Days of our Lives Recap, April 3: Stephanie unleashes her anger on Owen

Here is your Days of our Lives recap for Friday, April 3, 2026, when Stephanie confronted Owen, Jada gave Shawn an answer, Jeremy talked with JJ, and Leo worked through his feelings.

What happened on Days of our Lives

As Alex packed Stephanie’s belongings in her hospital room, Kayla arrived with her discharge papers. Kayla promised to visit Stephanie at home. “We only just got rid of Papa,” Stephanie said with a grin. Kayla promised to keep her visits with the newlyweds brief.

In the interrogation room at the police station, Jeremy gave his statement to Jada about Owen. Steve walked in and apologized to Jeremy for letting his emotions blind him to other suspects. Jeremy said he understood why. “But I think we both know that my mistake could have cost my daughter and you, your lives. I should have done things differently,” Steve said.

Jeremy said he knew that everyone had been working to find Stephanie, but that it had meant his salvation as well. “So I am very grateful for everything you did,” Jeremy said. Steve told Jeremy that he knew that Jeremy had chosen to stay behind to protect Stephanie. “I will be eternally grateful,” Steve said. Jeremy signed his statement and left.

Jada asked Steve about Stephanie. “She says she’s doing great,” Steve said with a shrug. “But you don’t believe her,” Jada said. Steve noted that Stephanie had been through a lot. Stephanie walked in with Alex. “I need to see Owen,” Stephanie said. Jada advised Stephanie against it, but Stephanie insisted.

While Steve and Alex anxiously waited in the bullpen, Stephanie met with Owen in the interrogation room. “My love. You came to me,” Owen said. In the bullpen, Steve and Alex complained about Stephanie’s decision, but Jada assured them Stephanie would be fine. Stephanie closed the blinds so that they could not watch her talk to Owen. Inside the room, Owen told Stephanie that if she had given him a chance to prove his love, he would not have had to take her by force.

“You call what you did, what you’ve done, love? Love is what my parents have for each other, for my brothers and me. It’s what Alex and I have. You don’t love me. And I will never, ever, ever love you! You psychotic bastard!” Stephanie said. Owen smiled. “You say that now. But you’ll see,” Owen countered. Stephanie called Owen a sadist. “Not a soul is coming for you,” Stephanie said. When Stephanie argued that she had power over Owen, he said, “There’s the woman I fell in love with.” Owen told Stephanie that he could feel her lips on his. Stephanie slapped Owen. “I hate you!” Stephanie screamed repeatedly.

As Jada opened the door to intervene, Steve and Alex rushed into the room. An officer held Steve back from attacking Owen while Alex protectively pulled Stephanie close. “You say you hate me. But you’ll never forget me,” Owen said as Jada dragged him out of the room. Stephanie gasped for air as Alex quietly whispered to her that she was safe.

At the Horton house, Julie told JJ that she had talked to Shawn. “About how I screwed up, could have gotten him killed?” JJ said. Julie told JJ that both she and Shawn were worried about JJ because of his history with depression. JJ assured Julie that he was still seeing his therapist and that she did not have to worry about him hurting himself.

“I just want you to know you’re not alone,” Julie said. Julie encouraged JJ to use his support system and not worry about being judged. “No one can judge me as harshly as I am judging myself,” JJ said. “A mistake does not define you, but how you come back from it does” Julie counseled. Julie told JJ that he had a bright future ahead of him, but he needed to believe that too.

As Julie headed upstairs, Jeremy returned home. JJ told Jeremy that he was pleased that Jeremy had been vindicated. “I don’t deserve to be let off the hook completely, considering some of the things I’ve done in the past,” Jeremy said. Jeremy noted that he needed to figure out what to do next. “That makes two of us,” JJ said. Jeremy confessed that he was struggling with his anger, and JJ apologized.

“I can forgive. You got a job to do,” Jeremy said. Jeremy said his anger was directed toward the strangers who had believed the worst about him. With a sigh, Jeremy talked about how hurt he had been when Stephanie had believed he was her kidnapper. “It just about killed me that thinking about things that I’d done to her in the past made her afraid of me,” Jeremy said. Jeremy said the only positive from the ordeal was that Stephanie knew that he genuinely wanted to be a better person.

