Chad rushed over to the police station after receiving a phone call from Rafe, whom he quickly located in one of the conference rooms.
Chad was disappointed to learn that Rafe had called not because there had been a break in Gabi's case but instead because there hadn't been one -- at least not yet. Rafe clarified that Gabi was hoping that Chad could change that. "[She's] convinced that Abigail is not in her right mind," Rafe awkwardly continued. Chad insisted that there had to be another explanation for Abigail's testimony -- brainwashing, for instance.
Rafe, trying to keep an open mind, wondered if Chad had any proof to back up that theory. Chad shook his head and admitted with a sigh that there was probably only one way to prove it. "We have to find the woman [from] the security footage," Chad explained, adding that he had seen her in Hong Kong but hadn't been able to get a good look at her, mainly because his brother seemed to care about her enough to want to protect her.
Rafe asked Chad to describe the woman. Chad agreed to humor Rafe, despite believing that there wasn't much to be said about someone who had only been seen from behind. Chad suspected that the woman had been wearing a wig, and he realized, after thinking about their encounter for a few minutes, that she'd seemed oddly familiar to him. "I have seen [her] before," Chad eventually concluded with absolute certainty.
Hope entered the Brady Pub and greeted Jennifer with a hug. Jennifer, pleasantly surprised to see that Hope was back in Salem again, asked to hear all about Hong Kong. Hope admitted with a sigh that traveling halfway around the world to get away from Rafe hadn't lessened the pain of his betrayal at all. Jennifer questioned Hope's decision to get an annulment, but Hope insisted that nothing was going to change her mind.
Hope was thrilled to hear that Jennifer's relationship with Eric was going really well. Jennifer pointedly stressed that getting back together with Eric had, for many reasons, once been an inconceivable possibility. "But you don't know [what's possible] until you try, [and that's why] you cannot give up on Rafe [just yet]," Jennifer advised Hope -- just as Rafe entered the pub.
Jennifer rushed off after quietly reminding Hope, "[Rafe] loves you. So much." Ignoring Jennifer's advice, Hope told Rafe that she had nothing more to say to him -- unless, of course, he had finally decided to sign the annulment papers. He clarified that he had actually tracked her down so he could talk to her about the mystery woman she'd seen in Hong Kong.
At the DiMera mansion, Marlena warned Stefan that John would soon realize that she was missing -- and would then stop at nothing to find her. Stefan assured Marlena that he had no intention of keeping her locked up forever, adding that he was simply buying himself some time to figure out how to reunite her with the person she loved without losing the person he loved in the process. "You are delusional if you think that's gonna happen," Marlena insisted, reminding Stefan that Gabby wasn't a real person. "She is real, [and] I will be with her," Stefan countered, refusing to let anyone take Gabby away from him.
Meanwhile, Gabby dodged John's questions about Marlena's whereabouts. Gabby claimed that Marlena had canceled their scheduled therapy session at the last minute and hadn't provided a reason. "Did she follow that [cancellation] up with an email?" John asked curiously. "What the hell does it matter?" Gabby snapped. Taken aback, John quickly apologized for pressing the issue. Gabby told John that she hadn't meant to snap at him, adding that she was simply irritable because she'd had a long day. Nodding, John guessed that Gabi's trial had taken a toll on everyone. Gabby coldly clarified that Gabi was guilty and deserved to be in prison.
John found it odd that Abigail had been willing to testify against Gabi. "I was in an impossible position," Gabby insisted, reminding John that she had been legally and morally obligated to tell the truth. "[And] the jury believed me. I got twelve strangers to believe me, and my own husband..." Gabby added, chuckling mirthlessly. Intrigued, John wondered if Abigail and Chad were having problems -- and if that was why Marlena had started treating Abigail. "My marriage and my reason for going to see Marlena are none of your damn business," Gabby snapped. John quickly apologized again, unaware that a false panel had just swung open.
Stefan emerged from the secret tunnels and closed the false panel then rushed to Gabby's rescue, diverting John's attention. As Stefan tried to chase John off, Marlena's cell phone chimed repeatedly, having just received a number of text messages that it hadn't had enough signal strength to pick up earlier. "Turn your phone off for a few minutes, and suddenly you get a thousand work texts," Stefan explained to John with a nervous chuckle.
While ushering John out of the mansion, Stefan claimed that Abigail hadn't been acting like herself that night because she was upset about what had happened at the trial. John found that interesting, since Abigail had told him earlier that justice had been served. Backpedaling, Stefan nervously clarified that the trial had been hard on Abigail because it had forced her to relive the death of someone who had been really important to her.
Later, while passing through Horton Town Square, John, increasingly worried about Marlena, tried to contact her again. Meanwhile, in the secret tunnels, she tried to send him telepathic signals that something was wrong.
Andre assured Abigail that he was going to help her figure out what was wrong with her -- and why she was trapped in what appeared to be Marlena's office. She described her troubling symptoms to him and admitted, when pressed, that she thought she was going crazy again. He assured her that she could conquer her demons again, just as she had the first time. "[But back then, I had] your help," she pointed out. "And Laura's," he replied.
"Laura..." Abigail curiously repeated, prompting Andre to wonder if she had actually forgotten her own grandmother. She clarified that when she'd heard him say her grandmother's name just then, she had gotten the sense that he was talking about a completely different person. "That's interesting. So...you know someone else by the name of Laura?" he asked while pointedly cleaning a pair of reading glasses he had just retrieved from his jacket pocket. "I think...maybe she's one of the voices I've been hearing in my head," she hesitantly concluded. She took that as definitive proof that she was crazy, but he protested that he didn't like that word because of its negative connotations. He argued that she wasn't unhinged or dangerous, as the word implied, but she countered that she felt like the woman he'd known had died at the same moment that he had.
Andre guessed that Abigail didn't just consider his death a life-changing moment because she had lost someone who had been important to her. He casually added that, on the bright side, she could at least take comfort in the knowledge that his killer was paying for the crime. She hesitated, giving him the impression that he didn't believe that was true. "If it wasn't Gabi [who killed me], then who do you think it was?" he asked curiously.
