was distracted by his conversation with Mona. He let her know that he’s available. Mona cared about him, but she didn’t understand what the pull was. Chelsea talked to Naomi about her podcast with Eva and how it over a million views. They talked about Kat playing detective. While they were talking, Kat sent them a message. She was spying on Randy and Mona. As soon as Randy left, Kat rushed to Mona’s table to ask her about him. Mona denied having feelings for Randy. Later Kat went to Naomi’s and saw Hayley there making a fake apology. Dani arrived too, and they realized that Hayley and Randy were from Philly. Mona went to the casino to play cards with Joey for Randy’s soul. She won the game, but she didn’t secure Randy’s future.

Bill needed someone to talk to so he went to see Joey. He wasn’t sure what was going on with his health. Bill admitted that he was scared and hates not being in control. Dying doesn’t scare him. He doesn’t like leaving things unfinished. Bill wanted Joey to look out for his family if something happened to him. Joey agreed to do it. He wanted Bill to look out for Vanessa if something happened to him first. Dani, Vanessa, and Anita were at the club. She told them that Bill threw the girls out of his house because of Hayley. Anita wasn’t happy about that. Dani also told them her theory that Randy and Hayley were having an affair. Anita revealed that she saw Hayley cozying up to Kyle during the fundraiser. Anita and Dani left so Randy joined Vanessa. While they were talking, it came out that Randy was shot. Doug couldn’t help him so he was inspired to become a doctor. They felt like they let Doug down at the end. Vanessa warned him that Bill wasn’t a man he should mess with.

 

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Days Short Recap Tuesday, August 4, 2026

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Recap written by Michele and Cheryl

Sarah saw Brady and Rachel at the pub. She felt awkward because of her near kiss with Xander. Sarah finally went inside the pub and went to Brady’s table. Rachel left to talk to a friend on the phone. Brady noticed Sarah awkwardly standing outside of the pub. Sarah downplayed what he saw and said it was nothing. She said it was a new phase for them. He thought they could work through Rachel being home. Sarah froze while he was talking. She got lucky when Kristen texted Brady to tell him that she wasn’t coming back. Xander met with Marlena for their session. He told her that Titan was about to get bailed out, and he talked about his breakthrough with Sarah. Xander told her about his time with Sarah, but Marlena wasn’t as happy as he was about it. Marlena said that Sarah might not want to be back with him. She reminded him that he still had anger issues. He and Sarah didn’t work through their anger issues yet. Marlena had to end their session because she got an emergency text from Brady. Javi had a nightmare about Leo and Dimitri being in bed together. After that, Dimitri strangled him. Javi jumped up. Gus informed him that he was calling Leo’s name out in his sleep. Javi said he was worried about Leo’s safety. He told Gus that Dimitri was dangerous, and he didn’t know what he would do to Leo and Gwen. Javi wanted to go out there to find Dimitri too. Gus understood that, but he didn’t think Javi should get involved. He reminded Javi that he uprooted his life to be there with him. Gus told Javi that Leo ran off to find Dimitri so it didn’t make sense for him to go after him. He understood that Javi still cared about Leo and wouldn’t forgive himself if something happened to him. Gus didn’t want Javi to resent him if something happened to Leo, and he didn’t let him go. He said he trusted Javi.

Leo realized that Dimitri probably put Gwen in the same place he was held in when he was kidnapped. He looked the place up and tried to figure out a way to get inside. Gwen was with Dimitri. He threatened to keep her captive forever if she didn’t admit that she kidnapped him. Gwen refused to admit that she kidnapped him. He didn’t believe her. Gwen said he would have found proof by now if she were the one who did it. Gwen warned him that he better watch out, and he gave her the same warning. Dimitri thought he could take matters into his own hands. The doorbell ran while Dimitri threatened Gwen. Leo barged in and saw Gwen. He gave her a hug. Dimitri watched them together and smiled. He was happy that he found the place without any trouble. Marlena met with Brady at the pub. He showed her the text from Kristen. They had to break the news to Rachel and knew that EJ had something to do with it. EJ was dangerous so Brady wanted to get Steve involved with what happened.

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Days Short Recap Monday, August 3, 2026

Daytime Soap Opera Short Recaps

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Recap written by Michele and Cheryl

Philip and Xander found out that Gabi’s money came through. While they were celebrating, Sarah walked in. She joined them in the celebration. Philip sent Sarah and Xander down to the wine cellar. While Xander and Sarah were in the wine cellar, they talked about the past. They brushed each other’s hand while they were looking for the wine. When they tried to leave, the door wouldn’t open. While they were locked in, they talked about a dance he wanted to take Victoria to. They also talked about Holly. Xander wanted to tell Holly that EJ was behind the drugs and that they took him down. Kate showed up and asked Philip where Xander and Sarah were. Philip told her about his plan. Kate didn’t approve of the plan. She reminded him that he wasn’t responsible for Xander and Sarah breaking up. Kate said Xander’s temper broke them up. She said Brady was a factor and was better suited for Sarah. Philip didn’t care about Brady’s feelings. Kate reminded him about what happened when he tried to mess with Brady’s love life. She told him to go to the wine cellar and rescue Xander and Sarah.

