All the conspiracies, lies and toxic promises are now intersecting. Salem is in its most chaotic phase ever.

On one side is Stephanie – the woman who dares to speak the truth; on the other side is EJ DiMera – the man who is trying to keep the secret at all costs.

Both are rushing into a war from which neither can back down.

At the beginning of the new episode, a data leak shakes the whole city.

A mysterious clip goes viral – supposedly proof that EJ participated in manipulating documents to cover up a major incident. Salem’s netizens “explode”, while EJ smiles faintly, saying to Lucas: “I’m not afraid of the truth. I just hate it when it comes at the wrong time.”

Meanwhile, Stephanie receives an anonymous message: “If you don’t stop, the person you love will disappear.” The threat shakes her, but instead of being scared, she becomes more determined. The scene where she stands in the middle of Salem Square, reading the declaration aloud, is considered one of the most emotional scenes in the series.

Alex Kiriakis appears at the right time, takes her hand and says: “No matter what happens, I will be here.” But the audience knows – love in Salem is never peaceful. Soon after, EJ’s car appears, stops in front of the building, and he steps out with a half-smile: “If you want to play with fire, I will be the one to light the match.”

From there, the whole of Salem turns into a battlefield: one side wants to expose the truth, the other side is the force that wants to bury it forever. Characters like Chanel, Paulina and Rafe begin to get caught up in the vortex as everyone is more or less involved. One night of rain and thunder, a gunshot rings out – and the screen goes black.

Who was shot? Who is behind the real leak? And is Stephanie being used by a force greater than EJ?