Melanie Jonas played by Molly Burnett

Melanie Layton is Max Brady's half-sister who he found attending school in France.

Melanie followed Max back to the U.S. and established roots in Salem, also getting reacquainted with her father Trent, who was teaching at Salem University. Trent was a sleazy professor who was responsible for selling his daughter to European businessmen. When Trent was murdered, Melanie became the prime suspect. She confessed to Max that she did fight with her father the night before his murder, but maintained her innocence.

Melanie's friend Nick Fallon later told her that he murdered Trent - but in self-defense. Nick had worked with Trent on an alternative fuel project. Since Trent was murdered, Melanie was entitled to her father's share of the project. Instead of encouraging Nick to turn himself in, Melanie encouraged him to finish the project so they could sell it. Nick became obsessed with Melanie and soon she had no choice but to turn him in for killing Trent. While in prison, a guilty Nick signed over his share of the alternative fuel project to Melanie.

Melanie got a job as an executive assistant at Titan, which bought her share of the fuel project. She became a consultant with the company and developed a crush on her boss Philip while casually dating Nathan Horton.

Nathan would eventually develop feelings for Melanie. Thinking she had more of a future with Philip, she chose to marry him. Melanie's life was flipped upside down when she discovered Carly Manning was her real mother and Daniel Jonas was her father - all of this while continuing to fight her feelings for Nathan.

Melanie stayed true to her vows with Philip and distanced herself from Nathan. Meanwhile, Vivian was scheming to get revenge on Carly, and decided to ruin Melanie's life. She made it look like Nathan and Melanie were having an affair, so Philip would run into the arms of his ex Chloe, now Daniel's fiancée. After sleeping with Philip, Chloe got pregnant and gave birth to his baby.

Now that the truth whole truth behind Chloe and Philip's indiscretion has been revealed, what will Melanie's next move be? Will she take back the man who broke her heart, or will she confess to her true feelings for Nathan and start a new chapter in her life?

Molly Burnett plays Melanie Jonas

Molly was born and raised outside Denver, Colorado where her parents and younger brother still reside.

Growing up, Molly found her second home in the Denver community theater world with roles including Dotty in Noises Off, Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Mayzie in Seussical and Annie in Annie. In high school, Molly was selected for her school's elite a capella jazz ensemble, and was selected to perform in the Colorado All State Choir, All State Jazz Choir, and the National Honor Choir in Los Angeles. She was also a proud member of her high school's speech and debate team, competing in the humorous interpretation division, eventually going on to compete and place at the national tournament. Proving that the homecoming princess can be a speech and debate nerd!

After graduating with honors from high school, she moved across the country to New York City. Molly quickly realized that while her heart remained in the Big Apple, she needed to be in Hollywood to realize her dream of acting in television and film. She made the trek west, staying with her best friend in Orange County. Molly wasted no time in finding an agent and manager. Appointments quickly followed for leads in television shows and films. In short time she found her way into the casting office of Days of our Lives and so began this exciting chapter of her acting career. "I owe them so much for taking a chance on me. I fell in love the second I stepped on the lot. It just confirmed everything I had always known, that this is what I need to be doing."

Molly absolutely adores Bernadette Peters, looks up to Ellen DeGeneres, admires Matthew Perry's perfected comedic timing, and crushes on Robert Downey Jr.

Besides performing, Molly was a leading attack on her high school's varsity lacrosse team, holds a black belt in Karate, is a scrap-booking connoisseur, and has a slight obsession with Harry Potter.

Molly misses the great Colorado outdoors, and would love to have a home in Telluride, Colorado someday, but until then, she loves living the California dream.