Warning: Episode may contain strong language, violence and sexual content. Reader discretion is advised.

PREVIOUSLY…

• With her drinking problem spiralling out of control, a drunken Neha slapped six-year-old Poppy.
• Marion began to have doubts about her husband, Ed. He later revealed he was establishing a business with Rebecca and had purchased a property behind Marion’s back. She was furious that he had taken out a second mortgage without telling her and suspected he had forged her signature.
• Ben and Rebecca’s divorce was finally settled.
• Tony’s incarcerated son, Luke, refused yet another visiting request.
• Charlotte’s interview with The Kent Gazette about mental health within the veterinary profession went live.
• Having fallen down the stairs at Willow Cottage, a broken and bruised Audrey reluctantly agreed to sell up and move in with lifelong friend, Queenie.
• James and Natalie began an affair while he was oblivious to the fact that Natalie is blackmailing his wife, Julia, for £100,000 over the secret regarding Nick’s biological parents.
• Julia hired a private investigator to dig up dirt on Emma and Natalie.

Glenbrook Farm,
Glendale

The crisp morning air greeted Rebecca Williams as she stepped out of her sleek, silver Audi sedan and looked at the old farmhouse she once called home.

The historic homestead of Glenbrook Farm was a beautiful two storey farmhouse made of flint and brick with a slate roof and a neatly presented farmyard full of lavender and bulging hydrangea bushes of vibrant pinks and blues. It had once been a picturesque place to call home, but now Rebecca was nothing but a ghost of the past.

Closing the car door, she made her way across the gravel drive towards the house, her purposeful footsteps crunching on the gravel.

Ben Granger was already waiting for her at the front door, and his expression was tense as she approached.

“Where is she?” Rebecca asked through gritted teeth, her voice terse as she pushed past her ex-husband and entered the large farmhouse, looking around for their daughter, Poppy.

Ben’s jaw tightened, his knuckles turning white as he balled his hands into fists at his side in frustration. “Dad’s taken her and Ollie into the village for breakfast.”

Rebecca turned on her heels, abandoning her quest to find her daughter. “How the hell did this happen, Ben? She’s your responsibility! You can’t just pawn off your duties onto others and expect everything to be fine.”

“My responsibility?” Ben bellowed, his anger getting the better of him. “You talk about her like she’s a dog! She’s your daughter too, Rebecca! Where were you yesterday, huh? I do everything for Ollie and Poppy, and you know that! So don’t give me this bullshit when you’re the absent parent in this situation!”

A heavy silence hung between them. Rebecca swallowed her guilt and let out a deep sigh. “You’re right, I’m sorry. How is she?”

Ben followed Rebecca’s lead and let out an exhale, calming himself. The tension in the room lowered. “She’s okay. She’s shaken, but she’s okay. She just doesn’t understand.”

“Well, that makes two of us,” Rebecca replied. “What the fuck is Neha’s problem?”

Ben shrugged. “I don’t know. Kate said she was drunk and, well, beyond that, I really don’t know.”

“She’s not getting away with this!” Rebecca declared, her eyes flashing with determination. “Neha needs to be held accountable for what she did to Poppy.”

To their surprise, Pamela Granger, Ben’s mother, appeared from the kitchen holding a mug of freshly brewed tea in her hands, nodding in agreement. “She’s right, Ben,” Pamela said, her voice firm. Agreeing with Rebecca was something Pamela never expected would happen again after the messy marriage breakup and divorce, but she still refused to acknowledge the presence of her ex-daughter-in-law with a friendly greeting. Pamela knew it was petty, but today she was feeling petty. “Neha’s behaviour was disgraceful, and she needs to face the consequences.”

Ben sighed and his shoulders sagged. “I know,” he agreed, “let’s go talk to the principal and then go to the police if we have to.”

–  G L E N D A L E  –

Greenview Cottage,
Glendale

As the morning sun filtered through the kitchen curtains, Marion Atkins poured herself a cup of coffee. She had been unable to shake the anger and unease that had settled in her stomach since her husband, Ed, told her about his new business venture with Rebecca. Marion’s indignation, fuelled by his decision to take out a second mortgage without consulting her, led her to question their commitment to each other and whether Ed was truly a good husband.

Ed entered the kitchen, his attention firmly fixed on his phone. Marion turned and let out an audible sigh as she watched him be fully consumed by the device. It was a habit that grated on her nerves, not just with Ed but with everybody. She hated modern technology and, even more so, the impact social media had had on society. Marion couldn’t help but blame the current troubles sweeping the country on the tech giants. She cleared her throat.

