At the Brady Pub, Chad DiMera and his son Thomas were engaged in an intense game of trading cards. Thomas’ prized Pawn card lay on the table between them as Chad admonished the young boy for not following the rules properly. Stephanie Johnson happened upon the scene and came to Thomas’ aid, helping him understand the gameplay. As Thomas scampered off to get treats for them, Stephanie queried Chad about his brother Stefan’s recent release from prison.
Chad confided that he was doing his utmost to steer clear of DiMera business, wanting his children to identify solely as Hortons. He refused to let the toxic legacy of the DiMera name taint their upbringing. Stephanie understood his motivations, her own family no stranger to scandal and turmoil.
Meanwhile, at Eric Brady and Nicole Walker’s apartment, John and Marlena Black babysat their grandson Jude. A call from Kayla Johnson brought the relieving news that Chanel Dupree had been located, and since Paulina Price had remained isolated, they should all be safe from radiation exposure. The potential guilt that Paulina could have felt had she inadvertently harmed others was a burden John related to from his own past transgressions.
As John tended to a fussy Jude, Marlena expressed her admiration for her husband’s strength through the many ordeals they’d faced. John deserved some peace after shouldering such heavy burdens for so long. Cradling Jude, a sense of tranquility washed over him – this innocent life reminded him not to dwell on regrets, but cherish the profound blessings in his life.
At the Salem Police Station, Detective Jada Hunter informed Commissioner Rafe Hernandez that the lead on Clyde Weston’s whereabouts had been a dead end. Everett Black, an old friend attempting to reinsert himself into Jada’s life, arrived pestering Rafe about the manhunt for Clyde. Rafe bluntly rebuffed Everett, refusing him any information until he signed divorce papers releasing Jada from their sham marriage. After Everett departed, Jada wondered if giving him space to accept the situation might ease his resistance to finalizing their divorce.
Across town at the Kiriakis mansion, Konstantin Kiriakis surprised Maggie Kiriakis with a ring that had belonged to his late mother – a token of gratitude for her helping him remain in the country through marriage. The gesture was bittersweet for Maggie, whose heart still ached for her beloved husband Victor. She accepted the ring on a necklace chain, vowing to cherish the memory of Konstantin’s mother.
Their conversation turned to Konstantin’s own late wife and daughter, his eyes glazing over with impenetrable grief. He abruptly changed the subject, declaring his married life as the last thing he wished to discuss. An undercurrent of mystery lingered about this enigmatic man of few words.
Back at the pub, Everett crossed paths with Stephanie, Chad and Thomas once more. Overhearing their playdate plans at the Kiriakis estate, a tinge of melancholy clouded Everett’s expression before Stephanie ushered him aside. She gently inquired about his therapy sessions with Marlena, having noticed their pointed looks exchanged earlier.
Everett admitted that while helpful, he had discontinued hypnotherapy as Marlena believed his subconscious was suppressing unresolved feelings about Jada that he wasn’t prepared to confront. Everett vehemently denied harboring any untoward emotions, wanting solely to free Jada to pursue her happiness with Rafe.
As John and Marlena returned with Baby Jude, Stephanie implored Everett to persist with the hypnosis, hoping it would provide the closure and release he needed to move forward. Marlena’s penetrating gaze conveyed her professional opinion aligning with Stephanie’s advice.
Everett then invited Stephanie to his room at the Salem Inn, wanting to share something significant with her. Marlena’s studious eyes followed them as they made their exit.
At the police station, Jada expressed her gratitude toward Rafe for defending her and pushing Everett to finally sign the divorce papers. However, she wondered if taking a step back from pressuring Everett might be the wiser strategy. “It’s not like I’m in a rush to get married again…at least not yet,” she admitted with a shrug.
Rafe assured her he wasn’t trying to rush anything, he merely wanted to see her happy and free from the burden of her sham marriage to Everett. Jada smiled warmly, replying that Rafe’s presence in her life was her source of happiness. She felt incredibly fortunate to have found such a caring, supportive partner after the failed relationships with Everett and Eric Brady.
“You’re sweet, loyal, honest, kind…and sexy,” Jada purred, leaning in to playfully kiss Rafe’s cheek. She implored him to ask her to move in together again, as she was ready this time to take that next step.
Rafe repeated her admiring words back to her before popping the question – would she do him the honor of coming to live with him? After a momentary, teasing pause, Jada agreed with a radiant smile, sealing their commitment with a passionate kiss.
Across town, Stephanie followed Everett into his room at the Salem Inn, her interest piqued by his cryptic invitation to share something with her. Everett explained that if they potentially had a future together, he needed to clear the air and start anew, with no secrets or restraints.
From his desk drawer, he removed the unsigned divorce papers and an expensive pen. Taking a steadying breath, Everett brought the pen down and finally signed his name – Robert Stein – onto the documents that would legally sever his marriage to Jada Hunter.
Stephanie looked on, visibly moved by the weight of this gesture. She recognized what a tremendous step this was for Everett to take, after his prolonged reluctance. As he turned away from her, Stephanie missed the dark, ambiguous look that flickered across Everett’s expression.
At the Kiriakis mansion, a seemingly innocent game of hide-and-seek had taken a more underhanded turn. Konstantin had realized his treasured pawn card from his homeland was missing from his room. He cornered young Thomas, accusing the boy of taking it, though Thomas vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
When Chad stepped away briefly, Konstantin leaned down menacingly, issuing a chilling threat to the child – return the card immediately, and Chad would never need to know. Trembling, Thomas retrieved the card from his own deck’s box and handed it over fearfully.
As soon as the boy scurried off, Konstantin held the pawn card tightly in his fist, an unsettling look of triumph glinting in his eyes. “It’s almost time,” he muttered under his breath. Time for whatever twisted gambit he had been meticulously assembling behind the scenes for months.
The various residents of Salem continued their day, unaware of the ominous implications just beneath the surface. For everything appearing calm and settled, an undertow of deception and darkness was slowly gathering strength, ready to pull them all under the crashing wave of Konstantin’s hushed designs.
