Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of October 31, 2022 on DAYS

Charlie convinced Ava to hire Xander to kidnap Susan. Alex sneaked out the blackmail file from Sloan's apartment. Paulina rehired Stephanie. Victor pushed Xander to move out with Sarah. Maggie attempted to give Sarah money. Johnny confided in Susan. Wendy overheard Li talk to Kristen. Kristen forced Li to promote Chloe. Nicole and Eric were forced to model together. Stefan and Chloe kissed. Kristen used Rachel to get closer to Brady. Wendy found a lead on Rolf. Xander kidnapped Susan.

Ava receives haunting advice from Charlie

Monday, October 31, 2022

by Mike

Stephanie paced around the living room of the Horton house while fretting about having gotten Chad stuck on a ship that was about to sink. Chad admitted to having received another job offer earlier that night but refused to bail on Stephanie. "Sinking ship or not, I like working with you," Chad stressed.

Charlotte burst into the living room just then, with Thomas close behind, and seized a hug from Chad. "Charlotte had a nightmare," Thomas informed Chad. "That might have been Daddy's fault -- I wore a scary outfit," Chad admitted with a sigh after learning that the nightmare had been about a clown.

Chad introduced Stephanie to Thomas and Charlotte as Abigail's cousin. Stephanie soothed Charlotte with a story about how brave Abigail had been as a child.

Alex inspected the blackmail material while someone was ringing Sloan's doorbell. "Aren't you gonna see who it is? It's not like I can answer it..." Sloan prodded Alex. "They'll go away," Alex assured Sloan.

Alex groaned when Sloan's visitor rang the doorbell ten more times in quick succession. "All right, fine -- I'll get rid of them," Alex conceded before starting to advance toward the apartment door, drawing a sudden cry of concern from Sloan.

Sloan protested that Alex was about to open the apartment door while still naked. Alex laughed off the supposed oversight then made a show of rustling a pant leg and fiddling with a zipper to put Sloan's mind at ease.

Alex eventually opened the apartment door and discovered that Sloan's visitor was a trick-or-treater. "This is a surprise... I was just visiting a friend --" Alex began to explain to Maggie. "What took you so long to answer?" Holly interjected. "Well, like I said, this isn't my apartment --" Alex tried to respond. "And who's that lady on the bed? And why is she blindfolded -- is the blindfold part of her costume? And why is she handcuffed to the bed?" Holly continued, but Alex dodged those questions then distracted the child with a bowl of candy while giving Maggie the blackmail material. "Do not open it -- just hold on to it, and I will explain later," Alex whispered to Maggie before dumping all of the candy into Holly's bag.

Sloan waited until the coast was clear then urged Alex to get naked again so they could pick up where they had left off earlier. Alex declined then freed Sloan while explaining that they were going to have to reschedule due to a work emergency.

Victor sighed while watching Sarah open another bag of candy during an otherwise peaceful period at the Kiriakis mansion. "Do you really think we're gonna have that many more trick-or-treaters?" Victor grumbled. "It's not the trick-or-treaters I'm worried about," Sarah responded -- and, as if on cue, Xander returned to the study just then and stole more candy. "Can't decide if I prefer these with nuts or without..." Xander mused.

Victor seized the opportunity to direct Xander's attention to a stack of mail that was sitting on the coffee table. "How does anyone even know I'm here?" Xander wondered. "Collection agencies have a way of keeping track of you," Victor explained.

Victor started to mock Xander for being unemployed and in debt, prompting Sarah to insist that the former problem had already been solved and that the latter problem would therefore be solved in due time. Xander tried to interrupt, but Sarah forged ahead, criticizing Victor for being so judgmental. Sarah bragged that Xander was going to do big things as an executive at the Spectator and was going to make Victor regret having deprived Titan of such a great asset. Xander eventually managed to clarify that the job at the Spectator had fallen through, drawing a sigh of disappointment from Sarah and a smirk of vindication from Victor.

Maggie entered the mansion a short time later and quickly picked up on the tension in the study. "We're moving out," Xander decided before dragging Sarah away so they could start packing. "What did you say to your nephew?" Maggie challenged Victor once the coast was clear. "I have no idea," Victor insisted with a shrug before asking Maggie for the candy.

Maggie was still trying to get the truth out of Victor when Alex arrived to pick up the blackmail material. "This family..." Maggie grumbled after Alex, having learned a thing or two from Victor, rushed back out of the mansion without an explanation.

Maggie tried to do damage control when Xander and Sarah returned, but Victor refused to apologize for what had happened earlier. "I hope you're happy!" Maggie snapped at Victor after Sarah and Xander rushed off to find another place to live.

Alex tracked Stephanie down at the hospital and handed over the blackmail material. Stephanie was grateful for Alex's help but couldn't help wondering what had changed since their previous conversation. "I realized that if Uncle Victor decided to fire you, he'd put me to work on the task of hiring a whole new PR firm...and, you know, interviews and vetting -- who's got all that time?" Alex explained. "Right -- I mean, you've got people to see, beds to get handcuffed to..." Stephanie teased.

E.J. watched with a shake of the head while Susan was locking doors and windows at the DiMera mansion. "What kind of security system do you have here, huh? Do you have cameras? Do you have dogs? Do you have sharpshooters on the roof?" Susan wondered. "Mother, calm down -- there's no danger --" E.J. responded. "You just don't see it," Susan explained to E.J. with a shudder of fear.

Susan finished securing the mansion's points of entry then did a quick spin for E.J. "Who doesn't love a clown?" Susan reasoned. "Pretty much everyone," E.J. answered. "Okay, you're missing the point, see, 'cause that's the thing -- I put on this costume, and I was struck by this horrible premonition that someone was after my precious son," Susan clarified before patting E.J.'s cheeks in concern.

E.J. guessed that Susan was simply sensing that Johnny was out for revenge after what had happened with Ava. "No, son -- whoever's out to get you, they don't want to just scare you; they want to make you suffer," Susan insisted, confusing E.J.

Ava stammered out an objection while watching Charlie enter the DiMera crypt in a vampire costume. "Are you really so surprised? You saw me last Halloween, when the devil brought me back from the dead -- that was a fun night, wasn't it?" Charlie countered. "The devil is gone...isn't he?" Ava argued. "Sadly, yeah...but, lucky for you, I'm still here," Charlie declared. "Why? How?" Ava wondered. "Who knows -- maybe I'm all in your head..." Charlie responded before dragging a finger across Ava's face. "Or maybe not..." Charlie teased with a shrug when Ava recoiled after feeling the touch. "Either way, I can see that I got here just in time," Charlie concluded.

Ava didn't understand what was significant about the timing of Charlie's arrival. "I just watched you tell your dead boyfriend that you're not gonna get revenge on E.J. DiMera," Charlie explained before encouraging Ava to reconsider.