“Ed,” she said, her voice tense with an edge of frustration.

He glanced up briefly before returning his attention to the screen. “Morning, Spud,” Ed said, calling her by the pet name that she hated more than anything. “Sorry, I’ve got a lot on my plate today. Can we talk later?”

Marion’s grip on her coffee mug tightened. “No, we need to talk now.”

“Can’t it wait? I’ve got a meeting in an hour.”

“No, it can’t,” Marion insisted, her voice rising with each word. “Why didn’t you tell me about the new practice and buying the haberdashers?”

Ed locked his phone and stuffed it into the pocket of his trousers. “I didn’t think it was necessary to burden you with the details,” he replied with a practiced calm.

Marion’s jaw clenched. The fact that Ed was being so facetious about taking out a second mortgage to purchase the retail property infuriated her. She slammed her palm down on the kitchen countertop, the loud thud echoing in the room. “I’m not some stupid little woman, Ed, so do not treat me like one!”

Ed recoiled at his wife’s words. “Spud, that’s not fair. You know I respect you.”

“Do you?” Marion shot back, her voice laced with bitterness. “Because lately, it feels like you’re always vague and distant. You never want to talk about anything. And for the love of God, stop calling me that awful name!”

A tense silence settled between them, broken only by the sound of Marion’s rapid breathing. Ed rubbed a hand over his face, his frustration evident.

“I don’t have time for this right now,” he said with a strained voice. “I have to go.”

Marion’s eyes flashed with anger. “Of course you do. Just run away from the problem like always.”

“I’m not running away. I just need to focus on work.”

“Work,” Marion scoffed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Seems like that’s all you ever care about anymore. Let me guess, something’s come up in London.”

Ed looked at her with a cold stare. “I’ll be home later,” he said. “I love you.”

“No, you don’t,” Marion said through tightly pursed lips. “You really don’t.”

The words stung and sliced an open wound across both their hearts, one which Marion instantly worried would never heal.

–  G L E N D A L E  –

London Road,
Glendale

The tension in the car was palpable as Ben drove away from the village, his hands gripping the wheel with white-knuckled intensity. Rebecca’s sudden declaration in their meeting with the principal that they would be pulling Oliver and Poppy out of the local school hung heavy in the air.

“You can’t just make decisions like that without discussing it with me first,” Ben snapped, his voice tinged with irritation. “What about logistics? What about their friends?”

Rebecca shifted uneasily at his tone, her own patience wearing thin. “This isn’t up for debate, Ben. I won’t let Poppy and Ollie stay in a place where they’re not safe.”

Ben processed his ex-wife’s words. He couldn’t fault her argument. “Fine,” he muttered begrudgingly, “but King Edward’s? That’s miles away. It’ll be a logistical nightmare.”

Rebecca’s resolve remained unchanged. “It’s the best option we have right now,” she insisted firmly. “I won’t compromise on their safety.”

The car fell into another tense silence as they continued on their journey towards Maidstone. Ben understood Rebecca’s concern, but there were a lot of good schools much closer than King Edward’s, and the cost would be astronomical. He fired a quick glance at his ex-wife from the corner of his eye, watching as she frantically composed a message on her phone. Rebecca’s sudden interest in their children’s welfare, while welcome, seemed off, and Ben couldn’t help but think she was just using recent events as an excuse to push the twins into the uber-elite school.

–  G L E N D A L E  –

The Oak & Vine,
Glendale

Kate Spencer pushed open the heavy wooden door of The Oak & Vine and stepped across the threshold as the smell of beer and some sort of roasting meat tantalised her senses.

“Ah, here she is, my favourite daughter-in-law,” said landlady Carol Kennedy over the pub hubbub, slinging a tea towel over her shoulder as she stood behind the bar.

“Aw, thanks, Carol,” Kate gushed in her Welsh accent although she was Carol’s only daughter-in-law. Despite their occasional differences, Kate cherished the bond she shared with her husband’s mother. “I’ve got a favour to ask.”

“Oh?”

Kate propped herself up against the bar. “Well, you know how me and Ava are off to London in a few days to see Taylor Swift.”

Carol nodded, reminded of the priceless look on her granddaughter’s face when she had opened the envelope and seen the tickets that the entire Granger-Spencer-Kennedy clan had all chipped in for for her fifteenth birthday.

