Hope told Ted that Stefan was arrested and wanted him to represent him. Ben ran into Gabi and apologized for kidnapping her. She told him what Stefan did to her. Ben told her that Ciara wanted him to quit, but wouldn't force him to do it. He didn't want to do it. Kate told Chad that she was going to take over DiMera Enterprises. Ciara talk to Abby about Ben. Stefan told Rafe that Hope was his unexpected support. Hope wanted Ted to return the favor of her helping him by representing Stefan. Rafe didn't believe that Hope would help him because she hated him. Stefan told him that she hated someone more than she hated him. Rafe still didn't believe it. Stefan said that she wasn't concerned about what he did to Gabi. She was only concerned about getting Ben. He said that Hope was more concerned about Ben than getting justice for Gabi. Hope wanted Ted to return the favor of her helping him. She told him that Stefan was out for revenge. Ted was afraid that he was next. She told him that she would owe him if he represented Stefan. He wanted to know what was in it for her. Abby was shocked that Ciara was dating Ben. Ciara told her that he was sweet to her. Abby told her that he was a psychopath. Ciara thought that Abby should understand that he changed. Ben told Gabi that he thought he would lose Ciara. Gabi thought she should lose Ciara. Kate told Chad that she gave up the CEO job for him. She asked if he wanted the job. He said he didn't. Stefan told Rafe to ask Hope if he didn't believe that she wanted to help him. Ted wanted to know why Hope wanted to help Stefan. She said she wanted Ben out of her daughter's life for good. Ciara reminded Abby of the things she did when she was sick. Abby said her altars hurt people. Ciara wondered if she thought Ben would have hurt her. Abby reminded her of the things he did to her in the past. Abby was trying to warn her about him. Kate tried to convince Chad to take the CEO job, but he was interested in the job. Ciara talked to Abby about Ben kidnapping Gabi. Ciara thought that she was traitor to women if she went along with Ben. Abby thought she was right to question herself for putting herself at risk. Ciara didn't know what to do. Abby told her to walk away. Hope wanted Ted to work with Stefan. Ted said he couldn't do it, but she wanted him to help her. She didn't want to lose another child. He agreed to do it. Rafe walked in while they were holding hands. Rafe wanted to talk to Hope. He asked her if she wanted Ted to represent Stefan. She said she did. He said he found out through Stefan. He was furious that she did that. He couldn't believe that she would help Stefan after everything he did. She said she did it to get Ben to flip on Stefan so they could both go to prison. Ted went to see Stefan. Ted said he wanted to represent him. Stefan hired him. Julie ran into Gabi and surprised that Gabi was out. Gabi said the charges were dropped against her. Gabi told her that Abby let the whole thing go. Kate continued to convince Chad to take the job. Julie wanted to know what Gabi did to Abby to drop the charges. Gabi told her why Abby dropped the charges. Julie reminded her of what she did to Abby. Julie threatened to tell what she did to her. Gabi warned her that she would do something to her if she told on her. Abby warned Ciara to stay away from Ben. Ciara thought that Ben should have turned Stefan down. Ciara told her that she didn't want to force Ben to quit because he needed the job, but she wanted him to come up with that decision on his own. Ben thought he told Stefan that he couldn't work for him anymore, but it turned out to be Chad. Ted told Stefan that he had to spend the night in jail. Ted said he would get him out in the morning. Rafe and Hope argued over her trying to get Ben. Chad told Ben that he was the new CEO and he worked for him now.
