At the hospital, Abigail informed Chad that the charges against Ben had been dropped. Chad extended a hand to congratulate Ben, but Ben ignored it. Abigail thanked Chad for keeping his word, but he dismissively insisted that he didn't need to be thanked for that, and Ben agreed. Chad added that he had also heard about Jordan's good news, and he stressed that he wasn't proud of the way he had upset her.
Ben's patience was wearing thin, so he excused himself so he could go to Salem University to turn in a paper. After Ben left, Abigail went to a break room to work on some things, and Chad followed her there. Chad assured Abigail that he was going to start being a better person because he didn't want to keep messing things up with every woman he dared to care about -- and, most of all, he didn't want to keep getting disapproving looks from her all the time. Abigail skeptically wondered if Chad had reached that epiphany before or after he had offered to drop the charges against Ben in exchange for a round of sex with her.
Chad tried to protest that he had simply been joking around, but Abigail pointedly wondered what he would have done if she had agreed to his terms. Chad stressed that he would never want Abigail to do anything she didn't actually want to do. Abigail sarcastically replied that it was big of Chad to say such a thing, and she inched closer to him as she whispered that if he was truly interested in turning over a new leaf, refraining from hitting on unavailable women would be a good way to start.
In Will and Sonny's apartment, Lucas stressed that he didn't want to get in the middle of Justin and Adrienne's marriage -- and he had actually backed off to give them room to work things out. "'Backed off'? From what, exactly, did you back off with my wife?" Justin curiously asked. Justin pointed out that Lucas had called Adrienne earlier that night, but Lucas said he had only done that because he had been concerned about their sons.
Justin thought Lucas was just using the minor marital problems Will and Sonny had faced lately as a convenient excuse to get close to Adrienne, but Lucas insisted that Sonny's abrupt departure from Salem was an indication that he and Will were dealing with something more serious than the average marital problems. Justin pointed out that Lucas wasn't exactly an expert on the subject of marital bliss, but when Lucas objected to the cheap shot, Justin backpedaled and conceded that he wasn't exactly an expert himself. Justin admitted that his own spouse wasn't speaking to him and his son had left town without saying goodbye to him.
Lucas was surprised to learn the latter piece of information, and he wondered why that hadn't been enough to make Justin think something big had happened between Will and Sonny. Frustrated, Justin explained that he had simply assumed Sonny and Adrienne were both distancing themselves from him in their own ways. When Justin added that he was desperate to repair both relationships right away, Lucas incredulously guessed that Justin's sense of urgency stemmed from the fact that Justin had already made plans to return to Dubai in the near future.
Justin defensively explained that he was dealing with the biggest opportunity of his career, the kind of opportunity that didn't present itself often. "But families are a dime a dozen," Lucas pointedly concluded. Pointing out that Lucas had just taken his own cheap shot, Justin pointedly wondered how long Lucas had stayed in Hong Kong before returning to Salem. Lucas conceded that he had stayed away for a while, but he added that he hadn't had a wife waiting for him in Salem, and Allie had visited him regularly.
Justin revealed that Adrienne hated Dubai because of what had happened to their marriage the last time they had lived there. Lucas wondered if Justin had actually bothered to ask Adrienne to join him in Dubai or if he had simply assumed she would rather stay in Salem. Justin studied Lucas for a moment before sighing and observing that Lucas seemed to truly care about Adrienne. Lucas confirmed that he had developed a good friendship with Adrienne and didn't want to see her in pain. Justin nodded and left after deciding to take Lucas' response at face value.
Adrienne stormed into Paul's hotel room and demanded to know how Will could have cheated on her son. Will tried to stammer out a response, but Adrienne interrupted and guessed that Sonny had left Salem because of Will's betrayal. Paul tried to say something, but Will told him to stay out of the matter. "This wasn't the way, Paul! No matter what you felt, no matter what you wanted!" Adrienne snapped.
Will was stunned when he realized that Adrienne knew Paul, but she insisted that wasn't important. Will and Paul each stressed that they hadn't known about the other's connection to Sonny at the time of their one-night stand. "Did you have any idea that you were married, Will?" Adrienne countered. Adrienne stormed off without waiting for a response, ignoring Will's attempt to stop her.
"This never would have happened if you had just left Salem! So, please, do Sonny and me a favor and go!" Will urged Paul before rushing after Adrienne. Will caught up with Adrienne in a secluded section of the town square and begged her to let him explain. Will stressed that, while he couldn't defend his actions, he wanted Adrienne to at least understand that he hadn't gone looking for Paul -- they had simply met as part of his job.
"Oh, right -- long hours together alone, getting to know one another and bonding. One thing leads to another, and then you sleep with him!" Adrienne bitterly guessed. Will tried to object to Adrienne's summary of events, but she interrupted and wondered if sleeping with Paul had been Will's way of coaxing the former athlete out of the closet. Will insisted that wasn't why he had slept with Paul, so Adrienne demanded to know the real reason.
Will started to remind Adrienne that he and Sonny had been having problems lately, but she interrupted and incredulously wondered if he had thought cheating on Sonny would be a good way to make everything better. When Will conceded that he had messed up, Adrienne countered that missing a birthday would qualify as messing up, while infidelity was instead a betrayal of everything a marriage was supposed to be about. "Please, Sonny gave me the lecture," Will tiredly replied.
"'Lecture'? Geez, you are such a child! What, do you think you're gonna get chewed out and grounded for a little while, and then everything's gonna be okay?" Adrienne countered. Adrienne reminded Will that Sonny had nearly bled to death a few days earlier, and she wondered if he had known about Will's infidelity before the attack. Will bowed his head, his silence telling Adrienne everything she needed to know.
"He could've died, Will! Sonny would've died knowing that the one person that he loved and trusted and was committed to had cheated on him! You -- you couldn't even be found; your father looked -- you were with Paul. Sonny was stabbed and fighting for his life, and you were with Paul, weren't you?" Adrienne guessed. When Will nodded and silently mouthed a confirmation of the suspicion, Adrienne angrily slapped him, sending him staggering backward.
Adrienne quickly apologized, but Will acknowledged that a slap was the least he deserved for betraying Sonny. Adrienne tearfully recalled how happy Sonny had been and how lucky he had felt on the day he had married Will. Will reminded Adrienne that she hadn't felt the same way, but she clarified that her doubts had disappeared once she had realized just how ecstatic the mere thought of getting married to Will had made Sonny. Adrienne pointed out that she and Justin had once believed it would never be possible for Sonny to get married, but Will protested that marriage was clearly what Sonny had always wanted.
Will explained that, while he hadn't known the identity of Paul's ex at first, the words the ex had used in his proposal to Paul should have been very familiar, since they were nearly the exact same words Sonny had used in his subsequent proposal to Will. Confused, Adrienne wondered what Will's observation was meant to suggest. "That's what I'm trying to figure out, Adrienne -- was Sonny in love with me, or was he just in love with the idea of getting married?" Will wondered.
Adrienne incredulously replied that Will truly was Sami Brady's son -- something Will knew she hadn't meant as a compliment. Adrienne accused Will of looking for an easy way to absolve himself of guilt and instead lay it at Sonny's feet. Will protested that he was simply trying to understand, but Adrienne maintained that he was looking for an out, and she refused to be the one to give it to him.
Adrienne warned that Will would have to find his own way to live with himself if Sonny ever decided to forgive him. Will quietly admitted that he wasn't sure he would ever be able to do that. "Oh, I don't think you'll have a problem with that. Your mother sure as hell never did," Adrienne countered before storming off.
