Days of our Lives Recap for Monday, February 24, 2025: Stephanie comes to a startling conclusion about Rafe

At the Horton House, Chad invited Leo inside. Leo claimed he happened to be strolling by and wanted to talk with Chad about coming back to work at the paper. Chad didn’t think it was a “good idea,” which caught Leo off-guard. Chad sat Leo down and explained that after what had happened with Kerry, he believed it best if Lady Whistleblower was “retired.” Leo claimed he was “versatile...like The Talented Mr. Ripley minus the murder."

Leo wanted to join The Spectator as its newest “ace reporter.” Chad still hedged, so Leo reminded Chad of his article on Doug and Julie and pleaded for a chance to prove he could be a serious journalist. Chad eventually acquiesced, and Leo gave him a big hug. When Chad started to talk about journalistic ethics, Leo made a few jokes but promised Chad that he was going to make his boss proud and put the other reporters to shame.

In Marlena’s hospital office, Cat thanked Marlena for giving Cat time to visit with her family in Vancouver. When Cat stated she was ready to start work, Marlena informed her they could both be looking for new jobs. After Marlena updated Cat about the hospital’s predicament, Cat suggested that they organize a fundraiser. Cat believed that the event could rally the public behind the hospital and draw the attention of big donors. Marlena wanted to discuss the idea with Cat over lunch.

Later, Cat chatted with Marlena about the potential fundraiser at a table in Horton Town Square. When Chad approached, Cat nearly choked on her fries and awkwardly greeted Chad. Marlena mentioned that Cat had planned a fundraiser to help the hospital and suggested that Chad join them. Chad obliged and complimented Cat on the proposal. Marlena then suggested Cat and Chad work together on the idea.

When Marlena excused herself and left the table, Cat apologized for Marlena putting Chad on the spot. Cat reasoned that she was the last person Chad would want to collaborate with.

Earlier in Horton Town Square, Shawn spotted Jada crying on a bench and rushed over to her. He hugged her and asked what was wrong. Jada told him about Rafe cheating on her. She brought Shawn up-to-date on what Javi had claimed about Rafe and the stripper. She bemoaned the fact that Rafe had cheated on her while she had been at home, dreaming of their future together.

Shawn brought up the possibility that Rafe had gotten drunk and had “made a stupid mistake,” as Shawn had done with Jada’s sister. Jada didn’t think that was the case since Javi had told her that Rafe seemed unapologetic. Shawn offered to take Jada home, and she accepted.

When they got to Stephanie’s apartment, Shawn and Jada settled on the couch while Jada apologized for acting “pathetic." Shawn assured her she had every right to her feelings and promised he would stay and provide a comforting shoulder. Jada took him up on the offer since it beat her plans to either stay in bed and cry or go after Rafe with a baseball bat.

As she snuggled up with Shawn, Jada chastised herself for failing to see the warning signs with Rafe. She’d vowed that after Bobby, she would never let a man hurt her like that again. Shawn reminded Jada that until recently, Rafe had been a “stand-up guy.” Jada mused that she had stopped herself from kissing Shawn because of her lingering feelings for Rafe. Finding out about Rafe’s affair had killed those feelings.

Jada suggested that she and Shawn finish what they had started and then kissed him. Shawn pulled back and reaffirmed that they had agreed not to get involved for the wrong reasons. Jada contested that she was only trying to move on, as she had thought Shawn wanted to do as well. She asked him if his hesitation was about lingering feelings for Belle. Shawn conceded that finding out about Belle and EJ had dampened his feelings for Belle; although he and Jada had an attraction, he still had reservations about getting involved with Jada while she was in a vulnerable place.

Jada argued that she and Shawn had a connection that went back to when they were partners on the force. Shawn had been there for her during her recent experiences, which deepened their connection. Shawn concurred and agreed with Jada that nothing was holding them back. He confirmed his change of heart with a kiss. Within moments, the kiss deepened as the duo began taking off their clothes; they fell back onto the couch in a passionate embrace.

Across town, Javi arrived at Gabi’s office and apologized for running late. Gabi snarked about Leo being a bad influence. Javi clarified that Jada, not Leo, had held him up. He stunned Gabi with the revelation that he had caught Rafe cheating on Jada before the wedding. After Javi’s explanation, Gabi realized why Leo and Javi attempted to stop the ceremony.

