Connie kept Melinda hostage; Days of our Lives recap for August 22, 2024

Melinda remained unconscious on Connie's couch. Connie walked in and began talking to her life-size cardboard cutout of Li, asking if Melinda had given him any trouble while Connie had been out. Connie then unpacked her shopping bags, removing trash bags, rope, a hacksaw, lye, and bleach. "It's so convenient that the hardware store has everything you need to dispose of a body. One-stop shopping," Connie remarked to "Li."

When Connie went to move Melinda's body, she realized that Melinda was still alive. Connie noted that she had given Melinda the same dose she had given Everett/Bobby, so it surprised her that the dose hadn't also killed Melinda. Connie figured she had to "finish her off," so she picked up her new hacksaw to get the job done.

Connie stood over Melinda with the saw as she contemplated slitting Melinda's throat while asking "Li" whether that was a good idea. Suddenly, "Li" appeared animated and ordered Connie to stop. "Put down the hacksaw, Connie. Don't kill her," "Li" said. He didn't want Connie to have another death on her conscience.

"Li" reasoned that Rafe could still pull through, and so could Melinda. Therefore, Connie had the chance to not have two other deaths weighing on her. Connie argued that Melinda would expose the fact that Connie had lied on her résumé. "She's going to make me sound like some low-life criminal," Connie said. "Li" told Connie that she would have to face the consequences of her actions.

Connie wondered why "Li" cared about Melinda so much. "Li" insisted that he cared about Connie. "I know you're a person capable of kindness and deep compassion," "Li" said. Connie appreciated that but still felt she had to kill Melinda because Melinda knew too much. "Li" then had an idea.

Melinda later woke and found herself tied to a bed with Li's cardboard cutout and Connie staring at her. "Don't worry, Melinda. I'm going to take care of you. Li and I both are," Connie cheerfully said.

Chad sat down with Julie in the Horton living room to catch Julie up on what was happening with Abigail. He said that he had already taken Jack and Jennifer to the airport so they could return to Boston. Chad told Julie that the meeting with Abigail had been a complete disaster. "It went south the minute Jennifer saw Abigail's face and proclaimed, 'That is not my daughter,'" Chad said.

Julie was surprised by Jennifer's reaction. Chad said he'd also been shocked because Jennifer knew about the DNA test and had been warned that Abigail looked completely different. However, Chad also understood where Jennifer was coming from. "It's going to take time for all of us to process this woman being Abigail," Chad told Julie.

Chad was pleased when Julie agreed that Jack and Jennifer's return to Boston was a good idea. She felt it would give Abigail a chance to try to remember Chad without the pressure of her parents being around. Julie also wanted to know how Chad was processing things.

Julie asked how Chad would explain things to Thomas and Charlotte. Julie said that she worried that Abigail would never get her memory back. "When you put it like that, it makes you want to crawl in a hole," Chad said. Julie understood it was a lot to deal with but wondered how he was keeping it together.

Chad said he had no other choice. He had to be strong for his kids—as well as for Abigail. Chad didn't want Abigail to see him falling apart. Julie was impressed with Chad's strength and told him she had faith that they'd get through it. Chad was still worried. "My biggest concern is not whether Abigail gets her memory back. It's about what if she does and she doesn't feel the same way about me. What if she doesn't love me anymore?" Chad asked.

Julie remained optimistic and told Chad that Abigail would get her memory back and "fall in love with you all over again."

In the DiMera living room, E.J. introduced himself to Abigail as her brother-in-law. Abigail seemed pleased to meet him but told E.J. that Stefan had been much more shocked by her new face than E.J. was. When Abigail said things seemed awkward between Chad and Stefan, E.J. took the opportunity to drop a bomb. "Chad never really got over the fact that you and Stefan slept together," E.J. said.

"You're telling me I cheated on Chad with his brother?" Abigail asked in shock. E.J. informed her that the situation was much more complicated than that. E.J. didn't get into details but told Abigail that everything that had happened between her and Stefan had been Stefan's fault. E.J. added that he didn't get along with Stefan and his wife.

