If Salem has one person who knows how to hide behind a smile, it’s EJ DiMera.

This week, he’s no longer the handsome, powerful businessman – he’s a predator operating in the shadows.

When Stephanie starts leaking clues, EJ immediately sets in motion a plan to “clear the way” – to keep things in his grasp, before they explode.

The most impressive scene is when EJ stands in his office, the door closed, and coldly says to his assistant: “If she opens her mouth, I want all the records gone.”

His voice is as light as the wind but enough to make viewers shudder. EJ doesn’t need to shout – just give an order, and everything disappears.

It’s revealed that EJ is trying to manipulate public opinion and erase traces of an incident related to the DiMera family. What he fears is not just losing his reputation – but a piece of evidence that could send the entire family into the abyss. Stephanie, intentionally or not, holds the key to that secret.

A preview shows Chanel Dupree discovering a strange document on EJ’s computer, which contains Stephanie’s name and a secret meeting place. When Chanel questions, EJ just smiles faintly: “Some truths need to be kept secret forever.”

From here, Salem begins to shake. People gossip, the press rummages, and EJ is forced to go further than his original plan. He seeks out Susan – a shady person – to ask for help in “clearing the way”. Two powerful people join hands in the dark, exchanging secrets and money.

However, EJ seems to have underestimated Stephanie. He did not expect her to be willing to trade everything just to expose the truth. The more he tries to block her, the closer he pushes her to the light.