Gabi couldn’t understand when her brother had become such “a dirtbag.” Javi preferred the term “slimeball” and asked Gabi if Rafe had ever acted like that before. Gabi brought up Rafe having cheated on Ava with Nicole and having cheated on Hope with Sami, but she defended those times as extenuating circumstances. Javi believed both he and Gabi had “a blind spot” about Rafe’s true character. Gabi still thought Rafe’s actions were strange and pondered whether her brother was really her brother.

Upon Javi’s questioning, Gabi clarified that she wondered about the effects of Rafe’s coma on him. She wanted to talk with Rafe about getting medical help. For his part, Javi worried if Rafe would ever forgive him for telling Jada about Rafe’s hook-up with the stripper. Gabi stressed to Javi that both she and Rafe were lucky to have him back in their lives. She only wished her “angel” cousin hadn’t selected a “devil” in Leo.

Later, Javi was alone and trying on a blonde wig when Leo entered the office. Leo teased Javi about the wig and about how he looked as a blonde. After the light banter, Leo happily told Javi about his new job. The mood soured, though, when Javi mentioned his conversation with Jada. Both Leo and Javi wondered what Jada would do with the news about Rafe’s infidelity.

At the Brady Pub, Alex and Stephanie were enjoying a meal. Alex believed the ability to eat what he wanted was one of the perks of losing his job since he no longer had to worry about taking his shirt off every day. Stephanie insisted he had to eat the cupcake that Roman brought over, as it was a “special” cupcake. Alex noticed the candle atop the treat, and Stephanie wished him a happy birthday. She explained to a surprised Alex that Bonnie had told her about his birthday.

Next, Stephanie presented Alex with a gift box, which contained a pair of cufflinks shaped like arrows. Alex grinned as Stephanie stated that she had wanted him to have a reminder of his time with Body and Soul. Alex considered spending time with her while they had both worked on the show as the best gift from his time there. He credited Body and Soul with bringing Stephanie and him back together.

Alex kissed Stephanie, and she suggested that they go back to his place to celebrate since Jada was staying with her. Alex asked how Jada was doing, which prompted Stephanie to launch into a rant about Rafe. She intended to confront the man. When Alex took a birthday call from Sonny, Stephanie considered the interruption her opportunity and left to see Rafe.

After finishing his call with Sonny, Alex marveled to Roman about Will and Sonny’s relationship. Roman subtly warned Alex against hurting Stephanie again. Alex pledged that he had changed and affirmed how much Stephanie meant to him.

At Rafe's house, Arnold ate snacks and commented to himself that he was bored with porn. He needed the "real thing," and he knew “just where to get it.” Arnold called the stripper and told the woman that his wedding was off. He suggested she get her “hot little behind” to his place so they could have fun together.

Later, Arnold heard a knock at the door and began unbuttoning his shirt as he went to answer it. An angry Stephanie greeted him on the other end. She bashed “Rafe” for his treatment of Jada and challenged him on why he was acting so harshly towards the woman he was supposed to love. “Rafe” defended himself, then grew frustrated and told Stephanie it was none of her business. Stephanie saw it differently; she was Jada’s friend and wanted to help.

Arnold smirked, declared he had a way Stephanie could “help,” and laid a sloppy kiss on her. Stephanie responded by kneeing him in the groin and calling him a “disgusting pig.” After Stephanie stormed off, Gabi arrived soon thereafter and gave “Rafe” round two of a tongue-lashing. Gabi blasted "Rafe" for cheating on Jada.

When “Rafe” blew off the infidelity and then referred to Javi as a traitor and a “gossipy little queen,” Gabi was outraged on her cousin’s behalf. Gabi called “Rafe” a “jerk,” and he shot back by calling her a “bitch.” A dumbstruck Gabi gaped in response.

Meanwhile, Stephanie returned from Rafe’s place and immediately told Alex that Rafe had hit on her. Alex was irate and expressed his intention to confront Rafe himself, but Stephanie persuaded him to stay put. She admitted that Rafe’s behavior had given her a sense of “déjà vu” and then gasped. She exclaimed that the man she had just seen might not really be Rafe. The comment confused Alex, so Stephanie recounted an experience she’d had with Rafe years earlier.

At the time of Stephanie’s recollection, Rafe had been with Sami but, at one point, had tried to comfort Stephanie in a way that had made Stephanie uncomfortable. Stephanie had later discovered that it had not been Rafe during the prior encounter. It had been a man named Arnold Feniger.

Stream new episodes of Days of our Lives on Peacock.