[Knock at door] Hope: Ted. Come in, please. Uh, have a seat. Ted: I was pleasantly surprised to get your call. What's up? Hope: Today is a good day. Stefan dimera's been arrested. Ted: Good news. Hope: Mm-hmm. Ted: But will it stick? Because if he goes free, he'll still go after me. Hope: For now, you're safe. Ted: Thank you for the heads-up. But you didn't have to come all the way down here to just tell me that. Hope: I know. There's more. [Suspenseful music] Stefan: [Clears throat] Not talking without my attorney present. Rafe: Yeah, about that. Attorney's delayed. Stefan: Says who? Rafe: Hmm. Someone from dimera called. Apparently their legal team feels it's more important to do damage control with the company than it is to bail out the ceo who got busted by the feds and tanked their stock. Yeah. You know, when, uh, you get arrested, you find out who your friends really are, and apparently... you got none left. Ciara: Charlotte's growing so fast. Abigail: I know. Isn't it crazy? Oh, thank you for that-- that sweet little head wrap you gave her too. I've been meaning to write you a note, but I've been-- Ciara: Oh, don't even worry about it. With everything you've been through, I'm just glad that you get to be home with your daughter. And now that chad knows that gabi set you up, hopefully you guys can work things out. Abigail: Well, I don't know about that. Chad: So I saw abigail, and it couldn't have gone any worse. I, um... I betrayed her, and she doesn't know if she'll ever be able to trust me again. Julie: [Sighs] Well, you know, some of those horton girls, they-- they do have a stubborn streak. But, sweetie, you must never give up. Chad: I'm not... which is why I-I asked to see you. I was hoping that maybe you'd be able to help me set up a romantic dinner. Julie: Oh, of course. Well, this is good news. I mean, abigail must have her mind open to reconciliation if she agreed to have dinner with you. Chad: No, not--not exactly. But, um, gotta start somewhere. Julie: We both know it's gonna take time to win abby back. Showing her how much you love her, that's the perfect way to start. And I want you to know I'm on your side all the way. Kate: So am I. [Dramatic music] Gabi: Get away from me. Ben: Gabi, I wasn't trying to-- Gabi: No, I mean it. One step closer, and I'm gonna scream. Male announcer: Like sands through the hourglass, so are the "days of our lives." [Soft orchestration] Ben: Gabi, relax. I'm not gonna hurt you. Gabi: Then what are you doing here? Ben: Walking. Not looking for you. Gabi: Well, excuse me if I'm a little scared after you kidnapped me recently. I thought you were gonna kill me. Ben: I don't kill people... anymore. I was just doing what I get paid to do. Gabi: Right. Well, I don't care about your "following orders" crap. What stefan asked you to do was horrible, and you know it. Ben: I'm really sorry. Like I said, it was only about getting you from one place to another. I would've never done anything to hurt you. Gabi: Except you left me there with that evil bastard that hates my guts. I mean, what did you think that stefan wanted to do with me? Have a freaking tea party? Chad: I thought I was clear the other day when I said I wanted nothing to do with you. Kate: I know I have things to make up for. Chad: Like stabbing me in the back? What makes you think I would ever trust you again? Kate: Hope springs eternal. Julie: You must have a very high opinion of yourself to think that chad would forgive you after you tried to destroy his marriage to abby. Kate: Julie, this is really none of your business. Julie: Oh, I-I beg to differ. I was nearly killed because of the scheme you cooked up with that little chili pepper who gives the whole world indigestion. Kate: Could we speak somewhere privately, away from the noise? Chad: No, I told you. I'm done. Uh, um, I'll reach out to you, and we can discuss the... Julie: Details. Chad: Yeah. Julie: Yes, darling. Kate: I need to tell you something about stefan. Chad: No, not interested. Kate: Oh, you're going to be interested in this. Ted: So what else did you want to tell me? Hope: It's more of an ask. There's someone I want you to represent. Ted: Who? Hope: Stefan. Chad: Stefan was arrested. For what? Kate: Treason. Stefan's access to patch's bionic eye allowed him to access top secret government information. The feds are still investigating, but it looks like they're going to have enough evidence to arrest him. Chad: Good. Well, I hope he spends his life in prison. Kate: And the dimera board isn't wasting any time cutting ties with him. They already voted to remove him as ceo. Chad: Who do they want to replace him with? Kate: Me. Ciara: Chad loves you so much. Abigail: Yeah. Love isn't always enough. You know, you have to trust each other, and... I don't know