Paul met Tori in the town square and told her he had made reservations for them at a local hotspot. Tori tried to protest, suggesting she and Paul could just spend some time in his hotel room instead, but he insisted that he wanted to take her out and show her a good time. Paul assured Tori that he wasn't afraid of people's reactions, and he added that he needed to get accustomed to being seen in public as an openly gay man, anyway.
As Marlena followed John through the town square, she fretted about the appropriateness of her attire. John assured Marlena that, as usual, she looked amazing in the dress she had picked out, but she was still worried because she didn't know where he was taking her -- or how special the place might be. "Doc, when you're with me, wherever we go is someplace special," John stressed before gently kissing Marlena.
Jordan went to Edge of the Square to tell Rafe she was leaving Salem. Rafe thought the move might be Jordan's way of distancing herself from Chad, but she stressed that she would never let someone like Chad run her out of town, and she credited Rafe with instilling that strength in her. Rafe dismissed the praise, and when he tried to give Jordan credit for being the only reason he had learned to walk again, it was her turn to object.
Rafe and Jordan shared one last dance, reminiscent of the one they had shared the last time she had considered leaving Salem. Afterward, Jordan told Rafe he had been her favorite part of Salem, and she promised to look him up and share another dance with him if she ever returned to town for any reason. Jordan kissed Rafe and began to walk away, turning to look at him one last time just before exiting the club.
Rafe greeted John and Marlena when they entered the club a short time later. Meanwhile, Tori and Paul arrived, and she quickly started worrying about how everyone seemed to be staring at or taking pictures of them. Paul assured Tori that he didn't mind because he had been prepared for such reactions and knew things would go back to normal once the buzz surrounding his recent announcement died down.
Rafe soon greeted Paul and Tori and congratulated Paul on being brave enough to share such a personal story with the world. After proudly mentioning that his sister was the mother of Will and Sonny's daughter, Rafe left to get Paul and Tori some free drinks. Tori knowingly observed that something had been bothering Paul all night -- if not longer -- but when she tried to get him to open up to her, he deflected and asked her to explain why she had been jumpy since arriving in Salem.
Tori claimed that she was simply unsure about how to help Paul and be a good mother to him as he dealt with the changes in life that were headed his way. Paul smiled and advised Tori to just keep being herself. Changing the subject, Paul pointed out that Marlena Evans and John Black were sitting at a nearby table. Tori grabbed her cell phone and abruptly excused herself before John could see her. Marlena, John, and Paul stood to greet each other, and Paul assured a concerned Marlena that his mother was fine and had just stepped outside to take a phone call.
John once again expressed his admiration for the honest interview Paul had given Will for Sonix, and he wondered how Will had convinced Paul that it was time to start living as an openly gay man. Paul and Marlena shared a meaningful glance as he carefully replied that Will was simply a great writer who had asked all the right questions. Marlena and John excused themselves after asking Paul to let his mother know they were sorry they hadn't gotten a chance to talk to her that night. Outside, Tori hid around a corner and watched John and Marlena leave.
Tori dashed back inside as soon as the coast was clear. Tori claimed she had been talking to Paul's grandfather, but Paul suspected she had actually ducked out of the club to avoid Marlena and John. Tori tried to deny the suspicion, but Paul was convinced she was lying. Paul thought Tori was embarrassed that he was gay -- or, at the very least, upset that he had gone public with the information -- but she assured him that wasn't the case. Tori also denied Paul's theory that she had taken offense to Marlena's recent assumption that he had made his mother proud.
Tori assured Paul that she was indeed proud of him, but he countered that she wasn't acting like it, since she kept hiding when people tried to approach to talk to them. Before Tori could reply, Rafe interrupted to see how she and Paul were doing. Tori seized the opportunity to formally thank Rafe for the kind things he had said about Paul earlier -- things she completely agreed with. "I've always been proud of my son, and I always will be," Tori stressed, directing the statement at Paul instead of Rafe.
Kate tried to send Clyde away when he showed up at the DiMera mansion, but he insisted on talking to her first. Clyde announced that he had decided to give Kate another chance, even though he was still upset about the way she had blurted out Chad's secret without any consideration for Ben. Kate maintained her innocence, but Clyde wasn't the least bit convinced, and he refused to apologize for the way he had treated her earlier.
Kate countered that she didn't expect anything from Clyde, anyway. Kate told Clyde to show himself out, but he wasn't ready to leave yet. After failing to persuade Kate to take a walk with him, Clyde presented her with a small gift box he had been planning to give her later. Intrigued, Kate teasingly reminded Clyde that he had previously refused to apologize for his recent behavior. Clyde stressed that the gift wasn't an apology.
Kate seemed to be expecting to find jewelry inside the box, but it actually contained a fortune cookie. Kate placed the fortune cookie on the desk and smashed it with a candlestick to reveal the fortune inside. "'The road may be bumpy, but it's worth the ride,'" Kate read aloud. Kate smiled and wrapped her arms around Clyde's neck as she warned him to keep in mind that the road was a two-way street. When Clyde agreed, Kate kissed him.
Later, as Kate and Clyde were strolling through the town square, he received a text message from Ben about the district attorney's decision to drop the assault charges. Clyde rushed off to a nearby restaurant to get some Champagne so he and Kate could celebrate. Meanwhile, Jordan arrived and revealed that she had some more good news -- she was leaving Salem for good.
Kate and Jordan exchanged a few final barbs before Clyde returned with two glasses of Champagne. Kate decided to take a rain check to give Clyde a chance to talk to Jordan privately. After Kate left, Jordan shared her big news with Clyde, who claimed he would be sad to see Jordan go. Jordan warned that she would stay in touch with Ben and would return to Salem to tell him everything if Clyde ever did anything to hurt him.
Clyde tried to remind Jordan that she stood to lose just as much as he did if Ben ever learned the truth, but she insisted she would be willing to lose Ben forever in order to protect him from Clyde. Clyde could tell Jordan wasn't bluffing, so he quickly changed the subject, offering to help pay for her to get started in New York. Jordan refused the offer and left after saying she hoped she would never have to see Clyde's face again.
Kate returned to the DiMera mansion and told Chad she'd heard he had succeeded in running another ex-girlfriend out of Salem. Chad wasn't in the mood to be Kate's punching bag that night, so she agreed to drop the subject, instead choosing to focus on discussing the details of their looming board meeting. Chad managed to impress Kate with a thorough analysis of the company's European earnings, and he assured her that the work they had done lately would put them in the perfect position to secure complete control of DiMera Enterprises at the board meeting.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Adrienne poured herself a glass of whiskey and downed it in one gulp as Justin informed her that he had talked to Lucas earlier. Adrienne warned Justin that it wouldn't be wise for him to try to have such a conversation with her on that particular night, but he plowed ahead, so she impatiently guessed that he had found out about the kiss she had recently shared with Lucas. Stunned, Justin clarified that Lucas actually hadn't mentioned that particular detail.
Adrienne unapologetically reiterated that she and Lucas had kissed -- and had immediately stopped things at that point because they had known that what they had done had been wrong. Adrienne wondered if Justin could look her in the eyes and honestly tell her that nothing had happened between him and Elsa. Justin remained silent for a few seconds before opening his mouth to offer an explanation, but Adrienne angrily stopped him and stormed out of the room.
When Will returned home, Lucas asked if Sonny had arrived in Phoenix safely, forcing Will to admit that he didn't know because he hadn't heard from Sonny yet. "I cheated on him, Dad. I cheated on my husband," Will regretfully admitted. Lucas was shocked, especially when he learned that Will had cheated on Sonny with Paul Narita -- who also happened to be Sonny's ex.
