EJ Is Deceiving Everyone, Rita Is the Mastermind Behind His Plan | Days of Our Lives Spoilers

Welcome back to Days Drama Digest, the place where Salem’s secrets are never safe and every shadow seems to hide another betrayal. If you’re a longtime Days of Our Lives fan, you already know the feeling—those late nights replaying scenes in your head, wondering if a glance lingered too long or if a single line of dialogue meant more than it seemed. And right now, Salem is buzzing with one of the most tantalizing mysteries we’ve seen in a long time. At the center of it all stands EJ DiMera, a man whose charm is matched only by his capacity for deception. But what if the truth is even darker than we imagined? What if EJ has been playing everyone all along—and Rita is the true architect of the scheme?

Let’s take a deep dive into the storyline that has fans questioning everything they thought they knew. Is EJ really the victim of a terrifying kidnapping, or is this yet another elaborate DiMera con designed to shift power, control the narrative, and flush out enemies? And where does Rita fit into all of this—the quiet figure who appears at just the right moment, moving pieces behind the scenes while Salem looks the other way?

The stage is set in one of the most iconic and ominous locations in Days of Our Lives history: the DiMera catacombs. These underground corridors are more than just a dramatic backdrop; they are a symbol of buried sins, family secrets, and long-forgotten crimes. When EJ awakens there—disheveled, exhausted, and apparently disoriented—it looks like a nightmare brought to life. His once-perfect suit is rumpled, his confidence shaken, and the air around him feels heavy with decay and dread.

Enter Theo Carver and Chad DiMera, charging into the darkness like unlikely heroes. Theo’s moral compass and Chad’s complicated loyalty to his brother create an emotional mix of relief, tension, and unanswered questions. They recount the chaos unfolding above ground—the frantic search, the whispers of foul play, the fear that EJ might already be dead. EJ listens, rubbing his temples as if emerging from a terrible dream, before dropping a revelation that instantly sends chills down the spine: years ago, he himself sealed off the entrance to the catacombs.

It’s a confession that feels oddly calculated. EJ explains that after a string of crimes rocked Salem, no one would ever think to look for him there. The way he delivers the line—tinged with arrogance, as if everyone else should have known better—raises immediate red flags. Because in Salem, coincidences are rare, and DiMera “mistakes” are almost always intentional.

As the rescue continues, EJ turns his attention to Tony and Kristen DiMera. Both claim they were upstairs, asleep, unaware of what was happening below. EJ’s frustration erupts. Why didn’t they come for him sooner? Why didn’t they break down the door? Tony and Kristen insist they were close—on the verge of forcing their way in—when a sudden gunshot echoed through the tunnels. A warning shot. A clear message that danger was still lurking in the shadows.

That single gunshot changes everything. Was it fired by the mysterious kidnapper to escape? Or was it a carefully timed distraction meant to delay the rescue just long enough? In Days of Our Lives, gunfire is rarely random, and this moment feels far too precise to dismiss.

For longtime viewers, this is where suspicion takes root. EJ’s rescue feels staged, almost theatrical. His exhaustion looks real—but is it? His story holds together on the surface, yet the more you examine it, the more cracks begin to appear. The timing alone is too perfect. Just as the DiMera empire faces mounting threats and rival forces begin to circle, EJ disappears. When he returns, he does so as a sympathetic victim, instantly redirecting blame and rallying support.

If EJ were truly kidnapped, he gains everything from the ordeal—sympathy, loyalty, and a clean slate. But if he orchestrated it himself? Then this “crime” becomes a masterstroke, allowing him to manipulate events from the shadows while everyone else scrambles.

And that brings us to Rita.

Rita’s reappearance is anything but subtle. She steps back into Salem with quiet confidence, carrying out orders that allegedly came from EJ while he was missing. These orders conveniently tie up loose ends, advance certain agendas, and keep the DiMera machine running smoothly. It’s almost as if someone was managing the chaos…someone who knew exactly what EJ wanted, even when he was supposedly unreachable.

The coincidence is glaring. Rita returns just as EJ’s ordeal concludes. For many fans, that’s the moment the puzzle pieces start to align. What if Rita wasn’t just following instructions? What if she was helping design the entire plan?

Imagine this: weeks before EJ vanished, he and Rita met in secret. A dimly lit room. A glass of scotch in EJ’s hand. A calculated conversation about needing a diversion—something big enough to make EJ untouchable. Rita, with her sharp mind and intimate knowledge of DiMera secrets, becomes the perfect partner. She knows about the catacombs. She understands how to stage a convincing abduction. And most importantly, she knows how to stay invisible.

The kidnapping itself becomes a performance. A staged struggle. A dramatic disappearance. Down in the catacombs, EJ isn’t suffering—he’s waiting, planning, and communicating through covert means. Above ground, Salem panics. Theo and Chad chase shadows. Tony and Kristen react just slowly enough. And that warning shot? Not a threat, but a signal—time to retreat, time to keep the illusion alive.

Rita’s role in all of this cannot be overstated. She isn’t a mindless henchwoman. She’s a strategist, a wildcard with her own motivations. Perhaps she’s driven by loyalty. Perhaps ambition. Or perhaps revenge against enemies of the DiMeras. Her history suggests layers we’ve only begun to peel back. Every quiet glance, every perfectly timed action hints that she’s more than she appears.

If this scheme unravels—and it will—the fallout could be explosive. Chad’s simmering resentment toward EJ could ignite into full-blown war. Theo, guided by his conscience, may uncover evidence that shatters his trust. And the DiMera family, already fractured by secrets and betrayals, could implode under the weight of this deception.

Stylistically, the storyline is pure Days of Our Lives brilliance. The lighting casts long shadows across EJ’s face, emphasizing ambiguity. The music swells ominously whenever Rita appears, practically daring viewers to question her every move. It’s suspense crafted with intention, designed to keep fans arguing long after the credits roll.

Beyond the plot twists, there’s an emotional cost. EJ’s disappearance wasn’t just a power play—it was psychological warfare. His family suffered. Old wounds were reopened. Trust was tested. And if this was all a ruse, then the betrayal cuts deeper than any gunshot echoing through the catacombs.

As weeks pass, the clues may start to surface—a discarded burner phone, a contradiction in Rita’s orders, a moment when EJ’s story doesn’t quite add up. When the truth finally comes out, it won’t just expose a fake kidnapping. It will reveal who truly holds the strings in Salem.

So, is EJ deceiving everyone? Are we watching a master manipulator play victim while Rita quietly runs the show? All signs point to yes—but this is Days of Our Lives, where nothing is ever that simple. Whether EJ is the ultimate mastermind or an unwitting pawn in Rita’s game, one thing is certain: Salem is heading toward a reckoning, and when the truth emerges, it will hit like a thunderclap.

What do you think? Is EJ guilty of the ultimate con, or is there an even bigger twist waiting in the wings? Stay tuned, because in Salem, secrets never stay buried forever.