Image: Jill Johnson/JPI

In their room at DiMera mansion, Abigail wakes Chad up. She can’t sleep. He nudges her arm. He can help her sleep with sex. She scoffs, wondering how he can think of sex at a time like this. She can’t stop thinking about Stefano playing games – if it’s even Stefano. Chad grins, still wanting her. After they make love, Abigail apologizes for being “triggered” about “the Stefano stuff.” Chad understands her concerns. The man Chad thinks is Stefano messages him, challenging him to a chess match. If Chad wins, “Stefano” will meet him. They dress and head to another room where the men play against each other via laptop.

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At the Kiriakis mansion, Ciara tells Ben that she learned Xander got the CEO position at Titan for doing Victor a favor. Ben tells her to be careful since Xander’s dangerous. She disconnects, and Sarah and Xander appear. Sarah’s got Mackenzie and puke all over her shirt from smashed peas. Xander agrees to bathe the kid while Sarah cleans herself up. Once they’re gone, Ciara rummages through Xander’s briefcase then his room and finds another briefcase.

Princess Gina’s bags are packed at the townhouse. She receives a call and complains to the caller that Marlena’s back and the wedge driven between them is gone. “Worse, she’s trying to throw me out,” Gina says as Marlena appears, asking, “You talking about me?” Gina pretends she’s talking to Doug and disconnects. They talk about “Hope” going back to her own place after the repairs are done at her place and “Hope” thanks Marlena, saying she’s been back 24 hours and already she has all of the answers. Marlena begs Hope’s pardon. John walks up. Now that he’s slept on it, he doesn’t want Hope to move out. Gina’s thrilled. John takes Doc aside and worries they’ve hurt Hope’s feelings. Marlena agrees to allow her to stay though she’s not happy. They kiss and giggle. Gina takes off and the couple has breakfast. Marlena’s jealous. John reminds Marlena Hope is a good friend and was there when Doc canceled their plans. Marlena denies that. Marlena has zero respect for Hope complaining about staying with Doug and Julie and calls her selfish for bailing on them. John asks why she’s so worked up. Marlena admits that last night it looked as if Hope was trying to seduce him. John says they’ve been roommates for months and she hasn’t tried to seduce him yet. Besides, John only has eyes for Marlena.

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In prison, Clyde pays a guard to let him see his son in the meeting room. Once the guard is gone, Ben learns Clyde was let out of solitary to see “Ollie.” Clyde assumes Ben killed Tammy Sue but Ben denies it vehemently. He refuses Clyde’s help with his last appeal but Clyde says it’s too late. “You owe me one.”

In Statesville prison, Eve yells after disconnecting from a call, angrily. “I hate everybody,” she screams. Hattie, who is reading a book written by Bonnie Lockhart called, Love made me Looney, tells her to can it. She’s trying to read. Hattie suggests Eve write a tell-all book like Bonnie and make “buckets ‘o dough.” Eve calls that idea stupid. She’s not guilty. Hattie then suggests she “write a hypothetical book like that idiot football player.” She could call it, “I didn’t do it but if I did…” By Eve Donovan. Eve calls that idea “stupider.” Hattie’s offended. Soon, she’ll be out and can help her on the outside. Eve gets an idea and asks for her phone card.

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Princess Gina returns to her loft, annoyed that Steffy is fixated on his computer. She learns he’s playing chess against Chad and as she continues to paint his portrait, asks what he’ll do now that his Queen of the Night, Marlena, is back. They discuss Abigail, the nosy reporter that Gina doesn’t want nosing around.

Back at the DiMera mansion, Abigail accepts a collect call from Statesville and Eve, who asks her to meet. They disconnect and Abby updates Chad and leaves. Chad’s shocked when he wins the game.

Xander and Sarah wander the square and she tells him how grateful she is to him for keeping her lies to himself. Xander leaves and Sarah finds a wad of cash a woman has dropped. She gives it back to the woman, (played by Sarah Benoit ), turning her back on her kid in the process. When she turns back around, Mackenzie is gone.

Back at Statesville, Abigail arrives.

Xander returns to his office and finds Ciara…

On the next Days of our Lives:

Eve wants Abby to investigate her mother’s “fall.”