“Well, I was wonderin’ if you would mind havin’ Harry and Noah for a sleepover? Tom’s been workin’ really hard, and I think he could do with a night or two off, if that’s okay.”

“Of course, sweets,” Carol said, reaching out and squeezing Kate’s hand as Tony, her husband, re-joined her behind the bar after changing a beer barrel. “We’d be glad to have them, wouldn’t we, Tony?”

Upon hearing his name, Tony looked back at his wife with a raised brow and also fired a welcoming wink in Kate’s direction. “What’s this?”

“The boys for a sleepover,” Carol said.

“Oh, yeah, of course,” Tony nodded, although his voice sounded rather more disinterested than his bouncing head would have one believe. “Always happy to have the boys.”

Kate’s face lit up. “Brilliant! Thanks so much, Carol. I really appreciate it.”

As Tony went to serve a customer at the other end of the bar, Carol watched her husband with a look of concern etched on her features.

“Is everythin’ okay?” Kate asked, a note of worry creeping into her voice as she noticed Carol’s expression.

Carol sighed. “I’m afraid there’s been some trouble with Luke.”

“Luke? As in banged-up drug dealer and violent monster Luke?”

Carol pursed her lips at Kate’s description of her stepson, although it was technically correct.

Kate tilted her head slightly, partly concerned but mainly wanting the piping hot tea. “What’s happened?”

Carol hesitated for a moment before speaking. “Luke refused a visiting order from Tony. He’s been trying to reach out to him, but every time, Luke refuses to see him.”

Despite all the horrible things his son had done, Kate couldn’t help but feel sorry for Tony and how sad Luke’s constant rejections seemed to make him. While everyone in Glendale had turned their backs on Luke after the shocking events of 2008, Tony had stood steadfast by his son, as only a parent could. “Is there anything we can do to help?”

Carol shook her head, a weary smile playing at her lips. “Thanks, sweets, but I’m afraid this is something Luke and Tony need to sort out on their own,” she said as her eyes caught sight of the new locket hanging around Kate’s neck. “That’s lovely.”

Kate’s lips curled into a smile. “It was a birthday gift from Tom,” she explained as she touched the golden chain softly with her fingers.

“Oh, it’s beautiful.”

Kate removed the necklace and opened the locket, revealing the small photographs contained within. “He can be quite a softie when he wants to be, that son of yours.”

“Takes after his mother,” Carol joked with a hearty laugh as she examined the photos and intricate design of the locket. “You make a lovely couple, you know.”

Kate’s cheeks flushed with warmth at the compliment. “I know, right! We’re the greatest couple I know!”

“And the most modest.”

“Oh, I’m just jokin’ with ya, Carol,” Kate said with a laugh and playfully tapped her mother-in-law on the arm. “Anyway, I’ve got to get back to work. But I’ll text you about the boys, yeah?”

“Okay, sweets.” Carol nodded as Kate hurried towards the doors of the pub. “Have a good one and give them kiddies a kiss from Granny Carol!”

As Kate exited the pub, she crossed paths with Brian Granger, her husband’s uncle. Having returned Oliver and Poppy to Glenbrook Farm after their breakfast out, Brian was now on a mission. They exchanged pleasantries, and Brian continued into the pub, his face darkening as he crossed the threshold.

“Brian,” Carol said in a friendly tone, greeting her brother with an affectionate smile as he thundered towards her. From Brian’s terse demeanour, Carol could already sense there was a familial argument heading her way. “What can I get ya, sweets?”

“What’s this about mum moving in with Beth?” Brian barked, thumping a fist against the bar as his mouth contorted into something akin to a bulldog chewing wasps. Brian was one of the few in the village who called Queenie by her name, and everyone knew that this put him firmly in the group of her foes.

Carol fought the urge to bite. Her mother, Audrey, had mentioned moving in with Queenie, and, from Carol’s point of view, she couldn’t see a more appropriate solution. “Oh yeah,” she replied with a light tone, refusing to give Brian the argument he was after. “She told me yesterday. I think it’s a great idea.”

“This isn’t ‘Golden Girls’! They’re two very old women who need care.”

“You make them sound like invalids.”

Brian stiffened, and his eyes darkened. As the older of the two siblings, Brian liked to be in control; he liked to have the upper hand, and he always expected people to fall into line. He had also always struggled to cope with Carol’s resistant personality. “Well, look at what happened! Mum goes arse over tit on the stairs and almost kills herself!”

