Beyond the Gates heats up on Thursday, July 17, as the impact of a long-held secret starts to hit several characters. Smitty is shaken by recent revelations. Nicole begins to investigate her family’s past, while Martin struggles to find his place in a world that no longer feels familiar.
Martin’s World Begins to Crumble
In Wednesday’s episode, Martin finally opens up to Smitty about the trauma he had hidden for two years. After carrying the weight of what happened that night, he decides to share everything with his husband. However, his honesty doesn’t shield him from the consequences.
Despite his confession, Martin gets kicked out of the family home. The emotional fallout leaves him shaken, as he faces not only his actions but also Smitty’s reaction. With his world turning upside down, Martin turns to the one place that still offers some safety, his grandparents’ home.
Vernon and Anita Dupree step in to support their grandson during this difficult time. Knowing how much Martin has been through, they welcome him in and provide comfort. Martin, filled with emotion and shame, leans on their understanding presence.
Meanwhile, Smitty grapples with the truth. Just hours after Martin’s confession, he finds himself torn between shock and sadness. The weight of what he has learned, and its implications for his marriage, hangs heavily in the air.
Smitty Learns the Full Extent of Beyond the Gates
On Thursday, Smitty gets hit with more bad news. Jacob Hawthorne arrives with dark tidings, seemingly unaware that Martin has already revealed the truth. He appears ready to tell Smitty about Kenny’s fate, not realizing that the news has already been shared.
Jacob might have wanted to provide closure, but instead, he walks into an emotional whirlwind. The story behind Kenny’s death is grim, two years ago, he and his brother attacked Vernon and Martin by the roadside.
In a moment of adrenaline and fear, Martin fought them off. His actions left Kenny’s brother dead and Kenny so injured that he required facial reconstruction, surgery done by Martin’s father, Ted Richardson.
This dark past, once buried, now looms over everyone involved. Smitty, still reeling from the revelation of Martin’s violence, must now decide how much more Jacob should know. Will he choose to be honest with his friend, or will he stay silent for now?
Nicole Pushes for Answers in Beyond the Gates
Elsewhere in town, Nicole Richardson starts putting her own puzzle together. After a private conversation with Vanessa McBride, she learns of something significant. Vanessa hints at a major situation, prompting Nicole to seek the full story. It’s likely that Vanessa tells her about Martin’s recent press conference, and the surprise visit from Joey Armstrong. That alone could raise alarms for Nicole, especially with her family so closely connected to recent events.
Eager for answers, Nicole may soon turn to her parents. What she discovers could change her perspective on past events, and on Anita specifically. Spoilers suggest an emotionally charged confrontation between mother and daughter. Anita tries to explain why she kept such a significant truth hidden, a truth that affected both Nicole’s father and her son.
The July 17 episode will impact each character. Martin feels defeated but not alone, thanks to Vernon and Anita’s kindness. Smitty stands at a crossroads, uncertain how to move forward with the man he loves but now barely recognizes. And Nicole finds herself caught in a storm of betrayal, trying to understand why she was kept in the dark for so long. The decisions each character makes could change the Dupree family dynamic forever or tear it apart completely. Stay tuned to Soap Opera Daily for the latest Beyond the Gates updates and spoilers.