Cat went to see Rafe to get the information on Gwen’s kidnapper. He said Leo took the bait and was on his way to Alamainia. Rafe said he was going there with Gwen’s confession and was going to get her to turn on EJ. During their conversation, Rafe apologized to Cat and acknowledged all the work she’s done. EJ felt bad about Kristen being kidnapped. Rita told him that the jet took off and that Kristen was still in Salem. The jet they were going to use was the one Chad let Leo use. They went to the airfield. Rita told EJ that it wasn’t hygienic to leave Kristen in the container. EJ wanted to let Kristen out. It turned out Kristen wasn’t the one in the container. It was Lexie. They woke her up. Lexie admitted that she overheard their plan for Kristen and took her place. She told them she didn’t know where Kristen was. Lexie said she wanted to go to the island and die in peace. EJ said he would take her home so she wouldn’t die alone. Sarah and Xander nearly kissed when Philip came in to rescue them.

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Days Update Thursday, July 16, 2026

Days of Our Lives Update

 

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Update written by Joseph

Cat and her sister Felicity have breakfast in the town square as EJ approaches and greets them. Cat introduces EJ as her boss, while Felicity questions if EJ is just her boss or if they are dating.

Lexie calls Kristen and leaves a message, saying she needs to see her ASAP, somewhere private away from the DiMera Mansion. Lexie says to call her back as soon as she gets this as it’s a matter of life and death. Abe then comes in and asks if she heard from Theo since he didn’t come home last night. Lexie informs Abe that Theo texted her that he was staying at Alex and Stephanie’s last night. Abe questions why. Lexie assumed it was because of the secret Abe shared with him and that he just needs space and time right now and that she does too.

Marlena and Brady have breakfast at the Brady Pub, talking about the excitement of Rachel coming home from Bayview. Brady says the strange thing is that Kristen wasn’t too happy about it and says it has something to do with EJ, but she wouldn’t give him any details. Marlena says that Kristen expressed concern to her about EJ too and said something about going too far this time, but she didn’t know if there was really going to be a problem. Brady says that Kristen is obviously hiding something. Brady adds that Kristen told him not to worry as it’s just between her and EJ, so as long as Rachel is not collateral damage, he feels Kristen can just deal with her sibling rivalry herself. Marlena agrees that Brady should stay out of it and let EJ and Kristen hash it out like grown adults.

Kristen finishes a run in the park and hears her voicemail from Lexie.

Holly remains in her hospital bed and thinks back to talking to Sarah about Amy Choi wanting her charged and then to arguing with Sarah about not taking Coriseal, as Sarah then enters the room.

Marlena tells Brady that she knows how difficult it is for him to deal with Kristen’s irrational behavior. Marlena thinks Rachel and Tate are very lucky to have Brady as a dad. Brady thanks her. Marlena asks how Tate is. Brady responds that he’s better now that Holly is recovering. Marlena asks if he has any idea how the arsenic poisoning happened. Brady responds that there’s nothing concrete as he and Steve are still looking in to it, but they think that DiMera Pharmaceuticals may be involved which shocks Marlena. Brady says they have nothing definitive but the circumstantial evidence is pretty damning. Marlena says it would explain how the arsenic got in to Holly’s system. Brady responds that the only other option is that Holly took the drug on her own which they are all hoping is not the case.

Holly complains to Sarah that she’s losing her mind and she’s sick of lying here, staring at the walls. Holly adds that the flowers and all of the visitors have stopped, adding that even her mom went back to Paris and she doesn’t know when she’s going to see her next. Sarah reminds Holly that she told Nicole she should go home. Holly says that’s because she could tell her son Jude needed her more than she did, but admits part of her was hoping Nicole would say no and stay because now that she and Maggie are gone, the only person she has left thinks she’s a lying drug addict.

EJ questions why Felicity would ask if he and Cat are dating. Felicity responds that it’s just the vibe she gets. Cat reminds Felicity she has to get to work, but Felicity says she has time.

Abe questions if Lexie needs space from him, asking what’s wrong and if he did something wrong. Lexie responds that he’s been wonderful to her and she loves him with all of her heart, but from the second she wakes up, she feels like she’s under a microscope like he and everyone are on high alert, waiting for her to just shatter. Lexie knows everyone means well, but says she just needs to get away for awhile. Abe asks to where. Lexie responds that she needs to visit her mother, who has been anxious to see her and is in no shape to travel. Abe agrees that’s a wonderful idea and suggests they look at flights tonight, adding that it could be their first trip together since she’s been back but Lexie clarifies that she needs to go away alone.

EJ congratulates Felicity on recently getting her driver’s license. Cat brings up that EJ used to be a racecar driver. EJ doesn’t remember telling her that. Cat says that it was in his bio. Cat adds that she’s sure Felicity would love to drive a racecar, so EJ tells her that could be arranged.

Abe questions Lexie not wanting him to go with her. Lexie explains that she hasn’t spent time with her mom since being back so she thinks it would be best to be one on one. Lexie tells Abe that she’s sorry and hopes he understands. Abe responds that he’s trying, but he doesn’t want to lose any moments with her after losing so many already. Lexie says she feels the same and their time together has been more precious than he knows, but she needs to do this. Lexie tells Abe that she has to go and she loves him so much as she exits.