Although he knew the situation was really messy, Lucas tried to assure Will that things could still work out in the end. "I know how they'll work out. I won't let what happened with Paul ruin my marriage. I won't. I refuse to lose my husband," Will vowed.
In the Horton living room, Jennifer and J.J. talked about how they both had been unable to sleep. J.J. was antsy to learn whether he stood a chance with Paige. Jennifer told J.J. there was a high risk that Paige would learn the truth about J.J.'s affair if he attempted to reconcile with Paige. With a sigh, Jennifer worried aloud that Eve might slip up and accidentally tell Paige the truth. J.J. was adamant that he did not want to tell Paige the truth because he did not want to hurt her.
Jennifer advised J.J. to remember that even if Paige agreed to date J.J. again, he would have to carry around the burden of his secret. J.J. asked Jennifer if she wanted him to back off Paige, but Jennifer explained that she only wanted J.J. to be sure that he wanted to be with Paige. J.J. said he had to work things out with Paige. With a nod, Jennifer agreed to call Eve and remind her of their bargain.
"Are you really going to be happy with Paige?" Jennifer asked. As J.J. nodded, Jennifer reminded J.J. that he needed to prepare for the possibility that Paige would not forgive him. J.J. swore he would be a different man than he had been, and he would be the kind of guy that Paige deserved.
In her apartment, Eve thought about her conversation with Jennifer about Paige and J.J. Eve called Paige, and an alarmed Paige asked what was wrong. Confused, Eve asked Paige what she meant. Paige joked that Eve never called so early in the morning unless there was an emergency. Eve told Paige that it had "meant the world to her" to hear Paige say she could never hate Eve. Eve asked Paige if they could meet later. Hesitantly, Paige said that she could not meet up with Eve because she had a date with Cole.
In the student center, Daniel overheard Paige on her call to Eve. When Paige hung up the phone, Daniel asked about Paige's date. Cole interrupted to ask Paige if they were still on for the evening. As Cole shot Daniel a sour look, Paige said yes and that she would talk to Cole later. After Cole walked away, Paige assured Daniel that Cole was usually not so rude. When Paige said she was hopeful about Cole, Daniel wished her well.
Paige explained to Daniel that she and J.J. were moving on from one another. With a furrowed brow, Daniel advised Paige, "Don't settle." Paige was taken aback, and she assured Daniel that she was not settling for Cole. With his hands up, Daniel said it was none of his business. Daniel asked Paige not to be a stranger, and he left.
Cole returned to Paige's side, and when she chastised him over his behavior with Daniel, Cole said that Daniel had given him a funny look. Paige defended Daniel and said he was too nice to have been hostile to Cole. When Cole asked about her conversation with Daniel, Paige said that Daniel cared about her and did not want her to be hurt. Cole and Paige talked about going to the movies until J.J. interrupted and asked Paige to talk.
In her apartment, Eve muttered to herself that Paige was too smart to get back together with J.J. "J.J. has the fake sincerity of his mother and the deviousness of his dad," Eve grumbled. Eve swore that she would never let Paige and J.J. reconcile. Jennifer called Eve, and Eve scowled at the phone before answering.
Jennifer reminded Eve of their agreement to let J.J. and Paige determine whether they wanted to be together without interference from anyone else. Eve agreed to go along with Jennifer's plan. When Jennifer said how disgusted she was that Eve had slept with J.J. in order to blackmail him, Eve objected and argued that she had not slept with J.J. for blackmail. Jennifer dismissed Eve's argument, noting that regardless of the reasons, Eve had slept with her daughter's boyfriend.
"I hate your guts," Eve snarled. "I really couldn't care less," Jennifer responded before hanging up. A furious Eve stormed out of her apartment and walked to the town square to shop.
After buying new clothes, Eve ran into Maggie in the main square. When Maggie asked Eve to donate to the clothing drive, Eve asked Maggie if Jennifer was involved in the drive. Maggie said yes, and Eve refused to be a part of anything involving Jennifer. When Maggie asked Eve if she was willing to let her feelings stop her from helping the needy, Eve scoffed. Maggie noted that Paige was helping with the clothing drive.
"I'm tired of everyone lecturing me about Paige and who knows her best," Eve hollered. Eve stressed that she knew her daughter better than Maggie. Eve added that she had known that J.J. was a terrible choice for her daughter since the day she'd met him, and she hoped Paige would stay away from J.J. Curious, Maggie asked Eve why she was worked up about J.J. when he had already dumped Paige. Maggie asked Eve why she was worried that Paige would reconcile with J.J. Caught, Eve growled under her breath about how much she hated Jennifer, and she walked away.
In the student center, J.J. asked Paige to let him explain about Roxanne. J.J. said that Roxanne was not his girlfriend, and he apologized for hurting Paige. Angry, Paige asked J.J. to leave her alone. J.J. pleaded with Paige to believe that everything had changed. J.J. stressed that his relationship with Roxanne was over. Confused, Paige shook her head in disbelief. J.J. said he did not know why he had strayed, and it had been the biggest mistake of his life when he had hurt Paige. J.J. said his eyes were wide open.
"You're the one, and there's no one else for me. I love you, and I never stopped. I want you back," J.J. said. "Is this a joke?" Paige asked incredulously. Paige reminded J.J. that he had made her watch him paw all over Roxanne as well as say horrible things to Paige. "I don't want anything to do with you," Paige said firmly. Paige said that whatever the reason was for J.J.'s change of heart, it did not matter because she was done with J.J.
At Club TBD, Nicole ran into Aiden, and she asked him relationship advice. Nicole reminded Aiden of how he and Hope had hated one another at the party at Daniel's apartment and yet had fallen in love so quickly after. Nicole asked Aiden how he had managed to change his relationship with Hope into a loving one. When Aiden asked if Nicole needed advice to reunite with Eric, she shouted no. Nicole explained that she was talking about Daniel.
Confused, Aiden said he thought Daniel was dating Jennifer like they had been the day of the party. Nicole stressed that Daniel's relationship with Jennifer was over. Aiden asked Nicole if her relationship with Daniel was not working out because of her history. Nicole bristled. With a sigh, Aiden explained that his relationship with Hope had turned around because he and Hope had faced their histories together. Aiden recommended the same for Nicole. Frustrated, Nicole stormed out of the club.
In his office at the hospital, Daniel told Jennifer that he had seen Paige and talked to her about Roxanne. With shifty eyes, Jennifer said that she had overreacted when she had blamed Eve for Roxanne's appearance in Salem. As Daniel noted that J.J. had moved on from Paige, Jennifer disagreed. Confused, Daniel shrugged. Jennifer explained that J.J. had ended things with Roxanne, and she had left Salem.
When Daniel asked why J.J. had changed his mind, Jennifer stated that she had talked to J.J., and he had realized that he had made a mistake in dating Roxanne. Daniel asked Jennifer what she was not telling him. As Jennifer shook her head, Daniel noted that Jennifer would not look him in the eyes. Jennifer said J.J. was not in trouble, and Daniel called her a liar. Daniel's phone rang. Daniel asked Jennifer to wait for him in the office while he took the call on his cell phone in the hallway. As soon as Daniel stepped outside, Jennifer sneaked out of the office.
When Daniel returned to his office, he was annoyed to see that Jennifer had left. Daniel called Jennifer's phone and left a voicemail asking her to call him back so they could talk about J.J. Outside Daniel's office, Nicole overheard Daniel leaving his message for Jennifer. Daniel told Jennifer that he cared about her and always would care about her.
