Days Update Thursday, July 24, 2025

Days of Our Lives Update

 

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Update written by Joseph

Brady reveals to Belle and Marlena that Sophia had her baby and already gave it up for adoption, explaining that she had a new lawyer and went to Chicago where she went in to labor which shocks Belle and Marlena. Marlena says that must have been so difficult for her. Marlena asks how Tate is. Brady says he’s overwhelmed, explaining that Tate went out to rescue Holly and Arianna then found out that Sophia went in to labor and the baby was gone. Belle says it all happened so fast. Marlena questions the adoptive parents taking the baby so quick. Brady explains that Sophia thought it was for the best and admits she’s probably right. Brady says he feels bad for Tate because he did want to hold his daughter just once. Marlena says it’s been such a rollercoaster ride for Tate. Belle says not just for him. Marlena brings up Johnny going on trial but Rachel comes in and asks Marlena to read her a story. Brady says that’s going to have to wait, reminding Rachel that she lost her goggles so they have to go to the DiMera Mansion to get the other pair. Rachel asks if Brady can’t just go. Brady reminds her that they working on being responsible, so he exits with Rachel. Belle calls it lovely that Marlena is reading with Rachel every night. Marlena thought it would take her mind off the fact that she might have to testify against Johnny in court. Belle agrees that it wouldn’t be any easier in a room full of people.

At the Brady Pub, Abe finishes a call with Theo and then sits down with Paulina. Abe points out that Paulina has hardly touched her breakfast. Paulina responds that she can’t eat when she’s about to be called to the witness stand. Abe knows she’s nervous about Johnny’s trial. Paulina complains about the thought of sending an innocent man to prison for attempted murder. Abe questions her believing now that Johnny is innocent now. Paulina confirms that she had her doubts, but not anymore after seeing him at the police station, hearing his voice, and looking in his eyes, she’s sure that he didn’t do it. Paulina worries about Chanel being a suspect too because of the memory card that just happened to land in Belle’s lap right before the trial. Paulina reminds Abe that she saw the video of Chanel in EJ’s face, saying he wouldn’t live long enough to hurt anyone else that she loves. Abe points out that Chanel said she didn’t recall that. Paulina assures that Chanel certainly didn’t go back to shoot EJ. Paulina knows she will be questioned about the video in court while Belle will ask her about the evidence to make Johnny look guilty. Abe argues that circumstantial evidence proves nothing. Paulina calls the whole situation horrible for Johnny and Chanel, so she would never forgive herself if she made it worse. Abe reminds Paulina that it’s her duty to tell the truth. Abe encourages her that whatever happens, they are in this together. Paulina thanks Abe for always being the voice of reason. Abe encourages her to eat. Paulina decides maybe changing the subject will help and asks him how Theo is. Abe responds that he’s not good.

Gwen goes to the DiMera Mansion with her bags packed, questioning where the staff is to help her with her luggage.

EJ goes to see Belle and Marlena. EJ declares that the sooner Marlena hypnotizes him, the sooner he can remember who shot him. EJ thanks Marlena for doing this for him. Marlena is quick to remind him that she’s not really doing it for him.

Chanel helps Johnny with his tie as they prepare for his first day of trial. Chanel worries about Johnny not getting any sleep. Johnny assures that he’ll be fine and have coffee on the way. Chanel points out that it’s a big day and asks how he’s feeling. Johnny admits he’s scared.

Paulina asks Abe what’s wrong with Theo. Abe responds that he’s fine but reveals that he and Claire broke up. Paulina asks what happened. Abe says he’s not sure as Theo didn’t want to get in to it. Paulina says that’s too bad as she thought they were in it for the long haul. Paulina says break ups are awful but encourages that you heal in time and if you’re lucky, you find love.

Brady and Rachel run in to Gwen at the DiMera Mansion. Gwen says it’s lovely to see them. Rachel questions what she’s doing there. Gwen reveals that she’s moving in and asks if Kristen hadn’t told her. Rachel says no because she hasn’t been there as she’s been at Brady’s house. Brady sends Rachel upstairs to get her goggles. Gwen asks Brady about Kristen letting Rachel stay with him.

Chanel understands Johnny is scared but she promises him everything will be okay. Johnny question how she can say that. Johnny worries that once the jury sees the evidence against him, they will definitely vote guilty. Johnny goes over how he took Roman’s gun, multiple witnesses can place him at the scene of the crime and he pointed the gun at EJ, saying he wanted him dead. Chanel argues that may have been his intention but he didn’t go through with it. Johnny argues that there was a bullet missing from the gun. Chanel says it’s not because he used it or pulled the trigger. Johnny complains that he practically shouted from the rooftops that he wanted EJ dead. Chanel argues that half of Salem wanted that too. Johnny talks about how people warned him not to be talking about wanting EJ dead but he did it like an idiot. Chanel understands he was enraged after finding out what EJ did to Sami. Johnny admits he didn’t have to go so far as to get a gun. Chanel points out that he stopped himself and that’s what matters. Johnny questions if it is or when Belle lays out the evidence, it will look like he shot his dad. Chanel argues that what it looks like doesn’t make him guilty and he’s innocent. Johnny complains that it’s the middle of summer so the jury aren’t going to want to sit through a long trial, they’ll want to get it done quick. Chanel thinks he should give them more credit. Johnny questions what if he still gets convicted.

Marlena reminds EJ that she’s doing this for Johnny because if EJ remembers who shot him, they can clear Johnny’s name. EJ says they have the same goal then. EJ wishes he did this sooner. Belle asks why he didn’t. EJ admits he was scared that he would remember it was Johnny that shot him. Marlena asks if he doesn’t think that now. EJ states that Johnny said he didn’t shoot him and he believes him. Belle brings up that whatever he remembers under hypnosis may not be admissible in court. EJ is confident that he will remember and says they will work backwards from there to find evidence they can use. Marlena goes to get her notebook. Belle notes that EJ seems optimistic and asks if he really thinks hypnosis will work. They acknowledge that if it doesn’t, that means they will be going to war with each other in court.

Abe tells Paulina that they better get going to court. Paulina stops to ask Abe what he thinks Johnny’s chances are. Abe responds that all the evidence against him is circumstantial, but admits he has seen cases where people have been convicted for a lot less. Abe adds that he’s also seen cases he thought were a slam dunk but the jury voted to acquit. Abe says they can be sure that EJ will be fighting for his son’s future. Paulina declares that EJ will put on the fiercest defense of his life.

Belle reminds EJ that they need to put distance between themselves in public with the trial starting. Belle declares that it’s for Johnny and until this is over, they cannot be seen together. EJ argues that there’s nothing wrong with opposing attorneys being romantic partners. Belle feels it’s not a good look for them. EJ suggests secret meetings but Belle talks about how much scrutiny they will be under with EJ defending his son and her prosecuting her nephew. EJ reminds Belle that the judge insisted on having her on this case and ruled that Johnny could choose him to defend him. Belle questions the victim being the defense which EJ calls innovative while Belle feels it’s suspicious. Belle worries about if it got out that they were together, it would just add fuel to the fire. EJ questions being forbidden from sneaking her in to his house. EJ guesses they’ll just have to take advantage of every moment that they can. EJ then kisses Belle until Marlena returns to the room to ask EJ if he’s ready. EJ confirms that he is so Marlena asks Belle to excuse them. Belle wishes EJ luck and exits. Marlena sits with EJ to begin his hypnosis.

Brady informs Gwen that he and Kristen agreed that it would be best if Rachel stayed with him during the trial since there’s a lot going on at the DiMera Mansion. Gwen recalls Kristen saying it was like a powder keg ready to explode. Gwen remarks that Johnny shot his father and now EJ is defending him. Gwen says with all the drama she’s been involved in, she’s so glad to not be involved in this mess as it doesn’t seem like it would end well for anyone.

Belle walks through the town square on the phone with Claire, telling her that she’s so sorry about her and Theo not working out. Belle says she wishes she could come visit with Shawn but she can’t get away. Belle tells Claire to call anytime she needs to talk and she loves her as they hang up.

Chanel tells Johnny that she’s no lawyer but she’s had enough brushes with the law to know that all the evidence against him is circumstantial. Johnny says it doesn’t make a difference. Johnny reminds her of a documentary they watched and they were helping people wrongly convicted but they are still sitting in prison. Chanel encourages that Johnny has something they didn’t and that’s EJ DiMera as his lawyer. Johnny hopes it’s enough. Johnny worries that if he’s convicted, he’s looking at a maximum sentence of 80 years. Chanel insists that EJ will do whatever it takes to clear his name, including pointing the finger at her. Johnny says no way. Chanel says they went over this, reminding him that the police have a video of threatening EJ on the night he was shot. Johnny points out that she doesn’t even remember that. Chanel complains that it wouldn’t stop EJ from using it in court. Johnny argues that he knows Chanel loves him and there’s no way she would let him take the fall for a crime she committed because it doesn’t make sense. Chanel brings up that Jada told her not to leave town and Paulina is hiring Justin to represent her. Johnny states that she did nothing wrong. Chanel says they know that, but when EJ gets him acquitted, Belle is coming after her next. Johnny declares there is no way in Hell that he will let her get railroaded. Johnny wishes that EJ could just remember who shot him so this would all go away. Chanel says they can’t wait around for a miracle and they have to figure it out themselves. Johnny agrees that it’s up to them to find a way to prove they are both innocent. Chanel notes that her mom always says the truth will come out, but in this case they are going to have to make it come out.

Rachel comes back downstairs with a backpack full of other things that she remembered she wanted to take. Gwen asks if she has any messages for Kristen. Rachel questions why. Gwen reminds her that she’s a good friend of Kristen’s. Rachel says she remembers and that Gwen beat her at chess, but she’s better now. Gwen says they will have to rematch. Brady comments that with everything going on, he’s surprised EJ let Gwen move in. Gwen questions why since there’s plenty of room and she is a DiMera. Brady assumes EJ just welcomed her with open arms then. Gwen remarks that she honestly doubts EJ even notices she’s there and he’s probably got a lot more important things on his mind.

Under hypnosis, EJ says “you don’t want to do this” but tells Marlena that he doesn’t know who he is talking to and he can’t tell who it is, despite looking straight at them. EJ gets frustrated but Marlena encourages that he’s doing great. Marlena decides to bring him out of the hypnosis. Marlena then asks what he saw. EJ says he was looking at someone but he couldn’t see who they were. Marlena questions him not knowing even now. EJ confirms that he doesn’t and questions why he couldn’t tell who it was. EJ asks if it was because it was Johnny.

Paulina and Abe approach Belle in the town square. Paulina assumes they are all on their way to court. Belle confirms so and mentions that she just talked to Claire. Abe says he’s so sorry to hear about Claire and Theo breaking up. Belle says Claire was too upset to share the details and she wishes she could make their pain go away. Belle adds that all they can do is be there for their children. Paulina says just like they have to be there for Johnny and Chanel. Paulina hates that they have to go through this.

Chanel knows she said they should leave the investigating to the police, but now that they have the video, it seems like they are done and if it’s not Johnny, it’s her. Johnny declares that there is no way he will let her go down for it and repeats that he would confess to shooting EJ before letting her go down for it. Chanel notes that Paulina told her that he told her the same thing. Johnny says that he and Paulina both love Chanel. Chanel declares that neither of them shot EJ so neither of them are going down for it. Johnny responds that someone has to go down and the cops aren’t looking for anyone else while EJ may never remember who shot him. Chanel decides they need to find someone who will remember for him.

Gwen says she’s going back to the Salem Inn for the rest of her things to move on and tells Rachel that they can rematch in chess soon. Gwen then exits the mansion. Rachel asks Brady if they can go now too. Brady reminds her that Harold made her cookies but Rachel complains that she doesn’t want cookies and just wants to go.

Johnny and Chanel meet Abe and Paulina outside of the courthouse. Johnny thanks them for coming and says it means a lot. Paulina wishes she and Chanel could go in with him but witnesses aren’t allowed in until called to testify. Johnny says he feels a lot better just knowing they are there. Abe says he’ll be inside and will bring support from all three of them.

Belle sits inside the courthouse and checks her phone, looking over at EJ not being there yet. Belle calls EJ and leaves a message that the trial’s about to start and he’s not here. Belle asks what happened with Marlena and if he remembered something.

EJ is frustrated asking why he couldn’t remember who he was talking to when he was shot. Marlena notes that he’s obviously very disturbed by these memories. EJ complains that he thought the point of this was to access those memories. Marlena reminds him that there are no guarantees. EJ asks if she’s saying they failed and this was a total waste of time. Marlena says not at all and that they just had a goal. EJ asks what it means that they couldn’t do it. Marlena says it just means his memories are still blocked. EJ guesses he must be still worried that his memories could harm him and wonders how else his memories could harm him. Marlena advises him not to jump to conclusions on this. Marlena reminds him that she asked Johnny and he said he didn’t shoot him and they both believe him. EJ questions why he can’t see who it was then. Marlena thinks the memories are blocked from him as maybe his mind is still protecting him. EJ hoped it would work so he could exonerate Johnny. Marlena encourages that maybe he still can. Marlena adds that she’s willing to do this again if he is. EJ questions if she thinks that could work. Marlena says she wouldn’t offer if she didn’t believe that. EJ says he’s due in court, but he wishes he wasn’t. Marlena tells him not to be discouraged and that hypnosis can take some time. Marlena says whatever trauma he suffered is buried deep in his subconscious and they just have to find a way to unlock that and release those memories.

Brady asks Rachel what is going on and why she’s so upset. Rachel cries about being where she saw Johnny standing with the gun. Brady is sorry she had to see that but says it was very brave of her to tell Jada and Belle. Rachel cries that Belle said she had to tell it all again in court and brings up that Johnny’s trial is today. Brady says that trials can last days so he doesn’t know when her turn will come. Rachel cries that she doesn’t want to send Johnny to jail. Brady hugs her and says he’s so sorry that she has to go through this. Rachel hopes that Belle finds out who really did it.

EJ arrives in court. Belle asks if he had any luck. EJ responds that he didn’t remember a damn thing. Belle says she’s so sorry. EJ explains that Marlena said he’s blocking something out that’s too traumatic to remember. Belle thinks being shot in his own home could be enough. EJ says he’s been shot before but this just feels different since so much time has passed and he still can’t remember. EJ admits that while he was under, he recalled asking someone to hand him the gun but he couldn’t make out who it was and that apparently suggests that simply being shot wasn’t the most traumatic part of what happened that night. EJ wonders what could be worse, so he asked Marlena if it was possible that the shooter really was Johnny but she urged him not to jump to conclusions and said it’s entirely possible to be another reason. Belle believes Marlena. EJ states that he just wants answers to help his son. Belle says he can’t just skip past experiencing something so traumatic and some things can’t be rushed, pointing out that he almost died. Belle asks where they left it. EJ responds that Marlena wants to try again so they scheduld another session and God willing, she helps him recall what really happened that night.

Marlena goes to the courthouse and hugs Johnny, asking how he’s holding up. Johnny guesses he’s doing as well as could be expected. Marlena encourages that they are there for him, they believe in him and love him so much. EJ comes out from the court room to tell Johnny that it’s time, so he heads inside. The judge orders the jury to be called in, so Marlena and Abe enter but Marlena staggers and then passes out in Abe’s arms.

Brady brings Rachel home and tells her to get her bag so they can get her to camp. Rachel wants Marlena to read to her first but Brady says that’s not going to happen because Marlena is at Johnny’s trial. Brady suggests changing plans and going to see a movie instead. Rachel asks what about camp. Brady decides she can skip a day to hang out with her dad which Rachel excitedly agrees to. Brady sends her to go put her bag away in her room. Brady then gets a call from Belle, who informs him that Marlena just collapsed in court.

Gwen packs the rest of her bags at the Salem Inn and says that should be everything. Gwen then looks at the safe in her room and thinks back to placing the necklace in there. Gwen then opens the safe and discovers it’s now empty.

Belle tries to wake Marlena up as EJ, Johnny, and Abe look on.

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Days Update Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Days of Our Lives Update

 

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Update written by Joseph

Xander plays with Victoria in his office until Sarah arrives, watching from the doorway with a smile.

Arianna is home and comments on how much she missed Tesoro while she was gone. Gabi says not as much as she missed her as they hug. Gabi says she has no idea how relieved she is to have her home safe, though she still thinks the hospital should’ve kept her overnight. Arianna assures that she’s fine, but also angry not just at Doug III but at herself. Arianna remarks that she never should’ve got involved with that loser or lied to Gabi about it. Arianna tells Gabi to go ahead and say she told her so. Gabi says all she wants to say to her is that she loves her as they hug.

Holly goes to the Brady Pub where Doug III rushes up to hug her. He says he wanted to come see her as soon as he heard she was rescued, but he wasn’t sure she’d want to see him. Holly asks if he means because her kidnapping was his fault.

Tate asks Sophia where the baby is. Sophia responds that she’s gone. Tate asks what she means and if she didn’t make it. Sophia clarifies that the baby is alive and she shouldn’t have said it like that. Brady comes in and asks how Sophia is feeling. Sophia says she’s good overall. Brady asks if the baby is with her parents right now. Sophia responds that she was just about to explain to Tate that the adoptive parents were with her when she gave birth and they wanted to take her home right away, so she let them, leaving Brady and Tate shocked.

Sarah tells Xander that she knows she didn’t tell him she was coming and she’s not there to take Victoria from him, she just really needed to see her. Xander understands and says she doesn’t need to explain as he hands Victoria to her.

Arianna puts Tesoro to sleep. Gabi then asks what she wants for dinner and offers to make whatever she wants. Arianna asks if they can eat later because there’s something she needs to do first. Gabi guesses she wants to give Doug Williams a piece of her mind. Arianna asks how she knew. Gabi responds that they are a lot more alike than she thinks. Arianna asks if it’s okay that she sees him. Gabi says absolutely, but she’s coming with her because she has a few things to say to him too.

Holly argues that Doug III should’ve told them that the loan sharks were after him again because if they knew they were following them, they could’ve had their guard up. Doug III agrees that he was stupid and thought maybe he could push them away. Holly says it was too little, too late and adds that they don’t appreciate that Doug III tried keeping she and Arianna a secret from each other. Holly asks Doug III to tell the truth for once. Doug III informs Holly that he really likes Arianna but admits that he was only with her because he couldn’t be with Holly.

Tate gets furious as he questions Sophia giving their baby away without telling him, complaining that he didn’t even get to meet the lawyer or the parents. Brady asks Sophia what happened so they can better understand. Sophia claims she went in to labor while meeting the parents and they all just thought it was a sign of how it was meant to be. Sophia says she didn’t even get to hold the baby and she couldn’t. Tate cries that he didn’t even get that chance because she took that from him. Sophia says she’s sorry and didn’t know it meant that much to him. Brady points out that nothing is set in stone as there is paperwork for Tate to sign. Sophia says she brought it with her and her lawyer said it’s all standard. Sophia asks if he wants to look it over but Tate refuses, declaring he’s not signing anything.

Xander and Sarah put Victoria down for a nap. Sarah is glad she got to see her at least. Xander admits that Victoria misses her. Sarah says she is her mother. Xander argues that she didn’t seem to care when she missed him. Sarah doesn’t want to argue. Xander complains that he felt like a stranger to Victoria and they were just getting back to normal. Sarah is sure they will face the same adjustment when it’s her turn again which they need to talk about. Xander agrees, but notes that before he got this time with Victoria, he was ready to go to war with her but now he realizes they aren’t just hurting each other, but hurting their daughter and he doesn’t want that for her. Xander suggests they stop all the fighting and fix the custody situation.

Arianna tells Gabi that she cannot go with her. Gabi argues that she’s not going by herself when Doug III nearly got her killed. Arianna pleads with her that she needs to do this alone and asks her to trust her, promising to give Doug III hell for the both of them. Gabi reluctantly agrees but reminds her that she has eyes and ears at the Brady Pub. Gabi asks Arianna to promise to be safe and adds that after tonight, she doesn’t want her going near Doug III again. Arianna assures that she doesn’t plan on it.

Doug III guesses he was delusional to think Holly might have feelings for him too. Holly admits he wasn’t and that when she and Tate broke up, she thought something might happen between them. Doug III admits he wanted to make a move then, but she didn’t seem ready so he didn’t want to screw things up. Holly remarks that instead he screwed Arianna and kept her in the dark. Doug III says he should’ve been more upfront and repeats that he’s really sorry. Holly tells him that it’s Arianna who deserves an apology. Doug III responds that he’s going to talk to her before he leaves town. Holly questions him leaving town.

Sophia argues that Tate has to sign the papers as it’s what they agreed to do. Brady thinks Tate needs a moment to process everything, adding that they both have legitimate concerns about how things went down. Brady says she was supposed to bring the baby back with her. Sophia says she’s sorry she wasn’t clearer on the phone. Tate argues that they were doing all of this together and questions her going without him. Sophia argues that he was at the lake with Holly. Tate points out that he told her he would only be gone a day and questions that she couldn’t wait until he got back. Sophia says she couldn’t because they were running out of time and she tried to call him, but he didn’t pick up the phone. Tate argues that she knew he wanted to be there but he couldn’t because he was saving Holly’s life. Tate informs her that Holly and Arianna were kidnapped which Sophia questions. Tate calls it a long story and says it’s over now and they are home safe. Sophia says she’s sorry that happened, but all she knew was that he wasn’t answering the phone and she had to give birth in a strange city surrounded by people she didn’t know. Brady says she’s obviously had a very hard day and they can’t imagine how painful and frustrating it’s been. Brady thinks she deserves a bit of empathy and understanding right now. Tate agrees and apologizes, saying he can’t imagine what she just went through. Brady adds that he’s sorry her parents weren’t there but notes they are there for her too. Sophia says she appreciates that. Tate goes over Sophia being wiped out from giving birth, her parents not being there, and he wasn’t picking up the phone so she made a snap decision. Tate brings up that nothing is set in stone so it’s not too late for him to meet his daughter. Tate asks her for the address of the adoptive parents so he can go there, meet the baby, and make sure everything feels good to him before he signs anything.

Sarah tells Xander that she’s totally open to working out a custody agreement with him, but last time they tried, it didn’t go so well. Xander says that was because she tried to entrap him. Sarah says she’s not rehashing that again. Sarah says they need to talk about his anger. Xander questions this again. Sarah says she knows he would never lay a hand on Victoria, but the idea of leaving her alone with a man that could pop off any moment in a blind rage and not acknowledge what he has done, scares the hell out of her. Sarah declares that as far as she’s concerned, that’s the only thing standing in the way of making an agreement with him. Xander swears to her that he will never lay a hand on Philip. Sarah asks about anyone else since before Philip there was Brady and Eric. Sarah questions how she’s supposed to believe that he won’t be violent again. Xander doesn’t know what she wants him to do and says at the end of the day, she’s just going to have to trust him but obviously she’s incapable of doing that. Xander states that they are at a stand still. Sarah says maybe not as she has an idea, but she doesn’t think he will like it.

Gabi goes to the DiMera Mansion where Tony tells her that he heard about Arianna’s kidnapping and he’s so relieved she is okay. Gabi thanks him and says she is her whole world. Tony says family is everything and he appreciates that she came by to see him. Gabi says she was intrigued by his message, saying he had a business proposition for her. Tony informs her that his associate Rita has been keeping him up on Titan-DiMera and identified Gabi as a disgruntled employee. Gabi laughs and says she knew Rita was up to something. Gabi admits she’s very disgruntled and asks for his pitch. Tony responds that he wants to take back his family’s company and in order to do that, he needs information. Tony asks if Gabi could help him dig up dirt on Xander and Philip. Gabi responds that she’s sorry but she can’t do that.

Sophia tells Tate that he can’t see the baby because she needs to bond with the adoptive parents and she promised they wouldn’t interfere. Tate argues that she had no right to promise that and they agreed to an open adoption. Sophia says they did agree to send pictures and it’s all in the contract. Brady reminds Tate that he hasn’t signed anything yet. Sophia worries that they could still back out. Sophia then shows Tate a photo of parents with a baby, claiming that they sent it right when they got home. Sophia says they’ve had so many things go wrong and asks if he really wants to screw it up now.

Doug III tells Holly that it’s better if he skips town so he doesn’t put anyone else in danger and once he’s gone, he doubts the loan sharks will come after them again especially now that they know Arianna’s uncle is in the FBI. Holly sees his point and hopes that he’s right. Doug III says he’s sure that he is. Holly asks if he will tell Julie that he’s leaving town. Doug III says no but that Holly can tell her as he’s sure Julie will be relieved since he betrayed her and broke her heart. Holly thinks Julie will still want closure. Doug III asks if she means giving him hell one more time. Doug III decides that he deserves to let everyone get their licks in one last time. Arianna arrives and asks if that includes her. Arianna guesses Holly had the same idea and asks if she told him that they figured out he was pining after Holly the whole time he was sleeping with her. Doug III confirms that she did and tells Arianna how sorry he is for hurting her and putting her in danger. Arianna responds by slapping Doug III across the face. Doug III admits he deserved that. Holly decides she will leave them to talk as she’s sure Arianna has more to say. Holly says goodbye to Doug III and wishes him the best of luck where ever he ends up. Doug III wishes her the same and says he hopes things work out for her and Tate. Holly doesn’t think he really means that but thanks him anyways as she exits the Pub. Arianna notes that sounding final and asks if he’s leaving Salem. Doug III confirms that he is. Arianna guesses she caught him just in time, because she can’t let him leave without telling her how she really feels.

Tate says he doesn’t want to screw up the adoption. Sophia swears that the baby is in a wonderful home. Brady asks Sophia to tell them about the parents to put their minds at ease. Sophia claims they are both doctors and Christian like her mom wanted, they are very active in the church and volunteer a lot to give back to the community. Brady notes they sound like good people. Sophia says they definitely are. Sophia realizes it didn’t happen exactly how they expected, but she feels the end result is even better than they could’ve hoped because now she and Tate can move on with their lives. Sophia tells Tate that all he has to do is sign the papers. Tate reluctantly agrees, saying that Sophia found a good home for their baby and that’s all that matters. Tate then officially signs the adoption papers.

Xander asks Sarah what her idea is. Sarah informs him that she wants him to do anger management counseling. Xander guesses she’s teaming up with Philip to try and make him look weak and says that’s not happening. Sarah asks what if he saw Marlena, noting that it would be private and confidential. Xander asks if she’s saying that if he did therapy with Marlena, she would agree to a joint custody arrangement. Sarah responds that if he follows through with it and puts in an honest effort, then yes.

Tony questions Gabi not being interested and asks if she doesn’t want to own the rights to Gabi Chic. Gabi says she’s more than interested in that. Tony says that’s what he’s offering her and if they succeed, she’ll own the rights to her company. Gabi argues that it’s only if she agrees to play dirty. Tony argues that Xander and Philip aren’t above that. Tony says he’s heard they are making Gabi’s life Hell and feels she surely can’t be interesting in making them win. Gabi tells Tony if he approached her a few days ago, she would’ve jumped at the chance to stick it to Xander and Philip, but when Arianna went missing, Xander was very kind to her and compassionate, so she wouldn’t feel right turning around and stabbing him in the back. Tony says he’s surprised because Gabi’s never been loyal to anyone but herself. Tony adds that he’s always admired her survival instincts. Gabi says when Tony texted her about a business proposal, she thought he had something more interesting and asks why he doesn’t just get Rita to do his dirty work. Tony explains that Rita doesn’t work for Titan-DiMera as she now works for EJ at the hospital. Gabi suggests he find someone else to be his mole. Tony asks if she would come on board if he sweetens the pot. Gabi questions in what way as they sit down. Tony asks Gabi how she would like to become the next CEO of DiMera Enterprises.

Sophia thanks Tate for being so understanding as she knows it’s all really stressful. Sophia states that she’s made peace with her decision and thinks they can all agree that this is what’s best for the baby. Sophia decides she should get going. Brady offers to drive her but Sophia says her mom is waiting outside. Brady is glad she’s taking care of her. Sophia assures that she’s fine and that it was an easy labor that went by really fast. Brady is glad they are okay. Tate asks Sophia to text him the photo of the baby and any other photos that the parents may send. Sophia agrees to do so and tells Tate that she’s really sorry about all of this. Sophia hopes he doesn’t hate her. Tate says that he doesn’t hate her. Sophia tells him that she’ll see him around as she exits.

Arianna tells Doug III that she knows they kind of jumped in to bed together sort of fast, but she really did care about him. Doug III responds that he cares about her too. Arianna says she did in the past but argues that Doug III never cared about her and was only using her, but then he almost got her killed. Doug III wishes he could make it up to her. Arianna tells him that he can start by never contacting her again, losing her number and her socials. Arianna wishes she could forget ever meeting him and calls him that forgettable as she walks out of the Pub.

Brady asks Tate if he’s alright. Tate says he just thought he’d to get to meet his baby and hold her at least once. Tate feels like something was taken from him. Brady asks if he’s having second thoughts about the adoption. Tate assures that he’s not and that he’s just sad. Brady asks Tate if he needs anything from him. Tate thinks he just needs space. Brady says he’s got it and he’s here if he needs him. Tate reminds Brady that Theresa has no idea that her granddaughter was just born and he doesn’t want to rehash it. Brady agrees to tell her and the other family members as well. Brady hugs Tate as he cries and encourages that it’s alright. Brady then heads to his room. Tate sits down on the couch and gets a call from Holly. Holly tells Tate that she can’t thank him enough for saving her life. Tate is just glad she’s not hurt and that she’s home safe. Holly calls it kind of hot how he kicked the door in and invites him to come over tonight. Tate says maybe another time. Holly asks if something’s wrong.

Gabi questions why Tony would offer her the CEO job and if he doesn’t want it himself. Tony says not really as he likes his life the way it is, traveling the world with Anna. Gabi thinks he’d try to bring another DiMera back from the dead before looking outside the family. Tony brings up Gabi’s marriage to Stefan and says once a DiMera, always a DiMera. Tony talks about the family being more about being loyal than blood. Gabi brings up that he said she’s only been loyal to herself. Tony says as CEO, their interests would be the same. Gabi asks how she knows that he’s not setting her up. Tony asks why he would do that. Gabi brings up working with Anna to oust him from the CEO position. Tony laughs that off as so long ago and says they did him a favor, freeing him from that position and that all has been forgiven. Gabi admits his offer is very tempting. Tony says he knew she would come on board, but adds that he would like to retain some input like a friendly advisor, working strictly behind the curtains. Gabi supposes she could work with that. Tony asks if they have a deal then and if she’s interested in joining forces with him to bring down the Kiriakis Brothers.

Xander tells Sarah that he will look in to scheduling an appointment with Marlena. Sarah says that’s great. Xander adds that he will need something from Sarah as well. Xander states that as things stand, any agreement they make would be informal and the trust in their marriage is broken, so he believes they do need a formal agreement and the only way they can have that is for them to legally separate.

Tate tells Holly that he wasn’t going to get in to it right now. Holly asks if it’s about Sophia and the baby. Tate confirms that he found out Sophia went in to labor when Holly was at the police station. Holly asks if something went wrong. Tate says that Sophia and the baby are fine, but he found out that she gave birth in Chicago and immediately handed the baby over to the adoptive parents. Tate cries that he didn’t even get to hold her. Holly congratulates him but says she’s so sorry that he missed the birth and asks if there’s anything she can do. Tate thinks he just needs a little time to let it process. Holly says if he wants to talk, he can just let her know. Tate thanks her and says he will see her soon as they hang up.

Sophia goes to the town square and calls Melinda, telling her that she stuck to their story. Sophia adds that Tate was very upset as she expected but he eventually did sign the adoption papers. Sophia notes that Tate wasn’t suspicious but he would totally hate her if he ever found out the truth that she abandoned their baby.

Arianna takes care of Tesoro at home and admits that as much as she loved telling off Doug III, she really did like him and part of her is really going to miss him.

Doug III walks through the town square with his bags.

Gabi tells Tony that she’s not agreeing to anything until she has all of it in writing. Tony agrees to have a contract drawn up right away. Gabi says she will read it thoroughly and then he has a deal. Gabi declares that she will help dig up dirt on Xander and Phillip, and in return, she will become DiMera CEO.

Sarah questions Xander wanting to legally separate. Xander explains that they can’t get a court enforced document unless they do and the way things are now, a separation seems inevitable anyway. Sarah hesitates but admits he’s right that there’s no use putting it off any longer. Xander says he will get Melinda to draw up the arrangement which will include the terms for joint custody. Sarah says she will have Justin look at it when he sends it over. Xander points out that they finally agreed to something which he didn’t think was still possible. Sarah admits she didn’t either but they are doing the right thing for Victoria.

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Days Update Tuesday, July 22, 2025

Days of Our Lives Update

 

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Update written by Joseph

Alex joins Stephanie at home as she stresses over working on her pitch to EJ on the hospital. Stephanie talks about wanting to help Kayla as she could use all the help she could get. Alex tells Stephanie that he always her her back no matter what. Stephanie assures that she’s very grateful for him as they kiss. Alex hopes she has enough time in her busy schedule. Stephanie says she always has time for him. Alex says that’s good because they have a book launch to do that he wants to be epic.

Kayla is in her office, talking on the phone to Bo. Kayla hangs up as EJ enters. EJ argues that Bo wasn’t a patient at their hospital. Kayla argues that the drug that saved his life was developed here and she thought he’d want to know how it’s doing, remarking that the drug is the only reason EJ got his greedy hands on the hospital in the first place. EJ questions her talking to her superior like that. Kayla complains that he’s not her superior as she is chief of staff and answers to the board. EJ states that as sole owner of the hospital, she serves at his pleasure. Kayla says she is very busy and asks if there’s something else he needs. EJ responds that he needs his own office since he’s the boss. Kayla says they are short on office space so EJ says this one will do just nicely.

Sarah brings Javi coffee at the hospital and guesses his adrenaline must still be pumping. Javi says he’s just relieved they got to Holly and Arianna in time. Javi wonders how they are supposed to bounce back from this without PTSD. Sarah encourages that they have amazing support systems but says it’s crazy to think about all the dangers out there as their kids are growing up.

In Chicago, Sophia worries to Melinda about lying about something this big. Melinda says they had no choice but to keep the birth of her baby a secret and reminds her that she will be here for her through all of it. Melinda encourages that Sophia did the hardest part in giving birth, so if she could do that, she can do anything. Tate calls Sophia again. Sophia complains that Tate sure is trying to get a hold of her now when he couldn’t be bothered to pick up before. Melinda points out that it’s a good thing he didn’t pick up before, otherwise he’d be on his way to Chicago now.

Tate rushes home to tell Brady that they need to go now because Sophia is in labor which Brady questions. Tate explains that Sophia left him a voicemail hours ago that he just checked because he was so worried about Holly after she and Arianna were kidnapped which Brady is shocked to learn. Tate says it was really scary but they are safe now and he really hopes Sophia and the baby are too.

Javi talks to Sarah about how things can get tough even before kids grow up. Sarah relates, telling Javi that her daughter was kidnapped when she was only a few months old. Javi says he’s so sorry. Sarah explains that she was returned to them unharmed and was too young to be traumatized. Sarah asks about Javi’s little one. Javi clarifies that he’s not his as he’s just fostering him. Javi points out that Rafe is the actual foster parent while Sarah notes that Rafe isn’t the one she sees taking care of him all the time with a big smile. Javi mentions how they named him Tesoro and admits he’s dreading having to give him up to a new family as he and Leo have grown really attached to him. Sarah says she understands that too, calling it a very long story but she bonded with a child that she had to give up and it is brutal as it leaves a hole in your heart that you can never fill. Javi apologizes for dragging all of this up. Sarah explains that her daughter is with her father right now and she’s just missing her so much.

Leo is at home on the phone with Chad, complaining that he still can’t believe he’s on jury duty instead of covering the trial for the Spectator. Leo talks about the idea of writing a book about it. Leo acknowledges that they are talking about Chad’s nephew and brother and they probably shouldn’t be talking at all as he hangs up. Leo asks Tesoro if EJ’s own son tried to off him. Leo adds that if Johnny did do it, he hopes he doesn’t have to convict him because then EJ will want to put a bullet in him.

Kayla tells EJ that they are running short on office space but it wouldn’t be any trouble to spruce up a utility closet and suggests one next to the morgue. EJ mocks her wit and sarcasm. Kayla warns EJ that he might own the hospital, but she runs it. EJ remarks that she used to run it and ran it in to the ground.

Brady tells Tate that he will call Sarah but Tate reveals that Sophia is in Chicago and he has to get to her. Tate says if he leaves now, he can be there by 5 but Brady stops him and says he can’t let him do that.

Kayla questions EJ talking to her like that. EJ says it’s just facts with the hospital in debt. Kayla aruges that Seth Burns was in charge of the budget, not her. EJ calls it water under the bridge and says it’s now his responsibility to keep the hospital from going bankrupt. Kayla questions EJ thinking his budget cuts are fixing things when all it’s doing is lowering the staff morale and patient care. EJ says he’s implementing the changes to keep the hospital afloat and Kayla has to comply. EJ warns her to trim the fat and figure it out. Kayla responds that she will not be his figurehead or puppet. Kayla warns EJ to let her run the hospital as she sees fit or she is officially resigning.

Sophia worries to Melinda that Tate will never see his baby and will be heartbroken and suspicious. Melinda encourages that if they just stick to the plan, Tate will never know that the baby she took to the fire station was his son. Sophia questions if she’s sure, pointing out that she knew right away when she ran in to Leo and Javi. Sophia worries about when he grows up and people figuring it out after seeing he’s half-Asian. Melinda tells her that they won’t and she knows how to make sure of it.

Alex talks to Stephanie about setting her up for interivews and podcasts to promote her book. Stephanie reminds him about no one finding out that she wrote it. Alex encourages that all interviews will be over the phone and they will use audio tricks to keep her privacy. Alex assures that he’s taken every precaution to make sure that no one finds out she is Anastasia Sands.

Brady says Tate is way too wired to drive to Chicago, so he will take him. Brady asks where Sophia was admitted but Tate says she didn’t say and she’s not picking up her phone. Brady worries that they won’t get there in time but Tate declares that his baby is about to be born, so he has to try.

Sophia asks Melinda if she’s sure this will work. Melinda says it’s the best shot they have and that she will take care of the paperwork so that everything looks legit. Sophia agrees to do it and repeats that she can’t thank her enough. Melinda tells her to just go out in to the world and live her life to the fullest, knowing that her baby will be placed in a very loving home. Melinda asks if she’s ready to head back home to face Tate and her mom. Sophia says she’s as ready as she will ever be.

Javi goes home where Leo tells him about putting Tesoro to sleep and asks about Arianna. Javi says she’s fine and still being monitored, Leo asks what happens to Doug III. Javi says that he left after questioning. Javi asks Leo to be honest with him as he says he knows that Leo was helping Doug III scrape together money to pay off the loan shark, then asks if he had any idea he would go after Holly and Arianna.

EJ tells Kayla that he doesn’t take too kindly to threats. Kayla says it’s not a threat and that she could just retire early and enjoy her life without all the stress, but she doesn’t because shes cares about the hospital, patients, and staff. EJ points out that she hasn’t turned down her salary. Kayla says she doesn’t do this for the money and she won’t continue if she has to answer to someone she disrespects and despises. Kayla tells EJ that it’s his choice to either accept her resignation or back the hell off. EJ tells Kayla that he will use her office for his meeting and it won’t take long, so Kayla storms out.

Alex tells Stephanie that they gave some advance copies to authors to get some blurbs out to the press which surprises her. Alex says that Stephanie’s book is the perfect one to relaunch Titan’s publishing division. Alex adds that it does need her approval for an exceprt from the book to be used for press junkets which is the main character’s monologue about their forbidden romance. Stephanie says he can’t use that passage and she’s going to tell Kate to take it out of the manuscript altogether. Alex questions what she is getting worked up about. Stephanie says nothing and she just wants that excerpt removed. Alex agrees and says nothing will be done without her approval. Alex then asks why that was so upsetting and if there’s something she’s not telling him. Stephanie says it’s all just happening so quickly and a few months ago, she didn’t think anyone would see her book but now there’s blurbs and press tours. Alex knows it’s overwhelming but encourages that it’s all happening because of her amazing talent and imagination. Stephanie realizes she has to go before she’s late. Alex wishes her luck with EJ and says maybe by the time she gets back, they’ll be celebrating both of her careers.

Sarah calls Xander and argues that he can’t keep Victoria from him and that she was justified when she did it to him. Sarah angrily says screw you and hangs up as Kayla approaches. Kayla asks her what’s wrong. Sarah says it’s everything as Kayla hugs her.

Brady tells Tate that they will get on the road, start driving, and call as many hospitals in Chicago to see if they can find Sophia. Tate then gets a call from Sophia.

Sarah apologizes to Kayla for being unprofessional. Kayla understands she has every right to be furious at Xander. Sarah says it’s not like Victoria was kidnapped, it’s just a custody dispute. Kayla says she can feel how she feels, calling it so painful that Xander is keeping her from seeing her daughter which no parent should ever have to go through.

Stephanie goes to Kayla’s office to see her but is surprised to find EJ and questions what he’s doing in her office. EJ informs her that Kayla graciously lent him her office for their meeting. Stephanie doubts that. EJ guesses since Stephanie didn’t cancel, she has agreed to take on University Hospital as a client. Stephanie responds that she has but under certain conditions and she will not lift a finger to help him unless he agrees to all of her terms.

Sarah thanks Kayla and says it means a lot to have her on her side. Kayla assures that she always will be. Kayla offers to call her brother in law to send an ISA agent to Xander’s house and getting him to see reason. Sarah hopes she can get Xander to back off. Kayla says the way Xander has behaved recently almost makes her regret voting for him to take over the hospital. Kayla talks about the changes EJ wants to make and says as impossible as Xander has been, she thinks he might be the lesser of two evils.

Tate answers Sophia’s call and asks if she’s okay. Sophia says she’s fine. Tate says he’s been so worried about her and the baby. Tate asks what hospital she’s at as he and Brady will be on their way to Chicago. Sophia responds that she’s actually on her way home. Tate asks if it was another false labor. Sophia says no. Tate asks what’s going on and what’s wrong. Sophia informs him that she had the baby already and claims that it’s a girl.

Leo promises Javi that he had no idea Doug III and Arianna knew each other, let alone that they were involved and that he would’ve told him if he knew. Javi says he believes him but he doesn’t understand why he would help some stranger out of a jam. Leo explains that maybe if someone helped him at his age, he would’ve turned his life around sooner. Leo says he sees himself in Doug III and that he needs someone to believe in him like John and Marlena believed in him. Javi says he believes in him too. Leo asks if he does, bringing up how Javi recently found out what he did to Gwen and Dimitri. Leo swears that he’s not that person anymore. Javi says he knows that and he doesn’t have to keep persuading him on it. Leo tells Javi that he has changed him for the better and that they are an open book with each other.

Kayla apologizes to Sarah for saying that. Sarah understands that EJ has been making her life miserable for weeks now. Kayla says EJ doesn’t seem to be backing down and was just trying to take over her office. Kayla adds that EJ already scolded her for not making enough cuts in her budget. Sarah is unsure if Xander would be a better boss, saying his temper has been uncontrollable lately and almost violent. Kayla asks if she’s worried for Victoria’s safety. Sarah says she knows that Xander would never hurt Victoria, but she is worried for anyone else who gets caught in his crosshairs. Sarah tells Kayla that she feels stupid for having a baby with a man who is a ticking time bomb. Kayla says she knows she feels that way now, but reminds her that the decisions she made led to Victoria and she knows despite any regrets, she would never take that back.

Tate tells Sophia that he will see her soon and hangs up. Tate tells Brady that it’s a girl. Brady can’t believe he has a granddaughter. Tate points out that she isn’t going to be theirs for very long. Brady asks how he’s feeling. Tate admits he doesn’t know but he can’t wait to meet her.

EJ asks Stephanie what her conditions are. Stephanie says first, she will not do anything to undermine her mother. EJ says he would never ask her to smear Kayla or believe she would. Stephanie adds that she won’t do anything unethical, no lying, cheating, or stealing on behalf of EJ or the hospital. EJ says she will have no pushback on that and her terms are more than acceptable. EJ asks if they have a deal. Stephanie agrees and they shake hands as Kayla returns and asks what the hell is going on here.

Leo asks Javi if he’s sure he doesn’t mind watching Tesoro until he gets back. Javi assures that he watches him all the time and loves it. Leo worries about Tesoro’s needs then realizes he’s hovering which Javi calls sweet. Leo says he’ll be right back and exits.

Alex calls Kate and tells her about Stephanie not wanting to use the excerpt from the book and he doesn’t know why. Alex says it was difficult enough getting Stephanie on board but it’s her book so they have to make sure she still feels in control of it. Alex tells Kate that they will touch base at the office tomorrow and hangs up as there’s a knock at the door. Alex opens the door and finds a box addressed to Stephanie. He picks it up and says that was weird.

EJ informs Kayla that he and Stephanie were just finalizing the terms of their agreement. Kayla argues that she wasn’t aware this was the meeting he needed her office for. EJ remarks that he didn’t know the head of PR needed her mother’s permission. Kayla questions Stephanie not telling her that she ignored all her advice and accepted this job with EJ. Stephanie responds that now Kayla knows. Kayla asks for a moment alone with EJ. Stephanie decides she should go check on things with Alex anyways. Stephanie says she’ll call Kayla tonight as EJ says he’s very much looking forward to working with her as she exits. EJ questions what Kayla’s complaint is now. Kayla says it’s an order as she will not let him corrupt her daughter. EJ tells her that he’s hired her because of her expertise as a publicist. Kayla argues that nothing can make EJ seem noble or altruistic. EJ suggests not underestimating Stephanie or him. EJ then exits the office, leaving Kayla frustrated.

Tate tells Brady that if he needed more proof that he wasn’t ready to be a parent, he can look at how he acted the last few days. Tate calls it crazy to go out to the lake when Sophia was so close to her due date and asks what he was thinking. Brady tells him not to think that way and encourages that if he didn’t go to the lake, he wouldn’t have been able to help Holly and Arianna. Tate questions why Sophia didn’t wait for him to meet with this couple about adopting. Brady thinks she just wanted the whole thing over. Brady encourages that they have their whole lives ahead of them and the sooner the adoption goes through, the sooner they can move on. Tate doesn’t think he’ll ever move on and he will always wonder about his daughter having a good life. Tate wonders if the couple was there when Sophia gave birth and saw the baby before he did. Brady points out that once they adopt the baby, they are her parents. Tate complains that he hates it so much as he’s happy, sad, and scared. Brady tells him that he’s allowed to feel all of it and he knows it can’t be easy. Brady wishes he could take it away but promises to be with him every step of the way. Tate tells Brady that he loves him as he hugs him while holding back tears.

Leo runs in to EJ in the town square. Leo says he was just leaving but EJ stops him and says they need to have a little chat. Leo argues that they aren’t supposed to be chatting at all and asks what he wants. EJ says the question is what he wants. Leo says he just wants to get diapers home to his foster son. EJ says everyone knows that Leo craves self preservation. Leo says that’s who he used to be. EJ argues that a leopard never changes his spots. EJ claims he’s just catching up with an old friend. Leo says they aren’t friends and tells EJ to find someone else to be his stooge because he’s not for sale anymore as Leo then walks away.

Stephanie goes home and informs Alex that she’s now officially working for EJ DiMera, so now she just has to hope that Kayla doesn’t disown her after seeing her and EJ together. Stephanie asks about the box that came in the mail. Alex says it came while she was out with no card or return address and asks if she has a secret admirer that she’s not telling him about.