Charlie couldn't believe that Ava was even entertaining the idea of moving to Seattle and living with not just Tripp but also Joey. "We've moved past our difficulties," Ava assured Charlie.

Charlie expressed doubts about Joey's change of heart then argued that Ava also hadn't changed. "You're still the cold-hearted bitch that wouldn't even save her own son. You sabotaged a plane that killed poor, kindly Grandpa Shawn Brady --" Charlie summarized. "Okay, that was not me -- I was drugged --" Ava interjected. "Were you 'drugged' when you framed Rafe?" Charlie countered.

Charlie stressed that Ava was having a conversation with the son who didn't need an upstanding mother. "You and I are more alike than you care to admit -- and that is why I say...if you want blood, go for it," Charlie declared before reminding Ava that Xander was desperate for cash at that time and would probably do just about anything for the right price.

Ava admitted to having never even gotten to the point of devising an actual revenge scheme, prompting Charlie to make a cryptic comment about the bond between a mother and a son. Charlie disappeared while Ava was pondering the advice. Ava shrugged then exited the crypt and passed by the mansion, where E.J. was sharing a sandwich with Susan. "Sweetheart, I've changed my mind about going to Seattle. There's something else I have to do," Ava explained to Tripp via text message while watching E.J. and Susan through a window.

Ava makes Xander a job offer

Tuesday, November 1, 2022

by Spalding

At Price Headquarters, Paulina assured Sloan on the phone that there would be no more tricks. After Paulina ended her call, she cursed Sloan under her breath. Stephanie walked in. "You have some nerve, showing up here," Paulina yelled. "You wouldn't take any of my calls," Stephanie said. Paulina pointed out that Stephanie was the reason that Paulina needed to pay more money to Sloan.

"You don't need to do that," Stephanie said. Stephanie held up the stolen file. "Are these the originals?" Paulina asked. Stephanie said yes. Paulina started to ask how Stephanie had obtained the file, then stopped. "Let's just say that an associate of mine was able to relieve Ms. Petersen of the file," Stephanie said.

"So, your unnamed associate broke into Sloan's apartment?" Paulina asked. "I think it's better if we don't use words like break and enter, but safe to say they were able to get in and lift the file," Stephanie said. "[Your associate] kept you from losing a very important client," Paulina said. Stephanie asked if that meant that she was re-hired.

"The election is a week away. I'm going to need your PR expertise to get me into the governor's mansion," Paulina said. Paulina stressed that she had been hard on Stephanie because of the stakes for Chanel. "It wasn't personal," Paulina said. Stephanie said she understood. "I never should have misled you. I just didn't want to let you down," Stephanie said. Paulina said she was eager to tell Sloan that she would not pay the blackmail demand. Stephanie warned Paulina that Sloan was a sore loser.

"But you'll know how to handle her, right?" Paulina asked. "I already have some ideas," Stephanie said. Concerned, Paulina asked how Sloan could retaliate. "They no longer have any proof," Paulina said. Stephanie advised caution.

"Sometimes, even an unfounded rumor has a way of snowballing into big trouble," Stephanie said. Paulina promised to file a slander suit if Sloan talked to the press. "My baby girl is in the clear," Paulina said with a sigh of relief.

As Sarah unpacked in a cheap motel, she talked on the phone to her mother. "Sarah, you are living in a dive motel. You need to come back home," Maggie pleaded. "That is not our home. Victor made that very clear," Sarah countered. Sarah stressed that Maggie did not need to worry. Sarah promised that she and Xander would be able to move out of the motel soon.

"I hope you're right, honey," Maggie said. After Sarah ended the call, she screamed when she looked under the bed. Xander rushed into the room to see what was wrong. Sarah ordered Xander to look under the bed. With a groan, Xander noted that it was only a cockroach.

"I thought you were in real danger," Xander said. In the hallway outside their room, a disguised Ava listened next to the open front door. Xander started to close the door, but Sarah asked him to leave it open to air out the room. "I just wish we could have stayed at Jack's," Xander lamented. "Oh, you mean with Gwen? No," Sarah countered. Sarah told Xander that they could tough it out at the motel until her probationary period at work was over.

"I'll just keep looking for a job. The prospects are pretty bleak at the moment," Xander said. Sarah assured Xander that something would come along. Xander joked that he could return to a life of crime, and in the hallway, Ava smiled. "You can't be serious," Sarah said. Xander assured Sarah that he had no real interest in crime. "Although, maybe," Xander whispered. Sarah yelled at Xander.

"You have to admit that things are pretty dire right now. I mean, all it would take is me smuggling a few diamonds," Xander said. Sarah narrowed her eyes. "You're not that guy anymore," Sarah said. Xander muttered, "Yeah, that guy had money." "But he didn't have me," Sarah shot back. Sarah told Xander that he needed to obtain an honest job.

"You're right. I'm gonna find a respectable, high-paying, and above all, honest job. And move my darling wife into the kind of place she deserves," Xander said. Xander announced that he would start looking for work. As Xander exited the room, Ava ducked out of sight.

In the Kiriakis living room, Maggie asked Alex about his stolen file. Alex grinned. "You are still not going to tell me what that was all about?" Maggie asked. "Let's just say, Aunt Maggie, that that file could have destroyed many lives. But thanks to us, that's not going to happen," Alex said. Alex put his arm around Maggie, and she smiled.

After Maggie left, Alex stared at Stephanie's phone number on his phone. Chad walked in. "I need your help," Chad said. Chad explained that Paulina had fired Stephanie. "I need you to talk to your uncle and convince him not to [fire Stephanie]," Chad said. Alex told Chad not to worry.

"It's the least you could do after you refused to help Stephanie with Sloan," Chad countered. Alex told Chad that he had already passed along the file to Stephanie. Confused, Chad reminded Alex that Alex had said he was not comfortable deceiving Sloan.

"[I'm not], but then I decided that helping Stephanie was the right thing to do," Alex said. Chad asked about Paulina. Alex said he had not talked to Stephanie before Chad had marched in. "I just didn't think that Stephanie should lose her job because of one mistake," Chad grumbled. Alex asked Chad if he had feelings for Stephanie. Chad reiterated that there was nothing romantic between him and Stephanie.

"Actually, you and Stephanie let it slip that a little something did happen between the two of you, but if you wanna avoid my questions, that's fine," Alex said. "Regardless of whatever did or did not happen between us, it's really none of your business," Chad stressed. Chad pointed out that Alex had moved on with Sloan.

