On New Year’s Day 2026, Salem was ablaze with fireworks, but amidst the dazzling lights, a kiss sent shockwaves through the town.

Sarah Horton Kiriakis – a woman heartbroken by love – unexpectedly gave Brady Black his first kiss of the year in the middle of Salem Square, before dozens of stunned eyes.

That kiss wasn’t just a New Year’s greeting. It signaled an emotional earthquake.

Brady was still tormented by his past, while Sarah thought she was ready to move on.

But the gentle squeeze of his hand, the inability to avoid his gaze, and then their lips touching amidst the countdown – everything was too real, too fast, and too dangerous.

Immediately after that moment, Salem erupted in flames. Chloe Lane – Brady’s former lover – watched in stunned silence, her eyes filled with tears, yet she tried to remain calm. Xander, Sarah’s ex-husband, chose to leave the party, walking silently through the night rain. A man who once had it all, now lost both faith and composure.

According to the NBC preview, Sarah and Brady both try to deny their true feelings. But when they are caught in a small snowstorm on their way back to the hotel, with no lights, no one around, only the flickering fire in the fireplace – their denials become meaningless.

Fans predict this will be the “starting point” for a series of tragedies that will last throughout the year. It’s not just a kiss – it’s the unlocking of emotions they’ve buried for so long. A twist that begins romantically, but could end in heartbreak for everyone. Salem has never been peaceful, and New Year’s Eve is just the beginning of a new tragedy.