Days of our Lives Recap, August 25, 2025: Marlena delivers difficult news to Rachel

On Days of our Lives today, Monday, August 25, 2025, Brady lashes out at Kristen, Gwen makes a new friend, and Leo divulges the jury’s verdict.

What Happened on Days of our Lives

At the hospital, Cat had her arms full with a plant when she ran into Gwen. Cat made a snarky remark but then apologized and explained that she had just lost her job. Gwen wondered if it had anything to do with the hospital’s new owner, with whom she lived. When Gwen mentioned EJ, Cat took a second look at her and asked how she knew Gwen. Gwen assumed that Cat had seen her misdeeds recounted in the tabloids and started to walk away.

Cat stopped Gwen with the disclosure that she had known Gwen’s husband Dimitri – and that she “couldn’t stand the bastard.” Cat immediately regretted speaking ill of Dimitri, but Gwen smirked and assured Cat that she fully shared the sentiment. She provided a brief recap of her nasty breakup with Dimitri and pondered why Cat had a beef with the man. Cat said she hadn’t known Dimitri personally, but he had hurt many people she had come to care about in town. She extended her hand and introduced herself.

Gwen recognized Cat as the woman who had “impersonated my late sister Abigail.” Cat started to apologize again, but Gwen wasn’t put off by the news. She breezily admitted that she “detested” Abigail more than Dimitri. She was also impressed that Cat had managed to pull one over on the Hortons, who she correctly surmised had “raked” Cat over the coals. Cat was taken aback by Gwen’s words and insisted she was sorry for the harm she had caused the family and that she had only done it because of her mother.

Gwen believed Cat and she were similar in that they were survivors who did anything to get what they needed. She wanted to make friends and invited Cat to lunch. Cat accepted the invitation, and Gwen strolled away with a “ta-ta.”

At Rafe’s house, Rafe admired Javi’s inspired attempt at a family recipe. Their banter was interrupted by Leo’s surprise arrival. Javi rushed to give Leo a hug and asked why Leo was no longer sequestered. Leo announced his “stint in purgatory” had ended, leading to the liberation of both Johnny and Leo himself. Javi reacted to the news with a happy kiss for Leo.

After Leo updated the cousins about the happenings at the trial, Rafe expressed relief and then made an exit to give an affectionate Leo and Javi time alone. Leo complained about his “roommate from hell” and admitted he was disappointed he hadn’t gotten to deliver the verdict. Javi preoccupied him with loving words in Spanish about how much Tesoro and he had missed Leo.

Later, Leo and Javi enjoyed a stroll with Tesoro through Horton Town Square. Leo basked in breathing fresh air again. Javi tried to coax Leo to reveal the verdict. After claiming he was saving it for his tell-all book, Leo relented and told Javi the jury had voted “not guilty.” Just then, Gwen strode up with a cheeky “You don’t say?” The former friends resumed snarking at and insulting each other.

Javi stepped in and defended Leo against Gwen’s harsh words. Gwen sarcastically commended Javi’s gallantry but assured the other man he would be singing a different tune when Leo returned to form and screwed Javi over. Leo proclaimed he’d put the past – including Gwen – behind him because he was the happiest he had ever been. Gwen snarked about everyone being happy but her friend Kristen. She didn’t know what Kristen had been thinking by confessing, especially since Johnny would have been set free anyway.

Leo warned Gwen not to reveal the private conversation. She hurled another insult at him and left. Leo and Javi decided to also take their leave and return home for a “private celebration.”

Later, Javi eagerly entered his and Leo’s bedroom only to find Leo lost in thought on the bed. Kristen’s confession still troubled Leo. Javi kissed him as a distraction, and Leo gladly turned his attention to his and Javi’s reunion.

At Rafe's office, Cat met with Rafe. She apologized for being out of commission and complimented him on his use of his alias when delivering the soup. After a short chat about Chad, Cat wanted to change the subject to EJ. She told Rafe about Marlena’s leave of absence from the hospital and the subsequent loss of her job. Rafe agreed they’d have to find another way to get the information they needed.

Cat suggested she had an idea, and she told Rafe about her run-in with Gwen. Cat had ingratiated herself to Gwen after she had learned Gwen lived with EJ. She was confident she could leverage a friendship with Gwen to their advantage. Rafe cautioned Cat about getting mixed up with Gwen and hinted at Chad and Gwen’s tumultuous history.

At the DiMera mansion, as EJ drank his troubles away, Chad came into the room and disbelievingly asked EJ for confirmation of what had happened at the trial. After EJ filled him in, Chad theorized that EJ’s brain had been trying to protect him from the trauma of his sister shooting him. EJ insisted he still didn’t remember and that he was going by Kristen’s claims. Chad challenged him on whether Kristen was telling the truth. EJ squirmed as Chad outlined the reasons why Kristen’s last-minute confession didn't make any sense.

EJ attributed Kristen’s sudden confession to remorse for Johnny nearly going to prison. Chad believed Kristen always had a self-serving motive, and he couldn’t understand why EJ was acting so calmly to the events. EJ said he wanted to focus on Johnny being free. When Chad noted that while EJ had his son back, Kristen was about to be taken away from her daughter, EJ looked guilty. EJ confided that Johnny was through with him again, and Chad chastised him for his actions regarding Chanel.