"I have zero feelings for Sloan," Alex said. Chad chuckled. "You're still stuck on Stephanie," Chad said. Chad said that Stephanie was not into Alex. "I hope you realize just because you came to [Stephanie's] rescue, that won't change her feelings for you," Chad said. Alex said he had not expected anything in return for the favor. "But are you sure she's cool with you speaking on her behalf like this?" Alex asked. Chad said he was looking out for a friend.

"I'm not competing with you for Stephanie's affection. If she shared your feelings, I would have absolutely no problem with it," Chad stressed. Stephanie entered the mansion, but she lingered in the foyer so that she could eavesdrop. When Alex said that he doubted that Chad would be comfortable, Chad reminded Alex that his wife had died.

"I don't want to move on with anybody right now, let alone Stephanie," Chad said. "But eventually," Alex countered. Frustrated, Chad yelled, "There is nothing between Stephanie and I! There never will be." Stephanie took a deep breath, and then she walked into the living room. "Am I interrupting something?" Stephanie asked. Chad said he had asked Alex to help save her job. "But it appears you don't need saving anymore," Chad added. Stephanie said Paulina had rehired her.

"You and I are going to be really busy," Stephanie said. "Shall we get to work?" Chad countered. Stephanie asked if she could talk to Alex alone. After Chad left, Stephanie thanked Alex for his help. "I also wanted to repay you by taking you out to dinner," Stephanie said. "Is that not crossing a line?" Alex asked. "I've decided to make an exception," Stephanie said.

At the DiMera mansion, Johnny talked to Wendy on the phone. "[Allie] and Chanel are great hosts. Thanks for hooking me up with a place to stay," Wendy said. "Now we can focus on getting the goods on your brother and my dad," Johnny said. As Johnny looked up, he saw E.J walk into the room, and he hurriedly ended his call.

"I know you're plotting against me, so why don't you just admit it?" E.J. asked. "If this was about the phone call, I think you misunderstood," Johnny said. E.J. explained that he had been referring to Johnny's visit to DiMera Enterprises. "Are you seeking revenge on Ava's behalf?" E.J. asked. Johnny denied the accusation. Susan walked in, and she reminded E.J. that he did not have any proof of wrongdoing.

Susan explained that she had had a vision that someone was after E.J. E.J. added that he had seen someone in a clown mask lurking outside the window with a knife on Halloween. "We both know how much you love horror movies," E.J. said. "I wanna make them, Dad, not live in them," Johnny countered. Johnny stressed that he had no interest in murdering his father.

"Our sweet boy is innocent," Susan said. E.J. reminded Susan that she had been unable to read Johnny's intentions when she had held Johnny's picture. Susan blamed the confusion on a bad connection.

"Dad, I am your kid. I love you. I'm not plotting against you," Johnny said. "I really hope so. I'd hate to think that my own son would betray me," E.J. said. After E.J. left for work, Johnny thanked Susan for having defended him to his father. "Anytime. Especially since you're telling me the truth, right?" Susan asked. Johnny stressed that if he wanted to get revenge on E.J., he would not dress as a clown.

"The thought of you two not getting along just makes me unhappy," Susan said. Johnny admitted that he had been upset about Ava. Susan advised Johnny not to let Ava lead him into a life of crime. Johnny told Susan not to worry, because Ava was gone. Susan asked about Chanel. "She's with my sister now," Johnny said. Susan advised Johnny not to give up on love. As Susan touched Johnny's chest, she laughed. "You are gonna find love, and it's just right around the corner," Susan said.

In the town square bistro, Xander crossed off job listings in the want ads of the paper. Behind Xander, Ava sat with her back to his at the next table. "Forget the want ads. I got just the opportunity you need," Ava said. "Are you talking to me?" Xander asked. Ava warned Xander to be more discreet and face away from her. "Ava?" Xander asked. "What did I just say?" Ava countered. Xander turned away from Ava, and he asked about her disguise. "I can't be seen in public because of E.J. DiMera," Ava explained. Xander asked what Ava had done to E.J. With a groan, Ava said that it was a long story, but she did not want E.J. to get away with what he had done to her.

"And if you help me get revenge, I will make it worth your while," Ava whispered. "What kind of revenge are we talking about?" Xander asked. "I want you to help me kidnap his mommy," Ava said with a grin. "You want me to kidnap Susan Banks?" Xander asked in disbelief. Xander said he hated E.J., but he could not kidnap Susan. Ava argued that she knew Xander needed the money, because she had overheard his conversation with Sarah at the motel.

"You would have also heard that my wife doesn't want me going back to my old ways. So, sorry, but respectfully, my answer has to be 'go to hell,'" Xander muttered. "Who are you talking to?" E.J. asked as he approached Xander's table. Xander said he had been talking to himself. E.J. called Xander incompetent and overconfident.

"Is that any way to treat your former caregiver?" Xander asked. "You were a glorified babysitter," E.J. countered. Xander reminded E.J. of the good times they had had together then, and he asked E.J. to "return the favor" with a job. "What could you possibly bring to the table?" E.J. asked. Xander said he had information on one of E.J.'s enemies. E.J. asked Xander if he intended to betray his Uncle Victor.

"What an appealing quality in a new hire," E.J. said. Xander shook his head no. "I may be devious on occasion, ruthless if the situation calls for it, but I also have loyalty. You're pond scum. No wonder Victor kicked you out of his company," E.J. said. Xander told E.J. that he had quit the company. "Because Victor sided with his son," E.J. said. E.J. called Xander a loser.

"You're not DiMera material. I mean, being outwitted by Philip Kiriakis? How stupid can you be?" E.J. said with a chuckle. E.J. told Xander that if he wanted a job, the DiMera house needed a gardener. After E.J. walked away, Ava asked Xander if he wanted to reconsider her offer.

"E.J. is such a tool. But I don't know, kidnapping? It's kind of a big deal," Xander said. "Like you haven't done much worse," Ava muttered. "That was before!" Xander countered. Ava told Xander that he only needed to babysit Susan for a short time. "Once E.J. pays the ransom, we let Susan go. No one needs to get hurt," Ava said. Xander asked about the money, and Ava said it would be millions. Xander sighed deeply, and he noted that he could not keep the money secret from Sarah.

"You're not as stupid as E.J. says you are," Ava whispered. "No, I'm not," Xander agreed. Ava asked Xander if he was interested or not. "Let's do it. Let's bleed that bastard dry," Xander said.

At the DiMera mansion, Susan sat on the couch in the living room and ate candy. E.J. returned with a chocolate croissant from the bakery. "I know they're your favorite," E.J. said. Susan hugged E.J.

As Sarah perused the Internet, Maggie stopped by the motel room with lemon squares. "Why is your door open?" Maggie asked. Sarah pointed out the smell in the room. Maggie asked about Xander. "He went to go find a job," Sarah said. To put her mother at ease, Sarah set out photos to brighten up the room. Sarah noted that someone had carved into the nightstand. "It says 'I hope you die,'" Sarah said. "That's enough," Maggie said. Maggie urged Sarah to pack up and return to the mansion.

