Lola (played by Danielle Harold) has been enjoying reconnecting with ex-boyfriend Jay (Jamie Borthwick) since she returned to EastEnders a couple of weeks ago.
However, their chemistry hasn’t gone unnoticed as Ben (Max Bowden) has picked up on Lola becoming distracted from their original mission.
Ben, Lola and their daughter Lexi come back to the Square to rinse Walford bad boy Phil (Steve McFadden) for what he’s worth.
Though, fed up with how Ben had been treating her as a pawn in his masterplan for father Phil, the schemer showed a nasty streak as he confronted his cousin at the end of tonight’s episode of the BBC soap.
After Lola and Jay ran away from Ben when he offered to buy them all drinks at the Queen Vic, much to the annoyance of the young mother, the heir to the Mitchell empire called his cousin home under false pretences.
Leaving Jay at the E20 bar after sharing a kiss with the Walford undertaker, Lola was shocked to return to the Beale household to see Ben, not her daughter’s grandmother, Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth).
Ben reminded her of their original plan for returning to the Square, telling his cousin to stay away from Jay as he was clearly distracting her.
However, hitting back, Lola told the father of her child: “You can’t tell me who I can and can’t see, Ben.”
At this point, Ben’s violent streak emerged as he pinned Lola up against the wall, with the young mother exclaiming: “I don’t need permission. Get your hands off me.”
Wanting to keep his hold over Lola, Ben menacingly told her: “Don’t talk to me like that, I don’t like it. Do you understand?”
He continued, as Lola looked more petrified than ever: “Nothing is going to stop us doing what we came here to do, is that clear?
“Especially not some pathetic little crush you think you can just dig up. I mean, didn’t you hurt him enough before?” Ben said, making reference to Lola breaking up with Jay before she made her original exit from the Square in 2015.
“Jay wouldn’t want you anyway,” Ben cruelly told Lola, before adding: “I mean, how’d you think he’s going to feel when he finds out about your fiance?”
With Lola visibly shaken as her dark secret emerged, it’s only a matter of time before the unidentified character makes his arrival in Walford.
As Ben continues to manipulate his cousin to see through his own vendetta against Phil, will he make the call to bring Lola’s fiance to the Square, blowing any chance of a romance with Jay?
Next week, Ben will reiterate his threat when he issues Lola with another warning, inviting the family around for brunch at the Beale household.
However, clearly still holding a candle for her former lover, will Lola have to convince Jay they carry on seeing each other in secret?
Elsewhere in the Square, Ben’s step-mother Sharon Mitchell (Letitia Dean) was left reeling in this evening’s episode following her attack by son Dennis Rickman (Bleu Landau).
After discovering her son was mixed up with the dangerous drug gang, Sharon tried to put a stop to Dennis making contact with them again, resulting in the youngster punching his mother in the face.
As she struggles to get a grasp on Dennis’ behaviour, will Sharon resort to desperate measures by reporting her son’s attack to the police?
EastEnders continues Monday at 8pm on BBC One.