Salem is about to be shaken to its core as a deadly chain of events unfolds, pushing Alex Kiriakis and Stephanie Johnson into their most terrifying nightmare yet. What begins as unease and tension soon explodes into poison, kidnapping, betrayal, and a desperate race against time. Next week’s episodes deliver the kind of chilling suspense that keeps viewers glued to the screen—because no one in Salem is safe when Owen Kent slithers out of the shadows to reclaim the woman he believes belongs to him.

Tension Boils Between Alex, Stephanie & Steve

The drama ignites when Alex Kiriakis, overwhelmed by an obsessive, disturbing letter from an anonymous “fan,” makes a bold choice that sends his romance with Stephanie spiraling. Stephanie dismisses the message as nothing more than intrusive but harmless fan mail. But Alex can’t shake the dread coiling in his gut.

Instead of confiding in her again, Alex turns to Steve Johnson. He quietly hands Steve the letter, asking him to look into it discreetly. But secrets never stay buried for long in Salem.

When Stephanie discovers that Alex hid the message from her and ran to Steve behind her back, the emotional explosion is instant. She accuses him of not trusting her judgment, of undermining their rekindled relationship, of treating her like someone who can’t handle her own past. Their argument escalates into an all-out war that exposes deep fractures—fractures Owen Kent is more than happy to pry open.

Meanwhile, Steve’s instincts sharpen as he investigates the letter. A trail of cryptic phrases, strange symbols, and chilling references points to someone with intimate access to Stephanie’s history. The deeper he digs, the clearer the horrifying pattern becomes: someone out there is watching Stephanie. Someone determined.

A Shadow From Chicago Returns

Stephanie’s best-selling book tour in Chicago should have been the celebration of her dreams. Instead, it becomes the opening act of a nightmare she thought she left behind years ago.

Owen Kent—played with chilling precision by Wes Ramsey—the unstable gardener who once abducted her, emerges like a ghost resurrected from her darkest trauma. He stalks her steps with a predator’s patience, slipping through hotel hallways, hiding in crowds, and leaving behind a trail of bone-chilling reminders that he is far from finished with her.

Anonymous calls whispering her private memories.

Gifts left outside her door—gifts only he would know the meaning of.

The silhouette of a stranger standing under a flickering streetlight, vanishing before security arrives.

Chicago becomes a maze of fear, and Stephanie begins questioning every passerby, every shadow, every second she’s alone. Her book signings are overshadowed by a sense of suffocation she can’t escape. But Salem waits with even greater horrors.

December 8–12: Chaos Erupts — Alex POISONED

Just when the tension between Alex and Stephanie seems unbearable, the situation detonates into violence.

Alex opens an envelope that arrives at Titan—one he believes contains more information about the mysterious letter. Instead, a cloud of fine, deadly powder bursts into the air. A custom-engineered toxin, the kind whispered about in black-market circles. The kind designed to kill without leaving immediate traces.

Within seconds, Alex collapses.

His muscles lock. His breathing fractures. His vision scatters.

He crashes to the floor gasping for air as the powder consumes him from the inside out.

Stephanie rushes into the room moments later—and immediately succumbs to the lingering fumes, collapsing beside him in a devastating heap. Their unconscious bodies lie surrounded by scattered papers as the poison continues its rampage. Sirens echo in the distance, but help arrives too late to stop what comes next.

Owen Strikes — Stephanie Is Kidnapped

Wearing gloves, a mask, and the cold calm of a man who believes destiny favors him, Owen Kent slips into the poisoned scene. He lifts Stephanie’s fragile, unconscious body into his arms and silently disappears into the night.

By the time first responders arrive, Stephanie is gone. And Alex is barely clinging to life.

Doctors discover that the powder is unlike anything they’ve seen—a synthesized biotoxin crafted to mimic the world’s deadliest pathogens. Its rarity buys Owen precious time. Time he intends to use to make Stephanie see him the way he believes she should.

Alex Battles Death — Steve Races Against Time

Alex drifts between consciousness and hallucination in Salem’s ICU. Doctors fight organ failure while Alex sees visions of loved ones urging him to stay alive. But Alex cares about one thing only: Stephanie. And even through broken breaths, he tries to speak clues.

Steve mobilizes everyone he trusts. He decodes the stalker’s original letter, discovering eerie coordinates tied to abandoned industrial zones. Justin Kiriakis steps in with resources, while forensic teams analyze every ounce of evidence. But Owen remains one step ahead—because he knows Stephanie’s routines, fears, and vulnerabilities better than anyone wants to admit.

Meanwhile, Stephanie awakens inside a dark, deserted warehouse. Cameras watch her every move. Owen lurks nearby, whispering promises of “forever,” convinced that fate has reunited them. His delusions intensify as he tries to create a fantasy world in which she willingly stays by his side.

The week races toward a brutal confrontation—one that forces Alex, still weak and defying medical orders, to join the pursuit himself.

But the danger is only beginning.

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PART TWO: December 15—Secrets Explode Across Salem

As the aftermath of the poisoning and kidnapping ripples through town, another storyline erupts—this one centered on the DiMera empire, shaking old loyalties and unburying long-forgotten secrets.

Theo & EJ Join Forces — But For What?

Theo Carver returns to DiMera Enterprises to assist EJ with what appears to be a simple business review. But beneath the corporate gloss lies a chilling truth: DiMera family members are disappearing.

EJ senses a conspiracy tightening around the dynasty. Theo notices EJ’s strained demeanor and slowly realizes this is no routine strategy meeting—it’s a crisis investigation.

Each missing DiMera adds another layer of fear. And when the next disappearance hits home, the urgency becomes suffocating.

Chad Disappears Into the DiMera Crypt

Chad DiMera has been thrown—literally—into the infamous DiMera crypt. Now trapped with Kristen and Tony, he faces a nightmare scenario. His upcoming custody hearing looms dangerously close, and if he doesn’t appear, the courts will interpret it as abandonment.

His children’s futures hang in the balance while he remains imprisoned underground.

Jennifer Horton DiMera Takes a Stand

Jennifer believes Chad’s world is too dangerous for the kids. So she moves to take custody. Her intentions may be protective, but the emotional fallout is explosive.

Cat tries to intervene, attempting to negotiate a compromise that protects Chad and the children—but Jennifer sees her as a manipulator. Their confrontation is raw, deeply personal, and ends with Jennifer refusing to budge.

EJ’s World Tilts — The Truth About Cat

Later, EJ speaks with Cat—and something in her voice ignites a buried memory. A voice reading Wuthering Heights… a voice from his coma in Italy… a voice he heard in the darkness between life and death.

It was hers.

Cat was there.

But why?

Who sent her?

And what did she witness during EJ’s most vulnerable months?

The realization shakes EJ to his core. If Cat was secretly involved in his recovery, she may know truths he has never uncovered—truths powerful enough to rewrite everything he believes about his return to Salem.

A Storm of Secrets Closes In

As the week ends, the questions multiplying around the DiMera empire threaten to expose secrets capable of destroying alliances, relationships—even entire legacies.

And while Salem reels, the hunt for Stephanie continues… with Alex pushing himself beyond human limits to reach her before Owen’s obsession turns fatal.

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