"There is absolutely no way that Xander will go back there now. He wants to prove that he can provide for us, and I hope he can do it without breaking the law," Sarah said. Sarah explained that Xander had joked about diamond smuggling. "It's gonna be fine," Sarah assured Maggie. Maggie pulled out her checkbook, and she asked for a pen. Sarah refused help because of Xander.

"What Xander doesn't know won't kill him or you," Maggie said. As Maggie looked around for a pen, she found another cockroach and yelped. Once Maggie wrote a check, Sarah thanked her for the help. "We will pay you back as soon as possible," Sarah said. Sarah said that she believed that Xander would find a job.

At Allie's apartment, Chanel returned home with coffee and pastries for Wendy. Wendy invited Chanel to join her for breakfast. "I'm glad we have a moment," Chanel said. Worried, Wendy asked what she had done wrong. Chanel told Wendy that she needed to have an awkward conversation with Wendy. Wendy asked if Chanel intended to invite her to a threesome.

"I wasn't going to ask you for a threesome," Chanel said. Wendy apologized. Wendy mentioned that Allie had spoken of a threesome with a guy. "That was a one-time thing, and we tried it and we liked it, but that doesn't mean that we're constantly on the prowl for a third," Chanel stressed. Wendy asked Chanel what she wanted to talk about.

"What's going on with you [and Johnny]?" Chanel asked. Wendy said that she and Johnny were just friends. "I want to make sure you're not using him," Chanel said. Wendy stressed that she was not using Johnny but that she and Johnny were working toward a common goal.

"[We want] to uncover whatever secrets his dad and my brother are keeping. It's totally platonic between him and me. He's not even interested in me like that, anyway," Wendy stressed. Chanel apologized for having misread the situation. "Allie and I are just protective over Johnny," Chanel explained. Chanel admitted that she still felt guilty about how she had hurt Johnny.

"And now he's just lost Ava, and well, Allie and I are just concerned. You know, we don't want to see him get hurt again," Chanel said. "I get it. But don't worry, Chanel. Johnny and I are just friends," Wendy said. After breakfast, Chanel and Wendy apologized to one another for misreading each other. As Chanel opened the door to leave, she and Wendy joked about how Johnny was like a puppy dog. "What's up, guys?" Johnny asked as he approached the front door. Chanel and Wendy looked at one another and laughed.

After Chanel left her apartment, she went over to Price headquarters. Paulina told Chanel that she had the blackmail file. "This nightmare is truly over?" Chanel asked. "What happened in the past, it is staying right there forever," Paulina said.

At Allie's apartment, Johnny told Wendy that he wanted to strategize with her about her first day at DiMera. "I got this. Corporate tech is my expertise," Wendy said. Wendy asked Johnny if she looked okay for her new job. Johnny fixed Wendy's collar, and they stared into one another's eyes.

Wendy overhears Li making a confession to Kristen

Wednesday, November 2, 2022

by Mike

Johnny walked Wendy to DiMera Enterprises so they could continue discussing their plan to determine whether E.J. and Li had ordered Rolf to brainwash Stefan. "You sure you're okay with this?" Johnny wondered during the trip. "What could go wrong?" Wendy responded with a nervous laugh.

Gabi and Rafe met up at the town square for coffee. "As far as I'm concerned, he's yesterday's mashed potatoes," Gabi spat after venting to Rafe about what had happened with Stefan and Chloe during the Halloween festivities. "I wish Nicole was as determined to stay away from Eric," Rafe grumbled.

Gabi ditched Rafe when Johnny and Wendy passed by. "What are you two up to?" Gabi demanded to know, but Wendy and Johnny each feigned innocence, and Rafe soon put a stop to the interrogation. "My favorite ex-stepdad," Johnny explained to Wendy while Gabi was stewing over Rafe's interruption.

Rafe and Wendy soon rushed off in opposite directions, each using work as an excuse, but Gabi refused to let Johnny escape. "I am hitting on her in a subtle and charming way," Johnny claimed in an effort to explain the earlier interaction with Wendy. "I don't know -- you two seemed very intense, and Wendy doesn't seem like your type," Gabi argued. "Smart, gorgeous -- seems like my type..." Johnny countered.

Gabi accepted the answer after some thought then apologized for having assumed that something more nefarious was going on. "I just don't want to see either of you get hurt," Gabi explained. "I don't want to see you get hurt, either," Johnny responded. "What is that supposed to mean?" Gabi wondered.

Johnny expressed concerns about the way that Stefan had been treating Gabi since returning from the dead. Gabi admitted to having initially suspected that Rolf had brainwashed Stefan, prompting Johnny to confess to having had the same suspicion. Gabi assured Johnny that Rolf had denied the accusation and seemed credible.

Nicole entered the Brady Pub then headed upstairs and found Eric with Jada. "I tried calling three times, but you didn't pick up," Nicole explained. "Guess I have my phone on silent," Eric responded. "We've been summoned by the editorial team at Bella," Nicole informed Eric with a sigh of concern before guessing that their second photoshoot had failed to live up to the expectations they had set with their first one.

Nicole waited with Jada while Eric was getting dressed. "Sorry to interrupt," Nicole declared. "No, you're not," Jada countered.

Eric soon returned and followed Nicole to Titan for a meeting with Alex. "Were you unhappy with the photos?" Eric wondered. "Listen, I'm sorry for the last-minute switch; something came up with the model, and I had to stand in," Nicole explained. "Guys, I think there's been some miscommunication here -- I love the photos; I think they're exactly what Bella needs...so much, in fact, that I want to put Nicole on the cover," Alex clarified.

Nicole argued that there had to be better candidates for the job, but Alex disagreed then looked to Eric for support. "It's like she's making love to the camera!" Alex raved while looking at the results of the second photoshoot. "I can literally feel the tension in the photos -- it's, like, electric!" Alex added with a shake of the head.

Jada entered the police station and found Rafe in one of the conference rooms. "You're going to be questioning the kingpin of one of the Midwest's biggest meth labs -- and sitting next to him will be two of the highest-paid lawyers that drug money can buy," Jada summarized after marveling that Rafe didn't seem to be nervous about what was going to happen later that day.

Jada eventually yawned then complained to Rafe that there had been no time for coffee that morning because Nicole had dropped by the Brady Pub to tell Eric about a work emergency. Rafe was annoyed to learn that Nicole had started modeling for Eric again and hadn't bothered to share that information. Rafe and Jada agreed that they needed to try to trust their significant others.

