Xander Goes to Extremes to Ensure Leo’s Silence, While Jack Gives Gwen an Ultimatum — and He Really Means It This Time

A grave-looking Jack comes home to Gwen. Rafe thought he might be able to talk some sense into her about Xander. She defends Xander’s actions, which she knows disappoints her father. Jack shouts that he graduated from disappointed to disgusted three schemes ago, but she can make it right by telling the police everything she knows. Gwen can’t do that to Xander. She’d lose him. Jack asks if she’d rather lose him. Abigail’s death changed everything for him, and he can’t keep dealing with the negativity and drama Gwen brings. So, unless she tells Rafe everything she knows about Xander, she will lose not only her job and a place to live, but him as a father. The choice is hers.

Half-naked and drunk in bed, Xander yells at a romcom on the TV, as Leo comes to the door. After some banter, Leo warns the fallen Kiriakis that he’s testifying against him in front of a grand jury. Upon learning Will knows what he did, Xander worries young Horton will use it for his next Peacock flick. Leo suggests a Hemsworth could play him. Intrigued, Xander asks which one. Leo snarks, “Not Chris.”

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When Leo remarks he has nothing left to lose by testifying, Xander paws at him. What if he shows him what he has to gain by keeping his mouth shut. Flustered, Leo backs away. Xander wraps his arms around his waist and nuzzles his ear. Leo tells Xander to take him now. Xander walks him to the bed, lays him back, and grabs his throat. The veins in Xander’s neck strain as he strangles him. With murderous rage, he lets Leo go, but warns if he testifies, Leo will join Susan in the afterlife. Do you understand, Xander asks. Panting and shaking, Leo says, perfectly, and gets the heck out of there.

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In the wine cellar, Stefan unsuccessfully tries to free himself of his restraints. He reaches for his phone in his pocket, but it falls to the floor. He wiggles his foot out of his shoe and sock and uses his bare toe to answer an incoming call from Statesville. Stefan loosens the duct tape and accepts the call from Vivian. Leaning forward, a breathless Stefan begs his mother to send help. She calls him ungrateful for not visiting since his resurrection. He grovels and she agrees to take his request under consideration.

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Wrapped in a towel, Li emerges from the bathroom to find Gabi sneaking out of his Salem Inn room. She flippantly explains she changed her mind about sleeping with him. He doesn’t think she ever intended to reunite with him. So, why is she there? He grabs her arm and throws her to the bed. He pulls out his burner phone and angrily asks if that’s why she came to his room. Gabi lies that she’s never seen it before, but Li discovers an outgoing call timestamped while he was in the shower.

Gabi confirms that she talked to Rolf, who is on his way to deprogram Stefan. Li reminds her Stefan has no interest in being deprogrammed. Gabi spits out, “Who says I’m giving him a choice?” She covers by saying she’ll never stop trying to convince Stefan to get his memory back, and Rolf will help her accomplish that. She leaves in a huff. Li grabs his phone and dials. He orders someone to make sure Rolf stays away from Salem, permanently.

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In the Kiriakis living room, Sarah informs Justin and Maggie she will not be giving Xander a second chance because she found him half-naked with Gwen. Maggie tries to defend him, but Sarah knows she’ll never be able to trust him again. Justin remarks she made his cousin want to be a better man, like Maggie does for Victor. Sarah counters the difference is that Victor has lines he won’t cross. She can’t say the same for Xander. Justin knows Xander isn’t a bad person, but he does bad things. Sarah asks him to draw up the divorce papers. Maggie tears up, as Justin agrees to handle it.

At the motel, Xander continues drinking, as Sarah knocks on the door. She hands him divorce papers and says, “Our marriage is over.”

Leo finds a glum Gwen in the Square. He tells her he decided not to turn on Xander. It could be hazardous to his health. She tells him she chose Xander over Jack, who kicked her out of the house, fired her, and declared she no longer has a father.

At the Horton House, Jack tosses a framed photo of him and Gwen into the trash can.

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Gabi returns to the wine cellar as Stefan begs Vivian for help. Gabi grabs the phone and tells Vivian that while Stefan has no time to visit her, he had plenty of time to take Chloe to Miami. She assures Vivian that once Stefan’s deprogrammed, she’ll make sure he visits once a week. She hangs up and says. “Nice try, but Mommy Weirdest is team ‘Stabi.’ Rolf knocks on the door. Gabi lights up and says, “Who’s down for a little deprogramming?”

Next, on Days of Our Lives: Jack encourages Chad, and Sarah pressures Xander.

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