Kayla goes back to Sarah and tells her that EJ is hiring her daughter to do PR for the hospital and that was the meeting he needed her office for. Kayla says she just worries about Stephanie and all her kids. Sarah brings up her ranting about Xander earlier and doesn’t want Kayla to think she regrets having Victoria. Kayla assures that she knows Victoria is her world. Sarah says what Xander is doing is so incredibly painful and she wishes he could see that. Kayla asks if Xander has ever seen a psychiatrist. Sarah talks about Xander not being the type to open up about his feelings, especially to a stranger. Kayla says she’s not talking about marriage counseling but she thinks if they are going to co-parent, Xander needs to get his anger in check and she knows that Marlena offers intense anger management classes. Sarah asks if she thinks that would work. Kayla responds that if anyone could do it, it’s Marlena.

Leo returns home which Javi notes was quick as Leo watches out the window, saying he’s making sure no one followed him. Leo informs Javi that he ran in to EJ, who tried to bribe him in to acquitting his son but he said no. Javi hugs Leo and says he’s proud of him for standing up to EJ.

Sophia shows up at Tate’s door. Tate questions how she’s back so soon and where the baby is. Sophia responds that she’s gone.

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Days Update Monday, July 21, 2025

Days of Our Lives Update

 

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Update written by Joseph

Javi is at home on the phone with Leo, who sits in the town square. Leo complains about having to be on jury duty for Johnny’s trial because it’s the scandal of the year and he doesn’t get to cover it for the Spectator. Javi encourages that he gets to be front row and can write a book about it one day. Javi tells Leo that Tesoro is eagerly waiting for him. Leo says he will finish up and hangs up. Gwen then walks by in the town square. Leo greets her and comments on her stolen necklace. Gwen says she was heading to the Spectator office to visit her old stomping grounds. Leo asks if she’s feeling nostalgic. Gwen says now that he’s here, he can fill her in on what’s going on at the Spectator. Leo informs her that things are looking up. Gwen laughs at Leo being their star journalist. Leo calls it unkind of Gwen to come back to Salem to flaunt the necklace in Julie’s face. Gwen argues that it’s her necklace now and says that wasn’t her only reason for coming back to Salem. Gwen calls the necklace just the appetizer, so Leo says he dreads knowing what the main course is. Gwen questions Leo not wanting to know. Leo then says if it’s illegal, he does want to know so he can cover it and expose her. Gwen informs him that she has a full course plan but she only intends on telling her close and most trustworthy friends, not the lying wanker who blew up her marriage.

Johnny goes to Titan-DiMera and tells Philip that he’s there to record his statement with Xander. Johnny thanks him for pushing it to today as he really wants to get it done before his trial starts tomorrow. Philip didn’t realize his trial was so soon and asks if he’s spoken to HR about it. Johnny confirms that he let them know that he might miss a couple of weeks. Johnny swears to Philip that he did not shoot EJ, but if Philip feels the need to fire him for PR reasons, he will understand.

Xander asks if Gabi wants to go home but Gabi says she’s not sure anyone is home and she’d rather not be alone. Xander says he understands and asks what she’s thinking. Gabi talks about how excited she was when Arianna first told her that she was coming to Salem as she was so happy and missed her so much, but now she wishes she told her not to come. Gabi argues that Arianna was thriving in Arizona with Will and Sonny, but ever since being here, it’s been misery and chaos as she’s been acting out and defiant, so she feels like it’s all her fault. Gabi declares that she’s a terrible mother.

Arianna complains that there has to be another way out while Holly tries picking the lock to the door. Arianna then looks between some boxes and declares that she may have found their way out.

Tate goes to the alley way where Holly and Arianna were kidnapped and Holly dropped her class ring but someone comes out with a gun.

Javi watches over Tesoro at home, talking about how he had no idea how hard it would be to even think about saying goodbye to him. Javi hopes it won’t be anytime soon. Javi declares that no matter what happens, he will always be in his heart.

Leo tells Gwen that he’d rather not know what her plans are, illegal or not, but if it does involve breaking the law, he will likely uncover and expose them. Gwen mocks him leading the Spectator while Leo argues that ad revenue and subscriptions are up. Leo adds that they will go even higher when he posts a tidbit on Gwen. Gwen questions what that is. Leo says she’ll read about it soon enough. Gwen demands to know what he has. Leo then reveals that he saw Gwen going in to the Salem Inn with Xander the other night, so the burning questions is if she’s really running head first in to that buzz saw again.

Xander tells Gabi that from what he’s seen, she’s a great mother. Gabi thanks him for saying that even if he doesn’t believe it. Xander assures that he does. Xander knows that they have had their differences in the past, but he can see how much she loves her daughter. Xander relates to how frustrating it is to not be able to protect your own child. Xander talks about how scary it was when Victoria was kidnapped, but points out that they got their happy ending and she came home, so he wishes her the same with Arianna.

Philip tells Johnny that no one will be asking him to leave work as he believes he is innocent and that he will beat the charges. Johnny appreciates his faith in him. Philip says he’ll let HR know they spoke. Johnny says he will get his tripod and asks Philip to let Xander know that he’s almost ready to record his statement. Philip agrees to do so as Johnny walks away. Gabi then comes out from the office. Philip greets her but Gabi says she’s in a rush. Philip asks if something is wrong. Gabi confirms it’s something terrible as she hurries off.

Tate is startled by Rafe approaching with his gun. Rafe questions what he’s doing out here. Tate shows Rafe that he got Holly’s class ring which Felicity found outside of the gym nearby. Rafe says he just checked with the owners and found the only two unoccupied warehouses. Tate says he’ll check one while Rafe checks the other. Rafe worries that it’s too dangerous. Rafe tells Tate to stay there and wait for the police, then tell them where he went when they get there. Tate agrees to stay but when Rafe walks away, Tate heads in the opposite direction.

Arianna and Holly discover an air vent behind boxes. Arianna feels they just need to get the grate off and it could be their way out. Holly points out that they don’t know where it leads to. Arianna says she can see daylight so it must lead to the roof or the side of the building. Arianna knows it’s a longshot but says it beats sitting around rotting away and they have nothing to lose, so Holly gives in. Arianna tries the grate but it’s screwed in, so she goes in search of a tool.

Gwen asks Leo so what if she went to the Salem Inn with Xander. Leo reminds her that Xander is a married man. Gwen guesses he’s behind on his dirt. Leo says he’s well aware there’s trouble in paradise but Xander and Sarah always find their way back to each other. Gwen asks what if this time they don’t. Leo says if that’s because of her influence, she would be a fool to go down that road again. Gwen questions him caring. Leo reminds her that he was there before and saw how Xander used her and broke her heart, so he would take no pleasure in watching that happen again. Gwen admits she did hit rock bottom when Xander left her for Sarah. Gwen adds that she has hit rock bottom many different times for many different reasons, but what really broke her heart was Leo.

Philip joins Xander in the office and questions what he did to Gabi because she just ran out in tears. Xander questions him assuming that was his fault. Johnny then returns with his tripod and asks where they want him to setup or if it’s a bad time.

Gabi goes home where Javi asks if she’s okay because he thought she had a big meeting. Gabi responds that it was cancelled and Xander sent her home. Javi asks how come. Gabi then reveals that Arianna is missing as she’s been kidnapped. Javi is shocked and hugs her.

Arianna and Holly successfully get the grate off. Holly asks if she’s sure she wants to go in the vent. Arianna says no but she’s going to. Arianna crawls in to the vent, worrying about spiders and mice, but then fears that she has gotten stuck.

Gwen tells Leo how devastated she was by his betrayal. Leo says if she ever listened to his voicemails or read his messages, she would know it was the biggest regret of his life. Leo says he would crawl through glass and beg for forgiveness if he thought it would make a difference. Gwen says as much as she would love to see that, it wouldn’t make a difference because he put a knife in her back so deep that it can’t be removed. Leo states that when it comes to Dimitri, they both lost big but at least she got his fortune. Gwen comments that it looks like Leo recovered nicely with a sparkly new relationship. Leo states that Javi is a good man and totally gets him. Gwen calls them lucky. Leo decides he needs to get going because Javi needs him to take care of the baby. Leo exits as Gwen mutters about Leo going home to his happy little family.

Johnny apologizes for having to postpone yesterday. Philip says they understood he was dealing with a personal matter. Xander says maybe Johnny starting work here wasn’t good timing which he questions. Philip argues that he just told Johnny that his job is safe and that Xander is the one who hired him. Xander argues that at the time, Johnny was all in on undermining his father, but now thanks to Philip, EJ has the hospital and is on good terms with Johnny again so he’s no longer sure that having Johnny at Titan-DiMera is a good idea.

Gabi tells Javi that Rafe is out looking for Holly and Arianna now. Javi asks if he has any leads. Gabi says she hasn’t heard and she can’t reach him. Javi says he will see if he can find out anything and will call her right away if there’s any news. Gabi thanks Javi as they hug. Javi tells her to hang in there and think positive because they are going to find her little girl.

Tate plans to head to the next empty warehouse when he hears screaming.

Holly tries to encourage Arianna to relax as she panics in the vent. Tate arrives and kicks the door in as he rushes in to embrace Holly.

Johnny admits that he and EJ are on better terms but assures that he is loyal to them and the company. Xander remarks that loyalty can be fickle. Philip asks Johnny to give them a minute so he steps out. Philip tells Xander that he can’t be serious about firing Johnny just because he made nice with his father, arguing that it would be a PR nightmare they can’t afford right now. Philip adds that Johnny’s skillset is useful here. Xander questions what exactly his skillset is. Philip says that he has great ideas for the brand and a knack for telling stories, so he thinks they could use someone like him. Xander questions if he’s just there to whitewash Philip’s lies and betrayal. Johnny comes back over and says he doesn’t want to cause any problems, so if Xander wants him to resign, he will. Philip stops him and says he’s not resigning and that they should just get going on recording the video. Xander reluctantly agrees but Victoria wakes up crying. Philip remarks on Xander saying they don’t let personal matters interfere in the workplace. Xander dares Philip to say another word about his daughter.

Gabi sits at home with Tesoro and talks about when Arianna was that little. Gabi talks about not being there as a mother and says no matter how old Arianna gets, she’ll always be her little girl. Leo comes home and tells her that Javi just texted him about Arianna. Leo says he’s so sorry and can’t even begin to imagine what she’s going through. Gabi gets a call from Javi, who announces that he just heard on the radio that Rafe found Arianna and Holly. Gabi is relieved and asks if Arianna is okay. Javi says he doesn’t know the details but they are at some warehouse and he’s on his way to see her. Gabi thanks him and asks him to call as soon as he has eyes on her. Javi says he will and tells Gabi that he’s really happy for her. Gabi says she has no words as they hang up. Gabi tells Leo that her baby has been found, so she and Leo hug.

Rafe joins Tate with Holly. Rafe tells Holly it’s so good to see her and asks about Arianna. Holly explains that she got stuck in the vent. Rafe asks Tate to take Holly out and call the paramedics. Holly calls in to Arianna that she will see her when she’s safe. Arianna yells that something’s happening and screams as a crash is heard.

Tate gets Holly outside. Holly remains worried about Arianna. Tate hugs Holly and tells her that she’s safe now and it’s okay. Holly responds that she’s only safe because of him.

Rafe tries calling out to Arianna through the vent but she is now unconscious after the crash inside the vent.

Johnny films Xander and Philip saying that they are united in their efforts to stabilize and grow Titan-DiMera together. Johnny calls it very convincing. Xander argues that Philip didn’t stick to the script and was ad libbing. Philip argues that he was just trying to be natural. Victoria starts crying again so Philip questions why she’s not with a nanny. Xander says he’s spoken with HR about starting a daycare in the building. Philip suggests letting Victoria go home to her mother until then instead of trapping her in a portable crib that looks like a tiny prison. Philip tells Xander to get over himself and think about what Victoria really needs.

Leo says that Tesoro is going to go down for a nap while he’s going to call someone who may have been a very bad boy. Leo calls Doug III and says he just heard about Arianna and Holly’s kidnapping and questions if he and his friends had something to do with it. Leo can’t believe Doug III didn’t tell him that the other girl he was involved with was his boyfriend’s cousin. Leo worries about Gabi finding out that he knew Arianna could’ve been in danger.

Holly tells Tate that the paramedics checked him out and she’s okay, but she remains worried about Arianna. Tate encourages that she has Rafe and others to help her. Holly worries about when they are going to get her out.

Javi joins Rafe, who explains that he was barely able to get Arianna out after she tried to escape through the air vent that collapsed.

Holly tells Tate that he’s a hero and the reason they were rescued. Tate tells Holly that she is everything to him and he can’t ever lose her. They almost kiss but are interrupted by Gabi arriving, asking where Arianna is.

Javi gets a breathing mask on Arianna as she regains consciousness and asks what happened. Rafe informs her that she was in an air vent that collapsed. Gabi then rushes in, relieved to see Arianna.

Gwen returns to her room at the Salem Inn and removes her necklace, placing it inside a safe. Gwen declares that her two faced husband might be missing, but thanks to his fortune, she’s still present and accounted for and she’s just getting started. Gwen remarks that Salem really is in for a rip roaring good time.

Johnny tells Philip and Xander that he will edit their statement and send it back for review. Philip wishes him luck tomorrow as Johnny exits. Xander complains that it’s a nightmare just being in Philip’s presence. Philip tells him that he’s not quitting. Xander then suggests sending Philip to the Hong Kong office as it’s the furthest place he could think of. Philip thinks that would be perfect for Xander and he’s sure Sarah would agree. Philip then exits the office. Xander comments to Victoria that Philip is trying to get under his skin. Xander declares that if they can’t live with him or smother him with a pillow, they will just have to come up with a more creative solution.

Leo takes care of Tesoro at home and talks about thinking if he was ever a dad, he thought he would screw up his kid the way he was screwed up, but says Tesoro brings out the best in him and he’s starting to think he’s not so bad at parenting after all. Leo admits he does feel overprotective and he can’t even think about anything bad ever happening to Tesoro. Leo vows that he would protect Tesoro with his life.

Javi notes that Arianna’s oxygen levels have returned to normal but he wants to take her to the hospital as a precaution. Arianna cries to Gabi that she’s so sorry. Gabi says it’s not her fault and she loves her so much as they hug.

Rafe rejoins Tate and Holly outside to tell them that Arianna is going to be fine. Rafe adds that Shawn asked him to bring Holly to the police station to make a statement. Rafe guesses they will be in touch to hear from Tate as well. Holly thanks Tate for being her hero today and says she will call him as soon as she’s done. Holly then leaves with Rafe. Tate then sees he got a voicemail from Sophia and learns that Sophia said she was in labor.

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Days Update Friday, July 18, 2025

Days of Our Lives Update

 

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Update written by Joseph

Xander reads Victoria a story at the Titan office. Xander talks about them both having a long night and states that Gabi’s right that they need to get to know each other again because they haven’t spent much time together lately. Xander promises that’s all about to change because things are going to be different from now on.

Rafe informs Gabi that Shawn is starting an investigation and he’s putting an APB out on Arianna and Holly. Rafe adds that Shawn is having the security footage from the town square pulled which might take about an hour. Rafe encourages Gabi to stay calm and not panic. Gabi questions how she can not panic when her daughter has only been in Salem for a few months and this is already the second time she’s gone missing. Rafe points out that she came back the first time so he’s sure she’ll come back this time too. Gabi wishes she could be sure.

Chad and Cat run in to each other outside.

Tate tries calling Sophia from the town square but she ignores the call. Tate leaves a voicemail that he just ran in to her mom, who told him that she’s in Chicago meeting a couple who might adopt the baby. Tate questions why she wouldn’t tell him this and asks her to call him back.

Sophia checks her phone and sees that Tate left a voicemail, then she puts the phone back down.

Cat tells Chad that she was just dropping Felicity off at gymnastics camp where she will be a counselor. Chad mentions that he also just dropped his daughter Charlotte off at camp. Felicity says she will help her which Chad says would be amazing. Felicity says she’ll see them later and walks away. Chad talks to Cat about it being Charlotte’s first time at camp. Chad says he’s glad Charlotte will have a friend in Felicity as her counselor. Cat offers to give Charlotte a ride home when she picks up Felicity. Chad thanks her but says that’s not necessary. Cat remarks that she couldn’t expect Chad to trust her with his kid.

Xander tells Victoria that he’s sorry it’s so boring for her to be stuck in the office with him all day but promises it’s only temporary. Xander declares that when Victoria is living with him full-time, he will set up the most fantastic nursery. Xander promises to be home with her every night because she’s more important than anything else in his life.

Gabi talks to Rafe about Arianna first running off with a random guy and now being kidnapped. Rafe encourages not going to the worst case scenario. Gabi cries about her missing and asks if Holly’s family knows. Rafe points out that Nicole is in France and Maggie is in Bermuda, so he thinks they should wait until they know more. Rafe adds that does still leave Marlena and the rest of Will’s family. Gabi doesn’t want to tell them yet either since they’ve been through enough lately. Gabi adds that if Arianna and Holly don’t turn up soon, they will have to tell Will and Sonny. Gabi asks what to do now, complaining that she can’t just wait around until they hear something. Rafe knows it’s hard but says right now there is nothing they can do. Rafe thinks Gabi should try to distract herself by staying busy with work. Rafe reminds Gabi that she said she had an important meeting today. Gabi cries that nothing is important to her right now other than finding her daughter. Rafe agrees that it’s pointless to tell her to stay calm. Rafe admits that he’s worried too. Gabi thanks him for admitting that. Rafe agrees not to tell her not to panic and says she’s totally entitled. Rafe tries encouraging her to remain positive. Gabi says she will try and talks about how they will find Arianna soon. Rafe reiterates that he’s positive they will find them soon as he hugs Gabi.

Melinda returns to Sophia in their hotel room and apologizes for how long it took. Melinda asks Sophia what’s wrong. Sophia responds that Tate just called but she panicked and didn’t answer. Sophia tells Melinda that she doesn’t think she can do this.

Tate meets Doug III at the Brady Pub and informs him that he has the money. Doug III explains that the loan shark should be there in ten minutes and they will hand him the money in a takeout bag. Doug III tries to promise Tate that he will pay him back but Tate says he doesn’t want his money. Tate argues that if Doug III would’ve asked for help weeks ago then Holly and Arianna wouldn’t be in danger. Doug III wishes he could go back and change what he did but he can’t. Tate agrees that all he can do is get the hell out of town when this is all over, so he doesn’t hurt either of them again. Doug III repeats that he would and tells Tate to get out before the loan shark gets there but Tate declares that he’s staying right here to make sure he doesn’t screw this up.

Chad tells Cat that what he meant was that he gave Charlotte his word that he would pick her up and she doesn’t react well to plans changing. Cat tells him that he doesn’t have to spare her feelings. Chad asks if this is about not inviting her to play catch with he and Thomas. Cat assures that he doesn’t owe her any explanations and that she will see him around. Chad stops her and invites her out for coffee while they wait for the kids which she accepts, so they walk off together.

Melinda tells Sophia that if she wants to go home and tell Tate and her family the truth about leaving her baby at the fire station, they can do that. Melinda assures that she fully supports whatever Sophia wants to do. Sophia responds that the problem is she doesn’t really know what she wants to do. Sophia informs Melinda about how she ran in to Leo and Javi with her son. Sophia cries about seeing her baby boy again and she just wanted to hold him while something deep inside of her was saying to take him back because he’s her baby.

Rafe gets a call from Shawn, who informs him of bad news as they found footage on the town square, confirming that Arianna and Holly were abducted from the park at gunpoint. Shawn asks if Rafe knows of any trouble that Holly and Arianna were in. Rafe says he has nothing concrete but he has some ideas so he’ll be in touch. Rafe asks Shawn to keep him updated and hangs up.

Tate sits at a table at the Brady Pub as the loan shark appears outside the door. Doug III takes the money and goes outside to meet with him. Doug III informs him that he will hand over the cash as soon as he knows that Holly and Arianna are free.

Chad and Cat have coffee in the town square. Chad says he’s sorry they haven’t found time for their make up dinner with Felicity as he still wants to do it. Cat tells him not to worry about it as she knows how busy he is. Cat adds that she’s been busy and hasn’t had time to socialize anyway. Cat talks about teaching Felicity to drive.

Melinda tells Sophia that she understands how confusing the situation can be and brings up how she left her daughter Haley back in China while constantly wondering if she made the right decision. Melinda talks about having to try hard to stop imagining holding her baby and after awhile, she persuaded herself that Haley was better off without her and she was able to shut down her feelings of heartache to get on with her life. Sophia asks how long it took to stop the heartache. Melinda wishes she could tell her, but says she really doesn’t remember. Melinda encourages that Sophia is strong and resilient. Melinda reminds Sophia that she has 14 days to reclaim the baby if she changes her mind. Sophia assures that she does not want to do that. Sophia worries that if Tate and her mom find out about the baby, they will be first in line to take him back from Leo and Javi and she would be forced to raise him which she’s not ready for. Sophia cries that her baby deserves parents who would be able to raise him and admits she didn’t how how hard it would be to see her baby again and walk away from him a second time.

Xander tells Victoria that they are giving up on waiting for Gabi and will go for a stroll. Gabi arrives, apologizing for being late. Xander tells Gabi to save her excuses and that she can rearrange with his assistant as he’s going to spend the rest of the evening with his daughter. Xander then notes Gabi being upset and asks what’s wrong. Gabi says everything as she reveals her daughter is missing.

Doug III orders the loan shark to call his boss and tell him to let Arianna and Holly go, but he says not until he gives him his money. Doug III then hands over the money. The loan shark says he’s going to count it to make sure but Rafe approaches. The loan shark warns Doug III that he told him no police and runs away. Tate then runs out from the Pub and yells for Rafe to go stop that guy as he’s got Holly and Arianna so Tate and Rafe chase after him.

Melinda understands Sophia is overwhelmed after being through a terrible ordeal. Melinda encourages that she is strong, pointing out that she gave birth all by herself with no one there to help her and she can’t imagine the courage that took. Melinda adds that it took a tremendous amount of courage to leave her baby at the fire house and on top of that, she’s keeping this very big secret from everyone she loves. Sophia admits it’s been hard for her not to tell Tate and her mom. Melinda promises that she’s not alone and that she will help her through this. Melinda says she’s here for whatever she needs.

Xander sits Gabi down and asks if he can get her anything. Gabi says she’s good and thanks him for being so nice to her. Xander says he’s a father and a missing child is a parent’s worst nightmare. Xander brings up how little Victoria was when she was kidnapped. Xander asks when Gabi last saw Arianna. Gabi says yesterday, she was going to the lake on the Salem High senior trip but never got there. Xander questions what Gabi is doing here then.

At the police station, Rafe informs Tate and Doug III that Shawn is in the interrogation room with the loan shark, hoping to get information on where Arianna and Holly are. Doug III argues that if he just let him pay him, he would’ve told them where they are. Rafe questions how he doesn’t know he wouldn’t have just taken the money and run. Rafe adds that if he had just been honest in the first place and told them or just stayed away from Holly and Arianna, none of this would’ve happened. Doug III says he’s sorry. Rafe responds that sorry doesn’t bring the girls back. Tate asks what to do now and how they get the girls back. Rafe says they are going to do whatever it takes to find out where they are.

Shawn is in the interrogation room with the loan shark. Shawn informs him that they have him on video taking the girls and warns that they have enough evidence to put him away for a very long time. Shawn says if he wants to make things easier for himself, he will tell them where the girls are.

Doug III shows Rafe the photo of Holly and Arianna that he was sent but he has no idea where it was taken. Rafe thinks he knows someone who can help them and says he’ll be right back.

Chad gets a call from Leo, informing him about his jury duty. Chad laughs off the idea of writing him a letter to get him out of it and says they’ll just send another reporter to cover the trial. Chad tells him to have a nice day and hangs up. Cat then gets a call which Chad sees as from “James Smith”. Cat steps away to answer the call from Rafe, who says he sent her a picture and with her ISA resources, she can pin point where it was taken. Cat asks if he needs this right now. Rafe confirms it’s an emergency. Cat goes back to Chad and tells him that there’s something she has to take care of right away. Cat asks if Chad can pick up Felicity when he picks up Charlotte and bring her back to the Bakery for her shift. Chad says no problem. Cat says she owes him one and she will be there to pick her up when she’s done at the Bakery. Cat thanks Chad and walks off, leaving Chad confused.

Melinda encourages Sophia that she did nothing wrong and can’t let anyone else make her think otherwise. Melinda says she made a difficult choice in a terrible situation and adds that she’s here for whatever she needs. Sophia doesn’t know what she would do without her. Melinda recalls wishing for help when she was pregnant with her daughter, so it would do her heart good to be that for Sophia. Sophia cries that she can’t thank her enough. They agree to eat, watch a movie, and think about something else for a while.

Xander tells Gabi that he knows he can be a tough boss, but her daughter is missing so she didn’t have to come in today. Gabi says that Rafe told her to stay busy, so she figured she needs to stay out of the way while the cops do their job. Xander complains about the cops in Salem and questions relying on them to find her daughter. Xander thinks Gabi should be out kicking down doors and demanding answers. Gabi admits it’s taking everything in her not to charge in to the police station, but she trusts her brother and she knows Rafe is as determined to find Arianna as she is.

Rafe tells Tate and Doug III that hopefully they will have a lead on Arianna and Holly’s location soon. Shawn comes out from the interrogation room and tells them that the loan shark is not talking. Rafe threatens to go in and jog his memory but Shawn stops him and says he can’t do that as he’s too emotionally involved. Rafe argues that he’s holding people he cares deeply about. Shawn says they have to do it by the book and to let him do his job. Tate questions waiting around. Rafe argues that Tate could’ve tipped them off while Tate argues that he said no cops and Rafe is FBI, so he could’ve hurt the girls. Rafe agrees and tells Tate the best thing he can do is go home. Tate agrees since he has somewhere to be and asks Rafe to call him if he hears anything as he exits the station. Shawn then tells Doug III to come with him. Doug III asks if he’s arresting him.

Xander asks Gabi why she doesn’t just go home. Gabi won’t feel any better doing nothing. Xander encourages her to rest while he puts together a reward for information on Arianna’s whereabouts. Gabi is surprised that he would do that and thanks him, saying that’s very kind of him. Xander tells Gabi that he’s happy to help and to let him know anything he can do. Gabi cries that she just wants her daughter back and she can’t lose her daughter as she hugs Xander.

Shawn tells Doug III that he’s not arresting him but warns him not to leave town. Shawn then takes Doug III to give his statement. Rafe gets a call back from Cat, who reveals that she got a location on the girls. Rafe tells her to text it to him.

Sophia and Melinda finish their movie and dinner. Melinda tells Sophia that now it’s time. Sophia declares she needs to call Tate back and tell him the cover story. Sophia asks what if he doesn’t believe her. Melinda encourages that he will and that she can do this.

Chad brings Felicity and Charlotte back to the town square. Chad thanks Felicity for taking care of Charlotte. Chad offers them frozen yogurt but Felicity says she has to get to work. Felicity tells Charlotte that she will see her tomorrow and heads to the bakery. As Chad walks off with Charlotte, Tate comes through the town square, so Felicity rushes up saying she needs to talk to him.

Sophia calls Tate but he doesn’t answer, so she leaves a voicemail saying she’s sorry she missed his call and she just wants him to know that she’s in Chicago and she’s in labor.

Tate tells Felicity that he’s sorry he can’t talk as he has to go somewhere but Felicity reveals that she found something of Holly’s while she was at gymnastics. Felicity presents Tate with Holly’s class ring and asks him to return it to her.

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Days Update Thursday, July 17, 2025

Days of Our Lives Update

 

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Update written by Joseph

At the Hernandez home, Gabi informs Rafe that she sent Arianna five texts yesterday and she hasn’t responded to any of them. Gabi guesses she’s having fun at the lake but thinks she could at least send her a message to let her know she’s alive…

Holly and Arianna remain locked in the warehouse, wondering if it’s morning yet and talk about not sleeping at all. They get up and find a bag left at the door. Arianna finds a bottle of water inside and says she could really use it after screaming for help all night but Holly rushes to stop her.

Doug III is in his room and makes a call to be connected to Gwen’s room at the Salem Inn and finds out she’s not there. Doug III hopes she left her necklace in the room this time and declares that he’s going to get Holly and Arianna out of this mess.

Amy Choi walks through the town square and calls Sophia. Amy asks if she’s okay, pointing out that she didn’t answer when she knocked on her door and then she opened the door and she wasn’t there. Amy asks if Sophia is home now. Sophia reveals that she’s in Chicago. Amy questions what she’s doing there. Sophia claims she’s there to meet with a couple who would like to adopt her baby which shocks Amy.

Tate talks to Belle at home about jury selection and says he knows it can’t be easy for her to prosecute her own nephew. Belle says it’s not easy, especially since she thinks Johnny is innocent. Tate says that’s good because he thinks so too. Belle adds that she still has to prosecute the case to the best of her ability, whether EJ likes it or not.

EJ sits at home in the living room of the DiMera Mansion and has a flashback of hearing the gunshot.

Amy questions Sophia as to what couple and where she found them. Sophia reveals her new lawyer did. Amy questions when she got a new lawyer. Sophia says it was pretty recently and she just spoke this morning and decided to drive down together to meet the parents. Amy questions why she didn’t tell her any of this. Sophia says the baby is due any day now and she knew if she consulted with her, it would only hold her up. Amy argues that this is a life changing decision that should not be made on a whim. Amy gets an alert that she is supposed to report to jury duty but she tells Sophia that she’s going to skip it and come to Chicago because she needs to be with her and Tate when they meet with the couple. Sophia then admits that Tate is not there because he’s at senior lake week and this was all last minute. Sophia says she just figured she could handle this on her own. Amy finds that ridiculous and asks where she is exactly and she’ll head out there now. Sophia tells her that she won’t and declares that her mom already ruined one adoption for her so she won’t let her ruin another. Sophia then hangs up on her, leaving Amy frustrated.

Tate guesses it’s a good thing that Johnny and Chanel didn’t adopt he and Sophia’s baby as it would’ve been a huge mess given that Sophia is due to give birth any day. Belle asks how Sophia is doing. Tate admits Sophia has been acting weird lately, ignoring his calls, and seeming to be in a rush to get off the phone. Tate mentions Sophia being cool with him joining Holly at the lake, but Holly didn’t show up and he hasn’t heard from her. Belle questions Holly not texting him. Tate says now that the whole night has gone by, he’s started to get really worried.

Holly warns Arianna that the bottled water could be poisoned but Arianna reminds her that he wants Doug III’s money and if he wanted them dead, he wouldn’t have given them blankets to sleep. Holly guesses she’s right and wishes he would let her call Maggie so she could get the cash and then they could go home. Arianna complains about waiting on Doug III instead and wonder how long their kidnapper is willing to wait. Holly wonders if their families even know they are missing.

Gabi points out that Arianna said she would call her when she got to the lake but she never did. Gabi wonders if Arianna is punishing her for embarrassing her by giving her a box of condoms before she left. Gabi argues that the last thing the family needs is an unexpected pregnancy. Leo comes in and agrees, saying things are crazy enough with Tesoro and can’t imagine another baby in the mix. Leo talks about finally being responsible and reporting to jury duty. Rafe offers to watch over Tesoro. Leo says Tesoro is coming with him which Gabi questions. Leo explains that it’s his plan to get sent home from jury duty as he exits with Tesoro.

EJ wonders why he can’t remember.

EJ goes to court and takes his place opposite Belle in the room. EJ tells Belle that he didn’t seduce her so that she would drop the charges against Johnny and clarifies that he made love to her because he wanted to. Belle argues that it was also because he wanted her to drop the charges against Johnny. EJ states that he also wanted her.

Outside the court room, Amy is on the phone, complaining that she told them that she had a pregnant daughter and they didn’t give a damn. Leo is nearby with Tesoro and asks her to keep it down a little because Tesoro is sleeping. Amy tells her husband Sam that they told her she’s put off jury duty too many times, so she asks him to drive to Chicago and find their daughter. Amy hangs up and apologizes to Leo, hoping she didn’t wake the baby. Leo confirms that he’s still sleeping. Amy talks about how much easier it is when they are that age compared to when they grow up and you have little control over them. Leo says he’s only fostering the baby temporarily. Amy comments on it being a newborn. Leo explains that he was dropped off at the firehouse safe haven.

Rafe tells Gabi that he’s a little disappointed that Leo didn’t take him up on his offer because it would’ve been nice to spend time with Tesoro. Gabi acknowledges that Rafe always wanted a child of his own. Rafe guesses it wasn’t in the cards. Gabi encourages that it could still happen while Rafe thinks he’s running out of time. Gabi says either way, he’s been a wonderful uncle to Arianna. Rafe isn’t sure after he ratted her out for flirting with Doug III. Gabi is glad she wasn’t the overprotective one that time. Rafe jokes that she’ll regain the title when Arianna gets the 500 text messages that Gabi has sent. Rafe encourages Gabi to give Arianna space or else she will rebel. Gabi takes it that she shouldn’t drive up to the lake to track down her daughter in front of her friends.

Arianna tells Holly that she has no doubt that Gabi has had a complete meltdown since she was supposed to call her when they got to the lake. Holly points out that it wouldn’t be unusual for Arianna to blow her off. Arianna guesses that’s coming back to bite her in the ass. Arianna hopes Gabi’s anxiety is in full force so that Rafe will be out looking for them right now. Holly hopes Rafe finds her class ring or someone already did so that Rafe can figure out where to find them. Arianna suggests they try to relax. Arianna encourages Holly to eat the breakfast bars left for them, pointing out that they have no idea what they are up against and could be fighting for their lives.

Tate goes to Doug III’s room and demands to know where Holly is. Doug III repeats that he doesnt’ know but Tate thinks he does because he was acting nervous and weird like he’s hiding something. Doug III says he was imagining that but Tate accuses him of lying then and now. Doug III says he doesn’t have time for this but Tate says he’s not leaving until he tells him the truth.

Belle tells EJ that she thinks it’s best if they keep things strictly professional in the court room. EJ jokes with her and says he would like to talk to her about this later in private because he doesn’t want there to be a rift between them. Belle doesn’t either but thinks it would be wise to keep space between them in public until the trial is over. EJ admits he’s not keen on that. Belle reminds him that it’s for Johnny’s sake so EJ reluctantly agrees. Belle declares that starting now, they both have a job to do that will put them on opposite ends of the case, so in the court room, they are no longer lovers but adversaries.

Amy watches over Tesoro while Leo jokingly laments over his childhood but Amy remarks that she’s not a fan of jokes. Leo says he can tell that Tesoro really likes Amy. Amy says he’s the only thing keeping her from going out of her mind with worry. Leo encourages that Tesoro is spreading joy everywhere. Leo adds that with any luck, Tesoro will be his ticket out of jury duty.

Rafe suggests Gabi call the hotel to see if Arianna checked in. Gabi wonders why she didn’t think of that. Gabi remarks that she fully intends to count the number of condoms Arianna brings home. Gabi then calls the hotel to inquire about Arianna and Holly, but she is informed that they never checked in.

Holly says Arianna sounded pretty grim when she thought she was convinced the loan shark wouldn’t hurt them. Arianna says that’s only if Doug III comes through and he’s not exactly reliable. Holly encourages that it’s not like Doug III wanted this to happen. Arianna questions Holly defending him after everything.

Doug III tells Tate that he’s way off base. Tate says he won’t let him gaslight him. Doug III tells Tate to get the hell out but Tate refuses to leave until he tells him what he knows. Doug III grabs him and says he will toss him out. Tate tells him not to put his hands on him and shoves off. Tate then sees the envelope that was delivered to Doug III and finds the photos of Holly and Arianna that he was sent. Tate questions if Doug III is stalking them and calls him a sick pervert. Tate declares he’s calling the police. Doug III stops him and says he has it all wrong. Tate gives him two seconds to explain so Doug III reveals that he didn’t take the pictures but someone sent them to him. Tate questions why. Doug III then informs Tate that Holly and Arianna are in trouble and it’s all his fault.

Amy takes her seat in the courthouse and faces off with EJ, realizing that she’s on the jury for The People vs. Johnny DiMera. EJ acknowledges her dealings with his family and questions if she can be impartial. Amy says no and calls EJ a miserable excuse for a human being and says she’d like to tear him limb from limb for all the trouble he’s caused her daughter. Belle interrupts to question if Amy can be impartial when judging the defendant. Amy says definitely not and declared that EJ’s trigger happy son ruined everything for Sophia. EJ and Belle then both dismiss Amy from the jury.

Leo remains outside the court, commenting on the jury selection until Amy comes out from the court room. Leo asks how it went. Amy informs him that she got dismissed after telling the truth. Amy wishes Leo luck and hopes he catches a break. Amy says goodbye to Tesoro and says they didn’t hang out long but she felt a connection with him.

Belle comments to EJ that Amy Choi isn’t the only juror who feels they can’t be impartial when it comes to the DiMeras. Belle adds that it’s not surprising since everyone knows the checkered past of EJ’s family, so they automatically assume the worst. EJ remarks that includes her. Belle says that’s not true as she loves Johnny, Sydney, and Theo. EJ points out that his name was left out. Belle reminds him that they are in the court room. Leo then enters with Tesoro and asks if he’s in the right place as he questions what they are doing here.

Rafe encourages Gabi not to freak out. Gabi begins to worry about if Holly and Arianna were in some kind of accident. Rafe says they would’ve been notified and suggests maybe they made a pit stop. Gabi argues that it would make no sense since they were so excited to go to the lake and questions why they would stop somewhere else. Rafe agrees but points out that the police can’t do anything because it hasn’t been long enough yet, but he will unofficially put some feelers out and see if he can find them. Gabi thanks him and tells him to let her know as soon as he hears anything. Rafe encourages that it will be okay as he exits.

Holly tells Arianna that when Doug III first told her about how badly the loan sharks beat him up, it was pretty clear that he was in over his head which is why she gave him the money. Arianna questions them still coming after him. Holly is sure Doug III wishes he never got involved with them. Arianna remarks that she wishes she never got involved with him. Holly thinks Doug III was trying to protect them, pointing out that he was pushing her away recently. Arianna relates to him doing the same with her.

Doug III informs Tate that the loan shark told him that if he didn’t get the money by today, he would hurt Holly and Arianna. Tate questions him not calling the police. Doug III explains that they warned him not to. Tate suggests calling Rafe but Doug III feels it’s too risky to get anyone else involved because these guys are really dangerous. Tate worries that Holly and Arianna must be terrified. Doug III complains that he’s done everything he can and admits he almost took money from the cash register at the Brady Pub but Roman already emptied the till. Tate questions why he didn’t just ask him. Doug III argues that Tate is a trust fund baby and would have to ask his dad which he couldn’t risk. Tate calls him an idiot as he points out that he has his own savings account. Tate says he’s been saving up to buy a car so he probably has enough and asks how much he needs. Doug III questions if Tate would help him. Tate clarifies that he would be helping Holly and Arianna as he will do anything to bring them home.

Leo tries telling EJ and Belle that he has Tesoro who requires all of his attention. EJ points out that he didn’t mention this in his jury form while Belle adds that Leo has four other adults living in his home, questioning if they can’t take care of the baby and reminding Leo that he is under oath. Leo argues that he’s a journalist but EJ says the law states he would be prohibited from speaking about the case a member of the jury. Leo complains while EJ asks if Leo has been influenced by anything to have preconceived notions about the defendant’s guilt. Leo admits that he thinks there’s a number of people that could’ve shot EJ. Belle asks if Leo can be impartial. Leo talks about being open minded so they welcome him to the jury against his wishes.

Arianna tells Holly that even if Doug III was trying to protect them, he’s still a jerk for not telling her about what was going on with he and Holly. Holly argues that there was nothing to tell since they never hooked up. Arianna complains that he still knew they were friends and never said anything which she calls lying by omission. Arianna feels he was trying to keep his options open. Holly guesses she’s right and says she’s just grateful she’s back with Tate. Holly worries that Tate thinks she stood him up. Arianna says they have to worry about more important things like getting out of here and not being killed.

Tate is shocked by how much money Doug III owes and questions how he racked up that much debt. Doug III says they are loan sharks and trying to bleed him dry. Tate says that he does have enough and he will go to the bank to get the cash. Tate says he will return in an hour but if the loan sharks lay a finger on Holly or Arianna, the deal is off. Doug III responds that he doesn’t know how to thank him. Tate states that he can thank him by packing a bag and getting out of Salem because he doesn’t want him near Holly or Arianna ever again. Doug III tells him it’s done as he will do anything to get out of this mess.

EJ and Belle talk about jury selection not going too bad. EJ complains that the trial shouldn’t be happening and questions the police not arresting Chanel after the video was found. Belle feels it’s not a smoking gun while EJ complains they don’t have much more on Johnny. EJ believes the Salem police department have given up on finding the true culprit. Belle questions him thinking it’s Chanel. EJ responds that he hasn’t ruled it out. EJ calls it so frustrating because the answers are all inside and the key to exonerating his son is simply recalling what happened that night. Belle is surprised that EJ hasn’t told the police that he remembers who shot him even if he doesn’t. EJ admits the thought crossed his mind, but he knows first hand what it’s like to be wrongfully accused. Belle asks if it’s him having sympathy or that he’d look bad when the truth comes out. EJ feels they are both good reasons. Belle has an idea that might help him unlock his memories from that night.

Gabi calls Arianna and leaves a message, asking her to call her back when she gets the message so she knows she is okay. Leo comes home with Tesoro and complains that Gabi won’t believe this nightmare as he got selected for jury duty in Johnny’s case to determine whether he shot his father. Gabi asks why this is bad since Leo’s been obsessed with the case. Leo argues that he was as a journalist but now he can’t even gossip about it. Leo adds that he has one more card left to play.

Sophia calls Melinda and asks what’s taking so long as she thought she would be back with their food by now. Sophia informs her that her mom just called so she told her that she’s in Chicago and she flipped out, but she stuck to the cover story. Sophia admits she’s freaking out as their plan is so risky, so she questions if Melinda really thinks they will be able to pull it off.

Tate runs in to Amy in the town square. Amy asks if he’s heard from Sophia but Tate says he hasn’t. Amy reveals that Sophia just told her that she’s in Chicago, meeting with a couple to adopt the baby. Tate is shocked and questions why she wouldn’t tell him. Amy guesses Tate was too busy partying up with his friends at the lake. Tate argues that Sophia knew he was at the lake and that he would want to be at the meeting. Amy says there might still be time but Tate says he has an urgent matter with a friend in trouble. Amy asks what about his baby. Tate responds that he cares very much about the baby and Sophia but remarks that it’s not like she’s given birth yet. Tate tells Amy that he’s sorry that he has to go and promises to help sort this out at a later date. Tate repeats that he’s sorry and he has to go as he rushes off, leaving Amy in disbelief.

Doug III texts the loan shark that he will have the money in an hour with the warning that if he hurts his friends, the deal is off.

Rafe returns home and informs Gabi that he hasn’t found Arianna yet but he does have news, revealing that Holly’s car is still parked by the town square and the girls’ bags are still in the trunk, so it appears they never left Salem. Gabi is panicked and questions where her daughter is.

Arianna tells Holly that they can’t just wait around for Doug III or their families to save them. Holly argues that they can’t give up but Arianna declares that they have to find a way out of here now.

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Days Update Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Days of Our Lives Update

 

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Update written by Joseph

Alex sits at home with Stephanie, who is working on her laptop. Alex talks about planning to stay at the office but Xander’s daughter Victoria was screaming loudly. Alex notes Stephanie being distracted and comments that he hasn’t seen her so focused on something in awhile, so he asks what’s going on. Stephanie informs him that she’s working on notes for her meeting with EJ tomorrow about being hired to do PR for the hospital. Stephanie explains that she’s lost clients recently and could use the work. Alex reminds Stephanie that she could just quit the PR business and write full time but Stephanie remains unsure. Alex then shows her a cover art for her novel, “One Stormy Night” under the pseudonym of being written by Anastasia Sands and tells her that once it hits the stands, she may never have to work for someone else again.

Xander is in his office with Victoria and talks on the phone until Victoria wakes up crying. Xander decides to take her for a walk.

Rafe is at home when he gets a text from a Kelly Jones that they will see him in twenty. Rafe goes to leave as Gabi comes home and says she has a meeting but forgot her notes. Gabi then asks where Rafe is headed off to.

Chad brings his son Thomas to the park where they run in to Cat. Thomas questions what she is doing there.

EJ has a drink in the living room of the DiMera Mansion until Gwen walks in and talks about how she always couldn’t decide on a room in the mansion. Gwen tells EJ that Kristen was making her up a corner suite, so she’s going to gather her belongings from the Salem Inn and move right in, but EJ says no she won’t. Gwen questions what he means. EJ says she won’t be moving in today because Kristen forgot the entire east wing is scheduled to be painted, so she will have to wait a few days. Gwen decides she will wait until it’s all finished the. EJ sarcastically says they want her to be happy at her stay. Gwen says she plans to be quite comfortable. EJ repeats that it will be a few days. Gwen says she has the luxury of making her decision from the Salem Inn since she has Dimitri’s money.

Cat says she was just taking a stroll before sunset. Chad says they were taking advantage of the weather too. Thomas invites Cat to join them in playing catch but Chad says they only have two gloves, so maybe another time. Thomas then tells Cat that she can use his glove.

Rafe tells Gabi that he has a meeting. Gabi questions who with, then guesses he’s being a secret agent. Gabi says now that Rafe is back in the FBI, it will be like it used to be with him sneaking around. Gabi continues to ask who Rafe is meeting, pointing out that she won’t tell anyone. Rafe tells Gabi that she knows the drill, so she apologizes for pushing. Gabi advises Rafe to be careful. Rafe asks if Arianna made it to the lake safely. Gabi responds that she’s not sure. Rafe questions Gabi not freaking out over not hearing from her. Gabi says she will be if she doesn’t hear from her by tonight, but Arianna must be caught up and forgot to text her. Gabi guesses Arianna is having the time of her life..

Stephanie tells Alex that it’s amazing. Alex explains that it’s a mock up from the art department if she wants to make any change. Stephanie assures that she loves it. They talk about using her Grandmother’s romance novels to come up with the alias of Anastasia Sands. Alex calls it a nice tribute. Stephanie agrees that it’s perfect and says she can’t believe the book she wrote in her spare time for fun is going to be out in the world. Alex says it will be soon as Kate says she’s making it top priority to get it to press, which means she believes strongly that One Stormy Night is going to put their publishing division back on track. Alex tells Stephanie that she’s about to be a published author as they kiss and begin to undress until there’s a knock at the door. Stephanie gets up to answer the door and is surprised to see Kayla, who asks if it’s a bad time.

Cat thanks Thomas and says it’s really sweet of him but she can’t play catch right now because she has some place to be. Chad thinks back to the last time they were together and he saw her phone have a text from a James Smith, asking to meet tomorrow. Cat tells them to have fun and walks away. Thomas tells Chad that Cat is nice and questions why he was trying to get rid of her which Chad denies. Chad says he just wanted a little father-son time which Thomas decides is cool with him as they play catch.

Xander brings Victoria back to the office and says taking a walk wasn’t the answer, so he wonders what the problem is. Victoria continues crying as Xander wonders what else he can do for her. Gabi then arrives and offers to try.