Marlena tells Brady that John would be so proud of him following in his footsteps and working at Black Patch, which is clearly energizing him. Brady calls it great and thinks he may have inherited some of John’s instinct for it and his instinct is telling him that EJ tampered with the water sample. Marlena says they wouldn’t put that beyond him. Brady then reveals that he went back to the well this morning to get another sample and he will have Steve take it through the ISA labs, so EJ can’t tamper with it this time.

Sarah understands that Holly is upset but says she has to know that she loves and supports her. Holly argues that she doesn’t believe that she’s not using drugs and she had nothing to do with whatever got in her system. Sarah responds that she wants to believe her. Holly complains that she won’t believe her without proof which means she has no faith in her at all. Sarah states that Coriseal somehow ended up in her system and they know the arsenic came from the well water, so she’s doing everything she can to find out where the Coriseal came from so she can take care of her. Holly insists that she didn’t take anything. Holly knows Sarah worked really hard to figure out what was wrong and she’s grateful that she saved her life, but if she doesn’t believe her then she doesn’t want to be around her. Holly asks Sarah to just go. Sarah suggests getting Dr. Fuller but Holly doesn’t want to talk to a shrink, she wants to talk to someone who doesn’t think she’s a liar and that’s not Sarah, so she asks her to leave her alone. Sarah tells Holly that she is on her side and just wants her to get well and be happy. Sarah encourages Holly and says she will always be there for her as she then exits while Holly holds back tears.

Brady tells Marlena that there’s still one part of the theory that he’s struggling with and that’s who left the clue on Sarah’s desk that saved Holly. Marlena suggests a whistleblower at DiMera but Brady questions who would’ve known what was going on with Holly and why they weren’t seen on the security cameras. Brady states that it had to be someone with inside knowledge of DiMera operations and the hospital itself. Brady notes that EJ checks all the boxes but questions why he would risk tipping off Sarah if it would incriminate him. Marlena wouldn’t be so sure about that since Holly is EJ’s stepdaughter, so he’s very fond of her. Marlena adds that EJ may be ruthless and amoral, but he seems to have a heart which drew Brady’s sisters to him and is what Johnny is still trying to find in him. Brady thinks that might be Johnny’s downfall as he’s worried that EJ has dragged him in to this coverup because some things that he and Steve said don’t add up. Marlena hopes that’s not true. Marlena adds that she may be able to find someone who can help them and offers to make a phone call. Brady says he can use all the help he can get, so Marlena says she’ll get back to him.

EJ tells Felicity that they will schedule a ride in his Lamborghini whenever she’s ready which excites her. Cat says that now Felicity really does have to go to work, so she exits. Cat tells EJ that he definitely won Felicity over and that’s saying a lot because she was a very big shipper for her and Chad. Cat jokes that bribery works. EJ asks if they are in the shipping stage then and says it wasn’t bribery as his car has been in the garage for months. Cat remarks that the car costs more than a house and calls it a big sign of trust. EJ says he’s just letting Felicity ride it around the block. Cat comments that a lot of people doubt what Felicity can do and EJ says those people are fools.

Lexie meets Kristen in the park. Kristen asks what’s wrong as her voicemail sounded dire. Lexie responds that it’s not her but reveals that she was at the DiMera Mansion and overheard something. Lexie tells Kristen that it’s EJ, but then she passes out on the bench.

EJ assures Cat that Felicity’s ride will be safe and promises to never put people he cares about in danger. EJ goes to pay the bill while Cat then texts Felicity, thanking her for sticking to the script and saying everything they practiced so that EJ would know she likes him. EJ returns, so Cat says they should get to the office but EJ says he has a pit stop to make first since Holly’s still in the hospital and he’s worried about her, so he wants to check on her and see how her recovery is going, so they walk off together.

Kristen checks on Lexie until she regains consciousness. Lexie says it’s okay but Kristen argues that it’s not and they need to get her to the hospital. Lexie tells her no because she doesn’t want her family to know that she’s dying again.

Brady and Marlena go to the hospital where Marlena spots Cat and goes to ask her for a moment to talk privately about their last session, so they head to Marlena’s office. Sarah comes around and tells Brady that she just had another blow up with Holly, who kicked her out of her room again because she’s furious for not taking her word that she’s not using again. Brady knows it’s painful for them but says maybe they’ll have more to go on when the ISA lab gets the result from the new sample. Sarah says then they will know if anyone else is at risk of getting sick, how to prevent further contamination, and she won’t have to worry if Holly is lying to them all again. Sarah insists that she really wants to believe Holly as Brady hugs her.

EJ visits Holly and asks how she is feeling. Holly says physically she’s much better as the treatment is working slowly but surely, but she feels like she’s losing her mind in here. EJ tells her not to worry about the lawsuit as he has a plan to get that case dismissed and gives his word that she has nothing to worry about.

Sarah thanks Brady for supporting her and Holly. Brady assures that he’s there for her and he promised Tate that he wouldn’t give up on Holly. Brady then gets a text with the ISA lab result that frustrates him.

