In Salem, the veil between the living and the dead has always been thin—but this week, it might just tear wide open. Secrets fester beneath the surface, old legacies claw their way out of the grave, and one woman’s chilling revelation could signal the return of a nightmare long thought gone.

Get ready for a mind-bending, heart-pounding ride. Because from July 28th to August 1st, Days of Our Lives doesn’t just raise the stakes—it resurrects them.

👻 Susan Banks Is Terrified… and That Should Terrify You

Susan Banks is known for being kooky, unpredictable, and—frankly—a little out there. But this time… she’s still. She’s quiet. And she’s absolutely terrified.

In a rare moment of solemn clarity, Susan confides in her son EJ and Chad DiMera that something is horribly wrong. The source of her dread? She can’t feel Stefano’s spirit. Not in the house, not in the shadows—not even in her dreams.

This isn’t just another “Susan episode.” This is a psychic scream into the void.

In Susan’s world, not sensing a spirit as powerful as Stefano DiMera doesn’t mean peace. It means something far worse—he’s not gone.

Could it be true? Could the Phoenix be preparing to rise yet again?

💀 Marina’s Nightmare: A Crown of Darkness Returns

Elsewhere in Salem, Marina Evans wakes from a dream soaked in fear—a nightmare where she wasn’t herself, but something darker, ancient, cursed. She was the Queen of the Night… the same horrifying title Stefano once tried to force upon her.

It felt more like a memory than a dream. More like a warning than a vision.

Haunted and disturbed, Marina turns to Kayla for clarity. But Kayla, too, is unnerved—especially after recalling her latest run-in with Susan. Susan had looked Marina dead in the eye… and told her something was festering inside. Not a physical illness—a spiritual corruption.

Is Stefano’s influence creeping back through the shadows? Is Marina the vessel for something wicked reborn?

🔥 Rafe’s Warning: “The Phoenix Always Rises”

Meanwhile, Rafe Hernandez is starting to put the pieces together. Susan’s psychic terror, Marina’s dreams, and a growing sense of dread all point to one unthinkable conclusion: Stefano DiMera’s reign may not be over.

Rafe reminds Cat Green of Stefano’s legendary nickname—The Phoenix. A name earned not by luck, but by unholy persistence. Every time Salem thought they were free of him, he returned. In another face. In another form. With another plan.

And Rafe knows one thing for sure: when the phoenix stirs… someone always burns.

💔 Sarah & Brady: Comfort, Chemistry… and Chaos

In the town square, Sarah Horton faces a devastating truth: her marriage to Xander is over. With her mother Maggie at her side, she confesses that this isn’t just a temporary break. It’s final.

But just when she thinks she’s at her lowest, along comes someone who sees her—Brady Black.

Brady, nursing his own emotional wounds, offers empathy. Not flirtation. Not seduction. Just comfort. And Sarah, emotionally raw, melts into his embrace.

But across the square, a pair of eyes are watching.

Xander, hand-in-hand with Gwen, sees it all. The hug. The closeness. The possibility. Rage flares in his chest—not just heartbreak, but jealousy. Gwen tries to calm him, but it’s too late.

For Xander, it’s war. And Brady just became the enemy.

🧨 Gabby’s Plan: Burn It Down Before They Do

At the DiMera mansion, Gabby Hernandez isn’t waiting for an attack. She’s planning one. Tired of being underestimated, she’s forging a fiery alliance with Tony DiMera.

Their shared target? Philip and Xander Kiriakis—two men they believe are conspiring against the DiMera name.

But Gabby doesn’t want brute force. She wants intel. And for that, she hires Steve “Patch” Johnson, the one man capable of digging deep enough into Titan’s secrets to blow everything sky-high.

Steve starts snooping… and what he finds rattles him to the core. Hidden files. Shocking documents. And worst of all—evidence that could destroy his daughter, Stephanie Johnson.

💔 Stephanie vs. Steve: The Ultimate Betrayal

Stephanie has always stood on her own. She built her career away from her family’s shadow. She demanded independence.

But now, that independence is under attack—from the man who raised her.

When Stephanie discovers Steve is investigating Titan—the very company she’s entangled with—she’s blindsided. Furious. Hurt.

“You didn’t even tell me, Dad!” she shouts, tears welling in her eyes. “You just started digging like I was the enemy.”

Steve pleads that he didn’t know it would touch her. That he was just following a lead. But the damage is done.

For Stephanie, this isn’t business. It’s betrayal.

🌪️ Salem Is Spinning Out of Control

Let’s take a step back—because this isn’t just one dramatic week in Salem. This is a collision course of destinies:

• Susan feels nothing where Stefano’s spirit should be.

• Marina dreams of becoming the Queen of Darkness again.

• Rafe fears the Phoenix is preparing for resurrection.

• Gabby is lighting matches she can’t control.

• Steve’s investigation could ruin his daughter’s life.

• Sarah and Brady are caught in a scandal of the heart.

Every storyline, every secret, every whisper is pulling Salem toward the edge of something cataclysmic.

And if Stefano truly is returning, he’s not coming back quietly.

🩸 When Secrets Bleed, Salem Burns

As the week of July 28th to August 1st unfolds, ask yourself:

Who will uncover the truth first?

Who will fall victim to their own past?

And who will rise from the ashes of this storm?

Because in Days of Our Lives, the past is never really gone. It waits. It lurks. And when it returns… it doesn’t just knock. It breaks down the door.

Brace yourselves, Salem fans.

The Phoenix is stirring.

And no one—not Susan, not Sarah, not Stephanie—is safe.