💥 Secrets Exposed! Eva’s Betrayal Stuns Leslie – Vernon Pushes Martin for Answers!

We pick up at the diner, where Anita and Vernon are fueling up before the big night ahead. They’ll need all their energy if they want to make it through Nicole’s gala. Plus, they agree it’s nice to occasionally come out from Behind the Gates (spinoff anyone?) and return to their roots.

Meanwhile, Dani is hate-scrolling through Bill and Hayley’s honeymoon pics, but she’s determined not to let it ruin her night — or Nicole’s. In fact, she makes it clear that she’s committed to making the evening a “huge success.”

Little does she know, Leslie is also hoping for a successful night, albeit not in the Richardson’s favor. She and her blonde wig have landed a catering gig at the gala, putting her within range to expose them in front of their entire community.

At the hospital, Eva is surprised to find Martin in Nicole’s office, and she quickly impresses him with her knowledge of his political career. She gets additional Richardson love from Ted and Nicole, who insist that she join them at the gala as their guest. At their table. In Kat’s dress! As she tries on the gown and daydreams about life as a Richardson, we wonder who’s going to hate this more — Kat or Leslie?

Is Dani Really a ‘Junkie for Pain’?

That’s when the Duprees’ mostly pleasant evening begins to take several unfortunate turns. First, Vernon receives an unpleasant phone call from… someone.

And remember when we said Dani wasn’t letting Bill and Hayley ruin her night? Well, that only lasts for about five minutes. When Naomi enters her mother’s bedroom, she finds her screaming and preparing to smash her tablet against the wall.

“It’s like you’re a junkie for pain,” Naomi tells Dani, a sentiment Anita supports as she and Vernon enter the house right on cue.

Vernon Confronts Martin About *Multiple* Secrets

Leslie — excuse us, Sherry — is impressed with her ability to infiltrate the gala, but her victory party is quickly crashed by Eva, who’s furious with her mother for going back her word. Leslie manages to convince Eva that the whole thing is merely a coincidence, but that’s only because she’s distracted by Andre. Who could blame her for not thinking straight?

Speaking of Andre, he wastes no time hopping aboard the Dani train the moment it enters the station. “That dress is everything,” he tells her. “I would love to see you out of it.” A lesser man could never pull off a line that cheesy. All hail the power of Andre Richardson.

After taking a few family photos, Martin is approached by a friend who tells him about a major job opportunity for Smitty… which Martin takes upon himself to turn down. (So much for giving his hubby a chance, huh?) Martin’s night is further rocked by Vernon, who is angry with his grandson after catching wind of his presidential ambitions.

Vernon shoots the notion down immediately, reminding Martin that his “secret” would almost certainly be exposed by the press, which is something the family couldn’t survive. Martin shrugs it off, insisting that his secret is “long-buried.”

Leslie’s Plan Hits an Eva-Shaped Snag

Ted’s million-dollar smile is immediately wiped from his face when he approaches the bar for a drink… and gets Leslie instead! “Listen up, Teddy Boy,” she says. “A job is a job — and this one pays pretty well.” His threats to destroy her also fall on deaf ears, as she’s already “been there, survived that.”

Speaking of surviving things, Dani successfully introduces Vernon ahead of his speech with absolutely no drama unfolding whatsoever. Considering the last major event at this country club ended with Dani opening fire, we’d call that quite the improvement.

Too bad Nicole barely gets to hear a word of Dani’s speech. “Sherry” brings a drink to the Richardsons’ table, practically taking Nicole’s breath away, and Eva takes notice. “You’ve got to go,” she says, pulling her mother aside. But Leslie won’t be deterred. “I’ve got drinks to serve,” she sneers as she returns to the dinner.

Unfortunately for Leslie, her boss gets a tip from a certain someone (*cough* Eva) that she’s behaving unprofessionally with guests, so he throws “Sherry” out on her butt.