Brady entered Basic Black while Chloe was badmouthing Kristen during an emotional phone conversation with Nancy in the CEO's office. "I just don't get why he lets that bitch walk all over him," Chloe admitted to Nancy before sensing Brady's presence. "I know it seems that way --" Brady tried to explain after Chloe ended the call. "Because it is that way," Chloe insisted before turning away from Brady in an effort to end the conversation.

Brady ignored the hint and started reminding Chloe that Stefan had a history of taking advantage of vulnerable women. "Rhetorical question, but...where the hell do you get off saying any of this to me?" Chloe snapped. "I'm just worried, okay?" Brady responded. "Worried about what -- that the loss of you has rendered me incompetent to lead my own life? And, you know, I think you should think twice about warning me about Stefan when you just moved a kidnapping, murdering, mask-wearing sociopath into your home!" Chloe countered. "You have to understand -- if there had been any other way --" Brady tried to explain again, but Alex burst into the office just then, with Nicole and Eric close behind.

Chloe and Eric each thought that Alex's idea was brilliant, but Nicole was still skeptical, and Brady was certain that Victor would hate it. "I'm in charge of Titan, not Uncle Victor -- at least until Sonny gets better -- so...if I want to put the old man's gorgeous ex-wife on the cover, there ain't a damn thing he can say about it," Alex assured Brady with a dismissive shrug.

Alex insisted on having Brady model with Nicole but wasn't happy with the first few photographs. "Smolder!" Alex urged Brady. "Men don't 'smolder'!" Brady informed Alex.

Brady eventually got frustrated and stormed out of the photoshoot, and Chloe followed in the hope of finishing their earlier conversation. Nicole and Eric kept sneaking looks at each other while alone with Alex, who quickly picked up on the tension. "You know how to smolder!" Alex raved to Eric before deciding that Brady wasn't the one who needed to be modeling with Nicole.

Kristen entered DiMera Enterprises while Li was struggling to justify Wendy's promotion during a tense phone conversation with his father, Wei, in one of the conference rooms. "Since you're handing out promotions, maybe you wouldn't mind giving one to Chloe," Kristen suggested after the Shin patriarch ended the call with a warning that Li would be held responsible for any mistakes Wendy made in the future. "Here -- as far away from Brady as possible," Kristen continued. "Or I'm gonna tell my old pal Gabi that you aversion-therapied the love of her life into loathing her," Kristen concluded.

Li pointed out that Kristen had been in on the plan to brainwash Stefan from the very beginning. "I did it to protect my family -- you did it to get power. Like your father before you, you were trying to get control of my family's company," Kristen stressed before warning Li that one of them had more to lose than the other due to being in a relationship with a person who was not yet disillusioned. "But if you don't want to help me, that's fine -- see, I'll just go straight to Rolf and order him to undo Stefan's programming," Kristen conceded with a shrug, drawing a dismissive scoff from Li.

Wendy approached the conference room while Li was teasing that Kristen would have to find Rolf first. Wendy produced a cell phone after Li explained that there had been no need to get Kristen to sign off on Rolf's relocation because another DiMera had been more than happy to approve the idea. Wendy scrambled to start recording the conversation, realizing that Li was talking about E.J., but only managed to drop the cell phone and put Kristen on high alert. Kristen rushed out of the conference room to investigate the noise, with Li close behind, so Wendy claimed to have been trying to take a selfie to document the first day of a new job.

Li made a snide comment about Wendy being a self-proclaimed IT expert who didn't even know how to properly operate the tools of the trade. "Jing-Wen," Li explained to Kristen. "You can call me Wendy -- most people do," Wendy clarified while glaring at Li. "Be thankful that your brother is more loyal than mine -- the thing I admire most about Li is that he's always mindful of where his loyalties lie," Kristen pointedly declared after congratulating Wendy on the promotion.

Wendy soon rushed off. Kristen continued demanding answers once the coast was clear, but Li refused to reveal Rolf's whereabouts. "Then I am just gonna go to Gabi and Stefan and tell them all that I know," Kristen warned with a shrug before starting to leave. "Oh, by the way -- Marlena has reversed Rolf's programming on more than one occasion; I'm sure she'll be happy to help recover Stefan's passion for your fiance...and then the two of them will have control of DiMera, and you will have bubkes," Kristen added just before disappearing from view. "All right -- I'll offer Chloe the damn promotion," Li conceded, stopping Kristen.

Li canceled a cake-tasting with Gabi, citing a work emergency, then headed over to Basic Black in search of Chloe, and Kristen also rushed off. Wendy watched from afar then phoned Johnny to provide an update.

Stefan demands a sample of Gabi's cake

Thursday, November 3, 2022

by Mike

Li entered Basic Black and found Chloe with Brady outside the CEO's office. Li offered Chloe a new job at DiMera Enterprises, claiming that Corporate had recommended a promotion, but Brady was quick to question the timing of the move. "Although Chloe does deserve a promotion, this has 'Kristen' written all over it," Brady argued. "E.J. 'relieved' her of her duties, so I can assure you, Ms. Lane, we're offering you this job entirely on your own merit," Li countered.

Chloe started to probe for more details about the new job, but Li didn't get a chance to answer because Alex exited the CEO's office just then and tried to pull Brady aside. "Listen, I've been rethinking this whole photoshoot thing, and I really don't want to be on the cover," Brady protested. "Good, because I'm replacing you," Alex responded before dragging Brady off to the wardrobe department with a promise to explain everything on the way.

Li waited until the coast was clear then clarified that Chloe would be moving to DiMera Enterprises to infuse the executive suites with energy and creativity. Chloe wondered if Brady had been on the right track earlier and had simply accused the wrong person of having an ulterior motive. "If you think that I'm gonna just suddenly start working at DiMera, and then Stefan and I are --" Chloe objected. "Stefan in your proximity is a fringe benefit...but I assure you, this offer is about business -- Stefan knows nothing about it," Li insisted. "Then yes -- I don't know exactly what it is, but I will take the job," Chloe decided.

Brady returned while Li was saying goodbye to Chloe. "I never wanted it to be like this --" Brady tried to stress once the coast was clear. "What is it that you are trying to say to me?" Chloe demanded to know while fighting back tears. "Nothing," Brady claimed after some thought before hoping that the new job would work out.

Eric was still debating whether to model with Nicole when Alex rejoined them in the CEO's office with a pile of clothes and tried to resume the photoshoot. "I interned at the photo department at Bella directly out of college," Alex bragged in an effort to convince Eric and Nicole that there was no need to waste time searching for another photographer. "We might have a whole campaign on our hands!" Alex predicted, prompting Eric to defer to Nicole, who agreed to play along.