Marlena sits with Cat and says she discovered something that might be relevant to her investigation. Cat argues that she didn’t tell her what her investigation was about. Marlena says considering how eager she was to become EJ’s assistant, she figured it might have to do with him. Marlena adds that she doesn’t need the specifics but felt she should tell her what she knows because it might give her another option to pursue.

Holly thanks EJ and says at least someone has her back. EJ assures that he always will and asks if anything else is plaguing her. Holly responds that with Nicole back in Paris and Maggie away, the only family she has left in town is Sarah and she’s not feeling close to her right now. EJ understands she must be feeling alone. EJ knows he’s not her stepfather anymore but says he still cares deeply about her, so he’s family too. Holly thanks him and says that means a lot to her. Holly says if only she could convince everyone else she’s not taking drugs as she feels no one will believe her. Holly brings up when she was using and swears that she’s not. EJ stops her and says that he believes her which surprises her.

Brady informs Sarah that there was no trace of Coriseal or arsenic in the new sample which shocks Sarah. Sarah argues that the first sample tested positive and asks if there’s any way this lab could be wrong. Brady assures that he handed them a sealed sample. Sarah questions how arsenic can just disappear from a well. Brady says he has an idea and will do some digging. Brady adds that he’s sorry as he knows she wanted this to line up with Holly’s story. Sarah states that there has to be something she’s not telling her. Sarah then goes to check on a patient. Brady calls Julie and asks if she has a second.

Kristen tells Lexie that they can’t lose her again so there has to be something that can be done. Lexie responds that there isn’t and that Dr. Rolf is gone after doing all he could for her. Lexie asks Kristen to promise not to tell Abe and Theo because she can’t bear to put them through the hell of watching her die again. Lexie says she told Abe that she had to see her mother by herself and that’s what she will tell Theo too as she then disappears. Kristen questions her leaving without saying goodbye. Lexie says she will say goodbye in her own way. Lexie calls it her decision, her life, and her choice. Kristen blames EJ for putting Lexie through this all over again. Lexie says her feelings about what EJ did are complicated, just like her feelings about Kristen for telling Theo about Stefano’s role in her death. Kristen says she’s so sorry. Lexie says that she and Theo worked through it and maybe it’s for the best, but that’s not why she wanted to meet. Lexie tells Kristen that there is something else that EJ is planning to do that she needs to know.

Sarah returns to Holly’s room and questions what EJ is doing there as she demands he get out. EJ questions her kicking him out of a room in his own hospital. Sarah remarks that it hopefully won’t be his for long. Holly tells her that EJ came to check on her and talk about the lawsuit. Sarah argues that Holly doesn’t need help from EJ and says she will call Justin to take care of it. Holly responds that Sarah is not her mother and she’s not a child, so she can choose who represents her in court and who gets to visit her here. EJ says he’ll be back soon, but needs to get to his office. Holly thanks EJ for visiting as he then exits. Sarah tells Holly that she can’t possibly think EJ has her best interests at heart. Holly complains that Sarah just thinks she’s a drug addict while at least EJ believes her. Sarah argues that EJ is just trying to win her over. Holly remarks that Sarah just thinks anyone on her side is a liar. Holly asks what Sarah is even doing here since she told her she didn’t want to see her because she’s stressing her out when she needs to stay calm. Holly tells Sarah to leave her alone and get out now.

Marlena tells Cat about the working theory that Coriseal got in to Holly’s system because of the way EJ disposed of it. Cat questions why EJ would tip off Sarah if that’s true since he’d have a better chance of getting away with it if he let Holly die. Marlena responds that EJ is known to want to help out the people he cares about, so even if he saved Holly’s life, he could still be responsible for other people getting sick and there was a few people who died. Marlena notes that law enforcement haven’t been involved so it’s not really a problem yet for EJ and DiMera, but she thought she would want to know.

Sarah returns to Brady, who informs her that Julie had the well decontaminated after the first result came back with arsenic. Sarah complains that they will never know if the water Holly drank had Coriseal in it. Brady asks if she could get the first sample back or run Destiny’s bloodwork again but Sarah says the first sample was disposed of by now, so they have nothing else to test and no other avenues to pursue. Sarah declares that they won’t be able to make a case against EJ, if there even was one to begin with.

Kristen asks Lexie if she’s sure about this. Lexie confirms that she regained consciousness and heard EJ and Rita talking about having Kristen sent to be held captive on an island, presumably to live out the rest of her days there. Kristen says she knew he was up to something and guesses it’s better than killing her, but not much. Kristen brings up being separated from Rachel and not being able to watch her grow. Lexie knows what that feels like and questions why EJ would do something like this. Kristen calls it complicated for her to tell her right now, but she knew he was up to something and that something like this was coming. Lexie asks what she is going to do. Kristen doesn’t know yet, but promises that EJ will not get away with this.

EJ has a drink of alcohol in his office.

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Days Update Wednesday, July 15, 2026

Days of Our Lives Update

 

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Update written by Joseph

Stephanie goes to Small Bar and orders a martini. Stephanie then sees Theo drinking alone and remarks that he looks about like she feels.