Abigail begged Andre to identify his killer, but he countered, "I asked you first." He added that his killer had managed to catch him off guard because that person had been someone he had trusted. She again begged him to identify the person, but he insisted that there were some things that she would simply have to figure out herself. "I should have known I'd be on my own," she irritably concluded, prompting him to disappear.
Meanwhile, Stefan warned Gabby that they needed to disappear -- immediately.
Will woke up and found Paul typing on his laptop at the foot of the bed. Smiling, Paul said once he finished his case for Kate, he was more than happy to make Will breakfast. Paul told Will that he had seen Vivian with Leo. Curious, Will asked if Paul knew why they had been talking. Paul said he wanted to gather more information before he reported the information to Kate. Will nodded in agreement.
Smiling, Paul kissed Will good morning. After they made love, Paul asked Will what he was thinking about. Will talked about his writing assignment. Paul teased Will for thinking about his job. "I was also thinking about how crazy I am about you," Will said as he tenderly kissed Paul.
Placated, Paul asked Will about his assignment. Will told Paul that the article was about the drug that had been used to revive Will from the dead. When Paul asked for details, Will said all he knew was that Dr. Rolf had created the drug. Paul asked if Will planned to talk to Susan. Will shook his head no. Will explained that Susan was too fragile.
When Paul asked if there were any other leads, Will nodded his head yes. "The father of the guy who killed me," Will said. Paul warned Will to stay away from Clyde Weston. Will pointed out that Clyde was the reason anyone had found him in Memphis. Shaking his head, Paul encouraged Will to read the Sonix article about Clyde instead.
"Well, the author is probably biased. Who wrote it?" Will asked. "You did," Paul said. With a nod, Will said he would read the article. Paul asked Will to promise to be careful. "The last think I want is to lose you again," Paul said as he caressed Will's face.
After Paul left, Will read an old copy of the article about Clyde, and he shook his head in dismay. Will muttered that Clyde had been unhinged. "And my grandmother dated him? I'm beginning to think that she doesn't have the best taste in men," Will commented. Will picked up his phone and called the prison. Will asked if he could arrange a meeting with Clyde Weston.
In the square, Leo handed Sonny a coffee. Confused, Sonny said the drink was not necessary. "It's what assistants do, isn't it? And I wanted to," Leo said. Sonny thanked Leo for the coffee then he stressed that he only wanted to deal with his assistant at the office. Leo nodded and handed Sonny the quarterly report. Sonny reminded Leo that he could have emailed the report to him. With a shrug, Leo said he knew that Sonny would want to write in the margins, so he'd had the report printed out for him.
"Wow. You were paying more attention than I thought," Sonny said, impressed. "Like I said, it's what assistants do," Leo said. Sonny said he wanted to pay for the coffee, but Leo explained that he had taken the money out of petty cash and would hand in the receipt at the office. As Sonny turned to leave for work, Leo stopped him and asked him to sign a few documents first.
While Sonny signed the documents, Leo stared at his face and thought about Vivian's words. Vivian had told Leo that she would pay him a lot of money to get Sonny back into bed. When Sonny asked if there was anything else, Leo grabbed Sonny's tie and pulled him closer. Leo fixed the tie and said, "That's better."
At the DiMera mansion, Chloe marched into the living room and asked if Kate was behind the offer to go to Mexico. Kate said no and added that the opera was an amazing opportunity. Kate reminded Chloe that Stefano had loved Chloe's voice, and she did not doubt that Stefano was a better judge of Chloe's talent than Kate. Unsure, Chloe asked again if Kate had any part in the offer.
"If I had thought of it, I would have made it happen because you should know by now that I would do anything in my power to keep you away from Lucas," Kate said. Chloe said that she was a different person than she had been when she had been married to Lucas. Kate argued that Lucas could not take any more heartache. Chloe said she cared about Lucas and his sobriety. When Kate asked what would happen if Chloe met another man, Chloe said she was not on the market. Kate reminded Chloe that Chloe had not been on the market when she had cheated on Lucas with Daniel.
From the kitchen, Vivian emerged and listened to Kate and Chloe bicker as she stood there, silent. Kate asked how Chloe would feel if it were about her son. Chloe said she would do whatever it took to protect her son. Kate urged Chloe to go to Mexico. With an eye roll, Chloe walked out of the house. Vivian needled Kate over her attempt to talk to Chloe. With a frown, Kate said her attempt at civility with Chloe was no stranger than Vivian's olive branch to Victor.
"How did you know about that?" Vivian asked with alarm. Kate reminded Vivian that she was friendly with Maggie. Kate's phone rang. With a tight smile, Kate announced that she needed to conduct business. After Kate walked out of the living room, Vivian pulled out her phone.
In the square, Paul watched from a hidden vantage as Sonny told Leo that he needed to head into work. As Sonny walked away, Leo's phone beeped. "Vivian. What now?" Leo muttered as he looked at his phone. Leo walked toward the park, and Paul pursued him. In the park, Paul wondered aloud where Leo had gone. "Looking for me?" Leo asked. Paul turned and saw Leo smiling at him. Leo asked why Paul had been following him.
In Doug's Place, Lucas confronted Eve about her conversation with Chloe. Eve said she had urged Chloe to go with her gut. "This is a great opportunity for her. This is her great love, music. This is a chance for her to be recognized," Eve reasoned. Lucas said he was worried that the opportunity was a scam. Lucas added that he was rebuilding his relationship with Chloe, as well. Eve told Lucas that he would need to compromise if he wanted to be with Chloe. Eve ranted that men never compromised and would do whatever they wanted.
"You're projecting your feelings for Brady onto Chloe and me. I get it. It's okay," Lucas said. "Stop whining about what you want and start thinking about what she needs," Eve advised Lucas. With a huff, Eve walked out.
In the Kiriakis living room, Brady told Maggie about his bet with Eve over the Bella contest. With a shrug, Brady confided that he was worried that Claire would lose. As Brady said he was screwed unless Claire found more votes, Eve returned home and listened from the foyer. "If Eve is as smart as I think she is, win or lose, she is going to realize how much you love her," Maggie said. Eve looked pensive. With a nod, Eve walked into the living room.
