Beyond the Gates Recap for Monday, February 24, 2025: Welcome to Fairmont Crest

At Orphey Gene’s diner, Martin came in and was greeted by one of his constituents who recognized him as a Congressman. He sat down with his grandfather, Vernon Dupree, a retired Senator. They chatted about life, and Martin acknowledged his life with his wife and kids but said he wanted more.

Another diner came over named Bessie, who was involved in the movement in the 70s, like Vernon. She called him one of her heroes and admired his wife, Anita, as well. She said Anita and her singing group were inspirational and living proof that a young girl could make it out of the projects. Once alone, Martin called his grandad an icon.

Ashley came into the kitchen in her scrubs and found Derek, shirtless in an apron, holding out two plates with breakfast for them. He wanted to start her first day off right as she was starting her first day as a nurse.

Ashley sat on Derek’s lap and acknowledged how supportive he’d always been, no matter how many nights she’d spent studying and he’d wanted to go out. Derek thought she’d be the best nurse the hospital had ever seen. Ashley told him how much she thought the career path was her destiny since she was a child. Derek called her one of the most selfless people he’d ever known and was honored that she loved him.

Derek said the last two years together were the best ever, and Ashley felt the same way. Ashley told Derek how much she loved him and said he would always be the only man for her. Derek drove her to the hospital to start her new career. As she stepped off the elevator, she looked very pleased to walk into the fray around the nurses’ station.

Later, Andre Richardson came in. He saw Ashley at the nurses’ station and greeted her. She asked what brought him home and if he was sticking around. Andre said he was there to shoot a video bio for Nicole’s award and then help Chelsea with her modeling. After that, he was open to suggestions from the “lovely nurse Ashley,” making her blush.

At home, Dani threw two coffee mugs across the kitchen, the second one with a gut-wrenching scream. Her friend Vanessa walked in and saw the broken pieces on the ground. Dani said that she couldn’t get over the fact that Bill and Hayley were humiliating her by having their wedding at the club.

Dani cleaned up the broken mugs and called her daughter, Chelsea, to remind her of a wardrobe fitting later, but she seemed bothered by her mom. Dani called Chelsea an ungrateful little brat when she hung up, so Vanessa warned her not to channel her anger for Bill toward her daughter. Dani noted that Chelsea had the modeling career at 24 that she used to have, but gave it up when she married Bill.

Chelsea told her friend Kat how much her mom was driving her nuts trying to control her. Chelsea wanted to launch her purse line but was concerned about walking out on her mom. She admitted the divorce was hard, and with her dad’s upcoming wedding, if she quit her job with her mom now, it could be too much.

At Bill’s office, his assistant, Caroline, justified his schedule. She wanted to pack in as much as possible before he got married at the end of the week and went on his honeymoon. She told him that Hayley was at the new house picking up the keys. Bill called it a new dawn.

Bill had an old military friend come by and ask for his help with his son, who was on drugs and did a break and entry. He said the victim’s names and Bill recognized them. He said he could make the whole thing go away. “Connections and favors are what make the world go ‘round,” Bill told his friend. He made a phone call and took care of it. “You’ll just owe me one. See? It all balances out,” Bill added.

At their newly purchased house, Hayley met with their real estate agent, Vanessa, to get the keys. Vanessa wondered why Hayley wanted to live in a community where the Duprees ruled supreme and thought they would have Hayley frozen out. Hayley was confident if she was patient, things would work out. Vanessa told her good luck — and that she’d need it.

Naomi and Jacob were in bed, although she was supposed to be at lunch. As they got ready to go out later, she noted that she needed to check in on her mom. Jacob asked if she had talked to her dad. Naomi was still upset with him for sleeping with Hayley, who had been her best friend. The playful couple changed the topic and wound up back in bed for round two. Later, Jacob had to go to the precinct, so Naomi told him that later that night, they could role-play that he was arresting her.

Dr. Nicole Dupree arrived at the entrance of the Fairmont Crest Country Club. As the gates opened, she drove inside to the valet and people recognized her as she walked by. Inside, in the dining room, a table was being set up with gold-rimmed plates and silverware, and a “Reserved for the Duprees” engraved sign was placed on the white linen tablecloth.