“You’re being melodramatic,” Carol said, brushing away Brian’s grumblings as if swatting away a fly. She had endured a lifetime of her brother’s overbearing ways, and it almost gave her pleasure to push back against him at any chance she could.

“They’re frail old women, Carol!”

“Who have been best friends since they were young children! I think it’s a good thing. Queenie has a stairlift and rails in the bathroom, plus I think the company will do them both good. I don’t see why you’re having such a tantrum about it, Brian. It’s almost like you’re jealous she’s moving in with Queenie and not you. Is that it? Are you jealous because she won’t be under your roof, so you can’t control her?”

“I’m not jealous!” Brian blustered and sucked in his lips, his face reddening as his chest puffed. “This is a family matter, and Beth Baxter is doing what she does best – sticking her nose in where it ain’t wanted!”

Carol rolled her eyes at her brother’s absurdity. “Oh, shut up, Brian. You’re being ridiculous.”

“I’m not going to stand for this, Carol.”

“Well, sit then, because this is mum’s life and this is what she wants. I’ll support her in any decision she makes. Now either order something or take your little Trumpesque tantrum elsewhere.”

Brian’s steely glare remained firmly fixated on his sister’s eyes for a beat longer than a minute before he turned and stormed out of the pub with a huff.

–  G L E N D A L E  –

Glendale Veterinary Practice,
Glendale

Charlotte Sinclair sat at her desk in the quiet of her veterinary office, her iPhone buzzing with notifications from Instagram. Ever since her interview about mental health had been published in The Kent Gazette, her inbox had been flooded with DM’s of support and gratitude.

Charlotte scrolled through the messages, and she took a moment to reply to each one, expressing her gratitude for kind comments and offering words of comfort to those who shared their own struggles. As she typed out a response to the latest message, her phone buzzed again with a new DM notification. Intrigued, Charlotte opened it.

Hey Charlotte. Just read your interview. Really brave of you to speak out about mental health. You’re an inspiration!

A smile graced Charlotte’s lips, and she quickly typed out a reply, thanking the sender for their kind words. Before she could set her phone down, another message popped up from the same account.

I’ve been struggling a lot lately. Do you think we could meet up and talk about it sometime?

Charlotte hesitated, her brow furrowing with uncertainty. She tapped on the profile, but it was a locked page with a generic photo of a sunset. Loathed to ignore someone who might be reaching out for help, Charlotte pondered her reply, but before she could respond, yet another message came through.

I know this might seem strange, but I feel like we have a connection, Lottie. You’re so beautiful. Please, I really think we should meet up. I need someone to talk to.

A shiver ran down Charlotte’s spine as she read the message. The overfamiliarity of the sender using the nickname that only her family called her scared her. She glanced around her empty office, her mind racing with thoughts of what to do next. Without further hesitation, Charlotte blocked the profile.

–  G L E N D A L E  –

Maidstone Police Station,
Maidstone

Ben’s graphite-coloured Land Cruiser pulled into a parking space out the front of Maidstone Police Station, and the engine cut out.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked, glancing to Rebecca as he broke the uncomfortable silence that had settled over them for the last ten minutes.

“Absolutely,” Rebecca replied with a stern conviction, looking out of the window at the police station. “Neha Patel is going to pay for what she did to our daughter.”

–  G L E N D A L E  –

Thyme Cottage,
Glendale

Neha stumbled into the living room of Thyme Cottage, her movements unsteady, and her incoherent ramblings slurred. She had just received the news from the school that she had been suspended without pay pending an investigation into the incident involving Poppy. The consequences of her actions, coupled with the alcohol coursing through her veins, had sent Neha’s emotions spiralling out of control.

As Neha flopped onto the couch, her husband, Ashwin, unlocked the front door and entered the living room having finished another working day. His pleasant expression immediately darkened, and he could smell the booze a mile off. “Premika, what’s going on? Are you okay?”

“Okay?” Neha snarled, spittle forming in the corners of her mouth as her glassy red eyes struggled to focus. “Okay? Do I look okay to you, Ash? They’ve suspended me from the school because of that fucking brat, Poppy! Can you believe it?”

“Premika, you were drunk, and you slapped her.”

Neha’s face twisted into a sneer as she lurched to her feet, swaying dangerously. “I don’t need your excuses, Ashwin!” she said, deliberately lacing his name with venom. “I need you to support me, to stand by me!”