In the DiMera mansion, Chad called Stefano on the phone to thank him for the analysis of the financial report Stefano had forwarded to him to present to Kate. Chad said Kate had no idea he had not written the report. Stefano was concerned, but Chad promised he would memorize the report so he would not slip up in front of Kate. Stefano stressed that if Chad was serious about destroying Kate, Chad would need to work hard so Kate was not suspicious. Stefano advised Chad to remember that Kate was not stupid.
In the Brady Pub, Kate met with Clyde to talk. "Every day is a good day when you know I've got a vice-like grip on Stefano DiMera's neck," Kate chirped happily. Clyde was not so sure. Kate assured Clyde that she had other ammunition against Stefano beyond the tax evasion charges. Clyde joked that he needed to avoid getting on Kate's bad side. Kate warned Clyde that if he continued to treat her as an equal, then Clyde had nothing to worry about. Clyde told Kate that he admired her then he leaned close and reminded her not to cross him either.
When Kate returned home to the DiMera mansion, a sullen Chad asked her about Clyde. Kate asked Chad not to ask about her personal life and to instead concentrate solely on their business relationship. Annoyed, Chad reminded Kate that she had not avoided his personal life when she had run Jordan out of town by insinuating that Chad was the reason Rafe had lost his job with the police. As Kate raised an eyebrow, Chad smiled and said he did not care about Clyde. Chad added that Kate and Clyde were perfect for one another.
In the Kiriakis mansion, Maggie met with Rafe in the foyer to discuss Victor's solemn attitude. Maggie was worried that Victor was depressed. Rafe peeked through the doorway to the living room and saw Victor sitting in a chair, reading a tablet. Maggie asked Rafe to talk to Victor and encourage him to spend more time at the club. With a sad smile, Maggie said that she hoped the work would cheer Victor up.
As Maggie went upstairs, Rafe entered the living room and called out to Victor. Victor was gruff. Rafe pushed Victor to talk about Clyde and why Victor had allowed Clyde to take over all the trucking routes in Salem. When Rafe announced that he was going to investigate Clyde, Victor shouted, "You moron! You're gonna ruin everything!" Victor ordered Rafe to back off of Clyde.
When Rafe raised an eyebrow, Victor explained that Clyde was too smart to believe Victor at his word to retire. Victor added that he needed Clyde to believe that Victor was defeated. Victor said he would wait for Clyde to overstep his bounds and then pounce. With a smile, Rafe nodded and left.
In the park, Rafe confronted Clyde. "What the hell did you do to Victor Kiriakis?" Rafe bellowed. Clyde shrugged and noted that Victor seemed fine. Rafe explained that he had seen sparks fly between Victor and Clyde at the club, and then Victor had quietly given up his trucking business in Salem. Clyde smiled and said he had filled a need in town.
With a shake of his head, Rafe said he believed there was more to Clyde's story. Rafe added that he had never seen Victor so depressed. When Clyde suggested that Victor was getting old, Rafe said Victor had said the same thing. Rafe told Clyde he was not buying the story.
In the Kiriakis mansion, Victor poured himself a drink. "You fooled Maggie, you fooled that bastard Weston. By golly, you've still got it!" Victor said cheerily as he raised his glass. Victor toasted to not letting Clyde get away with his crimes.
On the phone in the DiMera study, Kate schmoozed with a board member while Chad reviewed some notes for the upcoming board meeting. When Kate hung up, Chad referenced how the two of them were about to take everything from Stefano. Chad announced that he had to go to the hospital to speak with Seth Burns about the DiMera Foundation's annual contributions. Kate wanted Chad to stick around so they could discuss how to handle Mr. Shin, but Chad pointed out that Shin was Stefano's biggest ally. Kate believed they could play Shin in such a way that Stefano would lose everything.
From his hideout abroad, Stefano called Victor to ask for Victor's assistance with their common enemy. "It is payback time for Katerina Roberts," Stefano declared. After Stefano asked about Sonny and Victor inquired about how Stefano was handling E.J.'s death, they got down to business. Stefano promised that he would be in Victor's debt if Victor would help. The future debt pleased Victor, who asked how he could help Stefano. After Stefano outlined his plan, he explained that if Victor fed the information to Kate, she would do exactly what Stefano was expecting. Victor promised to put the plan in motion immediately.
Kate arrived at the Kiriakis mansion a little later at Victor's behest. "I just got off the phone with Stefano. He wants me to help him bring you down," Victor explained. Kate asked what Victor wanted in exchange for the information about what Stefano was planning. Victor produced a file and showed the contents to Kate. With an incredulous chuckle, Kate remarked, "Well, this certainly is a hefty portion of the profits. I hesitate to use the word 'greedy bastard,' but in this case..."
Kate reluctantly placed half her signature on the document, promising to consider signing the rest only after Victor proved that what he'd said was true. Victor explained that Stefano wanted to keep Kate from making a move on a small communications company. He clarified that the company held patents that were crucial to the success of DiMera Enterprises in that area.
Kate guessed, "So, he wants to buy it for himself, and then he'll have me exactly where he wants me... I would've been completely blindsided." As Kate finished signing the papers, Victor quipped, "That old fool, he still thinks that I hate you more than I hate him." Meanwhile, a joyful Stefano listened to opera while following along with the score and a conductor's baton.
As Nicole arrived outside Daniel's office, she overheard him leaving a message for Jennifer, stating that he would always care about her. When Nicole heard Daniel end the call, she entered his office. Unable to hide her dismay, Nicole admitted she'd overheard Daniel's message. Daniel reassured Nicole that he was just trying to help Jennifer with something that had nothing to do with Nicole. Cheered a bit, Nicole offered to make lunch at Daniel's for him and Melanie. Although he was dubious about Nicole's cooking skills, Daniel agreed. He gave Nicole a key to his place because he wasn't sure if Melanie would be home to let Nicole in.
When Jennifer saw that she had a voicemail from Daniel, she decided to ignore it and hang out in Abigail's office as long as possible to avoid running into him. Abigail arrived and admitted she had a lot of work to do. Jennifer offered to help, since she'd given a lot of that work to Abigail. Anne's arrival and subsequent snide remarks instantly irked Jennifer and Abigail. Since Anne and Abigail needed to discuss the charity project, Jennifer left for her own office.
As Jennifer was hurrying past the nurses' station to her office, Daniel called after her. When Jennifer reluctantly stopped, Daniel stressed that he needed to talk to her about J.J. Nicole got off the elevator just then and observed Daniel and Jennifer's conversation from afar. Jennifer made excuses about why she didn't have time to talk, but Daniel wouldn't take "no" for an answer. He escorted Jennifer to his office so they could talk in private.
Disheartened, Nicole greeted Maxine and asked where she could find the hospital administrator, whom Nicole was supposed to interview. Maxine informed Nicole that the man wasn't on that floor. When Nicole mentioned Daniel and Jennifer, Maxine brightened and declared that she hoped they would get back together.
Anne produced several crumpled handwritten pages from a yellow legal pad and smoothed them in front of Abigail on the desk. Anne explained proudly that it was her vision for Abigail's charity project. Abigail skimmed the notes and immediately noticed with consternation that Anne's so-called vision required people to provide proof of employment. "Jordan wanted to help people who don't have money coming in," Abigail noted. She declared that she wouldn't agree to it because Jordan wouldn't have.
As Anne was smugly pointing out that she was supervising the project, Chad walked in. As soon as Anne spotted Chad, she began sucking up to him. Chad mentioned that he was at the hospital to meet with Seth Burns about the DiMera family's charitable foundation -- which would be making a contribution to Jordan and Abigail's project. A surprised Abigail thanked Chad. He asked how things were going without Jordan, and Abigail suggested he should ask her supervisor, Anne. Anne boasted that she had a lot of exciting ideas.