Gabi was outside Sweet Bits, stewing about Li's last-minute cancellation of their cake-tasting, when an employee exited the bakery with the samples. Gabi forced a smile and assured the employee that Li would be arriving soon. The employee looked around then flagged Stefan over to Gabi's table. "This isn't my fianc -- it's my ex-husband," Gabi clarified for the employee. "We were married -- briefly -- but it didn't work out so well," Stefan elaborated for the employee.

The employee apologized to Gabi and Stefan for the mistake then ducked back inside the bakery. "Li had something to take care of this morning, but he'll be here any minute," Gabi stressed. "Sure..." Stefan responded.

Stefan wondered why Gabi and Li were in such a rush to get married. "There is no rush...but there's also no reason to wait, now that your feelings for me are dead and buried," Gabi explained.

Gabi revealed that Rolf had denied brainwashing Stefan. "And you believed him?" Stefan assumed. "He has no reason to lie to me," Gabi insisted. "None that I can think of," Stefan conceded.

Stefan was thrilled to hear that Gabi was finally ready to move on with her life. Gabi assured Stefan that they were done with each other for good. Stefan started to storm off then returned to Gabi's table and tried to steal a slice of cake.

Gabi wondered why Stefan felt entitled to a slice of cake. Stefan reminded Gabi that their wedding ceremony hadn't featured cake because the whole event had been nothing but a sham from the start. Gabi assured Stefan that wasn't true.

Gabi confessed to having developed real feelings for Stefan during the planning and execution of the revenge scheme. Gabi informed Stefan that there had actually been a cake waiting for them on their wedding day, even though only one of them had ever been meant to celebrate the occasion with dessert. "It was chocolate-hazelnut ganache with a blood-orange jam filling -- you know, the perfect combination of sweet and just a little bit of bitter, exactly the way I like it," Gabi recalled, prompting Stefan to sample the Sweet Bits cake that was the closest match.

Li approached while Stefan was feeding Gabi a piece of the cake. "Don't go with the hazelnut -- it might start out great, but the aftertaste is...bitter," Stefan advised Li before glaring at Gabi then rushing off.

Li apologized to Gabi for the delay then started sampling the cakes. "That's the vanilla cake with the buttercream frosting and blueberries," Gabi summarized when Li picked a favorite. "It's very sweet," Li raved. "Just what I want," Gabi claimed.

Wendy continued a phone conversation with Johnny from DiMera Enterprises while sneaking into the conference room that Li and Kristen had been using earlier. "Li left a bunch of papers he was working on here -- maybe I can find something," Wendy informed Johnny before opening a folder then freezing after hearing footsteps.

Wendy greeted E.J. then said a quick goodbye to Johnny and ended the call. "Friend from back home -- I hope you don't mind that I was making a personal call on company time," Wendy fretted. "Isn't it the middle of the night in Hong Kong right now?" E.J. argued. "It is...but my friend lives in Fairbanks, where I used to be stationed," Wendy explained. "Ah, yes -- I had forgotten that your father and brother had exiled you to the Frozen North," E.J. confessed. "I haven't..." Wendy grumbled.

E.J. dismissed Wendy's concern about the timing of the phone call. "I couldn't help overhearing that you seem quite curious about your brother's papers -- is there something specific you're looking for?" E.J. wondered. "I decided one of my first acts in Salem would be to finally force my brother to save some trees and embrace the cloud -- you know, to preserve his sanity, if nothing else," Wendy claimed. "I can see that the reports about your work ethic were correct," E.J. raved before encouraging Wendy to speak up if any problems arose during the project. "Now that you mention it...I was actually wondering if I could access the records for the DiMera jet," Wendy begged before starting to bore E.J. with a lengthy justification for the request.

E.J. interrupted then helped Wendy access the records from a spare tablet computer that was being stored in the conference room. Wendy waited until E.J. was gone then started snooping and discovered that Li hadn't used the DiMera Enterprises jet lately but had recently requested a list of the company's former pilots. Wendy contacted someone who worked in the company's travel department and asked for a copy of the list then phoned Johnny to provide another update. Stefan entered the conference room while Wendy was recording a voicemail message for Johnny.

Susan entered the DiMera mansion while Johnny was providing Stefano's portrait with reasons for wanting to take down E.J. "I guess you heard --" Johnny stammered. "There's nothing to be ashamed of," Susan insisted.

Johnny breathed a sigh of relief while Susan was admitting to having also developed a habit of speaking to deceased loved ones. "I want to warn you, though -- I wouldn't listen to a word he says, 'cause that man is just mean, mean, mean," Susan declared. "He doesn't actually talk back," Johnny clarified. "He doesn't? Oh..." Susan muttered.

Susan shrugged then tried to give Johnny a hug but recoiled with a gasp as soon as their bodies touched. "You really are out to get your daddy!" Susan realized, prompting Johnny to explain that there was a good reason.

Susan had doubts about E.J.'s involvement but agreed with Johnny's argument that no one had a right to try to alter the course of Gabi and Stefan's love story. "You can't say anything about this, okay?" Johnny begged Susan.

E.J. entered the mansion just then and demanded to know what Susan and Johnny were discussing.

Stefan and Chloe kiss

Friday, November 4, 2022

by Spalding

At the penthouse, Kristen placed a photo of her with Brady and baby Rachel on the mantel. Brady asked Kristen if she had been involved in Chloe's promotion. "I don't keep up with Chloe's comings and goings anymore," Kristen said. "Li said you didn't put him up to it, but..." Brady said with a shrug. Kristen asked Brady why he thought Li had lied. Brady explained that whenever there was a sudden change in Chloe's life, the cause was usually Kristen.

Kristen argued that Li had no reason to listen to her because Li reported to E.J. "You really expect me to believe that you just stopped pulling the strings because you're living here now?" Brady asked. Brady argued that only Kristen benefitted from Chloe's move out of Basic Black.

"Maybe Chloe does benefit. She could have decided that a job at DiMera was a step up for her. And if you cared about her like you say you do, you might try being supportive," Kristen countered. Brady reminded Kristen that Chloe's personnel file was filled with bad performance reviews from Kristen. Kristen argued that Li might have believed that Chloe was better in a position away from distractions like Brady.

"I moved you in here, but I haven't moved on. I love Chloe more than I ever have," Brady said. "I didn't get Chloe that job, but I do think it's a very positive change for all three of us," Kristen said. Brady reminded Kristen that he had allowed her to move into the penthouse because she had threatened the lives of Marlena, Kate, and Kayla.

"That's the kind of woman you are. That's the kind of woman you're always gonna be," Brady said. Brady argued that Kristen could never change how he felt. "I love [Chloe]. I always will," Brady said. Kristen reminded Brady that he had said the same thing about Kristen. "Whatever woman I loved before, she doesn't exist," Brady said. "No matter who I am, I have the means to keep Marlena and the others alive," Kristen growled. "And that is the only reason that you are in this house," Brady said. Furious, Kristen yelled that she was there because Rachel wanted her there.