if I can ever trust chad again. Ciara: Because he took gabi's word over yours? Abigail: Well, it's not that simple. But yes, that, and the deal that he made with stefan-- having me committed against my will in exchange for my newborn baby. Ciara: You got out of bayview, thank god. And you got charlotte away from stefan. Abigail: Yeah, thank god. You know, I had to go through hell to do it, but no one was gonna stop me from protecting my child. Ciara: Hmm. Abigail: Not even ben weston. [Scoffs] You know that psychopath is their head of security? It's just... [Soft dramatic music] Um... look, I-I know you--you probably feel responsible to ben after he saved you from the accident, and you're probably thinking that he's a different person now. But, ciara, I promise you, he's not. That man is a murderer, and I was almost his victim. That man is dangerous. Ciara: So everyone keeps telling me... including my mom. But since when is who I date any of her business? Abigail: Date? Um... you're dating ben? Gabi: Do you have any idea what stefan did after you took off? Ben: Honestly, no. Gabi: Okay. Well, he tied me to a chair, and he walked out. He left me there all night to sweat over what it was he had in store for me. And then the next morning when he walked in, he told me that I ruined his life and he was gonna make me pay for what I did. That's when, ben--that's when he took out a poker, a hot poker from the fireplace, and he put it in front of my face. I didn't know if he was gonna burn me, torture me, or--or worse, okay? Ben: You're right. I never should've done that. I'm sorry. Gabi: Yeah. Well, you must not be very sorry. I mean, you're still working for the maniac. Ben: The maniac. The maniac stefan was the only person who would hire me, gabi. I need to get back on my feet. I need to earn a living. Not just for me --I need to be able to give ciara everything that she deserves. It's not about me. Gabi: Ciara? What-- Ben: Yeah. We're sort of together now. Gabi: Oh, okay. Well, she knows that you're working for stefan? She knows about your latest assignment to kidnap me? Ben: Yeah, she does. Gabi: And she's okay with it? Ben: No, she is not. But she also knows that I don't have any other options. She won't ask me to quit. And I can'T... no matter how much she wants me to. Stefan: I know you want revenge for my... heated conversation with your sister, but... I never laid a finger on her. Rafe: Well... either way, when they find you guilty of treason, you'll either be hanged or locked up for life. So one way or another, I'm gonna get revenge for what you did to my sister. Stefan: Easy, detective. Don't get ahead of yourself. [Chuckles] First of all, I don't know anything about those classified documents. And while I may not have a friend to speak of, I do have an... unexpected supporter. Rafe: Hmm. Who's that? Stefan: Your wife. Hope: The feds have been pursuing a case against stefan for stealing classified documents. He's been arrested for treason. Ted: And you really think I would represent him? The man held me captive for the best part of a year. If I hadn't escaped, hope-- Hope: But you did. I did you a huge favor by hiding you in that cabin. It's time to return the favor, don't you think? [Tense music] (James) I can't believe it could take weeks to get our tax refund. Rafe: You're so damn full of it. See, I know hope. I know that she would never cut a deal with you 'cause she can't stand you, especially after the way that you treated the people that she cares about. Stefan: [Chuckles] Rafe: She hates your damn guts. Stefan: Well, there is someone out there that she hates more than me: Ben weston. I think she would do pretty much anything to keep him away from her daughter. Rafe: She'd never make a deal with you. Stefan: Mm, I don't know. Moments after you deposited me in this room, she came in and offered to help me if... I gave her ben weston. Rafe: Yeah, so what? You're the one that set the forces in motion, sent ben to kidnap my sister. So if he goes down, you go down with him. Stefan: No, see, hope-- hope didn't seem the least bit concerned about my role in gabi's abduction, not that I--not that I had one. It was all about convincing me to implicate ben. But like I told her, he's been, uh-- he's been very loyal to me, so I refused. Yeah, I, uh--I value