Kristen is no stranger to scheming, but this time, she’s ready to take drastic action—at the expense of her own brother. With tensions rising in the DiMera family, Kristen is prepared to throw EJ under the bus to save herself. As her past manipulations catch up with her, she realizes that her only way out is to shift the blame onto someone else, and EJ is the perfect target.
Meanwhile, EJ is dealing with his own storm. He storms into the Brady Pub, furious at Kate for telling Johnny the truth about his conception. Accusing her of using his son as a pawn in her vendetta, EJ lashes out. Kate, equally enraged, fires back, reminding him that Johnny came to her looking for answers after hearing the disturbing allegations against his father. Their argument escalates, with EJ blaming Roman for poisoning Johnny against him, while Kate insists that EJ has never taken responsibility for his past crimes. When EJ threatens Kate’s children, she makes a chilling promise—if he so much as touches them, she will take matters into her own hands.
At the same time, Johnny runs into Rafe in the park, relieved to see the real Rafe instead of Arnold, the imposter who wreaked havoc on their lives. Their conversation turns serious when Johnny confesses that he knows about EJ’s dark past with Sami. When Johnny demands to know why Rafe never told him, Rafe gently reminds him that it wasn’t his story to share—it was Sami’s. But Johnny struggles to understand how his mother could have ever built a life with someone who had hurt her so deeply.
Jada, determined to bring EJ to justice, is making progress in her case. She plans to get Rachel Senior to testify against him, though she knows convincing her will be a challenge. Paulina is shocked when Jada suggests that EJ may have been keeping Rafe hidden at Armitage. Though skeptical, Paulina listens as Jada lays out her theory, convinced that Rachel Senior holds key information. Meanwhile, Kristen sits in the DiMera mansion, clutching a gun that her mother had hidden away. When Rachel Senior finds her, she warns Kristen to be cautious, insisting that they must stand together as a family. But Kristen is worried—Jada is closing in, and the walls are closing around them..
Jada arrives at the mansion, pushing Rachel Senior for answers about Rafe’s captivity. When Rachel Senior feigns ignorance, Kristen loses her temper and orders Jada out. But Jada remains unfazed, warning that either Rachel Senior cooperates, or she’ll be charged with aiding and abetting. Kristen knows she’s cornered. Later, she appears in Jada’s office, reluctantly looking over an immunity deal for her mother. At first, she refuses to sign, claiming Rachel Senior had nothing to do with EJ’s alleged crimes. But when Jada questions whether Kristen is willing to risk her mother’s freedom, Kristen wavers. Realizing she has no other choice, she agrees to have a lawyer review the deal.
Back at the mansion, EJ and Rachel Senior have their own conversation, unaware of Kristen’s betrayal. Rachel casually mentions that Kristen went to talk to the police about a man at Armitage. Alarmed, EJ rushes to retrieve a syringe filled with Dr. Rolf’s serum—desperate to cover his tracks before it’s too late.
Elsewhere, Javi helps Leo pack his belongings to move out of the Salem Inn and into the Hernandez home. However, Javi hasn’t told Rafe and Gabi about their new roommate yet. When Gabi finds out, she is furious, reminding Javi of Leo’s long list of crimes. But Javi stands his ground, finally blurting out that he’s in love with Leo—just as Leo himself walks in.
Meanwhile, Gabi vents to Rafe about the ongoing investigation into EJ. She’s convinced that he’ll get away with his crimes yet again, especially since District Attorney Belle has a personal connection to him. But Rafe assures her that Belle has recused herself, giving them a fighting chance at justice.
As the drama unfolds, Kristen and EJ’s long-standing rivalry is about to reach new heights. Kristen has always prided herself on being the mastermind of the DiMera family, but with her past deceptions crumbling around her, she finds herself out of options. As she watches EJ consolidate his power, she realizes that the only way to secure her survival is to sacrifice her brother. Will Kristen’s latest betrayal finally bring down EJ, or will she find herself caught in her own web of lies?
