While Eric was cooking dinner, Serena tried to convince him to get his elephant statue back from the person he had given it to, claiming that she had been planning to ask for it herself because the movers had lost hers when she had relocated to Salem. Eric wasn't willing to do that, so he encouraged her to instead take any one of the other artifacts in his collection.
Meanwhile, Marlena arrived to give Eric an update on Sonny's condition and thank him for the unexpected gift he had given her earlier. When Eric went to check something on the stove, Marlena quietly advised Serena to taste the food before adding salt to it. "I wasn't that great an influence in the kitchen," Marlena explained.
Serena laughed and casually asked about the gift Eric had given Marlena. Marlena beamed as she explained that when Eric had lived with her mother in Colorado, he had taken a photograph that had really captured the woman's essence. Serena tried to hide her disappointment as she mused that it had been thoughtful of Eric to give Marlena such a gift.
Later, after Marlena left, Serena tried to propose a toast to getting the elephant statue back, but Eric wasn't willing to drink to that. Eric asked Serena to drop the subject, but she refused to do so, and she impatiently demanded to know who he had given the artifact to.
Nicole was on her office phone, trying to negotiate a raise, when Melanie arrived to see her. After Miles hung up on Nicole, Melanie asked for help digging up dirt on someone. Nicole suspected that Melanie might be in trouble, but Melanie promised that wasn't the case -- yet, anyway. Melanie admitted that things could change if Brady or Daniel figured out what she was up to, which was why she needed Nicole to be discreet.
Nicole refused to get involved, explaining that she had just finished an apology tour and wasn't really interested in going on another one anytime soon. Observing that Nicole seemed to really love Daniel, Melanie suggested that there might be a way to strike a mutually beneficial deal. "You would never sell your father down the river to get what you want. That's like a Donovan sister thing, or a Sami thing, or a me thing, back in the day," Nicole skeptically reasoned. Melanie conceded the point but clarified that she was making a genuine offer to help Nicole get back in Daniel's good graces because it was the right thing to do -- for Nicole and Daniel.
Melanie explained that, while she had once been in favor of Daniel's relationship with Jennifer, that relationship had ended months earlier, and Daniel was clearly ready to move on with his life. Melanie thought Daniel and Nicole were good for each other -- when Nicole wasn't scheming or breaking and entering, of course. Nicole noted the irony of Melanie -- who had shown up in Salem with a bag of stolen casino cash -- calling her out for copying a few computer files, and Melanie conceded the point. "So obviously, my dad has his hands full with me, which means you gotta be not a nut job," Melanie jokingly added.
Melanie concluded that she would sing Nicole's praises to Daniel all day long if Nicole simply endeavored to make him happy -- something Melanie truly believed Nicole was capable of doing. Nicole kept waiting for an anvil to fall on her head or a banana peel to be tossed under her feet, but Melanie swore she was just trying to make a straightforward deal with Nicole, so Nicole finally extended a hand to accept the terms. Melanie told Nicole about Mandrake, and Nicole agreed to help after Melanie promised that the whole thing wouldn't blow up in Nicole's face later. Later, after Melanie left, Nicole's initial round of research turned up something surprising.
At the hospital, a nurse started complaining about how someone who worked in the mailroom had lost the employee tax forms. Theresa remained silent about her part in the mishap as she stuffed a new batch of forms into envelopes so they could be sent out later that night. Nearby, Brady and Maggie were discussing plans to make Narcotics Anonymous meetings more accessible, and Theresa overheard part of their conversation.
A short time later, Anne stumbled out of the elevator and told Theresa it was time to party. Anne's speech was slurred as she explained that she had received a favorable job review and was up for a promotion. Anne wanted to celebrate at Edge of the Square, where it was ladies' night, so she pulled a flask out of her purse and offered it to Theresa as an incentive to finish stuffing the envelopes in a hurry so they could leave.
Theresa pushed the flask away, wondering if Anne was trying to get them both fired. Anne dismissively insisted that there was nothing to worry about because it would soon be her responsibility to make such decisions. Observing that Theresa was in a bad mood, Anne guessed that brainless billionaire Brady was to blame, and she proceeded to amuse herself with an attempt to say the tongue twister ten times fast.
Ignoring Anne, Theresa indignantly complained that Brady had looked directly at her while talking to Maggie earlier about the depths drug addicts were willing to sink to. Anne called Brady a buffoon and declared that Theresa could do much better. Anxious to leave, Anne tried to help with the tax forms but was too drunk to fold them properly, so Theresa sent her to get a cup of coffee instead.
Anne went to one of the break rooms, where she found Brady and Maggie wrapping up their discussion about Narcotics Anonymous meetings. Brady set his briefcase and cup of coffee aside so he could walk Maggie out, and after they left, Anne mischievously poured a generous amount of alcohol in his drink.
Elsewhere, Theresa confronted Brady about what he had said to Maggie earlier. Unaware that Brady and Maggie had actually just been talking about finding ways to prevent what had happened to Sonny from happening to anyone else, Theresa complained that, while she was certainly not perfect, Brady was no more qualified to get up on his soapbox and judge others than she was. Theresa stormed off before Brady could respond.
A short time later, Anne found Theresa and told her about spiking Brady's drink. Anne was quite pleased with herself, but Theresa was horrified. Theresa rushed into the break room and knocked the cup out of Brady's hand before he could take a sip. When Brady snapped at her, Theresa pretended that she was just continuing their earlier argument, and she left after telling him off again.
Theresa rejoined Anne and chastised her for spiking a recovering addict's drink. Anne still didn't think she had done anything terribly wrong, dismissively arguing that if Brady had been allowed to drink the spiked coffee, he would have just had a really bad night -- the kind she and Theresa would have enjoyed immensely -- and been fine the following morning. Theresa loaded Anne into the first available elevator and told her to get lost.
Brady followed Theresa to the town square and revealed that he had overheard her talking to Anne earlier. Theresa tried to act like Brady had misinterpreted the conversation, but he was certain she had saved him from drinking alcohol, and he wanted to know why she had done that for a person she supposedly hated.
Despite insisting she didn't care, Jennifer eventually allowed herself to be baited into asking for the identity of the man Eve had been sleeping with lately. Savoring the moment, Eve took a seat on the couch and invited Jennifer to join her. "You're gonna want to sit down for this one," Eve warned with a laugh.
As Jennifer approached the couch, she received a phone call from Marlena, who wanted to meet with her to collect some paperwork for a hospital conference that was being held the following day. Eve stared at a framed photograph of Paige while Jennifer was making arrangements with Marlena. When Jennifer ended the call, Eve ordered her to leave.
Amused, Jennifer teasingly wondered what had happened to the big confession Eve had been about to make earlier. Eve replied that, while she and Jennifer might have to share the royalties to Jack's book, a very colorful past, and one or two other things, she would never feel the need to share anything about her personal life with Jennifer. Fine with that, Jennifer started to storm out, but Eve stopped her and advised her to find a man of her own. "That little screechy, preachy tirade you've got going -- it just reeks of a certain, like, frustration," Eve observed.
Jennifer sarcastically countered that being with a man had obviously done wonders for Eve. "Oh, he has," Eve confirmed with an exaggerated sigh of satisfaction. Jennifer could tell that Eve was still dying to reveal something, so she once again took the bait and encouraged Eve to reveal the identity of the man, although she reiterated that she didn't care who Eve chose to sleep with. "Yeah, you do," Eve teased.
