Beyond The Gates – Daily Recap (03/07/25)
Kat storms into the office, immediately calling Eva out—it’s the second time she’s caught her snooping. She pointedly reminds her that Laura typically works from the home office. Then, with a sharp smile, she delivers the Dupree motto: “Fool me once, it’s on me. Fool me twice; it’s your funeral.”
Meanwhile, Jacob calls Naomi, who is in bed reviewing files. She asks him how much longer he has to work, but he tells her it’s hard to say. Then, his tone shifts. He tells her he has something important to say—nothing and no one comes before her. He loves her something fierce.
At Uptown, Dani arrives at the bar. The bartender, unsure of what to call her these days, hesitates before greeting her. She orders something unusual and suddenly flashes back to her time with Andre. Impulsively, she sends him a text. They go back and forth, playful yet charged. But Dani shuts it down, telling him never again means never again, especially after tonight. Andre, intrigued, asks what’s happening. She replies, Stay tuned.
Then, she calls Chelsea, but it goes to voicemail. She leaves a message telling her to meet at the Duprees.
Back at the office, Eva plays the victim card. Kat isn’t having it, so she reminds Eva that she saw her blank out on the screen. Eva tries to justify herself, saying she did it because Kat shouldn’t have access to specific files despite being Nicole's daughter. Kat flips it on her. Exactly. If she, as family, doesn’t have access to certain things, why does Eva—someone who just took off her apron? Kat suggests they call Nicole and settle it right then. Nicole doesn’t pick up. Eva smirks, taunting her. Go ahead and cry to Mommy if you want. Kat shoots back. So you can keep snooping? Eva doubles down, feigning gratitude, trying to spin the situation in her favor. But Kat doesn’t buy it. The duo goes back and forth, and Eva accuses Kat of gunning for her and suggests she ask herself why. Kat fires back, I already know why—and soon, my mother will too.
Meanwhile, in a dimly lit hallway, Ted and Nicole flirt by the elevators, unaware that Leslie lurks in a corner. As she watches them, she plays a video on her phone—the one Eva sent her.
Just then, Kat steps off the elevator, catching Leslie’s eye. She doesn’t waste a second.
"You’ll never guess what the queen of locs did this time."
At the Duprees, Vernon fields a call from an old friend. Anita playfully teases him about it. Then, rolling her eyes, she mentions that she’s been getting calls from the ladies who lunch—all about the video.
Anita remarks that if they hadn’t forced Dani to go to the wedding, none of this would have happened but Vernon reassures her. Later, Dani and Naomi talk. Naomi gushes over Jacob but suddenly backtracks, apologizing. Dani cuts her off—Never apologize for your happiness. Hearing how content Dani sounds, Naomi is relieved. Dani then tells her to meet at the Duprees later.
At the bar, Vanessa slides into a seat beside Dani. They order drinks and catch up. Nearby, Vanessa’s lover lingers—watching. Elsewhere, Doug gets into his car, only to be greeted by Joey Armstrong. Joey immediately clocks his nervous energy. Doug, uneasy, mutters that he thinks he made a mistake. Joey, calm but firm, leans in. “Let’s talk it out.”
Eva snoops, unaware Kat is filling Nicole in on everything she knows. Nicole, however, isn’t convinced. She tells Kat that Mona recommended Eva and dismisses her concerns. Kat, frustrated, insists—this isn’t just a bad vibe, this is wrong. Nicole stands firm. She can’t fire someone based on vibes, especially when the only person who seems to have a problem is Kat. She bluntly tells Kat to sit, spin, and think on it. Then, in true Nicole fashion, she calls Kat out for being judgmental and warns her not to bring it up again until she’s thought it through thoroughly.
Meanwhile, Doug gives Joey the rundown on his relationship with Randy. Not missing a beat, Joey shows him a number on some slip. “Look familiar?” Doug hesitates. “How?” Joey smirks. “I take an interest in my clients.”
Dani and Vanessa celebrate at the bar while Naomi arrives at her grandparents’ house. Vernon and Anita try to figure out why Dani called this meeting.
Kat and Chelsea meet up on the hospital rooftop. Kat vents, revealing that she had caught Eva snooping. Chelsea, ever the peacemaker, tries to reason with her. But Kat is heated. She says her mom acted like she was the problem like she was being privileged. Chelsea reminds her she is, and Kat says it is true, but she isn’t wrong. Chelsea tells her she’s putting way too much energy into a temporary hiccup. Kat isn’t backing down. She feels like Eva is diabolical and strategic. I love their dynamic. Chelsea points out that making fun of Eva’s clothes makes her sound like a mean girl. Kat shakes her head. “Fine. Just pretend I’m right about her. Then what?” Chelsea sighs, checking her phone. “I have to go—I’m being summoned.” Before she leaves, they exchange advice the way only true best friends do.