“Do you still have feelings for her?” JJ asked. Jeremy shrugged. “She’ll always be the one that got away. Rather, the one I pushed away,” Jeremy admitted. Jeremy added that the experience had bonded them, but he stressed that his feelings were irrelevant because Stephanie was married. Jeremy told JJ that he was not staying in town for Stephanie, but because he refused to be run out of town. Jeremy added that he hoped to “make things right” with Stephanie. “What exactly does that mean?” JJ asked. “I guess we’ll see,” Jeremy said.

In the hospital, Kayla cautioned Shawn not to push too hard in rehab so that he could properly heal. “I just hate being a burden on anyone,” Shawn said. As Kayla told Shawn to take it easy while Jada took care of him, Belle walked in. Kayla excused herself and left. “Did I just hear right? Is Jada going to be looking after you?” Belle asked. Shawn said yes.

Shawn thanked Belle for the offer, but he admitted he thought staying with Jada would be a better arrangement. Shawn noted that although Belle was family, he was worried about them getting too close again. Belle agreed. “What Jada and I had does not compare to the decades that you and I spent together,” Shawn said. Shawn said he was staying in a guest room, and his priority was to get well.

“And by the way, I don’t even know if the offer still stands,” Shawn said. Shawn told Belle that he had withheld details about the shooting to protect JJ, but JJ had come clean. Shawn said he regretted that he had not told Jada everything from the start. “Boy, can I relate,” Belle said.

Kayla found Leo working on a laptop in the hallway and chastised him for not resting in his room. Kayla reminded Leo that he could not stare at a screen while he was recovering from a concussion. “Without my job, who am I?” Leo said. Kayla noted that Leo was funny, and although he had had a checkered past, he worked to be a better person. Leo thanked Kayla for her kindness. After asking permission, Leo hugged her.

Leo asked Kayla about his mood swings, and Kayla suggested that Leo talk to Marlena. “I’ve already poured my heart out to her,” Leo said. “I know you are struggling right now. And heartache and pain, well, they lessen in time,” Kayla said. Leo said he did not think his heart would heal. Leo argued that he had ruined his two chances at love.

“You are not destined to be alone forever,” Kayla assured Leo. Leo thanked Kayla for her support and for listening to his problems. “Everybody needs a chance to offload their problems. Complain away,” Belle said as she joined them in the waiting area. Kayla asked about Shawn, and Belle said he was fine. Kayla reminded Leo not to look at any screens, and she returned to work.

Leo thanked Belle for not charging him with aiding Dimitri’s escape. “My job is to ensure that justice is done. And in this case, that could only happen with you and Dimitri in Alamainia,” Belle said. Leo admitted he was happy to be home, but he wished Dimitri were not stuck in Alamainia since Dimitri had not harmed Vivian. “I just wish I could prove it,” Leo said. Leo lamented that he had destroyed his love life. Belle encouraged Leo to journal about his emotions.

In Leo’s hospital room, he wrote about his love for Javi. “Being with him was perfect. Except when I felt I wasn’t good enough for him,” Leo wrote. Leo then wrote about how Dimitri had inspired Leo to take chances, but that he did not inspire him to change for the better. As Leo started to write about his heart, he paused when he saw Dimitri at the door.

Jada stopped by the hospital to see Shawn. “I’m assuming you’re here to suspend me, and you’re going to be rescinding your offer to let me move in with you,” Shawn said. Jada admitted she was disappointed by Shawn’s actions, but that he was not suspended. Jada told Shawn he was still welcome to move in with her while he recovered from his gunshot.

Steve found Kayla in the hospital, and he told her about Stephanie’s confrontation with Owen. Worried, Steve told Kayla that he was concerned that Stephanie was shutting down after the experience.

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When Alex and Stephanie returned to their apartment, Stephanie apologized for what had happened at the station. “You do not need to apologize,” Alex said. Alex gave Stephanie her wedding band. “I know you have been through so much, and our life as husband and wife has barely begun. But if you’re ready, I want us to move forward together toward the life that we always dreamed of,” Alex said. Alex placed the ring on Stephanie’s finger. Alex and Stephanie said, “I love you.”

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