Jennifer complained that she felt like she was back in high school and Eve was once again trying to steal her boyfriend. Eve pointed out that Jennifer didn't actually have a boyfriend to steal at that time. Eve added that she couldn't steal Daniel because he hated her, thanks to Jennifer. Jennifer wasn't particularly sorry about that but offered Eve some unsolicited advice, urging her to appreciate the new man in her life -- if he actually existed and was actually as great as Eve had claimed, of course.
Eve assured Jennifer that the guy was very real, but Jennifer maintained that she couldn't possibly care less, and she abruptly stormed out of the apartment. Eve sighed as she thought about how close she had been to revealing the truth to Jennifer. Eve reminded herself not to get sloppy -- and to stay away from Jennifer -- and J.J. -- in the future.
J.J. was shocked when Paige stormed off after revealing that she knew what he had been hiding. "What did she see? I deleted everything!" J.J. muttered as he reached for his cell phone. After staring at the screen for a moment, J.J. tossed the device to the ground.
"Damn it! It's all going to hell!" J.J. snapped, kicking a nearby bench in frustration -- and continuing the outburst until Daniel suddenly arrived and grabbed him from behind. J.J. freed himself and insisted he was fine, offering a vague explanation about how he had simply overreacted to something. When Daniel tried to probe for more details, J.J. ordered him to mind his own business.
J.J. picked up his phone and started to walk away, but Daniel stopped him and continued to press the issue. J.J. eventually apologized for snapping at Daniel but still wasn't willing to divulge much information about what had happened, saying only that his phone had died at the worst possible moment. Refusing to buy that, Daniel urged J.J. to talk about what was really bothering him, predicting that doing so would be liberating.
"I have ruined...everything. And I have finally totally and completely screwed up my life," J.J. hesitantly admitted. Detecting a hint of disbelief from Daniel, J.J. defensively added that he wasn't exaggerating about the magnitude of the situation. Daniel denied having that suspicion and continued urging J.J. to be more specific about what was going on.
J.J. finally relented, conceding that things couldn't really get much worse, anyway. J.J. shook his head shamefully as he declared that he was an idiot. Confused, Daniel wondered if J.J. had gotten mixed up with drugs again. "No! Look, Daniel -- look, I learned my lesson, okay? That one, at least. This is so much worse," J.J. replied.
J.J. continued to bash himself, declaring that he was a pig who had hurt the most perfect person in the world. Realizing the conversation was about Paige, Daniel tried to say something reassuring about how people who were in love were inevitably going to do little things from time to time that would hurt each other, but J.J. couldn't resist laughing at that nugget of wisdom.
Still confused, Daniel tried to find out exactly how J.J. had hurt Paige, but J.J. didn't know how to even begin to answer that question. Daniel suggested starting at the beginning, but he needed to get back home to meet Parker, so he told J.J. they would have to continue their conversation on the way there. J.J. declined, backpedaling and admitting that he had been exaggerating about the magnitude of the situation earlier.
"I'm just being a wuss," J.J. added with a sigh. J.J. reasoned that he needed to deal with his problem on his own because he was the one who had caused it in the first place. Daniel pointed out that there was no shame in asking for help when necessary, and J.J. replied that he would ask -- if he ever got to the point where it was necessary to do so. Daniel tried to convince J.J. to at least give him a condensed explanation of the problem, but J.J. wasn't willing to do that yet, although he promised that he would talk to Daniel about the whole thing later, after it had all been resolved.
At Club TBD, Paige told Daphne about what had happened with J.J. Paige groaned as she realized that she had probably sounded like a creepy, obsessed stalker when she had admitted to concocting a plan to snoop through J.J.'s cell phone. Daphne insisted Paige wasn't a creepy, obsessed stalker, but Paige wasn't convinced, since J.J. was all she had been able to think about lately. "This is what I've watched my mom do with guys since I was nine years old. I've become my mother. I'm Eve," Paige concluded with a sigh of embarrassment.
After parting ways with Paige, Daphne ran into J.J. in the town square. J.J. was thrilled to see Daphne, insisting she had to help him find Paige. "She saw my phone, and she thinks --" J.J. started to explain, but Daphne interrupted and said she already knew she had mistakenly been identified as the woman he had been hooking up with.
Stunned but relieved, J.J. abruptly walked away. J.J. was glad he'd had the foresight to delete all the text messages he and Eve had exchanged, but he realized he should have deleted their call log, too -- and he was very lucky Paige hadn't seen that. As J.J. tucked his phone back in his pocket, he spotted Paige, who quickly turned and headed in the opposite direction.
J.J. stopped Paige and apologized for the mix-up involving Daphne, complaining that Cole was a jerk for making Paige think her best friend was the one J.J. had been sleeping with. Paige countered that J.J. was the jerk, adding that Daphne had told her all about how he had used her to get information about Paige. J.J. tried to correct some inaccuracies in that summary of events, but Paige kept cutting him off, insisting she wasn't interested. "I'm done. I wish I'd never met you," Paige snapped before walking away.
At the Horton house, Jennifer complained to Marlena about Eve. Pointing out that some people simply weren't capable of listening to reason, Marlena advised Jennifer to just let the situation with Eve go. Jennifer thanked Marlena for the advice, but after Marlena left, Jennifer quickly decided that she couldn't possibly back off and let Eve get away with hurting J.J.
At Will and Sonny's apartment, Will played with Arianna as he waited for the babysitter to arrive. Paul called Will on his cell phone to check on him. When Will mentioned he needed to get back to his daughter, Paul gasped. Will confirmed that he and Sonny shared a daughter. Paul apologized again for talking to Sonny and for the affair.
Marlena stopped by Will's apartment to talk. An upset Will told Marlena that he had made a mess of his life. Will explained that the man in his article that had proposed to Paul was Sonny. Marlena nodded. Will added that Paul had never mentioned his former love by name. With a sob, Will blurted out that in his zeal to get Paul to admit that he was gay, Will had slept with Paul. Will said that Sonny believed Will had chosen Paul on purpose because he was Sonny's ex.
Will stressed that neither he nor Paul had known about their connection to Sonny when they had slept together. With a groan, Will explained that his editor had insisted that Will not wear his wedding ring when he'd been interviewing Paul. Will worried aloud that Sonny would never forgive him. When there was a knock at the door, Will said that he had called a babysitter so he could sit with Sonny at the hospital and wait for him to wake up. Will said he wanted to make Sonny understand what had happened with Paul.
In his hospital room, Sonny had a nightmare that he had been released from the hospital and had returned to his apartment to find Will with Paul and Arianna. When Sonny cried out to Arianna, Will closed the door in Sonny's face. Sonny whimpered in his sleep as Kayla and Kate stood nearby. Kayla updated Sonny's chart as Kate asked about Sonny's health. Kayla assured Kate that Sonny's dreams were due to the medication. Kayla said that Sonny should recover from his wound.
Kate asked Kayla about Will's article, and Kayla smiled. When Kate asked Kayla if Sonny had read the story, Kayla shrugged. Sonny murmured Kate's name. Kate rushed to his side. The hospital paged Kayla for another patient, and she left Kate alone with Sonny. As Sonny stared at Kate, she made small talk about Will's article. With a scowl, Sonny told Kate that he knew about Paul and Will. Sonny told Kate that he remembered he had overheard her advise Will not to tell him something.