Looking for a change of subject, EJ turned the conversation to Cat and pressed Chad to admit he was ready to move on from Abigail. As Chad protested that Cat and he were just friends, Gwen strode inside the room and inserted herself into the conversation. She mentioned she’d just met Cat and gave her seal of approval to Chad. He clapped back at her to mind her own business and ordered her to leave.

Gwen reminded Chad that the mansion was her home and if anyone should leave, it should be him. Chad looked to EJ for backup, but he shrugged his shoulders. After Chad left in a huff. Kristen became the new topic of conversation. Gwen disclosed that she’d learned the jury would have found Johnny not guilty. EJ tried to hide his reaction, but when Gwen left, he took a large swig of his drink and mused aloud that he was sorry, but what was done couldn’t be undone.

Back in Horton Town Square, Chad and Cat encountered each other and had another awkward chat in which Cat apologized again for getting Chad sick. He brushed it off and informed Cat that Julie had been surprisingly “zen” about the situation. Cat was relieved she hadn’t done anything embarrassing or uncomfortable. Flashing back to the kiss, Chad reassured her she had nothing to worry about in that regard.

Meanwhile, Rafe called Sami and congratulated her on Johnny’s exoneration. He had to talk his ex down from hopping on a plane and confronting Kristen.

At the police station, Brady angrily approached Kristen’s cell and began berating her for remaining silent and putting their daughter through so much trauma. Kristen asked Brady to let her explain, but Brady cut her off and coldly stated that he never thought Kristen’s “selfish, cruel, and sadistic” nature would extend to their daughter. He called her “the monster everyone warned me to stay away from.” Brady then blasted Kristen for letting their nephew Johnny suffer for months. But what she had done to Rachel had been what Brady considered truly unforgivable.

Kristen implored that Brady didn’t understand. Brady challenged Kristen to make him understand. Kristen claimed she had shot EJ because of how angry she had been when he had taken her mom away and deprived Rachel of the chance to get to know her grandmother better. Brady countered that Kristen would have never been able to locate her mom if she had killed EJ. She said she had only meant to threaten her brother, but that the gun had accidentally gone off.

Kristen further stated that she had held back on confessing because she had believed EJ could get Johnny off. But when things started looking worse for Johnny, she realized she couldn’t let her nephew go to prison for a crime she had committed. After absorbing Kristen’s story, Brady had a direct response: “I’m not buying it.”

Kristen persisted in her claims, but Brady sensed Kristen was hiding something. He vowed to find out her true motivations. Kristen begged Brady to leave it alone and to go be with Rachel, since their daughter would be losing their mother again. “And whose fault is that?” Brady asked. He raged at Kristen again and accused her of not loving Rachel.

“You’re a terrible mother, and you’re never seeing our daughter again!” Brady shouted before storming off. A heartbroken Kristen collapsed onto her bed in sobs.

At Marlena’s place, Marlena arrived home with Rachel and sat the little girl down. Rachel wondered if Johnny's release meant the real shooter was still out there. Marlena revealed that someone else had confessed in court. She gently broke the news to Rachel that Kristen had claimed to have shot EJ. Rachel jumped up and yelled that Marlena was lying because her mom loved “Uncle EJ" and would never shoot him.

Rachel grew increasingly upset despite Marlena’s attempts to comfort her. She continued to insist she knew that it had to be someone else. Marlena leaned down eye-to-eye with her granddaughter and asked Rachel how she could be so sure. Rachel hesitated, then reaffirmed that her mother wouldn’t do something so bad despite the fact that she had previously done bad things. She asked Marlena if her grandma believed it.

Marlena would only say that Kristen must have “had a very good reason to confess.” Rachel cried that her mom couldn’t go to prison. She had already lost “Grandma Rachel” and “Grandpa John,” and she couldn’t take another loss. Marlena hugged her sobbing granddaughter. When Rachel settled slightly, she asked Marlena if Kristen would have to go to jail.

Before Marlena could fully answer, Brady arrived and promptly went to Rachel. She tearfully wondered if Brady had heard about her mom. When Brady confirmed he had, and that he had just visited Kristen, Rachel wanted to know if her mom was okay. Brady promised Rachel that Kristen would be fine because she was one of the strongest people they knew. Rachel asked Brady about Kristen going to jail, and he said they wouldn’t know immediately.

Rachel begged Brady to tell her that it was all a bad dream, but the only comfort he could offer was a loving embrace. He pledged to his daughter that they’d get through it together, reaffirmed his love for her, and softly suggested she get washed up for dinner. After Rachel left the room, Brady’s brave face fell, and he asked Marlena about how Rachel was really doing. She confirmed that Rachel was struggling.

When Marlena inquired about Kristen, Brady vehemently declared he didn’t care about Kristen or her state of mind. He couldn’t comprehend how Kristen could have hurt Rachel that way. Marlena repeated his affirmation that they’d be there for Rachel and for each other as a family. As Brady hugged her, Marlena wore a look of troubled guilt.

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