Later, Eva is on her way out of the office when she runs into Ted."No need to rush off," he says, stopping her. He asks how things are going, mentioning that she’s been a godsend and that Nicole adores her. He adds that Nicole is a good judge of people. Eva, flustered, tells him he doesn’t have to be so nice. I can tell that she is going to soften toward him and Nicole which means Leslie will have to step up her sabotage. Ted eyes her. “What’s going on?” She tries to leave, but he stops her again. "I know what’s going on."
The scene fades to Dani and Vanessa. Vanessa opens up—she’s lonely. She never realized that an Empty Nest meant an Empty House. Doug is never around, but she isn’t worried that things are solid between them; they trust each other. Dani reminds her that just because they had it on lock for years doesn’t mean she shouldn’t keep it locked down. Dani heads off to her parents’ house for the family meeting. Vanessa sets out to leave as well just as her lover approaches. Being the messy boots that she is they kiss right there near the door as if they cannot be seen. Hmm, maybe she wants to be seen.
Doug asks how the arrangement works, rambling on and on. Joey lets him talk before finally cutting in—“Relax. I took care of your debt.” He also adds more money to that debt when he hands him an envelop full of bills.
Eva says that she cannot complain, but Ted believes it’s just the Dupree of it all. He reassures her, telling her that her parents must be proud. Eva shares a little about her life, and Ted listens. He senses Eva may not want to tell him about her run-in with his daughter, and he apologizes for Kat, telling her that if she runs into any issues, she can always use him as a resource. Meanwhile, Eva tells Ted that she doesn’t mind if Kat doesn’t like her—but she needs the job. Ever the diplomat, Ted tells her that he thinks Kat is off base. Nicole joins them, backing Ted up. She tells Eva that she’s been telling Kat the same thing. Nicole reassures Eva, saying she loves having her around and that her position is secure until Laura returns. With their support, Eva is dismissed for the day. As she leaves, Ted watches her go and remarks, “She seems like a good kid. I feel bad.” Nicole tilts her head. “Why? You didn’t do anything.”
At the elevator, Leslie joins Eva. Eva is fuming, as she thinks about Ted and Nicole. She seethes. "People build gates to feel safe," she tells Eva. "What they don’t realize is, by building them, they show the world there’s something precious inside." Her expression darkens as she says it can all be burned down. She vows to make Ted and Nicole wish they had never met.
At The Uptown, Bill orders a drink and calls Hayley, telling her to meet him. But Hayley, in the middle of a steam session, declines. Bill, unfazed, tells her she was right. Everything is going to be fine. Better than fine.
At the Duprees, Chelsea arrives and asks where Dani is. Dani walks in moments later, ready to tell all, but she wants to wait for Nicole. Anita, impatient, demands to hear it now. Dani takes a deep breath. She tells them she couldn’t feel connected to them for a long time. But today? She finally can.
She’s ready to bury her dead marriage. It’s over. She spreads her arms. “Where’s the applause?” But they all hesitate. Dani understands—she’s made similar declarations before. But this time? She means it. She fills them in on her conversation with Hayley. They don’t matter anymore. And for the first time, she feels free. She compares it to her first runway show when she fell flat on her butt. But instead of staying down, she got up and strutted. She made a name for herself.
And now? She’s ready to strut again. To be the woman she should have been. She’s back on her feet. Vernon is the first to speak. He believes in her. Slowly, the rest of the family does as well. They’re happy she’s finally seen the light.
Doug expresses gratitude for Joey’s generosity. But Joey isn’t being generous, he’s investing. Doug gets out of the car when the coast is clear. Randy slides in. He eyes Joey. “Why float a sinker?” Joey leans back, calm and calculated. "Doug isn’t your friend anymore." "Doug is a mark."
At Nicole’s office, Shanice bursts in. There’s a woman on the roof. Ted tells Nicole not to go up without backup, but Nicole doesn’t hesitate—time is critical. She rushes up. On the rooftop, Leslie stands at the edge. She turns around slowly—her expression unnerving.
Jacob arrives at the Duprees. Without hesitation, he arrests Dani. As the handcuffs click into place, we flash to Bill, sipping his drink at the bar, smirking.
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