"You convinced my husband to lie to me," Sonny growled. Kate was reluctant to admit the truth, but she did. Kate explained that she had advised Will to lie because the affair had meant nothing. Angry, Sonny disagreed, citing the fact that Will had slept with Sonny's ex-boyfriend. Kate sighed in surprise then promised Sonny that Will had not known that Paul was Sonny's ex-boyfriend.
Kate stressed that there was no way Will would deliberately hurt Sonny. Will disagreed as he walked in the room. Kate reminded Will and Sonny to think about their life together and to remember that it was worth more than any mistake. As Will and Sonny stared at one another in silence, Kate slipped out of the room.
"This is all my fault. But none of this would have happened if you would have been open and honest with me," Will said. Sonny narrowed his eyes.
At Club TBD, Paul sat at a table and thought about his conversation with Sonny in the hospital. Paul's mom, Tori, tapped him on the shoulder, surprising Paul. Tori explained that she had seen the article and thought that Paul might need emotional support to deal with the fallout. Tori told Sonny that she was there to escort him home to San Francisco. Paul said that he could not leave because he needed to deal with something first.
While Tori went to the bar to get a cup of tea, Marlena entered the club. Paul happily called out to her, and Marlena walked over to his table. As Tori returned to her son, Paul introduced her to Marlena. Tori looked up at Marlena and dropped her cup of tea when she saw Marlena's face.
In his office, Dr. Mandrake called Kristin DiMera. The doctor assured Kristin that Theresa had no memory of what had happened.
In the town square, Brady chased after Theresa to confront her about why she had slapped his cup of coffee out of his hand in the doctors' lounge. Brady said he knew that his coffee had been spiked, and he asked Theresa why she had saved him. Theresa said she would not say anything to incriminate Anne. Brady assured Theresa that he did not want to place blame. Brady begged Theresa to tell him why she had saved him from drinking the coffee.
"I know you hated me, Brady, but I didn't really realize until this exact minute how little you actually thought of me. How low you think... Do you really not get why I did it?" Theresa asked. Brady explained that he was only surprised that Theresa would see the alcohol as sabotage and not a joke. Fighting tears, Theresa said that it had taken her awhile to understand how out of control Brady's addiction was for him. Theresa said that she was sorry that she had not cared more and sooner about Brady's drug and alcohol use.
With tears in her eyes, Theresa said she was haunted by the night Brady had fought with John and the fact that John had almost died. Theresa said she had been changed. Staring into Brady's eyes, Theresa said she was not a monster and could not stand by and watch him be destroyed. Brady told Theresa he did not think she was a monster, and he knew that she had not meant him any harm. With a smirk, Brady said he had forgotten that Theresa had cared for him because he had been too drunk to notice. Theresa grinned.
Brady and Theresa agreed to a truce. With a hopeful smile, Theresa asked if they could start over. Brady's face faltered, and he stammered that he was with Melanie. Theresa laughed and explained that she meant as friends. Brady smiled. Theresa admitted that she had ended things with Clint. Before Brady could say anything, his phone rang.
In his apartment, Daniel put a sugared-up Parker into bed then returned to the living room to talk to Melanie. Melanie said she was going out for ice cream, and Daniel cocked a confused eyebrow. When Daniel reminded Melanie that she had asked to talk to him alone, Melanie nodded. Melanie asked Daniel if he was done with Nicole. Daniel shrugged. Melanie asked Daniel if he was at least friends with Nicole. Suspicious, Daniel asked Melanie what she was doing.
Melanie explained that Daniel had lost his spark after he had split with Nicole. Citing an old exclamation of Maggie's, Melanie said that Daniel should not throw away people he cared about if he could fix the relationships. Daniel nodded then went to check on Parker. Nicole texted Melanie, so Melanie called Nicole. Nicole explained that she needed to see Melanie, and Melanie agreed to meet Nicole in her office. Melanie grabbed her purse, but she dropped her phone in her hurry to run out of the apartment.
When Daniel returned to the living room with an energetic Parker, Daniel noticed Melanie's phone. Concerned and unable to calm down his hyperactive son, Daniel called Brady to see if Melanie was with him. Daniel explained that Melanie had said that she was going out for ice cream, and Daniel was desperate to find her so she could calm down Parker.
Theresa overheard the conversation. Emotional, Theresa started to rush off. Brady asked Theresa if she was okay, and she said she was fine. Theresa said they should forget that night had ever happened. Theresa walked home to her apartment. Upset, she pulled out her phone and called Clint. The number was disconnected. Theresa chuckled to herself. Theresa started to clean her apartment, and she found a slip of paper with a phone number on it. Noting that the number was in Clint's handwriting, Theresa dialed the number out of curiosity.
"Mandrake here," Dr. Mandrake said on the other end of the line. As Theresa introduced herself, Dr. Mandrake hung up the phone. Theresa thought about when Melanie had asked her about Dr. Mandrake. Annoyed, Theresa scowled and wondered what was going on.
In Eric's apartment, Eric and Serena discussed the elephant statue that he had given away. Serena insisted that Eric retrieve the statue because it held sentimental value for her. Eric was reluctant and suspicious. As Serena reiterated in a more delicate way how much she wanted the statue, Eric's phone rang. Kayla called Eric to inform him that Sister Elaine was in the hospital. Kayla explained that Sister Elaine was dying, and her last wish was to see her old friend Eric. Eric grabbed his coat, and Serena said she would meet him at the hospital.
While Eric checked on the nun in her room, Serena talked to Kayla at the nurses' station. Serena confided that she felt guilty about her behavior over the elephant statute. Serena explained that the statue represented her emotional connection to Eric and that was why it was important to her. Kayla told Serena not to worry then she went back to work. Serena hoped aloud that Kayla would talk to Eric.
After Serena left, Kayla spotted Eric in the hallway. Kayla told Eric that Serena had said she'd felt guilty about her fight with Eric. Eric smiled sadly and nodded. Eric called Daniel, but before he could ask about the elephant statue, Daniel told Eric that Parker had been hopped up on sugar and fighting going to bed. With a chuckle, Daniel informed Eric that the only thing that had calmed Parker enough to get him to sleep was Fred, the elephant statue. Daniel said the elephant was Parker's favorite toy.
After talking to Daniel, Eric called Serena. They apologized to one another for the fight. Eric said he had called the person that had taken the elephant statue. Serena held her breath in anticipation. When Eric said he would not be able to retrieve the statue, Serena's eyes went wide in frustration.
In her office, Nicole logged into the dark net on the computer and researched the finances for Dr. Mandrake. When Melanie arrived, Nicole showed her what she had found. Nicole explained that Dr. Mandrake had disappeared for a year, and when he had resurfaced, his new salary had been provided by shell corporations. Nicole promised to keep digging and to look for more information about Dr. Mandrake's employer.
When Nicole asked Melanie why she was investigating Dr. Mandrake, Melanie said she was not sure. Nicole urged Melanie to talk to Daniel about her suspicions. With a grin, Melanie said she had talked to Daniel about Nicole. Nicole was nervous but eager to know what had happened. Melanie said that Daniel had listened to what Melanie had said. Melanie promised not to give up on talking to her dad about Nicole.
Pessimistic, Nicole said she did not believe Daniel would give her another chance. Melanie refused to give up, noting that everyone deserved another chance. Melanie said she believed that Daniel would change his mind in time. With a thoughtful glance into the distance, Melanie said she had changed her mind. Melanie told Nicole to end the investigation. Curious, Nicole asked who the investigation was really about. Melanie said it was about Theresa.
On her way home, Melanie saw Brady in the park, and she sneaked up on him. Brady noticed the ice cream in the bag that Melanie was carrying, and he laughed. Melanie and Brady kissed.