loyalty, detective. I think it's a quality that should be rewarded. [Laughs] And apparently your wife doesn't agree. Rafe: What are you talking about? You're not even making sense. Stefan: I'm talking about your wife's loyalty to you... or lack thereof, because it doesn't seem to exist in this case. I mean, if it did, wouldn't she be fighting for gabi instead of negotiating with me? Ooh, that--that stung a little bit, didn't it? Rafe: [Grumbles] Stefan: Knowing that your wife wants ben to suffer so badly that she doesn't give a damn about getting justice for your sister for what I allegedly did to her. Hope: It's time for you to hold up your end of the deal, counselor. Ted: I did. I did. I tried to get a confession out of ben weston for setting that fire. Hope: Mm-hmm. And it failed. But I still agreed to hide you anyway, didn't I? Ted: Until you didn'T. Remember when your cops showed up at the cabin, brought me down here, where you said there will be no more police protection and cut me loose? Hope: Because you were no longer in danger. [Both sigh] Circumstances change. Ted: Meaning what? Hope: I'm sure you've read the news. Stefan's taken some pretty big hits lately-- personally and professionally. And from what I can tell, he is back in revenge mode. Ted: Yeah, I'm sure you mean he wants revenge against gabi hernandez for what she did. And obviously stefan was behind the kidnapping. Wait. Are you saying I'm next? Hope: [Sighs] Ted. From the way stefan's steaming up the interrogation room right now, honestly, I don't know. Ted: I told you. I told you stefan will never just drop this. He may have told your husband that I'm no longer a target, but he will say anything to get what he wants. And what he wants, it's me dead! Hope: Whatever grudge stefan holds, his priority right now is beating a treason charge. Ted... you represent him, he'll owe you. And that is what you want. Ted: If what you say is true, it's easy to see what's in it for me. But, hope... what's in it for you? Abigail: I'm sorry. Did--did you just say dating-- you're dating ben? Ben weston? The serial killer? Ciara: I know what he did. But they never would've released him from the mental hospital if he was any kind of a threat, okay? Abigail: Ciara, he is-- Ciara: I know ben was awful to you. I know, okay? And I'm not denying that in any way. But when we were in the cabin, abby, I swear to you, it was-- it was like he was--he was kind and caring and gentle. And even marlena's convinced that he's not dangerous anymore. Abigail: No, that is the definition of a psychopath. And look, no disrespect to marlena at all, but that's her job. I highly doubt she would ever get close to ben herself, and neither should you. Ciara: Ben has been so sweet to me, you know. Abigail: Oh, my god. Ciara, he is... the man is sick. Ciara: Yes, he was. He was mentally ill. But he beat it. Abigail, I figure that you of all people should probably understand that. Abigail: [Scoffs] Gabi: I mean, rafe told me that you and ciara bonded in that cabin, but... I never thought she'd be stupid enough to date you. Ben: Well, you'll be happy to know that it might not be lasting that much longer. Gabi: Oh, let me guess. The whole kidnapping thing, it's a turnoff? Ben: Like I said, ciara's not okay with it. When she found out, she was upset. She was so upset that I might lose her. Gabi: [Scoffs] Okay, good. Well, I hope that you do lose her. I hope that she dumps your crazy ass and never looks back. [Dramatic music] Chad: Well, I'm--I'm not surprised shin tapped you to be the new ceo. I suppose they need a dimera by name, and... stefan's under arrest, andre's dead, and I defected to titan, so you're the only one left. Don't think for a second I'm gonna support you, though. Kate: Well, I don't need your support. I already turned it down. Chad: Why? Kate: I'll tell you what I told shin. Chad dimera... he deserves this job. Chad: Seems like you're trying to ease your guilty conscience. Kate: The point is, the company is your legacy. Now, do you want the job, or don't you? Chad: Thank you for your vote of confidence. Answer's no. Stefan: It's hard finding out that your wife is keeping secrets from you. Believe me, I feel your pain. Rafe: Oh, that's good. That's good. See, I-I see what you're doing there. Ah, yeah. You're just trying