The year 2025 in Salem wasn’t just a calendar turn; it was a collision of sparks and crashes, a relentless parade of relationships that burned bright and fizzled out in the same breath. Soap Dirt’s countdown laid bare the messiest, most controversial pairings that left fans sighing, rolling their eyes, or grabbing the remote to scream, “What are they thinking?” Here’s an original, dramatic retelling of those rotten romances, retold for listeners who crave the thrill of a Salem melodrama.

First up at number five, a union that seemed marked by fate and failure in equal measure: Jada Hunter and Rafe Hernandez. The pair found a shaky footing at the office, textures of flirtation turning into something more tangible, something hopeful. But Salem’s fate had other plans. Enter Arnold Fineer, a master manipulator who returned to stalk EJ’s shadows and wield blackmail like a blade. In a cruel masquerade, Arnold took Rafe’s place, enthralling Jada with a deception so intricate it fractured trust beyond repair. When the truth shattered, Jada’s heart splintered as she learned of betrayals—Rafe’s entanglement with his ex, Sammy, and Jada’s own risky indiscretion with Shawn Brady. The result was a romance soiled with deceit, infidelity stacked upon infidelity, and a stubborn silence that refused to heal. The passion faded, leaving Jada still seeking love while Rafe’s heart seemed to wander, stuck between old loyalties and new wounds.

Descending to number four, we meet a pairing that rode the edge of toxicity with a swagger that felt all too familiar in Salem’s history: Brady Black and Ava Vitali. Their alliance took root against shared enemies—Clyde Weston’s shadow looming large. The spark flew, chemistry crackled, but the path toward a real, uninterrupted romance was continuously hijacked by Brady’s famous Achilles’ heel: his daughter Rachel. The child’s relentless pranks and meddling turned every attempt at intimacy into a logistical nightmare, a test of patience and love that Ava struggled to pass. The couple’s flirtation faced a brutal barrier—Rachel’s interference, and later, Ava’s own peril as Rachel’s grandmama and the tangled web of family loyalties stretched the strain. When danger loomed, Ava made the painful choice to walk away, prioritizing her safety and peace over a romance that seemed doomed to fracture under the weight of in-lawly chaos. The result was a toxic, tantalizing romance that never quite found its footing in the real world of Salem.

Next, at number three, EJ DiMera and Belle Black—a pairing that carried a delicious ache, a horizon of potential, and a ledger of complications. Their history included a one-night stand from years past, a power shift that left scars, and a New Year’s Eve invitation that rekindled a dangerous flame. In early 2025, their chemistry reignited in secret, the thrill of secrecy feeding their dread and desire in equal measure. They clung to each other through whispers and late-night reunions, taking their relationship public only as the heat of the moment threatened to scorch. EJ’s shady business dealings cast a shadow, and Belle found herself torn between longing and the tremor of consequence. A coma, a hospital bed, and a confession that stretched love to its breaking point—Belle’s declaration that she loved EJ while he lay unconscious created a moment of pure vulnerability. Yet the court’s theatre—Johnny’s trial, accusations of bias, and the bitter sting of judgment—turned their romance into a weapon, a liability that could misfire at any moment. Belle’s decision to end it, even as genuine feelings lingered, was a stark reminder that in Salem, love often pays a heavy price for truth and timing.

At number two, Chad DiMera and Cat Green presented a tapestry of deception wrapped in flirtation. Cat, who wore clever disguises with a dangerous charm, confessed feelings that Chad fought to deny. Yet the truth has a way of surfacing with brutal honesty in Salem. Cat’s past con was unearthed by the tiny tremor of doubt—Rachel’s sharp memory and her cousin Thomas’s suspicions turned what could have been a simple romance into a public confession of betrayal. The specter of Abby, Chad’s late wife, and Cat’s impersonation of her sent tremors through the Horton clan, forcing Chad to choose between loyalty and desire. The Hortons’ disapproval and the looming custody battles intensified the tension, pushing the romance to a brink where forgiveness seemed elusive and the future looked volatile. Cat’s pull toward EJ hinted at a shifting map of loyalties, leaving Chad stranded in a storm of family disputes and a relationship that felt less like a triumph and more like a high-stakes gamble.

And finally, the number one worst couple of 2025: Sophia Choy and Tate Black. Sophia’s crush on Tate blossomed into a reckless romance that collapsed under the weight of secrets and a tangled lie about paternity. Sophia became a storm of manipulation—plotting, seducing, and birthing a child with a man who wanted nothing to do with a life that included responsibility or a shared future. She dumped the baby at a fire station, crafting a deception that would haunt Tate and ripple through Holly’s existence. The truth unfurled with startling clarity: the baby’s paternity belonged to Aaron Green, not Tate, and Sophia’s “Netflix and chill” days masqueraded as affection while silence and fear dictated every move. The result was a catastrophe of truths yielding heartbreak and chaos—Sophia rewriting their lives with reckless decisions, Tate caught in a web of lies he never asked to entangle him, and Holly left navigating the fallout of a romance designed to control and hurt.

As Soap Dirt fans weighed in, the consensus was clear: 2025 offered more drama, more betrayals, more heartbreak than any year in Salem’s recent memory. These couples didn’t just stain the pages of daily life—they left imprints on the town’s moral compass, forcing everyone to question what love means when ambition, vendetta, and secrecy pull the strings. The conversations spilled over into podcasts, chat rooms, and water-cooler debates, each fandom arguing for or against the chemistry, the drama, and the consequences.