It’s going to be another short week where Beyond the Gates is concerned, but the soap will cram a whole lot of drama into the three episodes being aired. (Why only three? CBS will pre-empt the show on Tuesday and Wednesday for sports coverage. Insert sad-trombone sound here!)

Tensions are running high in the Richardson-Smith household, which makes sense given everything going on. Martin’s political aspirations could put his family at risk, and Smitty’s involvement in the plasma-ring investigation gets more dangerous with each passing day. But the adults aren’t the only ones stirring things up this week. With cotillion only a few weeks away, Tyrell and Jessica find their relationship coming under attack… by his sister!

At the same time, Joey — who has made it clear he’s very interested in supporting Martin’s campaign, if only to have a politician in his pocket — is told to stay in his lane.  It’s not Martin drawing lines in the sand, however, but his grandfather! Will Joey take Vernon’s threats seriously?

Elsewhere, Ted and Nicole find themselves sharing a very special, close moment. (We hear that someone else is going to witness said moment, and we’re willing to bet it’s our favorite gossipy nurse!)

What has us truly intrigued, however, is what’s going on between Hayley and Bill. He’s seemed increasingly suspicious of his child bride in recent weeks, having even called her out about money she drained from one of their accounts. (Sure, the quick-thinking vixen talked her way out of that one, but how much longer can she keep Bill from putting together the pieces?)

In this week’s preview, which you can view in its entirety below, we can’t help but wonder if a shared meal will prove to be Bill’s last supper. Is he choking on a vegetable that wasn’t properly sliced or another dose of that poison she’s been slipping him for months? And just how slow-acting is that stuff!