Cat meets Rafe in his office and talk about getting used to their aliases of Kelly Jones and James Smith. Rafe says they will probably be texting each other a lot to meet like this. Cat says she has him saved in her phone as James Smith so no one will ever know which Rafe says is smart. Rafe asks what she’s got. Cat presents him a flash drive with EJ’s financial information. Rafe wants to go over their briefing before they get started. Rafe says the FBI and ISA have set up this new inter-agency task force that they will be working with and the objective is to take down the DiMeras. Cat confirms that Shane said the agency have been trying to do this for years with no success but with the recent Titan takeover, the DiMeras are off their game. Rafe agrees that it’s the best time to strike. Cat says the best way to track illegal activity is to follow the money. They talk about the most recent purchase being EJ buying the hospital. Rafe is sure it was nefarious and questions where EJ got the money, who chipped in, and why. Cat agrees that a failing hospital is hardly a good investment. Rafe adds that it could be years until the miracle drug comes to market. Cat wonders what EJ could be planning in the meantime. Rafe says nothing good, so the sooner they nail him, the better. Cat asks about this being personal for Rafe since he and EJ have history, so she’s curious about what went down to better understand how EJ operates. Rafe tells her to get comfortable because this could take awhile.

EJ comments on Gwen’s necklace and then realizes it’s the necklace stolen from Julie and sold to Melinda Trask. EJ asks if she stole it as well. Gwen informs him that she bought it from a broker with Dimitri’s money, though she wasn’t aware of it’s prominence. EJ assumes she will return it to it’s rightful owner but Gwen says she is the rightful owner now. Gwen declares that she will return it to Julie when Hell freezes over.

Stephanie invites Kayla in and asks what brings her by. Kayla says she did some stress baking with all the hospital business, so she decided to share some of her blueberry pie. Stephanie suggests they all have a slice. Alex decides he’s going to shower at his place and he’ll be right back so he hurries out. Kayla guesses it was a bad time but Stephanie says not at all and that she’s glad she’s there because there’s something important that she wants to talk to her about.

Xander thanks Gabi for her offer but says it’s not like he can’t soothe his own daughter. Gabi argues that she’s not saying he can’t and that sometimes it’s good to let someone else try. Gabi acknowledges that sometimes it seems nothing works and points out that he’s down a parent so Xander allows her to try.

Stephanie explains to Kayla that she didn’t turn down EJ’s offer to hire her for PR at the hospital and mentions that she could use the work. Stephanie adds that she knows what a jerk EJ is, but she wouldn’t be working for him, she’d be working for the hospital and Kayla. Stephanie doesn’t think EJ would bother to sit down with her unless he was prepared to make an offer, so the question is should she accept it. Kayla agrees that she would be a tremendous asset to the hospital and praises her, saying the hospital would be lucky to have her. Stephanie asks if she should take the job then. Kayla responds that she actually thinks she shouldn’t and that she should run the other way.

EJ questions Gwen still having problems with the Hortons. Gwen blames Laura for sending her packing before she was even born and complains that they treated her like rubbish when she first moved to Salem, so she doesn’t have a very high opinion of the Hortons. EJ remarks on there being two sides of every story. Gwen believes EJ should be on her sie after being villified by the Hortons. Chad then arrives with Thomas and greets Gwen.

Rafe informs Cat about EJ replacing him with a lookalike again and reinstating him as police commissioner. Cat doesn’t understand how EJ isn’t behind bars or how he does these terrible things and comes off normal. Rafe calls EJ a sociopath who only cares about himself and says he’ll do anything no matter how wrong it is, to get what he wants. Cat says EJ running the hospital is scary which Rafe says is why they need to stop him now. Cat admits she had zero interest in returning to the ISA but Shane told her how much was at stake. Cat adds that it’s personal for her since the hospital saved her sister’s life so she has no interest in letting someone mess with that place. Rafe is glad she’s on board. Cat says she told Shane that it’s a one and done as she knew they would be investigating EJ but she had no idea the super villain he was. Cat then mentions EJ also being Chad’s brother.

Gwen tells Chad and Thomas that it’s lovely to see them. Chad admits that he wasn’t expecting to see her here. EJ asks what brings Chad by. Chad says Thomas left some of his action figures so EJ says not to let them keep him. Thomas stops to question why Gwen has Julie’s necklace and why she won’t give it back.

Rafe appreciates Cat’s concern for Chad, but says that Chad knows very well about his family’s history and even published an expose’ on the front page of the Spectator, laying it all out. Cat remembers Chad thinking that was the reason EJ got shot and says he cares a great deal about his brother. Rafe says Chad also cares about justice as he’s the good DiMera. Rafe states that when the DiMeras aren’t stabbing each other in the back, they are busy making their legal problems go away, but not Chad. Rafe assures that if they find the goods on EJ, Chad won’t stand in the way or hold it against her. Cat says she’s not concerned about herself but brings up her two younger siblings being through a lot so she worries about anything happening to them because she got roped back in to the ISA. Rafe relates to being the oldest sibling as well and says he’s very protective of them. Cat bets they don’t love him doing this dangerous work. Rafe thinks they know that he chose this career to make the world a safer place. Cat guesses he enjoys the job. Rafe confirms that he does and he doesn’t even know if he would call it a job, but more of a calling and something he feels compelled to do. Rafe figures Cat is the same way.

Gabi gets Victoria to go to sleep. Xander is impressed and questions how she did that. Gabi says she didn’t really do anything as Victoria cried herself tired. Xander feels he couldn’t do anything while she goes out like a light as soon as Gabi picked her up. Gabi tells him not to overthink it. Xander worries that his own daughter forgot who he was. Gabi encourages that she was away from him for a month, so they just need to get reacquainted. Xander hopes she’s right as he didn’t think it would be this difficult.

Stephanie questions Kayla thinking she shouldn’t take a job at her hospital. Kayla argues that it’s not her hospital, it’s EJ’s while Stephanie argues that Kayla is chief of staff so she has a huge say over everything there. Kayla says if EJ’s budget proposal is any indication, he wants to make some big changes. Stephanie asks if she thinks he’s going to try to get her fired. Stephanie says in that case, she will definitely take the job to keep EJ in check. Kayla says she can handle EJ, but a PR person for EJ would be tricky because EJ would want her to make him look good and demand she put a rosy spin on anything he does for the hospital and turn away from anything illegal he does. Kayla brings up all the fires she will have to put out and says she would hate to see Stephanie compromise her morals for a paycheck. Stephanie says she would quit before it came to that and she thinks the hospital is in desperate need of positive press. Kayla admits there’s been a shadow over everything since the financial crisis started. Stephanie feels she can put the focus back on the incredible work the hospital does to make people’s lives better. Alex returns and asks who is ready for some pie. Kayla says she will let them get back to whatever they were doing, but then she comes across Alex’s table with the mock cover of Stephanie’s novel and questions what this is.

Chad tells Thomas that’s a good question and asks Gwen why she isn’t giving the necklace back to Julie. Gwen responds that there’s been a disagreement over who actually owns the necklace. EJ says he’s sure it will be sorted very soon while Chad warns that it better be.

Cat repeats to Rafe that she does really care about the hospital, so she guesses she did feel called to this particular mission but she’s not sure she’s ready for it. Rafe argues that Shane said she was one of the best analysts he ever worked with. Cat says this might cause them to be out in the field and she was not trained for that at all. Rafe is sure she’s more prepared for that than she thinks and assures that he has her back. Rafe offers to show her some basic self defense moves which Cat agrees would be great.

Gabi tells Xander that she’s getting reacquainted with her daughter as well. Xander suggests they can do a little work while Victoria is quiet. Gabi says she has the latest numbers for the Gabi Chic spring collection. Xander points out that it’d be better if they had a marketing reel but Johnny hasn’t gotten around to it. Xander adds that he told Johnny to come back after lunch but he’s nowhere to be found. Gabi mentions hearing that he had a personal emergency. Xander wonders if it has to do with being charged with shooting his own father. Xander adds that he’s behind anyone trying to get rid of EJ but thinks maybe Johnny wasn’t the right choice to handle rehabilitating the company’s image. Gabi points out Xander also being recently charged with attempted murder, so maybe he can cut Johnny some slack. Xander complains that the shareholders won’t cut him slack if the stock price drops so they need that video done. Gabi encourages him to relax. Xander questions Gabi being so calm. Gabi jokes that maybe it’s because he’s stressed enough for the both of them.

Alex tells Kayla that it’s just the cover of a book that Titan is publishing. Kayla calls it fabulous. Alex questions her reading it. Kayla says there was a manuscript going around the hospital so she thinks the entire staff read it and jokes that it should be called One Steamy Night. Alex asks if Kayla liked it though. Kayla confirms she did, calling it engaging and a real page turner. Kayla says she thinks Anastasia Sands and Titan will make a mint. Kayla asks if Stephanie has read it. Stephanie says not exactly so Kayla suggests making sure that Alex gives her a sneak peak as she thinks it will be a best seller. Kayla then says goodnight and tells them to enjoy the pie as she exits, leaving Stephanie horrified that her mom read her novel.

Chad sends Thomas upstairs to get his action figures and then tells Gwen that he had to be nice to her in front of his son, but the way she treated Julie last night made him sick and now he has the displeasure of seeing her again. Gwen calls him rude. Chad wants Gwen gone and tells her to wrap up whatever she’s doing in Salem. Gwen responds that she’s afraid she can’t do that as she has a few loose ends to tie up. Chad doesn’t know or care what that means. Chad warns that he’s watching her and to stay away from his family. Gwen reminds him that she is Thomas’s aunt so she’s part of his family on both sides, because she’s still Dimitri’s wife which makes her a DiMera. Gwen remarks that she’s going to really embrace that and soak it in. Gwen then announces to Chad that she’s moving in to the family home.

Xander remarks that he’s glad his total frustration is bringing out the zen in Gabi. Gabi jokes that she’s sure it won’t be long before she’s flipping out over something. Xander says they know it won’t be a crying baby and thanks Gabi for her help. Gabi acknowledges how many people helped her with Arianna over the years and says co-parenting is hard but worth it. Gabi remembers when Arianna was Victoria’s age and says time just flew by. Gabi talks about how she used to tell herself she’d have another baby and get to do it all over again, but she can’t. Gabi then tells Xander to be grateful for what he has. Xander responds that he’s trying. Gabi asks how hard can it be, pointing out that he has everything he ever wanted. Xander says everything except Sarah.

Rafe and Cat go over EJ’s financial information. Rafe says it definitely raises some flags. Cat talks about EJ not having the funds to purchase the hospital on his own, so he must have had a silent partner. Rafe declares that they have to find out who that silent partner is and why they want to remain silent.

Stephanie freaks out over Kayla reading her novel and says she’s mortified. Alex thinks she’s overreacting and says it doesn’t matter since Kayla doesn’t know that Stephanie wrote the book. Stephanie complains that her parents are the two people in the world that she wouldn’t want to read her book. Stephanie then points out that her parents aren’t here now, so she suggests picking up where they left off as she kisses Alex. Alex hugs her while Stephanie remains looking worried.

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Days Update Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Days of Our Lives Update

 

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Update written by Joseph

EJ and Belle lay in bed together after having sex which EJ calls a perfect morning. They call it time well spent but Belle says now she has to get back to work. EJ asks her to stay a little while longer so Belle agrees as they continue kissing.

Kristen goes to see Brady and asks about him having good news about Rachel. Brady informs her that according to Belle, there’s a new suspect in EJ’s shooting and it’s Chanel.

Johnny is at home and calls Philip to tell him that he won’t be able to make it back in to work because a personal emergency popped up. Johnny promises to get the statement recorded first thing tomorrow and asks him to let Xander know as well. Johnny thanks him and hangs up. Chanel tells Johnny that she doesn’t know how he acts like everything is normal when their entire world is falling apart.

Tate goes to the lake and texts Holly that he’s still waiting, asking where she is.

The loan shark brings Holly and Arianna to a warehouse. They want to know who he is and why he wants to kill them. He explains that they just need a mutual friend to cough up the money he owes. Holly asks what if the mutual friend doesn’t have the money. He responds that then things are going to get complicated.

Doug III dresses up as room service at the Salem Inn and knocks on Gwen’s door but there’s no answer. He prepares to use a card to sneak in but Gwen arrives and catches him, asking what he thinks he’s doing.

Kristen questions the police thinking Chanel shot EJ and asks if Brady knows what this means. Brady believes it would mean Chanel let Johnny take the fall for a crime that she committed. Kristen points out that it would also mean the charges against Johnny would be dropped and Rachel won’t have to testify. Brady says that Belle couldn’t tell him much but that’s certainly a possibility. Kristen complains that she was convinced Johnny was guilty but she hoped she was wrong. Brady calls it a no-win situation for Johnny either way because if Chanel did this, his world will be turned upside down.

Johnny tells Chanel that he knows things look kind of bleak right now. Chanel panics that it won’t be long before all of Salem thinks she or Johnny shot EJ. Johnny asks who cares what people think and says they both know they are innocent, so all they have to do is prove that which means they need to figure out who shot EJ.

Tate tries calling Holly and leaves a message that he texted her and Arianna but they haven’t been read. Tate says he thinks he’s at the right meeting spot but he doesn’t see them anywhere so he’s going to do another lap around the lake and hope to run in to them. Tate says to call him when she gets this and hopes she’s okay.

Holly asks the loan shark if they are going to die if he doesn’t get his money. He says not necessarily as he knows her family is loaded so they can go to a ransom. Arianna intervenes to say that her family has money too and that if he gives her back her phone, she can call Gabi to work something out. The loan shark says that could get messy so he will just deal with their little friend. He tells them to sit tight and hope that he comes through for them as he exits.

Doug III claims to Gwen that he was just delivering her room service. Gwen says she didn’t order any. Doug III notices Gwen is wearing the necklace. Gwen says she did order breakfast earlier but she already had it. Doug III says he’s sorry to bother her and walks away.

EJ tells Belle that he can’t get enough of her as they kiss in bed. EJ says he’d like to spend the entire day in bed with her but he wants to prepare breakfast for her, so he gets up to head downstairs.

Chanel tells Johnny that she wants to clear their names but thinks they should leave the investigating to the police. Johnny argues that the police didn’t seem interested in any other suspects once they had him, until that video ended up in Belle’s lap. Chanel says she was horrified and swears she does not remember threatening EJ in that way. Johnny says it doesn’t matter what she said, only what she did. Chanel assures that she walked out and drove home. Johnny knows she didn’t shoot his dad and that she wouldn’t do something like that, no matter how angry she was. Johnny adds that he knows if she did, she wouldn’t let him take the fall for it. Chanel thanks him for believing in her as they hug.

Kristen tells Brady that if Chanel was going to let Johnny take the fall then she deserves whatever she gets. Brady feels that’s a little harsh. Brady says if Chanel did it, she did it because of all the pain and suffering EJ inflicted on Johnny over the years. Brady tells Kristen not to pretend she wouldn’t do the same thing in her shoes. Kristen admits she has been driven to that extreme. but says she would never stand back and watch the man she loves get arrested for it. Brady says they don’t know what’s going to happen yet. Kristen guesses they can hope for the best for Rachel. Kristen thanks Brady for keeping her in the loop as she’s been worried about Rachel testifying, especially after her run-in with EJ yesterday. Brady questions what happened. Kristen informs him that EJ wanted her to coach Rachel in to lying on the stand if she had to testify against Johnny but she refused. Brady gets upset and wants to confront EJ, feeling he needs to be put in his place. Kristen stops him and says that EJ is just desperate to save his son and liable to do anything to make that happen which means he’s a very dangerous man, so she will not let Brady confront him because the last thing she wants is to see Brady get hurt.

Doug III watches around the corner as Gwen exits her hotel room and walks away. Doug III notes that she’s still wearing the necklace.

Arianna and Holly try to escape but the door won’t move. They worry about what they are going to do. Holly blames herself for Arianna being in this mess which she questions. Holly explains that she had been involved with a guy who was in debt to some loan sharks. Arianna then reveals that she had been with the same guy, Doug Williams III, leaving them both in disbelief.

Chanel tells Johnny that since EJ most likely will never remember who shot him, they should come up with a list of possible suspects. Johnny says they talked about Gabi and Ava, but EJ seemed to really zero in on Kristen. Chanel says Kristen is certainly capable. Johnny decides they should write it down and goes to get paper, but is shocked to find another paper revealing that Chanel put up Sweet Bits Bakery as collateral for his bail bond and questions why she would do this.

EJ and Belle have breakfast in bed. Belle says it’s perfect as EJ says it’s his goal to satisfy her in every way. Belle is glad to spend time with him since she knows things are going to get chaotic during Johnny’s trial while they are on opposing sides. EJ says the same goal is to prove Johnny’s innocent. Belle reminds him that she believes Johnny is innocent but she still has to do her job and prosecute. Belle hopes that EJ didn’t get her back on the case because he thought she’d give Johnny a pass. EJ assures that he knows she would never do that and that he respects her integrity. Belle doesn’t get why the judge thinks so but decides she’s better off not knowing how EJ got her back on the case. EJ swears he just made a persuasive argument while Belle admits that she wishes he hadn’t.

Brady tells Kristen that he appreciates her concern but he can handle her brother. Kristen says there’s just no reason to get in to it and points out that Rachel might not even have to testify. Brady agrees to let it go for now. Tate comes home and greets them, saying he’s sorry to interrupt but Kristen says she was just leaving. Kristen tells Brady they can pick up later as she exits. Brady questions Tate not spending the day at the lake with Holly. Tate says he thought he would be too. Brady asks why he’s not with Holly. Tate responds that Holly never showed up.

Arianna confirms to Holly that Doug III was the guy that she slept with. Holly explains that Doug III said he had feelings for her while she was with Tate. Holly admits that she thought something might happen between them after but says she’s glad nothing did. Arianna gets upset and argues that it makes her sound like a slut for sleeping with him. Holly clarifies that she just meant because she still had feelings for Tate. Arianna apologizes for lashing out and says she’s not mad at her, but at herself. She blames Doug III for them being trapped her and the reason they might die.

Doug III goes outside the Brady Pub and grabs the loan shark, questioning what is wrong with him and screams that Holly and Arianna have nothing to do with this. He responds that if Doug III wants them to go free, he better back off. Doug III assures he will repay his debt as soon as possible but he has to let them go. The loan shark says he heard that so many times before, so he needed added incentive to do this. Doug III says he tried to get the necklace but it didn’t work. The loan shark says cash will do just fine. Doug III admits he doesn’t have that either so the loan shark says the girls are going to have to pay the price.

Johnny tells Chanel that he can’t let her risk losing her business, arguing that there was no need to do that since EJ could’ve put up the money. Chanel argues that it had to come from her because she needs him to know that she supports him and is here for him. Johnny says he’s really grateful. Chanel tells him that she loves him as they hug.

Belle thinks it would’ve been better for everyone if one of her assistants was put on the case. EJ feels it wouldn’t have been better for Johnny. Belle argues that if Johnny is found innocent, the public might think she went easy on him and it was rigged. EJ doesn’t care as long as Johnny is free. Belle worries about her reputation. EJ apologizes for putting her in a difficult position, but points out that she may not even have to prosecute Johnny with the video of Chanel and no physical evidence against Johnny. EJ feels there’s reasonable doubt and she could consider dropping the charges against Johnny altogether.

Gwen goes to the DiMera Mansion and walks around the living room, asking if anyone is home. Kristen then comes in and they embrace. Kristen calls her the last person she expected to find in her living room. Kristen adds that last she heard, Gwen was in Alamania, staking her claim on Dimitri’s fortune. Gwen confirms it took awhile but as Dimitri’s wife, she is entitled to his inheritance, so she is now filthy rich. They laugh together as Kristen congratulates her. Kristen questions why Gwen would be slumming it in Salem with all that money.

Tate tells Brady that he asked every person at the lake if they had seen Holly or Arianna but none of them have. Brady encourages that they could’ve just been late or stuck in traffic. Tate doesn’t think so and says he waited a really long time. Tate guesses it’s possible he missed them, but that doesn’t explain why Holly hasn’t called or texted him. Brady suggests it could be the signal but Tate says he had no issue. Tate brings up that he and Holly just patched things up, so he wonders if she had a change of heart and decided she wasn’t ready to get back together.

Arianna tells Holly that she feels like a fool while Holly insists that she and Doug III weren’t together. Arianna says she always knew Doug III was holding something back and even asked him if he had a girlfriend. Arianna says now she can’t help but think that he was only with her because he couldn’t be with Holly. Holly hopes they’ll just get their money and let them go, but points out that Doug III doesn’t actually have the money which is why he’s in this position in the first place. Arianna encourages that Doug III will figure something out because if not, they are screwed.

The loan shark warns Doug III that he’s going to have one of his co-workers set the whole thing in motion. Doug III pleads with him not to hurt Holly or Arianna and promises to get him the necklace or the money. He agrees to give Doug III one more day or that’s it with no more chances, adding that if anything happens to the girls, it’s on him. He reminds Doug III not to involve the cops and walks away.

Holly and Arianna try banging on the door and screaming for help to no avail. Arianna cries that it’s hopeless while Holly encourages that someone could still come rescue them. Arianna points out that their phones taken so they can’t be tracked. Holly mentions that she dropped her class ring in the alley. Arianna questions how anyone would know where to look. Holly calls it a start while Arianna says they just have to hope someone realizes they are missing. Holly brings up Tate.

Brady encourages that if Holly was really having second thoughts, she would just talk to Tate about it. Tate agrees since she had been so excited about them spending time together and things were perfectly fine a couple hours ago, so there’s no way she could’ve changed her mind that quickly. Brady asks if he can think of anyone else who would know where Holly is. Tate admits there is someone he could ask.

Johnny still can’t believe Chanel put the Bakery on the line for him when he knows much it means to her. Chanel responds that she would put everything on the line for him. Johnny appreciates that and is grateful but wishes he was more deserving of her love and support. Chanel insists that he is. Johnny feels horrible for keeping this from her and knows he should’ve told her from the start that he went to the DiMera Mansion to shoot EJ. Chanel understands why he kept it from her. Johnny feels he made a mess of everything and talks about how angry he was at EJ which affected her too. Johnny says his anger made Chanel hate EJ and he knows she still does. Chanel says that doesn’t have anything to do with Johnny and is entirely on EJ.

Belle argues that EJ cannot be serious about wanting her to drop the charges against Johnny, insisting that he has to be exonerated in court or this accusation will be hanging over his head for the rest of his life. EJ asks if that’s her real concern. Belle thinks he’s trying to manipulate her in to doing what he wants and that he was just trying to seduce her. EJ argues that she’s jumping to conclusions. Belle remarks that she is not his puppet and will not be doing his bidding. Belle gets upset and storms out, leaving EJ frustrated.

Gwen tells Kristen that Salem has a place in her heart and all her friends and family are here. Kristen understands that Gwen’s family hates her and that she’s probably her only friend. Kristen brings up Leo but Gwen says she will never forgive him for sleeping around with her husband. Kristen asks if that means she’s still married to Dimitri as she assumed he would’ve divorced her after he got out of prison. Gwen says she never heard from him and no one knows where he is which Kristen finds strange. Gwen says she’s still a Von Leuschner and a DiMera which is why she’s here. Gwen tells Kristen that they will have lots of time to catch up as she reveals she wants to move in to the DiMera Mansion.

Chanel asks Johnny if they can stop talking about EJ and who shot him which Johnny agrees to. Chanel asks him to just hold her which he does. Chanel wishes they could stay like this and forget about the rest of the world with no investigation or annoying family.

Doug III pours himself a drink at the Pub and then approaches the cash register but Tate arrives and asks if he’s got a minute. Tate says he wants to talk about Holly so Doug III asks what about her. Tate explains that they were supposed to meet at the lake today but Holly hasn’t returned any of his texts or calls and asks if he knows anything about that. Doug III claims not to and asks why he would. Tate points out that they are friends and he even wanted to be more than friends at point. Doug III assures that Holly is not with him, he hasn’t heard from her, and swears that he has no idea where she is.

Arianna remembers they were supposed to meet Tate hours ago so he has to realize something happened. Holly worries that he might think she ghosted him but hopes not. Arianna encourages that Tate will start asking around and get their families involved so that they will then be found.

Kristen questions Gwen wanting to live in the DiMera Mansion. Gwen points out that she is a DiMera and this is the DiMera family home. Kristen doesn’t know about that. Gwen encourages the idea of them living together. Kristen is unsure because things have been tense lately. Gwen jokes about not being shocked. Kristen knows there’s always drama here but lately it’s not the normal. Kristen says it’s been like a powder keg ready to explode. Belle comes in from downstairs. Kristen says she didn’t know she was there. Belle responds that she’s leaving now. EJ comes in to try to stop Belle but Belle tells him to get out of her way and storms out. Kristen asks EJ if there’s trouble in paradise. EJ is then shocked to see Gwen is there. Gwen and Kristen laugh as Gwen declares it’s going to be so much fun living there.

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Days Update Monday, July 14, 2025

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Update written by Joseph

Tate and Holly kiss in the town square and talk about how they can’t wait to do that on the beach with the upcoming senior lake trip. Holly mentions packing sunscreen and a bikini that Tate will have to wait to see. They go over how Holly is driving with Arianna and then Tate will meet them there. Holly asks if Brady is okay with Tate going. Tate confirms that he is since it’s only for a day. Holly asks about Sophia. Tate admits he hasn’t told her yet, but he’s about to.

Sophia is at home, writing a letter for her son to one day read about why she gave him up and how it was the hardest thing she’s ever done.

At the Hernandez house, Gabi checks with Arianna to make sure she packs sunscreen and bug spray for her lake trip. Arianna gets annoyed which amuses Javi, who is taking care of Tesoro. Gabi wants to make sure Arianna has ear plugs and advises her that there is to be no drugs or drinking at the lake. Arianna tells her to back off. Gabi says she has to go get something to give her for the trip anyway and exits the room. Arianna complains to Javi about Gabi being in her face. Javi assures that Gabi just loves her and wants her to be safe. Arianna says she’s just going to the lake, not a war zone. Javi says as a paramedic, he’s gone to his fair share of calls involving teenagers and bodies of water. Arianna says she gets it and promises not to do anything stupid.

Doug III serves Leo breakfast at the Brady Pub and joins him on his break. Doug III asks if Leo knows if Julie ever got her necklace back. Leo responds that he’s sorry to report she did not. Doug III mentions that Julie told him it was on it’s way back to her but guesses it never made it back to Salem after all. Leo informs him that it did along with the woman who bought it. Doug III asks when Julie will get it back but Leo informs him that the woman brought it back just to rub it in Julie’s face.

Sarah can’t believe Xander took their daughter. Maggie says she told him it was a bad idea but he wouldn’t listen. Sarah complains that Xander went in to a rage when she told him they were taking Victoria out of the country so she should’ve known he would come here. Sarah blames herself. Maggie encourages that she has every right to go on a vacation with her child. Sarah says Xander thought her real plan was to run off with Victoria and never come back which Maggie calls absurd. Sarah declares that she’s not going to let Xander control them like this. Maggie asks what she’s going to do. Sarah tells Maggie to stay and get ready for the trip. Maggie advises her to be careful. Sarah tells her not to worry as Xander’s the one who needs to watch out.

Xander brings Victoria to his office and calls Melinda to inform her that Victoria is with him because Sarah was trying to fly her out of the country. Xander complains that Sarah is trying to take his daughter from him and he refuses to let that happen so there will be no more talk of compromise or co-parenting. Xander declares they are going to make sure that he never has to part with his little girl again.

Doug III tells Leo that sucks because he thought Julie would be so happy to get her necklace back and hate him a little less for stealing it. Leo talks about his search for the necklace and wondering who may have bought it, but he never would’ve imagined it would’ve been Gwen. Leo says it now makes perfect sense. Doug III asks if he knows her. Leo confirms they go way back and are ex-BFFs. Doug III encourages him to talk to Gwen about returning the necklace then. Leo says that he tried but Gwen refused and since Julie has no proof of ownership, she can’t do anything about it. Doug III begs Leo to talk to Gwen again since they were close. Leo tells him that Gwen can hold a grudge like nobody’s business and she hates his guts rightfully so. Doug III asks what he did to her. Leo says his break isn’t long enough for that but everyone in town from the Hortons to DiMeras have screwed Gwen over in some way, so she’s using this as revenge on Julie. Leo bets that Gwen is sitting in her hotel room now, thrilled that she’s making Julie and her family so miserable.

Gabi gives Arianna a paper bag and talks about knowing there will be cute boys around. Gabi says she hopes Arianna doesn’t have sex with them, but if she does, she needs to be protected. Javi asks Arianna if she’s ready to go. Arianna responds that she is now.

Holly goes to the Kiriakis Mansion and talks with Maggie about her excitement to go to the lake. Maggie says she’s worked so hard this year and deserves to have fun. Holly thanks her and asks if Maggie is excited for Bermuda. Maggie says she’s getting there. Holly asks if Sarah and Victoria are around to say goodbye but Maggie says they aren’t. Maggie says she will tell them for her but Holly stops her and asks if something is wrong.

Xander finishes a call at the office, saying to get the deal done or he’ll find someone who will. Xander then goes to Victoria and talks about how Titan will one day belong to her. Xander says they have their whole day in front of them and asks what she wants to do. Sarah appears and suggests giving her back to her mother.

Tate shows up and knocks on Sophia’s door. Sophia begins to panic, wondering what he’s doing there as Tate calls out that he’s coming in.

Doug III tells Leo that he should get back to work and asks if he wants a refill. Leo comments that he could use a double shot of espresso. Doug III questions him being tired. Leo explains that he and his boyfriend have been looking after an infant. Leo asks what’s the latest on Doug III’s problem with the loan shark. Doug III admits it’s really bad and he’s working overtime, trying to save his tips but he’s barely made a dent in what he owes. Leo says he’s sorry and that he would help if he could but he doesn’t have it. Doug III says he’s gone above and beyond so he’ll figure it out and adds that he already has an idea.

Gabi asks Arianna to text her when she gets to the lake. Gabi knows she can be extra but says it’s only because she loves her so much. Arianna says she knows and she loves her too. Gabi then gets a work text and steps out to respond. Arianna tells Javi that she will miss him and Tesoro. Arianna wonders if Tesoro will still be there when she gets back. Javi says probably since the mother has 14 days to reclaim him before being put up for adoption. Javi admits he’s getting attached and can’t imagine how hard it was for his mother to say goodbye.

Sophia jumps in bed and gets under the blankets as Tate enters and says he knocked a couple times but she didn’t answer. Sophia claims she just had her ear buds in. Tate notes that she seems a little tense and asks if everything is okay. Sophia says he was just there yesterday so she just wasn’t expecting him back so soon and asks what’s up. Tate says he just wanted to check on her, adding that he called her a few times but she didn’t pick up. Sophia says she’s been sleeping a lot. Tate asks if he can get her anything. Sophia declines and says she just wants to chill. Tate informs her that he is planning on going to the lake later but just for the day. Sophia guesses he’s going to be with Holly.

Holly asks Maggie if everything is okay. Maggie responds that it will be soon and asks if she’s all packed for her trip. Holly confirms that she is and that she just got sunblock and a bathing suit. Maggie points out that she’s going to be gone for a week with a lot of kids and not much supervision, so she wants to make sure she will be responsible. Holly knows how much her overdose scared her and promises to never do anything like that again. Maggie says to call her if she needs anything. Holly says she doesn’t want to bother her while she’s in Bermuda. Maggie assures that she’s no bother while Holly assures that there will be nothing to worry about as she will be very safe. Maggie says that’s all she can hope for and hugs Holly.

Xander tells Sarah that Victoria is sleeping. Sarah argues that Victoria shouldn’t be stuck in an office all day during the summer. Xander argues that he’s just as much of a parent as she is and accuses Sarah of trying to abscond with his little girl. Sarah argues that she was trying to take her on vacation with her mother for a few days. Xander says he knows what her goal is and he’s not going to let her steal his little girl as Victoria then wakes up crying.

Tate admits to Sophia that Holly will be there with Arianna and pretty much their whole graduating class, but apologizes for coming off like he’s rubbing it in. Sophia says it’s okay as she had no expectation of being able to go. Tate feels bad that she missed the party and fireworks last night. Sophia admits it’s been hard missing so much of senior year because of pregnancy but she has no desire to waddle around on the beach. Tate says he’ll be back later and offers to stay but Sophia says he would just sit around and watch her sleep, so she tells him to go and adds that it would be a nice break after losing his Grandfather. Tate points out that the lake is like an hour away and he can come back fast if she goes in to labor. Sophia says he’ll be the first person she calls if she does. Sophia adds that first labors can go on for hours and assures that she’ll be fine. Tate thanks her for being cool about this and says he’ll see her tomorrow as he then exits.

Doug III comes out of the Salem Inn and gets a call from the loan shark, who says he knows why he’s calling. Doug III responds that he doesn’t have his money yet but asks if he would be interested in a necklace worth way more than what he owes. He says that does interest him and asks if he has it on him. Doug III says no but he thinks he can get it soon. He remarks that thinking won’t pay his debt. He tells Doug III to keep him posted and warns him not to take too long because he knows what will happen if he does as they hang up. Doug III walks in to the town square where Arianna finds him and asks if he’s not working today. He says he just dropped off a takeout order at the Salem Inn. She asks who he was on the phone with. He claims it was no one important but she says it seemed serious. Doug III then tells her that there is something he needs to tell her.

Javi puts Tesoro down for a nap while Gabi wishes she could take a nap but says she has a situation at work to deal with in person. Javi hoped she could join he and Leo for lunch. Gabi says she’s starting to hate working at Titan-DiMera as it’s miserable. Gabi asks if Javi wants to quit his paramedic job and come back to Gabi Chic. Javi declines and says he does not miss that place at all. Gabi laments that she’s stuck there for another two years. Javi encourages that if anyone can tough it out, it’s her. Gabi says normally she would agree but this merger is killing her. Javi asks if it’s really that bad. Gabi asks what could be worse than having to answer to Xander Kiriakis.

Xander and Sarah continue to argue over Victoria. Sarah says he sounds like a paranoid lunatic and that this isn’t some elaborate ruse, explaining that Melissa just called Maggie this morning. Xander laughs off believing that. Sarah says that Maggie asked if she and Victoria wanted to go with her last minute, but she said she had to discuss it with Xander first. Xander accuses her of trying to entrap him last night when he was trying to reach an agreement about custody. Xander points out that Sarah was willing to agree to shared custody as long as he confessed to attempted murder. Sarah admits she’s not comfortable with him being alone with Victoria unless he says he’s sorry for nearly beating his brother to death. Xander argues that she just wants to hear him say it out loud, so she can have him arrested. Xander states that Philip said he never laid a hand on him and the charges were dropped but Sarah still wants to say when he gets to see his daughter. Sarah argues that no one believes he didn’t lay a hand on Philip. Sarah says it’s for Victoria’s own safety. Xander says Sarah couldn’t trick him in to confessing, so now she was trying to take Victoria away with Maggie. Xander promises that it will be the worst mistake Sarah makes and that her days of controlling him and their daughter are over. Xander declares that he’s in control now.

Sophia calls Melinda and says normally she would be bummed that Tate was ditching her to go hang out with Holly but the timing is perfect, so now she won’t have to worry about Tate wanting to go with her to Chicago and he won’t have to find out what she really did with their baby.

Sarah asks if Xander’s plan is to keep Victoria holed up here and never let her see her again. Xander responds that he’s not going to let her take her abroad. Sarah questions Xander thinking she’s going to run off with Victoria and says she’ll save him the trouble of bringing up her past. Sarah admits she took Rachel and everyone knows that, so if she ran off with Victoria, he would have a very strong case for full custody so she asks why she would take such a huge risk. Xander argues that Maggie would have the resources to help Sarah disappear with Victoria forever. Sarah states that she doesn’t want to disappear and she wants him a part of Victoria’s life. Xander reminds her that she said she hated him earlier. Sarah admits they both know that’s not true. Sarah pleads with Xander that it’s just for a few days. Xander says nice try and asks if she’s wearing a wire. Sarah cannot believe they went from working on an agreement to this in under 24 hours. Sarah says she just wants to go on a short trip with her mom and her daughter. Xander says he’s sorry but it’s a no, not just because of her lies, but because she’s mentally unstable. Xander says in addition to kidnapping Brady and Rachel’s daughter, she once thought she was a dead heiress and a little girl. Sarah calls that really low and says he knows that she was drugged. Xander says all he knows is that he can’t trust her anymore and now he would like to spend some more time with his daughter alone. Sarah asks if he’s just banning her from going to Bermuda. Xander says he’s not banning her from anything, but Victoria is staying with him unless she plans on removing her by physical force. Xander asks Sarah to see herself out.

Arianna gets a text that her ride is there so she has to go and tells Doug III that she’s going on the senior trip to the lake. Arianna says she’s totally over high school but she’s going with Holly so it will be fun. Doug III asks how long she’ll be gone. Arianna says it will be a week and asks if he’s going to miss her. Doug III says of course. Arianna asks what he was going to tell her. Doug III says it can wait until after her trip and tells her to have fun. He notes he should get back to the Pub and kisses her goodbye as he then walks away. Holly then comes up to Arianna and excitedly hugs her. Arianna says she’s so ready and promises not to be a third wheel when Tate gets there. Holly says he’ll only be there for a day and she texted him that they are on their way. Holly and Arianna head to their ride while the loan shark appears in the town square and follows after them.

Sarah tells Xander that she’s too tired to keep fighting for him but she’s heartbroken for Victoria as this has gotten so ugly. Xander doesn’t like where they are either but she’s had her for weeks, so it’s his turn now. Sarah says they can’t keep doing this and they have to come to an agreement. Xander says it’s clearly not going to happen now so she can go on her little trip and then when she gets back, she can see Victoria. Sarah complains that she’s not going out of town without her daughter. Gabi arrives to see Xander, then says she can come back but Sarah says it’s fine as she was just leaving. Sarah says bye to Victoria and walks out of the office.

Sophia walks through the town square and sees Leo and Javi coming through with her baby.

Arianna and Holly walk to the park until the loan shark appears in a mask with a gun, demanding their phones. He tells them not to talk and that they are going on a little trip as he rushes them off.

Gabi tells Xander that the problem is solved and they are good. Xander thanks her for coming in. Gabi apologizes for interrupting he and Sarah before as she could tell it’s been a hard time for them. Victoria wakes up crying. Gabi comments on remembering those days and that she’s still at the age where she just wants her mother.

Sarah goes home and tells Maggie that she can’t go on their trip without Victoria. Maggie asks if Xander is keeping her. Sarah confirms that he said she’s had her for the last few weeks, so it’s his turn now. Sarah says she could’ve kept arguing but at least Victoria is safe and she is so exhausted. Maggie wonders if there’s anything Justin can do. Sarah admits she called him on the way home and he’s out of town, but he advised against taking legal action because it could end up backfiring. Maggie suggests having a virtual meeting with him later today. Sarah says no and tells Maggie to go on the trip because she knows how much she was looking forward to getting out and she’s sorry for disappointing her. Maggie says they can go to Bermuda anytime but right now, she has to do what’s best for her daughter. Sarah thanks her for understanding and cries that it’s such a mess. Maggie hugs her and tells her it will be alright. Sarah cries that she already misses Victoria even though she just saw her.

Sophia approaches Leo and Javi. She introduces herself and says she’s sorry to just come up but she saw Javi’s picture in the Spectator and that he took in the baby left at the fire house. Javi says the baby is right here and introduces her to Leo, saying they are taking care of him together. Sophia calls that amazing and thanks Javi for his service. Javi and Leo says they have the baby for two weeks until he goes up for adoption. They explain temporarily naming him Tesoro. Sophia says that’s nice and asks how he is doing. Javi says they found the right formula and now he’s thriving. Leo says since the article came out, social services have been getting calls wanting to adopt him which will be tough for them because they have fallen in love with Tesoro. Javi agrees that it will be tough. Javi then notes that it looks like Sophia is going to have a little one of her own soon. Sophia says she’s due any day now and that she has to get to a doctor’s appointment. Sophia gets emotional and says it was nice to meet them as she says bye to Tesoro and rushes off.

The loan shark holds his gun on Arianna and Holly in a back alley as he orders them to get up against the wall.

Tate goes to the park and says they should’ve been here by now as he texts Holly asking where they are.

Doug III resumes working at the Brady Pub when he gets a call from the loan shark. He answers and repeats that it doesn’t haev the money and needs time to get the necklace. He reveals that he took out an insurance policy and texts him a photo of Holly and Arianna. He warns that if Doug III calls the cops, he’ll never see them again. Doug III asks him to let them go but he says not until he brings his money, the necklace, or both and warns Doug III not to keep him or the girls waiting.

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Days Update Friday, July 11, 2025

Days of Our Lives Update

 

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Update written by Joseph

Belle goes to see EJ at the DiMera Mansion and presents him with the memory stick from the camera planted in the living room. EJ asks if it clears Johnny but Belle says not exactly.

At the police station, Paulina tells Jada that she knew Chanel was upset with EJ but not enough to threaten his life. Jada says that’s why she wanted Paulina to see it first. Paulina asks what happens now. Jada responds that she’s sorry but she has no choice but to bring Chanel in for questioning.

In the town square, Johnny tells Chanel that he understands why she’s nervous about EJ representing him. Chanel remains uncertain about Johnny trusting EJ but agrees to go along with it if Johnny thinks EJ is the best choice. Johnny assures that he is, pointing out that he’d be the victim believing he’s innocent. Johnny declares that there is no way that EJ will let him get convicted of a crime he didn’t commit. Chanel acknowledges that he’s right and regardless of how she feels about EJ, she knows that EJ loves Johnny and will fight like hell for him, just like her mother would for her.

Paulina tells Jada that before she starts making assumptions about Chanel, she questions the memory stick just showing up now and where it’s been all this time. Jada admits there are concerns but says that’s a question for Belle. Paulina asks what else is on the video. Jada says that’s it so Paulina argues that it proves nothing because she didn’t see a gun. Paulina understands how it looks, but declares that her daughter could not possibly have shot EJ. Jada asks how she could know that. Paulina responds that Chanel was with her most of that night. Jada asks if she knows where Chanel is now because she needs her to come down to the police station. Jada says she’s sorry and understands how upsetting this is for her. Paulina asks Jada to let her be the one to call Chanel and then promises to step back and let Jada do her job.

At the Kiriakis Mansion, Maggie finishes a phone call with her daughter Melissa and tells Sarah that Melissa had a work emergency so she won’t be able to go to Bermuda with her. Sarah is sorry as she knows she was looking forward to that. Maggie says it’s just been too long since she’s spent time with her oldest daughter. Sarah encourages that maybe they can plan it for later in the year. Sarah suggests she could take some time off and go with her, adding they could invite Melanie and Holly for a girls trip. Maggie asks why wait and points out that the trip she was going to take with Melissa was already planned and paid for, so she suggests that she and Sarah take Victoria.

Xander questions Philip suggesting he quit his father’s company when he is the sole heir. Philip points out that if Xander tells anyone that, he will have to correct his story that Xander tried to beat him to death. Philip says he doesn’t like the arrangement any more than Xander does but suggests they try their best to work together unless Xander plans to try to kill him again.

Johnny tells Chanel that he should get back to the office. Chanel suggests they can meet up later and hopefully EJ will have an update on his case by then. Johnny agrees and kisses her. Chanel then gets a call from Paulina and tells her that she needs to come down to the police station and to bring Johnny with her right away.

Maggie tells Sarah that she’s sure they can spare her from the hospital for a few days. Maggie offers to call and book her flight but Sarah reminds her that she can’t take Victoria out of the country without clearing it with Xander first.

Philip comments on it really bugging Xander that Victor loved him while barely tolerating Xander. Philip remarks that Xander must lay in bed, wondering what it must have been like to be loved by Victor. Xander responds that Victor’s dead so that’s all old news. Philip argues that he was in Victor’s heart and the son he actually loved while Xander was just another bastard that Victor was too embarrassed to acknowledge while he was still alive.

Johnny and Chanel go to the police station as Johnny finishes a call to let Philip and Xander know he’ll be in as soon as he can. As they arrive, Paulina is finishing a call as well. Chanel asks her what’s going on. Paulina says that Jada has some questions but she doesn’t want her talking to her without a lawyer present, so she just left a message for Justin. Jada comes over and tells Chanel that she needs her to come with her.

Xander tells Philip to get the hell out of his office. Sarah then walks in and asks what’s going on in here.

Paulina argues that Chanel is not going anywhere without her lawyer present for questioning. Johnny asks what’s going on here. Jada asks if Chanel is willing to answer. Chanel argues that she has nothing to hide. Johnny agrees with Paulina but Chanel says it’s fine and she’ll do anything to help Johnny’s case. Paulina pleads with her but Chanel insists that she’ll be fine and back in a minute, so Jada takes Chanel in to the interrogation room.

Belle and EJ watch the footage from the memory card, showing Chanel threatening EJ. Belle asks if EJ remembers that conversation. EJ says he doesn’t. Belle thought seeing the video would jog his memory. EJ doesn’t remember Chanel saying those things or shooting him, but says the video is pretty damning. Belle doesn’t want to jump to conclusions while EJ argues that Chanel was clearly threatening his life. Belle says that doesn’t mean she shot him and adds that Jada is questioning Chanel as they speak.

Chanel asks Jada what this is about. Jada asks if she’s sure she doesn’t want to wait for her attorney. Chanel assures that she’s ready to answer any questions she has. Jada reveals that a video has surfaced showing Chanel having an intense conversation with EJ right before he was shot. Chanel says she’s never hidden that she and EJ spoke that night and admits the conversation was contentious. Jada informs her that they have her on tape, threatening EJ’s life. Jada says they know Chanel left the mansion after that conversation but questions if she returned later that night to make good on her threat.

Xander tells Sarah that he and Philip were just discussing how best to bring things up to speed in the office. Sarah remarks that it sounded like Xander was ordering Philip out. Philip claims he was just asking too many questions and Xander had enough. Philip decides he will head to the Brady Pub for breakfast and exits the office. Sarah questions why she feels like she walked in on much more than a business meeting. Xander asks what brings her by. Sarah says it’s about Victoria as she hoped they could go with Maggie to Bermuda but Xander says no. Sarah argues that they wouldn’t even be gone for a week and that it would be great for Victoria. Xander argues that Victoria is far too young and he wouldn’t let them leave the country with her. Sarah complains that he’s being unreasonable. Xander argues that Maggie despises him as much as Sarah does and has more than enough resources to help her disappear with Victoria forever. Sarah asks if she’d really be asking his permission to go if she planned to disappear forever. Xander says maybe she needed a cover story and assures she’s not taking Victoria anywhere. Xander warns that if Sarah tries, she’ll be arrested as soon as she enters the airport. Sarah calls him a mean and horrible human. Sarah tells Xander that she hates him and storms out. Xander then rushes out after her.

Belle points out to EJ that they know Johnny was there after Chanel. EJ wonders what if Chanel came back, found Roman’s gun and decided to use it. Belle says it’s possible but there’s no way to prove it. EJ feels it certainly casts reasonable doubt on Johnny’s guilt.

Johnny questions there being a video of Chanel confronting EJ. Paulina confirms she saw it herself. Johnny asks if Chanel really threatened EJ’s life. Paulina says she wouldn’t have believed it if she didn’t see it. Paulina insists that Chanel didn’t mean it but admits it looked pretty bad. Johnny argues that it doesn’t mean Chanel shot EJ as she doesn’t have it in her to hurt anyone.

Chanel sits with Jada in the interrogation room and questions her thinking that she shot EJ. Jada says she’s just asking questions. Chanel argues that Jada knows her. Jada says she does but she’s not asking as a friend, but as the police commissioner. Chanel tells Jada that she did not go back to EJ’s house and shoot him and she definitely did not threaten him. Jada asks what she meant by “I’m not going to let you live long enough to hurt Johnny or anyone else I care about ever again.” Chanel claims she never said that. Jada informs her that she saw the video. Chanel admits she was really angry about how much suffering EJ has caused Johnny and she was devastated at EJ causing them to lose their chance to adopt, but she does not remember threatening his life. Chanel says even if she said those words, she did not follow through on it and that’s the truth. Jada guesses they have reached an impasse then. Chanel asks if Jada is going to arrest her.