Chad found Jordan while she was working at the hospital and confessed that he'd missed her. Jordan countered that she hadn't heard a word from Chad, but he maintained that he'd been trying to give her some space. When Jordan said they should talk, Chad agreed to do so after he'd visited Sonny. Lurking nearby, Kate overheard part of the conversation and interrupted to inform Chad that he couldn't see Sonny.
After Jordan left to check on a patient, Kate mocked Chad for being delusional enough to believe he could get Jordan back. Kate predicted that it would never happen because Jordan would end up with Rafe. Scoffing, Chad maintained that Rafe had already lost his appeal for Jordan before Rafe had gotten fired from the police force, and she'd since learned that Rafe had been a dirty cop. Kate remarked on the convenience of the timing, since Rafe's firing had occurred on the heels of his showing up at the DiMera mansion with a search warrant, which had made Chad look like a criminal in front of Jordan.
Chad maintained that it had merely been a coincidence, but Kate knew he'd been aware that Rafe had covered for Gabi. Kate commended Chad for eliminating his competition for Jordan's affections. "Is that true?" Jordan suddenly demanded from the opposite side of the nurses' station. Chad reminded Jordan that he'd already assured her that he hadn't done what Rafe had accused him of. Chad insisted that Kate had only been trying to make trouble. Kate noted that there were other people who could have known what Rafe had done -- and obviously whoever had sent the letter to the police had really hated Rafe and wanted him off the police force.
Chad countered that there were a lot of people who fit that description, but Kate didn't think anyone despised Rafe as much as the DiMeras. Jordan stormed off, and Chad followed her into a waiting room. He insisted that Kate's claims were just another attempt to break up Jordan and Chad. Jordan ordered Chad to stop lying to her. Finally, Chad conceded, "Okay, fine! I did it; I sent the damn letter! And you want to know why? Because Rafe used his position at the police force to come after me and my family, and the only reason he did that was because he wanted to get you back."
Incredulous, Jordan said that she had defended Chad to everyone who'd tried to tell her who he really was. "I thought I knew you better than anyone else. Oh, my God, I must be the biggest fool of all time," Jordan complained, her face in her hands. Chad reached out to comfort her, but Jordan yanked away furiously, hissing, "Don't you touch me. We are finished!" She stalked out.
Abigail visited Ben during his first shift bartending at the Edge of the Square. Rafe declared that Ben was doing great. The three of them discussed the pending assault charges against Ben, and Abigail insisted that Chad had promised to do whatever he could to fix it. "We all know what a DiMera promise is worth," Rafe noted scornfully. Ben reminded the others that he had always taken the bait when Chad had aggravated him -- although Ben knew Chad was only trying to help him in order to get back with Jordan. A frustrated Rafe didn't understand why Jordan couldn't see what a jerk Chad was.
Aiden met Hope in Horton Square just as she was concluding a phone call with Ciara. Aiden said when he'd talked to Chase, it had sounded like the kids had been having a great time but were ready to return home the following day. "And for the first time, this place really does feel like home," Aiden added happily before kissing Hope. He expressed his gratitude and appreciation for Hope keeping the secret about Chase's role in his mom's death. Hope and Aiden agreed to meet at the Brady Pub later, after Aiden met with Ben.
When Aiden arrived at the Edge, Abigail joined them at a table to discuss Ben's case. Ben admitted he couldn't deny punching Chad because there had been witnesses, two of whom had been cops. Aiden wanted to know why Ben had done it, and Ben claimed it was because he had a bad temper. Abigail contended that Chad had provoked Ben. Aiden asked what Chad had said to provoke Ben, since he would make that the basis of Ben's defense. Ben refused to answer because he didn't want to have to repeat it in court.
"What [Chad] did was -- he compared me to Ben's sister in a very personal way," Abigail explained as delicately as possible. Ben reiterated his refusal to repeat what Chad had said in front of a judge or jury. Abigail was curious about why the district attorney was pressing so hard, especially when Chad had tried to drop the charges. Aiden admitted he had no idea other than perhaps a desire to take down the DiMeras, but he thought the jury probably wouldn't convict Ben if Chad weren't pressing charges. Aiden headed out after praising Ben for being willing to "take one on the chin" for his sister and girlfriend.
Jordan showed up a little later, and Abigail immediately observed that Jordan seemed upset. Jordan explained that she'd just broken up with Chad because he was the one who'd gotten Rafe fired. A stunned Abigail offered her sympathy. When Jordan went to the bar to talk to Rafe, Abigail slipped out.
Jordan informed Rafe that she'd just broken up with Chad because he'd admitted he had written the letter that had gotten Rafe fired. With a shrug, Rafe indicated that he'd already suspected that. Jordan was upset that he'd never said anything to her, but Rafe pointed out that she'd never believed anything he'd ever warned her about regarding Chad. "He said he wrote the letter because you were after me, and I just want to say that I'm really sorry," Jordan stated earnestly.
Rafe informed Jordan that Ben's lawyer had advised Ben that the case might be dismissed because Chad wasn't pressing charges. Both Rafe and Jordan knew that could change, since she'd just dumped Chad.
Abigail found Chad drinking alone at Club TBD and confronted him about what he'd done. "You should be happy. Now she thinks everything you told her about me is true," Chad said. Abigail chastised Chad for hurting Jordan, who'd believed he would be the first man not to disappoint her. "I thought you were falling in love with her," Abigail said accusingly. "I was. It wasn't supposed to happen," Chad admitted. Abigail asked what that meant. "It was never supposed to be about Jordan. But then I started feeling... Feeling is never a good idea," Chad explained, but that only confused Abigail further.
At Club TBD, Paul's mom, Tori, dropped her teacup when Paul introduced her to Marlena. Tori claimed she hadn't realized how hot the cup was. While Paul cleaned up the mess, Marlena said, "It's just so nice to meet you, Mrs. Narita. You must be so proud of your son for owning who he is." Tori snapped that she would like to talk privately with her son before discussing him with anyone else. After Tori charged out to wait for Paul outside, he apologized to Marlena for his mother's rudeness. "I want you to know I'm sorrier than I can say for the mess that I caused between Sonny and Will," Paul stated sincerely before leaving to join his mother.
As Paul and Tori headed to the park outside the square, he chided her for being rude to Dr. Evans. Tori retorted that she merely hadn't wanted to discuss her son with strangers, especially not a "meddling psychiatrist." Taken aback, Paul asked how his mom had known Dr. Evans was a shrink. Tori explained that when Paul's manager had insisted Paul have the surgery in Salem, she had researched University Hospital -- including the psychiatry department, which Dr. Evans was head of. Tori explained that she had known the doctors might advise Paul to see a psychiatrist, since his injury could have ended his career.
Paul admitted he had seen Dr. Evans, but he'd had to stop seeing her because of a conflict of interest: her grandson was the author of the article about Paul. Tori somewhat eagerly pointed out that they could still catch the late flight back home to San Francisco. Paul reminded his mother that he'd already told her he wasn't leaving Salem -- and he didn't understand why she had been so against him going there in the first place.
Tori insisted that she'd wanted him to have the best surgeon, the kind of doctor to whom other professional baseball teams went for their pitchers -- and she had clearly been right, judging by the outcome of his surgery. Paul firmly asserted that he had destroyed his arm by pushing himself too hard and pitching when he'd been hurt -- but, luckily, he should regain full use of his arm. Tori fretted that Paul's brilliant career was over. Paul said he'd made peace with that, and so should she.