Chad remarked that he and Mr. Burns had just been discussing a new project the DiMera Foundation would be funding, which would need just the right administrator. Chad expressed regret that Anne was already involved with Abigail and Jordan's project. Anne declared that she wanted to be considered for the DiMeras' project, explaining that she was confident Abigail could handle things without her. Anne headed out, leaving her notes for Abigail to keep.
Curious, Abigail asked Chad about the new project. "How would I know? I'm sure, with all the money my family pumps into this place, we can figure out something for her to do," Chad replied conspiratorially. "Did you just come to my rescue?" Abigail asked, impressed. Chad maintained that he'd only done it to save Jordan's project from Anne. Abigail thanked Chad sincerely.
Chad guessed that Abigail was worried about Ben hearing the news, but Abigail said she intended to tell her boyfriend what Chad had done. "Are you sure you want to do that? He'll say I only did it to get something for myself," Chad predicted. Abigail countered, "Did you?" Without answering, Chad simply left.
In Daniel's office, Jennifer explained for Daniel that J.J. had realized he'd been dating Roxanne to forget about Paige, but he'd broken up with Roxanne after he'd realized it was wrong. Jennifer maintained that she'd only been upset about J.J. keeping Roxanne a secret because of the secrets he'd kept from her in the past. A skeptical Daniel wondered why he couldn't talk to J.J. Jennifer asserted that J.J. was her family -- but Daniel reminded her that she'd been the one who'd asked for his help with J.J.
"I can tell you're lying, and I am worried about you," Daniel added. Daniel got a phone call and had to leave, but on his way out, he warned Jennifer, "This is not over." Jennifer muttered to herself, "Sorry, Daniel. I really have to get better at this lying thing, because this is something I definitely cannot tell you."
Nicole paused on the park bench outside Horton Square to try to convince herself that there really was nothing going on between Daniel and Jennifer. Nicole told herself that she had to find a way to keep things moving -- and to keep Melanie out of the way.
In bed next to a sleeping Eric, Serena sent a text message to Melanie. Eric stirred awake and murmured that Serena should have woken him so they could have spent more time together. After a few minutes of snuggling with Eric, Serena sat up and admitted she had the blues because she'd finished her research and was probably going to have to leave Salem. Eric was stunned that Serena hadn't mentioned it to him before then, but he was hopeful it would take her a while to find another assignment.
Serena admitted that she'd already gotten a few offers -- none of which would allow her to stay in Salem. In case Serena was unsure of how he felt about it, Eric declared that he didn't want her to go. That seemed to surprise Serena, but she tearfully admitted that she didn't want to go, and she would try to find work someplace nearby, such as Chicago. Eric offered to go with Serena. "It's not that simple. I don't know if it could ever be that simple," Serena said.
Serena clarified that she could get sent almost anywhere in the world, but she pointed out that things could just as easily work out. Serena promised to tell Eric as soon as she found out what was happening. "Does it help if I tell you that, right now, this is the only place I want to be?" she asked. As he embraced Serena, Eric said it helped a lot. Pulling away so he could look her in the eye, Eric declared, "Serena, I love you."
When Serena didn't reply in kind, Eric remarked that it was awkward. Serena pointed out that she could have chosen any hospital in the country to do her research, and she had practically thrown herself at Eric when she'd gotten to Salem. "I didn't think I had to say 'I love you.' I thought you knew," she added softly. Eric and Serena were both hopeful that things would work out for them. After kissing Eric goodbye, Serena left to meet Melanie.
Melanie was at Daniel's when she got the message from Serena, who wanted to drop by later. Melanie said she would be home, so Serena could visit any time. Brady arrived to see Melanie, but she didn't greet him with as much enthusiasm as he'd obviously hoped. He noted that they had just had their first argument. Melanie explained that she hadn't appreciated it when Brady had told her to stay away from Theresa because it had felt like an order.
Melanie continued that if she and Brady were going to make a relationship work, he had to accept her for who she was without trying to change her. "This is who I am; this is what you get. So you have to decide...if that's good enough for you," Melanie stated. "Of course, you're good enough for me. If anything, you're too good for me," Brady reassured her. Melanie reminded him that accepting all of her included her stubbornness and impulsiveness, but she apologized for not telling him what she'd been up to regarding Theresa, even though Melanie had decided to drop it.
Brady admitted that he had been worried about Melanie, adding tenderly that he would always worry about her. Melanie said she'd found a note that morning from her dad, who'd indicated that he wanted to have a talk with her about Theresa -- and Melanie really didn't want the man she was seeing to treat her like a kid, as well. Brady nodded his understanding. Melanie reiterated that she needed Brady to accept her, just as she accepted him.
Brady kissed Melanie to show her that he did, and he promised to treat her like an adult. He expressed optimism that he and Melanie could make their relationship work as long as they continued to listen to each other. Brady didn't want to leave, but Melanie promised to call him as soon as she was finished with work.
Later, Brady met up with Eric in Horton Square. Acknowledging that he'd heard the news via the "Brady grapevine," Eric asked how things were going with Brady and Melanie. Brady proudly said he and Melanie had just survived their first argument as a couple. As the guys strolled along, Brady continued that the relationship was working well because they had gone into it as friends who'd already liked and trusted one another.
Eric paused and looked at Brady pensively. Brady wondered if he'd said something wrong, but Eric insisted everything was fine. Jennifer happened along just then and remarked that it was nice to see the guys hanging out together. Brady suggested Jennifer join them, but she maintained that she had too much to do.
Melanie had changed into scrubs and was headed out the door when Nicole called. Nicole divulged her plans to cook lunch for Melanie and Daniel. Melanie said she still needed to tell her dad that she had to cancel. A relieved Nicole hung up and excitedly told herself, "This is a sign!"
Serena arrived outside Club TBD and checked the condition of her elephant statue inside her oversized tote bag. Just as Serena was zipping the bag shut, Melanie exited the club. Melanie explained that she had to cover at the hospital for someone who'd called in sick. Disappointed, Serena indicated the bag and claimed she'd wanted to drop off some books about African history for Melanie. Since the books were heavy, Serena offered to drop the books off at Daniel's. Melanie handed over the key to her dad's place, which Serena promised to drop off at the hospital later.
Melanie was waiting in Daniel's office when he returned a little later. Daniel wanted to talk to her about Theresa, but Melanie said the discussion, as well as their lunch date, would have to wait, because she had been called in to cover another nurse's shift. When she learned that Nicole was probably at the apartment, preparing lunch, Melanie remarked, "Well, she's going to have somebody there to pass the time with."
As Nicole let herself into Daniel's apartment, she realized that she'd forgotten the groceries. She quickly decided to order in, which would give her more time to make sure everything was just right when Daniel got home. Nicole headed into the bedroom to change. Moments later, Serena arrived. She made a beeline for the elephant statue on the dining table and removed her identical statue from her bag. She set the bag on a chair, but it tumbled off and spilled the books onto the floor.
Ignoring the books, Serena picked up Daniel's figurine and held one in each hand a bit awkwardly. Just then, Nicole emerged from the bedroom, assuming when she'd heard the door that it had been Daniel. Startled, Serena dropped both elephants. Nicole eyed the statues and glared suspiciously at Serena.
At the hospital, Eric and Brady ran into Theresa, who seized the opportunity to complain to Eric about how Melanie had been spying on her lately. Melanie arrived as Theresa was giving Eric the details, and he and Brady stopped the women from getting into another fight with each other. Eric said he needed to talk to Melanie about something, so she led him to Daniel's office so they could have some privacy.
