Days of our Lives Recap for Wednesday, March 26, 2025: Johnny and Chanel are dealt another devastating blow

At the Horton house, Maggie stopped by with lemon bars for Julie. When Maggie mentioned how much Doug III liked the treats, Julie revealed she had kicked him out of the house. Maggie was shocked and confused until Julie added that she’d discovered the identify of the necklace thief was Doug Sr.’s grandson. Maggie couldn’t understand why the young man would have done such a thing, so Julie relayed Doug’s story about being “desperate." She affirmed that she hadn’t wanted to hear his excuses, so she had ordered him to leave.

Julie bemoaned how meeting the younger Doug had felt like “a miracle.” She had felt a renewed connection with her Doug. “Now my heart’s breaking all over again,” she sadly stated. Julie wasn’t so much upset that Doug had taken a piece of jewelry, but it was more about what the necklace had represented to her: family. Plus, she had accused her own brother of stealing the heirloom.

Maggie asked how Julie had discovered the truth. Julie filled Maggie in on the chain of events, beginning with spotting Melinda wearing the necklace and ending with Melinda being questioned at the police station. Maggie assumed that Melinda had revealed Doug's misdeed, but Julie corrected her and said she’d received a call from Tate Black. Julie hadn’t gotten any details about how Tate had found out the truth. She beat herself up for still worrying about how Doug was doing.

Maggie believed Julie would always have some feelings for Doug since the young man was “family” and since Julie was such a good person. Maggie offered to stay, but Julie insisted she’d be fine. Maggie then mentioned how often Doug had come to the mansion to see Holly, and she pondered how much Holly had known about the necklace.

Upstairs at the Kirakis mansion, Holly worriedly texted Doug and asked how Julie had reacted to his revelation. Meanwhile, in the park, Doug was sleeping on a bench with his face covered when Paulina walked by and noticed him. She made a comment about needing to do more for the “poor souls” of Salem, put her bag of baked goods beside him, and left.

Doug's text alert awakened him, and he promptly called Holly back. She inquired if he had told Julie, and Doug vaguely responded, “She knows what I did.” He informed Holly about Julie kicking him out and affirmed that he “deserved it.” Holly had thought that when Doug explained himself to Julie, the woman might understand and forgive him.

Holly again mentioned Doug “telling” Julie the truth, and he corrected that Julie had already known when he had arrived. Holly was shocked and asked who could have spilled the beans to Julie. Doug theorized that JJ had been able to get the truth out of Melinda. Holly turned the subject to where Doug had slept the previous night.

Doug cracked that he’d “camped out,” then admitted he’d slept in the park. Holly was outraged since there had been a thunderstorm. She demanded Doug come to her place so they could come up with a plan.

Later, Doug arrived at the mansion and made his way to Holly’s room. She recoiled at how soaked and miserable he looked and ordered him to give her his wet clothes and to take a hot shower. He hesitated, then began undressing. Things got awkward for Holly, so she redirected the discussion to where Doug would be staying. She intended to get Maggie’s permission for Doug to stay at the mansion.

Doug immediately shot down the idea. He believed Maggie wouldn’t want him there, and neither would Tate. Holly told him to let her worry about the fallout. She dismissed the rest of his protests and lightly demanded he hand over his pants. After Holly went downstairs, Doug looked around the room and smiled; his smile soured when he saw a picture of Holly and Tate.

Downstairs, Holly found Maggie, who’d just ended a phone call with Nicole. Maggie told Holly about her conversation with Julie and took note of Holly’s decided lack of surprise at the news of Doug’s duplicity. Holly launched into a defense of Doug and insisted to Maggie that he had intended to get the necklace back and to pay Melinda in full for it. Holly regretted that Melinda had outed Doug before he’d had the opportunity to make things right. Maggie informed her granddaughter that Melinda hadn't revealed Doug’s lie – it had been Tate.

