Danny Gives Daniel Huge News — and Tessa’s Crushed After Mariah Drops a Bomb

Daniel is grieving the loss of Heather and feels her absence deeply in his everyday life. He often reaches for her in his sleep, only to find her side of the bed empty. He describes Heather as “his person”—someone who understood him completely.

Though he’s trying to move forward for the sake of his daughter Lucy, the pain remains. He questions whether he told Heather he loved her enough and reflects on the unfairness of her loss, yet he’s proud of the progress he’s making, even if he still feels her absence in quiet moments.

Daniel also feels guilty for not being more present, recognizing that his mother, Phyllis, stepped up during his grief. He sees that Phyllis’s pushiness came from trying to manage her own trauma. Though they joke about her intensity, Daniel worries she might push too hard trying to secure Dumas’s support and possibly do something she’ll regret.

The conversation shifts to lighter topics, including Daniel’s platonic friendship with Tessa and the comfort he finds in music and writing. Then Danny surprises Daniel by asking how he would feel if he proposed to Christine, suggesting his relationship with her has grown strong and steady.

Daniel’s surprised by this news… they haven’t been back together for that long. Danny knows she’s his person. What they have together is so right. Daniel won’t tell him to wait. Danny teases that he’ll need to break the news to his mom. They toast and chuckle.

Mariah Summons Tessa

At Crimson Lights, Mariah thinks back to drinking with the older man while away on her trip and grimaces. She pulls out her phone and calls someone. “I really need to see you now. Do you think you can meet me?”

As she sits and waits, Mariah flashes to laughing and drinking with the older man… and to going in for a kiss with him. Just then, Tessa shows up. She sits, and they talk about Aria.

Mariah looks miserable. Tessa notices she can’t even look at her. She’s hurt, but is trying to understand. Mariah says it’s hard to be home where they built their family and lives together. She feels she doesn’t deserve it… she doesn’t deserve Tessa or Aria. Tessa says she does.

She thanks her for reaching out and asks her not to run away. Mariah doesn’t think there has ever been a more difficult time in her life. She hates herself for shutting her and Aria out.

“I hate that I have done this to our family and to you.” Tessa will never stop reaching for Mariah. “You’re my star.” She asks her to take her hand, but Mariah can’t. She says, “And we can’t keep doing this anymore.”

Tessa’s dismayed to hear that Mariah can never tell her what happened on her trip. She tells her wife keeping it inside isn’t healthy. She has to talk to someone.

Mariah can’t tell anyone, ever, what she has done. Tessa promises she’ll forgive her. Mariah won’t forgive herself… ever. She did this and she has to figure out how to live with it, but she won’t put that on her or Aria. Tessa asks what she’s saying. Mariah says it’s best if they separate.

Mariah apologizes for not preparing Tessa, it’s not a decision she came to lightly. “This feels like the end of the world to me, Tessa.” Her wife gets upset when she tells her she’s beautiful.

They argue as Mariah says they need time apart. Tessa is sure she can make Mariah trust her love for her if she’ll just tell her what is going on. Why does she think she gets to make a choice like this… she won’t let her leave her when she needs her most.

Mariah says she’s so sorry, but nothing Tessa says or does will change her mind about this. She knows she thinks their love is enough to get them through this nightmare she’s caused, but nothing will fix this.

It’s only going to get worse. Mariah needs to figure out a way to fix this… if anything can. Doing it with her and Aria there will put them through hell.

Tessa asks, “So, you’re just going to go away?” Mariah will have to live with this. She’ll make a schedule to spend time with Aria and send it to her.

Tessa gasps, “So, that’s it. It’s over.” Mariah prays that it’s not… she just needs space and time. Tessa sobs. Mariah knows she won’t accept this, so she’s going to go before she does more damage.

Tessa pleads with her to tell her what happened. Mariah barks, “I can’t! I won’t.” She loves her so much, but she can’t do this with her. She’ll have to let her go. Tessa cries, “Mariah! Do you really think I don’t know what you did?”

Tessa says it’s not that hard to guess. She figures she got drunk and slept with someone else. “You cheated on me.” Mariah won’t talk about this.

Tessa tells her she’s already forgiven her. Mariah cries, “You don’t know!” Tessa knows what they have is bigger than any hurt between them. “You don’t have to tell me what you did. You don’t even have to talk to me, but I want you to look at me and see me again.”

She loves her and will be there for her no matter what. “Look at me,” she pleads. There’s only one way forward and through this. “That is with me by your side, OK?”

Mariah wishes she could do this with her, but it’s not as simple as a one-night stand. What she did was so much worse. “I’m sorry, but this is the way it has to be.” With that, she walks out, leaving Tessa sobbing.