"I certainly hope you are ready to go down," Eve announced. Maggie told Eve that Brady had told him about the wager. Maggie counseled Eve to remember that things did not always turn out the way people expected. Chuckling, Eve said she had learned that when Victor had told her that Brady had wooed her to win back Basic Black.
"I'm sure you've made mistakes, Eve. How would you feel if you were never forgiven?" Maggie asked. "This isn't about forgiveness, Maggie. Not anymore. The truth is I don't have any more feelings for Brady, that's all. He killed those feelings by lying to me," Eve said. Maggie excused herself and went into the kitchen. Brady asked Eve if he had really killed all her feelings. Eve said yes. With a raised eyebrow, Brady asked why Eve had agreed to the bet if she was no longer interested in him.
"Your pride was wounded, I'll give you that, but the fact is this little bet we had -- it was the perfect cover because it allows us to get back together without you having to fully admit that you care about me just as much as I care about you," Brady said. Eve called Brady delusional. Eve stressed that she would win the bet, and she would be happy to say goodbye to Brady.
In the loft, Ciara returned from a workout and eagerly ate the breakfast pastry Tripp had left out for her. "Trust me, you are the new face of Bella," Tripp said. Tripp gently kissed Ciara as Claire exited her room. As Ciara slowly pulled away, she apologized to Tripp for yelling at him for voting for Claire. "I saw your point. Claire is your friend, and you wanted to support her," Ciara said. Tripp added that it was important to Claire, and he knew it would hurt her when she lost the contest.
Furious, Claire announced her presence by saying, "Oh! Wow, are you psychic now, Tripp? We should all get lottery tickets." Claire reminded Tripp and Ciara that there were twenty minutes left in the contest. With a scoff, Ciara told Claire that she did not believe that Claire would get 87,000 votes before the contest ended. Claire said she had made a push on social media. With a nod, Ciara said she was anxious for the contest to be over so that they could pretend the rivalry had never happened. Ciara went to her room.
"Stop acting like a little brat," Tripp told Claire. Claire reminded Tripp that Ciara had entered the contest to pick a fight. Shaking his head, Tripp told Claire that she and Ciara would always be family. Claire's phone beeped. Ciara rushed into the living room and said, "The results are in." Tripp asked who had won. Claire yelled at Tripp to check for them.
In the Kiriakis living room, Brady's phone beeped with the Bella contest results. Worried, Brady stalled to keep from looking at the results. Eve urged Brady to check as she put her phone down on the table. Brady placed his phone on the table next to Eve's and said, "Ladies first." When Eve arched an eyebrow, Brady checked his phone. With a nod, Brady showed the phone to Eve.
In the loft, a stunned Tripp told Claire that she had won. Surprised, Claire yelled with joy. "My followers came through just like I said they would!" Claire said. When Claire asked how much she had won by, Tripp did not answer. Ciara looked at the phone. "One. You won by one," Ciara said. Tripp looked stricken. Giddy, Claire ran out of the loft. Ciara narrowed her eyes at Tripp. Tripp apologized and said he never would have voted for Claire if he had thought the contest would be so close.
"It's not your fault. It's mine. I should have done everything I could to win just like Claire did, but I got cocky," Ciara lamented. Tripp assured Ciara that she had not failed. Ciara asked Tripp not to feel sorry for her. Shaking his head, Tripp said he did not feel pity, he just felt like her loss was his fault. "It is," Ciara said. Ciara complained that Claire always got what she wanted.
"Now she is going to hang it over my head forever," Ciara said. Tripp reminded Ciara that she had a lot going for her in her life. "Why do you have to be in competition with Claire?" Tripp asked. Ciara said she had needed to feel like she was good enough. Tripp reminded Ciara that a lot of people had voted for her. "Except for one vote. Yours," Ciara said. Tripp begged Ciara not to let his vote get between them.
"You had your chance. Now it's too late," Ciara said. Tripp said his feelings had not changed, and he asked Ciara to forgive him. Ciara said she wanted to be alone for a bit. "I just wish I knew how Claire suddenly got all her fans to vote for her," Ciara said as she left. "Yeah. How did Claire manage to pull that off?" Tripp muttered to himself. Tripp thought about his conversation with Claire from the square when she had mentioned the followers that Theo had purchased for her. Tripp also thought about when Claire had mentioned doing something illegal. Suspicious, Tripp called Theo.
In the Kiriakis living room, a happy Brady said, "Isn't it amazing? Isn't it crazy? One vote. That one vote made Claire the new face of Bella. You have to give me a second chance." Eve scowled. Eve said she would honor their deal, but she wanted to confirm that the test results were legitimate. When Brady assured Eve the results were right, Eve said that the website might not be accurate. Brady argued that he had not rigged the contest, but Eve said she was not sure.
"Aren't you tired of pretending that you hate me? I know the feeling. I had it all the time that I was involved in that little con with you. I kept trying to tell myself that I don't have feelings for her, that I don't want her. But I did. It would be so much easier just to give in and admit that we are so good for each other," Brady purred as he leaned in close to Eve's face. Claire burst into the room, yelling, "The new face of Bella is here!"
Brady hugged Claire and congratulated her. When Claire hugged Eve, she asked if Eve was disappointed that Ciara had not won. Brady interrupted to say that Eve was thinking about business plans and was happy that Claire had won. With a grin, Brady asked if Eve wanted to tell Claire what they had been discussing. Eve said they had been talking about how happy they would be if either Claire or Ciara had won. Brady congratulated Claire. Maggie overheard as she returned to the living room, and she hugged Claire. With a smile, Maggie said they should go find Victor and leave Brady and Eve to talk.
"We have a lot of talking to do," Brady said. Eve's phone beeped. Eve said she needed to tend to work. Brady asked Eve to talk about them first. Brady asked Eve to go to dinner. "Absolutely not," Eve answered.
At Doug's Place, a dour-faced Chloe walked in. Lucas asked why she seemed so down. Chloe explained that she had gone to talk to Kate. Chloe said Kate was worried that Chloe would hurt Lucas. Lucas said he was worried that he would hurt Chloe. Confused, Chloe asked what he meant. Lucas said he did not want to stop Chloe from pursuing her dreams.