Johnny’s had enough and wants to go in to the interrogation room but Paulina stops him and says he can’t go barging in. Johnny argues that he has to do something and can’t just sit around and let his wife go down for a crime she didn’t commit. Johnny declares that he would confess to shooting EJ before he lets that happen. Paulina argues that he can’t be serious. Johnny says he’s the one who showed up with Roman’s gun and intended to shoot EJ. Johnny asks what kind of person does that to their own family. Johnny points out that he stood in front of his own father and told him he wanted him dead, so maybe he deserves this. Paulina realizes that Johnny really didn’t shoot EJ. Johnny says he didn’t, but neither did Chanel.

Sarah joins Philip at the Pub and tells him that she needs his help to take down Xander.

Xander storms in to the Kiriakis Mansion, asking Maggie where the hell Sarah is. Maggie asks what has gotten in to him. Xander responds that he knows what they are up to and he’s here to put a stop to it. Maggie says she has no idea what he’s talking about. Xander accuses her of trying to run off with his daughter and says he won’t let that happen. Xander declares that Victoria is coming home with him now.

Belle tells EJ that they will just have to wait and see if Jada can get any answers out of Chanel. Belle asks how EJ is feeling about it. EJ says he wished for anything to prove Johnny didn’t shoot him, but not this. Belle says it would be terrible for both of them but would get Johnny off the hook. EJ worries about what it would do to Johnny’s marriage to learn that his wife tried to murder his father. EJ questions how they would ever survive that.

Paulina tells Johnny that she’s grateful that Chanel has a husband that loves her so much that he would confess to attempted murder to protect her. Johnny points out that Paulina did it for her while Paulina points out how that turned out. Paulina declares that she can’t let him do this. Johnny says he and Chanel are just getting back on track after overcoming way too much in their marriage to let his father’s shooting tear them apart. Johnny declares that they need to find out who did shoot EJ for all their sakes.

Jada informs Chanel that she is not arresting her at this time, but the video moves her up on the suspect list. Chanel complains about how many times she’s going to be accused of crimes she did not commit. Jada argues that this is not like what happened on the roof in England or when her sister sabotaged Chanel’s bakery. Chanel asks how it’s different. Jada says she will make sure that Chanel is treated fairly throughout her investigation and there will be no jumping to conclusions. Jada advises Chanel to talk to Justin as soon as possible and not to leave the city as Chanel then exits.

Philip asks how he’s supposed to help Sarah take down Xander. Sarah tells him to admit that Xander attacked him. Philip reiterates that it wasn’t him but Sarah doesn’t believe him. Sarah knows he’s worried that if he tells the truth, Xander might tell the world about he and Vivian’s fraud to take Titan. Sarah asks what if she gave him an out.

Maggie tells Xander that he sounds like a crazy person. Xander argues that he’s protecting his rights as a father and asks Maggie to get the nanny to pack Victoria’s things. Maggie refuses so Xander asks if she really wants to pick this fight with him. Maggie wants him to come to his senses and stop imagining issues where there are none. Xander questions if she’s not trying to take his daughter out of the country then. Maggie responds that she only asked Sarah and Victoria to come with her on the trip because Melissa backed out at the last minute. Xander calls that convenient. Maggie tells him to get out. Xander says he’ll go after he collects his daughter and walks out of the room, leaving Maggie frustrated.

Belle tells EJ that as district attorney, her responsibility is to the people of Salem and the truth, so it’s important she keeps an open mind about the investigation and Chanel. Belle remembers Johnny and Chanel going through a hard time when trying to adopt Tate and Sophia’s baby. EJ points out that they blamed him for preventing that from happening. Belle asks if that’s enough for Chanel to want him dead. EJ acknowledges that she seemed awfully angry in the video and remarks that people commit all kinds of desperate acts when they feel backed in to a corner.

Chanel comes out of the interrogation room and hugs Johnny, who asks if she’s okay. Chanel cries that she doesn’t know. Johnny asks what happened in there. Chanel explains that there’s apparently some video from a hidden camera where she’s saying all sorts of crazy threatening things to EJ. Chanel adds that she doesn’t remember saying any of it. Paulina states that she saw the video. Chanel argues that she didn’t really threaten EJ like that. Johnny guesses she could’ve just forgot in the heat of the moment. Chanel assures that she didn’t shoot EJ. Paulina and Johnny say they both know she didn’t. Jada comes out of the interrogation room, so Johnny demands to see the video but Jada says she can’t do that.

Xander informs Maggie that the nanny is packing Victoria’s things and getting her ready to go. Maggie tells him that he’s making a mistake. Xander responds that the only mistake he made was thinking a woman like Maggie could look at him like a son and accuses her of conspiring to steal his daughter. Maggie responds that no one is stealing his child and argues that it’s not about her. Maggie says he and Sarah need to work this out for Victoria’s sake because if he keeps escalating this war, Victoria is the one who will get hurt. Xander argues that he’s protecting Victoria since they can’t come to terms on shared custody, it’s up to the most stable parent to step up. Maggie questions that being him. Xander says he’s the CEO of a multi million dollar company, sets his own hours, and has more than enough resources to keep Victoria safe and happy. Xander says she can tell Sarah that she will regret fighting him on this. Maggie asks what that’s supposed to mean. Xander warns that they will both find out.

Sarah asks Philip what if she talks to Stephanie, Alex, and Maggie as the only three people who know what he did and make them swear to never tell a soul about the forged letter. Philip thought they already agreed to that. Sarah calls that tenuous at best and asks what if she could guarantee that if Xander comes forward to claim he’s a pretender to the Kiriakis throne, they will call him a liar. Philip questions if she believes she can convince them to do that. Sarah assures that if Philip tells the truth about what Xander did to him, they will not support him and if Xander goes to prison, Philip will become the sole CEO like he always wanted.

Maggie tells Xander that Victor would be turning over in his grave if he knew that Xander was ripping his namesake out of this house. Xander complains that all he hears about is what Victor would want and argues that she has no idea since he’s Victor’s flesh and blood, not her or Sarah. Xander asks if Victor would want him to make peace with liars who wanna steal what is his. Maggie shouts that she was Victor’s wife so she knew him better than anyone and he wouldn’t want this. Xander argues that she’s really trying to say Victor wouldn’t want him. Maggie says it always goes back to that and that Xander is feeling unloved and wanted. Maggie asks if he’s going to burn everything down because Victor didn’t claim him before he died. Xander responds that he has to do what’s right for him. Maggie asks if that’s going back to who he he was before Salem and if he’s going to be a monster that tears Victoria away from her mother without letting her say goodbye. Xander responds that he is the monster that Victor made him. Maggie shouts that she’s calling the police. Xander tells her to go ahead, pointing out that Victoria is his daughter too, so he has every right to be with her just as much as Sarah does. Xander then walks out of the room.

Belle tells EJ that she has to get back to work to check in with Jada and reminds EJ that he has a hospital to run. EJ suggests she could help him with that and says that he’s been putting together a comprehensive plan on improving the hospital’s bedside manner. EJ jokes that he can take Belle upstairs and show her as they kiss. Belle gives in and they head upstairs together.

Philip admits that Sarah’s plan is tempting so Sarah asks what the problem is. Philip worries that there’s too many variables as Alex and Stephanie could still change their mind or Vivian could still out him. Sarah asks who would believe Vivian and argues that the forgery was vetted by experts. Philip brings up that Vivian somehow proved to Xander that it was forged so who knows what proof she has and worries that it would be gone over by a different team of experts. Sarah says she gets that he’s afraid. Philip feels he’s being realistic. Sarah argues that they could make this work and he could make Xander pay for what he did to him. Philip asks if that’s really what this is about. Sarah responds that he deserves justice and admits if it works, she would get Xander out of her and her daughter’s life for good. Sarah declares that all Philip has to do is tell the truth. Philip responds that he’s sorry but he can’t help her.

Johnny, Chanel, and Paulina sit together with coffee in the town square. Chanel questions Johnny not going back to work. Johnny says not until he knows she’s okay and that Philip and Xander can wait. Paulina agrees and says Chanel always comes first. Paulina gets a text from Justin, saying he’s out of town for the week but will check in this afternoon. Chanel says maybe she won’t need him since Jada did let her go. Paulina says it’s always a good idea to have legal representation. Chanel asks if she should be worried. Johnny encourages that Chanel is innocent and Jada will see that. Chanel hopes to God he’s right.

Sarah goes home and asks Maggie where Victoria is. Maggie responds that she’s not there. Sarah questions what is going on and where she is. Maggie then reveals that Xander took her.

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Days Update Thursday, July 10, 2025

Days of Our Lives Update

 

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Update written by Joseph

Gwen wakes up in bed with a smile but is disappointed when she turns over and sees the other side of the bed is empty.

Xander goes to the Titan office with a headache and is shocked to find Philip, who happily greets him. Xander questions what the hell he’s doing in his office.

Johnny gets ready for work while Chanel points out that he barely touched his breakfast. Johnny admits he’s a little nervous about going back to work. Chanel knows it will be tough but good for him like a distraction and something to focus on instead of everything else going on. Johnny agrees as Chanel kisses him.

In the living room of the DiMera Mansion, EJ calls Rita to confirm their package was delivered. EJ tells Rita that he knew he could count on her as Tony walks in and questions what exactly Rita did for him this time.

Belle joins Jada in the interrogation room. Jada informs Belle that she hasn’t seen the footage on the memory card yet but the ballistics report on the gun just came in, so there is no doubt now that Roman’s gun was the gun used to shoot EJ.

Xander demands an answer as to what Philip is doing in his office. Philip responds that he works here. Xander says he works for the company but part of their terms was that he would stay out of his way. Philip thought they established that the only way to pull Titan back from the brink is that they come together as brothers. Xander responds that they may be blood but he will never be his brother. Philip is sorry that he feels that way but says it doesn’t change the fact that are each other’s best hope and suggests working on their relationship. Xander responds that it’s hard for him to have a relationship with him when every time he sees him, he wants to wring his neck. Philip reveals that’s why he has signed Xander up for an anger management class. Xander asks what makes him think that he needs anger management classes as he grabs Philip, who says he’s kind of making the case for him.

Gwen gets up from bed and flashes back to the night before with Xander, revealing they almost hooked up but Xander stopped and told her that he couldn’t do this and left the room. JJ then shows up at Gwen’s door.

Chanel tells Johnny that she can’t imagine being in his shoes. Johnny says everything that is happening was brought on by himself. Chanel encourages to be kinder on himself and says all that matters is that he did not go through with shooting EJ. Johnny thanks her and says he’ll see her later and he loves her very much. Chanel says she loves him too and that she’s always got his back. Johnny then leaves for work.

EJ tells Tony that Rita is an employee of the family, so he was just having her run errands. Tony talks about why Stefano admired Rita. EJ calls him paranoid and claims he was just having Rita handle business for the hospital. EJ says if he asked Rita, she wouldn’t say a word which is why they value her like Stefano did.

Belle worries that it’s one more strike against Johnny. Jada states that all it proves was that Roman’s gun was used. Belle points out that Johnny already admitted to stealing it to confront EJ that night, so this does not make Johnny look innocent. Jada calls it crazy that the judge unrecused her from the case when Johnny is Belle’s nephew. Belle says she loves Johnny and talks about people having vendettas against DiMeras, while she will at least run the case with integrity and Johnny will get a fair trial. Belle insists on doing this by the book no matter what happens. Jada notes it won’t be easy. Belle agrees but says despite the evidence, her gut is telling her that he’s innocent. Jada hopes the footage will show someone else shooting EJ. Belle then reveals that she knows it won’t.

JJ walks in to Gwen’s room and says she just missed their dad as Jack and Jennifer were just in Salem until a few days ago. JJ asks if Gwen waited until they left town to show her face again. Gwen argues that Jack hasn’t ever given a damn about her so she doesn’t schedule her life around him. JJ disagrees and says that Jack wanted a relationship and she could’ve had one with him but she spat in his face. JJ adds that she screwed up their relationship when she decided to go after his sister. Gwen complains that it always comes back to Abigail. JJ tells Gwen that he will never forgive her for what she did to Abigail. Gwen asks why the hell he is in her room then.

Paulina finds Chanel in the town square and tells her not to walk away from her. Chanel accuses Paulina of railroading her husband and says they have nothing to say to each other. Paulina disagrees and declares they are going to hash this out right now.

Jada asks if there’s something Belle is not telling her. Belle reveals that EJ had a memory of finding the camera in the living room. Jada questions EJ knowing the whole time and asks why Belle didn’t say anything until now. Belle says it didn’t seem relevant at the time because EJ also remembered taking the memory stick out of the camera before he was shot. Belle adds that when EJ got home, the camera and memory card was missing, so he has no idea that Rafe is the one who planted it and initially accused her of planting it since she was wearing a wire that night. Jada concludes that the memory card won’t have the shooting on it, but it might include the events leading up to it and give them a clearer picture of who else might have wanted EJ dead.

EJ tells Tony that Rita has always be devoted to their family. Tony guesses he was just being paranoid. Tony questions EJ being complacent that DiMera is under the control of the Kiriakis brothers. EJ tells him to blame Kristen for ousting him. Tony argues that it’s not about blame but about making things right. Tony complains that when Philip was in the hospital and Xander was arrested, it was their time to strike but they squandered it. EJ tells Tony that he is content running the hospital for now. EJ argues that no one was stopping Tony from making a play for DiMera on his own. Tony says he hears now that Xander and Philip have mended faces. EJ bets they will be at each others’ throats in no time.

Philip stretches in the office which annoys Xander. Xander accuses Philip of trying to bait him in to losing it. Philip says it’s part of his physical therapy after his brutal beating. Johnny arrives at the office. Xander admits he’s surprised he came to work today. Johnny says he can’t hide from the world forever. Philip comments to Xander on working through being accused of a crime and tells Johnny that he has their unwavering support. Johnny calls that a relief and admits he was fearing the worst when he heard they wanted to see him. Xander says he didn’t ask to see him but Philip explains that they want a video statement from them to assure they are back in business as a united front with no dissension in the ranks. Xander tells him to forget it as it’s not happening and calls it the most ridiculous idea he’s ever heard.

Gwen argues that JJ didn’t come all this way to tell her to keep Abigail’s name out of her mouth. JJ admits that he didn’t and picks up the necklace from her nightstand and says he’s here about that. Gwen complains that Chad and Julie sent him. JJ says Julie is the owner of the necklace. Gwen says not anymore as she bought it fair and square. JJ tells Gwen that she’s been had then because what she bought was stolen property and he’s within his rights to return it to it’s proper owner which Gwen disagrees with.

Tony hopes EJ is right that things between Xander and Philip is only temporary but he’s not going to wait around for their relationship to deteriorate again. Tony suggests trying to find a disgruntled Titan employee to sabotage their CEOs. EJ questions the point since Tony is enjoying retirement with Anna and not planning on running the company. Tony thinks it’s vital that they get the company back in the family with one of them at the helm. EJ says not to look to him. Tony mocks him being too focused on the hospital while Kristen’s reign was a disaster. EJ brings up one other option. Tony says he hasn’t had any luck trying to contact Stefan. EJ then reveals he’s talking about Johnny.

Xander refuses to send out a video. Philip feels they need to do something because the stock price plummeted after Xander’s arrest. Xander questions drawing more attention to all the chaos. Philip feels the only way through is to address all the craziness directly. Xander asks Johnny to back him up but Johnny says that what Philip is suggesting could work. Johnny says his background comes from entertainment and not the corporate world but he’s seen many people save careers with a well written statement. Xander thinks there’s plenty of results that show the opposite. Philip talks about the shareholders being in a panic since Xander was accused of attacking him and says that them releasing a statement together would quell all that. Xander reluctantly agrees to do it, so Johnny asks when they want to do it. Philip suggests right now.

Chanel tells Paulina that she doesn’t have time for this as she has a business to run. Paulina argues that she’s trying to do her job too and wishes she didn’t have to have Johnny arrested, but points out the optics. Chanel questions Paulina just being worried about how it would look for her. Paulina says it’s how it would look for Johnny, them, the police department and the whole city hall. Chanel complains that Paulina believes Johnny is guilty as sin. Paulina admits that she does, but she’s praying to God that she’s wrong.

Belle knows the footage is a gamechanger for the case but feels it’s all convenient and they will have trouble using it in court without knowing who dropped it off, questioning it showing up after Johnny’s arrest. Jada says someone wanted to get it in Belle’s hands and get her attention.

Gwen demands the necklace back. JJ says it belongs to his family. Gwen stands in his way and argues that it’s her necklace. JJ repeats that it’s stolen property. Gwen argues that he has no proof. JJ brings up the police report. Gwen asks if Julie has proof that it belonged to her first. Gwen then grabs the necklace back from JJ and declares that if Julie wants it back so badly, she can sue her for it but that will take a really long time. JJ says if that’s the way she wants to play it, she’s just making it harder and more expensive on herself. Gwen calls it so much more enjoyable and tells JJ to get the hell out of her room if there’s nothing else.

Paulina tells Chanel that she’s hoping her gut is wrong. Chanel doesn’t believe her and argues that Paulina hates nothing more than admitting she’s wrong. Chanel argues that there must be something she could do to protect Johnny. Paulina wishes she could but says they have to let it play out in court and she can’t give any suspect special treatment. Paulina asks if Chanel understands that. Chanel admits she believes Paulina is doing what she believes is right. Chanel cries that she’s trying to be strong for Johnny but she’s about to break as she can’t lose him. Paulina encourages her to keep the faith. Paulina adds that there’s a chance that new evidence will be found, an alibi, or a new suspect. Paulina tells Chanel that if she runs out of strength, she can grab onto hers as they hug.

Johnny hands Xander and Philip a script for them to read from for their video statement. Xander argues that nobody talks like that. Johnny says they can take the bullet points and make it their own. Johnny adds that what’s key is that they both come off relaxed and like they like each other. Philip comments on that being easy for them.

Tony questions EJ wanting Johnny to run DiMera Enterprises. EJ asks why that’s such an absurd idea. Tony says he’s as big a fan of Johnny as anyone but points out his minimal business experience. EJ says they will guide him. Tony argues that Johnny doesn’t need a mentor even if he wasn’t being convicted of attempted murder. EJ states that Johnny is innocent while Tony argues that Johnny will be spending more time in court than running the company, especially if he’s convicted. EJ shouts that he knows for sure Johnny is going to beat this and that is never going to happen. Tony questions how he knows for sure. EJ points out that the case is young so there’s plenty of time for new evidence. Tony guesses that EJ has already arranged for that to happen.

Jada and Belle talk about getting the memory card back and there being no fingerprints on it, so whoever sent it wants to remain anonymous. Jada asks Belle if she’s ready to find out what is on it. Belle says she’s as ready as she’ll ever be.

JJ tells Gwen that this is pathetic and he knows exactly what it’s about. JJ believes Gwen wants to torture the Hortons because Jack started a family with Jennifer instead of her mother and that’s why she hated Abigail so much. Gwen complains that they had everything and that she needed a father too, pointing out that she had nobody after her mother died. Gwen talks about what it was like to grow up in a group home with no friends or family. Gwen says by the time she found Jack, he had no more love to give to her because he had his kids and grandkids. Gwen adds that even if Jack wanted a relationship with her, there was no room for her to be his daughter. Gwen asks if JJ has anything else to say to her. JJ responds that he actually does and tells Gwen to get over it.

EJ claims to have no idea what Tony is talking about. Tony talks about EJ being both Johnny’s attorney and alleged victim, so he advises EJ not interfere with the case at all. Tony warns that EJ can’t game the system when the stakes are this high. EJ thanks him for his concern but says that he just meant that he knows in his heart that Johnny did not shoot him and he’s confident that new evidence will arise. Tony hopes EJ is right. EJ assures that he is and tells Tony to let him focus on Johnny’s case while Tony can try to get the company back like Stefano would have wanted, not just for them but for all of Stefano’s grandchildren too. Tony says that includes the family that Johnny and Chanel will have as he exits the room. EJ remarks to himself that’s if they make it that far.

Xander calls Philip insufferable. Philip asks him to fake it. Xander says he’s pretended to like him for months. They argue until Philip decides they are not filming the video now, worrying that if it’s not perfect then it could damage Titan even further. Xander agrees and says he has a massive headache so he suggests they try again after lunch. Johnny suggests they rehearse a few times because right now, it feels like they want to kill each other. Johnny then exits the room.

Chanel tells Paulina that she shouldn’t be talking to her about the case as EJ asked her not to. Paulina questions her listening to EJ instead of her own mother. Chanel acknowledges that EJ is the expert here and claims to have Johnny’s best interests at heart. Paulina understands and warns her to be careful around EJ. Chanel assures that she’s not blind to who EJ is but she wants Johnny to have the best representation possible and right now, that’s EJ. Paulina worries that EJ always has some trick up his sleeve, so she doesn’t want this to backfire on Johnny or Chanel.

Belle and Jada are shocked by what they see on the memory card. Belle asks what to do now. Jada responds that they have to do their jobs and notify the mayor. Jada then calls Paulina and asks her to get to the police station as there’s some new evidence that she needs to see for herself. Paulina responds that she’s on her way. Chanel asks if everything is okay. Paulina admits that she doesn’t know.

JJ tells Gwen again to get over it. JJ points out that Abigail is dead while Gwen is very much alive, so she can continue being jealous of a dead woman or she can use the opportunity to change her life for the better. Gwen laughs off that her life is fine, pointing out that she’s healthy, young, and now filthy rich thanks to her gay husband. Gwen asks what more she could ask for. JJ says a family that cares and loves her in good times and bad. JJ points out that’s what all this has been about. JJ can’t say if they will ever get along but says she’s wrong about Jack as there is room in his heart for another daughter, now more than ever. JJ adds that considering how things went down last time, it would have to be Gwen who extends the olive branch. Gwen asks how to do that. JJ is sure she’ll think of something and tells Gwen that he’ll see her around as he exits the room.

Philip brings Xander a cup of herbal tea. Xander remarks that he’s not being subtle if he’s trying to poison him. Philip notes Xander being on edge and asks what kind of trouble he got in to last night. Xander tells him to knock off trying to be nice to him. Philip questions Xander not liking him to be mean or nice and asks what he should be. Xander tells him to be invisible. Xander says they will get the video done and stabilize the company, but he’s not sure how much longer he can work with someone who makes his skin crawl. Philip responds that Xander could quit.

EJ gets a call from Belle and says he thought she’d be too swamped to call him. Belle says that she is but something came up at work that concerns him. Belle informs EJ that they recovered the memory card from the night he was shot and she thinks he needs to see it for himself, which makes EJ smile.

Johnny joins Chanel in the town square and tells her that his work day is going well and he’s just taking lunch while Xander and Philip get their act together. Johnny asks how Chanel’s day is going. Chanel says that Paulina was there and they kind of made up, so she hopes that’s not weird for him. Johnny says not at all and that Chanel has been his rock through all of this, so he wants her to have the support she needs. Chanel calls it interesting that no one will fight for them as hard as their parents will. Johnny asks if that means she’s come to terms with EJ representing him. Chanel says he knows that she doesn’t like it, but since he thinks it’s best, she will back him up because they are in this together. Chanel acknowledges believing that EJ will do whatever it takes to prove Johnny is innocent.

Paulina joins Jada and Belle in the interrogation room, asking them to show her the video footage of the night EJ was shot. Jada starts to warn her but Paulina says she doesn’t have all day so Jada plays the video. Paulina is shocked to see the video showing Chanel confronting EJ the night he was shot and going off on him, warning him that Johnny would never forgive him. Paulina remembers Chanel saying she laid in to EJ that night. They continue watching the video where Chanel warned EJ that she wouldn’t let him live long enough to hurt Johnny or anyone else she cares about ever again, leaving Paulina in disbelief.

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Days Update Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Days of Our Lives Update

 

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Update written by Joseph

Belle goes home and is surprised to see Marlena, questioning why she’s up late. Marlena responds that she was waiting for her.

Arianna walks towards the Brady Pub but stops when she sees Roman putting the “closed” sign on the door.

Xander has a drink at the Bistro as he flashes back to being with Sarah on the 4th of July last year.

Sarah sits at home, having the same flashback to last year’s 4th of July.

Leo guesses Gwen didn’t come to work things out. Gwen says it might be hard for him to believe, but her world does not revolve around him. Gwen adds that she came to take care of some business. Leo then notices the necklace and points out that it belongs to Julie. Gwen says not anymore and it now belongs to her. Leo calls it stolen property. Gwen says that possession is 9/10 of the law and she paid a lot of money for it, so she’s not giving it back. Leo questions Gwen being able to live with herself, knowing she has a stolen family heirloom. Gwen tells Leo not to lecture her after he posed as her best friend and stole something far more important. Javi interrupts to question what she is talking about. Gwen tells Leo that she hates him with every fiber of her being and declares that she will make him very sorry for what he’s done. Leo says he can’t begin to tell her how much he deeply regrets what he did and says he has paid dearly for it which Gwen questions. Leo says maybe the news didn’t make it to where ever she has been for the past year and a half as he informs her that Dimitri dumped him for a paramour he met in prison and did it through a letter as Javi watches on. Gwen laughs off the idea of caring that Dimitri dumped him and brings up that Dimitri never gave her divorce papers, so she’s loving still being his wife legally since she has full control over Dimitri’s vast fortune. Gwen asks if he’s jealous. Leo responds that some things are more important than money. Gwen asks if he read that in a self help book. Leo says he’s being serious. Gwen says she doesn’t know when he’s being serious, funny, or ironic because he’s a lying, swindling backstabber. Gwen tells Javi that he has no idea what he’s gotten himself in to and warns that he will soon enough as she walks away. Javi turns to Leo and asks if he wants to tell him what the hell that was all about.

Belle questions Marlena waiting up for her and says she texted Brady that something came up with work. Marlena asks if it had to do with Johnny’s case.

Arianna sneaks in to the Brady Pub but Roman catches her and asks where exactly she’s going. Arianna claims she was going upstairs to say hi to Kate but Roman says she’s already gone to bed. Arianna says in that case, she should just go. Roman stops her and thinks she didn’t really come to see Kate, but to see Doug Williams III.

Doug III sits in his room, counting his money but worries that it’s not going to cut it. He looks over at the note left for him that said “it’d be a shame if something happened to those pretty faces”

Sarah looks at old photos of her and Xander on her phone until Bonnie walks in and greets her. Bonnie offers her a drink but Sarah declines. Bonnie notes that Sarah put her phone away quickly when she came in, so she asks what she was looking at. Sarah says it was just some photos. Bonnie hopes they weren’t photos of her and Xander because that’s not going to help, but guesses that it was. Bonnie asks if Sarah is not having a very good 4th and if she wants to talk about it. Sarah informs her that she ran in to Xander in the town square and it turned out they can’t even be civil with each other on a national holiday. Bonnie swears that time heals all wounds, but for now she says good riddance to Xander.

Xander orders another drink as Gwen arrives and comments on him looking miserable. Xander is shocked to see Gwen as she sits at his table.

Belle tells Marlena that without going in to detail, an important piece of evidence turned up in Johnny’s case. Marlena asks if it’s good for Johnny. Belle says they have to wait until it’s evaluated in the morning, but confirms that it could be an important clue as to who really did shoot EJ.

Arianna knows Roman thinks she’s involved with Doug III since Rafe gave an earful but insists that he’s wrong and assures that there’s nothing going on between them so he has no need to worry. Arianna says she’ll be back to say hi tomorrow and tells Roman that she loves him as she quickly exits the Pub.

Sarah tells Bonnie that she’s a little bit surprised that she’s happy to be rid of Xander as she thought she found her way back in to his corner. Bonnie says she did until she found out what he did to Philip and calls the thought horrific. Bonnie recalls when Sarah persuaded her to lie about Rex being the father of her baby because she was horrified that Xander would do what he just did.

Gwen tells Xander that she heard about Sarah. Xander guesses bad news traveled across the pond. Gwen gives her condolences which Xander notes almost sounded sincere. Gwen admits she wasn’t always the biggest fan of he and Sarah being together. Gwen says they had their ups and downs and weathered some storms, but they are married now with a daughter so she thought this time it would stick. Xander responds that he did too.

Javi questions Leo following Gwen to Iceland just to have sex with her husband behind her back, which Leo confirms is what happened. Javi knew Leo had done things he’s not proud of but he didn’t think Leo could be disloyal to his best friend. Leo asks if Javi is now thinking he doesn’t know him as well as he thought he did. Javi confirms that’s exactly what he’s thinking.

Arianna sneaks in through Doug III’s window and explains that Roman caught her coming up the stairs. Doug III questions why she came. Arianna responds that she had to see him, but questions if he really thought she would hook up with him after he basically threw her out of the Pub yesterday. Doug III tries to tell her it’s not what she thinks. Arianna says she’d love to know what he thinks and goes over how he first gave her his key, then took it back and shoved her out the door. Arianna calls it the definition of mixed signals and asks what the hell is going on with him.

Belle tells Marlena that the last thing she wants is to be prosecuting Johnny. Marlena questions how this is going to go. Belle acknowledges that EJ is a formidable opponent and he’s defending his son, so she knows he will go for the jugular. Belle adds that at the end of the day, she and EJ want the same outcome for Johnny to be found not guilty. Belle hopes it won’t even go to trial and they can put all of this behind them.

Leo swears to Javi that he regrets the way he treated Gwen as she was his BFF and he adored her. Leo praises Gwen and says she was so good to him, but he threw away their beautiful friendship for a man, who then threw him away the first chance he got. Leo acknowledges that after how he treated Gwen, he probably deserved karmic retribution. Javi points out that Gwen seems to think he deserved more. Leo says maybe she’s right and maybe that includes losing Javi because he doesn’t deserve him.

Sarah appreciates Bonnie trying to make her feel better by taking her side. Bonnie guesses she still loves Xander. Sarah wishes she didn’t but says the heart wants what it wants. Bonnie relates to that with her first husband. Bonnie says she did everything to make that work, including having three kids. Bonnie talks about how he would get drunk and beat her, then promise to change and she always believed him. Bonnie says it may have gone on forever if her daughter Mimi hadn’t killed him. Bonnie talks about Mimi being so traumatized from the violence. Bonnie adds that she’s not saying Victoria would have violence in her genes as she doesn’t believe anyone is born that way. Bonnie tells Sarah that she does not want to raise her daughter in that kind of environment with someone who can inflict that kind of pain.

Gwen imagines it must be quite difficult for Xander as she knows how much he loved Sarah. Gwen admits the power of that love drove her up the walls when she and Xander were together. Gwen adds that if she hadn’t been so insecure about Xander’s love for her, maybe she wouldn’t have gone along with Kristen revealing the truth about Sarah not leaving Xander willingly and that she was just stuck on that island. Gwen admits she was afraid to take that gamble as she thought as long as Sarah was around, Xander would never love her as much. Gwen remarks that she has a toxic relationship with the truth, noting that toxicity has served her well at times but not other times. Gwen thinks about if she told him the truth and asks if Xander ever thinks what if. Xander says he never does. Gwen says that she does in a constant loop in regards to them.

Doug III tells Arianna that he’s so sorry about yesterday as he just had something to take care of that couldn’t wait. Arianna says she is his friend and wants to know what happened. Doug III then informs her that he had to meet this guy who he owes a lot of money to.

Javi tells Leo that it’s not like he hasn’t made plenty of mistakes as he’s not a saint. Leo argues that Javi is a firefighter, while all he does is set his house and heart on fire. Javi states that everyone has regrets and secrets. Leo asks if he does. Javi confirms that he does as there are some things he wishes he could do differently, while some things he would never change.

Belle is sorry that Marlena waited up for her and suggests she go to bed as she looks exhausted. Marlena admits it wasn’t just about waiting up for her and that she is tired but wonders if she got overstimulated by going to see the fireworks with Brady and Rachel because she tried to go to sleep, but couldn’t. Belle notes that’s not the first time. Belle tells Marlena that her room is right down the hall, so she can hear her pacing at night. Marlena is sorry to keep her up while Belle is sorry that she’s having trouble sleeping. Marlena states that in the last year, when she couldn’t sleep it wasn’t a problem because if she was alone in bed, she knew at some point that John would be coming home but now they know he’s not coming home. Marlena talks about the rush of phone calls, messages, and flowers pouring in and then everyone has to go back to their own life while she’s left alone to grieve. Belle argues that she’s not alone and promises that she’s not going anywhere. Belle tells Marlena that she loves her. Marlena responds that she loves her so much.

Sarah tells Bonnie that she is so sorry for what she went through. Sarah says her situation with Xander is very different as Xander has never laid a finger on her or Victoria and he never would. Bonnie argues that Xander reserves that for people who cross him or get in his way. Bonnie says she’s not telling Sarah how to live her life, but she honestly believes that Victoria and Sarah are better off now that Xander is gone.

Xander comments on Gwen’s necklace. Gwen calls it quite expensive and says she decided to treat herself. Xander guesses she cracked open the piggy bank of Dimitri which Gwen confirms. Gwen declares that it’s now all her money and says she earned it because Dimitri thought he played her for a fool. Gwen asks who is the fool now which Xander toasts to. Gwen brings up Theresa’s scam and says now that Xander has come in to his own inheritance, he could buy and sell the whole town. Xander confirms that his motel days are over. Gwen relates to how free it was to go get a room at the Salem Inn and not have to worry about bills. They laugh about their old dealings at the Salem Inn. Gwen offers to buy them another round of drinks and then he can walk to her room. Xander points out that the gentleman always buys.

Arianna questions who Doug III owes money to. He says it’s not important and tells Arianna that she shouldn’t be around him because it’s not safe. Arianna says she’s a big girl and can take care of herself. She remarks that she likes bad boys. Arianna that points out that they are already up here, so she kisses him.

Marlena decides she will try to get some sleep. Belle thinks that’s a good idea. Marlena stumbles when she gets up so Belle asks if she’s okay. Marlena claims she’s fine but Belle asks what is going on and if there’s something she’s not telling her.

Leo and Javi watch over Tesoro sleeping in his crib. Leo talks about Tesoro having his heart. Javi jokes about Gwen saying Leo had been domesticated and comments on them being a family. Javi says he could imagine it someday. Leo admits he sees the appeal of the white picket fence and kids. Leo doesn’t think that’s in the cards for him but Javi disagrees based on how he’s seen Leo with Tesoro. Javi calls him a natural. Leo argues that he’s just a decent babysitter and talks about not learning from his parents, so if he had a kid, the wisest thing for him to do would be to drop it off at the safe haven like Tesoro’s mother did.

Sarah tells Bonnie that regardless of her feelings for Xander, they still have to figure out a custody arrangement for Victoria. Bonnie guesses that’s not going so well. Sarah says they started to talk about it and thought they were getting somewhere, but then Xander blew up at her, so she doesn’t know what’s going to happen. Bonnie questions what she means. Bonnie warns Sarah that Xander is going to fight dirty, so she needs to fight fire with fire and hit him where it hurts. Sarah questions how to do that.

Xander and Gwen drunkenly walk through the town square as Xander tells her a story that makes her laugh. Gwen calls Xander the one who got away. Xander comments on her holding onto him tightly now. Gwen apologizes and guesses she can’t handle her drinks like she used to. Xander says he remembers fondly that Gwen could drink a sailor under the table. Gwen says he’s looking at the more refined Gwen and jokes about being a cheaper date. Xander asks if Gwen is thinking there might be a chance for them now that he and Sarah have broken up. Gwen stutters a bit and then asks if there is. Gwen then kisses Xander.

Marlena tells Belle that she’s fine and mentions having a checkup with Sarah a few days ago which showed all her tests were completely normal. Belle suggests Marlena try sleeping on the couch since she had trouble sleeping in the bed. Marlena calls that a good idea. Belle decides she will sit with her until she falls asleep which Marlena admits she would like.

Javi thinks any child would be lucky to have Leo as a dad. Leo jokes about Tesoro waking up at 2 AM. Javi says that gives them a few hours to make fireworks of their own if he’s up for it. Leo assures that he is up for it as they kiss.

Arianna asks Doug III if he still thinks she should stay away from him as they continue kissing.

Bonnie says if Sarah is asking her how to fight dirty, she’s come to the right place. Bonnie suggests she could bankrupt Xander’s company, hire a hooker to have an affair with him, or just pin the crime that they already know he committed by getting Philip to admit Xander assaulted him, then Xander will go to jail and her problems vanish. Sarah points out that would present an entirely different problem since Xander refuses to admit what he did, so she questions how she would get him to confess.

Xander tells Gwen that he should go. Gwen suggests he should go up to her room. Gwen then pulls Xander with her in to the Salem Inn, surprising Javi and Leo who watch from nearby.

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Days Update Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Days of Our Lives Update

 

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Update written by Joseph

Stephanie and Alex sit in the park together, watching the fireworks as they kiss.

At the hospital, Javi is pacing until he gets to ask Kayla how his firefighter partner is doing. She informs him that he suffered from heat exhaustion but will be okay which relieves Javi. Kayla says when they finish his IV, he can go back on duty. Javi wishes he didn’t have to but they can’t afford to be a man down on the 4th of July. Javi complains that the fireworks kept the baby up. Kayla asks how the baby is doing. Javi responds that he’s a perfect little angel.

Leo tries to stop the baby from crying at home. Gabi tries to advise him as Arianna comes in, covering her ears from the crying. Leo hands the baby to Gabi as he worries that something is really wrong with Tesoro.

At the Horton house, the doorbell rings so Chad goes to answer it. Julie calls it kind of late for anyone to be showing up. Chad calls out that she’s not going to believe this. Chad opens the door further, revealing Gwen Rizczech has returned! Gwen walks in and wishes them a Happy Independence Day, while she is wearing Alice’s stolen necklace, leaving Julie shocked. Julie questions how Gwen got her hands on Alice’s necklace. Gwen explains that she got the rest of Dimitri’s inheritance from when she married him and that’s how she got the necklace. Julie argues that Hope told her the necklace would arrive tomorrow and she didn’t say anything about her. Gwen explains that she swore them to secrecy as she was on holiday when Hope and Bo tracked her down. Gwen says she agreed to cut her holiday short if she could come surprise Julie, so she hopped on an early flight and here she is.

Alex and Stephanie finish watching the fireworks. Alex calls it much better than last year since he didn’t have her last year. Stephanie suggests finishing their food before it gets cold but Alex says he has a better idea. Alex turns on music on his phone and asks Stephanie to dance. Stephanie notes him being in a romantic mood tonight.

Rafe goes to the police station and gets a call from Sami. Rafe says he has been looking after Arianna like she asked. Rafe adds that he was not aware of that but he will take care of it as he hangs up.

Gabi complains about what she did with Arianna not working on Tesoro. Arianna offers to try and takes the baby. Leo appreciates them trying to help as he has no idea what else to do. Gabi acknowledges that babies can be a handful. Leo decides he’s taking him to the hospital. Gabi thinks he might be overreacting but Leo says he won’t know for sure unless he gets him checked out.

Kayla informs Javi that the new hospital management has decreed that they have to supply their own coffee, but she plans on having a talk with EJ about the budget. Kayla tells Javi that she has him covered as she thinks he will need the coffee for a long night.

Chad doesn’t understand how Alice’s necklace made it from Salem to Europe. Gwen explains that she bought it from a broker who had acquired it from Melinda Trask. Julie points out that it was stolen from this room by her late husband’s no good grandson. Gwen recalls hearing something about that and about Doug’s passing. Gwen says she was very sorry to hear about that as Doug was a very good man and always very kind and respectful towards her. Julie thanks her and says she’s always pleased to hear happy memories about Doug. Julie adds that she appreciates Gwen coming all this way to return a Horton family heirloom and says she will take it back now, but Gwen says she’s misunderstood. Gwen declares that she has no intention of giving the necklace to anyone as she sees it as hers to keep.

Alex thanks Stephanie for convincing Kate to take the Titan job offer. Stephanie calls it a team effort. Alex says he was panicking about Titan-DiMera sinking. Stephanie assures that Kate will be great and bring in a lot of money for the company. Alex assures her book will be a roaring success. Stephanie can’t believe she outed herself as the author of One Stormy Night. Alex encourages that it wasn’t that big of a deal and that Kate would’ve found out eventually as she’s way too savvy to be kept in the dark on that. Stephanie worries that the more people who know means the more who could find out. Stephanie can’t imagine her family knowing that she wrote something so erotic. Alex thinks when they officially attach a pen name, she’ll feel a lot less anxious about it. Stephanie says she hasn’t really had time to think about it and asks if Alex has any ideas. Alex jokes about how they come up with stripper names.

Leo brings Tesoro to the hospital and asks Kayla if something’s wrong with him. After checking him out, Kayla concludes that he’s fine and just having tummy troubles. Leo worries about whether he fed him too much or not enough. Kayla suggests he could just be sensitive to the formula and offers some samples of another brand. Leo jokes that Tesoro just have expensive taste like him. Kayla admits to being surprised to see Leo like this. Leo acknowledges that he’s known to be selfish but says the baby makes it impossible not to care about him, adding that he has captured the hearts of everyone at the Hernandez house.

Arianna tells Gabi that she still finds it hard to believe that anyone trusted Leo to take care of baby. Gabi says it’s crazy but he actually seems pretty good with the kid, even if taking him to the hospital was an overreaction, it at least shows he cares. Arianna jokes that it’s even harder to believe that Leo cares about someone other than himself. Arianna says that she doesn’t know what Javi sees in Leo. Gabi talks about how she tried to talk Javi out of letting Leo move in, but blames Rafe’s heart for allowing it. Arianna guesses that’s why Rafe helped them foster the baby. Arianna wonders why Tesoro’s mom gave him up. Gabi says it could be for any number of reasons. Gabi remembers when she was pregnant with Arianna and how she was young and scared. Gabi says she would give anything to be able to have another baby, she admits she had her doubts about if she’d be a good mom. Rafe comes home and says he’d say she turned out to be a great one as Gabi hugs him.

Julie questions Gwen saying she’s going to keep the necklace. Gwen says she told Hope that she would bring it back to Salem which she has done, but she didn’t say anything about giving it up. Chad points out that now she knows it’s stolen. Gwen says her broker didn’t say anything about that and she only knows what she paid for it which was quite a lot. Julie talks about how Gwen just happened to buy a necklace that happened to belong to Alice Horton. Julie doesn’t think it’s a coincidence. Gwen admits she might have read in the Spectator that it was stolen and remarks that the paper has really gone downhill since she sold Chad her half. Chad questions Gwen buying the necklace just so Julie couldn’t have it and asks if she’s really that petty. Gwen asks if he’s really that surprised, arguing that the Hortons haven’t been that nice to her over the years. Gwen admits it might be petty but calls it satisfying and fun. Julie says Gwen has had her cheap thrill and asks how much she wants for the necklace.

Stephanie tells Alex that maybe she could come up with a name from her Grandma’s old romance novels as she had a whole collection in her house. Stephanie recalls Jack being inspired to write a romance novel of his own, but he never got it off the ground. Alex remembers Kate mentioning that Jack tried to take credit for her manuscript. Alex bets Stephanie is happy she didn’t write about her own life. Stephanie asks who says she didn’t and tells him that she couldn’t make all of it up, so some details are autobiographical. Alex questions which details. Stephanie jokes that he would like to know.

Kayla informs Leo that they are no longer allowed to give out free samples of baby formula and blames EJ’s budget cuts. Leo guesses EJ buying the hospital didn’t solve the problems after all. Kayla thinks it made things worse. Leo comments on all the Spectator stories about EJ’s shooting. Javi then comes over and is shocked to see them, questioning what Leo is doing there and if everything is okay with Tesoro.

Rafe comments that Arianna is living proof of Gabi being a great mother. Rafe is surprised that Arianna doesn’t have big plans for the 4th. Arianna says she and Holly talked about meeting up earlier, but Holly ran in to Tate and she’s not looking to be a third wheel. Arianna adds that she thinks Sophia probably just wants to sleep until the baby is born. Rafe questions if no cute boys have asked her out. Arianna claims that she’s not looking to date anyone right now. Rafe asks if she’s sure about that. Arianna questions what he means. Rafe explains that he hears Arianna has been spending a lot of time with a certain someone. Gabi questions who, so Rafe reveals it’s Douglas Williams III.

Gwen asks what makes Julie think the necklace is for sale. Julie argues that she knows Gwen and that she never passes up an opportunity to get rich quick. Gwen responds that she is filthy rich. Gwen remarks that her Horton fortune would barely make a difference to her net worth. Chad questions if she flew all this way to spite them. Gwen confirms she did and mocks their faces, saying it was worth every penny and jet lag. Chad complains about her but Gwen says not to write her off yet and admits she might have other reasons to visit. Gwen says she was looking for the right time to tie up some loose ends and when Bo and Hope showed up, she decided now was the time.

Kayla tells Javi about her recommendation of baby formula. Javi tells Leo that he’s at the end of his shift so he will go home with him and thanks Kayla. Kayla tells them to enjoy the baby and says he’s lucky to have them looking out for him. Leo responds that they are the lucky ones. Kayla tells Tesoro to feel better and says goodbye as Javi and Leo exit with the baby.

Arianna claims not to know who Doug III is. Rafe says he has a witness at the Pub who said otherwise. Arianna asks if she’s a perp. Gabi questions someone seeing them at the Pub. Rafe reveals that Roman said they’ve been spending a lot of time together and that she was making googly eyes at Doug III. Arianna denies that and says they were just talking and she was being friendly. Gabi points out that she said she didn’t know who he was. Arianna claims she forgot his last name. Gabi brings up that Doug III is a bit older. Arianna says not really. Gabi realizes he’s the one who stole Julie’s necklace and questions what is going on with them. Arianna claims it’s nothing and that they were both just new in town. Arianna admits he’s cute while Rafe advises her to be careful because he understands Doug III might be bad news. Arianna responds that she sort of figured that out for herself. Gabi questions what that means. Arianna explains that Doug III is flaky and one minute wants to hang out then one minute wants nothing to do with her which she calls annoying. Arianna tells them not to freak out because Doug III is totally not interested anymore.

Alex demands Stephanie tell him which parts of her novel are true and tries to guess which chapter. Stephanie suggests they play the “never have I ever” game where they have to take a drink if it’s something they have done. Alex calls it the type of game girls play at a slumber party. Alex starts by saying he’s never wrote about his own life in a romance novel. Stephanie argues that he can’t say something so obvious as the point is to learn something new. Alex calls that an excuse, so Stephanie drinks. Stephanie then says she has never gone skinny dipping, causing Alex to take a drink. Stephanie says she knew it and tells Alex to come up with something good. Alex states that he has never told Stephanie that he loves her.

Leo and Javi walk through the town square with Tesoro. Leo hopes the new formula does the trick as he was starting to worry that it was him. Javi encourages that Leo is great with Tesoro. Leo admits maybe he’s getting used to the whole parenting thing. Leo says when Javi first brought the baby home, he couldn’t wait to pass him off to someone else but now he can’t imagine letting him go even though it’s only been a day. Javi comments that babies have a way of stealing hearts.

Chad is sure that Gwen has plenty of other people to terrorize and annoy, so he says not to let them keep her. Gwen asks if Jack is in town. Julie tells her that she missed him a few days ago. Chad says that’s a good thing as he’s been through enough. Gwen mentions hearing about the Abigail impostor. Gwen says even though she and Jack are not on speaking terms, he didn’t deserve that. Julie says at least they agree on something. Gwen decides she will get checked in to her hotel room and says it was lovely seeing them again. Julie stops Gwen and warns that this isn’t over as she’s getting the necklace back one way or another. Gwen asks if she’s going to murder her for it. Julie calls that an idea and warns that Gwen hasn’t seen nothing yet. Gwen mocks her as she walks out of the house while Chad comforts Julie.