At Paulina’s place, Johnny sat on the sofa and mulled over the confrontation he’d had with EJ. He heard a knock at the door and got up, but he paused when he realized it was EJ. Johnny then eyed a knife on the table. As EJ continued to plead to talk with his son, Johnny eventually relented and opened the door. “What the hell do you want?” Johnny snapped. EJ replied, “I want you to come home.”

When EJ invited himself inside, Johnny scoffed that he didn’t have a home, as the mansion was “a house of cards” built on lies. EJ said the mansion would belong to Johnny one day, but Johnny claimed he didn’t want it. He started laying into EJ about the rape again and challenged EJ if he believed “the ends justified the means.” EJ proclaimed it wasn’t “that simple” but thanked God his son was there. “I wish I wasn’t,” Johnny shot back.

EJ fiercely told Johnny not to think that way and began talking up Johnny’s good qualities. Johnny believed EJ was just satisfied that he’d gotten what he ultimately wanted: a son. But he never wanted to look at EJ again, let alone live with him. EJ asked for Johnny to hear him out once, and then EJ would leave. Johnny begrudgingly complied.

EJ took a seat and smiled as he started talking about Sami, whom he described as “strong, king, and fiercely loyal.” He continued that although it had taken a long time, Sami had seen EJ was “contrite” and loved her with all his heart. She’d also realized that EJ had respected her as a mother and as “a force of nature.” EJ had never tried to “excuse” what he had done, but he had gotten Sami to understand him a little better. He attributed some of his actions, over which he’d often felt he had no control, to his “unorthodox upbringing” and his DiMera DNA.

EJ admitted he was “a deeply flawed person who behaved reprehensibly at times, shamefully.” But EJ did have a heart, and “sometimes” it was in the right place…like every time he looked at Johnny and felt so much love. Tearing up, EJ confirmed that Sami had eventually seen the best in him and forgiven him. He hopefully asked Johnny if Johnny could do the same in time.

Johnny pledged he would never forgive EJ. Johnny had concluded that everything EJ touched “dies.” He scornfully added, “The women that come into your life leave like wilted flowers, shells of themselves.” Johnny considered what EJ had done “unforgivable,” so he had nothing to work out with his father. He asked EJ to leave and showed him the door.

A crestfallen EJ obliged his son’s request, as Johnny gave another glance to the knife. Before EJ opened the door, Johnny called for him and declared he had one more thing to say to EJ. “What do you want, son?” EJ asked.

Johnny raged at EJ not to call him "son," then calmed down slightly and said he’d be sending for his and Chanel’s belongings. Johnny never wanted to lay eyes on EJ again. “You’re dead to me,” Johnny professed…with another side-eye towards the knife.

In Horton Town Square, Paulina met with Chanel, who thanked her mother for coming to the adoption meeting she had scheduled with Mrs. Choi and for giving Johnny and Chanel a place to stay for the night. Paulina sympathized with Johnny, as she “couldn’t imagine” what finding out the truth about his conception had done to him.

Chanel thought it even more twisted that EJ had said he wasn’t entirely sorry for raping Johnny’s mother. She concurred with Paulina that EJ was “a sick puppy” and mentioned Johnny’s worry about Mrs. Choi finding out about EJ’s crime. Paulina declared the woman had no place to judge and assured Chanel that Mrs. Choi wouldn’t find out about an incident that was “none of her business.”

Chanel expressed how overwhelmed she felt and compared the upcoming meeting to anxiety before a big test. She worried that Johnny’s frame of mind would reveal itself during the meeting. Paulina tried to reassure her daughter that Johnny would pull himself together because the adoption meant “everything” to him. “Please don’t let anything screw this up,” Chanel moaned…just as Amy Choi approached. She asked if Chanel had any particular reason to be worried.

Chanel and Paulina put on big smiles and attempted to play off their worry as typical jitters. Chanel said it would “mean the world” to Johnny and her to adopt the baby. Amy seemed to soften and invited Paulina and Chanel to join her at a table. Once the ladies were settled, Amy said she’d consulted with God, her husband, and her lawyer about the adoption. She had concluded she’d be “comfortable” with Johnny and Chanel adopting her grandchild.

