Days of our Lives Recap July 2: EJ Declares War on Titan and Mrs. Choi Terrifies Holly

TL;DR: In the Days of our Lives recap for Thursday, July 2, 2026, EJ reveals he orchestrated Titan’s financial crisis through ARO Wealth Management, Holly’s poisoning is traced to contaminated well water on Smith Island, and George warns EJ that Holly may not survive.

Days of our Lives Recap July 2

At the pub, Alex visited with Joy and Kelsey. He went to the parade with them, but he had to go into work for an emergency meeting with his cousins. Joy told him that Kelsey was trying to say Dada and got her to say it.

Joy asked Alex to go with them to the fireworks later, but he promised Stephanie he would go with her. Joy understood, but as Alex left, he turned around to look at them, and she did the same to him.

Holly’s Condition Takes a Frightening Turn

At the hospital, Stephanie brought flowers for Holly, but talked to her mom first. She told Kayla that Alex went to the parade, and that’s how her life was now: subject to change last minute if called by his baby mama.

Down the hall, Tate tried to cheer up Holly but after he left so she could rest, she was in a lot of pain. Meanwhile, Sarah got support from Brady as she tried to navigate what was going on with Holly and how to make her better.

When Tate came to the nurses’ station, he gave an update on Holly and said she wanted him to go to the gym. Tate asked if Stephanie was still up to a training session, and she happily took him up on it. 

Tate left to get changed at home first, and Stephanie wanted to bring Holly the flowers. Once alone with Brady, Kayla told him that she was glad their kids were spending time together. She added that she wouldn’t be surprised if EJ had something to do with Holly’s illness.

Stephanie Reaches Out To Holly

In Holly’s room, Stephanie offered her a PR job once she got better. She said she didn’t just mean the hospital stint, but to heal inside and out. Holly admitted that she was having trouble letting go of what Sophia did to her, and Stephanie understood completely.

Brady and Sarah talked about Holly some more, saying that everything that happened with Sophia and Mrs. Choi was enough to make Holly relapse. As someone who struggled with addiction, Brady could see things from that perspective, and thought it was a possibility that Holly took the Coriseal herself.

Later, Sarah was in Holly’s room when Brady brought in a bouquet of flowers that were at the nurses’ station for her. Holly realized one of the flowers was dead and pulled it out. Holly read the card and freaked out that it was from Mrs. Choi.

Holly told Brady and Sarah that she’d been served by Amy. Then she panicked as she realized she was served at the cabin, and she knew she was in the hospital. Holly wondered if Mrs. Choi was stalking her now, just like Sophia.

EJ Makes His Move Against Titan

At Titan, Xander and Philip tried to figure out why the buyer of their loan tripled the interest and doubled the payments. “It’s like it’s personal,” they mused. “It sure is,” EJ growled from the doorway.

Xander and Philip were shocked that EJ was behind ARO Wealth Management. EJ laughed that they couldn’t figure it out. ARO=ORA backwards. “O.R.A….One Rainy Afternoon,” Philip guessed. “And they say you’re the dumb one,” EJ quipped. 

EJ told Xander was the scumbag who set up his son to be disgraced by the novel and asked if he really thought EJ wouldn’t make him pay for it.

When Alex arrived, EJ took delight in explaining that the Titan company and its name were about to be mercilessly obliterated, becoming a footnote in corporate history.

After EJ left, Xander, Alex, and Philip tried to figure out how to handle it. They knew that Gabi’s inheritance wasn’t enough to cover the loan, but Xander said it was a start. Alex said if EJ found out they were using his family’s money to stop the takeover, he’d prevent her from getting anything.

They agreed that Gabi didn’t like EJ and probably wouldn’t tell him, and also that Maggie shouldn’t be told while they figured it out. The thought of EJ in the Kiriakis halls sickened them and they swore they do whatever it took to prevent it.

Kayla Confronts Joy While Stephanie Opens Up

Kayla looked for Roman at the pub but ran into Joy instead. She sat down and said it would be a good time to talk. She told Joy that although she agreed an unlocked gun in the house was hugely irresponsible, what Joy was insisting on was asking Alex to choose between his daughter and his wife. “You realize that an untenable situation, don’t you?” she asked.

“Did Stephanie ask you to come fight her battles for her?” Joy asked. She reminded Kayla that when she found out she was pregnant, she willingly bowed out of Alex’s life so that Stephanie could have a life with him.

Kayla kept it pleasant but gave Joy her number and said if she needed help with any hospital insurance issues in the future to give her a call instead.

Meanwhile, at the gym, Stephanie confided in Tate about her feelings around Joy and Alex. He could relate since he was in that position with Holly and Sophia. He admitted that he was struggling with everything going on in his life as well.

George Delivers Devastating News

EJ returned home and found George there. He told EJ that the Horton cabin well contained Coriseal and arsenic. “In other words, Holly’s been poisoned by a product of DiMera Enterprises,” EJ lamented.

George said that at the time they were supposed to get rid of the batch, he put his best fixer on it, but he buried them on Smith Island, which leaked into the Horton cabin well. That said, others in the area were clean.

George showed a photo of Brady at the Horton cabin getting a water sample the same time George was at the well. “I don’t know who he is, but he left with a water sample,” George added.

George warned EJ that although the others must not have had enough well water to affect them, what happened to Holly was serious. He said that what showed up in the water test, it would likely kill her.

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