Arianna decides she will go hang out with Holly and Tate after all. Gabi thought she didn’t want to be a third wheel. Arianna complains that it doesn’t sound so bad compared to finding out her privacy has been violated. Arianna remarks that she’ll walk slow so they can watch her from the bushes. Gabi tells her not to be mad at Rafe and argues that he was just looking out for her. Arianna shouts that she doesn’t need anyone looking out for her in a creepy stalker way. Arianna declares that she’s 18 which means she can take care of herself and hang out with whoever she wants. Gabi tells her to calm down and says they understand she’s an adult but they still want her to be safe. Rafe apologizes for busting her and says he just worries about her. Arianna says she forgives him this time. Gabi tells Arianna not to be home late as she exits. Gabi then questions Rafe still talking to Sami. Rafe asks if he has to remind her that he’s an adult too. Gabi asks about his other ex and hopes that he and Jada didn’t get in to it at the police station. Rafe says they mostly kept it civil. Gabi asks why Jada called him to the station. Rafe responds that it hasn’t been confirmed yet, but it looks like someone may have turned in the memory card from his camera.

Stephanie guesses she doesn’t have to drink since she’s never said that before either. Alex responds that he’s serious and tells Stephanie that he loves her. Alex adds that he’s never in his life felt like this about any woman before. Alex calls her the first woman he’s ever felt deeply for right away and the first woman that made him truly want to settle down and try something real. Alex thinks part of him knew to wait to say it until he meant it. Alex repeats that he loves her and says he probably should’ve said it a lot sooner but he thinks a big part of him was afraid because things ended so bad between them and it was his fault. Alex says that broke his heart and he didn’t want to risk that happening again. Stephanie asks why he’s saying it now. Alex asks how he could not while looking at her. Alex praises Stephanie and declares that he’s felt this way for far too long not to say it out loud. Stephanie responds that she loves him too as they kiss.

Arianna walks past the Brady Pub and texts Holly that if anyone asks, she’s with her tonight. The loan shark that Doug III has been dealing with then comes around the corner behind her.

Julie finishes a call with Hope and explains to Chad that Hope kept Gwen’s return secret because she knew it was the only way to get Gwen to come back to Salem, but she had no idea Gwen planned to keep the necklace. Julie declares that Gwen is not going to get away with it. Chad agrees and says they will wait until JJ gets off his shift, so they can fill him in and see if he has any ideas on how to get the necklace back from the law enforcement side. Julie brings up everything they went through to try to prove ownership when Melinda had the necklace. Chad points out all the witnesses who saw the necklace come from the time capsule including Jennifer, Lucas, Steven, and Ciara. Julie prays that’s the way it turns out as she hates the idea of Gwen lording the necklace over the Horton family. Julie wishes she didn’t care so much, but she does.

Leo and Javi eat together in the town square. Leo says he’s glad Javi and his partner are okay. Javi is glad no one else got hurt and asks about Leo’s day at the Spectator. Leo says it’s been crazy trying to get the scoop on Johnny’s arrest. Leo says that Johnny swears he didn’t do it and he’s inclined to believe him because he knows Johnny is a good kid, so he thinks there’s more to the story. Javi credits that to Leo’s big heart until Gwen appears, shocking Leo. Gwen remarks that even if Leo had a heart, it wouldn’t be any bigger than a cockroach.

Alex and Stephanie continue kissing in the park. Alex asks if they should go home. Stephanie suggests one more round of “never have I ever” and then remarks that she’s never made love in the park, so she thinks it would be the first time for both of them. Alex asks what if they get caught. Stephanie says no one is around and it’s late so no one will be out jogging. Alex decides he likes this game as they continue kissing and get down on their picnic blanket.

Gabi asks Rafe how the police found the memory card and if they caught the person who took it. Rafe explains that it was sent anonymously to Belle. Gabi asks if they know what’s on it and if it shows EJ’s shooting. Rafe says no one has watched it yet because Jada wants to run it through forensics and that’s all been delayed because of the holiday. Rafe hopes to God that it shows who shot EJ and proves that Johnny is innocent. Gabi hopes so too because if she has to testify against EJ’s son, then who knows what EJ will do.

The loan shark begins to approach Arianna but Kayla arrives and greets her which stops him. Kayla hugs Arianna and advises her to be safe tonight because of so many people ending up in the hospital on the 4th of July. Arianna assures that she will be perfectly safe.

Julie apologizes to Chad, feeling she must be coming off like a crazy old woman obsessing over a piece of jewelry. Chad stops her and says he understands it’s far more than that and that the necklace is linked to Alice and rediscovered on the day of Doug’s funeral so it means much more. Julie says the moment they found it, they thought it was a gift from Doug and then his lying grandson stole it. Chad asks if they get the necklace back, if it will soften her resentment towards Doug III or if she will be able to mend that relationship. Julie admits she doesn’t know.

Javi questions Gwen calling Leo “Matty”. Leo responds that his real name is Matthew Cooper and he’ll explain later. Gwen informs Javi that she is Leo’s ex best friend. Leo introduces Javi. Gwen calls it heartwarming to see Leo all domesticated and guesses he’s been quite busy since she’s been away. Leo says it certainly has been awhile. Leo guesses she didn’t come to work things out. Gwen says it might be hard for him to believe, but her world does not revolve around him. Gwen adds that she came to take care of some business. Leo then notices the necklace and points out that it belongs to Julie. Gwen says not anymore and it now belongs to her.

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Days Update Monday, July 7, 2025

Days of Our Lives Update

 

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Update written by Joseph

Sophia is at home wearing her fake baby bump when Tate shows up at her door. Sophia asks what he’s doing there.

Sarah and Holly walk through the town square together. Sarah comments on being glad Holly could come out with her tonight while Holly agrees they were overdue for a girls night. Sarah thinks she might have ulterior motives for coming out with her tonight, noting her perfume. Sarah admits that she thought they might run in to Tate and reveals they are back together and taking it one step at a time. Cat and Felicity sit together at a table nearby in the town square. Felicity talks about missing her boyfriend Todd while Cat jokes about it only being a week. Xander walks up with the stuffed animal dog that he intended to give Victoria before finding out she’s afraid of dogs. Xander then presents the dog to Felicity and says it’s for her.

At the Horton house, Julie asks if Chad is sure he doesn’t want to accompany her and his kids to the Salem pops concert. Chad reveals that he doesn’t like classical music much. Julie feels he’s missing out and offers to introduce him to some masterpieces, promising it will delight him and elevate his soul. Chad agrees to let her which excites Julie. Julie suggests starting with Beethoven and moving to Chopin. Chad says he’s impressed by her knowledge of classical music and hopes it rubs off on his kids. Chad tells her that he’s going to the Bakery to get some sweet treats for the kids. Chad tells Julie that he loves her and exits. As Chad leaves the house, someone appears to be watching from the bushes. Julie talks to Hope on the phone and tells her that she’s eternally grateful for Hope helping track down their Grandmother’s necklace. Hope tells Julie that it should be arriving tomorrow. Julie is dying to know where the necklace turned up and says she’s never been very patient. Julie guesses all will be revealed in the second act, so she’ll just have to wait.

Xander tells Felicity that the toy dog is a peace offering and apologizes for taking so long to apologize. Cat says they understand he was detained. Xander tells Felicity how sorry he is that he blamed her for Sarah’s allergic reaction. Felicity says he was a jerk while Xander praises her customer service and baking. Xander apologizes for assuming something so horrible and says she didn’t deserve it. Felicity understands that he was scared, but tells him that she’s too old for the stuffed animal dog. Xander says of course and he doesn’t know what he was thinking. Cat calls it a very kind gesture even if overdue as they may have thought he was all talk. Xander says most of the time, he is a man of action. Sarah and Holly talk about Holly getting accepting to school in Paris but Holly says she hasn’t made a decision yet because of her and Tate. Holly says long distance would be rough and she doesn’t know what’s going on with Nicole and Eric. Holly then sees Xander nearby and tries to rush Sarah off in to shopping but Sarah turns and sees him with Cat and Felicity. Sarah thanks Holly, but says she can’t avoid Xander forever as sooner or later she will have to face him.

Tate tells Sophia that her mom said he could come up and he hopes that’s okay. Sophia is just surprised that he’s not hanging with his family. Tate says he was but he wanted to stop by and check on her. Tate brought her some glowsticks since she couldn’t go see fireworks and thought she should have some way to get in the spirit. Sophia calls it sweet and thanks him. Tate asks how she’s feeling. Sophia says just pregnant. Tate goes to feel the baby but Sophia backs away.

Cat tells Felicity that it’s time to go. Felicity gives Xander a glowstick and wishes him a happy 4th of July as she and Cat exit. Xander gets up and runs in to Sarah, who comments that he can’t seem to get rid of the toy dog. Xander explains how he tried to give it to Felicity but she’s too old for stuffed animals. Sarah is sure Cat appreciated the gesture and admits that she does too which surprises Xander as he didn’t think it was possible for her to appreciate anything he does now. Sarah acknowledges him being kind and empathetic. Xander knows it’s rare and says he did feel bad about how he treated Felicity and made a foolish assumption. Xander admits he’s been an ass in a lot of ways.

Tate apologizes to Sophia as he thought it would be okay since he felt the baby kick the other day. Sophia guesses she’s just sick of people trying to touch her stomach all the time. Sophia thanks him for the glowsticks and jokes that she’s feeling more patriotic already. Sophia guesses he has plans for tonight. Tate says he’ll just be watching fireworks with his family and invites her to come but she says she’s pretty tired. Tate decides he should let her get some rest. Sophia assures that she’ll be fine.

Cat and Felicity walk through the town square and run in to Chad. Felicity tells Chad that she finished baking his cupcakes. Chad says he can’t wait to see them so she goes to get them. Cat tells Chad that he just made Felicity’s day. Sarah offers to take Xander’s stuffed animal dog to the hospital to give to the kids. Xander asks about Victoria being afraid of dogs suddenly. Sarah says she’s petrified and has been more fragile and clingy lately. Xander wonders if that has to do with her dad not being around much anymore. Sarah admits it’s really not fair to Victoria, so they have to figure something out as far as their daughter is concerned. Xander agrees and asks if they would be capable of having a semi-civil conversation over dinner. Sarah thinks if they put their minds to it and asks when he’s free. Xander suggests now. Sarah says she would love to get dinner but she doesn’t want to ditch Holly. Xander says he saw Holly and Tate talking earlier so he doesn’t think she’ll mind. Sarah agrees to go set Holly free then. Chad and Cat sit on the bench nearby as Chad asks if she has any plans for the 4th. Cat says she’ll just be watching the fireworks with Felicity while Chad says that Julie took the kids to see the Salem pops so he’s just waiting for the cupcake afterparty. Chad says they have to find somewhere to go to take Felicity to dinner. Cat hopes this time that she won’t have to rush out before the meal. Chad talks about being glad Felicity is okay after her fall which Cat says she won’t want to talk about. Cat and Chad joke together.

Holly and Tate walk by the Brady Pub. Tate says he’s sorry that Sarah ditched her while Holly says they had time to talk earlier. Tate jokes about if they were talking about him. Tate asks if she’s hungry and says he’s craving some fries from the Pub. Holly agrees and they head inside.

Sophia sits in her room and looks up an article in the Spectator about a newborn being left in the safe haven at the fire station.

Xander and Sarah go to the Bistro for dinner. They talk about Victoria. Sarah shows him pictures on her phone that Maggie sent of Victoria. Xander tells her that they can’t go on like this. Sarah remarks that she can’t live with him and can’t live without him which Xander says sums it up. Sarah asks what they are going to do about it. Xander says they are living apart and both want to spend time with their daughter, they can come to an informal arrangement to each have part of the time. Xander explains that the nanny can drop her off and they would never even have to see each other. Sarah questions Victoria being alone with him half the time. Xander says the nanny would be there but he thinks he’s capable of taking care of their daughter. Sarah says her concern is what else he’s capable of. Sarah knows he would never lay a finger on their child, but notes that Victoria is going to spend 50% of her formative years with him, learning the difference between right and wrong and how to deal with anger. Xander adds in being honest and not betraying people’s trust. Sarah tells Xander that she needs him to unequivocally apologize for what he did to Philip and promise that he will never do anything like that again.

Tate and Holly sit together at the Brady Pub. Tate talks about running in to each other twice in the same day and believing in fate. Holly talks about how it did work out well. Holly says she would feel bad as she thought Sarah wanted nothing to do with Xander but she basically ran straight to him. Tate guesses it’s his lucky day.

Melinda calls Sophia and tells her that their plan is still a go, so she just wanted to check in and see how she’s doing. Sophia says she’s just getting used to the new body changes but she’s glad she got to go over it with the doctor this morning. Sophia thanks her again. Melinda says she knows what she’s going through and asks about their temporary solution. Sophia confirms it looks super real. Sophia mentions that Tate just stopped by and had no idea. Sophia adds that she kind of freaked out but made up a story about being tired of people touching her stomach which Tate bought. Sophia says she’s just going to try to avoid Tate until they can get the adoption over with. Melinda says it shouldn’t be too long as she’s ironing out a few details, but after the weekend, they should be good to go. Sophia says she can’t thank her enough and worries about if Tate and her mom found out what she did and that the baby was still in Salem. Melinda assures that they won’t, noting that the safe haven program is completely anonymous. Melinda encourages that Sophia made a smart decision and the right decision for everyone involved.

Chad tells Cat that she has to pick the restaurant. Cat says she will let Felicity weigh in. Felicity comes back and apologizes to Chad as she shows a note revealing that Chanel accidentally took his cupcakes. Chad realizes that he and Chanel have the same initials so she probably thought they were for her. Felicity says she will make him new cupcakes. Chad says he’ll just come back tomorrow as he doesn’t want her to miss the fireworks but Felicity insists and says to give her one hour. Chad tells Cat that it looks like he has an hour to kill and invites her for a drink which she accepts.

Someone remains watching from the bushes as Julie returns home and calls out to Chad’s daughter Charlotte to be careful.

Sophia tells Melinda that she keeps telling herself over and over that she did the right thing for her and Tate and for the baby as well. Melinda says it’s okay if she’s having second thoughts. Sophia assures that she’s not, but she wants to make sure that her son will be okay and feels loved. Melinda says right now he’s in foster care and in 14 days, he’ll be up for adoption. Melinda mentions that the article in the Spectator will help in connecting him to a loving family. Sophia wonders if she still has time to write him a letter for when he grows up, so he doesn’t feel so abandoned for no reason. Melinda agrees he could do that and assures that the fire station would know how to get it to him. Melinda asks if there’s anything else she can do. Sophia says no and she’s done so much already. Melinda tells her that they can leave for Chicago after the weekend and when they get back, she won’t have to worry about Tate or the adoption anymore. Sophia is still trying to figure out how to get away without Tate wanting to tag along. Melinda is sure she’ll come up with something.

Holly tells Tate that she’s excited he can come see her during lake week and asks if Sophia is okay with it. Tate admits he didn’t tell Sophia since she can’t come and he didn’t want to make her feel bad. Holly understands but says everyone in their class is coming, so she’s sure she already knows. Tate agrees that he should probably give her a heads up so she knows where they will be. Tate adds that first labors usually take forever and if anything happens, he can come back in time. Holly agrees but hopes nothing does happen and they get to spend time alone together. Tate asks about Arianna. Holly is sure she’ll find other people to hang out with as she’s never had trouble making friends which means they will get plenty of alone time.

Cat and Chad sit together in the town square having drinks. Cat questions Chad hating classical music so much that he skipped the concert. Chad says he would fall asleep while Cat says the concert would be loud and bombastic. Chad jokes about her being a band geek. Cat jokes that her brother Aaron would also fall asleep during concerts. Cat helps Chad with his bracelet while she receives a text message from a James Smith, asking to meet tomorrow. Felicity returns with Chad’s cupcakes. Chad thanks her and says he should get going. Chad wishes them a happy 4th and walks away. Chad stops and looks back at them before exiting the town square.

Xander tells Sarah that he’s not sure what he did to Philip. Sarah asks if they can please not play this game, arguing that they both know what he did so she asks him to stop insulting her by pretending he didn’t. Xander looks around for a recording device, accusing her of setting him up. Sarah says he can’t be serious and that she did not bug the table. Sarah tells Xander that she just needs to know that he has some remorse for what he did and swears not to tell anyone. Xander wishes he could believe her, but after all the lies. Sarah asks if he has any idea how insane it is to insinuate that she’s the one that can’t be trusted. Sarah complains that she’s so sick of him acting like lying is the worst thing either of them have done. Xander responds that as far as he’s concerned, it is. Xander guesses they will have to do this the hard way then. Sarah questions what that means. Sarah argues that she’s just trying to look out for the best interest of their daughter. Xander says he is too but Sarah says he’s only looking out for himself and being paranoid. Sarah decides they aren’t going to get anything done here today, so she will go home to their daughter. Xander warns her to enjoy her time with Victoria as it might be her last. Sarah asks if that’s a threat. Xander says he’s just stating a fact. Sarah then walks out of the Bistro as Melinda arrives. Melinda remarks to Xander that it looks like they were creating their own fireworks. Xander says she’s just who he needed to see as he tried to follow her advice, but it clearly didn’t work so they need to find something that will. Melinda asks what he means. Xander responds that it’s time for them to resort to those other measures they talked about.

Tate and Holly exit the Pub and stop outside to watch the fireworks as they kiss.

Sophia looks out her window and watches the fireworks as she wishes herself a happy Independence Day.

Cat reveals to Felicity that she knows Felicity used an old note from Chanel and didn’t really have to remake Chad’s cupcakes, which Felicity admits as it gave Cat and Chad time alone.

Chad goes home to Julie with the cupcakes. Julie informs him that the kids are already asleep and questions what took so long. Chad tells her there was a mixup at the Bakery. The doorbell rings so Chad goes to answer it. Julie calls it kind of late for anyone to be showing up. Chad calls out that she’s not going to believe who is here. Chad opens the door further, revealing Gwen Rizczech has returned! Gwen walks in and wishes them a Happy Independence Day, while she is wearing Alice’s stolen necklace, leaving Julie shocked.

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Days Update Friday, July 4, 2025

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Update written by Joseph

Stephanie and Alex sit together at home. Stephanie says since they both have the day off, they should do something fun and suggests swimming in the lake or a barbecue. Alex suggests a picnic in the park to watch the fireworks. Stephanie says that sounds perfect and suggests getting food from the Pub, so she can check on Roman as she’s sure he is upset about Johnny’s arrest.

Kate goes to the Brady Pub where Roman greets her and asks how Philip is. Kate responds that Philip is thrilled to be out of the hospital and asks how Roman is doing. Roman claims he’s fine but Kate says they both know he’s not telling the truth because he was tossing and turning all night. Kate says she couldn’t sleep knowing that he’s upset. Kate tells Roman to be honest with as she asks if he’s still blaming himself for Johnny’s predicament.

Brady and Kristen talk about not wanting to put Rachel through this. Marlena comes in and asks where Rachel is. Brady says she’s at a 4th of July parade with her friend. Kristen explains that they are strategizing how to approach Rachel having to give her statement to the police. Brady adds that Rachel will probably also have to testify in court. Brady says they would love to get Marlena’s advice on this. Marlena advises them to keep it simple for Rachel and tell her to just tell the truth. Kristen remarks that she thinks they all know Johnny did shoot EJ.

Chanel finishes a call with Lani at home as Abe arrives and asks if it’s a bad time, feeling he should’ve called earlier. Chanel says it’s never a bad time for him and invites him in. Abe thought she might could use an ear. Chanel admits she could use a hug so Abe hugs her.

Paulina goes to the interrogation room where Belle is and comments on her not being the only one working on the 4th of July. Belle talks about it being pretty busy lately. Paulina responds that things are about to get a lot busier for Belle because she just got word from the judge that Belle has been unrecused from Johnny’s case. Belle asks how that happened. Paulina responds two words: EJ DiMera.

Johnny joins EJ in the living room of the DiMera Mansion and says he got EJ’s message that he wanted to go over the case. EJ informs him that he got some new evidence during discovery. Johnny notes that he doesn’t look too happy and asks if it’s worse than he thought. EJ admits it’s not great and tells Johnny to have a seat.

Marlena tells Kristen that Johnny said he’s innocent and she believes him. Kristen questions why Roman covered for him then and why Johnny didn’t come forward sooner. Brady figures that Johnny probably thought people wouldn’t believe him. Kristen questions why they would believe Johnny just handed the gun over to EJ when he was telling people all around town that he wanted him dead. Brady says those were just words and they know how terribly upset Johnny was when he found out what EJ did to Sami and how he was conceived. Brady declares that doesn’t make Johnny a murderer and he doesn’t think Johnny has it in him. Kristen argues that she’s sure people thought that about Will when he shot EJ and remarks that they have a lot in common until Marlena stands up and yells at Kristen to stop it.

Chanel tells Abe that she’s grateful he’s here but she hopes that Paulina didn’t send him to plead her case because she is not ready to forgive her. Abe says it’s not about that but he does feel Paulina was in a no-win situation where no matter what she did, half the town was going to disagree with her. Chanel doesn’t care about half the town and argues that Paulina threw an innocent man in jail without even questioning him. Chanel feels that Paulina did her family dirty and now Johnny could go to prison for a very long time. Abe points out that if Chanel believes he’s innocent, she should have faith that the jury will do right by him. Chanel wants to believe that but doesn’t know if she does.

Belle tells Paulina that she didn’t realize she was being put back on the case. Paulina explains that apparently the judge is insisting as he feels an assistant can handle it. She adds that he approved EJ despite being Johnny’s father. Belle points out that EJ argued that Johnny had the right to pick anyone he wants to defend him. Paulina guesses that EJ was also able to get her back on the case and get it ahead of other cases. Belle acknowledges that EJ is a pretty good lawyer. Paulina remarks that EJ doesn’t mind using the DiMera money and power to get what he wants. Belle assures that she will handle her job with integrity, regardless of Johnny being her nephew. Paulina responds that it’s not her relationship with Johnny that has her concerned. Paulina says it’s no secret that EJ has a way of corrupting people, so she hopes that Belle doesn’t fall prey to that.

EJ reveals to Johnny that Rachel overheard them arguing and saw him with the gun. Johnny had no idea and says no wonder she’s been acting so strangely towards him. EJ explains that Kristen convinced Rachel to keep quiet for the family. Johnny asks how the police know then. EJ informs him that Roman told the police everything when he handed over his gun last night. Johnny asks who told Roman. EJ calls it a long story and says Rachel’s testimony will be crucial. EJ says he’s been racking his brain trying to remember things from that night and asks if Johnny is sure that he didn’t see anyone else when he left that night. Johnny says no and brings up Gabi being there since she heard his voice and that Gabi said she saw Ava. EJ adds that they know for sure that Kristen was also there that night.

Stephanie informs Alex that EJ reached out to her about doing some PR work and she’s actually considering it. Alex asks if she’s serious, reminding her that EJ had her kidnapped and locked in a morgue. Stephanie acknowledges the horrific things EJ has done but says she didn’t turn EJ down, because it would be helping the hospital and her mom. Alex doesn’t think it’s worth working for that jackass and calls EJ a dirty son of a bitch. Stephanie says she’s not afraid of EJ and repeats that helping the hospital would also be helping her mom. Stephanie says she has a meeting with EJ next week, so she will see what his offer is and make her decision. Alex suggests Stephanie could just quit the PR business altogether and focus on her new career as a famous author.

Roman asks Kate how he could not blame himself for what Johnny is going through when he provided him with the means and motive to shoot his own father. Kate points out that Roman didn’t do it intentionally and that Johnny says he didn’t shoot his father. Roman believes Johnny is innocent but feels he didn’t do him any favors by wiping the gun clean and made it feel like he was covering for a guilty man. Kate says he was protecting his grandson while Roman worries that he only made things worse. Kate encourages that he had good intentions and goes over how Roman took his gun to the police station and told the whole story. Roman hopes Kate understands why he had to tell the police that Kate has a gun and that she said she wanted EJ dead too. Kate doesn’t love that she’s a murder suspect but understands and agrees it was the right thing to do to avoid concealing the truth. Roman adds that he told the police that he also had reason to want EJ dead. Kate states that half the town does. Roman worries that the police only have their eyes on Johnny now. Kate doesn’t want Roman to worry because they know EJ will fight for his son and make sure that Johnny goes free. Roman hopes she is right.

Belle understands Paulina’s concerns but promises not to fall prey to being corrupted by EJ or anyone else. Paulina thanks her for reassuring her and apologizes for shortchanging her when she knows it’s a very difficult situation for her. Belle says it is for her too and they are both just doing their jobs, for better or worse.

Kristen apologizes to Marlena for going on like that about her grandson and upsetting her. Marlena decides she needs some air and tells Brady to text her when Kristen is gone as she then walks out. Brady questions Kristen, who says she won’t put her head in the sand. Kristen argues that Rachel saw Johnny pointing a gun at his father and then heard a gunshot, which means her testimony will send Johnny to prison for a very long time and they will have to help her deal with that.

EJ tells Johnny that Kristen claims she was showering and drying her hair when she heard the gunshot which he calls a lame alibi as he vividly remembers Kristen threatening him earlier that night. Johnny reminds EJ that Kristen was the first person taken in to custody while EJ was still in a coma, but the bullet didn’t match her mother’s gun. EJ points out that now they know she could’ve used Roman’s. Johnny agrees that it’s definitely possible but they have no proof. EJ says not yet, but he’s sure if they pursue that angle, new information would come to light that could certainly benefit them. Johnny asks if he’s not going to do anything crazy like suddenly remember Kristen shot him. EJ responds that his memory is coming back to him in bits and pieces, so who knows what he will eventually remember about that night.

Stephanie asks Alex why she would give up her PR business when she’s spent years building it from the ground up. Alex questions if it’s her passion. Stephanie says to a certain extent yes as she likes doing it. Alex points out that she’s spent the last ten years, staying up very late at night, secretly writing a novel. Stephanie calls it a fun hobby and doesn’t know why he’s giving the hard sell when she already agreed to publish One Stormy Night. Alex admits that Titan is struggling and he thinks her book is exactly what they need to turn everything around for all of them and he also wouldn’t mind having a blockbuster franchise on their hands. Stephanie questions him wanting it for him but Alex clarifies it’s for them. Stephanie admits pursuing writing full time is tempting and that she would have a great editor and publisher as they kiss.

Roman wishes he didn’t have to bring Rachel in to all of this but Kate assures that he did the right thing because too many people knew the truth. Roman thanks Kate as her support means everything to him. Roman adds that he’s going to want to be in the court room when Johnny’s trial starts, so he asks Kate to keep an eye on the Pub more often. Kate assures that he can count on her. Roman thanks her and hugs her.

Brady tells Kristen that she is getting ahead of herself. Kristen feels that she’s planning ahead because they need to be prepared to help their daughter. Brady agrees but says if Rachel picks up that they are all freaked out, it will make things worse. Kristen cries about feeling helpless since Rachel is already traumatized and hates that she can’t do anything about it. Brady says he does too.

Johnny warns EJ that if he lies and says Kristen shot him, it could seriously backfire. EJ asks what if she seriously did and asks who else it could be. Johnny suggests maybe it’s someone they haven’t considered yet. EJ is sorry to say that he gave plenty of people reason to want him dead. Johnny still can’t believe that EJ thought he shot him all this time and still insisted on protecting him. Johnny tells EJ how much he truly appreciates his support. EJ tells him he’s got it 100%. EJ wishes that Chanel understood he only wants what’s best for him and that he would give his life for him instead of thinking he’s terrible father and person. EJ warns Johnny that Chanel is trying to turn him against him. Johnny knows Chanel is being particular hard on him lately, but says she’s just trying to protect him. Johnny encourages him to give Chanel time and she will come around.

Chanel tells Abe that even if Johnny is acquitted, she worries that EJ is going to use being his lawyer to worm his way back in to Johnny’s life and that’s the last thing they need right now. Paulina then shows up at the door. Chanel says they were just speaking of the last thing she needs and tells Paulina that she has nothing to say to her, but Paulina says she has something to say to her. Paulina comes in and says she didn’t realize Abe would be there. Abe says he just wanted to check on Chanel. Paulina asks if he put in a good word for her. Chanel responds that he tried but it didn’t do any good because she’s still mad as hell at her. Chanel complains that Paulina railroaded her husband without even giving him the benefit of the doubt. Paulina argues that she saw the evidence and there was no way that Johnny wasn’t going to be charged. Chanel argues that Johnny is innocent and asks if Paulina doesn’t believe that. Paulina says that she does but she honestly doesn’t know at this point. Chanel demands Paulina get out of her house. Paulina refuses, reminding her that she bought and paid for the house. Chanel says she and Johnny will just move then. Abe suggests they table this for now and give Chanel some space. Paulina tells Chanel that she’s trying to do right by her and Johnny and she will be praying for them both as she then exits with Abe.

EJ hopes Johnny is right that Chanel will eventually come around. Johnny points out that she already agreed that EJ representing him is a good idea. Johnny asks EJ again not to do anything crazy, feeling they can win the case on merit. EJ appreciates his optimism but worries that right now it’s his word against a stack of circumstantial evidence and people have been convicted on less. EJ states that he just needs to find a way to turn the tide but promises nothing crazy. Johnny declares that if anyone can turn it around for him, it’s EJ. Johnny tells EJ that he’s really grateful that he believes in him as they hug.

Kristen doesn’t think she could get through this without him. Brady reminds her that it’s important for them to put their differences aside and present a united front so Rachel knows they are there for her. Brady says he knows they talked about Rachel staying here for a couple more days, but suggests Rachel stay throughout the trial to keep her away from EJ. Kristen says she would normally object to being away from her daughter for that long, but she agrees with the stipulation that she can come visit any time she wants. Kristen knows that will be a problem for Marlena. Brady says he’ll be fine with it but tells her to stay clear of Marlena because he doesn’t want to make her tough time worse.

Marlena walks through the town square and runs in to Belle, who invites her to join her for coffee. Marlena worries that caffeine would get her too worked up because Kristen is at the house. Marlena tells Belle that Kristen is trying to suggest that Johnny isn’t innocent. Belle stops her and says she can’t discuss the case because she’s been unrecused from the case and she doesn’t want to hear anything that will affect how she approaches the trial. Marlena thought it would be a conflict of interest. Belle thought so too but says the judge changed his mind. Belle declares that she’s not happy about it because now she has to prosecute her nephew while going toe to toe with her boyfriend.

Alex and Stephanie go to the Brady Pub, talking about what food to get for their picnic. They then see Kate working at the counter. Alex thought she would’ve ditched the apron by this point, reminding her that she’s starting at Titan next week. Kate informs Alex that she’s actually not going to be able to take the job. Alex thought she was all on board to run Titan publishing. Kate says that was before everything with Johnny and now Roman will be consumed by Johnny’s trial, so she can’t leave Roman hanging here at the Pub. Alex asks if Roman told her not to take the job. Kate says he doesn’t know about it. Alex argues that she can’t pass on this opportunity to keep waiting tables. Kate responds that she’s doing it for her husband. Alex points out that Roman doesn’t know the opportunity she is passing up. Alex tells Kate that he and Titan need her as she knows the publishing world and is an amazing editor. Stephanie agrees with Alex and then lets it slip that the notes she gave her were so insightful. Kate is shocked as she questions if that means Stephanie is the author of One Stormy Night.

Johnny goes home to Chanel and asks her what’s wrong as she’s wiping tears from her eyes. Chanel informs him that Paulina was just there and they got in to it again. Johnny says he’s so sorry and that the last thing he wants to do is come between them. Chanel says it’s not his fault, it’s Paulina’s. Chanel asks how everything went with EJ. Johnny says it was pretty good and that EJ seems to have a good handle on the case. Chanel asks about on a personal level and tells him to be honest with her. Johnny admits that he and EJ are continuing to repair their relationship. Johnny takes it that she’s not happy about that. Chanel says he knows damn well she’s not.

Marlena questions Belle calling EJ her boyfriend. Belle asks if that’s surprising to her. Marlena guesses she just hadn’t heard her refer to him that way. Belle know she doesn’t like it but says that Marlena told her she should make that decision not based on how anyone else feels but on who she want to be with, so she did. Marlena acknowledges that she did say that but says it will be interesting since Belle is now prosecuting her boyfriend’s son and her nephew. Marlena questions how she plans to manage that. Belle responds that she plans to do her job without fear or favor. Marlena asks what if Johnny is convicted. Belle guesses then she won’t have to worry about EJ being her boyfriend anymore.

Kristen goes home to the living room and guesses EJ is working on the case. EJ tells Kristen that they need to talk. Kristen says she’s so sorry that the police found out what Rachel saw and explains that Rachel was having nightmares and talking in her sleep while at Marlena’s house, so Marlena got her to confess what she had seen then somehow she opened up to anyone who would listen. EJ doesn’t give a damn since Kristen assured him that Rachel wouldn’t testify against Johnny. EJ points out that he held up his end of the bargain with her mother and wants to know if Kristen will do the same.

Stephanie cannot believe she let it slip that she is the author. Alex says it’s okay and feels Kate probably would’ve found out at some point, if she’s up to taking the job. Stephanie tells Kate that she only agreed to let Alex publish her novel because she was confident that Kate would help make her work better. Alex agrees that she would because she’s an amazing editor. Alex reminds Kate that she would be helping Philip’s company out of the hole. Stephanie encourages Kate to do it for herself because she can tell from her notes that she’s passionate about it. Roman comes back over and asks what all this is. Kate informs him that Alex offered her a job at Titan and announces that she has decided to take it.

Paulina and Abe walk through the town square. Paulina questions how she is supposed to give her 4th of July speech while her daughter is so mad at her. Abe says that Chanel needs someone to blame for Johnny’s situation and that is unfortunately her. Paulina guesses she just has to ride it out but she’s grateful that Abe is here for them as they hug.

Chanel tells Johnny that she’s sorry if it came out harsh as she does want him to have the best possible defense which is why she understands if he needs to work with EJ, but she’s worried that he will forget about all the bad stuff EJ has done. Johnny assures he won’t forget and asks how he could. Johnny tells Chanel that he’s fighting for their life right now and he needs his dad’s help, so he needs her to be okay with that. Chanel guesses she will have to be, but asks him to promise to keep his guard up around EJ. Johnny promises to do so as he hugs her.

Marlena goes home and apologizes to Brady for walking out, saying she just doesn’t have the reserve to deal with Kristen right now. Brady understands and is sorry that she upset her. Brady invites Marlena to join them for fireworks tonight, noting that Tate and Rachel would love to see her but he’d understand if she’s not up for it. Marlena agrees that it sounds really nice and they could all use some cheering up right now.

Kristen tells EJ that the last thing she wants is for Rachel to testify in court, but she can’t keep that promise now that the police know. EJ instructs Kristen to coach Rachel to change the facts of her story. Kristen questions him wanting her to have Rachel lie under oath. EJ suggests putting Rachel’s active imagination to use, warning that it would be better for everyone. Kristen asks if that’s a threat. EJ calls it a strong recommendation. Kristen swears that if he hurts Rachel or her mother, he will live to regret it. EJ says that definitely is a threat. EJ then warns Kristen that if his son goes to prison, that might just have devastating consequences for her and the people she loves.

Belle returns to the interrogation room and finds an envelope with her name on it. She opens it and finds the memory card, causing her to flash back to EJ telling her about the memory card from the camera planted in the DiMera Mansion and that he didn’t know what happened to it.

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Days Update Thursday, July 3, 2025

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Update written by Joseph

Sarah is at the Brady Pub when Brady arrives with Rachel, who excitedly rushes up to hug Sarah and wish her a happy 4th of July. Sarah says she’s glad Rachel is feeling better and calls Rachel her favorite patient which surprises Rachel because she says that Kristen called her an acquired taste. Sarah encourages that everyone will realize how special Rachel is. Rachel then asks where Xander is and if they are going to watch the fireworks together. Sarah responds that Xander is busy and has his hands full.

Xander goes to the Kiriakis Mansion with a stuffed animal dog for Victoria which Maggie says is a problem because Victoria is afraid of dogs. Xander argues that it would be easier to keep track of these things if they still lived under the same roof. Maggie remarks that it’s not her fault that they aren’t. Xander says it’s Sarah’s fault and asks where Victoria is because he’s dying to see her. Maggie responds that she’s sorry but she can’t let him do that.

Holly walks through the town square and gets a text from Tate, asking if she wants to meet for coffee. Holly accepts and then Tate appears, suggesting right here and right now.

Leo sings to Sophia’s baby, trying to get him to stop crying and complains that he has to sleep sometime. As the baby falls asleep, Javi comes home. Leo tells Javi that he just got him down. Javi shows Leo the diapers and baby items he bought. Leo comments that it looks like he bought out the whole store and questions how long the baby is staying with them again.

Sophia has a nightmare about the moments just after she gave birth and then wakes up in a panic.

Javi assures Leo that the baby is only staying until social services finds them a home. Leo wonders when he will get to sleep again. Javi promises he will tonight. Leo admits he kind of liked being up early, comforting the baby. Leo can’t believe the baby was abandoned and wonders what happened to the mother. Javi says the point of the drop off is to give them a safe place. Leo talks about how it must have been a tough decision and the mother must have felt so scared and alone.

Sophia talks to her mom on the phone and says she’s fine and just tired. Sophia says she just needs some more sleep and claims that her baby is still kicking a lot. Sophia says she will see her when she gets home and hangs up. Sophia then gets a call and says she doesn’t know what to do next. Sophia says to tell her where to meet and she’ll be there.

Tate tells Holly that he’s really glad they got to talk last night. Holly wishes she didn’t wait so long to tell him how she feels. Tate blames himself and says he knows they can’t pretend things didn’t happen but asks if she thinks they can start over and get back together.

Rachel asks Brady if she can help Roman make their breakfast today. Brady approves so Rachel goes to ask Roman. Sarah comments on Rachel seeming like she’s feeling better. Brady says for the most part, so Sarah questions if something is going on with Rachel. Sarah says if Rachel is in trouble, she wants to help as she adores her. Brady agrees to tell her if she promises that it goes no further than between the two of them.

Xander questions Maggie turning him away again. Maggie informs him that Victoria is napping and she has no intention of waking her up. Xander says he will wait here until she wakes up then. Maggie says fine and goes to leave but Xander stops her and says they need to get a few things straight.

Brady informs Sarah that Rachel saw Johnny threaten EJ with a gun and was pretty traumatized by the whole thing. Sarah says no wonder she’s been feeling so sick. Brady wonders what else Rachel witnessed in that house of horrors. Sarah calls it so sad as kids need a sense of safety, peace, and stability. Brady guesses they aren’t just talking about Rachel anymore.

Maggie tells Xander that they have nothing to say to each other. Xander says he can think of a few things, starting with the hospital board vote. Maggie says she doesn’t have time for this. Xander remarks that he would’ve thought she would be loyal to Victor’s company but instead, she turned her back on him and his legacy. Xander tells Maggie to just admit that even if it meant handing the hospital to EJ, she just couldn’t bring herself to vote because that’s how much she hates him now.

Holly tells Tate that a lot has changed since they broke up and she’s probably going to be in France in two months. Holly says she’s heard a lot of negative things about long distance relationships and asks if he seriously thinks they can make it work starting from scratch. Tate says he’s willing to try and that she’s so worth it. Tate decides maybe they are getting ahead of themselves and suggests taking it one step at a time. Tate starts by asking Holly on a date. She says she’d love that and they hold hands. Sophia enters the town square and sees them, then quickly rushes back out.

Leo asks Javi if social services won’t have a problem with Rafe being the foster parent on record but them doing the heavy lifting since Rafe goes back and forth to Chicago. Javi says they seemed fine with it and asks if Leo has a problem with it, since he didn’t sign up for an infant when he moved in with him. Leo calls the baby a bit of a surprise but says he’s actually pretty good with babies. Leo tells Javi about how he delivered Nicole’s baby and his experience with newborns. Javi assures that this is temporary but he feels responsible since he found the baby and just wants to give him a good start in life. Leo then remarks that he wonders if this is a good start.

Sophia meets Melinda Trask in the park. Sophia thanks her and says this means a lot to her as she cries that she had no one else to turn to. Melinda hugs her and says she’s got her. Melinda cannot believe Sophia went through that ordeal all by herself and asks if she’s okay physically. Sophia says she thinks so. Melinda is thankful that she and the baby are both okay. Melinda reminds Sophia that anything she tells her is confidential so she can’t tell her mother, Tate, or anybody. Melinda adds that she can’t help her unless she tells her everything, so she tells Sophia to start at the beginning.

Javi tells Leo that he thinks they can give the baby a great start in life. Leo says maybe Javi and Rafe can. Javi acknowledges Leo’s checkered past. Leo argues that Javi comes from a big, vibrant, loyal family while he didn’t have any of that growing up so he doesn’t want to pass on his unresolved childhood trauma onto the baby. Javi assures that he won’t do that and compliments seeing him with the baby last night and this morning. Leo admits that he has a soft spot for babies. Leo figures they won’t have enough time to pass anything onto the baby anyways, assuming the baby will only be with them for a couple weeks at most. Javi says probably. Leo asks what he means by that.

Brady guesses Sarah is worried about Victoria. Sarah responds that she’s second guessing every decision she’s made since Victoria was born. Sarah brings up the reason she tried to pass Victoria off as Rex’s baby at first and worries about what kind of life she will lead with Xander as her father. Brady says he’s no great fan of Xander but he would never hurt Victoria as he loves her more than anything in the world. Sarah says that’s what terrifies her, because Xander can’t seem to keep his anger in control so it’s usually the people he loves most that end up getting hurt.

Maggie tells Xander that she doesn’t hate him, she hates his actions. Maggie acknowledges that he is Victoria’s father and Victor’s son. Maggie says because she loved Victor so much, she would never fully give up on Xander. Maggie warns Xander to never question her loyalty to Victor and says the future of Titan was exactly what was on her mind last week as she reveals that she voted for Xander, calling him a jackass in the process.

Holly asks what Tate had in mind for their first date. Tate suggests dinner and a movie which Holly says sounds perfect. Tate suggests tomorrow but Holly says she can’t tomorrow or the next few days because it’s senior lake week. Holly invites Tate to come, noting that she’s going with Arianna but he could join them. Tate responds that he doesn’t think that’s a good idea.

Leo asks if Javi thinks it will take more than a few weeks to find a foster family. Javi says he agreed to more than a few weeks if it takes that long. Leo understands they are all just trying to do right by the baby. Javi hopes that someone is doing right by the baby’s mother too.

Sophia explains to Melinda that she went in to labor last night and she didn’t have time to call for help because it was all happening so fast, so she gave birth alone in her room. Melinda questions how. Sophia responds that she watched a YouTube video that showed her how to tie the umbilical cord and everything. Melinda doesn’t know whether to be impressed or terrified, but says she is relieved that nothing happened to her or the baby. Sophia cries that she keeps imagining someone picking up the baby at the fire station. Melinda asks if she’s sure this is what she wants, reminding her that the law says she can change her mind. Sophia assures that she did the right thing, believing that if Tate saw his son, he would’ve changed his mind and wanted to keep him. Sophia adds that her mom never would’ve let her give him up for adoption, so she did the right thing. Melinda says they have to get her to a doctor after she just gave birth but Sophia says no.

Xander questions Maggie voting for him to run the hospital. Maggie explains that a great deal of her work is tied to his company and it’s her granddaughter’s birth right, so she wasn’t going to leave it in shambles. Xander appreciates her being loyal and apologizes for misjudging her. Maggie says that doesn’t change things between them because he’s the same man that beat his brother within an inch of his life. Xander says that’s not the story Philip is telling. Maggie argues that the only silver lining of Philip covering for him is that they’ll both be around to fix the damage done to Titan. Xander says they’ve already agreed to work together. Maggie says that’s good and suggests he and Sarah do the same because they can’t be at each other’s throat all the time when Victoria needs a stable home life. Xander says that’s what he intends to give her, once he’s been granted full custody. Maggie knew he was ruthless and cruel but calls him delusional because no judge on Earth would give him full custody. Xander asks if she’s sure about that. Maggie brings up his rap sheet. Xander brings up Sarah lying to him about Victoria’s paternity. Maggie says she was trying to protect her. Xander adds that Sarah lied about Philip’s fraud too. Xander argues that Sarah likes to paint herself as the patron saint of Salem but she has no problem lying, cheating, and stealing to get what she wants. Maggie calls that rich coming from him. Xander responds that he’s many things, but he’s not a hypocrite as he knows who he is. Xander warns that if Sarah wants a war, he will give her one.

Brady tells Sarah that Philip went on record and said Xander was not the one who attacked him. Sarah questions if he really believes that. Brady thinks the more important question is if Sarah believes him. Brady knows it’s messy and talks about he and Kristen having some of the ugliest battles in history but they found a path to move forward and be a team for Rachel’s sake. Sarah doesn’t know if she and Xander will ever reach that level of civil. Brady warns that it won’t be them who pays the price for that.

Holly tells Tate that she feels bad as she realizes Tate can’t leave town that close to Sophia’s due date. Tate says he would feel bad ditching her while she waits around to give birth. Holly apologizes for being insensitive. Tate says it’s okay and he knows Sophia doesn’t want him in the delivery room but he feels like he should be at the hospital when the baby is born, especially if they match with adoptive parents by then as it could be his only chance to meet and hold the baby.

Sophia argues that she can’t go to the hospital because Tate and her mom will find out she already had the baby and that’s going to be a disaster. Melinda says they will go to a clinic outside of town, no arguments because she needs to get checked out. Sophia asks what she’s going to tell Tate and her mom about the baby. Melinda tells her to leave that to her as she has a plan.

Sarah doesn’t know if it’s possible for her and Xander to be civil even for Victoria’s sake as they can’t stand to be in the same room as each other and are worlds apart when it comes to their moral code. Brady says he and Kristen are the same way and their love for Rachel is all they have in common and that’s enough. Brady says if he could do it over again, he’d work on an arrangement for the both of them sooner and always put Rachel first.

Maggie questions Xander thinking all out war is what’s best for Victoria. Xander argues that it was Sarah who made it that way. Maggie suggests coming up with a compromise but Xander isn’t sure that’s possible. Maggie says they better make it possible for Victoria’s sake.

Melinda tells Sophia that she will take her to a clinic that’s an hour away. Sophia worries that her mom will still know because she is on her insurance and she will ask questions. Melinda says they won’t go through her insurance then and she will cover whatever the cost is. Sophia thanks her but questions why she is helping her. Melinda responds that she was her as they walk away together.

Leo tells Javi that this is the quietest it’s been all night. Leo admits he’s exhausted but the good kind because he likes being around babies. Javi says he does too. Leo tells Javi that he’s so proud of what he does and how he rescued the baby. Javi says he deserves a new life. Leo agrees that he will be off to a great start with all the love in the house.

Rachel rejoins Brady and Sarah’s table and then goes to ask Roman for more syrup. Sarah thanks Brady for letting her open up to him and being caring and wise as it’s nice to hear from somebody who has been in her shoes. Brady says that’s what friends are for. Rachel then returns with more syrup for her pancakes. Rachel tells them about playing Starving Shark on Roman’s phone. Sarah tells her that when she was her age, her favorite game was Ms. Pac-Man and explains how you had to go to the arcade to play. Rachel says that sounds awful but Brady says it was a cool way to make friends. Sarah says that one year, Xander bought an arcade machine for their game room. Rachel wants to see it sometime. Sarah tells her that she and Brady can visit her at the hospital any time, even if she’s not sick because she’s her friend.

Maggie tells Xander that when Sarah found out, he had switched babies, she thought that was the end of them but somehow they found their way back to each other because Sarah loves him more than she’s ever loved anyone else and she knows he loves her. Maggie declares that if the love they share is truly real, then he couldn’t possibly take Sarah’s daughter away from her. Victoria then wakes up crying, so Maggie says it sounds like Victoria is ready to see her dad. Xander thanks her and exits the room.

