Monday, April 6, 2026

Izaiah Hawthorne (Lami Friebe) met his brother, Jacob Hawthorne (Jibre Hordges), at his secret hotel hideout, still feeling guilty for asking Naomi Hamilton-Hawthorne (Arielle Prepetit) if he could borrow her burner phone. Jacob Hawthorne reassured him that there were no hard feelings.

Izaiah Hawthorne mentioned Jacob Hawthorne and Hamilton-Hawthorne’s anniversary and questioned why his brother chose to see him instead of spending the day with his wife. The undercover cop explained that he did not want to take the risk, especially while being on call.

At Orphey Gene’s, Ashley Morgan (Jen Jacob) surprised Hamilton-Hawthorne with a sentimental wedding gift. The moment led to a walk down memory lane, as Morgan reflected on encouraging her friend to take a chance on Jacob Hawthorne, a decision that ultimately shaped her life.

The lawyer also recalled meeting Jacob Hawthorne’s parents, Elon Hawthorne (Malachi Malik) and Darlene Hawthorne (Monique Mosee), where Darlene Hawthorne made her disapproval known through pointed remarks about Hamilton-Hawthorne’s upbringing.

Later, Hamilton-Hawthorne visited her mother, Dani Dupree (Karla Mosley), who celebrated the occasion with champagne and reflection. The two revisited the moment where the lawyer revealed that she was living with Jacob Hawthorne, followed by Dani Dupree recalling how her son-in-law asked for her daughter’s hand in marriage.

Hamilton-Hawthorne also remembered nearly derailing her own proposal before Jacob Hawthorne improvised and proposed to her in their bed, bonnet and all. As Dani Dupree reflected on the way her daughter and the cop only saw each other on their wedding day, those memories came rushing back. Bill Hamilton (Timon Kyle Durrett) shook Jacob Hawthorne’s hand and asked him to take care of his daughter, while Dani Dupree embraced Hamilton-Hawthorne in celebration.

Shockingly, tension brewed between the Hawthorne family during the wedding as a drunken Izaiah Hawthorne clashed with Elon Hawthorne, knocking over glasses before storming out after his father told him he did not belong there.

Elsewhere, Jacob Hawthorne held onto a quieter memory of sharing pizza with his wife on the floor of their first apartment, a simple moment that reflected the foundation of their relationship.

By the end of the night, Jacob Hawthorne made his presence felt without physically being there. Hamilton-Hawthorne returned home to find rose petals on the bed, flowers waiting for her and a thoughtful card that served as a reminder that, despite everything, her husband was still choosing her.

Tuesday, April 7, 2026

Vernon Dupree (Clifton Davis) joined his wife, Anita Dupree (Tamara Tunie), as she reviewed proposals for the Dupree Heritage Foundation. He expressed how much he appreciated seeing her focus on something beyond her illness.

The two shared a sweet moment, with the Dupree matriarch complimenting her husband, but it was quickly interrupted when Dani Dupree stormed in, claiming she was in a crisis. The “crisis” turned out to be Dani Dupree wanting her mother to review her photos, which immediately raised Anita Dupree’s suspicions.

The supermodel eventually admitted to her mother that while she did want feedback, Vernon Dupree had encouraged her to stop by and keep her mother occupied while he went to see Martin Richardson (Brandon Claybon).

At the same time, the congressman was catching up on political news when his daughter, Samantha Richardson-Smith (Najah Jackson), called to let him know that she had gone to Orphey Gene’s after cotillion rehearsal and planned to have lunch with Donnell McBride (Alex Cheeks).

During lunch, Samantha Richardson-Smith and Donnell McBride discussed cotillion preparations and her brother’s dancing, while June (Jasmine Burke) took their order. June noted Samantha Richardson-Smith’s teasing, though it was all in good fun.

Donnell McBride related, sharing that he had a similar dynamic with his own sister. After June stepped away, Donnell McBride complimented his cotillion date on rebuilding her relationship with her mother.

As the two continued planning, Donnell McBride offered thoughtful advice on how Samantha Richardson-Smith could grow her brand ahead of the cotillion. However, the mood shifted when he confessed to having a crush on Chelsea Hamilton (RhonniRose Mantilla), which clearly did not sit well with Samantha Richardson-Smith.

After he left, Samantha Richardson-Smith shared a brief moment with her mother and invited her to attend cotillion, though the Orphey Gene’s waitress hesitated, worried she might embarrass her daughter.

After spending some time with his husband, Bradley “Smitty” Smith (Mike Manning) met Jacob Hawthorne at their usual alleyway spot, where Jacob Hawthorne was clearly irritated from waiting. Their conversation turned to the undercover cop expanding his mission, including identifying who Grayson Perez (Jordi Vilasuso) was reporting to at Garland Memorial Hospital.

Elsewhere, Eva Thomas (Ambyr Michelle) nervously joined her boyfriend, Izaiah Hawthorne, at the country club as they awaited his mother, Darlene Hawthorne’s arrival. Eva Thomas had gone all out, even bringing in a chef from France.