After Melanie and Eric left, Brady informed a shocked Theresa that he actually agreed with her assertion that it had been wrong for Melanie to stick her nose into Theresa's business. Theresa was pleased to hear that Brady and Melanie had fought about the matter, but her smile vanished when she learned they had quickly made up. Brady assured Theresa that Melanie would leave her alone in the future, and he advised Theresa to extend Melanie the same courtesy.
Melanie thought Eric had just made up an excuse to get her away from Theresa, but he clarified that he actually did want to talk to her about something. Melanie was surprised to learn that Serena was thinking about leaving Salem, and she promised to help Eric try to change Serena's mind. Brady arrived a short time later, and he and Melanie went back to the nurses' station together. Theresa was waiting for the elevator, and she watched uncomfortably as Brady and Melanie paused to share a kiss in full view of everyone. "God, what is it gonna take to get all these losers out of my life?" Theresa muttered as she headed for the stairs instead.
Clint met with Mandrake and apologized for being careless enough to let Theresa get her hands on Mandrake's cell phone number. Mandrake didn't seem particularly worried, clarifying that he had actually summoned Clint to his office for another reason. Mandrake passed a file to Clint, explaining that Kristen had been very pleased with Clint's work -- and wished to hire him again.
"This...could be pretty dangerous," Clint mused as he looked over the contents of the file, which included photographs of Theresa and Brady. Mandrake agreed but stressed that he and Kristen both had faith in Clint's ability to handle the task. "Go. Finish it with both of them," Mandrake urged Clint before handing over a plane ticket.
Nicole and Serena were shocked to find each other in Daniel's apartment. Serena claimed that she was simply dropping off some books for Melanie, and Nicole explained that she was making lunch for Daniel. "Some recipe," Serena muttered as she studied the skintight dress Nicole was wearing. Nicole wasn't interested in continuing the conversation, so she returned to Daniel's bedroom to finish getting ready.
Serena could no longer distinguish between the two elephant statues because she had dropped both of them, and she could hear Daniel talking to someone in the hallway, so she just grabbed one and stuffed it in her bag, hoping she had made the right choice. Serena started picking up the pile of books as Daniel entered the apartment, and when he asked if she was okay, she explained that Nicole had startled her earlier.
Serena added that seeing Nicole in the apartment wouldn't have been nearly as surprising if Daniel hadn't just said he was through with her during his last conversation with Serena. Nicole emerged from Daniel's bedroom in time to hear the comment, and Serena quickly excused herself after observing that Nicole looked different. Nicole -- who had put a coat on over her dress -- replied that she hoped nothing had been damaged earlier, and when Daniel tried to find out what that meant, Serena dodged the question and rushed off.
Daniel wanted to know why Nicole was wearing a heavy coat in his heated apartment, so she admitted she had something special on underneath the coat because she had been hoping they would get to have some time alone together, since Melanie had been called in to work. "But when it comes to one-on-one time, I guess I just have to stand in line," Nicole disappointedly added. Nicole started to acknowledge that she was probably trying too hard to make something happen with Daniel, but he stopped her with an unexpected kiss.
Daniel assured Nicole that he was interested in getting back together with her, although he added that he did want to proceed with caution. Nicole understood but didn't want things to move along at a glacial pace. Nicole told Daniel she liked spending time with him and wanted to do that more often -- without onlookers present. Daniel was supposed to be giving a presentation at the hospital sometime in the near future, so he suggested Nicole could take him shopping for a fancy new tie -- and perhaps join him for coffee afterward.
Nicole accepted the invitation and started to leave, her lunch date with Daniel effectively canceled. Daniel suddenly remembered what Nicole had said to Serena about things being damaged, and when he questioned Nicole about it, she explained that Serena had dropped his elephant statues on the floor when they had startled each other. Daniel clarified that he only had one elephant statue, which confused Nicole. Nicole laughed off her mistake but continued pondering the matter as she waited for the elevator outside Daniel's apartment.
Serena returned to her hotel room and anxiously removed one of the rubber feet from the bottom of the statue's base, hoping to find a hidden compartment underneath. "Damn it! I got the wrong one," Serena realized with a sigh when nothing happened.
Tori met with Paul in a secluded section of the town square while her hotel room was being cleaned. Paul suspected Tori had chosen to meet him at that particular spot because she didn't want to be seen in public with him, but she clarified that she simply wanted to have a private conversation with him -- and couldn't exactly do that at a place like Club TBD, since his Sonix article had made him even more famous than before.
Tori wanted to know why Paul believed he might still be able to get back together with Sonny -- especially since Sonny wasn't even in Salem at that time. Paul started to explain that someone had asked Sonny a very telling question right before Sonny had left town, but Tori interrupted when she realized the implication of the question. "You need to let this go! He's a married man? He made vows. He needs to honor them, and so do you," Tori insisted.
Paul assured Tori that he understood what marriage vows meant -- and knew she regretted the fact that she had never gotten the chance to exchange them with his father, who had died before his birth, leaving her stuck to raise him as a single mother. Tori stressed that she had never felt like she had gotten stuck with Paul, who had changed her life and was her single greatest joy. "I would do anything for your happiness, Paul, but for you to steal that happiness from someone else -- it's wrong," Tori maintained.
Paul agreed that it would be wrong for him to do so -- if Sonny and Sonny's husband actually were happy. Paul explained that he knew the marriage wasn't a happy one because Sonny's husband had recently cheated on Sonny. When Tori asked if Sonny had told Paul that, Paul reluctantly admitted that he knew because he was the guy Sonny's husband had slept with. Confused, Tori wondered why Paul had gone after the husband of the man he claimed to love. Paul stressed that he hadn't gone after anyone, adding that he hadn't even known the guy he had slept with had been in a relationship at the time, let alone a marriage.
Paul explained that Sonny's husband, Will, was the guy who had been tasked with writing the Sonix article, and they had gotten to know each other over fairly personal interviews about Paul's life and career. Paul stressed that neither he nor Will had known about the other's connection to Sonny at the time of their one-night stand. Tori found it hard to believe Paul could possibly think he still had a chance with Sonny after everything that had happened. "Why not? I love him. You lost the man you loved. You -- you never had a chance. I do. And -- and you're telling me to just let that all slip away?" Paul wondered.
Tori clarified that she wasn't telling Paul what to do because it was ultimately his decision to make. "But I beg you to think it through. Sonny married this man. He must have deep feelings for him. And if he doesn't...then is Sonny really the kind of man that you want to be with, anyway?" Tori added before walking away.
When Lucas entered Will and Sonny's apartment, he found Will poring over material from the interviews with Paul, looking for something that could be used to get Paul to leave Salem. "I don't care what it takes, Dad -- I am not gonna let him ruin my marriage," Will vowed. Lucas wondered if Will really believed that getting rid of Paul would solve everything. Will admitted he didn't, but he added that it would be a start, at least.
Lucas pointed out that, while it had probably been understandably difficult for Will to learn that Sonny had cared enough about another man to propose to him but had never bothered to share that information with Will, Sonny still wasn't the one who had been unfaithful. "You think I don't know that, Dad? I'm the one that betrayed Sonny. I never should have slept with Paul, and I get that if I lose my husband, it's -- it's on me," Will assured Lucas.
Will added that he simply couldn't help wondering what Paul wanted -- and, more importantly, what Paul would be willing to do to achieve his goals. Will knew Paul wasn't just staying in Salem to finish physical therapy, since that could be done anywhere. Will suspected that Paul was really staying in Salem because of Sonny. "And when Sonny gets back, how the hell are we supposed to fight for our marriage if Paul's around all the time?" Will wondered.