"Or is my career as a pitcher all you ever cared about?" Paul wondered. Tori asserted gently that she'd only cared about Paul's career because that was what he'd wanted. She assured him that she'd always wanted the best for him. Paul remembered how hard his mom had worked and the sacrifices she'd made while raising him alone. He implored her to stay in town a little longer while he worked through everything. Tori agreed.
When Hope joined Marlena at Club TBD, she filled Marlena in about having to miss her trip to Tahiti because she'd been visiting Aiden's place on Puget Sound and the bridge had gone out. Marlena asked how it had been for Hope to spend more time with Aiden than she'd anticipated, and Hope said it had been good. Explaining that Ciara and Chase were on a field trip to San Francisco, Hope confided that Ciara being away from home for so long had awakened Hope's memories of when Ciara had been kidnapped -- and Hope feared that it could do the same for Ciara.
Since Ciara had never talked about the experience right after it had happened, Marlena guessed that Ciara had suppressed the memories. Hope worried what would happen if Ciara's memories suddenly flooded back. Marlena assured Hope that if Ciara's memories ever did return, they would do so in bits and pieces, not all at once.
Hope said right after the kidnapping, Ciara had experienced terrible nightmares, but then they had stopped suddenly, and Ciara had been fine ever since. Hope wondered if it were all right that Ciara had never talked about the kidnapping. "You know, I can't guarantee she won't remember, but if I were you, and she says nothing, I wouldn't push it," Marlena advised.
At the Brady Pub a little later, Hope told Aiden about her talk with Marlena -- and about Ciara's kidnapping several years earlier. Hope filled in a shocked and sympathetic Aiden on the details of what had happened and how traumatized she had been at the thought of never seeing Ciara again after losing Zack. Aiden asked what had prompted Hope to talk to Marlena. After telling him a little more about what she and Marlena had discussed, Hope explained that she'd wanted to make sure the memories wouldn't resurface for Ciara.
Aiden guessed that Hope's memories of that time had also returned because of what she'd learned had happened with Chase. Hope confirmed that was true, and it was also part of the reason she'd talked to Marlena. Hope explained that she probably wouldn't have started worrying about Ciara if Aiden hadn't told her about how Chase had seemingly repressed his memories of his mother's death.
Hope advised Aiden that Marlena had said the kids' memories could return in bits and pieces, and all they could do as parents was watch for the signs, such as nightmares. Aiden and Hope both prayed that their children's memories never returned. "Aiden, all we can do is take care of our children and protect them the best way we know how," Hope said. Taking Hope's hand, Aiden said, "I like to think we'll be doing that together."
When Marlena arrived at the hospital, Kate informed her that Will was in with Sonny. "How does he seem?" Marlena asked, keeping her tone neutral. Eyeing Marlena inquisitively, Kate said, "You don't know, do you?" Marlena admitted that she had talked to Will.
Despite Kate's fretting about the young men's marriage, Marlena emphasized that they had to let Will and Sonny work things out on their own. Marlena added that Will was not in love with Paul. Kate pointed out that Paul was still in love with Sonny, who'd once loved Paul enough to propose marriage. Kate hoped Paul was gone for good -- but Marlena said she'd just seen Paul.
In his hospital room, an incredulous Sonny demanded of Will, "You slept with Paul Narita, and it's my fault?" Will insisted that wasn't what he'd meant, but after checking his notes, it had dawned on him that Sonny had returned to Salem right after Paul had turned down his proposal -- and Will couldn't believe that Sonny had never thought to mention that to Will. Sonny argued that Paul had asked him to keep it a secret because Paul wasn't out. Will wanted to know if Sonny had just stopped loving Paul after Paul had said "no."
Sonny testily admitted that he hadn't immediately stopped loving Paul; it had taken awhile. He acknowledged that he could have stayed with Paul, but Sonny hadn't wanted to live like that, in secret, because he'd been openly gay and had wanted to marry Paul. Will accused Sonny of marrying the next guy he'd met, in spite of his love for Paul. "Only the son of Sami Brady could twist things around so I'm responsible for you sleeping with another guy," Sonny spat. Will insisted he wasn't doing that.
Will continued that he didn't want their marriage to end, and he didn't want to have to explain to his daughter that she'd lost Sonny because of what Will had done. "Why does [Paul] think that you still might be in love with him?" Will asked. Sonny guessed that Will assumed Sonny had been leading Paul on, but Will clarified that it had seemed as if Paul would never give up on his ex. Will added that he'd wanted to tell Sonny about what had happened, but Sonny pointed out that he'd walked in on Kate telling Will to keep his mouth shut. Will explained that Kate had told him the only reason he'd wanted to confess had been to relieve his guilt.
Sonny angrily reiterated that regardless of Paul and Sonny's history, Will had still been married to Sonny when he'd had sex with Paul. "I don't know why we're still having this conversation," Sonny snarled. "Because the entire time that we were married, I thought that what we had was special," Will said, pointing out that Sonny had been the first man he'd loved and the first man he'd been with -- but he felt like the first guy who'd said "yes" when Sonny had proposed.
Sonny tearfully recounted how when he'd first run into Paul, Paul had made his intentions clear, but Sonny had refused him because he was married to Will. "I could never, ever hurt you the way that you hurt me," Sonny declared. He revealed that he knew Will had never worn his wedding ring while interviewing Paul. Will explained that his bosses had instructed him not to wear it because they had been worried that his being married to a man might make Paul uncomfortable.
Will contended that Paul couldn't possibly have known that Will and Sonny were married because no one knew Will was interviewing Paul -- and that had been why they had met at Paul's hotel room. Sonny acknowledged that Paul had truly seemed surprised when he'd found out. "He feels just as rotten about the whole thing as I do," Will said. Sonny couldn't believe that Will had been with Paul again. "I had to know what made him tell you about him and me," Will explained.
"I hate what I did to you! Sonny, can you ever forgive me?" Will asked. Sonny acknowledged that he wasn't perfect, citing how he'd spent all their savings on a club that had failed before it had opened. Will pointed out that it had only been money. "You just make me feel that, like, what we had wasn't enough for you," Sonny said with tears in his eyes. Will swore that had never been true.
Sonny said that he just couldn't talk any more about it that night, so Will rose to leave. Pausing in the doorway, Will assured his husband, "I love you, Sonny. I hope you know that I always will."
Clyde ran into Rafe in the town square and took the opportunity to thank him for giving Ben a chance at Edge of the Square, despite the pending criminal charges. Like Aiden, Clyde was confident that Ben would beat the charges because Chad had withdrawn his complaint, but Rafe warned that things might change in light of the fact that Jordan had broken up with Chad the previous night. "Not such good news for Ben, obviously, but it's great news for Jordan. You okay with that? I mean, you do care about her as much as you do him...right?" Rafe pointedly asked before walking away.
At the hospital, Abigail wondered how Jordan was handling the breakup with Chad. Jordan insisted she was fine, pointing out that she had survived worse things in her life. Jordan was more concerned about Ben, whom Chad might once again decide to go after as a way of punishing her. Jordan wanted to track Chad down and plead Ben's case but was worried that doing so might just make things worse.