"I want us to be a happy [family]," Kristen growled. "That's never going to happen," Brady yelled. Kristen argued that Chloe would be better off without Brady. "[Chloe] has accepted reality, even though you haven't. That's why she took this job. So, now you can just focus on us. You, me, and Rachel," Kristen said. Brady argued that Kristen had blackmailed her way into his house, and he would never change how he felt.

"Why are you fighting again?" Rachel yelled. Brady and Kristen looked over at Rachel in the hallway. Kristen ushered Rachel over to the couch, and she promised that she and Brady had not been fighting. "Sometimes adults have to raise their voices when they're talking about important things," Brady said. Rachel said that her stomach hurt.

Kristen felt Rachel's head, and she noted that Rachel felt feverish. When Kristen asked Rachel to point to the pained area, Rachel touched her side. "That could be her appendix. We should get her to the emergency room," Kristen said.

Brady felt Rachel's forehead, and he noted that Rachel usually ran warm. "I don't think she has a fever," Brady said. Brady asked Rachel if she felt nauseated. When Rachel nodded yes, Brady asked Rachel how much candy she had eaten. "I have a sweet tooth, too," Kristen said. Brady asked Rachel to lie down and rest. Kristen asked Brady if he was sure. Brady dumped out Rachel's bucket of candy, and a pile of wrappers fluttered out.

"She had a bone marrow transplant. Don't you think we should just get her checked out," Kristen said. "Are you questioning my parenting skills?" Brady asked. "No, I just don't know what I would do if anything happened to her," Kristen said. Brady explained that Rachel had motion sickness, and it was not a good idea to put Rachel in a car if she was nauseated. Brady suggested that Sarah could make a house call.

While on a call to Johnny in the conference room at DiMera Enterprises, Wendy mentioned Stefan's name. Stefan walked in as Wendy ended her phone call. "I heard you talking about me," Stefan said. "That must mean you're Stefan DiMera," Wendy said. Wendy introduced herself as Li's sister. "You still haven't told me who you were talking to about me and why," Stefan said.

Wendy explained that she was embarrassed because she had been talking to herself when Stefan had walked in. "Why did you say my name?" Stefan pressed. Wendy explained that she had been reviewing records, and Stefan had been marked as deceased. "I've been running into a lot of that lately," Stefan said. Wendy asked what it was like to wake up after four years of sleeping.

"It hasn't been easy," Stefan said. "I can imagine. Your wife has your job, and she's engaged to my brother," Wendy said. Stefan smiled, and he told Wendy that she was behind on the news. "Gabi doesn't have that job anymore. And as far as I'm concerned, Li can have her," Stefan said. Wendy noted that Gabi was smart and beautiful. Stefan nodded in agreement.

"[Gabi] used to impress me, too. But not anymore. In fact, I kind of hate to think about our time together," Stefan admitted. "Well, I would hate to see my brother get hurt. Could you maybe tell me what happened to make you change how you feel about her?" Wendy asked. Stefan pointed out that it was a very personal question.

"I was hoping you could put my mind at ease [about Li and Gabi]," Wendy said. When Wendy asked Stefan why he had changed his mind about Gabi, he admitted that he did not remember. Stefan asked Wendy if she had heard the rumors about his return from the dead. "That Dr. Rolf guy," Wendy said. "People don't seem to die in my family. More like they get deactivated and put into cold storage till they're useful again," Stefan said. Stefan added that Gabi had believed that Rolf had manipulated Stefan's feelings for Gabi.

"Do you think that could be true?" Wendy asked. "Rolf swears up and down he did no such thing. Gabi bought it. Works for me. Guess I stopped loving her on my own," Stefan said. Wendy seemed unsure. "Gabi is my past. And I'm very much looking forward to my future," Stefan said as he leaned toward Wendy. With a smirk, Wendy asked Stefan if he had found someone else.

"You might say that," Stefan said. Chloe walked into the room. "Well, there she is," Stefan said as he grinned. Stefan introduced Wendy to Chloe, and Wendy left. Once alone, Chloe explained that Li had offered her a job. "I really hope this works out," Chloe said. "I'm really surprised. I thought you loved your job at Basic Black," Stefan said. Chloe said she had, but she did not want to be around Brady.

"You're doing the right thing," Stefan said. Chloe said that when she looked at Brady, she saw all their aborted plans for the future. "Not seeing him is better than seeing him under these circumstances," Chloe said.

"Things are gonna get better," Stefan assured Chloe. Stefan pulled Chloe into a hug. After a moment, Chloe sniffled back her tears and wiped her eyes. Stefan apologized. "It's okay. It's better being pulled into someone's arms than being pushed away," Chloe admitted. With a sigh, Chloe said she wished she could forget about Brady. "Maybe I could help with that," Stefan whispered. Stefan and Chloe kissed.

In the DiMera living room, E.J. walked in on Johnny and Susan's conversation. Susan admitted that Johnny had told her something that he wanted to keep from E.J. Susan told E.J. that Johnny was upset about Ava. "You told your grandmother that you still had feelings for Ava?" E.J. asked. Johnny stammered that he had not realized how he had felt until he had opened up to Susan.

"[Susan] has got a way of knowing things that you don't want to admit," Johnny said. E.J. warned Johnny that Ava had manipulated them. "I know that now," Johnny whispered. E.J. told Johnny not to be hard on himself. "Being taken in by a woman doesn't make you weak. It makes you human," E.J. said. Johnny nodded in agreement. E.J.'s phone rang, and he walked out.

"Thanks for not actually telling him what we were talking about," Johnny said. "I don't like lying to my only son. But if he did do something terrible to his own brother, then yeah, I think the truth should come out," Susan said. Johnny asked Susan if she had any vibes about his investigation. Susan reminded Johnny that the voices only told her what they wanted her to know. Susan said she hoped that E.J. was innocent.

"You can't prove anything that didn't happen," Susan added. Johnny agreed, and he stressed that if E.J. had done something to Stefan, Johnny would find the proof. Johnny's phone beeped with a text from Wendy. "I might be onto something," Johnny said. Susan warned Johnny to be careful.

After Johnny left, E.J. returned, and Susan shivered. E.J. asked Susan if anything was wrong. "Somebody just walked over somebody else's grave," Susan said. "I'm sorry these premonitions have been worrying you," E.J. said. Susan admitted that her gifts were sometimes a burden. "I also know when you're not being honest with me," E.J. said. E.J. asked Susan if she had been talking about Ava with Johnny when E.J. had walked in.