to drive a wedge between me and hope because, uh, well, that's how sociopaths like you get a rush. Stefan: Your faith in your wife is very touching. If you don't believe me, just ask her. Hope: I am offering you an opportunity to get stefan dimera off your back. Ted: Hope... Hope: Take it. Ted: I-I don't get it. I don't get it. You hate stefan as much as I do, and now you want me to keep him out of prison? Why? There must be another reason. Hope: It's a new year. I'm feeling charitable. Ted: Hope, please... the truth. Hope: You know that my daughter's involved with ben weston. I want him out of her life for good. [Soft dramatic music] Ben: I do not want to lose you over this. You are the most important thing in my life. Ciara: I care about you too. But I... I need some time to think about this, okay? And I hope you will too. Ben: I won't lose you, ciara. I know what I have to do. Ciara: Look, you just shouldn't judge ben for what he's done in the past. I mean, didn't you do some pretty terrible things when you were sick? Abigail: My alters hurt people, yeah. Ciara: Right, and that was because you were mentally ill. But you got better. So don't you think it's possible that ben could get better too? Abigail: Okay, look, I understand your perspective. But I don't agree with you. I-I don't think there's any commonality between ben and me. Look, I-I... I can't tell you how to live your life. But I care about you, ciara, and I have an obligation, based on my personal experience with him, to speak my truth. And that is, he is an extremely dangerous man, and you need to be very careful, especially now that he's working with--with stefan dimera. [Charlotte fussing] Ciara: Wait. Did ben pull something? Did he try to keep you from leaving the house with charlotte? Abigail: Well, no, stefan didn't give him the order. Ciara: Do you think he would've hurt you? Abigail: Hurt me? Ciara, he killed my cousin. He strangled two women. Another one, he shot practically right in front of me. And then he chained me to a bed and lit it on fire. He--he tormented me and this entire town. So do I think, even if he has changed, that-- that he wouldn't have hurt me if he got the order from stefan? [Scoffs] Look, I'm not trying to scare you. But you need to be aware that you have a choice. You have a choice in your relationships. So why would you choose someone with such a violent history, especially when you--you know that he could be triggered at any minute? Sometimes, Kate: Why wouldn't you want to return to dimera? Victor fired you from titan. You have children to support. Chad: I'm not worried about doing that. Kate: Well, you were worried about having a place to live. You could live in the mansion now; you could be there with your family. Chad: My wife left me. We're still trying to figure out how to co-parent. Kate: Yeah, well, while you're doing that, at least you could be bringing in an income. Chad: The only thing I'm concerned with is getting my family back. Kate: Of course. Yes, I know. Abigail and the children come first. But you do love dimera. That's the whole reason you went to titan in the first place is to bring stefan to his knees so you could get dimera back-- your legacy. Chad: My legacy. You see what's funny? The last time you gave me this-- this little pitch, you, uh-- you gave me my father's ring and you told me to be as ruthless as I needed to be. Kate: And what's wrong with that? Chad: What's wrong with that is, as soon as I put this ring on my finger, all sense of right and wrong went out the window. I betrayed my best friend, my wife. I watched as her daughter got ripped out of her arms. Kate: Yeah, well, that's all resolved now, isn't it? Abigail is free, and charlotte is yours. Chad: I'm sorry, resolved? Are you kidding me? I was headed down a-a-a very dark road, and I didn't care about anything except revenge and destroying the lives of those ahead of me. Kate: Chad, you've always wanted to run dimera. Chad: Yeah. But if doing so means losing my soul, if fulfilling my legacy... means hurting the ones that I love, I don't want to do it. Ciara: [Sighs] Abigail: You know that expression "you are who you hang with"? I know it's cliché, but... it's true. Ben weston and stefan dimera-- that's quite a combination. Ciara: Trust me... I do not want ben working for