Salem is heading into one of its most perilifying weeks yet as a shadowy threat slithers through the town, ready to strike at the heart of several beloved residents. A sinister presence, silent and calculating, has begun weaving a deadly trap that could upend the fragile peace many characters have only recently begun to rebuild. As whispers of danger start circulating and long-buried secrets bubble to the surface, viewers are being promised an explosive stretch of episodes filled with dread, heartbreak, and shocking revelations no one saw coming.

The upcoming arc begins with a chilling visual—one that has already sent fans spiraling into frenzied speculation. The week’s preview teases a haunting moment: a pair of unmistakable black gloves, sleek and ominous, moving slowly and deliberately as they tamper with a drink. The camera lingers on every calculated motion, making it clear that this is no impulsive act of anger. This is premeditated. This is personal. And whoever is behind those gloves has both the patience of a seasoned predator and the cold precision of someone who has done this before. Viewers are instantly left with a question that echoes through the town: who is the gloved poisoner, and what do they want?

What becomes obvious as the scene unfolds is that the target isn’t random. The drink being sabotaged sits beside a takeout bag clearly labeled “Alex.” It leaves no ambiguity—Alex Kiriakis is in grave danger. After months of juggling complicated romances, intense business deals, and deeply rooted family drama, Alex has accumulated more grudges than he realizes. His recent entanglements with Stephanie Johnson and Joy Wesley alone could have bred enough resentment to paint a target on his back, but Alex’s trouble runs much deeper than mere love triangles.

Alex’s romantic life has become a powder keg in recent weeks. Between his unresolved feelings for Stephanie, the hurt he caused Joy, and the uncomfortable spotlight on his involvement in Stephanie’s scandalous romance novel, he has managed to stir up jealousy, confusion, and mistrust in multiple corners of Salem. When he discovered that Stephanie herself had penned the hugely popular book that exposed intimate details from her past relationships, their entire dynamic was thrown off balance. Tensions rose, boundaries blurred, and Alex’s failure to act on Stephanie’s concerns about what the book revealed now threatens to exact a devastating price.

While Alex unknowingly edges closer to doom, Salem’s newest returning face—Jeremy Horton—steps back into town carrying a dark cloud of suspicion with him. Jeremy, long considered one of the most troublesome figures in Salem’s younger generation, resurfaces with the same toxic energy that once drove him out of town. Played now by Michael Ror, Jeremy is a character whose rap sheet reads more like a seasoned criminal’s than a reformed citizen’s. Theft, fraud, selling fake charity dreams to line his pockets with luxury—Jeremy’s past is a litany of lies and manipulation. But it was his volatile, emotionally abusive relationship with Stephanie Johnson that marked him as one of the most dangerous influences in her life.

Stephanie has tried hard to bury the trauma Jeremy inflicted on her, but his sudden reappearance threatens to drag all those painful memories back into the light. With her newfound success as the mysterious author Anastasia Sands, Stephanie has unwittingly painted a target on her back. Her book, One Stormy Night, is filled with steamy scenes and real-world experiences that readers are beginning to decode—and Jeremy is no exception. Hidden within the pages are passages she crafted from the ruins of their real relationship, scenes that are raw, revealing, and unmistakably tied to him. Stephanie had begged Alex to help remove those passages from the final manuscript, fearing exactly what Jeremy’s reaction might be. But Alex, distracted by his own emotional turmoil, never followed through.

Now, with Jeremy back and likely discovering his portrayal in the novel, his explosive temper and history of obsession put Stephanie directly in harm’s way. It doesn’t take long for Salem residents to speculate that Jeremy could indeed be the black-gloved poisoner, plotting vengeance through the same kind of covert manipulation he’s always thrived on. The idea that he might try to eliminate Alex in order to reclaim control over Stephanie is an unsettling but believable possibility. His charm, much like before, may be nothing more than a mask hiding a much darker plan.

However, Days of our Lives has a long-standing love for misdirection, and viewers know better than to take the obvious suspect at face value. Jeremy may check every box of a textbook villain, but that doesn’t guarantee he’s the mastermind behind the poisoned drink. The show has a habit of slipping shocking, unexpected twists beneath familiar narratives, turning seemingly guilty parties into red herrings while the real threat hides in plain sight. And Salem currently has no shortage of individuals who might want Alex gone.

Joy Wesley could be battling her own sense of betrayal if she realizes Alex’s heart never fully belonged to her. Philip Kiriakis has ongoing tensions with Alex involving forged documents, business power struggles, and complicated family loyalties—all reasons that could spark dark impulses. Even those connected to the Body and Soul production have reason to fear an unseen poisoner after multiple cast members fell violently ill from tainted cupcakes delivered anonymously. And with Abe Carver among the victims, the web of danger appears bigger than just Alex.

Which begs the question: is this poisoner targeting Alex alone, or is this part of a broader attack creeping through Salem?

Adding another layer of dread to the unfolding drama is the horrifying possibility that Stephanie herself could become the unintended victim. If she happens to sip Alex’s drink before he does—or if they share it in a tender moment—she could be the one who collapses. The idea that Stephanie could suffer the consequences of an attack meant for Alex injects both tragic irony and emotional devastation into the situation. After everything the two have gone through—the betrayals, reconnections, painful confessions, and their recently rekindled commitment to each other—the thought of their new happiness being ripped away is almost unbearable. Stephanie has only just acknowledged the depth of her feelings for Alex again, and he has made it clear she is the future he wants. A single poisoned drink could destroy all of that in an instant.

Meanwhile, Salem itself seems to be slipping deeper into chaos as more poisoning incidents ripple through the community. The Body and Soul set has already been plunged into fear, and law enforcement is struggling to determine whether these attacks are connected or if multiple villains are moving simultaneously with similar methods. A serial poisoner in Salem is not unprecedented, but the thought of a new one emerging—targeting beloved characters across different storylines—has the entire town on edge. And with indirect attacks like poisoned food and drinks, the culprit could operate freely without ever being seen or confronted.

As the week approaches, the tension thickens. Jeremy’s return, Alex’s enemies, the ongoing cupcake poisonings, and the ominous black gloves all point to a looming climax that could send shockwaves through Salem. Fans are left to wonder whether the poisoner is seeking revenge, attempting to silence someone, or trying to manipulate events in their favor. And more chillingly, whether the intended victim will even be the one who ultimately pays the price.

The next episodes promise harrowing moments, emotional fallout, and the possibility of tragedy striking Stephanie or Alex—or both. With time running out and the poisoner’s identity still hidden behind those eerie black gloves, Salem braces for a devastating blow it may not recover from. As the danger tightens around the couple, viewers are left clinging to hope that someone will uncover the truth before the poison does its deadly work.

Because once the cup is lifted, there may be no turning back.