The week of February 9–13 is set to detonate across Days of Our Lives, delivering a volatile mix of homecomings, heartbreak, romantic risks,

and the long shadow of Stefano DiMera stretching over Salem once more. Old legacies resurface, new alliances take shape, and by the time Valentine’s Day arrives,

more than one couple may find love comes at a dangerous cost. At the center of it all? Gabi Hernandez — and a potential windfall that could rewrite the power structure of the DiMera dynasty.

Salem Welcomes a Familiar Hero Home

The week kicks off Monday with a moment designed to warm hearts before the drama turns blistering. Eli Grant makes an emotional stop to see Julie Williams, and he comes bearing life-changing news: he, Lani, and the twins are moving back to Salem.

For Julie — and for longtime viewers — it’s the kind of return that restores a sense of family continuity. Eli represents legacy, stability, and the promise that some branches of the Horton tree still grow strong. Yet the timing is impossible to ignore. As certain younger couples quietly prepare to cycle out in the months ahead, Eli and Lani’s presence feels like a deliberate reshuffling of Salem’s romantic landscape.

But joy in this town never goes unchallenged.

Elsewhere, Leo and Dmitri attempt to define the complicated connection they once shared, only to have the conversation cut brutally short when Rafe arrives with handcuffs. Dmitri is taken into custody, suspected of orchestrating the DiMera kidnapping chaos — a bitter irony for a man who himself has been both victim and villain in equal measure.

At the same time, tensions flare between Alex and a man many believe is tied to the stalking nightmare still hovering over Salem. Accusations fly, tempers ignite, and the paranoia deepens.

Meanwhile, Gabi seeks Gwen’s help. Given the seismic legal developments looming over the DiMera estate, this could be the first domino in a much larger strategy.

Farewell, Father — and a Ring That Changes Everything

Tuesday brings ritual, remembrance, and revelation as the DiMera children gather to say a final goodbye to Stefano. Tony, EJ, Chad, Kristen, and Theo unite in grief, interring their father’s ashes in the family crypt. Whatever wars they fight tomorrow, in this moment they are bound by blood.

But Stefano never leaves quietly.

In a twist worthy of the man himself, EJ receives a posthumous delivery: the Phoenix ring, passed to him by a trusted intermediary following Stefano’s final instructions. It is not merely jewelry. It is inheritance, expectation, and perhaps a curse.

Because by Wednesday — Valentine’s Day — observers begin to notice a shift in EJ. With Johnny having cut him off and another grandchild possibly out of reach, rejection gnaws at him. The ring may be awakening something ruthless, something familiar.

Is EJ about to embrace the darker legacy of his father?

Love, Lust, and Leverage

Romance in Salem is rarely simple — and this week it borders on explosive.

Gwen turns her attention to Xander, offering flirtation with unmistakable intent. With his marriage officially behind him, resistance may be minimal. Their chemistry could ignite fast, but the emotional fallout promises to be anything but casual.

Across town, Kristen makes Brady an offer that sounds almost miraculous: joint custody of Rachel. Yet anyone who knows Kristen understands gifts from her usually arrive wrapped in strings. What will she demand in return? And will Brady compromise his instincts as a father to keep peace with the woman who so often creates chaos?

Leo, meanwhile, opens up in an unexpectedly vulnerable conversation, wrestling with heartbreak and the mess Dmitri has left behind. Even Salem’s most flamboyant schemer isn’t immune to pain.

A Wedding — or a Trap?

By Thursday, shockwaves ripple through the town when Stephanie appears ready to become Alex’s wife. A dress. An officiant. Rings. What began as a possible ploy to flush out danger may suddenly feel very real.

Is it strategy transforming into commitment? Or emotion outrunning caution?

At the same time, Chad prepares to leave Salem with his children, determined to put distance between his family and the turmoil that has consumed them. But unresolved feelings complicate clean exits. A kiss is teased — perhaps real, perhaps imagined — and its implications could detonate custody agreements and fragile trust.

And then there’s EJ, who invites Cat to dinner. With Valentine’s emotions running high and Stefano’s ring heavy on his hand, temptation may lead him somewhere reckless.

Gabi’s Million-Dollar Moment

Hovering over the entire week is a bombshell revelation delivered through Rafe: if it can be proven that divorce papers were forged, Gabi may still legally be Stefano’s daughter-in-law at the time of his death.

Which means she could inherit millions.

The DiMera fortune is finally poised to be divided, and Gabi might be standing in the payout line. For a woman who has fought, schemed, loved, and lost within those mansion walls, the victory would be both financial and symbolic.

But in Salem, fortunes rarely arrive without a fight.

Bittersweet Hearts

Friday closes the week with reflection and rupture. Sarah and Xander share tender nostalgia even as new relationships beckon. Holly reaches a breaking point. Brady has an emotional talk that could reshape his family’s future. And Julie, Marlena, and Maggie remember the husbands they’ve lost — a poignant reminder that love stories here echo long after they end.

By the time the week fades out, Salem will be forever altered. Power may shift. Rings may bind. Kisses may betray.

And somewhere in the DiMera crypt, the Phoenix will be smiling.