After agreeing that the situation was tricky, Abigail abruptly excused herself, explaining that she had left some important forms at home. Later, Jordan received a visit from Rafe, who wanted to see how she was doing. Jordan assured Rafe that she was fine, jokingly pointing out that she had been known to take care of herself from time to time. Rafe countered that being resilient wasn't the same as being immune to pain. Despite Jordan's protests, Rafe insisted he owed her an apology, since he had hurt her long before Chad had, and that was the only reason Chad had been able to worm his way into her life in the first place.
Jordan pointed out that she had made her own choices, and Rafe conceded the point but maintained that she had deserved better. Changing the subject, Rafe told Jordan about his earlier encounter with Clyde. Jordan guessed that Rafe shared Clyde's concern that Chad might change his mind about helping Ben. Rafe confirmed the suspicion, admitting he would actually be willing to bet money on the matter.
At the DiMera mansion, Kate braced herself for a fight when Chad joined her in the study, but he assured her that, while he had every right to be, he actually wasn't that angry about what she had done to sabotage his attempt to reconcile with Jordan. Chad complained that his efforts to convince Jordan he wasn't a bad guy had been exhausting, and he admitted that he didn't know why he had bothered in the first place. Chad bragged that he had plenty to be proud of -- money, perks, power -- and didn't need Jordan to make his life complete.
Kate cheerfully pointed out that Chad was free to play the field again, but he said he would probably just put his focus back on work instead. Pointing out that there was a big board meeting looming, Chad predicted that if he and Kate played their cards right, people would stand up and take notice. Kate curiously mused that she was never sure if Chad was being earnest or angling -- or both. Chad assured Kate that he took his career very seriously. "Time will tell," Kate skeptically muttered. Kate left after adding that she was glad she and Chad had cleared the air and wouldn't be letting what had happened interfere with their business partnership.
Chad contacted Stefano as soon as the coast was clear. "Help me destroy Kate," Chad requested. Stefano wasn't surprised that Kate had ratted Chad out, since that sounded like the kind of thing she would do, but he also wasn't particularly upset to learn that her actions had torpedoed Chad's relationship with Jordan for good. "I should drop her a thank-you note for ridding you of that useless distraction," Stefano mused. Annoyed, Chad impatiently demanded to know whether Stefano was going to help him destroy Kate. Stefano replied that it would be his distinct pleasure to do so.
As Chad and Stefano plotted Kate's downfall, Chad started to think Stefano might actually enjoy it more than he would. Stefano chuckled and pointed out that his history with Kate preceded Chad's. Stefano stressed that Chad needed to remember they were playing a long game. Chad confirmed that he understood, and as he ended the call, Abigail entered the study and announced that she needed to talk to him about something important.
Abigail pretended her visit was about checking up on Chad, but he warned that he could see right through her bogus sympathy call. Chad knew Abigail was only worried about Ben, so he told her to stop pretending she cared about him. Abigail stressed that she did care about Chad. Chad suggested that some prison time might do Ben a world of good, arguing that it could be a character-building experience.
Abigail reminded Chad that they weren't playing a game -- they were talking about a person's life. Chad wondered if Abigail expected to share her life with Ben and perhaps even raise a family with him. "High bar you've set for yourself," Chad sarcastically mused. As Abigail was on the verge of tears, Chad inched closer to her and wondered just how far she would be willing to go to keep her boyfriend out of prison.
At the Horton Town Square, Clyde told Kate about Jordan's recent breakup with Chad -- and about how it might affect Ben's pending trial. Feeling guilty, Kate admitted she had been indirectly responsible for the breakup. Kate stressed that she hadn't meant for Jordan to overhear her conversation with Chad, nor had she meant for Ben to get caught in the crossfire, but Clyde didn't believe her.
Pointing out that Kate had always hated Jordan, Clyde complained that he was getting sick of Kate's inability to keep her nose out of other people's business. Kate protested that she didn't appreciate Clyde's tone, but he didn't care, insisting she had finally gone too far. "You'd better pray my son doesn't end up in prison. Pray on that, Kate -- for his sake and for yours," Clyde advised before walking away.
Later, Kate ran into Rafe outside Club TBD. Rafe observed that when Kate wanted to make waves, she didn't settle for anything less than creating tsunamis. Kate admitted she had expected Rafe to be grateful, not upset, when he heard about what she had done to Chad. Kate implied that she had revealed Chad's secret for Rafe's sake, but Rafe guessed that she had probably kept the information to herself until she had found a way to use it to her own advantage. Kate offered to give Rafe the truth, but he said her version of it didn't mean much to him at all.
Clyde tracked Jordan down at the hospital and admitted he couldn't believe Kate had pulled such an underhanded stunt. Jordan reasoned that Clyde was only shocked because he really didn't know Kate at all. Jordan quickly changed the subject, knowing Clyde was really more interested in discussing Ben, anyway. Pointing out that Chad no longer had any reason to refrain from pressing charges, Clyde said he was actually surprised Jordan hadn't started trying to plead Ben's case yet. Jordan explained that she had decided not to get involved because she was pretty sure Abigail was already handling the task.
With a heavy sigh, Clyde insisted that Ben had his whole life in front of him and didn't deserve to have it all taken away because of the volatile temper he had inherited from Clyde. "It's not all talk, is it? You really do love Ben," Jordan observed.
At the hospital, Jennifer bumped into Daniel, who could tell something was bothering her. Jennifer admitted that she couldn't let go of her concerns about what had happened between J.J. and Paige. Confused, Daniel assured Jennifer that the whole thing had been resolved. When Jennifer probed for more information, Daniel hesitated but eventually agreed to tell her what he knew.
Jennifer took Daniel to her office so they could talk privately. Daniel told Jennifer about the smart, mature things J.J. had said during a conversation they'd had the previous night. Although he knew it would be really hard for her to do so, Daniel nevertheless urged Jennifer to try to let J.J. handle the matter himself. Jennifer agreed to take Daniel's advice, but he could tell something was still bothering her. Jennifer declined to confide in Daniel, so he excused himself so he could head over to Salem University to talk to a professor about a lecture he had been asked to give.
Eve tracked Paige down at Salem University, but Paige didn't want to talk to her. Somewhat hurt, Eve wondered if Paige had really forgotten what day it was. "I know it may sound dramatic, but I really feel like you saved my life that day," Eve admitted, recalling that she had been unwilling to get out of bed exactly eight years earlier because Paige's father had just left them the previous night. Paige, on the other hand, had refused to let Eve feel sorry for herself. "I just remember [your] exact words -- I think it was, 'Get your butt out of bed, Mother -- I need you!'" Eve reminded Paige with a laugh. They had ended up spending the day at an amusement park.
"You knew I was dead inside, but you didn't give up -- you didn't give up on me or us," Eve recalled. With a hopeful smile, Eve started to use the moment as an opening to try to repair her relationship with Paige, but Paige got upset when Eve mentioned J.J. Paige insisted she was done with J.J., bitterly adding that Eve had won. Eve didn't feel particularly victorious, fearing that Paige might also be done with her. Paige softened a bit and stressed that she could never be done with Eve, since Eve was her mother. Paige added that, while she might have forgotten about their anniversary, she hadn't forgotten what that day had meant to them.
Eve had to go to the hospital to drop something off for Theresa, but she wanted to meet Paige in the town square later so they could continue their discussion. Paige didn't reject the idea, so Eve excitedly promised to contact her later. After leaving campus, Eve picked up a package and took it to the hospital, where she ran into Jennifer while trying to leave it for Theresa at the nurses' station.