Alex is with Joy and Kelsey at the Brady Pub. Joy is in a neck brace after the whiplash from the car accident. Alex offers to get Joy something to eat but Joy says she’s not hungry and the soreness that Kayla talked about is settling in, so she’s going to take Kelsey upstairs and lay down. Alex says he’ll still get her a sandwich and bring it up to her in case she gets hungry later. Alex offers help with the carrier but Joy assures that she can manage it. Joy ends up struggling so Alex goes to help her.

Gabi is at home with Gwen, talking about her disbelief that Gwen thought her purse was from Gabi Chic. Gwen argues that she thought she was buying it off a reputable website and shows it to Gabi.

Javi and Gus walk through the town square after seeing a movie. They stop to kiss as Leo walks through the town square and sees them.

Chad brings Belle home. Belle jokes about Chad not falling asleep during the concert. Chad admits he did like it and guesses he just needed to listen to classical music with the right person as they kiss. Belle says she’s just sorry they didn’t find the connection between Verdi and Stefano’s chess set. They look at the program that Belle was handed at the end. Belle comments that it looks like someone got bored and was doodling on it while Chad thinks the marks look intentional and wonder if someone was trying to send them a message. Chad points out a Verdi quote at the bottom has a V and a U underlined, wondering what that means. Belle then notices the word Lire is also underlined.

Gabi finishes a call with Rafe and complains to Gwen that Rafe said he would forward her case to another division because counterfeit merchandise isn’t his thing. Gwen then reveals that she just found another website with Gabi Chic knockoffs. Gabi can’t believe it and declares that she’s not letting this go, so if the FBI won’t consider it a priority, she will investigate on her own. Gwen tells Gabi that she won’t have to do it alone because after spending a fortune on a cheap knockoff, they are in this together.

After seeing Javi and Gus kissing, Leo turns to walk away but trips, causing a noise that gets Gus and Javi’s attention. Leo tells them that he wasn’t staring and says his eyes just glaze over as a side effect from his concussion along with nausea.

Theo tells Stephanie that he doesn’t want to talk right now. Stephanie responds that she doesn’t either, so she’ll leave him alone but she hopes things get better for both of them. Theo then stops her and says she doesn’t have to go as there’s plenty of room at the table for both of them, so Stephanie takes a seat and promises not to bother him as they toast their drinks.

Alex sits Joy down and has her take a breath. Joy complains that she can’t even carry her baby daughter upstairs without losing her balance. Alex says he should’ve helped her but Joy says she told him not to. Alex understands she’s still shaken up from the accident and the doctor told her to take it easy. Joy wonders if taking Kelsey out of the carrier would make it easier, but Alex worries that could get both of them hurt. Alex tels Joy that he will carry Kelsey and help her up the stairs. Joy says he can’t do that a million times a day when she has to go up and down the stairs with Kelsey, so she has to figure out how to do it on her own. Alex responds that he has a much better idea.

Belle tells Chad that Verdi and Lire can’t be a coincidence. They wonder if it’s a message from Stefano which means it’s happening in real time, not from the grave.

Gwen asks Gabi where they start. Gabi closes her laptop and says it’s way too late to do anything about it now, so she suggests they meet again in the morning. Gwen argues that she has her whole evening free and doesn’t really want to be alone or else she’ll start drinking again. Gabi asks why she would do that. Gwen then informs Gabi that she just found out Xander is shagging Kristen which Gabi is shocked to learn. Gwen adds that she really gave Kristen a piece of her mind and her fist. Gabi questions her getting in a fight. Gwen tells her the best part was EJ tried to break it up and got a piece of her elbow. Gabi wishes she was ringside for that and bets she drew a crowd. Gwen mentions that it did draw Leo, who is always nosey and ready to spill the beans.

Javi warns Leo that he better not be faking it again. Leo swears he’s not. Gus argues that Leo needs to rest and asks if he wants them to help him to his room. Leo says he’s a big boy and can tuck himself in, but he’s going to get a ginger ale first. Gus says fluids are good to help with a concussion and reminds him to stay away from alcohol. Javi tells Leo they’ll see him around as he and Gus walk off together, leaving Leo frustrated.

Theo notices Stephanie sadly checking her phone and says he can tell she’s not okay. Stephanie responds that she was expecting a text from someone, but he’s obviously too focused on someone else to remember she exists. Theo asks if she wants to talk about it. Stephanie thought he wasn’t in the talking mood. Theo clarifies that he doesn’t want to talk about his problems, but he could use the distraction in listening to her problems, so he asks what’s going on.

Alex gets Joy a room at the Salem Inn. Alex finishes a phone call and tells Joy that he’s got the agency sending over a nurse to stay with her but they can’t get there until tomorrow. Joy says it’s okay as she can make it through one night. Alex asks what if she has to pick up Kelsey in the middle of the night. Joy says she’ll figure it out. Alex then suggests another option of him staying the night there too.