Darlene Hawthorne was unimpressed from the start. She made cutting remarks about Eva Thomas and her mother “moving on up” on the back of Anita Dupree’s money. Despite the free clinic volunteer’s attempts to make a good impression, Darlene Hawthorne made it clear that she had already formed an opinion about her and Leslie Thomas (Trisha Mann-Grant).

Leslie Thomas soon arrived and firmly defended her daughter, turning the lunch into an even more uncomfortable gathering. The Hawthorne matriarch ultimately let her frustrations loose, accusing both Leslie Thomas and Eva Thomas of disrupting the lives of the Dupree and Richardson families before storming out.

Nearby, the Banneker advisor caught up with his mother after she left the table, where she expressed concern that he was in a good place and did not want his connection to Eva Thomas to jeopardize that. From a distance, Eva Thomas watched the exchange, clearly hurt by Darlene Hawthorne’s words and disapproval.

Vernon Dupree arrived at Martin Richardson’s home under the guise of discussing the campaign, but the conversation shifted when the congressman sought advice on balancing his responsibilities with his personal life. Vernon Dupree reflected on his own experiences with Anita Dupree, stressing the importance of protecting both family and relationships while navigating a demanding career.

Wednesday, April 8, 2026

Kat Richardson (Colby Natasha Nixon) arrived at the hospital while on the phone with Tomas Navarro (Alex Alegria), offering her support as he prepared to confront Bill Hamilton. At the office, Navarro admitted that working at the firm had always been his dream, but he could no longer stay where he felt undervalued, and he then placed his resignation letter on Bill Hamilton’s desk.

Bill Hamilton, however, refused to accept it. He admitted that he saw a lot of himself in Navarro and even acknowledged that Navarro’s suspicions about Lynette Wise (Dominique Madison) might have been right.

Meanwhile, Wise met with Hayley Lawson (Marquita Goings) for coffee, where the underlying tension between them quickly escalated. Lawson was frustrated by Wise’s disregard for her time, while Wise questioned why Lawson was even working at all.

When Lawson insisted that she had fallen in love with Bill Hamilton, Wise mocked her history of marriages and schemes. The conversation took a darker turn when Wise made it clear that she intended to continue living off Bill Hamilton’s money and threatened to expose Lawson’s past if she did not cooperate. Shocked, Lawson accused Wise of blackmail. Despite believing they were friends, Lawson ultimately agreed to pay her, but only if Wise left the DMV.

Vanessa McBride (Lauren Buglioli) met with Dani Dupree to vent about the disastrous double date with Joey Armstrong (Jon Lindstrom) and Dr. Nicole Dupree (Daphnée Duplaix). At the same time, Kat Richardson had a similar conversation with Dr. Dupree at the hospital.

As both women shared their perspectives, Kat Richardson encouraged her mother to consider a do-over to avoid losing her friendship, while Dani Dupree advised Vanessa McBride to follow her heart and be mindful of her relationship with her daughter, Deanna McBride (Angela Fairley).

When Kat Richardson met Chelsea Hamilton at Uptown, the two were visibly on edge about their Fenmore’s Boutique (Y&R) presentation, even questioning whether the other had done enough to secure the opportunity.

Hamilton-Hawthorne visited Anita Dupree, who asked how she and Jacob Hawthorne had spent their anniversary. The attorney admitted that they had not spent it together and explained that the undercover cop had arranged a surprise for her instead.

Anita Dupree empathized with her granddaughter, which nearly prompted Hamilton-Hawthorne to reveal the real reason for her husband’s absence. However, the moment was interrupted when her grandmother began coughing.

Shortly after, Hamilton-Hawthorne received news about ChelseaKat and asked Anita Dupree to join her in sharing it, which turned into a celebration at Uptown as Fenmore’s Boutique accepted their brand.

Dr. Ted Richardson (Keith Robinson) later visited his ex-wife with dessert, using small talk to ease into a deeper conversation about her dating life. He advocated for his friend, Dr. Carlton Fitzgerald (Robert Christopher Riley), while suggesting that Nicole Dupree did not truly know Dr. Kial Rollins (Greg Vaughan).

Nicole Dupree countered by pointing out that his own partner, Shanice Johnson (Ernestine Johnson), had introduced her to Dr. Rollins, questioning whether he trusted her judgment. Dr. Richardson admitted that Shanice Johnson might want more than what he could give, while Nicole Dupree revealed that she invited Dr. Rollins to meet her family to avoid pressure to define their relationship.

The day ended on a high note as family members gathered to celebrate Chelsea Hamilton and Kat Richardson’s success. They toasted not only to their achievement, but also to Anita Dupree’s inspiration, closing the night with a signature Dupree women’s strut.

Thursday, April 9, 2026

At the Richardson-Smith household, “password change day” brought the family together, though Samantha Richardson-Smith was far more interested in getting a smoothie than hearing the story behind it. She shared that June had declined her cotillion invitation, prompting Smith to reflect on his own introduction into the Dupree lifestyle.

