Trust is a rare commodity in Salem, and breaking it usually comes with a massive price tag. On the Monday, July 27, 2026 episode of Days of Our Lives, bad blood between former lovers boils over while covert operations put innocent lives at risk. Between a furious corporate showdown over stolen designs and a high-stakes investigation hampered by secret cover-ups, several Salemites are heading straight into treacherous waters.
Philip Pleads His Case to a Coldhearted Gabi
The Kiriakis family is in full damage-control mode, but Gabi Hernandez (Cherie Jimenez) is having absolutely none of it. Gabi remains utterly convinced that Philip Kiriakis (John-Paul Lavoisier) and Xander Cook (Paul Telfer) stole her original designs to produce and market a line of cheap, knockoff Gabi Chic purses. Despite whatever harm Gabi previously caused Titan, the Kiriakis brothers maintain that they did not betray her this time around.
That fact does not stop a desperate Philip from giving it the old college try as he begs Gabi to hear him out. However, Gabi finds his claims of innocence nearly impossible to believe—especially given Xander’s shady history with Johnny. In Gabi’s mind, Philip doesn’t actually care about rebuilding her trust; he dumped her and refused to listen to reason back then, so she sees no reason to lend him an ear now. She remains convinced that Philip is only desperate because of the money she is currently withholding from him.
Leo’s Multi-Front Distractions and the Search for Gwen
Fortunately for Gabi, she has Leo Stark (Greg Rikaart) firmly in her corner as she searches for hard evidence to nail Philip and Xander. But Leo’s attention is dangerously divided. Beyond trying to help Gabi expose the purse scandal, Leo is consumed with finding the missing Gwen Rizczech (Emily O’Brien). To make matters even more chaotic, Leo cannot get his mind off Javi (Jacob Martinez)—a distraction that hits close to home when he happens to run into Gus (Michael Ocampo).
While Leo tries to hunt down leads on his end, Rafe Hernandez (Galen Gering) steps up the official investigation by utilizing FBI resources. People across town are finally noticing that Gwen has vanished into thin air. Strangely enough, even Kayla Johnson (Mary Beth Evans) is eager to locate her so Gwen can buy the hospital—a surprising twist given that Kayla was never particularly fond of Gwen in the past.
Cat Deletes the File as Marlena Issues a Stern Warning
The search for Gwen could be moving much faster if Cat Greene (AnnaLynne McCord) were completely honest. Cat set the investigation back significantly by deleting the file on EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel) that Gwen left behind before disappearing. Had that vital file remained intact, it likely would have provided crucial clues to locating the kidnapped woman, who may currently be held captive on DiMera Island or somewhere in Alamainia.
Cat’s reckless choices are catching up with her, and her deeper involvement in this mess is raising serious red flags for Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall). Now that Marlena knows her former assistant is actually working for the ISA, she is growing increasingly alarmed for Cat’s safety. Marlena warns Cat that she has no real idea what a dangerous man like EJ is truly capable of doing.
Although Cat confidently assures Marlena that she knows exactly what she is doing, Doc is far from convinced. Marlena suspects that Cat might actually be falling for EJ—a dangerous romantic complication that Cat refuses to admit even to herself.
As corporate rivalries rage and undercover missions get messy, who do you think is actually behind the fake Gabi Chic purses? And will Cat’s growing feelings for EJ prevent her from saving Gwen before it’s too late?
