Aiden refuses to steal evidence for the DiMeras, so Stefano and Andre push him toward murdering Hope after their wedding to erase his debt and frame the timeline to clear Chad. Shaken, Aiden researches the killings, hides it from Hope, and even adds himself to her life‑insurance policy while asking Rafe to be his best man. Rafe still doubts Chad’s guilt but tries to move on by spending time with Lani, who starts to develop feelings for him. Meanwhile, Abigail questions Ben’s odd behaviour, and at the station Clyde forces Ben to admit he’s the Necktie Killer—vowing to protect him—while Rafe and Lani witness Ben’s fear and grow suspicious.