Nicole’s mother, Anita Dupree, entered the club at the same time. Calvin came from behind the concierge desk to take her and Nicole’s coats. Anita asked if Nicole had heard from her sister but she said she’d called and gotten no response from Dani. Anita hoped that didn’t mean she was out being a force of nature. As they sat at the table, Nicole noted that she understood how blindsided Dani had been by her ex-husband’s affair with Hayley. She said that although Bill moved out months prior, Dani had a setback by the news that Bill and Hayley booked the country club for their wedding.

Anita and Nicole recounted how Bill’s true ambitions came out after he married Dani. Anita added that when Bill’s criminal law practice took off, they met the real Bill Hamilton “with his shiny suits and pocket squares.” Anita said Bill reminded her of some of the denizens in the music industry and was glad she never fell for their tricks. They noted how they tried to warn Dani about Bill but she wouldn’t listen and married him, and now it had all blown up.

Anita told Nicole how proud they were of her for winning an award for her work, but she humbly blew it off. Behind them, Hayley came into the dining room with a wedding planner. As she told her that money was no object, Dani arrived behind her. Hayley excused herself to go speak to Dani instead.

Dani’s reaction to Hayley’s greeting couldn’t have been more frosty. Hayley noted Dani’s animosity and said it felt like something physical. Hayley acknowledged how she had felt like part of the family and wished they could work on improving their relationship. Dani agreed they had been close, and they opened their home to the “poor little orphan girl alone in the world.” “We made a place for you at our table. And you paid us back by stealing Bill,” Dani snapped. She wondered how Hayley could live with herself.

Hayley stepped forward and asked Dani if they could be civil. “Back up, Hayley,” Dani warned. She declared the conversation over and went to join her family. Dani ranted to Anita and Nicole about Hayley, but they reminded her that Bill was at fault as well.

Nicole suggested that Dani stop giving her energy to Bill and Hayley. “It must be wonderful to be you with your perfect husband and your perfect marriage,” Dani sneered. She wondered if her sister thought it helpful to advise her to just not think about Bill and Hayley anymore. Anita agreed that it wasn’t healthy to hold on to so much anger. Dani assured them she would be healthy as soon as she made a couple of cheaters pay.

Vernon and Martin joined the table and the conversation. “Right or wrong, I gave him everything, and it’s all been upended. The pact was to be together forever,” Dani told her family about her marriage. Dani explained she was confused and angered. Vernon told her she had every right to her feelings but said she gave Bill energy that he didn’t deserve. “He is unworthy of even one of your tears,” he told his daughter.

Across the room, Chelsea and Kat saw Dani laughing with their family and noted it had been a while since they heard her laugh. As Chelsea was telling her cousin that she was mad at her dad for cheating, but she didn’t know how to hate him, Naomi came in and overheard. She asked her sister if she wanted some lessons on that topic. Noticing that their mom was smiling, she suggested Chelsea and Kat come with her and join the rest of the family.

Vernon recounted a tale to the family and told them how he would walk through fire for his wife. The family was proud of their grandparents’ dedication to each other, but Vernon and Anita expressed their gratitude and pride of “each and every one” of their family as well. “To think a march on Washington in the 70s resulted in the existence of such remarkable, accomplished humans,” they mused.

Vanessa popped in to interrupt. She said she had been bound by the confidentiality of her seller on Marigold Road but could now reveal that Bill and Hayley had bought a house and picked up the keys. Dani was furious at the news of her new neighbors.

Spotting Hayley across the room, she stood and marched over. Dani told Hayley that getting married at the country club was disrespectful enough, but now she was being forced to live down the road from her cheating ex-husband and his “piece of trash new wife.”

Hayley told Dani that she could empathize, but Dani told her to shut up. “You could have stopped this and dug way down for a shred of decency,” Dani began, noting that she could have dissuaded Bill from living in Fairmont with her. “Let me be the first to give you a housewarming present,” Dani snapped before hauling off and slapping Hayley hard across the face.

There were shocked gasps from patrons in the restaurant, but not the Duprees. One by one, they walked by, silently shaming Hayley as they went, with Hayley’s former best friend, Naomi, leaving last. “Welcome to Fairmont Crest,” Karen Huger quipped sarcastically from the bar.

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