Stephanie tells Theo about how she feels bad for not believing Joy’s story but she doesn’t trust her and complains that she keeps playing the damsel in distress card, always calling Alex for ridiculous things. Theo mentions that Chanel told him how obsessive Joy can be, but he doesn’t think that’s Stephanie’s biggest problem. They get interrupted as Stephanie gets a call from Alex. Stephanie answers and says she’s so glad he called as she hates how they left things earlier. Alex asks where she is since he hears music. She tells him that she’s at Small Bar and that she hears a baby, so she guesses he’s still at the hospital with Joy and Kelsey. Alex informs her that he’s at the Salem Inn, so Stephanie questions what he’s doing there. Alex calls it a long story. Stephanie guesses he could fill her in when he gets home or meet her at Small Bar. Alex doesn’t think he’ll be able to do either of those as he reveals he’s going to have to stay there. Stephanie questions Alex spending the night with Joy.

Gabi asks Gwen if Kristen was caught by surprise. Gwen confirms that Kristen thought she was just there for a friendly visit and had no idea that she knew about her and Xander. Gwen tells Gabi that she called Kristen a two-faced bloody cow and ripped some of hair out which excites Gabi. Gwen says she may have done more if EJ and Leo didn’t break it up. Javi and Gus then come in kissing. Gwen remarks that it looks like someone’s getting lucky tonight. Javi then apologizes, saying he didn’t know they had company and introduces Gus to Gwen. Gwen jokes that the good ones are always gay, taken, or both. Gabi tells Javi that they will get out of their way. Javi says they don’t have to leave but Gabi tells them to have fun while she and Gwen will go drown their sorrows elsewhere. Gabi says they’ll see them later while Gwen tells Javi that Leo does still carry a torch for him, so if he sees him, he should show some heart because one sided love is no picnic.

Chad tells Belle that somebody is watching them, knew they were going to the concert and that they had the Verdi clue. Chad worries that this crosses the line so he’s calling this off because he couldn’t live with himself if something happened to Belle while trying to solve this mystery, so he thinks they need to back off.

Stephanie questions Alex spending the night with Joy at the Salem Inn. Alex explains that he’s staying to help with Kelsey as Joy’s in a lot of pain from the accident and couldn’t even make it up the stairs to her room at the Pub. Stephanie mocks Alex being her knight in shining armor to save the day. Alex asks her not to do this. Stephanie complains about not being allowed near Kelsey. Alex insists that he’s watching Kelsey like Kayla suggested and staying there for his daughter, but Stephanie hangs up on him. Theo suggests Stephanie take it easy on the drinking. Stephanie responds that she’s just getting started and orders another, but Theo says no and that she’s ready to go home. Stephanie questions why she would go home when no one is waiting for her since her husband is spending the night with another woman who he made a baby with. Theo says that’s not something they need to tell the whole bar. Theo tells Stephanie that he’s not letting her drive home like this. Stephanie says she walked, so Theo says he will walk her home which she reluctantly accepts.

Joy smiles as she listens to Alex giving Kelsey a bath.

Gus asks Javi if he’s okay and if what Gwen said upset him. Javi says it didn’t upset him, it just made him uncomfortable. Javi admits he knew that Leo still had feelings for him and tells Gus that he told Leo earlier to take off his wedding ring and get over him. Javi adds that he noticed when they saw him in the town square, he noticed he had taken it off. Javi admits that he feels bad for Leo since he’s probably lonely, isn’t good at making friends, and is insecure. Gus responds that he feels sorry for Leo too because he lost Javi, who he calls the best thing to ever happen to him. Gus calls Leo’s loss his gain as they kiss.

Gwen and Gabi walk through the town square where they come across Leo. Leo tells Gwen that he’s not in the mood to chat. Gwen tells him it has to do with the seedy underworld of counterfeit handbags which Leo decides could make for an interesting story. Gwen explains that she bought the bag online for a bloody fortune. Leo responds that she’s never been very good at spotting fakes. Gwen says no story for him then but Leo insists he didn’t mean that in a hurtful way. Leo says that Gwen sees the best in people and asks her to sit with him for a bit because he’s very sad, lonesome, and heartbroken so he could use the company. Leo asks for maybe even a hug which Gwen reluctantly agrees to.

Belle tells Chad that there’s no way she’s giving up now when they are finally making progress. Chad argues that they don’t know who is involved and he doesn’t like the idea of someone following her around while Belle argues that she’s out in public all the time. Belle tells Chad that it’s fine if he wants to back out, but Chad refuses to let her do this alone. Chad declares that if he can’t talk her out of this, then he will be right by her side.

Alex helps Joy put Kelsey to sleep. Alex talks about having to take his shirt off because Kelsey got him wet while taking a bath. Joy tells Alex that he should take the bed since he set all of this up, but Alex refuses, saying he is taking the roll away with no argument. Alex thanks Joy for trusting him to give Kelsey a bath when he’s never given a baby a bath, so he appreciates her being willing to let him try. Joy acknowledges that Alex is really good with Kelsey. Alex says Kelsey makes it easy and swears that every minute he spends with his daughter, he falls in love more.