Lucas wondered if Will was planning to somehow blackmail Paul into leaving Salem. "Call it what you want. I call it self-preservation. I am not gonna sit back and watch Paul try to steal my husband. I love Sonny too much to just give up," Will insisted. Lucas agreed to help Will look through the material, including a collection of scanned Narita family photographs on Will's tablet computer.
Lucas eventually found a picture of a woman standing near a lake, and when he asked Will about it, Will confirmed that the woman was Tori, although he added that she looked young in that particular photograph. Lucas thought Tori was standing at the north side of the Salem lake, but a confused Will recalled that she'd claimed she had never been to Salem before -- and she hadn't even wanted Paul to have his surgery there.
Hope and Aiden ran into John at Club TBD, so she introduced the men after stressing that she was thrilled to have John back on the police force. John and Hope briefly discussed a case before he excused himself so he could make a phone call. As Aiden started to tell Hope how much he enjoyed seeing her in her element, she received a phone call from Lucas, who wanted to talk to her about something.
Hope agreed to meet Lucas at Will and Sonny's apartment, and after she left, John returned to talk to Aiden, who guessed that John wanted to warn him not to hurt Hope. John clarified that he was actually glad Aiden and Hope had found each other, since he could tell they were happy together. John added that he had really just wanted to talk about Chase, since he was going to be coaching Chase's little league team.
When John mentioned that some fundraising would be necessary because some of the kids were in need of basic things like gloves, Aiden promised to do as much as possible to help out. Paul happened to be standing nearby, so Aiden told John they could probably solve the team's financial woes with a few autographed jerseys -- if not for the fact that neither of them knew Paul well enough to ask for his help. John clarified that he actually did know Paul, and he proceeded to introduce the former athlete to Aiden. Paul was happy to sign some autographs for the cause.
Lucas wondered what Will was hoping to accomplish with Hope's help. "If Paul's mom has been to Salem before, then she lied to Paul about it. And if she did...I'd like to know why," Will explained. Lucas warned that Hope was going to want to know what Will was up to, but when she arrived at the apartment, Will simply explained that he was working on a new angle for his recent article about Paul.
Lucas added that he and Will wanted Hope's take on a photograph because she spent a lot of time around the lake they believed could be seen in the background. Hope confirmed the suspicion after zooming in on one part of the image. "That's the DiMera boathouse. Ms. Narita's standing on DiMera property," Hope concluded. Lucas wondered if Hope was absolutely certain, and she assured him that there wasn't a doubt in her mind.
Later, Paul went to Will and Sonny's apartment to see Will, but Lucas answered the door instead. Meanwhile, Tori opened the door to her hotel room and found Will standing in the hallway. "Ms. Narita, I'm sorry to come over unannounced, but...I need to speak to you," Will explained as he smiled at Tori.
Over drinks at Club TBD, an inebriated Theresa was babbling about Melanie and Brady to Eve. Theresa became annoyed when she realized her sister wasn't paying a bit of attention. Paige walked in just then, and Eve eagerly jumped up to greet her daughter with a hug. Overhearing the Larsons discussing Paige's date that evening, Theresa slurred, "Hey, does that mean you're finally over that loser, J.J.?" Theresa wanted the scoop about the new guy, especially whether his family had money, but Paige refused to discuss Cole other than to note with a scowl that her mom didn't approve.
Eve admitted that she had decided she had to let Paige make her own decisions about whom to date, and that included Cole. She explained that she just wanted to see Paige move on. "Yeah, 'cause J.J. sure has," Theresa piped up. Paige reluctantly confessed that she'd run into J.J., who'd told her that he wanted to get back together. Theresa cracked up. While the other women attempted to ignore Theresa's running commentary, Paige filled her mom in about her conversation with J.J.
Paige said that even though she had told J.J. she was done with him, he had seemed almost sincere about wanting her back. "You're not thinking about taking this boy back, are you?" Eve asked sternly. To Eve's relief, Paige insisted she was not thinking about reuniting with J.J. Eve kissed her daughter goodbye and left to run an errand. When Paige said she was headed back to school, Theresa offered to go along so she could give her niece some advice. Paige knew it was useless to argue, so she allowed Theresa to accompany her.
Jennifer stood in the doorway of the Horton living room and listened while J.J. practiced his guitar. She burst into proud applause when he finished. J.J. explained that he was playing in a student showcase at the university that afternoon for extra credit because he was failing music. Jennifer asked if J.J. had talked to Paige yet. J.J. admitted that he had told Paige he wanted to get back together, but she'd told him to "go to hell."
Jennifer felt bad for her son, but J.J. was determined to try again when he was better prepared about what to say. J.J. explained that he intended to emphasize how sorry he was and how miserable he'd been without Paige. He added that he still loved her, and he believed she still loved him, too. Jennifer warned J.J. that even if that were true, Paige was hurt and angry. J.J. acknowledged that he didn't deserve a second chance, but he would assure Paige that he wanted to make it up to her.
Jennifer asked J.J. to consider what would happen if he and Paige got back together and then Paige found out he'd slept with Eve. Jennifer urged J.J. to tell Paige the truth right away. J.J. reminded his mom that she'd told him it was necessary to keep secrets to protect loved ones. Jennifer clarified that it had nearly destroyed the entire family when the truth about Mike's paternity had gotten out.
"But what if it hadn't? Great-grandpa obviously knew there was a risk, and he thought it was worth taking," J.J. protested. He added that he had to try to fix things with Paige, but that would never happen if she found out he'd slept with her mom. As J.J. grabbed his guitar to leave, Jennifer promised to see him at school for the performance. J.J. thanked his mom for being so forgiving despite her disappointment in him.
As Theresa and Paige entered the student union at Salem University, a still-drunk Theresa was giving Paige unsolicited advice about men. Paige suddenly noticed J.J. with the other student musicians who were setting up for the performance. She walked over and demanded to know why J.J. was there. He informed Paige that he was playing in the student showcase. "So am I," Paige said, skeptically pointing out that J.J.'s class wasn't in the show.
J.J. explained that he was performing because he needed extra credit. He tried to implore Paige to give him another chance to apologize, but a furious Paige ignored him, determined to find her professor so she could back out of performing. Theresa chuckled as she watched Paige storm off. Theresa seized the opportunity to needle J.J. about being a "player" who'd gotten bored with virginal Paige. J.J. tried hard to ignore Theresa as she went on and on about how Paige was too smart to fall for J.J.'s games. "She's never gonna take you back," Theresa predicted.
J.J. insisted he wasn't playing games, although he had made a huge mistake that he would spend the rest of his life making up to Paige, if she would let him. Theresa wondered how long it would be before J.J. cheated on Paige again. Paige returned just as J.J. was declaring to Theresa, "I do love Paige, and I never stopped, and I never will."
An anxious Eve stopped by the Horton house to talk to Jennifer. Eve explained that Paige had turned down J.J.'s pleas for them to get back together, and Eve wanted to know if Jennifer would still keep Eve's secret. After some bickering between the two women, Jennifer admitted that she never would have believed that Eve would seduce Jennifer's son just to get back at her. Pronouncing Jennifer an "egomaniacal bitch," Eve maintained that she hadn't seduced J.J., who had been more than willing to have sex with her again and again.
Jennifer ordered Eve to shut up and leave. Eve demanded that Jennifer answer the earlier question. Jennifer conceded, "Fine! I will keep your secret, no matter what happens between J.J. and Paige. But if you come between them, then the deal is off." As she held the door open for Eve, Jennifer remarked that she would not be late for J.J.'s musical showcase because of Eve. With a worried sigh, Eve said Paige was performing in the same showcase.