"So, you're saying I should take this job offer in Mexico?" Chloe asked. Lucas said he did not want Chloe to turn down an opportunity. "I want you to have the best future you can, even if I'm not a part of it," Lucas said. Lucas said he needed to go to a meeting. With a kiss on Chloe's cheek, Lucas said goodbye and left. Chloe grabbed her phone and called Miguel.
Paul tried to laugh off Leo's accusation, but Leo remained convinced that Paul -- who, according to Sonny, was a private investigator -- had been following him.
Leo, assuming that Paul was simply trying to sabotage an ex-boyfriend's new relationship as an act of jealousy, threatened to tell Sonny what was going on. Paul clarified that Leo's involvement with Vivian Alamain, not Sonny Kiriakis, was the issue. Leo feigned ignorance, stating that the name didn't ring a bell. "Save it. I saw you talking to her right here [yesterday]," Paul revealed.
"Oh, that older woman? I -- I never got her name," Leo claimed. Nodding skeptically, Paul informed Leo that Vivian was "a Class-A nut job" who'd had a vendetta against the Kiriakis clan for many years but had recently tried to make peace with them -- an out-of-character move that had aroused suspicion. "[She's] up to something, and I want to know what it is," Paul continued.
"Look, all I can tell you is [that] this Vivian woman came up to me out of nowhere [because she somehow] knew I worked at Titan --" Leo began. Interrupting, Paul wondered if Sonny, the CEO of Titan, was aware of that fact. Leo confirmed that Sonny knew -- and had ended their relationship as a result. Leo claimed that he hadn't realized the connection until after he had been offered a permanent position at the company, which he had accepted. Leo innocently guessed that Vivian had hoped to somehow use Titan's newest employee as a pawn in whatever game she was playing with the Kiriakis clan. "[But] I don't know [what she wanted me to do because] I turned her down before she had a chance to ask," Leo continued. Vowing loyalty to Sonny, Leo promised that if Vivian ever tried to contact him again, he'd let his new boss know right away.
At the Brady Pub, Vivian sipped a Bloody Mary while waiting anxiously for an update from Leo. When Lucas approached the bar and ordered a cup of coffee, Vivian shamelessly encouraged him to order something stronger instead. He informed her that he had recently stopped drinking, prompting her to disapprovingly label him a quitter. He forced a smile and feigned amusement.
Undeterred, Vivian hinted that Lucas had a good reason to start drinking again, since his mother was trying to sabotage his relationship with his new girlfriend. "[I overheard] Kate encouraging Chloe to take [a job in Mexico, which is just like her because], you know, she's such an insecure, miserable shrew --" she continued. Interrupting, he warned her not to talk about his mother that way. "Oh, I'm so sorry. Is that an honor that is, um, reserved just for you?" she countered. "Yeah, actually, it is," he confirmed. Nodding, she apologized again then forged ahead, guessing that he was depressed because his mother had won.
Insisting that a stiff drink would quickly turn Lucas' frown upside down, Vivian started to order another Bloody Mary -- just as Maggie entered the pub. "What the hell do you think you're doing? You claim you want a truce with my family, [yet you're] trying to ply my alcoholic nephew with liquor?" Maggie asked Vivian incredulously. "Oh, Maggie -- why don't you dust off that smug superiority and have a cocktail with us? Maybe it'll relax you, and you can stop butting into everybody's business!" Vivian countered. Annoyed, Maggie told Vivian to shut up then pulled Lucas aside to talk to him privately.
Lucas assured Maggie that he'd had no intention of taking a drink. He admitted, however, that he had battled moments of temptation that day. She was concerned to hear that he had recently started a new relationship, since that was something that newly recovering addicts were discouraged from doing. He assured her that he was being careful -- and that, in any case, the relationship was probably going to end soon.
Lucas felt like a fool for having encouraged Chloe to take the job in Mexico, but Maggie insisted that had been a caring, selfless act -- one that proved just how much progress he had made recently. "And who knows -- I mean, maybe Chloe will turn the job down, after all," Maggie optimistically added. Sighing, Lucas doubted that was going to happen.
At Doug's Place, Miguel greeted Chloe, who wondered if Kate Roberts was his employer. "Never heard of her," Miguel replied. "Hmm. Maybe Kate wasn't lying for once in her lousy life..." Chloe mused. Miguel assumed that Chloe had received the answer she had hoped for and would therefore be accepting the job in Mexico, but she apologetically clarified that, while it was basically her dream job, she had decided to turn it down.
Miguel was disappointed to hear that -- and knew that his employer would be even more disappointed. "If I may, uh...what made you turn it down?" Miguel asked. "Lucas," Chloe admitted. Miguel argued that it was selfish of Lucas to discourage Chloe from pursuing a dream, but she clarified that he had actually done the exact opposite. "[So], if you [two] were not involved, would you have accepted the offer?" Miguel wondered. "I think so, yeah," Chloe replied. Chloe explained with a shrug that, with Lucas back in her life, the timing simply wasn't right. Nodding, Miguel thanked Chloe for considering the offer and told her to let him know if she changed her mind.
Leo met with Vivian outside the Brady Pub and told her about what had happened earlier. "I covered pretty well, but I think [Paul's] still suspicious," he warned her.
Meanwhile, at the park, Paul sent Kate a text message: "I have new info on Vivian. We should talk."
After receiving a text message from Chloe, Lucas went to Doug's Place to see her. "So...I, uh...I...guess this is goodbye --" he began, prompting her to shut him up with a kiss. "[Did] that feel like goodbye?" she asked after pulling away from him. Grinning, he excitedly admitted that it hadn't.
Meanwhile, at the Horton Town Square, Miguel contacted his employer and delivered the bad news. "Consider [Lucas] eliminated," he assured the person.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady wondered why Eve had agreed to their bet in the first place if she'd never had any intention of holding up her end of it. "Because you wouldn't stop badgering me! And I actually thought that I was gonna win -- and [that] when I did, you'd get the hell out of my life!" she explained. He reminded her that he was never going to truly be out of her life because, at the very least, they would always have a working relationship with each other. She pointed out that he could always sell Bella to her as a way of resolving that issue, but he insisted that was never going to happen because it was his livelihood -- and, more importantly, it was his mother's legacy. "It means something to me...just like you mean something to me," he stressed. "Well, you mean nothing to me," she countered.
