Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) risks her marriage to Peter Beale (Thomas Law) once again in EastEnders next week, going to increasingly desperate lengths to spend time alone with Mark Fowler Jr (Stephen Aaron-Sipple).
Lauren and Mark have already crossed a dangerous line after finally giving in to their feelings for one another, before agreeing to continue secretly seeing each other. With Mark preparing to leave Walford for Florida, Lauren appears unwilling to say goodbye, despite her husband Peter remaining completely in the dark about her actions.
Close Calls at Phil's House
Next week, Lauren and Mark's secret almost comes crashing down when they have a close call at Phil Mitchell's (Steve McFadden) house. The pair are together when Phil unexpectedly arrives home, forcing Lauren to think quickly and cover for why she is there.
Having narrowly avoided being caught, Lauren might be expected to take the scare as a warning to end her secret meetings. However, she soon finds herself drawn back to him. The pair arrange another clandestine meeting, but this time Lauren's dad Max Branning (Jake Wood) threatens to ruin their plans when he unexpectedly interrupts them.
A Deal with Cindy
With Mark's departure looming and Lauren herself preparing to head off on a trip, she becomes determined to find another opportunity for them to be alone together before she goes. Lauren strikes a deal with her mother-in-law Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) that results in The Albert being left empty, presenting her and Mark with the perfect opportunity for another secret rendezvous away from prying eyes.
While Lauren goes to such lengths behind Peter's back, her unsuspecting husband is elsewhere reflecting on how happy he believes their marriage to be. Peter pays a visit to his dad Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) in prison and opens up about his relationship with Lauren, completely unaware of the secret she is keeping from him.
Recent Turmoil
The development comes after a turbulent few days for Lauren and Peter's marriage. Lauren was stunned by Mark's unexpected return to Albert Square, only to learn that he had come back to say goodbye before moving to Florida. Things became even more complicated at Harvey's birthday party when Cindy discovered Lauren had known about Max's affair and publicly exposed her.
After Peter sided with his mum during the row, a furious Lauren stormed out, with Mark following close behind. Mark finally admitted his feelings for Lauren and the pair headed to the Boxing Den, where they gave in to their attraction. Lauren initially insisted that what happened between them could never happen again, while Peter vowed to inject more excitement and spontaneity into their marriage. But his efforts failed to change Lauren's mind about Mark.
Unable to ignore her feelings, Lauren raced after Mark before he could leave and confessed how she really felt. Rather than ending things, the pair agreed to continue seeing each other in secret while attempting to keep their relationship casual. Next week, their determination to steal more time together suggests keeping emotions and their affair under control could prove increasingly difficult.
With Phil and Max already coming dangerously close to discovering what is going on, the question remains how long it will be before Peter learns the truth about Lauren and Mark.