Theo brings Stephanie home. Stephanie thanks him for walking her home and looking out for her at the bar. Theo hopes she feels better now. Stephanie says slightly. Theo is sorry her night went from bad to worse. Stephanie feels bad for subjecting him to her tales of woe. Stephanie adds that she didn’t even get to hear what’s going on with him. Theo says it’s just family stuff as Abe is treating him like a child and doesn’t think he’s capable of making decisions on his own, so he went behind his back and made one for him. Stephanie asks what decision. Theo explains that Abe never wanted him to be CEO of DiMera, so he worked with EJ to get him out of the CEO job. Stephanie notes that doesn’t sound like Abe. Theo agrees and says Abe has been texting him all night, but he doesn’t want to talk to him or even go home. Stephanie tells him not to then and invites him to stay there with her.

Alex asks Joy if Kelsey will sleep through the night now. Joy responds that she’ll wake up every two to three hours, wanting to be rocked, fed, or both. Alex says it sounds like they should get some sleep themselves then. Joy sits on the bed and says she doesn’t know if she can sleep in her neck brace, but Alex reminds her that the doctor said she has to keep it on for at least a few days. Joy wants to loosen it but can’t reach it, so Alex helps her with it.

Gwen complains that counterfeits are so hard to spot these days and reminds Leo of one in their past. Leo tells her about a fake watch that he had as they laugh together. Gwen tells Gabi that she and Leo were trying to climb the social ladder back then. Leo says they went tumbling off. Gwen talks about always thinking it was a victimless crime. Gabi says now they know better. Leo figured most designers would roll over this kind of thing and asks if they can even fight it. Gabi declares that she can and will with everything she’s got.

Belle and Chad go over the program, trying to figure out the clues. Chad wonders why the U and V are underlined. Chad brings up that Thomas has a spy kit with a UV light that displays invisible ink. Belle points out Verdi being underlined as well, so she goes to get a UV light of John’s from her room.

Theo tells Stephanie that he can’t stay over, pointing out that he doesn’t have his toothbrush. Stephanie informs him that she has an extra one that’s never been used. Theo asks if Alex won’t be upset. Stephanie asks why should he be and that she’ll make sure he understands she’s just trying to do something nice for a friend. Theo then agrees to stay over.

Leo asks what Gabi is going do to fight the counterfeits. Gabi says she’ll do whatever it takes to shut those websites down so they can’t profit off hard work. Gwen tells Gabi that she has her and Leo’s full backing. Leo wishes he could send a cease and desist order to Javi and Gus.

Gus asks Javi about being worried about Leo. Javi responds that he’s over that and that Leo has to face reality as he’s not his problem anymore. Javi and Gus then continue kissing.

Theo lays on the couch but Stephanie brings him actual bedding and sees him without his shirt on. Theo thanks her for letting him stay as Stephanie says that’s what friends are for.

Joy falls asleep in bed, so Alex puts a blanket over her.

Chad and Belle use a UV flashlight on the Verdi program and discover the symbol of a Celtic cross, wondering what that means.

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Days Short Recap Friday, July 31, 2026

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Recap written by Michele and Cheryl

The Carvers celebrated Christmas early. Lexie broke down when Theo gave her a necklace. Theo and Abe were concerned so she had to cover up why she cried. They noticed her geolocator bracelet so she lied and said it was a gift from Kristen. Abe wanted to know how she was getting to the airport. Lexie snapped and said she would go by herself. She started crying again and said she was overwhelmed. Lexie wanted to say goodbye at their home. Javi and Gus were at the town square and ran into Leo. Leo told Javi about his plans. Javi didn’t think he should go to Alamania alone. Gus felt like he should let Leo do what he wanted to do. Leo’s ride arrived so he left. Javi worried about Leo a little more until Gus told him that he wasn’t his problem anymore.

Kristen decided to catch up with EJ. He gave her a drink to celebrate Rachel leaving Bayview. EJ told her that he knew that she was planning a trip with Sydney. He hoped that she treated his daughter better than she treated his son. They didn’t understand how they got to this level of hate. Their father wouldn’t like how their relationship changed. EJ let her know that it didn’t take blood for her to be the most like the DiMeras. After Kristen left, EJ called his henchmen to make sure to get started. Kristen was grabbed in the park. She activated her necklace. The henchman dragged her to the airstrip and threw her in a cargo container. Lexie stumbled to the airfield and found the cargo container. She struggled with the lock. Rita let EJ know that part one of the plan was complete. EJ felt sad about what happened. Rita reminded him that Kristen was his sister. Kristen checked on Lexie. Lexie didn’t want Abe and Theo to see her die again. She tried to reach for a crowbar and collapsed.