Leo and Javi watch over the baby. Leo says they can’t keep calling him “kid” while Javi points out that it’s not like he came with a birth certificate. Javi suggests calling him Tesoro which means treasure in Spanish since that’s what he is. Leo agrees that it’s perfect.

Holly tells Tate that she hates he has to miss out on all these huge moments with their class, especially since it’s their last summer before college. Tate brings up that all the books he’s read says first labors take hours and the lake is only an hour away. Tate adds that Sophia has his number if she needs him. Holly asks if that means he will come with them. Tate says not for a week but maybe for a day at least. Tate then remarks that he’s sure Sophia will be fine until he gets back in to town…

Sarah walks through the town square and runs in to Xander. Xander explains that he was bringing the toy dog to Victoria but he apparently missed the memo that she’s terrified of dogs. Xander adds that outside of that, he had a lovely visit. Sarah says she’s glad and she doesn’t think her fear of dogs will last. Xander guesses he should go shop for a teddy bear or something instead. Xander declares that it’s anything for his daughter as she’s all that matters which Sarah agrees with.

Holly goes home to the Kiriakis Mansion where Maggie notes her good mood and guesses it has something to do with Tate. Holly confirms that she and Tate decided to get back together. Maggie says she’s happy for her but wants her to be prepared. Maggie brings up Tate and Sophia having a baby soon and giving it up which she’s sure will be an emotional experience for them. Holly says that’s what they want to do and they both agreed it’s what is best for them and the baby. Maggie feels they will also experience sadness and may need to lean on each other. Holly questions what she is getting at. Maggie wants her to understand that having a baby together bonds two people in a way that she’s not sure will ever be completely broken.

Javi thanks Leo for being on board with fostering Tesoro. Leo states that Tesoro is important to Javi, so he’s important to him. Tesoro wakes up crying so Leo guesses he needs a diaper change. Javi admits he hasn’t spent much time with kids as Leo takes Tesoro to change him. Javi then looks on his phone at a photo of himself holding the baby.

Brady and Rachel go home where Tate asks if they are going to crash out before the 4th of July parade. Brady suggests Rachel get some rest. Rachel agrees to a short nap and says they better wake her up in time for the parade. Brady tells Tate that the big day is approaching and asks how he is feeling. Tate admits it doesn’t really feel real yet and that he is scared, sort of sad, and also excited so he’s all over the place. Brady tells him to imagine how Sophia feels. Tate says that’s why he feels so guilty because he and Holly are getting back together, but he’s worried about how Sophia will take the news.

Sophia goes home and looks in the mirror, telling herself that she can do this as she reveals a fake baby bump to pretend to still be pregnant.

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Days Update Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Days of Our Lives Update

 

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Update written by Joseph

Sarah is at the hospital when she gets a call from Xander. Sarah agrees to let him visit Victoria tomorrow. Sarah says she told him that she has a shift and she can check with Maggie but Xander hangs up on her.

At the Kiriakis Mansion, Maggie shows Holly pictures from her graduation. Maggie praises Holly being Salutorian and the speech she gave, noting that her father would be so proud of her. Holly informs Maggie that she got in to the University in Paris where she was wait listed. Maggie says that’s wonderful but questions if she’s actually considering going to school in Europe. Holly asks if she thinks it’s a bad idea. Maggie says no, but questions why she changed her mind and decided not to go to Salem U. Holly admits that it has to do with her mom as she’s worried about Nicole and Eric.

Leo is at home, on the phone trying to find information on Julie’s stolen necklace for Doug III. Leo thanks them for trying and hangs up as Javi joins him and comments on having no luck with the necklace. Javi shows off his new fireman outfit to Leo.

Steve goes to see Julie at the Horton house. Julie calls it a surprise and asks what brings him by. Steve reveals that he has some news about her necklace. Julie didn’t know he was involved. Steve explains that Jennifer wanted his help and her lead went cold while he has a way of digging deeper. Julie asks if he found out anything. Steve informs her that they finally have a lead on the buyer.

Doug III meets a man in the park, who warns him that he will be very unhappy if he doesn’t have something for him. Doug III responds that he’s sorry but he doesn’t have his money and he needs a little bit more time. He tells Doug III that he doesn’t believe his promises anymore and yells no more excuses. He warns that Doug III is out of time while he’s out of patience.

Tate calls Sophia and leaves a message, assuming that she’s sleeping and said he looked up the adoption lawyer and she should work out. Tate adds that he feels better knowing they have an appointment in place before the baby comes.

Sophia packs up her bloody clothes in a trash bag, revealing she gave birth in her bedroom to a baby boy, who begins to cry. Sophia holds her baby and promises everything is going to be okay.

Leo tells Javi that he’s fantasized about him in uniform but seeing it in person is even sexier as he kisses him. Javi tells him that he has to work. Leo didn’t realize he was working tonight and hopes late shifts won’t be regular for him. Javi says he can’t dictate his schedule but jokes that Leo is always up late anyway. Javi says if Leo isn’t up when he gets home, he will wake him.

Julie tells Steve that she’s grateful that he, Bo, and Hope are on the case but she understood the broker refused to reveal the name of the buyer. Steve says that was the case but he worked a little private investigator magic. Julie worries that it sounds illegal. Steve informs her that the necklace was purchased via wire transfer and now he has Austin, who used to be a financial accountant, tracking it backwards. Steve explains how Austin will trace the wire back to it’s bank and then they will have a clearer picture of who the person is. Julie says it sounds so encouraging. Steve promises that they will find out who has her necklace.

Doug III apologizes for getting behind on payments but points out that he did give him some money in good faith. The man argues that it barely made a dent and brings up all the payments he’s missed. He tells him there is zero tolerance, so he needs to pay up in full. Doug III asks what if he can’t.

Maggie tells Holly that whatever is going on with Nicole and Eric is for them to work out while she needs to find a good school for her to go to, not what her mom or anyone else wants. Holly says that’s not the only reason that she’s considering Europe, admitting it sounds exciting and Paris is an amazing city. Holly says if something is going on with Nicole and Eric, she would feel better being closer to Nicole. Maggie acknowledges her big heart but says the only people who can work out a problem in a relationship are the two people in the relationship. Sarah then walks in and remarks that maybe even then it’s not worth it.

Sophia holds her baby and says she’s sorry that she doesn’t have parents lined up for him yet and her parents will be home soon from the movies. Sophia worries that her mom will force her to keep him and when Tate sees him, he’ll never want to give him up. Sophia holds the baby as he cries and cries that she’s here but she can’t let anyone see him or else she’ll never get her life back.

Javi goes to the hospital and talks with Kayla about a patient they took care of. Javi mentions that it’s his second time here tonight and he just started his shift. Kayla jokes that’s Salem and tells him to have a good night as Javi walks away.

Julie is curious how much someone would pay for Alice’s necklace. Steve says the money wasn’t on there but they will find out. Julie talks about it not being about the money and how it was always the sentimental value for her. Julie says she always meant to get it appraised and insured but Doug III had already stolen it. Steve understands how she feels but says Doug III is a young man and he knows what it’s like to be his age and make poor decisions. Steve hopes that Doug III has learned his lesson. Julie responds that she’s made plenty of mistakes and bad choices, bringing up how she shoplifted as a teenager and got arrested but says this is different. Julie remarks that he doesn’t deserve the name he has and he disrespected his own family’s legacy. Julie declares that if he could betray her and his own family that easily, she has no doubt that he’s ready to do it again.

The man tells Doug III to imagine what will happen if he doesn’t pay up. Doug III says he’s trying but the man won’t hear it. He brings up the cute rich girl that Doug III has been hanging out with and how her family is loaded. Doug III tells him to leave Holly out of this. He threatens to pay Holly a visit if he doesn’t pay up and he will visit all of Doug III’s family and friends in Salem.

Sarah apologizes for saying what she said and sounding cynical, saying she’s no expert on relationships and asks what they were talking about. Maggie says she was just about to ask Holly about her summer plans. Holly says she’s volunteering at the women’s shelter, having a stack of books to read, and mentions a senior trip with Arianna. Holly adds that she feels bad talking about taking trips while Sarah is going through an awful time. Sarah tells her not to feel bad and assures that she wants her to have a good time and she’ll be fine. Holly says she’s going to meet a friend and says goodbye to them as she exits the room. Holly then pulls out her phone and texts Doug III, asking if he’s ready for their next tutoring session.

Doug III remains in the park as he gets Holly’s text. He texts her back saying that he decided not to get his GED and thanks her for offering to help.

Holly gets Doug III’s text which leaves her confused.

Steve walks through the town square and gets a call from Austin. Steve informs him that he was just telling Julie about how he’s helping recover Alice’s necklace. Austin reveals the information he found. Steve thanks him and tells him good work as he hangs up. Steve then calls Bo and says he’s not going to believe this.

Tate gets a text from Holly, asking what he’s up to. Tate responds nothing at all. Holly asks if she can come over, to which Tate excitedly responds “DEFINITELY”

Sophia puts on a black hoodie as she notes her baby being asleep. Sophia hopes no one recognizes her or sees the baby as she picks him up. Sophia cries that she’s so sorry to have to do this to him, but she doesn’t have another choice. Sophia then sneaks out of her room with the baby and her trash bag of dirty clothes.

Steve goes to the hospital and informs Kayla that they found the owner of the necklace. Kayla calls it amazing. Steve says he can’t take full credit as Bo, Hope, Jennifer, and Austin had just as much to do with it. Kayla says cheers to teamwork and guesses that Steve and his new partners will be busy. Steve is just glad he could help Julie. Kayla talks about it being extremely painful for Julie when she learned that Doug’s grandson stole the necklace. Steve hopes that Doug III learned a valuable lesson in not messing with Julie.

Doug III walks through the town square and gets a call from Leo, who tells him that he’s had no luck in tracking down the necklace. Leo declares that finding the necklace is just beyond his skillset. Leo says he wishes he could’ve helped him. Doug III appreciates him trying and adds that the necklace is the least of his concerns right now. Leo tries encouraging him and tells him that things can only get better as they hang up.

Sarah tells Maggie that Justin thinks she and Xander might need to share custody, but they don’t think they can handle it. Maggie encourages that they can handle it for Victoria’s sake. Sarah agrees that she will tolerate being in constant contact with a man that she despises. Sarah adds that just being on the phone and hearing Xander’s voice was so hard because she feels that pull he has. Sarah knows she has to be sick of hearing her be conflicted. Maggie is glad that she opens up to her about this and how in spite of everything that’s happened, she still loves Xander and he still loves her. Sarah remarks that they’ve never been further apart as Maggie hugs her.

Holly goes to see Tate, who calls this unexpected. Holly says she just wanted to check on him and see how he’s doing as she knows it’s a really sad time after losing his Grandpa. Tate thanks her for sending a card. Tate tells Holly that it’s really good to see her. Tate calls it weird how they are so used to seeing each other every day in class but now they have graduated. Holly says she also came to tell him that she’s off the wait list in Paris. Tate asks if that means she’s leaving.

Sophia returns to her room without her baby and sits on her bed in tears.

Julie walks through the town square and gets a call from Bo. Julie tells him that Steve gave her the good news but she’s shocked to learn that Alice’s necklace is on it’s way back to Salem.

Maggie tells Sarah that her heart breaks for her. Sarah tells her that she had a fantasy that if she loved Xander enough, she could change him. Maggie states that she did change him as Xander is a very different man from when he first came to Salem. Sarah feels he’s not different enough and that his being a better man for her and Victoria didn’t last because the change didn’t go deep enough. Sarah complains about Xander’s violent temper and the way he acts towards her with so much anger and judgment. Sarah declares that she can’t live with a man like that. Maggie responds that she can’t live without him either and says that’s just how she felt about Victor.

Holly tells Tate that she hasn’t decided about Paris yet and she’s technically still enrolled at Salem U but says it’s good to have options. Holly says there’s something else she wanted to confess to him and says she’s been trying to get over him. Holly brings up being mad at Tate for ratting out Doug III to Julie. Tate admits that was a punk move but notes that Doug III stealing from his own family was also a punk move. Holly agrees and states that Doug III is paying the price for it now. Tate asks if she and Doug III are a thing now. Holly responds that they are not but she thinks it’s important that they are honest with each other. Holly admits that while she and Tate were apart, she thought maybe there was something between her and Doug III but she realized there isn’t. Holly swears that nothing ever happened between her and Doug III. Holy declares that the only guy that she can’t stop dreaming about is always Tate. Tate tells her that he feels the same way about her as they kiss.

Kayla tells Steve that she’s finished another 13 hour shift. Steve offers her a massage when they get home and a bath. Steve and Kayla go to leave but Javi arrives with Sophia’s baby, informing them that the baby was left in the safe haven at the fire station with no sign of the mother. Javi explains that his captain told him to bring the baby to the hospital ASAP. Steve tells Javi that he did the right thing. Javi hands the baby over to Kayla, who says the baby is safe now.

Sophia lays in bed and breaks down crying, repeating that she’s so sorry while hugging a teddy bear.

Julie runs in to Doug III in the town square.

Kayla tells Steve and Javi that a nurse is giving the baby food now and is doing well. Javi asks what will happen now. Kayla explains that the baby has been assigned a social worker and the mother has 14 days to reclaim the baby. Javi asks if the baby will stay at the hospital until then. Kayla responds that the baby will be placed in foster care but Steve says no to doing that.

Maggie explains to Sarah that when she fell in love with Victor, she knew what kind of person he was. Sarah points out that she married him anyway. Maggie remarks that the heart wants what the heart wants. Maggie adds that she didn’t always approve of Victor’s actions and she would get fed up with him and leave. Sarah points out that she always found her way back to him. Maggie admits it was often a struggle but she knew there was a Victor that was loving and would do anything for his family and she found it hard to reconcile that he was also capable of being ruthless and going after whatever he wanted regardless of who got hurt. Sarah asks how she came to terms with that. Maggie responds that she didn’t really as it always upset her that there was another side to Victor and she just had to find a way to live with it to focus on the love and respect she had for him. Maggie calls that the only way that she was able to make a life with him. Sarah admires Maggie for being loyal and her ability to be able to focus on the good in Victor, but she’s not sure she can do that with Victor’s son.

Holly asks Tate if she should be worried and says it may be mean as she knows Sophia is going through a rough time, but it’s like every time they are together, Sophia just shows up and ruins the mood somehow. Tate assures that Holly does not have to worry about Sophia and declares that Holly is the only girl he cares about.

Sophia sits up in bed and grabs her phone to listen to her voicemail from Tate, saying he checked out the adoption information she sent and that he felt good that they had the appointment in place before the baby comes. Sophia cries that it’s too late as their baby has come and has now gone.

Steve reminds Kayla of his history of being abandoned as a child, so he doesn’t want to see this baby possibly go to a random foster home and be mistreated. Steve suggests maybe there’s a reason they were still here when Javi brought the baby in. Kayla asks if he’s saying he wants them to foster the baby. Steve points out that they’ve done it before. Kayla reminds him that she’s working long hours and Steve has unretired so he’ll be busy. Kayla questions how they would make it work. Javi thinks he has an idea.

Julie questions what Doug III wants. He says he wants her to know that he did all he could and tried everything, but he couldn’t get her necklace back as he couldn’t find it and wouldn’t be able to buy it back for her. Julie calls that no surprise. Doug III informs her that he’s thinking of leaving town and he just wanted to tell her again how sorry he is. Julie responds that she’s sorry that she welcomed him in to her home and that she ever trusted him. Julie adds that she’s especially sorry that he carries her late husband’s name because he doesn’t have the integrity, character, or loving heart that Doug Williams represented. Julie suggests Doug III buy a bus ticket and just leave Salem. Julie then reveals to him that the necklace is coming back to her, no thanks to him. Julie then walks off.

Maggie tells Sarah that she knows how difficult this is for her and wishes she could do something to help. Sarah tells her that she is helping just by being here for her and Victoria because she could not get through this without her. Sarah says now that things are over between she and Xander, she has to figure out a new way of being. Maggie asks if she’s saying she wants a divorce. Sarah cries that she honestly doesn’t know. Maggie says if she’s not sure, maybe it’s not as over as she thinks.

Tate tells Holly that he missed her so much and kisses her. Holly jokes about getting interrupted. Tate mentions that he texted Sophia earlier and she never got back to him, so she must be asleep. Tate and Holly then continue kissing.

Sophia tells herself to pull herself together as she picks up her phone and makes a call, saying she needs their help.

Javi goes home to Leo with the baby in a stroller. Leo questions who’s baby that is. Javi responds that for now, he is their baby, leaving Leo confused.

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Days Update Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Days of Our Lives Update

 

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Update written by Joseph

Arianna goes to the Brady Pub to see Doug III.

Tate sits with Sophia in her room as they talk about the baby kicking. Tate says he’ll miss that feeling after while Sophia talks about being done with pregnancy and just wanting it to be over so they can both move on with their lives. Tate points out that they still have to find someone who will adopt their baby.

Brady and Rachel play chess at home until Brady gets a call from Marlena, who informs him about Johnny’s arrest.

Chanel visits Johnny in the interrogation room at the police station. Chanel mentions his arraignment being scheduled for tonight after Paulina pulled some strings. Chanel wishes Paulina could’ve helped more and stop him from being arrested in the first place.

EJ walks through the town square, finishing a call with Rita where he says his meeting with the judge went just as he hoped.

Arianna orders a root beer and a tuna melt from Doug III at the Pub and says that’s all for now.

Sophia tells Tate that she found a lawyer who can help them and she met with her today. Tate questions her doing that without him. Sophia knows how much Tate has been going through with John dying, so she didn’t want to bother him with anything else and they are running out of time. Tate thanks her for taking care of that but feels like he should meet the lawyer. Sophia says she’ll send her information to him but she’s glad she was able to find someone who wasn’t expensive and seems kind and understanding. Tate wants to make sure she finds parents that will give their kid a great life. Sophia asks Tate what he’s thinking about. Tate responds that he keeps picturing their baby in a year or two, taking their first steps or saying their first words. Sophia says she tries not to picture their baby growing up. Tate says he probably shouldn’t and apologizes if it was insensitive to bring up but Sophia is glad he was honest. Tate is glad they are closer to finding a family for the baby, so they can get on with their lives like she said.

Brady thanks Marlena for letting him know and hangs up. Rachel asks if they should play another game but Brady says that will have to wait because they have to talk about something important about Johnny. Brady informs Rachel that Johnny was arrested. Rachel responds that she thought they might arrest him for shooting EJ.

Johnny tells Chanel that it’s not Paulina’s fault that he got arrested. Chanel argues that she’s the one who gave the order but Johnny says he doesn’t blame her for doing her job. Johnny says part of him feels like he should thank Paulina because it’s so nice to have this secret finally out in the open as it’s been really weighing on him the last few months. Johnny says he was afraid he was his father’s son. Chanel feels he has proved that he is not like EJ since he walked away without hurting him and that’s all that matters. EJ then enters the room and says he couldn’t agree more.

Arianna comments on Doug III being so busy and that explaining why they haven’t seen much of each other as she was beginning to think he was avoiding her. Arianna thought they agreed that they wanted to see more of each other the last time they hung out, so she questions why he hasn’t answered her messages. She wants him to tell her if he’s changed his mind. Doug III questions why he would change his mind. Arianna suggests maybe he’s seeing someone else.

Sophia sends Tate the lawyer’s information. Tate starts to show her pictures that Aaron took at graduation until Sophia’s mother Amy walks in. Amy asks if Sophia is sure she didn’t want to join the family in going out for dinner. Sophia assures that with the baby kicking so much, she’d rather stay in one place. Amy adds that her father wanted to go to a movie afterwards so they might be out late. Sophia says that’s fine. Amy offers to bring home popcorn but Sophia says she’s good. Amy assumes Tate won’t be staying long and says to text her if they change their mind as she exits.

EJ tells Chanel that he’d like to have a private word with his son. Chanel refuses to leave and Johnny says EJ can say whatever in front of her. EJ says not anymore as he announces he’s officially Johnny’s lawyer as of 15 minutes ago. Johnny thought EJ couldn’t represent him. EJ explains that after a meeting with the judge, he said Johnny can choose whoever he wants as his defense. Chanel argues against it being a good idea and advises Johnny against doing it. Johnny points out that he does need some kind of representation. Chanel argues that there’s plenty of lawyers in town to choose from. EJ feels Johnny needs the best. Chanel argues that EJ is the victim and his father which is a conflict of interest. EJ says the judge felt otherwise and tells Chanel to keep her opinions to herself until she gets her law degree.

Brady notes that Rachel doesn’t seem that surprised about Johnny’s arrest. Rachel asks why she would be since she saw Johnny with a gun. Brady tells her that the police are going to want to ask her questions about that. Rachel thought she wasn’t supposed to say anything about it and that her Grandmother Rachel Blake could be in trouble if she did. Brady says that was before and that Rachel Blake is safe now, so if the police ask her anything, he wants her to tell the truth. Rachel doesn’t want to talk to the police. Brady says she has to as it’s very important and he’ll be there with her the whole time. Kristen then comes over and excitedly hugs Rachel, who says she didn’t know she’d be home already. Kristen says she didn’t plan to be but she got Rachel Blake set up in her new home and rushed home because she missed her. Rachel says she missed her too and asks about when they can visit Rachel Blake. Kristen says they will soon and gives her a card that Rachel Blake sent to her. Kristen sends Rachel to get some paper in her room to write her back. Brady then questions why Kristen is really here. Kristen responds that she heard Johnny was arrested and asks where else she would be, calling this a disaster.

EJ apologizes to Chanel and says he’s just upset. Chanel responds that they are all a little upset. EJ understands having him defend Johnny is unconventional, but he thinks it will work on the jury. EJ asks what better proof that Johnny had nothing to do with the shooting than the fact that the victim himself is his attorney?

Tate tells Sophia that he got the impression that her mom wants him to leave. Sophia jokes that she thinks they might make another baby. Tate asks if she thinks they are together. Sophia asks who cares since it’s none of her business who she does or doesn’t date. Sophia asks Tate if there’s anything new with Holly. Tate says he hasn’t heard from her since graduation. Sophia mentions seeing Holly helping Doug III for his GED. Sophia remarks that she doesn’t know what Holly sees in that guy but it seems like they are getting pretty close.

Doug III assures Arianna that he’s not seeing anyone else. Arianna suggests they go to a movie then after he gets off work. Doug III says he might be a little tired after his shift, so Arianna suggests they just go to his room.

Kristen can’t believe Roman and Marlena know that Rachel saw Johnny with a gun, but Roman told the police. Brady explains that they were doing what they thought was best for Johnny. Kristen asks what about what’s best for Rachel and complains about Brady telling her about Johnny’s arrest without telling her first. Brady points out that Kristen didn’t give him a heads up when she told EJ about Rachel seeing Johnny with the gun that night. Brady argues that Rachel would’ve found out sooner or later because the police are going to want to talk to her about what she saw that night. Kristen asks how he thinks EJ will react to this since they swore Rachel wouldn’t testify against Johnny so he would keep her mother safe, but now he will go back on his word. Brady doesn’t think she has to worry about her mother. Kristen asks if he thinks it’s above EJ to hurt her or make her disappear like before. Kristen worries that there’s nothing to stop EJ and wonders what he will do next. Kristen asks what if this time EJ goes after Rachel and hurts her.

Chanel tells Johnny that she doesn’t believe hiring EJ as his attorney is a good idea. Johnny thinks EJ as a point. EJ reiterates that the jury is not likely to believe Johnny is guilty if the victim is his attorney. Chanel points out that EJ is also his father and has reason to lie. Johnny argues that EJ isn’t lying because he believes that he’s innocent. Chanel reminds EJ that he told Johnny that he doesn’t remember who shot him, so he can’t say who it was one way or the other. Johnny tells Chanel that he knows it’s a gamble, but if he goes with somebody else, the jury might wonder why EJ didn’t want to stand up. EJ calls that an excellent point. Johnny tells Chanel that he hears her, but he thinks the pros outweigh the cons here. Johnny then officially tells EJ he would like to hire him as his attorney.

Brady questions Kristen agreeing now that EJ could harm their daughter. Kristen admits she doesn’t know and she doesn’t want to believe that her brother could hurt a child, let alone his own niece, but his son was arrested so there’s no telling what he might do. Brady encourages her to take a breath as he knows EJ can be vengeful, even towards his own family, but he has to understand that Rachel didn’t mean for Johnny to get arrested and Rachel didn’t go to the cops. Kristen remarks that he sounds awfully confident. Brady responds that he is because Johnny said he’s innocent. Kristen brings up Rachel seeing him with the gun. Brady informs her that Johnny told Marlena that he didn’t fire the gun. Kristen complains that Marlena believes him because he’s her beloved grandson. Brady says she isn’t helping while Kristen complains about Brady pretending everything is hunky-dory until Rachel comes back in and screams at them to stop fighting.

EJ tells Johnny that it’s almost time for his bail hearing so he should get changed. Johnny asks for a moment alone with Chanel first so EJ exits. Johnny apologizes to Chanel as he knows this is not what she wanted. Chanel says if it’s what he thinks is best, then she will support his decision. Chanel tells him to just focus on making bail and she’ll make sure EJ stays out of the way.

Kristen and Brady apologize to Rachel for upsetting her. Rachel tells them to apologize to each other instead. Brady then apologizes to Kristen for getting upset. Kristen says she’s sorry and that they shouldn’t be raising their voices. Rachel is pleased and asks if that was so hard.

Tate finishes showing Sophia the pictures from graduation that Aaron sent him. Sophia comments on everyone looking like they had so much fun, so she wishes she could’ve stayed. Amy returns and interrupts them, saying it’s Sophia’s last chance to come with the family. Sophia responds that she just wants some peace and quiet. Amy says she will see Sophia when she gets back and tells her to make sure she eats. Sophia rushes her out of the room and tells Tate that her mom doesn’t know how to take no for an answer sometimes. Tate says it’s okay and that he should get going so she can have that peace and quiet. Sophia clarifies that she just didn’t want to hang out with her family tonight but he doesn’t have to go. Tate says it’s fine as he didn’t want to tire her our and just wanted to stop by to see how she was doing. Sophia says she hasn’t had any more contractions since graduation which Tate calls a relief. Sophia insists that Tate can stay if she wants and adds that she’s not even tired while it’s still pretty early. Tate feels he probably should go since Rachel is staying with them for awhile and he doesn’t get to hang out with her often. Tate says he’ll send her the photos. Sophia thanks him for stopping by. Tate says he’ll see her later and then exits.

Doug III reminds Arianna that they agreed going to his room wasn’t the best idea since he works at the Pub. Arianna reminds him that she knows the place really well, so they could go up the back steps and no one would see them. Arianna asks him to give her the key and she’ll meet him there after his shift, so he hands over the key. Doug III brings her food to her and then goes to check on another table, where he finds a note left, warning him that he has another payment due.

Brady asks if Rachel wants to talk any more about what they were talking about earlier. Rachel says she doesn’t think so and wants to watch a scary movie instead. Rachel says it can be like a sleepover with the three of them. Kristen joins Rachel in excitedly asking Brady if they can.

Chanel exits the interrogation room so that Johnny can change. EJ tells her that the sooner they get the bail hearing over with, the sooner he can start the real work on his defense. Chanel questions EJ believing he’s really the best person to do this. EJ says that he obviously does, just like Chanel made it clear that she doesn’t. Chanel argues that EJ is the person that put Johnny in this position in the first place. EJ argues that Chanel’s mother railroaded Johnny in to being arrested and the last thing Johnny needs is for Chanel to discuss his case with the Mayor. Chanel agrees that she will not be discussing any of this with Paulina. Chanel adds that she doesn’t need his approval. Chanel feels that Johnny made a deal with the devil. EJ feels if she really believed that, she would still be trying to talk Johnny out of it. Chanel says she respects Johnny’s decision and admits having a shark that may lie and do whatever it takes to get Johnny out may be to his advantage. Chanel remarks that he may be his father and believe that blood is thicker than water, but she’s his wife and doesn’t believe that. Chanel warns EJ not to make Johnny choose between them because if he does, he will regret it.

Brady and Kristen watch a scary movie with Rachel. Brady stops the movie, feeling it had gotten too scary but Rachel and Kristen want to continue. Brady decides they can continue tomorrow night if Rachel agrees to stay over a few more days. Rachel excitedly says she wants to which Kristen allows. Rachel then tells Kristen that she can stay too, so they can all finish the movie tomorrow. Tate then comes home, surprised to see them together and questions what’s going on. Rachel calls it family movie night as Brady asks if Tate wants to join them.

Sophia lays in bed with her phone and tries to get comfortable with her baby. Sophia then gets up and worries that her water just broke.

Doug III returns to Arianna as she finishes her food. He tells her that he’s going to need his key back. She asks if he’s serious. He says he needs her to go right now. She thought they had this whole plan. He says plans change and he needs her to go. She calls this so rude and asks about paying. Doug III says he will take care of the bill and tells her to just go. Arianna tosses the key down and storms out of the Pub.

Johnny and EJ return to the police station after his bail hearing as Johnny comments on it being nice to be out of handcuffs. EJ says they’ll just post his bail and get out of here. Chanel comes over and says there’s no need as she already paid the bail. Johnny thanks EJ. EJ tells him to get some rest as they have a lot of work ahead of them. Johnny then exits the station with Chanel.

Rachel asks if Tate can watch the movie with them tomorrow night and says they’ll start it from the beginning for him. Brady agrees if Tate is available tomorrow. Kristen says while Tate is deciding, she and Rachel will go get some more popcorn. Tate asks Brady about family movie night and says he didn’t realize they were starting a new tradition. Brady explains that Kristen came because they found out that Johnny was arrested for allegedly shooting EJ. Tate is shocked and asks what he’s talking about. Brady adds that Johnny is claiming he’s innocent. Brady calls it complicated and says they’ll talk about it later when they are alone. Brady asks how Sophia is. Tate says she has had no pains since graduation.

Sophia decides she needs to get to the hospital now and picks up her phone, but drops it in pain.

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Days Update Monday, June 30, 2025

Days of Our Lives Update

 

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Update written by Joseph

Marlena goes to the Brady Pub, surprising Roman as he asks what she’s doing back. Marlena responds that she hasn’t eaten much and was craving some of Caroline’s chowder. Roman says something tells him that’s not the real reason she’s back and guesses she’s worried about Johnny. Marlena confirms that’s the same as he is and asks if he has some sort of plan to help him. Roman says he consulted with Carrie, who agreed that it would be best if Johnny turned himself in.

Rafe goes home where Gabi questions if he confronted Johnny about what she remembered. Rafe responds that Johnny admitted that he was at the DiMera Mansion on the night that EJ was shot and that they argued. Rafe adds that Johnny had a gun and had every intention of shooting his father. Gabi asks if that means that Johnny confessed to trying to kill EJ. Rafe reveals that Johnny maintains that he’s innocent and he believes him.

Belle and Paulina wait in the interrogation room at the police station. Paulina says there’s no word from Jada yet and she knows Belle is upset. Belle complains that when she came to Paulina about Johnny’s situation, she didn’t know that she would have him immediately arrested. Paulina argues that they had no choice. Belle argues that they could’ve brought him in for questioning and heard him out first. Paulina asks what the hell he could’ve said to change anything when he told Rafe that he aimed a gun at his father on the night he was shot. Belle reminds her that Johnny also said he didn’t fire the gun. Paulina asks how it would look if they took Johnny at his word and they let him walk. Belle admits it would look like Johnny was getting special treatment from his aunt and mother in law. Belle still thinks they are overcompensating by having him immediately arrested when they don’t even have any physical evidence. Paulina says Belle knows the answer to that. Belle worries that Johnny’s not going to know what hit him.

In the town square, Jada then approaches with a cop and greets EJ and Johnny. EJ asks what they can do for her. Jada responds that she’s here for Johnny. Jada informs Johnny that she’s sorry but he’s under arrest for the attempted murder of EJ DiMera. EJ tells Jada not to do that as she’s making a big mistake. Johnny says it’s alright while EJ shouts that they have no right to arrest him. Johnny is handcuffed as Chanel comes over from the Bakery and questions what the hell is going on. Johnny informs her that he’s being arrested for attempted murder, shocking Chanel.

Marlena questions Roman about Carrie’s advice being that Johnny should turn himself in. Roman feels that would be the advice of any good lawyer because if the police found out any other way, then it would look like Johnny has something to hide. Marlena asks what if Johnny can’t prove that he’s innocent. Roman feels that they just have to trust the system. Marlena worries that it doesn’t always work out, pointing out that Gabi went to prison twice for crimes she didn’t commit.

Gabi questions Rafe believing that Johnny left the gun with EJ, noting that she’s not sure she does and doubts the police will either. Rafe reveals that he’s already told Jada about it, so the truth is bound to come out sooner than later. Rafe says he wanted to pave the way for Johnny to turn himself in.

Belle wishes they could’ve given Johnny and EJ a heads up. Paulina questions EJ never mentioning anything about his son pulling a gun on him. Belle states that EJ is still missing a chunk of time from that night and guesses he will be shocked. Paulina worries about Chanel, wishing they could’ve given her a heads up as well. Paulina talks about how the case will get so much scrutiny and Johnny as well. Belle adds that they don’t want anyone thinking bias from authorities helped get him off. Paulina calls that a pretty big if. Belle asks if she thinks Johnny is guilty. Paulina states that Johnny admitted to pointing a gun at his father with intent to kill and all they have is his word that he didn’t pull the trigger.

Jada reads Johnny her rights while Chanel doesn’t understand what’s going on. Johnny swears that he did not shoot EJ. EJ tells him not another word. Jada says they are taking him to the police station and they can talk there. EJ argues that he’s the victim in the situation and that Johnny is innocent. EJ warns Jada that if she takes Johnny to the police station, he will drag her to Hell and back. Jada questions if EJ is threatening the police commissioner and remarks that she thought he was a changed man after waking up from his coma. EJ guesses he’s starting to feel more like his old self again. Jada asks if he can prove his son’s innocence. EJ responds that he knows for certain that Johnny did not shoot him. Jada asks if that means he remembered who did then. EJ says no, but he remembered Johnny showing up with a gun, they argued, and then he gave him the weapon and left. Jada calls that a conveniently timed story. EJ says he just remembered it earlier today. Jada questions why the gun wasn’t found at the scene. EJ says obviously the real shooter took it with them. Jada theorizes that Johnny could still be the real shooter if he came back, but EJ says that’s not what happened. Jada knows EJ wants to cover for his son but argues that lying is only making it worse for both of them. Jada advises they find a good lawyer as she and the cop escort Johnny away in handcuffs and Chanel glares at EJ.

Belle tells Paulina that she knows it looks bad but if Johnny says he’s innocent, she believes him. Paulina questions why he didn’t come forward and says they only know about this because Gabi identified his voice at the scene of the crime. Belle says that Johnny knew his story would sound suspicious. Paulina feels now it sounds more suspicious because he kept it to himself. Paulina says she desperately wants to believe Johnny too as she loves him like a son, but she was there when he got the call about EJ being in the hospital and he was cold-blooded, refusing to even go see EJ in the hospital and said he got what he deserved. Paulina notes that doesn’t sound like a man who gave EJ his gun and just walked out but a man who very much wanted EJ dead. Paulina then gets a text that Jada has arrested Johnny and is bringing him in.

Roman brings Marlena her chowder. Marlena thanks him and apologizing for falling apart early. Roman is glad to be there for her and assures that Kate doesn’t have a problem with it as her heart goes out for all that she’s been through and she knows how worried they are about their grandson. Marlena gets a text from Belle that Johnny has been arrested.

Gabi tells Rafe that she hopes his plan works for Johnny’s sake. Rafe hopes so too because he’s innocent. Gabi hopes his plan works for her sake too because if they bring a case against Johnny, she would have to testify. Gabi worries that EJ already hates her and will hate her more for sending his son to prison, unless EJ wants Johnny to pay for threatening him. Rafe says that Johnny said EJ is willing to forgive and forget which Gabi calls unlike him. Rafe then gets a call from Jada. Rafe questions why she didn’t tell him that she was bringing Johnny in so he could be there. Rafe says he’ll be right there and hangs up, informing Gabi that Johnny has been arrested for attempted murder as he rushes out of the house. Arianna comes out of her room, so Gabi informs her that she just left a message for Will because Johnny was just arrested because the police think he shot his father. Arianna asks if it’s true that he did. Gabi responds that Johnny says he didn’t. Arianna says she believes Johnny is a really good guy and not capable of that kind of violence. Gabi hopes she’s right. Arianna asks if there’s anything they can do. Gabi suggests saying a prayer for him tonight as they hug.

Belle reminds Paulina not to rush to judgment. Paulina believes Belle is rushing to judgment by proclaiming Johnny’s innocence. Paulina says they both love and want to protect Johnny but they have to let justice take it’s course without interference. Belle guesses that Paulina is going to remove her from the case. Paulina responds that she’s sorry but she has no choice.

Marlena tells Roman that they have to get to the police station. Roman says not yet since Johnny is being processed, so it will be quite awhile before they can see him. Marlena asks what Roman thinks happened as she can’t imagine Johnny would turn himself in without an attorney. Roman says he’s worried there is something more to this, like the police having evidence against him.

EJ tells Chanel that he doesn’t have time to explain as he has to get to the police station. Chanel stops him and demands to know what’s going on, saying they can either talk here in private or at the police station where the police may overhear them. EJ tells her that not long after he got back from the hospital, he remembered Johnny confronting him with the gun and assumed he was the one who shot him. Chanel says Johnny never told her any of this. Chanel notes that EJ told Jada that Johnny backed off and asks if he was lying. EJ says he doesn’t actually remember that but it’s what Johnny told him right before Jada arrived and he believes him. Chanel asks how they even know that Johnny was at the DiMera Mansion that night. EJ says that Johnny made the mistake of trusting Rafe, so he must have been the one who blabbed to Jada.

Paulina hopes Belle understands why she has to remove her from the case. Belle says she does and in some ways, she’s relieved because she wasn’t looking forward to prosecuting her own nephew. Paulina orders Belle to stay out of the case completely with no questions, suggestions and to not even touch the file. Jada brings Johnny in to the station. Belle questions if handcuffs were really necessary. Paulina reminds her they are doing it by the book. Belle tells Johnny that she’s so sorry this happened. Rafe arrives and says he is too. Rafe tells Johnny that it’s his fault as he thought Jada could be trusted to handle this, but clearly he made a terrible mistake. Rafe tells Johnny that he’s so sorry as he thought Jada would let him come in on his own and not railroad him. Jada tells Rafe to stay out of it. Jada informs Johnny that he will be taken down to be booked and then will have a chance to call his lawyer. EJ arrives and announces that he is Johnny’s lawyer. Chanel rushes in and asks if she can please talk to her husband. Jada tells her that she’s sorry but they have to get him booked. Chanel pleads for just a second so Jada allows it. Chanel tells Johnny that she knows he’s innocent and encourages him to be strong. Chanel says she will be waiting for him and she loves him. Johnny says he loves her too as he is then escorted away to be booked. Paulina comforts Chanel while EJ turns to Belle and questions how she could let this happen.

The cop has Johnny empty his pockets and remove his jewelry as he is booked.

Chanel tells Paulina that she has to do something as Johnny says he’s innocent. Paulina says she’s sorry but they had to arrest him. Chanel questions if Paulina knew this was going to happen. Paulina reveals that she’s the one who made the order which shocks Chanel. Chanel asks what the hell is wrong with her. Paulina tries to tell her to understand but Chanel says she can’t listen to her excuses or even look at her right now as she storms out of the station.

Johnny has his fingerprints taken.

EJ and Belle walk through the town square. EJ questions Belle going straight to the Mayor after talking with Jada. Belle confirms that she did because she knew she was too close to the case to make the final decision but then after meeting with Paulina, everything started to snowball. Belle swears that she had no idea that Paulina would insist on Johnny being arrested on the spot. Belle says she’s sorry and wishes there was something she could do. EJ says there is and orders her to get the charges dropped but Belle says she can’t make that happen. EJ responds that he can and he will. Belle asks how. EJ says she will see.

Johnny has his mugshot taken at the police station.

Rafe takes Jada in to the interrogation room and asks how the hell she could do this to Johnny. Jada asks if she was supposed to turn a blind eye. Rafe argues that she could’ve let him bring Johnny in for questioning and given him the benefit of the doubt. Jada calls that a lovely idea but says he knows damn well this is a high profile case that will be closely scrutinized, so she had no choice but to consult with the district attorney, who then consulted with the mayor. Rafe disagrees while Jada calls him a hypocrite for saying he was obligated to talk to her about it but not acknowledging that she was obligated to talk to her superiors. Rafe remarks that the problem is that the three of them made a stupid move and the wrong move. Jada tells Rafe that he can’t tell them how to do their job. Jada says she doesn’t like it either but this is how it has to be. Rafe guesses she’s just gunning for a high profile conviction. Rafe remarks that Jada was always obsessed with her case clearance rate which is why Paulina gave her his job. Jada says maybe if he was, he’d still have his job. Rafe can’t believe she went there. Jada says she knows he’s upset but she won’t apologize because he’s throwing a temper tantrum over not getting his way. Jada says unless Rafe has something useful to add, he can get out of her face so she can get back to her job.

Arianna asks Gabi if Will knows about Johnny. Gabi says not yet but she left him a message to call her. Gabi feels she should wait to fill him in until they know more. Arianna is sure he’ll be upset. Arianna says it was really nice having Will in town even if it was for a sad occasion. Gabi agrees and reveals that Arianna’s high school diploma came in the mail today. Arianna looks at it and calls it kind of cool. Gabi asks if she wants to take a picture with it but Arianna feels that is lame. Gabi insists on wanting as many memories as possible since she only has her for the summer, so Arianna agrees to take the picture.

Marlena tries calling Brady but he doesn’t answer. Marlena tells Roman that she wanted to warn Brady that Rachel may be called upon to testify in court. Roman says that’s just what she doesn’t need. Marlena hopes it doesn’t come to that. Roman says while they are worried about Johnny, there will be a whole lot of people affected by this as well. Marlena points out that Roman is likely in possession of the gun used to shoot EJ and asks what if they arrest him for concealing evidence. Roman responds that he knew the risk when he kept quiet, but he had to protect Johnny. Marlena declares that she can’t lose him too. Roman promises that she won’t, but they now have to face the facts that it’s time for him to tell the police everything he knows.

Rafe walks out of the interrogation room as Paulina enters. Jada tells Paulina that Rafe had opinions on how they handled Johnny’s arrest. Paulina apologizes as she knows it’s difficult for Jada on a personal level as it is for her since Chanel is furious with her. Jada assures that Chanel will understand when she calms down as it’s hard to argue that Johnny’s arrest wasn’t inevitable. Paulina asks if Jada thinks it’s plausible that Johnny didn’t do this. Jada responds that all she knows is that Johnny had means, motive, and opportunity which is more than enough to take this to trial.

Belle warns EJ that he cannot interfere in this case while EJ argues that he can because Johnny is his son and he’s meant to protect him, especially now that he knows he’s innocent. Belle questions if EJ thought Johnny was guilty before. EJ admits that he remembered Johnny walking in with the gun, so he assumed he shot him, but now he’s sure that Johnny didn’t do it which is why it’s imperative that Belle helps him. Belle says she had no idea he had been agonizing over this all this time. EJ says now she knows. Belle says even if EJ got her back on the case, she’d have to do her job. EJ feels he can count on her to do an honest job because she’s a good lawyer and he believes the facts of the case are in Johnny’s favor because he’s innocent. Belle believes that too and hopes they can prove it.

Johnny is brought back from booking. Chanel rushes up and asks if she can talk to him now but the cop says he has to take him straight to his cell. Chanel argues that she’s his wife but the cop says it doesn’t matter. Paulina announces an order to let Chanel talk to Johnny in the interrogation room, so they head inside.

Gabi tells Arianna that she’s so proud of her while they look over the pictures she took and decide on one for Gabi to post. Arianna asks if it’s okay if she goes to the Pub because she wants to check on Roman as she’s sure he’s probably really upset over th whole Johnny thing. Gabi agrees, so Arianna exits while Rafe returns home. Gabi asks what happened with Johnny. Rafe informs her that he’s stuck in jail until his bail hearing. Gabi asks if it will go to trial. Rafe says if he pleads innocent and no more evidence comes out, it will. Gabi worries that she would have to testify and guesses she will have to face the wrath of EJ DiMera after all.

Belle tells EJ that she will go update Marlena on Johnny’s situation. EJ apologizes for getting upset with her earlier. Belle tells him not to worry about it as she kisses him and walks away. EJ then pulls out his phone and makes a call that he needs to see the judge immediately. EJ says he’s on his way to present an argument to him.

Johnny tells Chanel that he did not shoot his father. Chanel assures that she believes him but questions why he didn’t tell her about any of it from confronting EJ with the gun, talking to Rafe, and why he lied about where he went that night. Johnny guesses it was shame and says he’s been a mess lately. Johnny swears he was going to come clean and tell Chanel everything before he turned himself in but nothing went as planned. Johnny admits it’s gotten so out of control that he’s afraid he’s going to go down for something he didn’t do. Chanel encourages that it’s going to be okay, assuring that Rafe, Jada, and Belle are all on his side. Chanel declares that Paulina is the one who stabbed them in the back. The cop enters and tells them their time is up. Chanel tells Johnny that they will get through this together. Johnny says he loves her and is escorted out of the room as Chanel holds back tears.

Marlena finds Belle in the town square and says she got her message and tried to call her back. Belle says it’s been a crazy day. Marlena says she was on her way to see Johnny. Belle informs her that Johnny is being booked now so she should probably wait. Marlena asks how he’s doing. Belle says he’s nervous and overwhelmed, so she wants to help him so badly but Paulina took her off the case.

Roman goes to the police station and tells Jada and Paulina that he hears they have Johnny in custody. Paulina confirms that they have Johnny in a cell and asks if Roman is here to see him. Roman then turns over his gun and reveals that he believes it was used to shoot EJ DiMera.

Johnny is locked up in his holding cell and sits down as he flashes back to telling Chanel how he hated EJ and wanted to kill him, then to telling Chanel that EJ got what he deserved. Johnny then flashes back to holding the gun on EJ and saying he was there to kill him.

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Days Update Friday, June 27, 2025

Days of Our Lives Update

 

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Update written by Joseph

Kate joins Alex at the Brady Pub and informs him that she has decided to hang up her apron and accept the job with Titan. Kate then asks Alex when they are going to start publishing best sellers.

Stephanie is at home, reading over her manuscript until Jada comes in and asks what she’s reading. Stephanie closes it and claims it’s nothing but Jada doesn’t believe her. Stephanie then admits she may have written a romance novel. Jada questions why she didn’t tell anyone. Stephanie says it weirds her out to have people she knows reading sex scenes. Stephanie says it’s not something she wants to get around. Jada comments that it kind of looks like it already has. Stephanie admits she told Alex, who gave it to Kate, who inadvertently left it at the hospital where apparently everyone has been drooling over it. Stephanie then worries about if her mother read it.

Kayla finishes a call at the hospital as EJ enters her office. Kayla says she hasn’t finished reviewing the budget. EJ says he isn’t here to discuss that but to continue their conversation from before she rudely hung up on him. Kayla complains that he was berating her for scheduling another board vote. EJ calls it unnecessary since his ownership of the hospital has already been approved. EJ threatens her with a lawsuit if she doesn’t call off the vote. Kayla responds that it’s too late and she’s not sorry.

Johnny meets with Rafe in the park. Rafe tells Johnny how important he is to him and that he can tell him anything. Johnny asks what’s going on here. Rafe reveals he got a concerned message awhile ago which Johnny questions. Rafe says he’s not accusing him of anything but he needs to know if he was in an argument with EJ the night that he was shot.