Brady refused to believe that Eve truly meant that. She insisted that she couldn't be with him because, for starters, she simply couldn't trust him anymore -- and that would probably always be the case. He pointedly guessed that people had said similar things to her from time to time, but she dismissed the argument, stressing that they were talking about his trustworthiness, not hers.
Nodding, Brady spontaneously admitted to Eve that he had actually considered rigging the contest so she'd have to give him another chance. "[But] I wanted to do this in good faith," he continued. "Oh, really? You're gonna talk to me about 'good faith'?" she incredulously countered. Ignoring the dig, he pointed out that she could have just as easily rigged the contest to ensure that he'd have to leave her alone. He took it as a good sign that she hadn't bothered to do that, but she insisted that he was being delusional. Unconvinced, he accused her of being worried that she'd end up forgiving him if she gave him another chance.
"Look at me [and] tell me that you don't want this [just] as much as I do. You say [that] to my face [and] mean it, and I swear to God, I will walk away from you for good," Brady promised Eve, who reluctantly admitted that she couldn't accept that challenge. She confirmed that she was worried -- but not about her true feelings for him. "[I'm afraid that you'll] hurt me [again], and you can make promises until you're blue in the face, but like I said before, I don't trust you, so your words mean absolutely nothing to me," she elaborated. He conceded, to her surprise, that he probably would hurt her again at some point. "Look, in relationships, we hurt each other, all right? It happens. I can't control that. But...I think the love is worth it," he continued. He added that what he could promise was that he would be completely honest with her from that point forward.
"I will treat you with kindness [and] respect, and I will put your needs before mine -- every day," Brady concluded. Conflicted, Eve quietly insisted, while fighting back tears, "I can't be the fool again." Brady assured Eve that he was the true fool because he had put their relationship at risk -- a mistake he would never make again. He begged her for another chance -- and was pleasantly surprised when she decided to give him one.
Before Brady and Eve could seal the deal with a kiss, Maggie joined them in the living room. "I hope I'm not interrupting..." Maggie began. "Oh, no -- absolutely not. I...actually...was just leaving," Eve replied before rushing off. Alone with Brady, Maggie wondered what she had missed. "[Eve]...is...giving me another chance!" Brady excitedly informed Maggie, who was happy for him -- and warned him not to blow it.
While passing through the town square, Ciara received an alert on her cell phone about the results of the contest. Annoyed, she blindly hurled the device, which ended up hitting the back of someone's head.
"Wyatt?" Ciara asked incredulously when the injured person turned to face her. Chuckling, Wyatt returned Ciara's cell phone while rubbing the back of his head and acknowledging that he probably deserved the injury as punishment for what he had done to her in the past. "[Guess] you're still mad?" he asked. "Gee, Wyatt, I don't know... Theo set us up, and you pretended like it was all your idea. You lied to me. You used me. You messed up my life. [And that's] why I left town, [which] was pretty much the biggest mistake I've ever made. So...yes, Wyatt, I'm mad -- [especially] now that I've lost Theo forever," she replied.
Nodding, Wyatt praised Ciara's aim, prompting her to clarify that she actually hadn't been trying to hit him. "[Then] who were you trying to hit?" he asked. "No one. I was just mad," she explained. "At the world?" he guessed. "And the guy who caused me to lose the [Bella] contest," she replied. He said he still couldn't believe that she had lost her lead at the last minute. "If it makes you feel any better, you got my vote," he added.
Ciara was surprised to learn that Wyatt had voted for her. He was quick to clarify that it wasn't like he had been cyber-stalking her; he had simply seen something about the contest while on his computer, which he basically stayed glued to during every waking hour. "I didn't know you were into fashion magazines," she skeptically replied. "I'm into the faces," he countered, adding that she was far more beautiful than any of her competitors. Taken aback, she admitted that no one had ever said anything like that to her before. "[It's] ironic that the guy I thought I could count on ended up being a jerk, and the guy I thought was a jerk ended up having my back," she mused. Shrugging, he said he was just happy to have a chance to tell her that she had his vote, since he had never expected to be able to do that because she had been ignoring his text messages since their last encounter.
Claire returned home and caught Tripp in the midst of questioning Theo about the contest. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Claire demanded to know, grabbing Tripp's cell phone and ending the call. She insisted that she wasn't a cheater, but he remained skeptical, especially since she seemed desperate to keep him from talking to her boyfriend, the computer genius.
"Fine, Tripp! Okay! I asked [Theo] to help me cheat! Are you happy now?" Claire reluctantly admitted after Tripp threatened to call Theo back. Scoffing, Tripp told Claire, "You know, you are really the most selfish person I have ever met!" Tripp couldn't believe that Claire cared about winning a stupid contest more than she cared about Ciara's feelings, but Claire clarified that the contest wasn't stupid -- at least not to her.
Tripp reminded Claire that Ciara had been through a lot during the previous few years, but Claire dismissively argued that Ciara had only herself to blame for most of what she had been through. "I just don't see why you two have to be at each other's throats all the time," Tripp maintained. "Look, Ciara's my best frenemy. It's like a love-hate thing," Claire explained with a shrug. "I only see one half of that equation, and it's not the love part," Tripp countered. Sighing, Claire bitterly complained that Ciara never got blamed for anything. Tripp pointed out that Ciara wasn't the one who had rigged the contest, but Claire countered that she hadn't, either.
Tripp found it hard to believe that Theo had refused to help Claire, but Theo backed up Claire's story when Tripp called him back. "Told you," Claire said after Tripp ended the call. "So, you didn't cheat...you just tried," Tripp concluded with obvious disapproval. Claire wondered if Tripp planned to tell Ciara what he had just learned. "How can I? She's not speaking to me," Tripp sadly pointed out before exiting the apartment.
Ciara took Wyatt to see her motorcycle -- then offered to take him for a ride on it. He happily accepted.