Will dropped by Tori Narita's hotel room, unannounced. Although Tori didn't want to talk to Will, he threatened to talk to Paul instead. "I don't think you'll want me to do that," Will hinted darkly. He was a little surprised when he learned that Tori already knew about what had happened between him and Paul. "Did [Paul] also tell you that he's still in love with my husband? That he's trying to break up my marriage?" Will asked. Tori insisted that her son would never do anything so dishonorable.
Will wondered whether Tori would ever do anything dishonorable, such as lie to her son about never being in Salem before. Tori reluctantly admitted Will into her room and shut the door, but she insisted that his accusation was ridiculous. Will recounted how Tori had been adamantly opposed to Paul getting his surgery in Salem and reminded her that she hadn't visited her son -- even after Paul had learned he would never pitch again -- until the article had been published. Tori asked wearily, "What do you think any of this proves?"
Will produced the photo of Tori on the lake in Salem. Attempting to laugh it off, Tori claimed she didn't even recall where the picture had been taken. Will pointed out the boathouse in the background and informed Tori that it belonged to the DiMera family. "Now, I know you know who they are. There's no question that this was taken here in Salem. The question is, Mrs. Narita...why don't you want Paul to know that it was taken here?"
"What do you want from me?" Tori asked. Will declared firmly that loved his husband and daughter more than he could say and would do whatever it took to keep them together. Tori reasserted that Paul would never try to break up Will and Sonny's marriage, but Will pointed out that Paul was still in Salem. Tori explained that Paul was staying to complete his physical therapy, even though she had tried to convince him to finish it at home in San Francisco.
Will believed Paul was staying in town to be near Sonny. Will demanded, for the sake of his marriage, that Tori get Paul out of Salem before Sonny returned from his trip. Tori protested that she didn't have that kind of power over her son. Will urged her to figure something out -- otherwise, he would show Paul the picture, which Will predicted would lead to questions that Mrs. Narita wouldn't want to answer. Will dropped the photo on Tori's bed and left.
When Paul went to Will and Sonny's to see Will, Lucas answered the door. Paul became uncomfortable when he learned that Will wasn't even home, especially when Lucas said he wanted to talk to Paul. He explained that he wanted Paul to see where Will and Sonny lived. Lucas clarified that although he didn't blame Paul for what had happened, he didn't think it was right for Paul to hang around Salem, waiting for Sonny's marriage to fall apart so Paul and Sonny could get back together.
"I'm not doing that," Paul insisted. Lucas was skeptical. He had to leave the room to check on Arianna when he heard her coughing, but he urged Paul not to leave yet. An uncomfortable Paul was edging toward the door when Lucas returned, carrying Arianna, and introduced the ballplayer to Will and Sonny's daughter. "She's beautiful," Paul declared softly, clearly affected. Lucas affirmed that Arianna's daddies were her whole world, especially because she didn't get to see her mother very often.
Paul understood what Lucas was trying to do, but Lucas clarified that he wanted Paul to see what was at stake. "This isn't about just you and Will and Sonny. Someone else is involved, too," Lucas pointed out. Paul started to say something, but Lucas cut him off. "You can go now. I'm finished," Lucas said. Without another word, Paul left. Beaming at his granddaughter, Lucas said quietly, "Let's just hope he doesn't show his face around here anymore." "Mm-hmm," Arianna murmured, nodding her agreement.
When Will returned, he asserted that it had been clear Tori did not want Paul to know she'd been in Salem before. Will was optimistic that Tori would find some way to convince Paul to leave town. Lucas predicted that would not be difficult. He explained that Paul had stopped by to see Will, and Lucas had introduced Paul to Arianna to emphasize that Paul would be breaking up a family if he pursued Sonny.
Will got a text message from Hope, and he summarized for Lucas that the DiMera boathouse had been remodeled after a tornado in the late 1990s, which meant the photo of Tori had to have been taken before then. Will and Lucas agreed that they didn't care what secrets Tori was keeping as long as she got Paul out of town.
As Lucas took Arianna back to the bedroom for a nap, Will looked again at the photo of Tori on his tablet and wondered why she hadn't wanted Paul to know she'd been to Salem before. Suddenly, Will exclaimed, "How did I not see that?" He began rummaging through his notes from the article until he found the photo he was looking for then he held it next to the photo on his tablet. "Oh, my God," Will remarked, stunned.
When there was a knock on Tori's door, she stashed the photo in a drawer before opening the door and finding Paul in the hallway. Clearly upset, Paul admitted that he'd just been to see Will, who had not been home, but Paul had met Will's father and daughter. As a sympathetic Tori listened, Paul said ruefully, "Will and Sonny, they built such a nice life together. Or at least it was until this whole mess happened. I think you're right, mother. I think I should leave Salem."
Kate visited Victor at the Kiriakis mansion and assured him that she had Mr. Shin exactly where she wanted him. Victor just wished he could witness the events at the board meeting. He poured two flutes of Champagne and clinked glasses with Kate when she toasted, "To us." Victor asked if Kate had any regrets about signing over the large percentage of profits to him. Kate maintained that he'd been worth every penny so far, but she wondered if he were worried what Stefano would do when he found out Victor had double-crossed him.
Victor asserted that Stefano should have known better than to trust Victor. He asked if Chad knew what was about to happen. "No, of course not. I don't trust that little snake," Kate declared. She added that it was time for DiMera Enterprises to have a single CEO with a strong vision. Victor didn't feel sorry for Chad, who had let Sonny lose his shirt, trying to open the new club. "Good riddance to the entire DiMera family!" Victor proclaimed, clinking glasses with Kate again.
In the DiMera study, Chad answered a phone call from Stefano. Chad assured his father that Kate didn't suspect anything. Stefano cautioned Chad not to be cocky, but Chad declared that he had Shin's vote, and soon Chad would be the sole CEO of DiMera Enterprises. "Under your guidance, of course," Chad added hastily. He only wished they could make the tax-evasion charges against Stefano go away, so the elder DiMera could return home. "By the time Kate knows what's happening, it'll be too late," Chad declared. Stefano amended, "It is already too late."
Kate returned home and joined Chad in the study after she'd changed for the board meeting. Chad admitted that he was a little nervous, but he felt prepared. He explained that Kate had taught him a great deal, even though she could have been "a bitch" to him after he'd forced her to make him co-CEO. Chad continued that since his mom had died, Kate had always looked out for him, and he would always be grateful to Kate for that.
"After everything that happened with E.J. and my father, it's nice to know that there's somebody out there who really cares about me," Chad said with seeming sincerity. Kate emphasized to Chad that everything that happened at the board meeting would be strictly business, so he shouldn't feel guilty about what he planned to do to Stefano, who was, after all, a businessman. Chad assured Kate that he understood it wasn't personal.
"We are just doing what we have to do to survive," Chad added. Kate declared that even though she'd been tough on Chad, she was very proud of him and cared for him. As Chad left to pull the car around, Kate said a little prayer to his mother, Madeline: "Sorry, Maddie, but like Chad said, we do what we have to do in order to survive -- and for me, that means your son has to go."
As the board meeting was about to get underway, Victor sat with a drink, gleefully wishing he had a front-row seat to the festivities. Meanwhile, before Kate and Chad went into the boardroom, she handed him some printed copies of their presentation to pass out to the board members. Mr. Valdez met Chad and Kate at the door to inform them that everyone was there.
When Kate and Chad went inside, the other members were seated around the table, but Mr. Shin's chair at the far end of the table was turned with its high back to the room. "Mister Shin, we're ready to get started," Kate announced while Chad took the seat next to hers. "I'm afraid Mister Shin was unable to attend," Stefano's voice replied as the chair swiveled around to reveal that he was sitting in it.