stefan. It's just that no one else would hire him. Abigail: Well, I mean, doesn't that, uh-- doesn't that tell you something? I mean, look, even if he has changed, if that darkness is anywhere still inside him, being around stefan, that's gonna bring it out. Ciara: Yeah, I, uh--I think that may already be happening. Stefan... had ben kidnap gabi. Abigail: Well, I, uh-- I guess that makes sense. It's not like gabi didn't have it coming to her. But--but you're right. He shouldn't have done that. Ciara: Right? He shouldn'T. And he swears that he didn't hurt her, and apparently neither did stefan, but, god, it still bothers me. If I stay with ben, doesn't that make me complicit in what he's doing? Doesn't that make me a traitor to women, especially with my history? Abigail: I've been trying to be sensitive about that because I didn't know if you were making the association. But yeah, I think you're absolutely right to question yourself there. I mean, you have to ask yourself why you're willing to put yourself at risk. Ciara: I don't know what to do. Abigail: I think you do. Walk away... while you can. Ciara: [Sighs] Hope: Stefan's facing a-a capital offense with no legal representation. He needs you, ted. Offer to be his attorney, to represent him. Tell him that if he gives up ben for the kidnapping, it could translate into some sort of leniency with the treason charge. Ted: Hope, I cannot do that. The cases have nothing to do with each other. Hope: You're clever. I'm sure you'll come up with a way to bring him around. You're an excellent attorney. Ted: You love your daughter. You want to protect her. I respect and understand that. Hope: Then help me... please. I can't lose another child. Please. Ted: Okay. For you... for you, I'll do it. [Tense music] Rafe: I'd like a word with my wife... unless I'm interrupting. Ted: No. Excuse me. [Dramatic music] Rafe: [Scoffs] You asked him to represent stefan, didn't you? Hope: It's complicated. Rafe: That's not an answer. Hope: Yes, I did. Rafe: I know. You know how I know? Because I was just talking to stefan, and he told me that you tried to get him to turn on ben weston, that you actually offered to help him if he agreed. I didn't believe it. No, no, no, I-I didn't believe it. But, uh, it's true. It's true. So--so now you're--you're trying to use a guy who not only screwed his country but steve and kayla. And let's not forget my sister too. Hope: I did not forget your sister, nor am I forgetting abigail, by the way. Rafe: Well, I think you have. Hope: No, I have not. Rafe: I think you have completely forgotten about them, and I think you've completely forgotten about the fact that he was a rapist and a traitor and has screwed over everyone that you love. You know why? Because you will do anything-- you will do anything to nail ben weston, including using this scum. Hope: If the government has a solid case against stefan, then not even a shark like ted will be able to get him off. Rafe: Okay. So why do it? Hope: For the greater good, rafe. If ted...can get stefan to flip on ben, then they will both end up in prison. That's what we both want. Stefan: [Laughs] Look who it is! Wow, how was--how was the vacation? Was it to your liking, I hope? [Laughing] What-- what brings you here? Did you come here to gloat? Ted: Well, I do feel safer with you behind bars, but I'm here because I want to represent you. Stefan: You want to what? Okay, where's the-- what's the catch? Ted: Mr. Dimera, I know you hate me, but I'm a really good lawyer. So if you give me your word that you will leave me alone, I will go straight to the courthouse and push for an arraignment. Stefan: You're hired. Julie: My god. You made bail? I can only imagine your brother must have really pulled some big strings. Gabi: No, actually, I'm out because--drumroll, please-- they dropped the charges against me. Julie: Impossible. Gabi: No, it's very true. I'm free, and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it. Julie: Well, I can talk to the district attorney and tell her she's made quite a mistake. Gabi: You'd be wasting your time. There's no case. Julie: You're joking, right? Gabi: I'm not joking. I'm actually dead serious. You can ask abigail. She chose to let the whole thing go. Kate: Legacy is what you make it. Just because you're ceo doesn't