High-stakes power plays and manipulative games are pushing Salem to the edge on the Monday, July 27 episode of Days of Our Lives. Danger is lurking around every corner as Marlena Evans issues a desperate warning regarding EJ DiMera, Joy Wesley backs Alex Kiriakis into a corner with a shocking new ultimatum, and the mystery behind Gwen Rizczech’s sudden vanishing act deepens. With revenge plots exploding across town, no one in Salem is safe from the fallout.
Philip Pleads Innocence as Gabi Shifts Her Suspicions
The corporate fallout over counterfeit purses continues to cause major chaos. Philip Kiriakis (John-Paul Lavoisier) finds himself once again forced to defend his innocence to a furious Gabi Hernandez (Cherie Jimenez). Philip maintains that neither he nor Xander Kiriakis (Paul Telfer) had anything to do with manufacturing or selling the fake designer bags, and he pleads with Gabi to finally believe them.
Surprisingly, Gabi actually considers the possibility that the Kiriakis brothers are telling the truth. As she reevaluates the situation, Gabi begins to suspect that someone over at DiMera might be the mastermind behind the entire mess. Naturally, her mind goes straight to the vengeful EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel).
While EJ is usually the prime suspect whenever a dirty plot plays out in Salem, he might be far too preoccupied with his own crises to care about counterfeit purses. In reality, Gabi could be barking up the wrong tree entirely, missing a culprit who is much closer to home. Arianna “Ari” Hernandez (Vico Escorcia) is still burning with a desire for payback over what happened with Liam Seljeko (Hank Northrop). It seems very possible that Ari has secretly teamed up with an accomplice to make Gabi suffer, orchestrating the entire purse scheme right under her nose.
Joy’s Shocking Demand Sparks a Fierce Confrontation with Ari
Ari’s presence will definitely be felt on Monday’s episode, especially when she witnesses an extremely uncomfortable moment between Joy Wesley (AlexAnn Hopkins) and Alex Kiriakis (Robert Scott Wilson).
Joy is set to throw a massive curveball at Alex by laying down a stunning new demand. This non-negotiable order presumably involves finding another way to completely eliminate Stephanie Kiriakis (Abigail Klein) from the picture. Joy is capitalizing on her leverage, using every tool at her disposal to tighten her hold on Alex.
However, Joy doesn’t realize that Ari is watching the entire interaction unfold. After Joy lays down the law with Alex, Ari makes her presence known and aggressively pushes Joy’s buttons. Taking her aside, Ari privately calls Joy out for her blatantly manipulative behavior, slamming her for trying to control Alex and manipulate him into pulling her closer.
Marlena Sounds the Alarm to Cat as Gwen’s Mystery Unravels
Elsewhere in town, Dr. Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) is deeply concerned about the dangerous path Cat Greene (AnnaLynne McCord) is walking. Knowing that EJ is not a man who tolerates being duped or crossed, Marlena sounds the alarm to Cat about the serious threat EJ poses. Marlena desperately wants Cat to grasp the gravity of her situation and exercise extreme caution when executing her sneaky plans before EJ retaliates.
Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Rafe Hernandez (Galen Gering) is digging deep for answers regarding Gwen Rizczech’s (Emily O’Brien) mysterious vanishing act. Unfazed by the danger, Cat continues to do her own digging as well.
The investigation is about to take a dramatic turn as Gwen’s written confession surfaces in the coming episodes. That document will spark heavy suspicions that Dimitri von Leuschner (Peter Porte) might have set this entire nightmare in motion from behind the scenes.
Leo Connects the Dots
Finally, Leo Stark (Greg Rikaart) has a deeply awkward encounter with Gus (Michael Ocampo). Despite the uncomfortable interaction, Leo’s mind isn’t fully on his romantic grievances; he is consumed with worry for Gwen and the obvious danger she is in.
Days of Our Lives spoilers hint that Leo will start connecting the dots regarding Dimitri’s involvement in the near future. As the truth behind Gwen’s disappearance begins to unspool, Leo could find himself right in the middle of a dangerous plot.
With Joy pushing Alex to the absolute limit, Ari playing puppet master, and EJ’s shadow looming over Cat, which Salem storyline do you think will blow up first?