Cat is at home when she gets a call from Shane and asks what she can do for him. Cat questions it being tonight and says she’s aware of what she signed up for. Cat thanks him and hangs up as Chad arrives at her door with flowers. Chad says he’s sorry he’s early, but Cat says she’s kind of glad that he is.

Xander brings Philip flowers in the hospital. Philip questions that being insincere. Xander says he told him he felt horrible about what happened. Philip asks if he means nearly beating him to death in his hotel room. Xander repeats that he was very upset and not thinking clearly. Philip asks about when he snuck in to his hospital room to try and murder him so he wouldn’t name him as his attacker.

Cat tells Chad that he didn’t have to bring her flowers and that a home cooked meal was the least she could for him after he sprained his ankle while skydiving on their date. Chad calls it a small price to pay and reveals the flowers are actually for her sister Felicity. Cat says she will appreciate that very much. Chad comments that the food smells really good. Cat says it will be done soon. Chad says there’s no rush while Cat eyes her cell phone.

EJ questions Kayla refusing to call off the vote and threatens to bury her in litigation, questioning if the hospital can even afford legal counsel. Kayla responds that they can and clarifies that they would be sued by Titan-DiMera if they called off the vote now that Philip made his statement, exonerating Xander. Kayla suggests they do this sooner rather than later.

Johnny says if Rafe is asking if he shot his father, the answer is no. Rafe says that is good to hear but that’s not what he asked, he wants to know if he fought with him that night. Johnny asks if someone told him that he did, arguing that someone would’ve had to heard the argument. Rafe takes that as there was an argument and guesses he got his answer.

Jada asks Stephanie about Alex thinking her book could be a best seller. Stephanie points out that Alex is not unbiased. Jada notes that Kate doesn’t sugarcoat things. Stephanie says Kate gave notes but she really likes it. Jada encourages her to get it published. Stephanie admits part of her wants to but part of her is a little afraid, because it’s pretty erotic and even though it would be published under a pseudonym, there’s still some personal stuff in there that’s mostly fictionalized. Jada declares the one way to settle this is she needs to read it. Stephanie asks if she really wants to. Jada tells her to hand it over, so she does.

Alex asks if Kate really wants to come work at Titan-DiMera. Kate confirms that she does, so Alex questions what changed her mind. Kate responds that it was almost losing Philip which made her reflect on her relationship with Victor. Kate says it was never simple but Titan was Victor’s baby so she wants to do right by them. Kate acknowledged that Philip has made a lot of mistakes but Titan is his legacy, so she will do what it takes to make sure he hangs on to it.

Xander claims to have no idea what Philip is talking about. Philip says when he agreed not to rat him out for attacking him, he was barely out of a coma or aware of his surroundings. Xander notes that he knew enough that he would be out of a fortune if he didn’t lie and his future. Philip remarks that he now understands that he will never be safe as long as Xander is running around free. Xander questions Philip thinking he tried to kill him. Philip says he knows it because Kate told him about the guard outside of his room suddenly getting sick when Xander got in and when he woke up, Xander was standing over him with a pillow. Philip guesses that Xander was going to smother him.

Johnny tells Rafe that it’s no secret that he and his dad weren’t getting along after he found out what he did to his mom. Rafe asks if the answer is yes. Johnny says even if they did argue, whoever told Rafe that they saw it must have been at the house that night, so they could’ve shot him too. Rafe assures Johnny that he can trust him. Johnny acknowledges that Rafe has always been like part of his family, but he’s also an officer of the law, so he questions in which capacity Rafe is asking him these questions. Rafe says either way, he feels compelled to go to the police with what he knows, but he wants to do it with Johnny’s cooperation and the whole story. Rafe tells Johnny to level with him, so he can help him.

Cat and Chad have wine as Chad thanks her for cooking an amazing dinner. Chad acknowledges Cat working for Marlena while supporting Aaron and Felicity, so he offers anything she needs. Cat thanks him for being generous and then the timer goes off to signal dinner is ready, but then she checks her phone with worry.

As she’s reading Stephanie’s manuscript, Jada asks about a certain page and if it’s something Stephanie actually experienced. Stephanie tells her it’s made up, so Jada comments on her having quite the imagination. Jada then gets a call from Rafe, who says he needs to talk to her off the record about EJ DiMera’s shooting as he has some information on the case. Jada agrees to meet him at the police station and hangs up.

EJ asks if he has to win the board vote all over again. Kayla says it shouldn’t be too hard, but if he wants her vote, he will have to make changes to the budget. EJ asks what kind of changes. Kayla presents him with a list which EJ calls extortion. Kayla explains that now that Xander is no longer facing felony assault charges, he’s most likely going to flip a few votes. Kayla suggests EJ start by making her happy.

Kate tells Alex that she can’t wait to get her hands dirty in rebooting Titan’s publishing firm. Alex looks forward to seeing what she can do. Kate says there are a lot of decisions to be made, but she wants to start by publishing “One Stormy Night” and asks if Alex has acquired the rights to it. Alex hopes they can make something happen tonight. Kate asks if there’s anything she can do. Alex says it’s on him, but questions if Kate is only accepting the job offer if they acquire that book. Kate says no and repeats that after what Philip has been through, Titan’s success is very personal to her.

Xander repeats to Philip that his anger got the best of him in his hotel room but not the idea of trying to smother him in his hospital room. Philip responds that he knows what he saw and grabs the hospital phone. Xander questions what he’s doing. Philip asks if he thinks he’s going to let him get away with trying to kill him again.

Chad asks Cat what’s wrong on her phone. Cat responds that Felicity fell off her balance beam, so she has to go pick her up. Chad offers to drive but Cat turns him down, claiming it might embarrass Felicity. Chad says he understands. Cat apologizes about cutting their dinner and says they can reschedule but Chad says he has a better idea.

Alex brings dinner to Stephanie at her apartment. Stephanie figured that he’d be working through dinner. Alex says he was but he got a lot done. Alex notices that Stephanie has been going through Kate’s notes on her book which he says is great because Kate just decided to take the job as head of their publishing department. Alex asks Stephanie if this means she will let him publish her novel.

Rafe meets Jada in the interrogation room at the police station. Jada asks what he wanted to talk about off the record. Rafe reminds her about the memory card he mentioned before from the camera he hid in the DiMera Mansion. Rafe reveals he’s learned a few things that he wasn’t ready to share with her during their previous conversation. Rafe adds that this information affects people very close to him, so he needs to know they are protected. Jada says this is technically off the record, but if they are talking about a crime committed. Rafe just wants her word that she will give him the benefit of the doubt. Jada agrees to do her best.

EJ walks through the town square, finishing a phone call with a board member about hoping he can count on her vote again. Johnny approaches and greets him as “dad”. EJ notes it feels good to hear him call him that again and asks him what’s wrong. Johnny says just about everything.

Xander tells Philip that he’s not trying to kill him. Philip suggests letting the cops decide. Xander admits to getting rid of the cop at his door but he says he couldn’t go through with smothering him and that what Philip saw was him wrestling with his conscience. Philip questions believing him when he’s tried to kill people before. Xander says that’s why he should believe him now, because if he wanted him dead, he would be dead. Philip remarks on that not making him feel better. Xander says the point is that he feels terribly ashamed. Kayla then interrupts, questioning what is going on in here since Philip hit his call button on the hospital phone. Philip says he thought it would send a nurse as he wanted to ask when he might be getting released. Kayla reveals he’s being sprung tomorrow morning which Philip says is great and Xander calls excellent news. Kayla states that Philip recovered far quicker than they could’ve expected and asks if they are sure everything is okay in here. Xander claims they were just talking business and that he was just catching Philip up on everything he missed. Kayla says she’s sure that’s a lot as she exits. Xander asks if Philip believes that he was trying to stop himself. Philip responds that he believes if Xander wanted to kill him, he would’ve done it even after he woke up, but he still came in with the initial intention of doing him in. Philip feels Xander owes him for covering while Xander argues that it’s not like he did it out of the goodness of his heart as he only lied because they both have a lot to lose if the truth comes out. Philip remarks that fraud and attempted murder are not the same thing. Philip adds that he doesn’t have a wife and kid. Philip then warns if Xander attempts anything like this again, he will put him away no matter what it costs him and asks if Xander understands.

Stephanie jokes that Alex is trying to bribe her while Alex says he wouldn’t be pushing her to do this if he didn’t think it was a great opportunity for both of them. Alex admits it puts the publishing department back on track, but the readers get to enjoy her sexy genius while she reaps the benefits of being a best selling author. Alex calls it a win-win-win and asks what she says.

Chad tells Cat that next time they will go out to eat and Felicity can come too. Cat knows she would love that. Chad offers to stick around and clean up. Cat says it’s okay but Chad insists that it’s the least he could do. Cat thanks Chad and tells him to have a good night as she exits.

Rafe informs Jada that this information affects people that are close to him. Jada asks if these people know he’s talking to her. Rafe says one of them does and she’s agreed to it. Rafe reveals that Gabi was at the DiMera Mansion the night that EJ was shot as she went to confront him but she heard arguing, so she left. Rafe says she wasn’t sure who she heard at first, but now she thinks it was Johnny. Rafe adds that Johnny has sworn to him that he did not shoot EJ and he thinks he’s telling the truth because he’s known him since he was a little boy and knows when he’s telling the truth. Jada asks if they don’t need to follow up on the lead then since he’s vouching for him. Rafe clarifies that Johnny wants to go on record and just needs to know that he has a path forward and will be treated fairly. Rafe asks Jada not to make him a liar.

EJ questions Johnny talking to Rafe. Johnny explains that Rafe came to him with questions and said he knew about them arguing. EJ worries about Rafe being an officer of the law while Johnny points out that Rafe also used to be like a father to him. EJ argues that Johnny should’ve come to hsi real father as he can’t trust Rafe in a situation like this. Johnny insists that Rafe wouldn’t do anything to hurt him while EJ argues that he can’t know that. EJ says that he is protecting Johnny and declares that no one has to know that Johnny shot him. Johnny asks what he’s talking about and says he didn’t shoot him. Johnny questions EJ thinking he shot him all this time and thought he said that he remembered. EJ responds that the last thing he remembered was Johnny confronting him with the gun, so he just assumed. Johnny informs him that EJ convinced him to give him the gun and then he left because he was horrified at what he almost did. EJ is shocked. Johnny can’t believe that EJ thought he was protecting him from being charged with attempted murder all this time. EJ emotionally hugs Johnny.

Jada asks if there’s anything else that Rafe hasn’t told her about the night of the shooting. Rafe reveals that Gabi also saw Ava Vitali at the DiMera Mansion, but she left before the shooting. Jada questions Rafe sitting on evidence that Ava is probably innocent. Rafe says he wouldn’t go that far and argues that she could’ve come back. Jada complains that Gabi was there and Johnny was heard arguing with the victim. Rafe states that a lot of people hate EJ and wanted him dead. Rafe admits that he did and bets Jada did too. Jada points out that she didn’t confront him that night. Rafe knows how it looks for Johnny, but he believes he’s telling the truth. Rafe adds that if she gives Johnny a path to come forward, he might actually lead her to the real shooter. Jada says that he will have to be interrogated but she’ll take it easy on him. Jada adds that she will talk to the district attorney which Rafe points out is Johnny’s aunt. Jada says that’s another issue that she will have to figure out and do the best she can. Rafe says that’s all he can ask and thanks Jada as he then exits. Jada picks up her phone and calls Belle, telling her that she has a tough situation on her hands and needs her thoughts on how to proceed.

Xander repeats to Philip that he’s sorry and doesn’t know what else he can do. Philip brings up Xander leveraging a lot of money to buy the hospital but then he lost the bid because of what he did to him. Philip warns that if Titan goes under, he’ll have nothing to lose by telling the world what Xander did so he advises him to fix this fast.

Alex pleads with Stephanie to say yes so they can celebrate and asks what is stopping her. Stephanie talks about having to face everyone she knows from family to friends to clients and she will be wondering if they are thinking about the sex scenes she wrote. Alex reminds her that Kate doesn’t even know she wrote it and that no one will ever have to know if they publish it under a pseudonym. Stephanie asks if he really thinks they can keep it a secret. Alex calls it a sexy secret. Stephanie decides that if Alex can promise her that no one ever finds out that she wrote it, then they have a deal and he can publish it. Alex excitedly kisses Stephanie.

Cat goes to the park and calls Shane, informing him that she’s at the meeting point but no one is there. Cat says she will wait and hangs up. Rafe then arrives and meets Cat, introducing himself as her new partner.

Xander tells Philip that he doesn’t have to worry as the hospital board is re-voting as they speak, so he’s confident that Titan will win. Philip says that’s because he lied for him. Xander argues that Philip is out for his personal gain, just like he is. Philip warns Xander about his temper. Xander says they have to find a way to work together. Philip asks if he means without Xander trying to kill him. Xander suggests they just stay out of each others’ way. Philip says he can’t promise that but promises that when he gets out of the hospital tomorrow, the world will believe they are united and they can start getting their father’s company back on track. Xander then exits the room.

Alex pours champagne and toasts to One Stormy Night and his sexy girlfriend.

Chad starts to clean up at Cat’s apartment when he comes across the mustard, causing a flashback to when she spilled mustard on him.

Rafe apologizes to Cat for keeping her waiting and promises it won’t be a habit as he was dealing with a family emergency. Cat assures that she understands and notes that Shane said they would be working together on a new task force. Rafe explains that he recently rejoined the FBI and that Shane thought he could be useful considering his knowledge of the people involved in the case. Rafe adds that Shane called Cat one of the best analysts he ever worked with and that she has a lot of experience working on financial crimes. Cat asks if they are sure there’s a crime here. Rafe assures that EJ did not buy the hospital out of the goodness of his heart and that whenever EJ is involved, you can bet there was a crime committed. Cat says it sounds like they have quite the history. Rafe confirms that nothing would bring him more pleasure than taking EJ down.

EJ tells Johnny how relieved he is because he was so convinced that he shot him. Johnny acknowledges that he still told EJ that he wished he was dead and asks how he can still stand by him. EJ says that Johnny is still his son and he forgave him for his terrible misdeeds, so he will always be grateful for that. EJ tells Johnny that he loves him. Johnny admits he loves him too and that he’s really glad he’s still here as they hug. EJ then questions if Johnny didn’t shoot him, who the hell did? Johnny responds that he wishes he knew.

Xander goes to see Kayla at the hospital and asks if she has the results of the board vote. Kayla reveals she’s afraid it’s the same as before as the board voted to accept EJ’s offer.

EJ gets a call with the results of the hospital vote which he calls wonderful news. EJ shares the news with Johnny which Johnny calls great news and says he’s happy for him. EJ declares that he’s so happy as he won the hospital and just found out this his son is innocent. Jada then approaches with a cop and greets them. EJ asks what they can do for her. Jada responds that she’s here for Johnny. Jada informs Johnny that she’s sorry but he’s under arrest for the attempted murder of EJ DiMera.

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Days Update Thursday, June 26, 2025

Days of Our Lives Update

 

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Update written by Joseph

Brady goes home where Belle is getting rid of dead flowers, in hopes of not making Marlena any sadder. Brady thinks Andrew and Paul’s wedding lifted her spirits. Belle agrees that it was good for all of them to have something to celebrate, including Rachel. Brady says apparently the ceremony was too boring for her but she loved the cake. Belle says it was good to see Rachel smile again as she’s been through a lot. Brady says she has no idea.

Johnny goes over how there was a bullet missing from Roman’s gun and somebody obviously used it to shoot EJ. Johnny feels it’s still his fault for bringing the gun. Marlena disagrees and says he’s not responsible for someone else’s actions. Roman says the important thing now is figuring out their next move. Roman states that too many people saw Johnny at the mansion that night with the gun, so he doesn’t want anyone jumping to the wrong conclusion. Johnny gets a text about a meeting and offers to cancel it but Roman tells him to go as it will give him time to formulate a plan. Roman instructs Johnny not to say anything to anyone and promises that it will work out. Johnny thanks Marlena and tells Roman that he has no idea how much he appreciates his help.

In the living room of the DiMera Mansion, EJ is on the phone with Kayla, arguing that this is outrageous and the board already voted for him to take over the hospital so there can’t be a do over just because Xander is a sore loser. EJ complains that Xander’s exoneration changes nothing. EJ argues until Kayla hangs up on him, leaving him frustrated.

In the town square, Xander says he’s glad he ran in to Sarah as he’d like to see his daughter. Sarah says they can figure something out but Xander demands it be now as he’s not waiting any longer and his lawyer says he doesn’t have to. Sarah asks what he’s talking about. Xander argues that he has just as much right to Victoria as she does. Xander adds that if they end up fighting in court, he will ask for full custody. Sarah calls that ridiculous. Xander says he’s been reasonable and asked for 50/50 custody but she shut him down, so she’s insane if she thinks she’s going to cut him out of his daughter’s life. Sarah says there isn’t a judge that would ever grant him full custody. Xander warns her not to be so sure about that and says he’s ready to go to war over this, even if it means bringing out the big guns. Sarah questions what that means. Xander hopes she doesn’t have to find out. Sarah guesses he’s up to his old tricks and is trying to bully people when he doesn’t get what he wants. Sarah says his threats aren’t going to work as she’s been talking to Justin, who has been advising her to do what’s best for Victoria. Xander questions that being to keep her away from her father. Sarah accuses Xander of trying to keep her from her mother. Xander says he’s the one who proposed shared custody but now he agrees that he doesn’t see how that could work. Sarah responds that she can’t stand to be anywhere near him but Justin said the court will probably suggest joint custody. Xander says that Melinda said the same thing. Sarah adds that she told Justin it’s out of the question because co-parenting with him would be an absolute nightmare. Xander agrees and guesses they are going to war and it will be a fight to the death. Sarah says given Xander’s most recent horrific behavior and his homicidal tendencies, part of her wonders if he means that literally.

Belle asks Brady if there’s anything she can do to help with Rachel. Brady says not at the moment and he thinks her play date is helping her mind. Belle thinks about Claire at that age and says Rachel is really young to be dealing with that amount of trauma. Brady says there is a little bit of good news that Rachel Blake was found. Belle is surprised and asks how Kristen found her. Brady reveals that EJ agreed to free her from where he had her stashed, but not before he got his pound of flesh.

Gabi is in her office, arguing on the phone with her assistant. Gabi warns that if they make one more mistake, they will be fired. Johnny arrives and apologizes for being late to the meeting about the Gabi Chic holiday campaign. Gabi says they will have to reschedule. Johnny argues that he was in the middle of something very important and dropped it to be here. Gabi apologizes and says she’s not in the mood to talk Christmas. Johnny remarks that if he could make the time, Gabi can too.

Roman tells Marlena that they just need to find a way for Johnny to come forward without being blamed for the shooting. Roman asks if Marlena is thinking what he’s thinking. Marlena confirms that she is thinking John would be a big help in a problem like this. Marlena adds that John would want to carry on without him and do anything they could to protect Johnny. Marlena admits that she’s worried about Johnny as he’s been through so much the last few months. Roman encourages that he’s doing better as he just started a new job, he’s going to therapy, and most importantly he’s back with Chanel so they will have a long happy life together. Marlena says that’s as long as he doesn’t go to jail for something he didn’t do. Roman hugs Marlena and encourages that it’s going to be okay until Kate comes home and asks what’s going on. Roman informs her that Marlena just found out about Johnny taking his gun and Johnny finally admitted that he took it with the intention of shooting EJ but he couldn’t go through with it. Kate calls that a relief but questions how EJ ended up with a bullet in his chest. Roman says that Johnny left the gun with EJ, so they are thinking someone else got their hands on it. Marlena says the question is how to help Johnny. Roman suggests they all think about the best approach and then regroup. Marlena thanks him and tells Kate it’s good to see her. Kate tells Marlena that she and Roman are here for Johnny but for her too. Marlena thanks her and then exits. Roman tells Kate that Marlena needs them now. Kate says she doesn’t mind Roman being there for her and she encourages it, as they both need to support her and comfort her as that’s what John would want. Roman hugs Kate.

Marlena exits the Brady Pub and runs in to Brady. Marlena says she was about to call him about Rachel and what she knows about Johnny.

Gabi questions where Johnny gets off talking to her like that after working there for five minutes. Johnny says it came from Xander and Philip and they are pissed as Gabi’s late for her own holiday campaign, so he suggests they get to work. Gabi questions his attitude as she thought they were friends. Johnny says they are and apologizes as he’s just under a lot of pressure and this is his first big assignment for Titan-DiMera, so if he blows it, he might not get another one. Gabi says she gets it as her future here isn’t guaranteed either. Johnny suggests they help each other out, work together, and come up with good ideas to impress their bosses and keep their jobs. Gabi decides that sounds like a plan.

Belle goes to the DiMera Mansion which EJ calls a pleasant surprise and kisses her as he says he’s so happy to see her. Belle says they’ll see about that. Belle informs EJ that Brady just told her that Kristen’s mother was found and she wants to know about EJ’s role in that. EJ asks if this can be off the record which Belle calls not a good start. EJ asks if she wants the truth so Belle agrees to it being off the record. EJ tells Belle that he and Kristen came to an agreement and claims that in exchange for Brady’s board vote, he agreed to use all his resources to track down Kristen’s mother. Belle is not sure that’s the whole truth. EJ says it’s close enough. Belle says she’s glad he did the right thing. EJ says he has another headache to deal with as Xander is forcing the hospital board to do another vote, claiming his unjust arrest caused the members to be biased against him. Belle says she’s not surprised since the hospital doesn’t want a big legal battle with Xander. EJ remarks that this all could’ve been avoided had the district attorney’s office not dropped the charges against Xander. Belle tells EJ not to blame her as if she had it her way, Xander would be behind bars permanently.

Xander tells Sarah that’s so unfair as she knows he would never physically harm her. Sarah responds that she thought she knew that but then he beat his own brother within an inch of his life. Xander complains that Sarah can’t admit when she was wrong even though Philip told the police it wasn’t him. Xander brings up how badly Sarah betrayed him by lying to his face and stabbing him in the back by keeping Philip’s lie. Sarah argues that she was doing what she thought was best while Xander argues that she was trying to control him instead of trusting him and tells her to stop acting so high and mighty because she’s nothing but a damn hypocrite. Maggie comes over with Julie and tells Xander to stay the hell away from her daughter. Maggie questions what is going on while Julie asks why they are making a spectacle of themselves in the middle of the town square. Sarah tells Maggie that Xander wants full custody of Victoria. Maggie says he can’t be serious while Julie points out that Xander has been cleared of any wrongdoing, so she thought their marriage would be back together. Xander responds that they apparently have a lot more issues keepin them apart which Julie questions. Sarah says that they both feel the trust between them has been absolutely destroyed and she doesn’t think there’s any coming back from that.

EJ questions Belle still thinking Xander is guilty. Belle says 100%. EJ asks why she let him go then. Belle asks what choice she had since Philip said Xander didn’t attack him, so she had no case. EJ doesn’t understand why Philip would protect Xander. Belle has an idea but says she can’t get in to it and tells him to forget she said anything.

Gabi asks Johnny how they are supposed to market the holiday line with no budget. Johnny says that’s what they will figure out. Gabi complains that Philip and Xander have been out to get her and it’s like they want Gabi Chic to fail. Johnny suggests not taking it personally and feels they’ve been tightening the belt around the whole company. Gabi says for the home collection, they could do something less flashy but they are selling clothing, so they need a professional model and questions how they are supposed to hire somebody with no money. Johnny responds that he actually knows a professional model who he is sure would do the shoot for free. Gabi asks who and Johnny says he’s talking about her.

Brady guesses Rachel told Marlena that she saw Johnny pointing the gun at EJ. Marlena confirms that Rachel was talking about it in her sleep, so she had to ask her about it. Brady is glad because the secret has been eating Rachel up inside. Marlena questions why he didn’t tell her about this. Brady responds that he and Kristen decided the fewer people that knew, the better. Marlena points out that it’s not a few anymore as he, Kristen, her, Roman, and Kate know. Brady adds that EJ knows as well and that Kristen used it as leverage to bring her mother back home. Marlena asks about the trauma it creates in Rachel to have to keep the secret. Brady says he told Kristen the same thing and questioned her making a deal with EJ without telling him. Brady adds that EJ will do whatever it takes to protect Johnny. Marlena asks if he’s saying that EJ thinks Johnny shot him. Brady responds that EJ remembers Johnny pointing the gun at him but not necessarily shooting him, though he thinks he did it. Marlena reveals that Johnny said he remembered pointing the gun at EJ, but he did not shoot him. Brady questions who did it then. Marlena calls it anybody’s guess.

Maggie questions how Xander could even attempt to take Victoria away from Sarah. Xander argues that she’s left him no choice by keeping him from Victoria for an entire month. Maggie asks what he expected when they thought he attacked Philip. Xander points out that Philip said he did not and that’s why he’s asked Kayla for another vote with the hospital board since his false arrest unfairly affected the outcome. Xander mentions that Brady agreed to change his vote, so he hoped that he could count on Maggie and Julie’s votes too.

EJ suggests he and Belle head upstairs but Belle says they have one more thing to discuss first about the camera planted in the room. Belle tells EJ that the cops know about it and that the memory card is missing. EJ questions who told them. Belle says she doesn’t know. EJ says it had to be the person who planted it since he hasn’t told anyone but her and Tony. Belle says the cops are going to want to search his house and the memory card could show who shot him. EJ assures it’s not in the house as he’s searched the entire house and asked the staff. Belle questions nobody seeing it. EJ concludes that it’s gone for good.

Kate tells Roman that she’s so relieved for him about Johnny as it must be a huge relief for him. Roman notes that Johnny isn’t out of the woods yet as it would be his word against some pretty damning evidence. Kate feels he needs to talk to a lawyer. Roman wishes they could ask Belle for advice but says it would put her in a tough position as Johnny’s aunt and district attorney. Kate suggests consulting Carrie since she’s his aunt as well but without the conflict of interest. Roman calls that an excellent idea and decides he will call Carrie now. Kate feels the sooner, the better for Johnny to come forward because if the cops find out he didn’t say anything about confronting EJ with a gun, he will look guilty.

Marlena tells Brady that despite her feelings for EJ, she thinks he deserves to know the truth so he doesn’t go around thinking that his own son shot him. Brady agrees that it might put Rachel’s mind at ease to know that Johnny didn’t shoot EJ and that she just witnessed an argument. Marlena says that she and Roman are trying to persuade Johnny to come forward and tell the police what he knows, so maybe Rachel won’t have to testify. Brady doesn’t think Rachel could handle that. Marlena adds that if Johnny does come forward, they could all breathe a little easier. Marlena warns that they should all be careful not to say what they know again. Sarah then walks up with Victoria in her stroller. Sarah mentions that they are heading inside for lunch. Brady offers to join her, feeling he owes her after all the help she gave Sophia and Tate. Sarah says she would love that. Brady invites Marlena to join them too but she declines. Sarah asks Marlena if she has a moment they could speak in private before she heads out, so Brady heads inside to get a table at the Pub. Sarah informs Marlena that she got her blood work back. Marlena asks if everything is alright.

Gabi tells Johnny that she’s an executive, not a model. Johnny reminds her that she used to be as the face of Countess Wilhelmina. Gabi acknowledges Johnny doing his research and says that was a long time ago. Johnny argues that she’s still a knockout and he knows she could do it. Gabi calls that sweet of him but she’s not sure it makes any sense. Johnny disagrees, pointing out that Gabi can be the name and the face of Gabi Chic. Gabi remains unsure since the holiday campaign is really important. Johnny says that’s why they can’t afford to hire some amateur and says they will save time from trying to find some model and they can put the money back in to the shoot, so it makes sense all around. Gabi then agrees to do it.

Roman leaves a voicemail for Carrie to get back to him when she gets it. Roman tells Kate that he wishes Johnny had been honest from the beginning, so they could’ve strategized before so many others knew. Kate says at least Johnny trusted Roman enough to tell him the truth while Philip keeps lying to her and sticking to his story that he was beat up by someone he’s never seen before when everyone knows it was Xander. Kate worries that if Philip keeps covering for Xander then he will get away with it.

Xander reminds Maggie that voting for EJ is against her own interest since she’s still a shareholder at Titan-DiMera. Maggie remarks on money not being everything while Xander talks about the amount of money this could mean. Maggie stops him and says he’s made his point but she still has to vote with her conscience. Xander turns to Julie, who says she will vote for what’s best for the hospital and that’s all she has to say. Xander hopes they have a good day and walks away. Julie turns to Maggie and says she’s confused since they didn’t vote for Xander because he beat up Philip, but it turns out he didn’t, so she asks why Maggie brought up her conscience. Maggie responds that she’s not sure Philip is telling the truth. Julie questions why he would lie. Maggie wishes she could say more but calls it a very complicated situation.

Sarah informs Marlena that her blood work showed everything is normal and asks how she is feeling. Marlena says it changes from day to day. Sarah wants her to know that she can come to her about anything, anytime as a doctor or a friend. Marlena thanks her and says she knows that. Sarah encourages her to get some rest, stay hydrated, and make sure to eat. Marlena tells Sarah to enjoy her lunch as Sarah heads in to the Pub to join Brady for lunch. Sarah asks how Rachel is doing. Brady mentions her having cake at Andrew and Paul’s wedding so she’s doing better. Brady thinks Rachel’s sleepover at Marlena’s helped as she was able to open up to Marlena about some things weighing on her. Sarah comments that there’s no one better to open up to than Marlena and says she’s really glad Rachel is doing better.

Gabi suggests to Johnny that they do a steampunk theme for the photoshoot. Johnny feels it might be a little dark and suggests straight up punk or country. Gabi is excited for country and recalls their Cowboy Carter line selling out quickly. Johnny envisions a winter wonderland in the old west. Gabi suggests a saloon decked out with their products. Gabi admits that when Alex put Johnny in charge of marketing, she had her doubts but concludes that he was right. Gabi acknowledges that Johnny has some really creative ideas. Johnny thanks her and says he always thought his future would be in film and he had a lot of reservations about becoming a “suit” but admits it’s kind of fun. Gabi asks how EJ feels about him working for Xander. Johnny says he can’t stand it but thinks he’s accepted it. Gabi asks if they are getting along better now. Johnny guesses they had a slight thaw but the jury is still out on whether he will ever want EJ in his life again.

Belle tells EJ that she would’ve went to the police weeks ago so they would’ve had a better chance at finding the memory card. EJ doubts it since he took the card out of the camera before the shooting. Belle feels it still could show who was lurking around in the moments leading up to the crime. Belle calls that a creepy thought. EJ agrees and suggests they abandon talk about hidden cameras and would-be assassins to get back to where they were as he kisses her.

Marlena goes home and sits down on the couch as she plays her last voicemail from John, saying “I love you, Doc.”

Roman asks Kate if there’s any chance that Philip is telling the truth. Kate says absolutely not and she has no doubt that Xander convinced him to stay silent because Philip committed fraud to get his hands on half of Titan, so if Xander outs him, he’ll lose everything. Roman guesses they think it’s better to make a devil’s bargain than end up in prison. Kate finds it unfair since Xander only loses half his inheritance while Philip almost lost his life. Roman gets her point but says now that Philip is going to be fine, maybe it’s just best to leave it alone. Kate refuses, declaring that she is going to do everything in her power to make sure that Xander pays for almost killing her son.

Brady thanks Sarah again for her help with Rachel. Sarah says he doesn’t have to thank her. Sarah adds that she still thinks of Rachel like a daughter. Brady knows Rachel adores her and how hard it was for her to raise her for the first year of her life, only to find out that she wasn’t her daughter. Sarah says she’s so blessed to have Victoria now, but admits that was a terrible time. Sarah says it’s good that Rachel was too young to remember any of it. Brady says he hasn’t told her about it. Sarah agrees that there’s no reason for her to ever know and she tries not to think about it either, considering who was making her responsible for making her believe that Rachel was her baby. Xander then enters the Pub. Sarah questions if he’s stalking her now. Xander says he ran in to Victoria’s nanny, who said she was heading here. Brady asks if she wants him to take care of this. Sarah says it’s fine so Brady says he’ll check on their order and be right there if she needs him. Xander tells Sarah that it’s a public place, so nothing is going to happen here. Xander then asks if he can see his daughter, which Sarah allows. Xander tells Victoria how much he’s missed her and that he loves her more than anything in the world.

Belle tells EJ that she’s going to freshen up and then he should meet her in the bedroom. EJ says he’ll be right behind her as she heads upstairs. EJ then stands up and flashes back to Johnny pointing the gun at him.

Johnny and Gabi go over slogan ideas. Johnny saying “it’s what you deserve” triggers a flashback for Gabi as she heard EJ say that while arguing with Johnny from outside the DiMera Mansion. Gabi then tells Johnny that she has a headache and asks to reschedule which Johnny agrees to. Johnny thinks they will have a lot of fun working with each other. Gabi says she’ll see him later as Johnny then exits the office. Gabi rushes to her phone and calls Rafe. Gabi reminds Rafe that she heard EJ arguing with another man on the night of the shooting and she just figured out was with Johnny.

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Days Update Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Days of Our Lives Update

 

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Update written by Joseph

Marlena meets Roman outside of the Brady Pub. Roman asks how the wedding was. Marlena says it was terrific, that Paul and Andrew make a great couple, and that they could all feel John’s presence. Marlena says it would’ve made John so happy and proud. Roman knows John was crazy about Paul and all his kids. Roman says he’s sorry he couldn’t be there but brings up Marlena wanting to talk. Marlena responds that she wants to talk about Johnny. Roman asks what about him. Marlena thinks Johnny might have been the person that shot EJ, but gets the feeling that Roman already knew that.

Johnny joins Alex in the Titan-DiMera office and talks about the hours of training he just went through, so he thinks he’s more than ready for whatever he and Xander want to throw at him. Alex says according to the numbers, they might not be able to point him in any direction at all.

Melinda and Sophia meet in the town square. Melinda asks if Sophia convinced her mom about hiring her. Sophia says that Amy is coming around to the idea of adoption but still isn’t crazy about hiring Melinda and neither is Tate. Sophia adds that she still wants to hire her and asks if that’s enough. Sophia worries that she’s running out of time as she hates the idea of giving birth and just waiting around for some family to adopt her baby. Sophia asks Melinda to please help her.

Stephanie approaches Sarah at the hospital. Sarah says she was going to call her later and asks if she has a minute. Stephanie mentions having lunch with Alex at the Bistro but says she has a few minutes and asks what’s up. Sarah says it’s about Philip’s forged letter. Sarah informs Stephanie that Xander found out she knew about it and kept it from him, so apparently someone told him that she was in on the secret for months. Sarah doesn’t know who told him but she’d really like to know the name of the person that destroyed her marriage.

Xander walks through the town square and approaches the Salem Inn, giving him flashbacks to attacking Philip.

Philip wakes up in his hospital bed from a nightmare about his beating. Philip grabs his tablet and sees the Spectator headline that Xander has been exonerated in his beating.

Sophia asks if Melinda will help her. Melinda doesn’t think she could ever forgive herself if she let her suffer through this alone. Melinda relates to her own experience and agrees to help. Sophia thanks her, saying she has no idea how much it means to her. Melinda says she has a pretty good idea which is why she’s agreeing to this. Melinda assumes Tate doesn’t know which Sophia confirms. Sophia doesn’t care that Tate doesn’t like her because she needs her. Melinda says they will get to work then.

Marlena goes to Roman’s room with him as Roman asks her to tell him what she knows. Marlena explains that Rachel was staying with them after the funeral and had a bad dream where she was calling out “please don’t shoot him.” Marlena adds that on the night EJ was shot, Rachel heard Johnny arguing with him and when she came down to investigate, she saw Johnny pointing a gun at EJ. Roman had no idea that Rachel was wrapped up in all of this, but he’s not surprised that Johnny was confirmed. Marlena asks how he found out. Roman explains that it goes back to Johnny finding out how he was conceived and he was trying to apologize when it slipped out that he kept a gun in the lockbox. Roman says at the time, he didn’t think about it but when he came back from the kitchen, Johnny and the gun were gone. Marlena asks if he’s saying Johnny used his gun to shoot his own father.

Johnny asks Alex if he’s saying Titan-DiMera is in trouble. Alex says bad trouble according to the recent stock report. Alex blames it on Philip being in the hospital and Xander being arrested for putting him there. Johnny points out that Xander was exonerated so it should bounce back but Alex says that’s not their only problem. Alex informs Johnny that Xander sold off a lot of assets to purchase the hospital, but now that EJ is the new owner of the hospital, it puts Titan-DiMera in a very vulnerable spot with their reduced competitive advantage and losses. Johnny asks if he’s saying the company could go under. Xander walks in and declares that it will be EJ going under instead.

Sarah informs Stephanie that her marriage to Xander has been completely blown to pieces since he found out she lied to him. Stephanie tells her that she’s so sorry and assures she would never reveal anything. Sarah assures that she doesn’t think it was her or Alex since they went out of their way to protect her, so she knows it had to be someone else. Sarah adds that Philip denied it as well but admits she doesn’t believe him, feeling it’s too much of a coincidence that Xander found out on the same day that Philip was beaten up. Stephanie points out that Philip said Xander wasn’t his attacker but Sarah doesn’t believe him and asks if Stephanie does.

Brady goes to visit Philip in the hospital and asks how he’s feeling. Philip supposes he’s as well as could be expected. Philip adds that Belle told him about John and he’s so sorry. Philip says he also knows about Bo since he came to visit him before he left town and it was so great to see him back on his feet, despite his best efforts. Philip blames himself bumbling the back alley deal. Brady tells him no more guilt since he thought he was doing the right thing. Philip acknowledges that Bo got what he needed. Brady says Bo coming out of the coma was not the only good news. Brady informs him that until Philip woke up and set them straight, they all thought Xander was responsible and it was awful to think a member of their own family could do this. Brady says he just lost his dad and they’ve all done so much to hurt each other in the past, but at the end of the day they are family, so he couldn’t bear to lose anyone else.

Sophia fills out a form on the ideal adoptive parents. Sophia brings up the retainer fee but Melinda says she will waive it for her. Melinda says she’s been in her situation and sees how much it means to her, so she’s committed to helping her with the adoption in any way she can.

Stephanie tells Sarah that she doesn’t know what to believe since Philip said the attack could have been random. Sarah think that bad luck was Xander. Stephanie guesses if Philip was still worried about losing his portion of the inheritance, Xander could’ve used that as leverage to keep Philip quiet. Sarah says that makes perfect sense, but there’s no proof. Sarah asks if Stephanie thinks she could get the proof for her since she’s been close with Philip in the past, so maybe she could get the truth out of him. Stephanie agrees to try but asks if Sarah’s sure she really wants her to because if Philip admits that Xander was his attacker, Xander could be going to prison for a very long time. Sarah responds that if Xander committed that horrific crime then that’s exactly where he belongs.

Xander is confident that he can contest the results of EJ winning the bid for the hospital on the grounds that they were unfairly impacted by his false arrest. Alex asks if they are sure it’s still on the table and suggests maybe they should cut their losses with the hospital and invest elsewhere. Xander insists that the hospital will be worth a fortune with the miracle drug and that Titan-DiMera deserves that. Alex says it sounds like Xander has made up his mind and agrees to follow his lead as they shake hands. Xander turns to Johnny and asks if he has any issues with taking the hospital away from EJ. Johnny says no and if it’s good for Titan, it works for him. Xander asks about Johnny’s training. Alex says they were just discussing that and since it sounds like the company will survive, he suggests giving Johnny a marketing position with Gabi Chic and also a spot on the PR team with the publishing department. Alex brings up Johnny’s experience with filming. Johnny says it sounds good to him. Xander says he’s glad to have him on the team. Xander questions when Titan got back in the publishing game. Alex informs him that he’s got a special little project that if he plays his cards right, thinks could be special for them.

Philip gets where Brady is coming from after losing his dad and says he wouldn’t want to lose anyone else either. Philip acknowledges that Xander is family. Brady says he’s glad that Xander wasn’t the one who attacked him. Brady adds that he wants to treat Philip to a baseball game when he gets out of the hospital which Philip agrees to. Stephanie enters the room and greets them. Stephanie tells Brady that she and her parents really enjoyed the reception and are happy for Andrew and Paul. Brady says he has to get back to work and exits. Philip asks what brings Stephanie by. Stephanie responds that Sarah wanted her to stop by. Philip guesses that she wanted to find out if he was lying about Xander not attacking him, so Stephanie asks if he was.

Roman explains to Marlena that as soon as he discovered his gun was missing, he went straight to the DiMera Mansion, hoping to stop Johnny but when he got there, he found his gun in a plant outside. Roman says he took the gun in hopes of keeping it from being used as evidence against Johnny but then he heard the sirens, so he figured something must have happened already and he left. Roman says he didn’t plan to tell Johnny but Johnny asked him about moving the lockbox, so he had no choice. Roman adds that Johnny denied shooting his father and he would love to take him at his word, but when he came back from the DiMera Mansion, he discovered there was one bullet missing from the gun. Marlena argues that they have to do something as Johnny needs to unburden himself and Rachel is having terrible nightmares about what she witnessed. Marlena adds that Kristen told Rachel that if she told anyone about it, she’d run the risk of never seeing Rachel Blake again. Roman realizes that means Kristen knows. Marlena imagines one of them has told Brady. Roman notes that he told Kate, who swore not to tell another soul. Marlena worries that the word is out there. Roman asks if she suggests they turn over their own grandson to the police. Marlena says no, but first they have to talk to Johnny. Roman says that can be arranged as he then pulls out his phone.

Xander thinks it’s time for Johnny to see where he’s going to be working. Alex offers to walk him to his new office and show him around. Xander says to let his assistant do that so he can borrow Alex a bit longer. Johnny asks to take an early lunch after all the training first which Xander approves. Alex says he will have his assistant waiting for Johnny when he gets back. Johnny appreciates that as Alex tells him to enjoy his lunch and Johnny exits. Xander tells Alex that he appreciates his loyalty and he has fully regained his trust. Alex appreciates that and they shake hands. Alex asks where this leaves Philip and if he’ll be back. Xander confirms Philip will be back only because they have to play nice for the sake of the company, but this time around they will keep him on a very short leash.

Philip asks Stephanie why he would want to work with Xander again if he was the one who did this to him. Stephanie points out that he could keep half of his inheritance. Philip argues that he does have some pride. Stephanie then asks if Philip told Xander that Sarah knew about the forgery and had been lying to him for months. Philip denies that and says he promised Sarah that he wouldn’t tell Xander, so he didn’t. Philip claims that he kept his promise. Stephanie is sure that if he hadn’t, he’d really regret it and feel guilty as hell. Philip responds that he sure would.

Melinda shows Sophia where they need forms for her and Tate’s medical history. Sophia says she has to go to the bathroom, so Melinda says she will organize the rest of the pages while she’s gone. After Sophia leaves, Brady approaches. Melinda says it’s good to see him and she’s sorry about John. Brady tells Melinda that Tate told him that she’s trying to involve herself in his baby’s adoption. Melinda says she wouldn’t put it like that and explains that Sophia came to her. Brady doesn’t give a damn and says he’s just glad that Tate put a stop to it. Brady states that his family has a deep rooted distrust in Melinda, especially when it comes to newborn babies. Melinda tries to laugh that off as being in the past but Brady asks if it was really that far in the past when she helped Sloan steal Eric and Nicole’s baby, then convinced them it was dead for months. Brady doesn’t care when it happened and says that was a horrible crime that his family won’t forget. Brady warns Melinda to stay away from his family as he walks away.

Stephanie leaves Philip’s room and tells Sarah that Philip stuck to his story and wouldn’t admit that Xander attacked him. Sarah thanks her for trying. Stephanie says she’ll let her know if she hears anything else. Sarah says she has to go check on a patient and thanks her again as she walks away. Stephanie turns around and is shocked to find her manuscript on the front desk.

Stephanie goes to the Bistro to meet Alex, who asks how the wedding reception was. Alex says he spoke to Kayla earlier. Stephanie cuts him off and says it was fine. Alex asks what’s going on here. Stephanie responds that the day was going fine until she went to the hospital and found her manuscript sitting on the front desk. Stephanie asks if Alex cares to explain.

Xander meets Melinda in the town square and thanks her for seeing him. Melinda says to make it quick since she is technically on hold with another client. Xander asks Melinda to just tell him if she can get him full custody of his daughter. Melinda responds that she does actually have an update about that.

Sarah talks on the phone with Justin, questioning how it can be a forgone conclusion to the judge.

Melinda tells Xander that any judge will suggest that he and Sarah work out a co-parenting agreement.

Sarah tells Justin that there’s no way they can co-parent when she can’t stand to look at Xander and she demands full custody.

Melinda tells Xander that he will not get full custody. Xander questions why not since he was falsely arrested. Melinda says as his lawyer, she’s telling him it’s not going to happen.

Sarah complains that no judge will take Xander’s child from him just because Philip won’t admit that Xander attacked him.

Melinda says Xander has been an exemplary father and businessman, but Sarah’s also been an exemplary mother and is a highly respected doctor, so there’s no reason for a judge to question that.

Sarah asks Justin if there’s nothing else they can do.

Xander tells Melinda that there must be something they can do. Melinda responds that the only thing they can do is fight it out in court, but that will cost time and money just to end up where they are now. Melinda tells Xander that he and Sarah should just suck it up and do right by Victoria. Xander argues that there must be another option outside the box like a Melinda Trask special. Melinda asks if he’s asking her to go outside the law. Xander notes that Sarah certainly wouldn’t do that. Melinda asks if that’s a yes. Xander calls it a maybe.

Johnny goes to see Marlena and Roman. Johnny asks what’s going on, noting that Roman’s text sounded pretty ominous. Roman reveals that he told Marlena about the gun, so they are both here to ask him again if he shot his father. Marlena says they desperately want to help him but he has to tell them the truth. Johnny argues that he already told the truth. Roman says that was right before he ran out the door, but there is no running this time. Roman demands Johnny tell them everything that really happened that night, starting by how his gun disappeared from behind the bar. Marlena asks Johnny for the truth as she asks if he took Roman’s gun. Johnny then admits that he did.

Stephanie asks Alex if he recognizes her book and threatens to read from his favorite chapter out loud. Alex says he can explain. Stephanie complains that one of the nurses said the book has been making it through the rounds at the hospital and even suggested she read it. Stephanie reminds Alex that she didn’t want anyone reading it, so she questions why he didn’t respect her wishes and how the hell this happened.

Xander remains in the town square, looking at a photo of he and Sarah with Victoria on his phone. Brady approaches and says if he has a minute, he wants to update him on what’s going on at Basic Black. Xander says no offense but Basic Black is the least of his problems right now. Xander brings up that he still has to contest EJ’s purchase of the hospital since his unjust arrest unfairly tainted the vote. Xander brings up Brady being on the board and asks if he thinks anyone will change their mind. Brady responds that he certainly knows of one that might; himself.

Roman questions why Johnny didn’t say something before about taking the gun. Johnny guesses he just wasn’t ready to admit what he did. Marlena brings up that Roman found the gun in a planter by the front door of the DiMera Mansion. Roman asks if that’s where he stashed it before he fled the scene. Johnny says he didn’t leave it anywhere near the front door. Roman questions what he’s saying. Marlena asks Johnny to tell them what happened. Johnny admits that it’s all kind of a daze as he was just so angry at EJ. Johnny remembers making it to the DiMera Mansion, finding his way in to the living room and pointing the gun at EJ. Johnny says EJ asked what he was doing and he didn’t even know. Johnny felt like he wanted to explode and remembers feeling his hand on the trigger, really feeling like he wanted to pull it. Johnny states that EJ told him not to. Marlena asks if Johnny listened. Johnny gets emotional as he says that EJ said he never meant to hurt him or for him to have to pay for all of his horrible mistakes but that the damage was already done. Johnny says that EJ just wanted to stop him from making his same mistakes and becoming like him. Johnny reveals that when EJ asked him to give him the gun, he just did, and he swears that’s the last he saw of it. Roman questions if Johnny never shot EJ. Johnny confirms he did not, but he feels like a horrible person for wanting to. Johnny cries that he’s so sorry as he hugs Marlena.