mean that you're gonna turn into your brother or your father. Chad: You know, I, uh-- I always thought that I could take dimera legit, pave a different path-- my own path. Turns out, all paths eventually lead to the exact same place. Kate: Okay, so you see, that's where you're wrong. Because as ceo, you choose where your company goes. That's the beauty of being in charge. Chad: Too risky. I never saw myself as a ruthless person. Turns out, that's what I became. I'm not gonna let that happen again. Kate: So don't do it. Why were you so determined to build a better dimera anyway? Was that for you? I don't think so. It was for the future, right? For your children? So do that. Show abigail and your family that you can have success with integrity and honor. Take the ring and make it yours. Julie: Abigail would never let this drop. What did you do to her? Gabi: Nothing. She just doesn't want arianna to lose her mother. She wants to focus on her own children, and she wants to stop this war with me. She thinks that we've suffered enough and that we are even. Julie: Wow. Well, abigail is much more forgiving than I would ever be. You're a liar. You're a murderess. You killed my nick years ago, and you're still at it. Gabi: Okay, I-I'm confused. So--so who is it that I almost killed again? What? Julie: Well, you nearly killed me when I found out you switched the dna results on abigail's baby. You tore apart her marriage to chad. You saw to it that she wound up in an asylum, locked up, away from her child. You're a menace! And if abigail won't testify against you, maybe I should go to the authorities. Maybe I should tell them everything I know. Maybe I should tell them how you pushed me down the damn staircase. Gabi: See, I would not do that if I were you. Julie: No? Gabi: No. If you dare mess with me one more time, I will make sure that that big mouth of yours is shut for good. [Tense music] Ciara: I can't just walk away from ben. I have feelings for him. I really do. And I think that that's probably why I got so angry when I found out he kidnapped gabi. Because he really should've known better. He should've just stood up to stefan and said no. Abigail: But did he? Ciara: We got in a huge fight over it. Ben asked me if I wanted him to quit. Abigail: Well, and I hope you said yes. Ciara: I couldn'T. Abigail: What? Ciara: I couldn'T. I didn't even think that it was my place. Ben needs that job. Abigail: Uh, do you think that he would have quit if you asked him to? Ciara: I don't know. I didn't even want to give him some ultimatum. Truthfully I, uh... I just wanted him to come up with that decision on his own. Ben: Stefan... we need to talk. First of all, I'm very grateful to you for being the one person in this town who would actually hire me despite my past. As much as I appreciate that... I just can't work for you anymore. [Dramatic music] Stefan: Am I free to go? Ted: [Sighs] I-I tried, but the judge is not available until tomorrow. Stefan: Well... so much for that hotshot lawyering of yours. Ted: I'll get you out first thing in the morning. Stefan: What about tonight? Ted: You'll have to spend it in jail. Stefan: [Laughs] [Stammering] Rafe: Hope, we did this once before. You--you remember? Do you remember? You-- you tried to use ted to nail ben. The whole thing went sideways. It has to stop. Hope: No, he kidnapped your sister. My god, I thought that you would be on board if it meant putting him away. Rafe: I am. I am, but we have to do this the right way. You are crossing all kinds of lines here. Hope: I am trying to protect my daughter and your sister. Rafe: I want them both to be safe too, but this-- Hope: Then help me! Rafe: No, listen, your desperation is clouding your judgment. You are breaking rules. You're doing all kinds of things wrong. You're hiring this scum like ted laurent? Hope: I haven't done anything wrong. Rafe: Listen to me. I mean, honestly, how long before you're on the opposite side of a blackmail scheme? I love you. I love you, okay? But trust me when I say this. This whole thing is gonna blow up in your face. I guarantee it. Ben: Chad. Chad: Surprise. You don't work for stefan anymore. Ben: What the hell happened? Chad: Stefan has been... [Clears throat] Removed. See, I'm the new ceo of dimera now, so that means that you work for me. Ben: Huh.