Meanwhile, alone in her apartment, Claire grinned mischievously while recalling an earlier encounter with Wyatt, who had overheard her complaining to herself about Theo's refusal to rig the contest.
Eli went to Statesville to see Gabi, who angrily insisted that she had nothing more to say to him.
"You can hate me all you want, but I'm gonna make sure that you're doing it from outside of these prison walls," Eli told Gabi, adding that he wasn't going to rest until her name had been cleared. "I don't want to be your cause. Actually, I don't want anything from you. Why don't you save it for Lani and your baby?" she countered.
Gabi declared that Eli's betrayal had hurt her almost as badly as Abigail's had. "How do the two of you sleep at night?" she wondered. "I don't know about Abigail, but I don't sleep much at all," he replied.
Unsympathetic, Gabi started to leave the visitor's lounge, but Eli stopped her. "Listen, I just got back from the Kiriakis house. I was talking to Justin about your appeal, and...he gave me this," Eli explained, handing Gabi an "I love you" drawing from Arianna. Fighting back tears, Gabi gushed that it was beautiful. Eli informed Gabi that Arianna had been at the Kiriakis mansion at the time of his visit. "She seems okay. She was wearing that little blue dress that you made for her. She told Sonny she's gonna wear it every day until you come home," Eli continued. Nodding, Gabi explained that Arianna still believed that her mother was simply on a business trip.
"When you've got a kid, it changes everything," Gabi tearfully concluded. "I'm beginning to see that," Eli admitted. "Especially since..." he started to add before letting his voice trail off. She tried to get him to continue, but he insisted that she didn't need to worry about his problems because she already had enough to worry about -- and that everything was fine, anyway. Softening a bit, she thanked him for delivering the drawing to her.
At Salem University Hospital, J.J., who was focused on an EMT manual, bumped into Lani while passing through the halls. After an awkward silence, she started to apologize, prompting him to acknowledge that the collision had actually been his fault. "How are you doing?" he asked before quickly withdrawing the question, knowing that her life wasn't his business anymore.
"[So], we can't even be friends?" Lani concluded. "That won't work -- not for me, at least," J.J. confirmed. She understood but was disappointed, since confiding in him had always felt right. When pressed, however, she realized that just being his friend wouldn't really work for her, either -- because, after all, it wasn't like they could just hang out together, the way friends did, and pretend that they had never meant more to each other.
J.J. started to walk away, believing that there was nothing more to say, but Lani stopped him and tearfully apologized for what she had done. He insisted that it was pointless for her to keep beating herself up about it, but she disagreed, arguing that the point was that she deserved to suffer. He countered that no one deserved to suffer. He added that, while he had been quite hard on her at first, the fact of the matter was that he had no right to judge her because he had told lies himself from time to time, and he knew how easily they could spiral out of control and end up causing unforeseen damage. "I still think you're a good person," he concluded.
Changing the subject, J.J. wondered if Lani was at the hospital because she had an appointment with her obstetrician that day. She nodded while fighting back fresh tears. He could tell that something was wrong, but she was reluctant to discuss the matter with him because she knew it wouldn't be fair to burden him with her problems. After he dismissed the concern, she hesitantly explained, "There's a possibility that...I could lose the baby." He understood the implications of her medical condition right away, thanks to his EMT training. "Is Kayla gonna put you on bed rest?" he asked before again acknowledging that such things weren't his business anymore.
"Where's Eli? Why the hell isn't he here with you?" J.J. wondered, clearly annoyed on Lani's behalf. Shrugging, she abruptly excused herself. "Do -- do -- do you want me to..." he began before letting his voice trail off. "Will you be okay?" he asked instead. She nodded in response then said goodbye to him and started to walk away.
After taking a few steps, Lani paused and turned to face J.J. again, realizing that she still needed to return her engagement ring to him. She retrieved it from her purse and sadly handed it over -- just as Eli arrived.
Eli explained his tardiness and confirmed, when asked, that Gabi was doing well, all things considered. As Lani walked away with Eli, J.J. stared numbly at the engagement ring, recalling every word of his proposal.
At the police station, Hope found Rafe in one of the conference rooms, closely inspecting still images of surveillance footage of the mystery woman that had been captured during her visit to Hong Kong. Rafe asked Hope to help him, but she insisted that she couldn't work with him -- especially while he was refusing to sign the annulment papers. "I don't want to sign the annulment papers right now; I want to focus on this!" he snapped, adding that it was wrong of her to punish his sister for his mistakes. She countered that he had her full support as the commissioner but didn't need her as a partner because he already had one of the best in the business.
"Yeah, Eli is good, but he's not as good as you -- and, for God's sake, you wrote the book on dealing with the DiMeras! Please...if you're not gonna forgive me, [at least] don't take it out on my sister," Rafe begged Hope. Sighing, she reluctantly examined the stack of still images, each of which only showed the mystery woman from behind. She guessed that Stefan had paid the hotel's employees to withhold footage from all other angles. She hoped that Shawn would be able to convince one of them to cooperate, but he soon called her back and reported that everyone was sticking to the story that all available footage had been turned over.
At the DiMera mansion, Gabby, safely hidden in Stefan's bedroom, used Abigail's cell phone to contact Chad, who was in the process of searching the place -- quite loudly -- for his wife. Stefan listened as Gabby convinced Chad that she had left early for her appointment with Marlena, who was going to help her figure out if she truly had been brainwashed. Chad had planned to attend the session, but Gabby insisted that wasn't necessary.
Meanwhile, in the living room, Kate argued with Vivian, who was upset that Kate had told a reporter that Gabi was being framed. After Vivian stormed off, Chad entered the living room and told Kate about Abigail's appointment with Marlena. Kate, in turn, told Chad why Vivian was upset. Chad insisted it was obvious that Vivian and Stefan were framing Gabi. "[And] the Abby I know would agree with me," Chad added. "The Abby you knew [would], but who is she now?" Kate replied. Chad gave Kate a shrug of uncertainty then excused himself, explaining that he was going to head to the police station to get an update on the case.
