Days of our Lives Recap July 23: Kristen Says Goodbye to Rachel, Abe and Lexie Renew Vows

TL;DR: In today’s Days of our Lives recap for Thursday, July 23, 2026, Kristen prepares Lexie for their dangerous plan, Chad and Belle make travel plans for Italy, Brady grows concerned by Kristen’s emotional behavior, and Abe renews his vows to Lexie.

Days of our Lives Recap July 23

Kristen let herself into Abe and Lexie’s apartment and found Lexie asleep on the couch. She feared that Lexie was unconscious or worse, but Lexie woke up and asked why she was there. Kristen said that she spoke to a contact on the island and EJ intended to ship her tomorrow night.

Kristen told Lexie to be ready, but if she changed her mind, they could come up with a whole other plan. “I won’t take up any more time than you’re willing to give,” she added. Lexie still wanted to stick to their plan.

Kristen gave Lexie a bracelet like the one she was wearing. She said it was a geolocator, and she would activate hers when she was grabbed, and that way Lexie would know where to find her.

Belle Encourages Stephanie

Stephanie saw Belle at Small Bar and told her that Alex spent the night at the Salem Inn with Joy the night before, and he was late meeting her because he went to check on her. Belle understood Stephanie’s position after her experience with Jann Spears and Shawn. She said that what mattered was that Shawn and Alex were nice guys. She advised Stephanie not to do what she did and push Alex away by being jealous and paranoid.

Stephanie shared that Alex told her that Joy didn’t have the power to pull him away; the only thing that would tear them apart was her pushing him away. “I wish someone would’ve told me before it was too late,” Belle mused.

Chad and Alex Compare Notes

In the square, Chad saw Alex on the phone with Philip, and he seemed upset when he hung up. They acknowledged it was wrong for Xander and Kate to target Johnny, but the family feud had to stop before it took them all down.

Alex told him that Stephanie had been through hell and life had been pretty hard with Joy coming back and him having a child with her. Chad said he really hoped they’d get through everything.

Chad and Belle Plan Their Italy Trip

Chad got to Small Bar to meet Belle and told her he booked them two first-class tickets to Milan. She was impressed, but thought they were going to Rome.

Chad explained that the building on the lire was in Milan, and thought they could take a tour. Belle said her research led to Rome, so Chad said they would do both.

Later, they were walking through the square when they ran into Marlena. They told her they were going on a vacation and she thought that was nice, until they said they were going to Italy.

Marlena asked why, and they stumbled through their response about making an adventure out of touring old buildings and historical places.

Stephanie Supports Alex

Meanwhile, Alex arrived to meet Stephanie. She told him he was a good man and she was lucky to be married to him. Alex appreciated her support, especially with everything going on at Titan.

Stephanie said that she had leaned on him for so long, but she wanted to be there for him. She offered to share her finances with her company. “We’re new-school. What’s mine is yours and vice versa,” she said. She added that included Kelsey, that she was a welcome part of their lives.

Kristen Says an Emotional Goodbye

Marlena and Brady surprised Rachel with a visit and then surprised her with the news that she was coming home. Rachel jumped into their arms excitedly and told her stuffed animals the good news.

After Marlena left, Kristen arrived and got emotional with Rachel. Brady watched curiously as she gushed about how happy she was and how they would be together forever.

While Rachel was out of the room, Brady confirmed that Rachel would be safe, or if he had a reason to be worried about her around EJ. Kristen assured him that the issue was taken care of.

“I know that I haven’t said this enough, but thank you for being an amazing father. Our daughter really loves you, and now that she’s leaving here, she’s going to rely on you more than ever,” Kristen said, getting choked up.

Kristen acknowledged that they’d fought for so long, often about trivial things, and she apologized for her part in that. “In spite of all of those difficult times, I just want you to know that you’re a good man and a good father,” she said as she began to sob.

Kristen cried that her little girl was the best thing that ever happened to her, and Rachel wouldn’t exist without him, and neither would she. When Rachel returned, she told her to get a good sleep so she would be ready to enjoy her homecoming the next day. Brady watched as an emotional Kristen hugged her daughter and told her to never forget how much she loved her.

Shawn and Jada Talk About the Future

At the pub, Shawn pushed Jada to let him return to the force. Jada said the only downfall was that if he got a clean bill of health, he wouldn’t have a reason to stay with her anymore.

Shawn said he was a grown man who didn’t need excuses, as long as she wanted him to stay with her. Jada smiled and said she was more than okay with that.

As for work, Jada assured Shawn that since his last partner had hesitated, she was holding all applicants to a very high standard. Shawn told Jada how appreciative he was that she took care of him.

When Jada mentioned she hadn’t spent much time with Stephanie lately, Shawn told her she should. He assured her that he was doing better, and encouraged her to check in on her friend.

Abe Renews His Vows to Lexie

Abe came home and surprised Lexie with their wedding rings. She was surprised he’d kept them all this time in a safety deposit box, and assumed that after he remarried, he got rid of them. Abe put the ring on Lexie’s finger as he renewed his vows to her.

Lexie broke down while she said her vows to Abe and put the ring on his finger. Abe wiped away her tears and told her how much she meant to him, and that, after all the years they lost, they had so many to come. Lexie sobbed on his shoulder.

Abe was hoping they could celebrate with a second honeymoon in New York, but Lexie reminded him that she was going to visit her mother. She told him she made a reservation for the next evening.

Stay Tuned to The Soap Scene

Miss a day? Catch up with our daily recaps for Days of our Lives — or be the first to look ahead with our DOOL spoilers at The Soap Scene!

For the daily spoilers, casting updates, birthdays, and more, bookmark our Days of our Lives page at The Soap Scene — and be sure to get the up-to-the-minute news, spoilers, and more on our social accounts on Instagram, Facebook, and X/Twitter. 

We want to hear from you, so be sure to leave a comment or you are welcome to join our Facebook chat rooms!