Jennifer couldn't resist the urge to take a few more shots at Eve for lying to Paige about Shane's medical condition a few months earlier. Eve bragged that her scheme had obviously worked because Paige was finally done with J.J. for good. Eve stormed off, accidentally leaving her apartment keys behind. Jennifer quickly noticed the keys but didn't make an attempt to stop or catch up to Eve to return them.
At the Horton house, J.J. caught up with Roxanne, his friend from boarding school, before explaining that he needed help convincing a girl he had moved on with someone else. J.J. pointed out that Roxanne owed him for all the times he had bailed her out of jams in England, and he reasoned that it would be easy for them to make the ruse convincing because they knew each other really well.
Roxanne seemed more interested in J.J. than the plan, which she refused to agree to because she knew he wasn't telling her the whole story. Roxanne started to leave, but J.J. stopped her and clarified that he was trying to make things easier for the girl in question because he hadn't always treated her well during their relationship. Roxanne guessed that there were plenty of girls in Salem who would be willing to help J.J., but he stressed that none of them were like her. J.J. added that Roxanne wasn't like any of the other girls he had ever dated because she had understood him and had never tried to make him into someone he wasn't.
Roxanne reminded J.J. that they had never actually dated. J.J. impatiently wondered why Roxanne was giving him such a hard time about the scheme, which he believed was right up her alley. Roxanne protested that being mean to unsuspecting girls wasn't her thing, but J.J. insisted that the ruse wasn't meant to be mean-spirited at all. "I'm not trying to hurt this girl, Roxanne. I swear to you, I'm not. I've hurt her enough already," J.J. added. Roxanne finally relented and agreed to help J.J., who quickly took her to Salem University to look for Paige.
J.J. had no luck finding Paige on campus, but he did run into Daniel. After J.J. introduced Daniel to Roxanne, she went to buy something from a nearby vending machine. Claiming Roxanne was the girl he had been seeing lately, J.J. explained to Daniel that they were trying to find Paige so he could introduce the girls to each other and make things right with Paige. Roxanne returned after Daniel left, and she observed that he had given her some weird looks earlier, but J.J. told her not to worry about it.
Daniel returned to the hospital and tracked Jennifer down after hearing some nurses talking about her earlier encounter with Eve. "I hate her. I hate her, she hates me, she cannot stop about J.J., and she's going on and on about 'I'm just protecting my daughter' garbage," Jennifer ranted. Daniel optimistically suggested that things might soon start to get easier, since J.J. had finally decided to go public with the new girl he was seeing. When Daniel revealed the new girl's name, Jennifer insisted there was no way J.J. and Roxanne were really seeing each other.
J.J. took Roxanne to the town square, and while she was flirting with him, he suddenly spotted Paige emerging from one of the shops. J.J. greeted Paige and draped his arm around Roxanne's shoulders as he introduced the girls, admitting it had been dumb of him to think they would never meet each other. J.J. explained that he and Roxanne had known each other for a really long time -- since boarding school, in fact -- and had started seeing each other again after Roxanne had moved to Chicago. Roxanne started to point out that Chicago was just a little over an hour away from Salem, but Paige snapped that she knew that already.
Roxanne took a few steps back so J.J. could finish talking to Paige. "See, you said that you knew who I was hooking up with, but don't you see? You were wrong. You don't know her. Obviously --" J.J. started to say, but Paige interrupted and insisted she didn't care anymore, adding that what was obvious was that he was a jerk. "Were you listening to me last night or not? You don't need to run anything by me. You don't have to introduce me to anyone. You don't have to tell me what you want or why you want it. None of it makes a bit of difference to me, okay? You're off the hook," Paige concluded before shoving past J.J. and walking away.
Joking that she hadn't had to do much at all, Roxanne mused that the whole thing had been almost too easy. "Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that's the word -- 'easy,'" J.J. sadly muttered. J.J. apologized for dragging Roxanne down from Chicago for nothing. Roxanne gave J.J. a comforting hug, observing that he was clearly still really into Paige. Nearby, Eve's jaw dropped as she witnessed the embrace.
At the hospital, Theresa confronted Melanie about Dr. Mandrake. Melanie asked who the doctor was, but a confused Theresa said she did not know. Theresa told Melanie that she had found a phone number on a slip of paper and had called the number and found Dr. Mandrake on the other end of the line. When Melanie asked Theresa why she had called Dr. Mandrake, Theresa explained that she had been attempting to track down Clint because he owed her money. Twitchy, Theresa lied and said that she needed to get in touch with Clint.
Melanie told Theresa about the phone call she had overheard Clint make to Dr. Mandrake. With narrowed eyes, Theresa asked what Melanie was keeping from her. Melanie said she was not withholding any details. When Theresa pushed Melanie to talk, Melanie lashed out and asked Theresa why she had lied to Brady about her pregnancy.
Taken aback, Theresa insisted that she had been pregnant. Theresa added that Melanie and Brady would not last as a couple. With a twinkle in her eye, Theresa asked Melanie if Brady had mentioned her that day. When Melanie said no, Theresa left in a huff.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Nicole visited Brady to tell him the good news about a corporate raider that had been sent to prison. As Nicole glanced across the room, she saw a framed photo of Brady with Melanie. Nicole told Brady that he and Melanie looked happy together. With a grin, Nicole told Brady that she was relieved that Theresa was out of Brady's life. Brady defended Theresa.
When Nicole cocked an eyebrow, Brady told Nicole about how his coffee had been spiked with alcohol and that Theresa had saved him from drinking the mixture. Nicole did not think Theresa's actions were without motive, but Brady said he believed that Theresa had intended to commit a good deed. With a scoff, Nicole countered that Theresa was still in love with Brady. Nicole reminded Brady that she had experienced difficulty getting over him herself in the past.
Brady said he had been surprised to learn that Theresa cared for him. Brady added that he felt sorry for Theresa because no one knew she had a heart. Shaking his head, Brady said he intended to avoid Theresa and that Melanie wanted to do the same. Nicole asked Brady if he was sure that Melanie felt the same.
When Melanie arrived at the mansion, Brady slipped into the other room to take a phone call. Nicole mentioned the search for Dr. Mandrake, and Melanie told Nicole that she was no longer interested in looking for the doctor. Melanie explained that the situation was stranger than ever and that she no longer wanted anything to do with Theresa.
After Nicole left, Melanie saw the framed photo of herself and Brady on the desk. As Melanie stared at the photo, Brady returned to the living room. Melanie was unhappy with how her neck looked in the photo, so she asked Brady for a redo. Melanie pulled out her phone and took a selfie with Brady. Pleased with the new photo, she showed it to Brady. Brady laughed, noting that his eyes were closed in the photo. Melanie told Brady to close his eyes. Brady obliged, and Melanie kissed him. Melanie told Brady that he looked sexy with his eyes closed.
Brady informed Melanie that Nicole had complimented his framed photo. With a giggle, Melanie asked Brady what else he had discussed with Nicole. Brady rattled off a few topics of conversation then he mentioned that he and Nicole had talked about Theresa. Melanie stiffened. Melanie curtly said she intended to stay away from Theresa. While Brady took a phone call, Melanie wondered what was going on with Theresa.
In the Dimera mansion, Chad approached Abigail and stood close to her, staring face-to-face. Chad challenged Abigail to tell him how far she would go to keep Ben out of prison. As Abigail stared silently and defiantly at Chad, Chad noted that Abigail had a weakness for "bad boys." With a chuckle, Chad said that good guy Ben did not stand a chance.
