IS STEPHANIE JOHNSON BEING STALKED BY JEREMY HORTON ON DAYS OF OUR LIVES?

TL;DR: Days of Our Lives fans are predicting a terrifying stalker storyline for Stephanie Johnson (Abigail Klein) after her abusive ex-boyfriend Jeremy Horton (Michael Roark) returned to Salem following the publication of her tell-all novel One Stormy Night, which exposed their toxic relationship. With Alex Kiriakis (Robert Scott Wilson) as her live-in partner and protector, this storyline could transform their romance into a supercouple-level partnership built on trust and survival.

Jeremy Horton’s Return Has “Stalker” Written All Over It

Let’s be real—the timing of Jeremy Horton‘s arrival in Salem is way too suspicious to be a coincidence!

Stephanie just published a bestselling romance novel that exposes the intimate, traumatic details of their abusive relationship. She even tried to have certain passages removed before publication because she was terrified Jeremy would recognize himself in the pages. Her publisher at Titan Industries ignored her pleas, and now? Her worst nightmare is standing on her doorstep holding flowers.

If that’s not the setup for a stalker storyline, I don’t know what is!

The show recast the role—hiring Michael Roark instead of bringing back the original actor from 2007—which tells us everything we need to know. When a soap opera recasts a character who’s been gone for nearly two decades, they’re not planning a quick cameo. They’re investing in a major, long-term storyline. And given Jeremy‘s history of physical violence (he literally tried to drown Stephanie in a hot tub during their relationship) and emotional manipulation, the threat level here is OFF THE CHARTS.

Why Jeremy Horton Makes the Perfect Stalker

Jeremy isn’t just some misunderstood ex-boyfriend. This guy has a criminal record that includes felony fraud—he created a fake charity for children with cancer and pocketed the donations!

That level of calculated deception and complete lack of empathy? Classic stalker material.

But here’s what makes him even more dangerous: his new job as a substitute teacher at North Salem Elementary School. That’s not just any school—that’s where Thomas DiMera attends. Thomas is Stephanie‘s young nephew, the son of Chad DiMera and the late Abigail Deveraux. By positioning himself at that school, Jeremy has legitimate, non-suspicious access to Stephanie‘s extended family. He can gather information about schedules, observe family dynamics, and insert himself into their lives under the guise of being a respectable, reformed educator.

It’s a brilliant infiltration strategy. And it’s terrifying.

The “Changed Man” Act Nobody Should Believe

Here’s where things get psychologically complex. Stephanie has a documented history of excusing and minimizing abusive behavior in relationships.

She admitted to Alex that she focused on the “good times” with Jeremy to survive the “devastatingly awful” bad times. That’s classic trauma response, and it means she’s vulnerable to Jeremy‘s inevitable “I’ve changed” routine. He’s going to present himself as reformed, remorseful, and stable. He’ll point to his respectable teaching job as proof of his transformation.

And Stephanie, conditioned by years of rationalizing his abuse, might hesitate before accepting the full extent of the danger he represents.

That hesitation? That’s when he’ll strike.

What’s Next for Stephanie and Alex?

Could this storyline be the defining moment for Stephanie and Alex‘s relationship? Absolutely!

Alex just moved in with Stephanie, solidifying their commitment at the exact moment this threat emerges. Their new home—their sanctuary—is about to become ground zero for psychological terror. The harassment will likely escalate from unwanted gestures (those flowers) to surveillance, intimidation, and eventually a direct physical threat to Stephanie‘s life.

Don’t be surprised if Alex taps into his Kiriakis heritage to protect Stephanie. The Kiriakis family, founded by the ruthless Victor Kiriakis, operates in both legitimate business and the criminal underworld. Alex has access to wealth, security resources, and connections that operate outside the law. This crisis will force him to decide which aspects of his family legacy he’ll embrace—the protective power or the inherent violence.

Given Robert Scott Wilson‘s history playing Ben Weston (the infamous Necktie Killer), there’s a delicious layer of dramatic irony here. Every time Alex acts aggressively or protectively toward Stephanie, fans will subconsciously remember Ben‘s dark past. The show is using Wilson‘s casting history as a red herring, creating tension around whether Alex might go too far in his protection efforts.

This storyline likely leads to a violent climax where Alex must physically rescue Stephanie, possibly using lethal force against Jeremy. That act—however heroic—would have serious legal and psychological ramifications, spinning off future storylines about a potential murder investigation or Alex‘s struggle with having killed someone.

Could Someone Else Be the Stalker?

While all signs point to Jeremy, soap operas love a good misdirect!

It’s possible the stalker is an obsessed fan of Stephanie‘s novel who’s fixated on the characters and believes they have a special connection to her. In that scenario, Jeremy‘s return would be coincidental—a classic red herring.

Another possibility? An enemy of Alex‘s targeting Stephanie to hurt him. A spurned business rival or vengeful ex-lover (looking at you, Joy Wesley) might use Stephanie as a weapon against Alex.

But here’s the most likely twist: Jeremy IS the stalker, but Alex‘s increasingly aggressive protection of Stephanie gets misinterpreted by others. Steve Johnson (Stephanie’s father and former ISA agent) or the Salem PD might profile Alex as a possessive, controlling boyfriend, making HIM appear to be the threat. That would force Stephanie to defend Alex against accusations from her own family, creating intense internal conflict for the couple while the real danger continues escalating.

The Thomas DiMera Factor Makes This Even More Dangerous

Can we talk about how volatile Jeremy‘s position as Thomas‘s teacher really is?

This gives him access to a vulnerable child in Stephanie‘s family circle. He could potentially manipulate Thomas to gain information about Stephanie or use the kid as leverage. The potential for Jeremy to weaponize a child adds a layer of moral complexity and extreme jeopardy that would justify any lengths Alex and Stephanie‘s family go to stop him.

Steve Johnson and Kayla Brady won’t stand by quietly while their daughter is threatened. Steve‘s background as a secret agent means he has extensive security and combat experience. His protective methods will likely clash with Alex‘s more visceral, Kiriakis-style approach, creating friction between Stephanie‘s father and her partner at the worst possible time.

This Could Be Days’ Next Big Thriller

Fans comparing this setup to the Necktie Killer storyline aren’t wrong!

That legendary arc worked because it revealed the monstrous side of a character initially presented as a romantic lead. Jeremy‘s setup mirrors that theme—danger emerging from a past romantic relationship with sustained psychological terror building to life-threatening stakes.

The show is clearly leaning into horror and thriller tropes, especially heading into the Halloween season. While any violence in the Halloween episode itself might be non-canonical (those episodes are usually standalone fantasies), the main storyline will absolutely escalate toward attempted murder. The climax will require a violent, definitive confrontation to save Stephanie‘s life.

This storyline is structurally engineered to transform Stephanie and Alex from a simple dating couple into a foundational supercouple partnership built on unwavering trust and mutual protection. Alex will complete his character arc from playboy to protector. Stephanie will overcome her trauma and place absolute faith in Alex, likely in defiance of well-meaning but misguided suspicions from her family.

Their ability to survive this crisis together will solidify their status as a central romantic pairing for years to come.

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