Chanel and Paulina were elated and profusely thanked Mrs. Choi. Amy did mention that her lawyer had drafted a list of questions for Chanel and Johnny. When Amy turned on her tablet to access the questions, her demeanor quickly changed. Chanel asked what was wrong, and Amy silently showed her a newspaper headline on the tablet: “DiMeras in Disarray.” Amy began reading the article aloud.

The newspaper article made reference to EJ’s history of skirting the law, then detailed the latest accusations against EJ for kidnapping. The article also discussed Rachel Blake’s “disappearance.” Amy expressed shock at the idea of her grandchild living in “a home full of felons” with the "patriarch of a crime family." Chanel assured Amy that she and Johnny had moved out of the mansion, while Paulina tried to insist the accusations had not been proven. Amy believed that since EJ’s brother had printed the article, the charges had merit.

Amy also asked why Chanel and Johnny had moved out of the house, but Chanel remained silent. Amy believed the article to be “a sign from God” and declared the adoption would never happen. After Amy had walked away, Chanel released a frustrated sigh. As Chanel broke into sobs and lamentations, Paulina attempted to comfort her.

Johnny arrived and was alarmed at his wife’s distressed state. Chanel tearfully told Johnny about Mrs. Choi's decision. When Johnny asked what had happened, Paulina quipped, “Your father happened.”

At John and Marlena’s place, Tate thought back to telling Julie about Doug III’s theft of the necklace. He wondered what he was thinking and how Holly would react if she found out. When he heard someone at the door, Tate braced himself, apparently believing it would be Holly. It was Sophia instead.

Tate invited Sophia inside and asked why she hadn’t slept in since they were on school break. Sophia rolled her eyes and said she’d had to attend a parent-teacher conference with her mom. Sophia was in good spirits, though, because she believed Chanel’s mother had gotten through to her mom. Sophia had hoped that her mom would finally greenlight the adoption. Taking note of Tate’s less-than-enthusiastic response, Sophia asked Tate if he had second thoughts about the adoption.

Tate admitted he had “something else” on his mind, and Sophia correctly guessed it was Holly. She asked what Holly had done, but Tate clarified that he had been the one to do something wrong. Tate updated Sophia on all the drama with the stolen necklace. He sheepishly admitted that he’d broken his promise to Holly and busted Doug as the thief.

Tate tried to rationalize his actions as protecting Holly, but he admitted that some of him had been driven by jealousy. While he had wanted to “punish” Doug, he’d realized he had really punished himself because Holly would likely never forgive him. Sophia tried to reassure Tate, to no avail. Their conversation was interrupted by Mrs. Choi’s arrival.

Amy added to the tense atmosphere by proclaiming that the adoption would not be happening because it wouldn’t be in the best interests of the child. Sophia bitterly asked, “Why?” Amy took out her tablet and showed her daughter and Tate the article about EJ. Amy gave her upset daughter a choice: either find a “suitable, respectable” home for the baby, or Sophia and Tate would have to raise the child themselves.

EJ returned to the DiMera mansion and angrily tried to reach Chad over the phone. An irate Paulina stormed into the room as he had an outburst about the newspaper article. She alluded to “the sins of the father,” and EJ asked what she meant.

EJ was devastated to learn that Mrs. Choi had vetoed the adoption because of him. EJ told Paulina he would do “anything” to make it right. Paulina said she’d only come to deliver a warning to EJ. “Nobody messes with my baby and gets away with it. No one,” she stressed in an ominous tone.

Meanwhile, an equally upset Chanel and Johnny went back to Paulina’s place. Chanel couldn’t believe they’d been so hopeful one moment only to be crushed the next. Johnny blamed EJ and labeled his father “ruthless” and “evil.”

Chanel said they couldn’t do anything about EJ and walked away. Staring down the knife again, Johnny quietly replied, “We’ll see about that.”

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