"Johnny's quite good at convincing people to do what he wants," E.J. said. "I wonder where he gets that from?" Susan teased. E.J. said that he believed Johnny was still angry with him. When E.J. asked if Johnny had asked Susan to choose sides, Susan swore that she would never choose sides. "I love you both, and I want what is best for the two of you," Susan said.

When Johnny arrived at Allie's apartment, he told Wendy that Susan knew about their investigation. Johnny assured Wendy that Susan did not know that Wendy was involved. "You sure you can trust her?" Wendy asked. Johnny said he was certain that Susan would keep their secret. Wendy told Johnny about her conversation with Stefan.

"[Stefan] has no idea why he stopped loving [Gabi]," Wendy confirmed. "So, Rolf did something to him?" Johnny said. Wendy explained that Gabi had also been suspicious of Rolf. "That's why they got rid of [Rolf]. Because Gabi started sniffing around," Johnny said. Wendy told Johnny about her research on the company jet. Wendy handed a copy of the list of pilots to Johnny. As Johnny reviewed the list, he pointed out Ned Grainger.

"He's done a lot of under-the-table work for my family in the past. My Aunt Kristen used him to kidnap two women," Johnny said. "And I thought my family was weird," Wendy muttered. Johnny explained, "My dad and your brother would know that Grainger is bribable. So, if they wanted to get rid of Rolf, odds are they would have hired him to do it."

In the crypt, Ava packed a bag of supplies to aid in kidnapping Susan. Tripp texted Ava repeatedly. As Ava picked up a gun, Tripp texted, "I hope you're not doing something you're going to regret." Ava looked at the gun and sighed. When Tripp texted again, Ava put the gun down and started to text Tripp back.

"Don't even think about it," Charlie said. "What are you doing here?" Ava asked. Charlie chastised Ava for almost texting Tripp. "I miss my son," Ava said. "I'm your son, too," Charlie countered. Charlie reminded Ava that she deserved revenge.

"What's with the doubts?" Charlie asked. "Jake hated E.J. I'm sure that he wouldn't mind me going after him. But not like this," Ava said. Charlie promised that Susan would be fine. "Be your authentic self: an evil bitch!" Charlie joked. Ava rolled her eyes. Charlie argued that since Ava had already hired Xander, there was no turning back.

Sarah sprayed bug spray around her motel room. When the can was empty, a frustrated Sarah threw the can at a bug by the door as Xander returned home. "Whatever I did, I'm sorry!" Xander said. Xander picked up the can and the dead bug off the floor. Sarah asked about Xander's job interview.

"It sounds promising," Xander said. "I can't wait to hear all about it," Sarah said. When Xander said he did not want to jinx the job, Sarah raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Let's just say it makes good use of some of my skills. And it could pay really well," Xander said. "And I shouldn't be, like, worried that you won't tell me any of the details?" Sarah countered. Xander reminded Sarah that he was a changed man.

As Sarah started to agree, she screamed at the sight of another cockroach. Xander used Sarah's planner to kill it, and when the book hit the floor, it popped open. Maggie's check was visible, and Xander asked about it.

Sarah explained that Maggie had offered her and Xander money to tide them over. "Don't you have any faith in me?" Xander asked. "No, of course I do. But honey, if it embarrasses you to accept the money, then I will go and tell her no," Sarah said. Sarah started to leave, but Xander stopped her.

"You know I love Maggie. I just hate the idea that she thinks I can't take care of you," Xander said. "She loves you, too. She was just trying to help," Sarah countered. Xander refused to live off of Sarah or Maggie. "I'm stressed that this job is going to fall through like all the others," Xander confessed. "It's not anything illegal, right?" Sarah asked. Xander's phone beeped with a text from Ava. Xander lied and said, "They want me back for a second interview.

"And just to prove that I have complete faith," Sarah said. Sarah ripped up Maggie's check, and she kissed Xander. "Now go. Turn on that charm. We both know you have it," Sarah whispered. "I'll do my best," Xander said.

At the DiMera crypt, Charlie told Ava, "You're doing the right thing." Ava appeared unsure. When Xander arrived, Charlie was not visible. "Susan happens to be in the main house," Ava said. "You're not asking me to grab her tonight, are you?" Xander asked. Ava ordered Xander to go to the house and kidnap Susan. Xander objected.

"I've made the plan. I know exactly who is in the house and how it operates. This has to happen now, or somebody is going to get cold feet," Ava said. "There must be an easier way to get money out of E.J. than trying to kidnap his mother," Xander argued. Ava stressed that Susan could leave town at any moment. "We could both use that ransom money sooner than later," Ava added. Ava passed the bag of supplies to Xander.

In the penthouse, Sarah finished examining Rachel. "Maybe only a couple of pieces [of candy] a day and after a meal," Sarah said. Rachel agreed. "She's also been under a lot of stress the last couple of months," Brady said. "Stress can lead to a tummy ache," Sarah said. "The situation has been taken care of. Brady and I have handled it," Kristen said. Sarah confirmed that Rachel's appendix was fine.

"Thank you for coming over," Brady said. "I'm always happy to see Rachel," Sarah said as she smiled at the little girl. Sarah added that she had brought a gift. Sarah grabbed light-up sunglasses out of her purse, put them on, and then she made jazz hands. "I love them!" Rachel said. "They're yours," Sarah said as she handed them over.

"You always liked sunglasses. Even when you were a baby. I think you're going to be feeling better soon," Sarah said. Sarah gave instructions for care, then she left. Kristen followed Sarah into the hallway. "Please, let me pay you for your time and trouble," Kristen said. "I was happy to do it for Brady and Rachel," Sarah said as she avoided eye contact.

"Send me a bill. It's the least I can do," Kristen said. "After kidnapping me and nearly ruining my life? I don't want your money," Sarah countered. Kristen pointed out that Xander did not have a job. "Xander has a job interview right now. We're fine," Sarah said.

When Kristen returned to the living room, she gave Rachel a glass of club soda. "I'm sort of hungry," Rachel said. "That means you're feeling better," Kristen said. "I'm glad you're not fighting anymore," Rachel said. "If there is one thing that your dad and I can agree on, it is that we love you," Kristen said. "You don't ever have to worry about us," Brady assured Rachel. Brady rested his hand on Rachel's leg, and Kristen put her hand over his. "I don't worry anymore," Rachel said.

In the DiMera crypt, Ava waited anxiously for Xander to return. "If anybody knows how to pull off a kidnapping, it's you. I know I never made you proud, but right now? You are my pride and joy," Charlie said.

Xander peeked into the DiMera living room through the glass patio doors. When E.J. left the room, Xander crept in behind Susan with a chloroformed rag. Susan screamed when Xander covered her face with the cloth, and she knocked over an art piece before she passed out. Xander dragged Susan toward the patio doors.