WARNING: The article below is packed full of spoilers for EastEnders today, which is already available to stream on BBC iPlayer, but has yet to air on terrestrial television, as Mark makes a chilling threat to Zack.
EastEnders delivers another emotional blow tonight as Ross reels from Vicki’s cheating confession and demands to know exactly who she slept with.
Vicki admits to the betrayal, but she draws a firm line when it comes to revealing one crucial detail. She is not prepared to tell Ross that the other man is Zack.
Vicki makes her choice
Ross’s already disastrous proposal takes another hit when Vicki refuses to name the man she slept with.
Convinced it must be someone they know, Ross presses her for answers. Vicki insists it was a one-off with a stranger and swears there is no risk of running into him on the Square.
It takes Ross some time to accept this. Sleeping with a stranger is completely out of character for Vicki, and his doubts linger. Eventually, he decides he needs space and heads out to clear his head.
Back at the house, Mark supports Vicki as she struggles with the fallout. She makes it clear that while she is happy he is back in her life, she does not need him stepping in as her constant protector. Their conversation is interrupted when the front door opens. Vicki assumes Ross has returned, but instead, it is Zack.
Zack insists that despite taking another woman home from The Vic, nothing happened between them. He pleads with Vicki to give him a chance and suggests they could be together. Vicki does not waver. She tells him she loves Ross and that she is taken.
Ross has a change of heart
Mark quickly throws Zack out, while Ross seeks comfort at The Vic with Alfie, Ian, and Harvey.
Sensing Ross needs support, Alfie suggests they head upstairs to talk. Harvey and Alfie try to help Ross process Vicki’s betrayal, but Ian only makes things worse.
With Ian’s bleak warning that once someone cheats, they always will, Ross is left conflicted. He does not know whether he can move past what Vicki has done.
Later, Alfie finds Ross sitting alone on a bench in the Square and offers some unexpectedly heartfelt advice. If Ross truly loves Vicki, Alfie tells him, then the relationship is worth fighting for.
Realising he still wants a future with her, Ross returns home. Vicki assumes he is there to collect his belongings, but instead, he asks to talk.
Ross tells her he respects the fact that she was honest about cheating, and they reflect on their shared history. With both finally laying their feelings bare, they decide to give their relationship another chance.
EastEnders: Mark makes a shocking demand
Delighted, Ross and Vicki head to The Vic to celebrate their engagement. Zack is already there, quietly drinking after being rejected by Vicki.
While Alfie and Harvey congratulate the couple, Ian cannot resist a dig, asking Ross whether he kept the receipt for the ring.
Vicki confidently tells everyone that this marriage will last. However, when she goes to the toilets, Zack follows and questions whether this is really what she wants. She urges him to stop, especially when Mark steps in.
As Vicki walks away, Mark delivers a chilling warning to Zack. If he goes anywhere near Vicki again, Mark promises he will discover exactly what she is capable of.
Mark isn’t a man to be messed with. Is Zack about to discover this the hard way?
Read more: Mark Jr affair ‘sealed’ as fan theory ties his return to EastEnders flashforward