Gabby and Stefan were still in his bedroom, discussing their plan to run away together, when Vivian barged in, having overheard their conversation while passing through the halls. Vivian insisted that Stefan wasn't going anywhere -- with a "mental case" or anyone else, for that matter. Offended, Gabby countered that Vivian was the one who deserved to be labeled a mental case, since she was clearly jealous of her own son.
Vivian angrily slapped Gabby, but Stefan stepped in before things could escalate further. "We're leaving...and we're never coming back," Stefan informed Vivian, who refused to let that happen -- and warned that Abigail's family wouldn't allow it, either. "I gave you your name. I brought you here to take over DiMera Enterprises and this house. And you blithely talk about abandoning me?" Vivian asked Stefan incredulously. Turning to Gabby, Vivian added, "You take my son away from me, and you and Dr. Laura and Abigail will wish you'd never been born!"
Vivian stormed off without waiting for a response. Stefan stopped Gabby from chasing after Vivian, reasoning that he needed to be the one to handle his mother. Stefan followed Vivian downstairs, unaware that Kate was watching from the halls -- and had caught a glimpse of Gabby, whom she had recognized as the mystery woman. Kate quickly contacted Chad and left him a voicemail message, explaining that she had the mystery woman cornered in Stefan's bedroom. When Chad didn't return the call right away, Kate got impatient and started calling out to the mystery woman, threatening to break down the bedroom door if necessary in order to confront her.
Meanwhile, in the living room, Vivian maintained that Stefan couldn't leave her, especially since she had just found him. He refused to change his mind, insisting that she was simply going to have to accept his decision. "I'm sorry, my darling, but acceptance has never quite been my strong suit," she countered. She warned that if he went through with his plan, she would go to the police and tell them everything.
At the police station, Chad presented Hope and Rafe with a stack of documents, explaining that Stefan had been foolish enough to charge DiMera Enterprises for all the expenses from his trip to Hong Kong. Hope and Rafe promised to go over the expense report in detail to see if it contained anything that could help them identify the mystery woman. During the conversation, Chad casually revealed that Stefan had recently admitted to planting drugs on him. After Chad left, Hope and Rafe agreed that it was too bad that Chad hadn't been wearing a wire at the time of Stefan's confession. Hope and Rafe soon realized that they might be able to trick the hotel's employees into believing that a wire had been worn at some point during an interaction with one of them -- and that the ruse might be enough to get someone to flip on Stefan.
At the DiMera mansion, Stefan realized that Vivian wasn't making an idle threat. Sighing, he apologized to her then picked her up and carried her into the secret tunnels, insisting that no one was going to stop him from being with the woman he loved. Meanwhile, Kate continued calling out to the mystery woman -- and was stunned when Gabby opened the bedroom door and revealed herself.
At the police station, Rafe and Hope strategized a bluff to get information out of the security chief of the hotel in Hong Kong. Shawn met with the security chief in Hong Kong and pretended that Chad had been wearing a wire. In Salem, Hope and Rafe waited patiently to hear from Shawn. With a smirk, Rafe told Hope that they still made a great team. Hope warned Rafe not to say any more about their relationship.
"I am working with you for Gabi's sake," Hope said. "And maybe you still love me a little," Rafe suggested hopefully. Hope said she still wanted Rafe to sign the annulment papers. Rafe refused. Shawn called Hope's phone and told her that the bluff had worked and that he had obtained the missing security footage from Hong Kong. Rafe grabbed his laptop. When Hope and Rafe reviewed the footage on the computer, they remarked on how the dark-haired woman in the video looked like the one from the footage at the murder scene.
"You said you never saw Abigail the whole time you were in Hong Kong?" Rafe asked. Hope nodded yes. Rafe reminded Hope that Abigail had been in the room adjoining Stefan's. As Hope asked Rafe what he was talking about, Rafe suggested that the dark-haired woman might be Abigail. Hope did not think Rafe's hypothesis made sense. Rafe theorized aloud that Abigail might not have known what she had been doing. "This would take it all the way back to the night Andre was murdered. You think?" Hope asked. Rafe and Hope continued to the review the footage and finally found a shot of the dark-haired woman. It was Abigail.
In the DiMera living room, Vivian threatened to tell the world about Abigail's illness if Stefan left town with Gabby. With a nod, Stefan said, "My love for Gabby has changed me. I'm sorry." Stefan lifted Vivian over his shoulder, and he carried her into the tunnels. Vivian kicked her legs and cried out for help.
In her room in the tunnels, Marlena paced nervously. Stefan walked in with Vivian and set her on the floor. Vivian begged Stefan not to leave her with Marlena, but Stefan apologized as he closed the door in his mother's face. Vivian banged on the door, begging to be let loose. Through the door, Stefan yelled that Vivian would only be in the room temporarily. Vivian complained to Marlena that Abigail's alter had been trouble from the start. Alarmed, Marlena yelled at Vivian for not seeking help for Abigail sooner.
At the pub, John called around asking people if they had seen Marlena. When Paul arrived, he updated John on Kate's case. Paul said Kate was not answering calls or texts. John countered that Marlena was also missing and had been since her appointment with Abigail.
"There was something about Abigail that just didn't seem right," John said. John said it was weird that Abigail had been so pleased about Gabi's conviction for murder. Paul said he had heard from multiple people that Abigail had not been acting like herself. Paul suggested that Abigail might know where to find Marlena.
At the prison, Gabi asked Chad if Abigail had confessed to being "a lying bitch." Chad warned Gabi not to speak ill of his wife. Gabi growled that she was angry that Abigail had betrayed her. Chad reminded Gabi that there could be extenuating factors. With a nod, Gabi said that if there were extenuating factors, it would mean that Abigail was crazy. Chad said he had talked to Abigail, who had made an appointment with Marlena.
Chad argued that the situation was not Abigail's fault, but Gabi disagreed. Gabi reminded Chad that she was in prison because of Abigail's testimony. After tensions eased, Chad told Gabi that there was no new information on the case. Gabi said she was hopeful that Rafe and Hope would prove her innocence and find their way back to each other in the process.