Ashwin stepped forward, reaching out to steady his wife. “I do support you. But you need to take responsibility for your actions. You need help.”

You need help. Ashwin’s words ignited a firestorm of rage within Neha. With an animalistic scream, she launched herself at her husband, her fists flying wildly, fuelled by a toxic mix of anger and alcohol. Caught off guard, Ashwin stumbled backward, trying to defend himself. With one solid and vicious punch, Neha connected with Ashwin’s face and knocked him to the ground. The frenzied attack was over as quickly as it began.

As Ashwin covered his right eye and cowered on the ground, a panting Neha stood over him, unable to comprehend her actions.

–  G L E N D A L E  –

Ashbourne House,
Glendale

“So, what has Emily done now?” Judith Bancroft asked from a blue chintz armchair in the morning room as her daughter, Julia Harrington-Jones, placed a tray containing a silver coffee service down on the antique handcarved mahogany table beside her.

As she took a seat opposite her mother in another armchair, a heavy sigh escaped Julia’s lips, irritated by the fact that her mother still insisted on calling Emma by the name she had long ago abandoned. “It’s not Emma. It’s Natalie,” she replied, loathed to give the scheming woman the attention she craved.

Judith lifted the silver coffee pot from the tray and poured herself a cup. The steam, infused with a rich aroma, twisted into the air. “Natalie?” she replied, shooting her daughter a frown etched with confusion. “What’s that parasite done now?”

A nervousness settled over Julia. “She heard us the other day,” she said, clearing her throat and letting out an exhale of breath to settle her rising anxiety. “She knows about Nicky.”

Judith’s eyes widened as her coffee cup hovered at her lips, the rich liquid millimetres from her mouth but not a drop yet enjoyed. “She what?”

“She heard us talking in the library when you recognised Emma.” Julia felt nauseated. “She heard everything, mother, and now she’s blackmailing me.”

Judith sat in the armchair stupefied. “I don’t understand,” she said, staring blankly at her daughter as she tried to process Julia’s revelation. “What do you mean she’s blackmailing you?”

Julia’s eyes searched the familiar surroundings of the morning room, desperately seeking answers that would never come. “Natalie wants one hundred thousand pounds by the village fete, or she’s going to tell Nicky the truth.”

“Preposterous!” Judith blustered with a snuff and returned her cup of coffee to the side table. “Who the hell does she think she is? You have bent over backwards for that girl, and this is how she repays you? Have you told Mark and Charlotte?”

Julia shook her head. “How can I? I would have to tell them about Nicky in order to tell them about Natalie.”

Judith sucked her lips. “You need to neutralise her, Julia. You need leverage over her.”

“Yes, I know, and I’m working on it,” Julia sighed with irritation. “I’ve got someone looking into her and Emma, but I nev—”

“You’ve what?” Judith’s words cut into her daughter’s. “You’ve hired a private investigator?”

“Yes.”

Judith shifted in her chair and picked at her slacks, avoiding Julia’s gaze. “Are you sure that’s wise?”

Julia sensed the mood in the room shift. “You yourself just said I need leverage.”

“Yes, darling, but sometimes these things don’t work out the way you expect.”

Julia frowned, sensing there was something her mother didn’t want to express. “I need to know the truth about Emma and what she’s hiding,” she replied. “And as for Natalie, well, that bitch isn’t getting a penny out of me!”

–  G L E N D A L E  –

Pineview House,
Glendale

Natalie stood alone in the upstairs bathroom of Pineview House, a small packet of contraceptive pills held firmly in hand. For weeks, an idea had been growing in her mind, fuelled by her insatiable need to seek revenge and destroy Julia.

With a determined exhale, Natalie emptied the blister packet into the sink and washed the small pills away. Opening one of the vanity drawers, she removed a pair of nail scissors from a manicure set, crossed the landing, and entered her bedroom. She opened the top bedside drawer, emptied a box of condoms onto her bed, and began systematically pricking each packet with the tip of the scissors.

Glimpses of the future flashed in her mind as a sinister smirk slinked across Natalie’s porcelain-like face. The deed was done. Now, all she could do was let fate take its course and watch Julia’s kingdom crumble down around her.

NEXT TIME…

• Julia changes tack with Emma.
• Marion thrashes out her problems with Ed.
• Jack and Lee come to a compromise.
• Neha faces the consequences of her actions.