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BTG Short Recap Friday, July 31, 2026

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Recap written by Michelle & Cheryl

Bill let Hayley know that her behavior towards his daughters wasn’t acceptable. Hayley said she was being disrespected in their house. Dani was ready to defend her daughters, but they wanted her to calm down so she wouldn’t get their father upset or trigger more symptoms. Dani went to Bill’s house. She ripped into Bill letting him know that their daughters came first. Before she left, Dani told him that dying wasn’t an option. Hayley met Randy at Uptown. Randy gave her more of the serum. They talked about the plan of getting rid of Bill sooner rather than later. Hayley said she wanted to make the plan happen when she and Bill went to the Caribbean since there wouldn’t be as many medical tests there. Naomi, Chelsea, and Kat talked about Randy and how he was connected to Hayley. They thought it was possible that Hayley was cheating with Randy. Kat said they should do some digging with Hayley and Randy. When Kat left, Bill showed up. Bill wanted Naomi and Chelsea to call before stopping by the house so everyone’s boundaries were respected. Naomi and Chelsea were upset when Bill said it was Hayley’s idea, but they agreed to it. Joey couldn’t stop thinking about Heather and what she wanted. Vanessa tried to take his mind off of it by kissing him. Deanna walked in on them making out. She acted as if she didn’t see them. Joey talked about the casino making money. Deanna said he was cold hearted for not caring that people were losing everything. Vanessa wanted her to apologize. Deanna apologized and said the casino was a trigger for her. She left and went to Orphey Gene’s where she met up with Randy. He thought about Joey wanting him to get close to her.

 

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Days Short Recap Thursday, July 30, 2026

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Recap written by Michele and Cheryl

Philip was trying to get investors to help save Titan when Gabi arrived. She apologized for accusing him of stealing from her. Gabi explained what really happened with her purses. Philip called her out for not believing him in the first place. He said it was over. Gabi said that she transferred the funds to Titan. Philip’s attitude changed once he found that out and hugged and kissed her. Alex told Stephanie that Joy won’t sign the custody agreement papers unless she’s banned from being around Kelsey. He promised her that he wouldn’t sign anything that would allow that. Stephanie was upset and blamed herself for that. Alex assured him that they were going to figure it out or fight it. He had to go to work so Stephanie found out from Roman that Joy was at the pub. Stephanie wanted to talk to her. Joy ran into Belle at the pub and wanted her legal advise. She told Belle about her issues with Stephanie and the custody agreement. Tate overheard their conversation and called her out for using her child to manipulate people. Belle pulled Joy to the side and assured her that Stephanie made a mistake, and it wouldn’t happen again. She explained that Stephanie went through a traumatic experience and had a good heart. Joy thought about whether she was being unreasonable towards Stephanie when she showed up at the pub.

Stephanie didn’t want Joy to make Alex choose between her and his daughter. Joy reminded her that it wasn’t a problem so far. Stephanie apologized to Joy for shooting at her. Joy wasn’t ready to accept her apology. Brady and Marlena talked about not hearing from Kristen. He was afraid that something was wrong with her. Brady told her about their weird conversation at Bayview. He thought she was saying goodbye. Brady, Marlena, Tate, Chad and Belle were celebrating Rachel being free from Bayview. Rachel received a text from her mother telling her that she arrived in Aremid safely to take care of her sick mother. Brady knew that something was wrong. He left to make a call. Tate took Rachel away from the table. Chad and Belle talked to Marlena about their trip. Marlena wanted to know what was going on. Belle admitted that the trip was about Stefano’s chess board. Marlena wasn’t happy about it. She reminded him that he and his family were threats to them. Marlena realized that she didn’t mean to include Chad. Belle promised that she would stay in touch with Paul. Chad said they would use the private jet to stay safe. Stephanie was upset and thought Joy was trying to come between her and Alex. Joy thought she was unstable. They kept arguing with each other. Joy was going to change her mind about Stephanie until she showed up. She refused to let Stephanie get any where near Kelsey.

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BTG Short Recap Thursday, July 30, 2026

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Recap written by Michelle & Cheryl

Dani went to Nicole’s house to talk to her, but she walked in on Nicole and Kial in bed together. When Kial went in the shower, Nicole told Dani she was having fun with Kial. Dani didn’t believe it since he was putting down roots. She told Nicole that she should move on since Ted was moving on. After Kial left, Dani wanted to talk to Nicole about her reaction to Naomi getting a double mastectomy. Nicole advised her to take a deep breath before talking to Naomi. She told Dani not to say anything to Naomi if she thought she was going to hurt her feelings. Bill told Hayley that he wanted to call Madison about his hand shaking, but Hayley told him it would be a waste of time. Hayley said his test results showed nothing and he had a big case load. When Bill was about to agree with Hayley, Naomi and Chelsea showed up. They told Bill to make an appointment with Madison. Bill and Hayley told them why he couldn’t make the appointment. The conversation led to an argument between Hayley and the girls. Bill took Hayley’s side and told them to leave.

Hayley checked Bill’s fitness ring and said he was fine until his daughters showed up. She said he was stressed out and didn’t need to go to the hospital. Hayley suggested they go away so he could relax. Bill agreed with her, but he wanted to talk about the way she treated his daughters. Kat met up with Naomi and Chelsea to talk about Hayley. They talked about Hayley’s actions towards Bill. Kat said it was like one of the podcasts where the housewives killed their husbands. She wondered if Hayley was a black widow. Chelsea said Hayley was annoying but she wasn’t a killer. Naomi said Hayley was a liar and brought up how she faked the ultrasound. Kat took out her notes for when they had to present their case. They thought Hayley didn’t get the fairytale life she wanted with Bill and was insecure about Dani. While they were talking, they thought Hayley could be having an affair with “Sammy.” Dani showed up and said his name was Randy. When Naomi and Chelsea let Dani know Bill threw them out, Dani was furious.

 

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