DOOL SHOCKER: Vivian Drops a Bomb That Destroys Xander — Marlena Betrayed, Steve Makes His Move!

Kayla sits down in her office, looking wistfully at a photo of her and Steve. “I miss him, too,” Stephanie says as she enters. Then, after a little prompting, she admits she’s freaking out. “And I need my mom.”

She assures her mom she’s not in danger, then talks in vague terms about the secret she found out, spread out, and forced Alex to keep. She’s not sure if she’s protecting people or making everything worse? Kayla tells her daughter to follow her conscience.

Steve and Marlena Interrogate Orpheus

Meanwhile, in Estonia, Steve tells Marlena that the ISA hasn’t decrypted the file she found yet. No word on what “Rosebud” means. (Besides, you know, Citizen Kane.) They talk about not being able to get access to Orpheus, but once Marlena finds out he has a medical team, she has a plan.

She and Steve don doctor coats and slip into Orpheus’ hospital room pretending to be his psychologist(s). They tell Orpheus that he loves his children and grandchildren, and a rogue nuclear weapon will affect his family, as well as everyone’s.

Orpheus agrees to help, but he wants help so his son can see his kid. Marlena agrees to write a letter to help Christian and sets her bag on Orpheus’ bed. Great, the villain says. Rosebud is the codename for a black market arms exchange in Latvia. Sadly, he doesn’t have coordinates.

Before they leave, Marlena promises to help Christian. Back at the hotel, Steve fills Andrew in on what they learned, then tells Marlena the ISA has told them to back off. The pros have to infiltrate the arms exchange. It’s too much for them.

Marlena loses it — she can’t go home and just wait for the phone to ring. But she trusts Steve. She’ll pack while he goes to book a flight back to Salem. He calls Kayla to tell her he’s coming home. The ISA can take it from here and like it or not, this is what’s best.

Marlena spots a note on her bag “If you want to see John alive, come back and come alone.” She leaves the room just as Steve gets off the phone and heads off.

Stephanie and Alex Hate Their Secret

Philip and Alex run into each other outside the Brady pub. Alex tries ignoring his cousin, but Philip stops him to say he did something terrible, but it’s working out well. Victor would be proud of all of them.

Alex doubts that. All their accomplishments were built on sand, and Philip’s lies coming out will knock them all down. He’s only going along for Xander. And he’s keeping quiet for now, or everything they’ve done could be lost. But he WILL tell Xander when the time is right.

Stephanie and Alex run into each other in the square; she, ready to tell Xander, Alex wanting to keep the secret. Steph apologizes for putting him in this situation.

Sarah Confesses to Maggie

Sarah gets home to an empty house, only for Maggie to scare her as she comes in. She tells Sarah she gave the staff the night off after “the trash took itself out.” Meaning, Vivian. Maggie shows Sarah the note Vivian left, happy Philip kicked her to the curb. She doesn’t understand why that woman has a hold on him.

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“I do,” Sarah sighs. She doesn’t want to admit what she knows, but unlike Xander always buying it, Maggie doesn’t believe her daughter when she comes up with excuses. Sarah doesn’t want to burden her mom, but… “I’m keeping a huge secret from Xander.” And it could change his life.

She tells Maggie about the forged letter. Maggie scoffs. “Oh my…” Sarah apologizes, but Maggie says it’s not her fault. But why keep it quiet?? She didn’t learn about it until it was too late, and by then she was afraid of what Xander would do to Philip.

Maggie’s empathetic as Sarah lays out how it’s been tearing her up, even though Philip and Xander working together is working out. She’s not sure if she’s keeping the secret because it’s for Xander or because she’s afraid to tell him that she’s lying to him too.

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Maggie sits Sarah down and says what she did was out of love and worry over Xander. Sarah asks what Victor would have wanted, and Maggie sighs. He loved both sons and would have wanted Philip in the will, but couldn’t give him anything. He would have liked this, Maggie thinks.

Lie or not, good has come from it. Sarah’s confession would only make one person feel better: Sarah. Maggie’s even more dumbfounded when Sarah tells her that Stephanie and Alex know, too. Even more reason not to tell Xander, Maggie says.

But whatever Sarah decides, Maggie loves her and always will.

Vivian Tells Xander the Truth

Vivian wanders in off the streets into Xander’s brand new office with news… “About your brother.” She wants to explain why Philip stuck his neck out to get her to stay at the mansion. She didn’t give him a choice. Xander realizes she blackmailed Philip — and he knows what it is. “He’s still carrying on with Stephanie, isn’t he?”

Silly Xander, that was just a cover story. Vivian tells Xander that he’s not making a fool out of Alex, “He’s making a fool out of you.” She mentions having to share half of Titan, but Xander insists it’s worked out wonderfully. He and Philip have never been closer.

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“That bond is a lie,” Vivian chuckles. She wrote Philip’s letter, not Victor. Xander doesn’t believe her at first, saying she’s just copying what Theresa did. Vivian signs Victor’s name and shows Xander how good she is at forging his father’s signature.

He still doesn’t want to believe Vivian, but then she starts reciting the letter verbatim. “I wrote many of those out until I decided it was believable.” Xander doesn’t understand how this makes sense. If she was conning him, it worked.

Philip didn’t keep his end of the bargain, so she wants him to suffer. “I may have forged the letter, but it was your brother who stabbed you in the back. Ta-ta,” she waves and walks out.

In the Show’s Final Moments

Alex says the less he sees Xander the better, so they head out for lunch. That’s when Philip shows up in the square and sees Vivian, who delightfully tells him she told Xander everything. “Your brother’s a little upset with you.”

Sarah’s on the couch talking to Victor’s portrait, bemoaning her secret when Xander bursts in and pours a drink. “What’s… what’s wrong?” He was just betrayed “in the worst possible way.”

Marlena gets back to Orpheus — no doctor coat this time. He lied about Rosebud to Steve. He only trusts Marlena. He knows where John is and can take her to him. She just has to get him out. “Go to hell,” she responds. They both knew he was lying, and she knows he’s still lying.

Steve strolls in and says Orpheus isn’t needed. The ISA decrypted the file. They flash back to Marlena showing Steve the note and Steve saying the ISA discovered the arms market is in Minsk. Orpheus insists they’re making a mistake and he’s their only hope of seeing John. Marlena and Steve walk out as Orpheus yells at her to stay.

On the next Days of Our Lives, Xander tears into Philip and Gabi and Vivian face off.