Philip gets a call from Vivian. Philip says he’s gotten her many messages and is only answering now to vent and tell her that she’s the reason he’s in the hospital and almost died, so he will never forgive her for that. Philip says he doesn’t give a damn that she’s sorry because she started all this with the forgery and betraying Xander. Philip declares that he’s done with Vivian forever and never wants to see or hear from her ever again as he hangs up.

Xander questions if Brady is saying he will support him if it comes to another vote. Brady says with how he feels about EJ and since Xander did not attack Philip, if there’s another vote, Xander has his. Xander responds that he’s so pleased to hear that. Brady says he has to get going and will see him around as he walks off. Xander gets up from his table as Sarah approaches. Melinda breaks the news to Sophia as Sophia says she can’t believe it since Melinda told her that she would help her. Melinda says she hates to go back on her word but Tate’s family won’t stand for it and it’s his child too that she’s carrying. Melinda tells Sophia that she’s sorry and offers to make some calls to find her another lawyer. Melinda tells Sophia to give her a call if she needs anything else as she walks away.

Stephanie questions Alex giving her manuscript to Kate. Alex explains that he wanted her honest feedback. Stephanie doesn’t care about her feedback, but that Alex went behind her back and showed Kate something very personal without telling her. Stephanie adds that apparently the entire hospital read it. Alex says that Kate accidentally left it behind at the hospital while visiting Philip and promises she didn’t mean to embarrass her. Alex adds that even if they all read it, no one knows who the author is, including Kate, which makes what he’s about to tell her even more exciting. Stephanie asks what could possibly be exciting about the most humiliating moment of her professional career. Alex informs her that Kate loved it and thinks “One Stormy Night” could be a runaway best seller which seems to interest Stephanie.

Roman tells Johnny not to worry about them as they believe him. Marlena is just sorry he’s going through this. Johnny is just glad to finally tell somebody. Roman says he still doesn’t understand the gun in the planter and how it got there if Johnny gave the gun to EJ. Johnny says he gave it to EJ, left out the back door, and went home. Marlena suggests maybe EJ stashed the gun to protect Johnny. Roman says that doesn’t explain the missing bullet. Johnny says the first he’s heard of that. Roman asks if Johnny is sure he never fired the gun. Johnny swears he never pulled the trigger. Roman says the only logical conclusion is that someone else confronted EJ after Johnny left and shot him with his gun. Marlena questions who.

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Days Update Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Days of Our Lives Update

 

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Update written by Joseph

Steve and Kayla wake up in bed together and resume kissing.

Tate meets Shane for coffee in the town square. Shane mentions having some time before they pick up Paul and Andrew’s wedding cake. They talk about attending a baseball game the night before to celebrate their wedding and Tate’s graduation. Tate comments that it’s good that Theresa and Kimberly didn’t come in for it, since he missed it too. Shane encourages that Tate did the right thing by going to the hospital with Sophia. Tate says he’s relieved that Sophia wasn’t in labor since she isn’t due for a couple weeks. Tate knows Shane is going back to California, but part of him was hoping he’d be able to meet the baby before they give it away.

Carrie and Belle eat together at the Brady Pub. Carrie says that they’ve gone over what’s going on with her, now she wants to hear about what’s going on with Belle. Belle guesses she means between her and EJ. Carrie admits that she’s worried. Belle says she doesn’t need to worry. Carrie asks if it’s over between them. Belle admits it’s not. Belle says she’s given a lot of thought but there’s something about the way EJ looks at her when they are together that makes her feel appreciated, like he gets her. Belle then admits that she loves EJ and wants to be with him. Belle adds that she’s conflicted and is worried about what could potentially happening while considering Marlena and John’s feelings. Belle notes that Marlena told her to follow her heart and not make decisions based on other peoples’ feelings. Belle promises to follow her heart with her eyes wide open. Will arrives and joins them, asking if they are ready for a wedding. Belle didn’t think she would be so soon after John’s passing but says it makes her happy to know how happy John would be to see Paul and Andrew tie the knot.

Brady and Eric talk in the park. Brady asks if everything is alright. Eric says he’s just thinking about Paul and Andrew’s wedding, pointing out that as a Catholic priest he’s never officiated a same sex marriage before and he’s honored to do it. Brady encourages that he will be great, praising how he was at John’s service. Brady thinks they could all use a happy occasion and assures that Eric will make Paul and Andrew very happy.

Paul and Andrew get ready in their room at the Salem Inn. Andrew feels like the luckiest man alive as they flirt with one another.

Marlena and Rachel get dressed for the wedding. Rachel mentions not really feeling rested. Marlena informs her that she heard her talking in her sleep last night where she said “no, don’t shoot him.” Marlena states that sometimes, talking in your sleep is because there are things you wanna say when awake but can’t. Marlena asks if there’s anything Rachel would like to tell her, maybe something she heard or saw. Marlena encourages that she could do that right now and asks if she’d like to.

Paul and Andrew lay in bed together after having sex. Paul brings up their bachelor party at the baseball game last night. Paul says he’s never had pre game jitters until today.

Will tells Belle and Carrie that Sonny wanted to be there for the wedding but he’s dealing with a work crisis in Arizona. Carrie is glad Will, Sonny, and Paul are all on good terms after all they have been through. Will recalls having no idea that Paul was Sonny’s ex when he first met him. Belle points out that it all worked out for Will with Sonny and Paul with Andrew. Will jokes that they both ended up with sons of Salem royalty.

Brady and Eric decorate the park for the wedding. Brady comments on being honored to be Paul’s best man, but he wishes it was John and he still can’t believe he’s gone. Eric says he can’t either but that John wouldn’t want them to dwell on what’s lost. Brady knows John would want him to focus on the good things like Bo being back. Eric adds that he heard Philip woke up but doesn’t know who attacked him. Brady responsd that everyone thought it was Xander but that Philip claims it was just some random guy. Eric notes that Brady sounds unconvinced. Brady responds that he just knows first hand what Xander is capable of but if Philip says it wasn’t him, so be it. Brady adds that the Kiriakis family could use a little peace right now and wishes everything could be as chill as it was last night. Eric agrees that the ballgame was great and says it was nice to see Tate enjoying himself after the scare with Sophia. Brady remarks that his little one is about to have a little one of his own.

Shane tells Tate that they haven’t had much time to talk about the baby and he’s sorry about that. Tate understands he’s been busy saving the world. Shane says staying connected to his family is equally important. Shane calls this a heavy load for one to carry at Tate’s age. Shane asks how he’s feeling about it all. Tate jokes about this being an interrogation. Shane says he’s just a Grandpa talking to his grandson. Tate says he was obviously shocked at first and then they had their first ultrasound and saw their baby on the screen. Tate says feeling the baby kick blows his mind and then yesterday, he thought he was going to meet his son or daughter which he calls surreal. Shane says it sounds like Tate’s gotten pretty attached to the baby. Shane knows the plan was to give it up for adoption but asks if it’s possible that Tate is having second thoughts.

Andrew asks if Paul is nervous about the wedding. Paul says it’s not the wedding, but when the wedding is over and they have to go back to their regular lives, living on opposite sides of the country as Andrew will be in Washington DC with the ISA while he’s coaching baseball in San Francisco. Andrew says they will see each other as often as they can and they have made it work. Paul worries about how dangerous Andrew’s job is and not knowing if he’s going to come home. Andrew understands the impact losing John has had on Paul. Andrew assures they will have a long and happy life together. Andrew says there are some logistical challenges at the moment, but he knows it will sort itself out. Andrew tells Paul that he loves him and that nothing will ever come between them.

Marlena tells Rachel that she can tell her anything. Rachel responds that Kristen told her not to tell anyone. Marlena thinks Kristen was just trying to protect her, but now she’s having nightmares and stomachaches which she thinks is because of something going on inside. Marlena guesses she wants to feel better and assures that she’s safe, so she can tell her anything at all. Marlena asks what Rachel wants to tell her. Rachel then responds that she knows who shot her uncle EJ.

Steve jokes that Kayla taught him some new tricks last night and asks where she picked that up. Kayla reveals that she found a book at the hospital and doesn’t know who wrote it, but once she picked it up, she couldn’t put it down. Kayla shows Steve the book, which is Stephanie’s manuscript “One Stormy Night”. Steve begins to read it over and points out something he wants to try but Kayla reminds him that they have a wedding to get ready for.

Andrew talks to Paul about how lucky they are to stand up in front of people they love and say their vows. Paul feels pressure since everyone expects their wedding to lift their spirits after losing John. Andrew encourages that it will be perfect and asks if he’s heard from Brady. Paul informs him that Brady and Eric are setting up in the park while Shane and Tate are picking up the cake. Andrew adds that Kayla is setting up a video call so Theresa and Kimberly can watch the ceremony. Paul says that’s great and wishes his mom could be there. Andrew is sad he’ll never get to meet her. Paul assures that she would’ve loved him, just like John did. Andrew recalls John being so supportive of them giving their relationship another shot. Paul cries that he misses his parents. Andrew encourages that they will be there in spirit. Andrew adds that he has something for him.

Tate tells Shane that he’s not having second thoughts as he and Sophia are not ready to be parents and this is what’s best for everyone involved. Tate hates the idea of his kid growing up thinking they were abandoned. Tate brings up his aunt Eve feeling that way which Shane confirms. Shane says he didn’t find out until she was a teenager. Tate talks about it messing Eve up to grow up thinking her parents didn’t care about her. Shane calls this an entirely different situation since Tate and Sophia are making the decision so their child can have a better life. Shane says that Tate should be proud of himself for making a tough decision for the good of his child. Tate thanks him and says it means a lot to have his support. Tate and Shane then go to get the wedding cake.

Brady tells Eric that other than the cake and champagne, they are good to go. Brady then brings up that he ran in to Nicole at Tate’s graduation and they chatted for a little bit. Brady says Nicole was only in town for the day and they talked about Holly, Jude, and Paris but she didn’t mention Eric so he did. Eric asks what she said. Brady states that Nicole was pretty evasive and he noticed that Eric hasn’t said a word about Nicole since he’s been back, so he asks if everything is okay. Eric responds that he honestly doesn’t know.

Marlena questions Rachel knowing who shot her uncle EJ. Rachel says she can’t tell anyone or she’ll never see her Grandma Rachel Blake again because Kristen said if she doesn’t keep her secret, her Grandma could go away again so if something happens to her, it will be her fault. Marlena promises that nothing will happen to Rachel Blake. Rachel says that’s as long as no one finds out her secret and pleads with Marlena not to tell anyone because she doesn’t want anything to happen to her Grandma or Johnny. Marlena questions what Johnny has to do with this. Rachel then reveals to Marlena that Johnny shot EJ.

Andrew presents Paul with a gift from Marlena that she wanted him to have before the wedding, calling it his something old and something borrowed which is John’s watch. Andrew puts the watch on Paul and then Paul sees what time it is. Paul realizes they better get going or they’re going to miss their own wedding so they hurry out of bed.

Brady questions Eric not knowing if things are okay with Nicole and what that even means. Marlena arrives with Rachel, interrupting them. Brady thanks Marlena for letting Rachel stay the night. Eric takes Rachel to see the wedding cake as Shane and Tate arrive. Brady goes to follow but Marlena stops him. Brady asks if everything is okay. Marlena says she had a question about the ceremony but she can just take it up with Eric, so Brady says he’ll be right back and goes to join Rachel and Eric. Marlena then pulls out her phone and calls Roman. Marlena leaves a message that they should talk after the ceremony. Belle, Carrie, and Will arrive to join Marlena at the wedding. Marlena feels so blessed to have them all here. Steve and Kayla join Shane and Tate. Steve congratulates Shane on the big day. Shane says it would be if the grooms would get there. Eric and Brady bring Rachel over and she greets Tate. Eric announces that they are just about ready to begin and are just waiting for the grooms to arrive. Paul and Andrew then arrive. Andrew apologizes for keeping everyone waiting. Eric says they are ready when they are. Kayla straightens Andrew’s tie and says she can’t believe he’s getting married. Kayla knows his mom is not here today, so she offers to be a sub-in mother of the groom. Andrew responds that he wouldn’t have it any other way as she was always like a mother to him. Kayla feels the same and talks about having fond memories of taking care of him when he was little. Kayla praises Andrew’s qualities. Andrew says if he and Paul have a marriage close to Kayla’s, they will be lucky. Kayla hugs him and congratulates him. Paul thanks Marlena for giving him John’s watch and offers to give it back after the ceremony but Marlena says no and that she wants him to keep it. Marlena feels such joy knowing that something John loved so much is something Paul is wearing on his special day. Paul admits he feels the same way as they hug.

Eric announces they are ready to begin the ceremony, so everyone takes their seats while Brady and Shane stand up for Paul and Andrew. Eric says they are here to unite Paul and Andrew to begin their new life. Eric explains that the first part of the ceremony pays homage to Paul’s family in Japan. Paul explains that in the tradition, the couple shares a drink from three cups that each have a different meaning as they are united in marriage. Carrie presents them with the first cup, symbolizing that they are grateful for their past which they drink from. Eric announces they have come to the part to exchange vows. Andrew recalls meeting Paul because of John and before they knew it, they were on an adventure that took them all the way to Hong Kong. Andrew remembers a conversation they had in a hot tub while working and how open Paul was which allowed him to be open. Andrew declares that from the very beginning, being with Paul felt natural and right. Andrew acknowledges that because they love their work, they aren’t always in the same place at the same time, but no matter where he is, he’s always with him. Andrew tells Paul that he’s in his heart and soul forever. Andrew promises to love and cherish him from this day forward as they walk together as husbands. Paul recalls when they first met and calls it love at first sight. Paul vows to love him always. Paul talks about he and John not getting to know each other until later in life, but he followed in his footsteps in playing baseball and again with Black Patch, where he learned from the best there was. Paul says he followed in John’s footsteps again in being a true romantic, believing in the power of love, and trusting his own heart. Paul wondered why John rooted so hard for them, but now he thinks he knows why. Paul calls John an honorary member of Andrew’s family and says when he met Andrew, he knew he was home. Paul and Andrew say “I do” as they then exchange rings. Paul declares they join together now for all the Days of their Lives. Eric then officially pronounces them married as Andrew and Paul hug while everyone applauds. Brady gives a speech, joking that he was the cool kid in the family until Paul popped in and stole his thunder. Brady talks about John being over the moon when he found out Paul was his son. Brady declares he is so proud to be Paul’s brother and best man as he toasts to the grooms. Shane begins his speech, talking about he and Andrew being apart for most of his childhood but he decided to follow in his footsteps, like Paul with John. Shane wants to make it clear that Andrew has always been his pride and joy. Shane calls him a stellar ISA agent and human being. Shane tells Andrew that he loves him and he’s so deeply sorry that Paul lost John, but he wants him to know that he’s gained another father in him. Andrew thanks Shane as they hug and everyone toasts to the grooms. Rachel tells Tate that she’s glad that’s over, complaining that the wedding was so boring and she never wants to get married but she does want cake. Marlena comes over to Tate and asks how he thinks Rachel is doing in general. Tate says she was having stomach problems but she just went to get cake so he thinks she’s over it now. Carrie comes over to Marlena and says she’s going to head out. Marlena thought she wasn’t leaving until tonight. Carrie says her flight is this evening but Roman is stuck at the Pub, so she wants to stop by and give a proper goodbye. Marlena cries that it was so nice having her here. Carrie says she’s always there for her and she loves her so much as they hug. Will tells Paul that he and Sonny are so happy for him. Paul is glad they are friends. Will says they are family now as they hug. Andrew thanks Steve and Kayla for coming as Paul joins him. Kayla asks if they are going on a honeymoon. Paul says they haven’t decided yet but he’s sure they will. Shane wants Paul to come see him when he gets back and reveals that he wants Paul to join the ISA, so they won’t be on opposite coasts anymore. Paul is surprised as Shane tells him that he will have a job waiting for him with the agency. Andrew excitedly tells Paul that it’s all sorting itself out. Andrew thanks everyone for making this day everything they hoped for and says it means the world to them. Marlena thanks them for not postponing the wedding as they all needed a double dose of life affirming joy. Paul is sure that John is looking down on them as they didn’t get a drop of rain. They all then look up at a rainbow in the sky.

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Days Update Monday, June 23, 2025

Days of Our Lives Update

 

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Update written by Joseph

Chad and Gabi have dinner at the Bistro. Chad admits he was surprised she wanted to meet considering all they have been through. Gabi says it wasn’t all bad and thought it would be nice. Chad says he knows what she’s trying to do as she wanted to talk business and he’s aware of what Gabi Chic brings to the Spectator but he’s not going to give her a sweetheart deal. Gabi says that isn’t what she wanted to talk about, but about his birthright.

EJ sits in the living room of the DiMera Mansion when he gets a text from Belle, saying she hopes he enjoyed their afternoon delight as much as she did. EJ texts back that he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about it all day. Rita arrives and presents EJ with the memory stick, adding that she takes no responsibility for any damage it may cause. EJ calls it just an insurance policy. Tony DiMera then arrives and enters the room. He greets Rita and tells her that she hasn’t aged a day. Tony says he would ask what brought Rita by, but says it’s obvious that it’s what EJ thought he could hide from him.

Jack, Jennifer, JJ, and Thomas play Monopoly together at the Horton house. JJ jokes with Thomas about their family history while Thomas says he bets Charlotte wishes she was there with them. Jennifer assures that Charlotte is enjoying a spa day with Julie. Jack jokes that they will make sure she knows how much fun she missed on their next family game night. Thomas is disappointed, feeling that won’t be for awhile because Jack and Jennifer have to go back to Boston tonight. Jennifer encourages that they will be back soon because she and Jack decided they want to visit Salem more often. Thomas says that’s great but asks why. Jack says they miss Thomas, Charlotte, JJ, and their family. Thomas asks if he’s sure that’s all. Jennifer asks what other reason there would be. Thomas decides to go get cookies from the kitchen. JJ says he has no complaints about Jack and Jennifer coming back to Salem more often, but he’s also wondering if there’s a reason. Jennifer repeats that they just miss their family. Jack then admits that Jennifer also wants to keep an eye on Cat Green.

Cat walks through the town square, on the phone with her brother Aaron about what they will have for dinner. Cat senses someone behind her and quickly turns around but doesn’t see anybody. Cat tells Aaron that she will pick up burgers from the Bistro and walks away while continuing to keep an eye out.

Chad questions Gabi about his birthright. Gabi argues that the Kiriakis brothers are running his family’s company in to the ground and she thinks he’s the perfect DiMera to take it back. Chad says he has told EJ and Kristen that if they wanted to make a play for it, he would have their back but there’s no way he’s getting his hands dirty. Gabi asks why not. Chad argues that for decades, it’s basically been a corrupt front for illegal activity. Gabi argues that Chad could clean it up and make it respectable to make Stefano proud. Chad feels Stefan would hate that and says to be honest, the company only existed to cover up his family’s lies and schemes.

EJ says he doesn’t know what Tony is talking about when he says he’s hiding something. Rita says she will leave them to it and tells Tony to tell Anna that she says hello. Tony tells Rita that they will need her services in the future. Rita says she serves at the pleasure of the DiMeras and exits. Tony tells EJ that if he’s in any kind of trouble, he can confide in him. EJ responds that he’s not the one in trouble, it’s his son.

Gabi tells Chad that he could rake in profits without laundering money for criminals. Chad questions what’s in it for Gabi. Gabi says she has reached her breaking point and can’t work for Philip and Xander anymore. Chad asks why she can’t just quit and take Gabi Chic. Gabi explains that she signed a contract with DiMera, so she can’t go anywhere for another two years. Gabi says the damage is done and the company is about to implode, so if that happens they will both lose everything. Gabi points out that Chad’s children will lose a lot since if DiMera goes under, that’s their legacy going down the drain too. Gabi knows Chad bought the Spectator to honor Abigail’s legacy, but argues that his passion project isn’t as lucrative as a Fortune 500 company. Gabi feels they want the same thing here and talks about providing a better life for their kids. Gabi states that in order to keep doing that, Chad needs to step up to the plate. Gabi asks him to at least think about it.

EJ presents Tony with the memory stick which Tony questions what is on it. EJ explains that it’s from a camera that was hidden in the room when he was shot. Tony suggests he start from the beginning then.

Chad talks on the phone with Leo about confirming EJ’s plans for the hospital. Chad says he’ll talk to him tomorrow and hangs up. Chad tells Gabi that Leo has turned in to an impressive journalist and just has to break some bad habits. Gabi questions everyone giving Leo a second chance. Gabi asks about Chad limping. Chad tells her that he had a skydiving mishap. Gabi is surprised as she never took him for the skydiving mishap. Chad explains that it was Cat’s idea for their bachelorette auction date. Gabi questions him bidding on Cat after what she did to his family. Chad clarifies that EJ actually made the bid.

Tony questions EJ about someone planting a camera in their home. EJ says he doesn’t remember much from the night he was shot, but he does remember finding the camera. Tony asks who would do such a thing. EJ admits that’s a long list but questions who could get in to plant it undetected. Tony asks what it has to do with Johnny. EJ says everything, so Tony questions what he’s not telling him. EJ wants his word that he won’t tell anyone. EJ then reveals the memory stick revealed that Johnny was there that night and blaming him for everything that went wrong in his life. EJ adds that Johnny had a gun. Tony asks if he’s saying that his own son tried to shoot him. EJ says he’s afraid that he is.

Thomas, Jack, Jennifer, and JJ continue to play Monopoly. Thomas still wants to know the real reason they will be visiting more often and asks if something is wrong or if someone is sick. Jack insists everyone is fine and admits that they didn’t give the real reason. Jack informs him that they want to spend more time with Julie. Jennifer notes that Julie is still having a hard time since Doug’s passing. Thomas admits he sometimes hears her crying. Jennifer talks about having friends and family being good for Julie and now that they are leaving town again, they think she’s going to be sad. Jack says they want to be there for her to take care of Julie, which Thomas says makes sense. JJ and Jack head to the kitchen to get more snacks. JJ comments on Jack covering with Thomas while Jack asks what he was supposed to say about Jennifer not trusting Chad’s new friend. JJ doesn’t get why Jennifer is suddenly on this now when Cat and Chad have been working together for months. Jack says finding out about the date is what set Jennifer off. JJ admits he can’t blame her there but it was for charity and it’s over, so they have no reason to hang out anymore. Jack says that Chad and Cat plan to hang out a lot more. JJ says if that’s the case, he will also be keeping an eye on Cat.

Gabi jokes that at least Chad got an exciting story out of his date while all she got was a boring dinner with Alex. Chad says next time they can trade then since at this stage of his life, boring sounds pretty good. Gabi states that boring and Cat Green don’t go hand in hand. Gabi says she admires Cat because she seems to be working hard to make amends for everything she did wrong. Gabi can’t believe EJ had the nerve to bid on Cat. Chad clarifies that EJ insisted he’s not interested in Cat. Gabi argues that EJ is interested in anyone willing to turn a blind eye to who he is which is Belle at the moment. Gabi adds that Cat should be thanking Chad as she dodged a bullet with EJ.

Cat goes to the park and meets Shane Donovan. Cat questions what he’s doing there. Shane remarks that she’s lucky it was a friendly face sneaking up on her as she could’ve been in serious danger. Shane asks if she’s not going to say hello to her old boss.

Gabi thought Chad and Cat would have gone their separate ways after the fundraiser but now they’re jumping out of an airplane together. Gabi says Chad didn’t have to swoop in and save Cat from EJ, so she questions what’s really going on between them. Chad says it’s nothing and that he’s just gotten to learn a bit more about Cat the last few months and the more he learns about her, the more he likes her.

Shane tells Cat that he didn’t mean to startle her. Cat argues that he was trying to test her. Shane likes to make sure his employees are all on their toes. Cat points out that she was a former employee and wasn’t a field agent, but an analyst. Shane notes that she’s been avoiding his calls. Cat says he wants her back in the agency and she has no interest in that. Shane is afraid she has no choice in the matter.

Tony argues that Johnny wouldn’t do something so despicable or heinous. EJ says that Tony has been gone a long time and a lot has happened between he and Johnny. Tony argues that it doesn’t mean Johnny wanted to kill him. EJ says in Johnny’s mind, he cost he and Chanel the chance to adopt a baby. Tony says that doesn’t justify wanting to shoot him. EJ responds that learning that he raped his mother would.

Gabi questions Chad saying he likes Cat. Chad says it’s not like they are in high school and that they are just friends which he’s getting enough grief for. Gabi asks who would begrudge him making a friend. Chad explains that Jennifer does not want Cat anywhere near him or his kids.

Cat asks if Shane is threatening her, arguing that he can’t force her to come back to the ISA. Shane feels when he explains the stakes, she will feel she can’t walk away. Cat tells Shane that he knows what her time at the ISA cost her as she investigated Clyde’s drug ring for him and thought she was a nobody so there would be no danger, but she got burned, her father was kidnapped, and her mother was brainwashed. Cat talks about what she went through in having surgeries to reconstruct her face. Cat states that her service has ended and she has to take care of her brother and sister, so she can’t afford to end up like John Black.

Tony tells EJ that what he did to Sami was disgraceful and argues that Kate and Roman had no right to tell Johnny like that, but it doesn’t prove that Johnny pulled the trigger. EJ argues that he has him on camera pointing a gun at him and he was telling everyone who would listen that he wanted him dead, so no jury in the world would exonerate him. Tony points out that Johnny would go to prison for a long time. EJ declares that he won’t let that happen and he needs to protect his son at all costs. Tony says he will too.

Shane tells Cat that was a low blow as John was a good friend, who died as a real hero. Cat asks if John would’ve chosen a different path if he knew he’d leave Marlena and his loved ones behind. Shane assures it wouldn’t have changed a thing. Cat admits she never met John but it’s clear he was a great man. Shane says the world is a darker place without him and that’s why the rest of them have to step up in his absence. Cat then asks why Shane needs her back at the agency. Shane calls her one of the best analysts he’s ever worked with. Cat asks why her. Shane reveals that she also has a personal connection to the case.

Gabi tells Chad that Jennifer has a right to be concerned about Cat considering everything that has happened. Chad says he and Cat worked through all of that. Gabi points out that it wasn’t just Chad’s heart that she played with as Jack and Jennifer were hurt too. Chad blames Clyde Weston. Gabi says to Jennifer, Cat Green will always be the person who impersonated her dead daughter.

Thomas wins the game of Monopoly and suggests another round. Jennifer thinks JJ must have better plans than hanging out with his parents. Thomas disagrees since Gabi dumped him. Jennifer questions JJ being with Gabi, reminding him of the horrible things she’s done to Julie and his cousins that she had been with including Will, Eli, and Nick. Jack takes Thomas to get cookies in the kitchen. JJ tells Jennifer that he knew she would react this way which is why he never said anything. Jennifer argues that it’s because he knows she’s right. Jennifer questions JJ being worried about Cat and Chad when Gabi is just as bad. JJ disagrees. Jack intervenes and tells Jennifer that she made her points. Jennifer questions if Jack is okay with this. Jack says sometimes you can’t help who your hearts want to be with. JJ remarks that he and Gabi are through so it’s all moot because she wants nothing to do with him. Jack asks if he’s sure it’s over. JJ responds that it’s kind of hard to come back from accusing someone of attempted murder.

Gabi apologizes to Chad for being put in a weird position. Chad says at least Jennifer never told the kids as they really like Cat. Tony and EJ arrive at the Bistro. Chad hugs Tony and says it’s good to see him, noting that he heard Tony and Anna were coming in for John’s funeral. Tony confirms they want to be there for Carrie. EJ comments on Chad’s interesting choice of a dinner companion. Gabi remarks that it’s nice to see him too. Tony asks if they would mind if he and EJ joined them.

Cat questions Shane about her personal connection to the case. Shane explains that she worked on a similar case for the agency back in the day and she’s perfectly positioned for them in her job as Marlena’s assistant. Shane informs her that the DiMera criminal enterprises has been on their radar forever but they haven’t been able to bring them down. Shane says now that Titan recently took over DiMera, they are weakened and there is blood in the water, so now is the time to go for them. Shane brings up EJ being the new owner of the hospital but the question is how did he come up with the funds for the purchase as he couldn’t raise the money on his own and had to have an infusion of cash from somewhere. Shane questions who his partner is and what they hope to gain. Shane says that is what they need Cat to find out.

Gabi tells Tony that it’s a lovely offer but she was just leaving as she’s lost her appetite. Tony questions what this is all about, then decides maybe he shouldn’t know. Gabi tells Chad that dinner was on her since she asked him to talk business. Gabi then says goodnight. Tony stops Gabi and says he’s been meaning to reach out to her. Tony asks if she’s heard from her ex-husband lately.

Cat tells Shane that something shady going on with EJ is just status quo. Shane says no one buys a failing hospital out of a sense of altruism, but they know EJ is trying to lay patent on a new drug in development though the payoff on that is years away. Shane says Kayla is pretty sure EJ is planning something nefarious, so they need to get out ahead of it. Cat questions if no one else can do this job. Shane says no one as good as her, calling her perfectly poised to be working from the inside and she knows how important the hospital is to her since her sister received life saving surgery as an infant. Cat acknowledges that he always does his homework. Shane asks if they can count on her. Cat reluctantly agrees to keep her ears open and report back to him if she hears anything useful. Cat adds that when this is done, so is she, so he and the agency will leave her alone for good.

Gabi tells Tony that she hasn’t heard from Stefan since he left Salem and asks why he asked. Tony talks about visiting Alemania during their travels and they decided to reach out to see if he wanted to get together, but they never heard back. Chad points out that Stefan had been threatening to cut ties with the family. EJ mentions receiving what he assumes was a get well card from Stefan, but he threw it out when he saw who had signed it, especially since he was hoping to hear from another DiMera. Gabi questions if Johnny hasn’t forgiven him yet. Gabi says goodnight and then exits the Bistro. Tony guesses Stefan must be fine and just didn’t get back to them because he’s busy and there’s no reason to think he’s in any kind of trouble…

Jennifer and Jack prepare to leave. Thomas is sad that they won’t get to say goodbye to Charlotte and Julie. Thomas makes them promise they will be back. Jack and Jennifer say they will miss them as they have a group hug with Thomas and JJ.

Gabi walks through the town square and runs in to JJ. JJ says he just wanted to apologize again as he was wrong to accuse her of shooting EJ and he knows now that she had nothing to do with it. Gabi says that would’ve been nice a few months ago and asks what’s changed. JJ brings up the camera Rafe planted and says he knows Rafe wouldn’t have told Jada about the missing memory stick if there was a chance it would implicate Gabi. Gabi questions new evidence being all that changed and not weeks of her insisting that she’s innocent. JJ knows he messed things up. Gabi agrees that he should’ve had faith in her. Gabi wishes JJ luck and hopes he solves the case soon as she walks away.

Shane informs Cat that she will be working with an ISA task force on this as he will be off the clock for his son’s wedding. Shane thanks Cat for her cooperation. Cat says it’s like he said, she doesn’t really have a choice. Shane wishes Cat the best and walks away.

Chad, EJ, and Tony toast to Stefano at the Bistro. Tony doubts that Stefano is thrilled that his DiMera dynasty is now being controlled by the Kiriakis family. EJ blames Kristen for having him ousted long before that. Tony declares that what they do next is reunite to win back the company. EJ says he’s afraid not. EJ explains that Stefano had been grooming him to take over his empire but it brought him nothing but misery. EJ adds that he recently acquired University Hospital, so he believes the family’s future lies there and his focus is there now along with repairing his relationship with Johnny. Tony tells Chad that leaves them but Chad says he’s happy running the Spectator and has long been out of the family business. Tony argues that it’s not the first time someone suggested Chad get back in. Chad tells Tony that it was nice catching up but he has to get home since Jack and Jennifer are leaving town and that’s always hard on the kids. Tony says this conversation is not over as Chad exits. EJ gets a text from Belle and tells Tony that he can’t stay as something important just came up. Tony questions it being more important than reclaiming Stefano’s legacy as EJ exits.

Chad finds Cat in the town square and asks how Aaron’s graduation was. Cat says it was great and they were just celebrating while now he’s off with his friends. Chad sends his congratulations. Chad asks if they are still on for dinner. Cat assures they are and she’s looking forward to it. Chad says he is too. JJ watches from nearby behind the bushes.

Tony gets a call from Anna and says he broached the subject but it seems neither of them want to make a move. Tony declares that if the family business is to be saved, it seems he has to be the one to do it.

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Days Update Friday, June 20, 2025

Days of Our Lives Update

 

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Update written by Joseph

As they prepare for graduation at the high school, Holly runs in to Tate.

Abe and Paulina eat together in the town square as Paulina goes over her graduation speech. Paulina asks if Abe is sure he’s okay with spending their anniversary at a high school graduation. Abe assures that he is and says making those speeches was one of his favorite parts of the Mayor job. Paulina comments on getting her blood pressure under control. Abe says that her getting a clean bill of health is all the anniversary present he could ask for.

Sarah checks Marlena out at the hospital. Marlena tells her that she got dizzy earlier but says she’s sure it’s nothing and blames it on not eating a lot lately. Marlena talks about waiting for John to get back from his mission, so she can’t remember when she wasn’t at a stress level of 10. Sarah says they will see if there’s anything else going on.

Abe goes to get a drink refill as Chanel approaches on her way to the Bakery and talks about preparing Andrew and Paul’s wedding cake. Paulina guesses she’s trying to take her mind off things because she hates waiting. Chanel admits that’s part of it. Paulina encourages that there’s plenty of time to give her more grandbabies. Chanel guesses she got her hopes up and adds that it’s not the only thing she’s trying to take her mind off. Chanel reveals to Paulina that Johnny might be making peace with EJ and that is not something she’s sure she can live with.

EJ enters the living room of the DiMera Mansion, where he is shocked to find Brady sitting inside. EJ comments on being wary of intruders ever since he was shot. Brady reminds EJ that his daughter lives there and explains that he is picking her up for Tate’s graduation. Brady adds that Rachel will be spending the night with him as Kristen is getting her mother settled back in Aremid. EJ claims he was relieved to hear that Rachel Blake was found. Brady tells him to cut the crap as he knows that he had her “undisappear” in exchange for Kristen and Rachel’s silence about the fact that Johnny was the one who shot EJ.

Paulina can’t believe Johnny is thinking of making peace with his father and says she certainly didn’t see that coming. Chanel complains that it’s because of EJ that their adoption fell through and made Johnny question if he’s even capable of being a good dad. They agree that Johnny would be an incredible father. Chanel still doesn’t want EJ anywhere near Johnny after all the pain he’s caused and definitely not around her child, if she ever has a child. Paulina encourages that she will. Abe comes back over, so Chanel wishes him a happy anniversary and quickly walks away. Abe questions her not going to work. Paulina notes that she said she was.

Brady informs EJ that Kristen told him about Rachel overheard Johnny and EJ arguing and that she saw Johnny holding the gun. EJ complains that he should’ve known Kristen couldn’t keep her mouth shut and asks who else knows. Brady says she didn’t take an ad out and argues that it’s very relevant to him. EJ argues that it’s between him and Johnny while Brady argues that his daughter is traumatized. EJ tells Brady that he’s sure he understands his desire to protect Johnny, so he hopes Brady agreed to keep quiet about this. Brady assures he didn’t tell anybody, but says that EJ needs to understand he’s very skeptical of this deal as Rachel is having nightmares and it’s eating her up inside. Rachel then walks in and asks what is eating her. Brady tries to play it off and asks if she’s ready to go. Rachel says her bag is by the door, but she just threw up. Brady decides they will change plans then and take her to the doctor to find out what’s going on, so they exit.

Sarah tells Marlena that her blood pressure is excellent and so are her vitals. Sarah says everything is within the normal range but she will run some labs to see if there’s anything not on the physical exam. Marlena guesses her diagnosis is grief then. Sarah believes that is what is taking a toll on her. Sarah asks if Marlena has a therapist she would feel comfortable talking to and brings up a support group. Marlena mentions sending people there in the past and agrees to think about it.

Tate puts Holly’s graduation cap on her and tells her it’s perfect. Sophia and Aaron then arrive. Aaron jokes about Holly running to get there. Sophia points out they still have plenty of time. Holly says the e-mail said to be early and talks about being nervous to give her speech. Holly admits she always thought Sophia would be giving the speech. Sophia congratulates Holly and says she earned it. Aaron talks about feeling nostalgic for high school. Sophia agrees that they’ve waited their whole lives but now it’s kind of sad. Tate agrees that it doesn’t feel real that they will never see each other in the halls or go to class ever again, calling it the end of an era.

Abe questions Paulina reading over her graduation speech again. Paulina talks about it being important, adding that it’s also Juneteenth so she wants to set the right tone. Abe suggests she practice on him. Paulina doesn’t want to bore him but Abe says that’s not possible, so Paulina begins giving her speech to Abe.

Marlena thanks Sarah for seeing her and apologizes for wasting her time. Sarah assures she didn’t waste her time at all and she’s glad that she is okay physically. Sarah says it was good to see her. Marlena adds that she’s sorry about Xander and is here if she wants to talk. Sarah doesn’t want to burden her. Marlena assures it’s not a burden and knows Sarah wants to help. Marlena wishes people didn’t feel they have to handle her with kid gloves as the best medicine for her will be to feel productive and useful. Sarah says she can relate and might take her up on that. Brady then arrives with Rachel. Rachel runs up and excitedly hugs Marlena.

Paulina finishes reading her speech to Abe. Abe applauds and praises her. Paulina says they have to get going to graduation so they walk off together.

Holly tells Tate that she can only imagine how hard the day must be for him as she knows he’s putting on a brave face but it’s a crappy time to celebrate while his family is still grieving John’s death. Tate talks about Brady trying to make the day special but admits it’s hard to feel like celebrating. Tate asks if Jude is there but Holly says he’s home sick. Sophia then gets a sudden pain and announces that she thinks she’s in labor.

Brady explains that Rachel isn’t feeling too hot. Sarah asks if it’s another stomachache. Brady confirms she threw up. Marlena is sure Sarah can figure out what’s wrong. Marlena questions Brady not being at Tate’s graduation as she was about to head there herself. Brady says they still have some time. Sarah says she’ll try not to keep them and takes Rachel to an exam room.

After Tate and Sophia leave, Aaron comments to Holly on Tate and Sophia having a hell of a year and it not being easy for Holly either. Holly admits it wasn’t but says today isn’t about her as she’s just giving a speech while Sophia is the one at the hospital, pushing a baby out. Aaron comments that Holly seems kind of shaken up by it. Holly claims she’s just nervous about her speech. Aaron argues that he took public speaking with her and she does not get stage fright. Holly then admits she’s a little worried since Tate and Sophia haven’t found a couple to adopt their baby yet and wonders what they are going to do now.

Marlena tells Brady to go ahead and she can wait for Rachel so that he doesn’t miss Tate’s graduation. Brady thanks her because he knows Tate is bummed that his mother won’t be there, so he’s probably looking for him in the crowd now. Tate and Sophia then arrive with Sophia’s mom Amy, who calls for help as her daughter is having a baby.

EJ makes a call, wanting to confirm that Rachel Blake is safely tucked away in Aremid and won’t step foot in Salem ever again. EJ then hangs up as Chanel enters the room.

Sarah checks out Rachel in the hospital and confirms she doesn’t have a fever. Sarah asks if it was anything she ate but Rachel says no. Sarah asks how long her stomach has been hurting. Rachel says it hurts all the time. Sarah says that’s not good and asks if it’s felt better since she saw her last. Rachel says sometimes when she’s not thinking about it. Sarah asks if it feels worse when she thinks about John. Rachel says maybe but she doesn’t know. Sarah asks if something else is bothering her. Sarah sits with her and reminds her that anything she tells her will stay between them unless she thinks someone is in danger. Rachel makes Sarah swear. Sarah then asks if there’s something she wants to tell her. Sarah talks about knowing when something is wrong, relating to with her daughter Victoria. Sarah reminds Rachel of what they were talking about before. Rachel apologizes for asking too many questions. Sarah says it’s good to be curious. Rachel says sometimes it gets her in trouble. Sarah asks what she means. Rachel responds that sometimes, she hears things she shouldn’t or sees things she shouldn’t. Sarah asks like what, but a nurse interrupts to announce that a young woman going in to labor has arrived. Sarah instructs the nurse to set her up in a room and goes back to asking Rachel if she’s seen something that upset her. Rachel suddenly claims she’s not upset anymore. Sarah asks if she’s sure. Rachel responds that she doesn’t know why, but she feels better when she’s with Sarah.

Sophia panics about the baby coming when they haven’t found adoptive parents or a lawyer yet. The nurse takes Sophia to the exam room and says they will be back to update them. Amy worries about the baby coming too soon. Amy then gets a call from her husband and steps away to answer. Tate questions how Brady was already there. Brady explains that Rachel got sick right before they were going to graduation and she’s in with Sarah now. Brady adds that he was going to be late but Marlena offered to watch Rachel. Marlena is sorry to miss Tate’s graduation. Tate says this is kind of once in a lifetime too. Sarah brings Rachel back. Rachel says she’s okay while Brady asks if Sarah found out what’s going on. Marlena suggests Tate take Rachel to get a ginger ale. Rachel thought Tate was graduating today. Tate says he thought so too as they walk away. Brady informs Sarah that Sophia has gone in to labor. Sarah didn’t realize it was Sophia. Brady asks what’s going on with Rachel. Sarah responds that physically she’s fine and thinks it’s psychosomatic, so she encourages continuing therapy. Sarah says often times, grief can manifest itself physically. Marlena brings up Rachel’s grandmother Rachel Blake disappearing. Brady responds that she’s apparently safe and sound in Aremid now, which Rachel was relieved to hear. Marlena wonders what made EJ decide to do the right thing.

Chanel tells EJ that she didn’t hear what he was scheming and she doesn’t care because her opinion of him couldn’t get any worse. EJ guesses this isn’t a social call. Chanel tells him that Johnny told her that they were on their way to repairing their relationship and she has a big problem with that. Chanel asks if EJ hasn’t done enough damage. EJ says that’s between he and his son. Chanel argues that it affects her too since it’s because of him and his despicable actions that Johnny doesn’t think he’s capable of being a good father. Chanel is thankful that evil is genetic because Johnny is nothing like him. Chanel declares that EJ ruined their chance to adopt Sophia and Tate’s baby, put a huge strain on their marriage, and turned her life upside down. EJ is sorry but suggests things could change now that they are turning a new leaf. EJ tells Chanel that he and Johnny are bound by blood so she doesn’t have a say. Chanel argues that she and Johnny are bound by their vows. Chanel declares that EJ hurt the man she loves and she doesn’t let anyone get away with that. EJ asks if she’s threatening him. Chanel warns him to stay away from Johnny because he’s better off without him as she then storms out.

Tate brings Rachel back and says she seems to be doing better. Marlena suggests they have a girls night which excites Rachel. Brady asks Sarah if she thinks Rachel is up for that. Sarah thinks it’s just what the doctor ordered. Marlena asks Brady to keep her posted on Sophia and the baby. Sarah goes to check on Sophia as Marlena exits with Rachel.

Aaron and Holly finish graduation. Aaron suggests going to take a picture and says they can crop Tate and Sophia in later. Holly says and their baby. Aaron assures things are fine and if anything happens, they will handle it. Holly calls that the least of her worries as she reveals that Eric and Nicole were sitting on opposite sides of the auditorium and that Nicole hasn’t even seen Eric today, so something must have happened between them.

Sarah checks on Sophia in the hospital and says her blood pressure is a little high, so she encourages her to relax. Sophia complains that the baby has already ruined her entire senior year and questions why she had to go in to labor early too. Sarah knows first hand how scary it is but assures they will take really good care of her. Sarah asks if she’s sure she doesn’t want her mom in the room. Sophia assures it would not help her blood pressure. Sarah asks what is worrying her the most right now. Sophia says the fact that she’s about to push a baby out of her is pretty terrifying but she’s trying not to think about it too much. Sophia then admits it’s the fact that she and Tate still haven’t found adoptive parents yet and she knows when Tate sees the baby, he’s going to fall in love with it and not want to give it up. Sarah asks if that’s not what she wants. Sophia clarifies it’s not that she doesn’t feel anything towards the baby at all. Sophia recalls the first time the baby kicked, but she wants what is best for that life and for her and Tate which is not becoming teenage parents. Sophia says she’s told her mom this but she just won’t get it. Sarah says it sounds like Sophia has really thought it through and she’s staying firm in her decision which takes a lot of courage. Sarah knows she will stay strong even if everything doesn’t go as planned.

Abe and Paulina go to the Bistro for drinks and talk about the graduation ceremony. Abe praises Paulina’s speech, pointing out that she got a deserved standing ovation. Abe toasts to Paulina and they wish each other a happy anniversary.

Marlena and Rachel do a puzzle together at home. Rachel yawns so Marlena asks if she wants to take a nap. Rachel says she’s too old for naps. Marlena disagrees so Rachel agrees to lay down on the couch.

Brady, Tate, and Amy sit together at the hospital. Tate questions what is going on and wonders if they’ve already taken Sophia to the delivery room. Tate asks if Sophia doesn’t want him in there. Amy points out that she doesn’t want her in there either, so all they can do is wait. Brady asks Tate how he’s doing. Tate says when he woke up, he was just trying to wrap his head around graduating and this was the last thing he expected so soon. Sarah and the nurse bring Sophia out in a wheelchair so Tate and Amy rush up to ask what is going on.

Holly tells Aaron that Eric and Nicole always seemed perfect for each other but guesses not anymore. Aaron encourages that couples fight and it’s not like they are broken up. Aaron adds that Holly is going to look at schools in Paris, joking that she can parent trap them while she’s there. Aaron suggests they go find their families because they deserve to celebrate, so they walk off together.

Tate questions Sophia not being in labor. Sophia says she really thought she was. Sarah explains how it can be hard to tell the difference betweeen Braxton-Hicks. Sophia is sorry they missed graduation for nothing. Tate says it’s understandable that she couldn’t have known the difference. Sophia offers to treat everyone to dinner, feeling they are still graduates and should celebrate. Brady calls it a nice offer but Tate says they already have plans. Amy says it’s probably for the best so they can get Sophia home to rest. Amy adds that she does have a small graduation present waiting for her at home. Sophia thanks her and says she’s just happy that she didn’t have the baby tonight, so now they can make sure they have adoptive parents lined up before she goes in to labor for real. Brady thanks Sarah for everything she did, feeling she went above and beyond today. Brady adds that if she ever wants to vent about Xander, he’s there for her. Sarah thanks him and says she really appreciates it.

Chanel stops by the Bistro to drop by pastries and greets Abe and Paulina while she’s there. Paulina thinks she deserves a break. Abe invites her to join. Chanel doesn’t want to crash their anniversary dinner. Paulina assures she wouldn’t be and that they already spent some alone time together, so now they can spend some family time together. Chanel then grabs a chair and joins them. Paulina talks about graduation and their own futures. Paulina proposes a toast to the future while Chanel looks uncertain.

EJ paces at home and calls Rita. EJ tells her that he needs to bring back the memory stick that he gave her a few weeks ago.

Marlena reads a book while Rachel sleeps on the couch until Rachel begins having a nightmare and says “no, don’t shoot him” in her sleep.

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