E.J. sat Abigail down on the couch and told her all about his history with Stefan and how E.J. had allowed Gabi to go to prison just because Gabi and Stefan had kicked him out of the DiMera CEO spot. E.J. defended himself and explained that he hadn't known Gabi was innocent. "It seems to me that you're the idiot brother," Abigail said.

That's when E.J. decided to drop another bomb. Not only had Abigail slept with Stefan, but she had also slept with E.J. Since E.J. had been engaged to Sami at the time, Abigail wondered if she was a homewrecker. E.J. insisted he was to blame for the affair. Abigail asked if there were any other brothers she wasn't aware of. E.J. told her about Tony, as well as another brother.

"There was Andre, but he's deceased," E.J. said. Abigail asked how he had died. Before E.J. got a chance to tell Abigail that she had killed him, Chad walked in and interrupted the conversation. Abigail explained that she had just learned that she'd slept with Stefan and E.J. "Apparently, I'm the family slut," Abigail said before leaving the room.

Once they were alone, Chad blew up at E.J. for telling Abigail things she might not have been ready to handle. "How was I supposed to know you hadn't given Abigail a primer about her life?" E.J. asked.

Upstairs, Abigail typed out a text before Chad knocked on the door. Chad entered to check if Abigail was okay. Chad assured Abigail that most stories about her were not terrible. Chad suggested Abigail stay in another room. However, she wanted to stay in the room she'd shared with Chad in hopes of jogging her memory.

Gabi sat at her DiMera Enterprises desk, chastising a supplier over the phone for losing a shipment. Just then, Stefan walked in as Gabi got her point across. "I am just tired of being disappointed by people I thought I could trust," Gabi said, looking straight at Stefan.

When Gabi hung up, she quickly called security to report an intruder in her office. Stefan begged Gabi to hang up and listen to him, so she did. Gabi told Stefan they had nothing to talk about. Stefan asked how Gabi could go back to work as if nothing had happened. Gabi reminded Stefan that plenty had happened. Gabi also hadn't just gone back to work. "I went to visit my comatose brother, and I told him all about how my husband cheated on me when I was behind bars," Gabi said.

Stefan once again insisted he had made a stupid mistake the one night he'd had sex with Ava. Stefan wanted to talk about the situation so they could move past it, but Gabi didn't see how. "You actually think that we can move past this? There is no way we can move past this. Your little fling with Ava Vitali will be emblazoned on my brain forever," Gabi said incredulously.

Stefan said he understood that Gabi would never forget what had happened, but he hoped he could make her understand. "I never stopped loving you, and I never stopped missing you, every moment of every day that we were apart. You are the love of my life," Stefan tearfully said.

Gabi appeared moved as Stefan begged her to return home. To his shock and relief, Gabi agreed. Stefan said he hoped Gabi would one day find it in her heart to forgive him. Gabi asked if Stefan was "done pontificating" then told him she was only going home to pack.

Stefan followed Gabi home, surprising E.J. as they stormed into the living room. E.J. was giddy as he watched Stefan and Gabi argue, and E.J. laughed when Gabi announced that Stefan had slept with Ava while Gabi had been in jail. Gabi stormed off to pack her stuff and leave. E.J. announced that he would change the locks as soon as Gabi left. That prompted Gabi to declare that she wasn't going anywhere.

At the Brady Pub, Roman questioned Ava about her job and learned she had just been fired. Ava explained that there was a personality conflict between her and Gabi. Roman asked if it had anything to do with Ava's history with Rafe. Ava answered that it had everything to do with Ava's history with Stefan.

Roman was surprised to hear that Ava had slept with Stefan, but she insisted that they had been drunk, and it had only been one time. Ava said she and Stefan had never wanted Gabi to find out. However, Gabi's assistant had heard Ava talk to Kristen about the one-night stand, so Connie had told Gabi.

When Roman told Ava he was pleased that Ava was so open and honest with him, Ava said it was because she trusted him.

Next on Days of our Lives

Sophia shocks Tate.

Abigail seems to have a memory.

Xander demands answers from Jada about the hit-and-run.