While Stephanie struggles between reality and fantasy, Alex Kiriakis is caught in another nightmare: his secret is about to be exposed.

The man who was once considered successful, charming and loyal is now suspected of being involved in money laundering in his own PR company.

It all started when Alex discovered that the accounting system was being manipulated, and his name appeared in a shady multi-million dollar transaction.

He tried to hide this from Stephanie – afraid that she would worry and her book would be used as evidence – but it was his silence that made her suspicious.

On a rainy night, Stephanie caught Alex sneaking into the safe and taking out a USB containing confidential documents. She shouted: “What are you hiding from me?” Alex turned around, his eyes filled with fear: “Because I love you, I can’t tell you.” The answer made viewers both sad and angry – love turned into a lie.

Things get even more tense when Susan Banks shows up, handing Stephanie a copy of the contract Alex signed with a “phantom” company. She says: “He’s not just lying to you, he’s hiding a crime.” Stephanie can’t take it anymore, and leaves in the middle of the night in the pouring rain – a scene that fans have replayed dozens of times.

The climax comes when Alex receives a call from an unknown number: “If you don’t hand over the original file, Stephanie will pay.” He rushes out of the house, searches for her in vain, only to find her phone abandoned by the lake. The episode ends with Alex on his knees, screaming in despair: “Stephanie!”