With fiery eyes, Abigail asked Chad if he was attempting to get her to offer to sleep with him in exchange for Ben's freedom. Chad joked that there was only one way for Abigail to prove Chad wrong about Jordan being better in bed. Abigail started to storm off, but Chad stopped her and stressed that he was only joking. Chad explained that he had wanted to see how far Abigail would go to help Ben.
Chad asked Abigail is she truly believed that he would be so angry at her and Jordan that he would punish Ben. As Abigail stood there speechless, Chad groaned. Chad accused Abigail of believing the worst about him. Chad stressed that he had promised he would not press charges and that he intended to keep his promise. Confused, Abigail asked Chad why he had not said that at the start of their conversation. Chad noted that he had not said anything because Abigail had been quick to assume that Chad would turn on Ben after Jordan dumped him.
Curious, Abigail asked Chad why he had previously said that his return to Salem never should have involved Jordan. Chad admitted that his return had been about Abigail. Reigning in his emotions, Chad said he had lost Abigail and Jordan, and he wanted to be alone. Abigail nodded and left. Once alone, Chad thought about when Abigail had said she still cared about him.
In Jordan's office at the hospital, Clyde worried aloud about Ben, and it dawned on Jordan that Clyde truly cared about his son. In the hallway outside, Ben listened to Clyde and Jordan talking. Clyde said he regretted hurting Jordan and admitted that what he had done to her was unforgivable. With a sigh, Clyde told Jordan he was grateful Jordan had let him have a second chance with Ben.
Clyde said Jordan had done the right thing by taking her brother away from him because he would have destroyed the family if she and Ben had stayed. Clyde thanked Jordan for letting him get to know Ben. With a groan, Clyde lamented that Ben had inherited his temper. Clyde blamed himself for the possibility that Ben would go to prison. Ben marched into the room and disagreed. Ben stressed that his situation was his own fault.
Clyde noted that Ben had inherited his temper, but that, unlike him, Ben was incapable of hurting his loved ones. By accident, Jordan told Ben that Abigail was talking to Chad. Upset, Ben started to run after Abigail, but Clyde grabbed his arm and stopped him. Clyde warned Ben to remember that a fight had started the situation, and another fight would only escalate matters. Ben relented.
When Abigail returned to Jordan's office, she informed Ben, Jordan, and Clyde that Chad had confirmed that he would not press charges. When Clyde asked Abigail how she had changed Chad's mind, Abigail explained that Chad had never changed his mind because Chad had decided to keep his word. Abigail said she believed Chad. After Ben and Abigail left, Clyde told Jordan he had meant every word he'd said. Clyde thanked Jordan for providing Ben with a good life.
Clyde left Jordan's office. In the hallway outside, Clyde made a phone call to one of his henchman. "I just want to make sure that Kiriakis is still right where we want him. Down and out," Clyde said with a grin.
In Jennifer's office, Daniel informed her that J.J.'s mystery woman was named Roxanne Trenton. Jennifer shook her head in disbelief. When Daniel said that J.J. had introduced Roxanne to Paige, Jennifer gasped. Jennifer stressed that J.J. and Roxanne were only friends. Jennifer added that Roxanne lived in Chicago and that J.J. had not had the time to shuttle between Salem and Chicago to carry on an affair with Roxanne. Narrowing her eyes, Jennifer wondered aloud why J.J. had been so secretive when Jennifer knew Roxanne.
Jennifer added that J.J. had said the person he had been with was someone he hated, but J.J. and Roxanne were good friends. With a nod, Jennifer said that Eve had to have been involved. Daniel was confused. Jennifer explained that Roxanne had been interested in J.J., but he had only liked her as a friend.
Jennifer theorized aloud that Eve had to have pushed Roxanne into J.J.'s path. Seeing a frenzied look in Jennifer's eyes, Daniel advised her not to obsess over J.J.'s relationship. Daniel warned Jennifer to let J.J. learn from his own mistakes. Jennifer agreed. However, after Daniel left, Jennifer grabbed her phone.
At the student center, Paige sniffled and dried her eyes. Cole asked Paige if she was okay. When Paige nodded, Cole smiled and noted that he had been fearful she was not talking to him because she was upset that he had taken J.J.'s phone. Paige said she was not upset, but she did not want to discuss J.J. Paige asked Cole if he wanted to hang out with her sometime. With a surprised smile, Cole agreed.
Daphne joined Cole and Paige, and Cole said goodbye and left. Daphne warned Paige to steer clear of Cole because she did not want to see Paige get hurt. With a shrug, Paige said she could not be more hurt than she already had been. Paige told Daphne that J.J. had introduced her to the girl he had slept with. Paige explained that J.J. had known her from his boarding school days.
Confused, Daphne asked why Paige had thought she had known the woman J.J. had slept with. Paige explained that she had assumed she had known whomever J.J. was sleeping with because of his behavior. Paige stressed that after seeing J.J. with Roxanne, she was sure things were over with J.J. Paige added that she hoped they "rot[ted] in hell."
At Club TBD, Theresa saw Daniel with Parker, and she confronted him. Theresa ordered Daniel to keep Melanie away from her. Daniel pulled Theresa to the side away from Parker and asked her to watch her language in front of his son. Theresa asked Daniel why Melanie had asked about Dr. Mandrake. Confused, Daniel shrugged. Theresa stressed that she wanted Melanie to stop digging up dirt on her. Annoyed, Daniel asked Theresa to stop.
When Theresa said she was not done, Nicole interrupted and stressed that Theresa needed to back off Daniel. Daniel returned to Parker while Nicole and Theresa faced off. Theresa joked that every woman that dated Brady was a bitch. Always quick-witted, Nicole reminded Theresa that her comment meant that Theresa was a bitch, since she had dated Brady too. Theresa stormed out of the club. Nicole tentatively walked over to Daniel. When Nicole said she knew Daniel did not appreciate her involving herself in his business, Daniel countered that he had not said that he was not appreciative of what Nicole had done.
In the town square, J.J. hugged Roxanne and thanked her for her help as Eve watched from nearby. With an inquisitive grin, Roxanne asked J.J. who the actual woman he was sleeping with was. J.J. stared beyond Roxanne and saw Eve across the way. When Roxanne turned around and saw Eve, Eve made a scene in the square, yelling at J.J. With a raised voice, J.J. reminded Eve that she was just as much to blame for Paige's unhappiness as him. Eve refused to back down.
Roxanne's phone rang, and she stepped away to take the call but promised to meet J.J. in the park. J.J. asked Eve why she was making a scene, and Eve responded that J.J. was flaunting Roxanne all over town. Through gritted teeth, J.J. reminded Eve that he was escorting Roxanne around town for Paige's benefit. J.J. warned Eve that she might scare Roxanne away, which would ruin the plan.
J.J. told Eve he had introduced Roxanne to Paige, and Paige had seemed to buy his cover story. With a raised eyebrow, J.J. asked Eve why she was "acting upset." "I'm not acting," Eve hissed. Eve said she was upset because J.J. had not kept her in the loop on the cover story, and she was worried she would slip up in front of Paige if she did not have all the details. Eve said she did not trust J.J., and she needed him to tell her the plan. J.J. asked Eve why she was in a hurry to get rid of Roxanne. Eve said she needed to talk to J.J. alone at her place.
After Roxanne's call ended, she took a call from Jennifer. Jennifer asked Roxanne what was going on with J.J. Worried about what to say, Roxanne pretended her phone had a bad connection, and she hung up on Jennifer. In her office, a frustrated Jennifer stared at the house keys Eve had left behind at the hospital.