The conversation was interrupted when Tyrell Richardson-Smith (Jaden Lucas Miller) rushed in, convinced he was being followed, only for Martin Richardson to reveal that it was his newly assigned security detail. While Martin Richardson apologized for not giving his family a heads-up, Smith made it clear that the added security would complicate his current assignment.

Meanwhile, Samantha Richardson-Smith and Tyrell Richardson-Smith headed to Orphey Gene’s to personally convince their mother to attend the cotillion, but she stood firm in her decision to decline, leaving Samantha Richardson-Smith visibly upset.

At the police station, Marcel Malone (Darryl W. Handy) met with Elon Hawthorne when Leslie Thomas arrived, bringing donuts for the police chief while openly flirting with Malone. After Leslie Thomas made comments about Darlene Hawthorne, Malone admitted that she had never liked him because of his friendship with his future ex-wife.

Elsewhere, Jacob Hawthorne checked in with his father, asking him to have someone investigate activity at the hospital and inquiring about his mother. Elon Hawthorne passed the task to Malone. The cop later attempted to meet with Perez, but Perez declined, warning that people were becoming suspicious.

At Orphey Gene’s, Hamilton-Hawthorne crossed paths with her mother-in-law and introduced her to June. When asked about Jacob Hawthorne, Hamilton-Hawthorne maintained the cover story that he was away for training.

The conversation shifted to Izaiah Hawthorne, with Darlene Hawthorne expressing concern after witnessing his interaction with Eva Thomas. Hamilton-Hawthorne acknowledged that Eva Thomas seemed to be trying to change, though she admitted Leslie Thomas was another story. While Darlene Hawthorne remained hesitant, she conceded that she might have to accept Eva Thomas for her son’s sake.

Later, Hamilton-Hawthorne stopped by the hospital to visit Morgan, where the two spoke positively about Perez. Before leaving, the lawyer caught Smith in Nicole Dupree’s office, not knowing that he was snooping through Dr. Dupree’s computer.

Friday, April 10, 2026

Smith was caught red-handed in Nicole Dupree’s office but quickly covered with a weak excuse about leaving her a note. Hamilton-Hawthorne jokingly called him out, which only made him more nervous.

After receiving a call from Jacob Hawthorne, Smith met him at the hospital, where they discussed Perez refusing to see the undercover cop. Their conversation was interrupted when Morgan stepped into the stairwell to check on Perez, revealing he had left early.

Smith shared that the information he pulled was from Nicole Dupree’s computer, which did not sit well with Jacob Hawthorne. While the investigative reporter insisted that Dr. Dupree would not notice, it became clear she already had.

At Orphey Gene’s, emotions boiled over when Samantha Richardson-Smith lashed out over June declining her cotillion invitation once again. Tyrell Richardson-Smith filled their grandmother in when she arrived, while his sister struggled to explain her reaction. Nicole Dupree recognized that her granddaughter’s outburst stemmed from a deeper fear of abandonment.

After Tyrell Richardson-Smith checked on his mother, Nicole Dupree encouraged the family to communicate more openly. The waitress then revealed the truth about her hesitation, explaining that as a former addict, she feared embarrassing her children and believed staying away was a way to protect them.

Samantha Richardson-Smith apologized, assuring her that her presence meant more than any title. The emotional moment ended with a hug, and June agreed to attend her children’s cotillion.

Elsewhere, Morgan spoke with Dr. Madison Montgomery (Kenjah McNeil) about her Parkinson’s research, hoping it could help Perez’s mother. Their conversation was interrupted when Dr. Montgomery was served with a malpractice lawsuit.

Caught off guard, Dr. Montgomery frantically called her fiancé and turned to Hamilton-Hawthorne, who had just left Dr. Dupree’s office and learned that the case stemmed from statements made by Will Adams, which Dr. Montgomery knew was her mother, Willow.

Hamilton-Hawthorne accompanied her future sister-in-law to Bill Hamilton’s law firm, where the criminal defense attorney suggested settling the case. Hamilton-Hawthorne disagreed with that approach, but despite their differing strategies, the two agreed to work together as co-counsels.

At the casino, Deanna McBride confronted Armstrong, warning him to stay away from her mother. Armstrong refused to be controlled and instead attempted to prove himself to her, though she remained skeptical of both his intentions and the timing of his relationship with Vanessa McBride.

That tension carried over when Nicole Dupree crossed paths with Vanessa McBride at the coffee shop. The encounter quickly turned heated, as Vanessa McBride made it clear that if Nicole Dupree could not support her relationship, there was no room for their friendship. Nicole Dupree was stunned that Vanessa McBride would choose Armstrong over everyone in her life. Hurt by her friend’s actions, the renowned psychiatrist left.

“Beyond the Gates” airs on CBS at 2 p.m. EST Monday through Friday.