What should have been one of the happiest chapters in Alex Kiriakis and Stephanie Johnson’s love story is rapidly transforming into one of the most disturbing storylines Days of Our Lives has delivered in years. The January 23rd cliffhanger was not just dramatic — it was a warning. Salem has entered a psychological minefield, and the blast radius is only beginning to expand.

It all starts with a gift.

In Salem, no mysterious box left on your doorstep is ever just a kind gesture. When Alex and Stephanie discovered a package outside their door, seasoned viewers knew immediately that danger was lurking. Fortunately, Steve “Patch” Johnson was present — and when a legendary ISA agent hesitates before opening a box, you know the stakes are high. Inside, however, was not a bomb or poison, but something far more insidious: a simple picture frame accompanied by a note implying it was sent by EJ DiMera.

On the surface, the explanation seemed logical. EJ was in Italy, Stephanie and Alex had just announced their engagement, and Rita Leslie sending a gift on EJ’s behalf fit his usual over-the-top style. But this is where the brilliance — and cruelty — of the stalker’s plan becomes clear. By attaching EJ’s name to the gift, the sender ensured it would never be questioned, never examined, and never discarded. An anonymous package would have been swept for bugs instantly. A DiMera gift? It earned a place of honor inside their home.

And that’s exactly what the stalker wanted.

Alex, driven by ego and his hunger for validation within Salem’s power circles, embraced the idea that EJ DiMera acknowledged him. It fed his need to feel important, connected, and respected. That blind spot may prove catastrophic, because while Alex saw status, the stalker saw opportunity. Stephanie, meanwhile, unknowingly welcomed a listening device into her most private space — a silent witness to her fears, her wedding plans, and her most intimate moments.

The true horror begins when EJ returns to Salem.

EJ DiMera does not make accidental gestures, and when Stephanie inevitably thanks him for the frame, his confusion will be immediate — and chilling. He didn’t send it. He didn’t know about the engagement. And the moment that truth lands, the illusion of safety will shatter. For Stephanie, this realization is not merely unsettling; it is retraumatizing. She has lived this nightmare before.

Steve Johnson, already on edge due to Jeremy Horton’s suspicious behavior, will connect the dots quickly. But instead of destroying the frame and losing their only lead, Steve may make a daring — and dangerous — choice. Keep the bug. Feed it lies. Turn the tables. This opens the door to classic ISA tactics: deception, staged conversations, and a carefully laid trap designed to lure the stalker into revealing himself.

Yet there’s a wildcard Steve cannot fully control: Alex.

Alex is emotional, impulsive, and fiercely protective. Unlike Steve’s calculated approach, Alex tends to react first and think later. That volatility could sabotage the entire operation — and that may be exactly when the stalker strikes. Jeremy Horton, meanwhile, increasingly looks like a red herring. His sketchy behavior makes him the perfect scapegoat, but the timeline doesn’t add up. In fact, Jeremy may ultimately help expose the real villain in a twist no one sees coming.

And that villain may be a name longtime viewers will never forget.

All signs point toward Owen Kent.

Owen’s obsession with Stephanie was never about love — it was about control. Years ago, he kidnapped her and locked her in a morgue drawer, a storyline so dark it still haunts the show’s history. A hidden listening device aligns perfectly with his voyeuristic tendencies. He wants to watch. He wants to listen. He wants to own her. If spoilers suggesting Stephanie’s upcoming kidnapping are accurate, Owen’s return would not be petty revenge — it would be a full-circle horror story.

While this nightmare unfolds, another equally disturbing mystery grips Salem.

Dimitri von Leuschner has vanished, and the circumstances surrounding his disappearance grow darker by the day. Gwen initially denied involvement, but her panic speaks louder than her words. She knows something went wrong — something far beyond her control. Leo Stark, torn between rage and grief, may be forced into an uneasy alliance with Gwen as the truth threatens to surface.

That truth may involve Dr. Wilhelm Rolf.

With EJ temporarily absent, Rolf’s moral leash has loosened. Gwen’s financial support of his experimental research may have opened the door to something monstrous. Dimitri could have been promised safety, exile, or luxury — a lie designed to soothe guilt and silence questions. But the reality may be far more terrifying. A hidden underground lab. A human subject stripped of autonomy. Experiments conducted not out of cruelty, but “progress.”

If Dimitri is alive, survival will not mean salvation. His return would be fractured, traumatized, and devastating for everyone involved. This storyline forces every character to confront the cost of manipulation, ambition, and unchecked power.

Ultimately, Days of Our Lives is steering toward a high-stakes reckoning. A bugged engagement gift ignites a chain reaction that exposes old wounds, resurrects old monsters, and reminds Salem that the past never stays buried. Stephanie’s fate hangs in the balance. Dimitri’s humanity is at risk. And when the truth finally explodes, it may destroy far more than anyone is prepared for.

One thing is certain: Salem is listening… and the nightmare has only just begun.