With a sigh, Gabi apologized for ranting about Abigail. Chad shook his head and told Gabi not to worry about it. Chad asked Gabi how she had been faring in prison. Gabi said she had not been able to sleep. When Gabi said she had been thinking about never seeing her daughter grow up, Chad cautioned Gabi not to think about that. Chad's phone beeped. Chad listened to the panicked voicemail from Kate saying that the dark-haired woman was in Stefan's bedroom. With a grin, Chad told Gabi the good news. Chad said he hoped he would be able to prove Gabi's innocence soon.
In Abigail's head, she banged on the door of the office in which she was trapped. Abigail heard Kate's voice through the telephone on the desk. Abigail grabbed the receiver and yelled pleadingly for Kate's help. Abigail looked around the office for a key to unlock the door to the office. When Abigail opened the drawer of the desk, she found a photo of her with Chad and Thomas. Confused, Abigail wondered aloud, "If I'm not in Marlena's office, where am I?"
In the DiMera mansion, Gabby opened the door to Stefan's bedroom and found Kate. Kate was surprised to see Abigail in a dark wig, but she stammered out a hello. Kate asked "Abigail" why she was dressed strangely. With a tight smile, Gabby said she had an explanation. Kate noted that Abigail looked like the dark-haired woman from the security footage. With a gasp, Kate said, "It was you. It's been you all along."
"It's not what you think. You've got to believe me. Chad was right. Stefan tried to brainwash me," Gabby said in her best Abigail impression. Gabby asked Kate for help. Kate promised to help Abigail. As Kate walked past Gabby, Gabby's crying face disappeared into a scowl. Gabby grabbed a candlestick and knocked Kate unconscious. In Abigail's mind, the phone went dead.
Stefan returned to the bedroom. "Are you kidding me?" Stefan said incredulously when he saw Kate lying on the floor. "Why doesn't anybody mind their own business?" Gabby groused. Gabby said she had acted quickly, so Kate knew very little. Stefan escorted Kate down to the tunnels and locked her in the room with Marlena and Vivian. Vivian shrieked at the sight of Kate. Marlena examined the lump on Kate's head.
Confused, Kate asked what was going on. Marlena and Vivian explained that Abigail had an alternate personality. Marlena updated Kate on all she knew about Abigail's condition. Kate asked why Vivian was in the room. Vivian yelled that Stefan was in love with Gabby, and they had planned to run away together. Kate said she had confronted Abigail upstairs because she had believed that she was the dark-haired woman in the security footage. Kate added that she had left a voicemail for Chad.
"Hopefully he will discover the truth and rescue us," Kate said. Shaking her head, Kate said she had hoped that Abigail had gotten past her struggles with mental illness. Kate blamed Vivian because her return had stressed out Abigail. Vivian said she would not rat out her son.
With a shrug, Marlena said that Stefan had confessed to her that he had murdered Andre. "Wrong!" Vivian said. Vivian said that Stefan was protecting Gabby. Marlena asked if Gabby had killed Andre. Shaking her head no, Vivian confirmed that Abigail had killed Andre.
Outside the room in the tunnels, Stefan told Gabby that Vivian would never forgive him for locking her in a room with Kate and Marlena. Stefan warned Gabby that they needed to leave town immediately. Gabby kissed Stefan. The two headed upstairs and packed, and Stefan called his pilot to prepare the jet. Gabby asked Stefan if he was sure that he wanted to leave town with her. Stefan nodded yes.
"Do you really want to give all this up to run away with me?" Gabby asked. "There is nothing I would rather be than the man you love. I would give all this up to be with you for the rest of my life," Stefan said. Gabby grabbed Stefan and kissed him. In Abigail's head, she called out for Chad as she stood in the middle of the locked office. Abigail heard a noise, turned, and found Stefan standing in the office with her. Stefan grabbed Abigail and kissed her. Abigail struggled to break free. In Stefan's bedroom, Abigail shoved Stefan away.
"Abigail?" Stefan asked tentatively. Freaked out, Abigail asked Stefan why he had been kissing her. Abigail asked about the wig she was wearing. Abigail yelled out that she would not go anywhere with Stefan. Stefan grabbed Abigail by the shoulders and said, "Gabby come back to me!" Abigail asked why he was calling her Gabby. In Abigail's mind, Gabby was the one locked in the office. Gabby heard Stefan's voice from the receiver of the phone on the desk. Gabby grabbed the phone and called out to Stefan. On the phone, Gabby heard Stefan begging for her to return to him.
"Let me go!" Abigail shrieked. "Not until Gabby comes back to me," Stefan said. In Abigail's head, Gabby listened as Stefan asked Gabby to return to him. In the bedroom, Abigail clutched her head and asked Stefan to stop calling her Gabby. "I love you," Stefan kept repeating. Abigail stopped holding her head and turned toward Stefano. "Sam?" Gabby asked. Relieved, Stefan hugged Gabby.
Stefan fetched a glass of water and gave it to Gabby. Gabby was disappointed to learn that Abigail had emerged instead of Dr. Laura. Shaking her head, Gabby said she had felt Abigail fighting all day and that it was futile to run away. Stefan argued that Gabby was stronger than Abigail.
"She wants to be with Chad and Thomas as much as I want to be with you," Gabby confessed. Gabby said they needed to get rid of Abigail, then she kissed Stefan. Stefan was unsure, but Gabby said she needed to show Abigail how strong her love was. Stefan asked if they should wait until they left town, but Gabby wanted to get rid of Abigail before they ran away. "I guess I was just hoping for a little more romance," Stefan said sheepishly. Gabby took off Stefan's jacket. "Stay looking at me, okay? Can you do that?" Stefan asked. "Just don't let go, okay?" Gabby said.
After undressing, Stefan and Gabby climbed into bed. "Stay with me. I love you," Stefan said softly. "I love you," Gabby said. Stefan made love to Gabby. Downstairs, Chad returned home. Upstairs, Gabby and Stefan basked in the afterglow. Gabby said she no longer felt Abigail in her head. "I don't ever want to lose you again," Stefan said. As Gabby and Stefan started to kiss again, Chad burst into the room. Chad yelled at the dark-haired woman to turn around. Gabby turned to face Chad.
