The tension is reaching unbearable levels on EastEnders next week, as Nicola Mitchell (Laura Doddington) is dragged deeper into a nightmare of her own making. Long-time viewers will recall the shocking revelation that Nicola was responsible for the death of her son Harry’s (Elijah Holloway) ex-girlfriend, Shireen — a secret buried, quite literally, for four years.

Nicola’s past sins come back to haunt her when the grim truth behind Shireen’s disappearance threatens to unravel. After it was revealed that Shireen’s body had been hidden in a deserted warehouse in Dartford — a site with links to the Mitchell family’s shadowy past — Nicola has been desperate to keep her secret buried.

Her troubles intensify when Teddy Mitchell (Roland Manookian) rekindles their relationship and discusses going into business with Junior Knight (Micah Balfour) in Dartford, oblivious to the dark history lurking there. Nicola, panicked and desperate to stop him from venturing near the incriminating site, urges Teddy to reconsider — but the pressure only mounts.

In next week’s episodes, Teddy finally demands answers from Nicola, refusing to let the past stay buried. He insists that Harry deserves to know the truth about what really happened to Shireen. However, Nicola, terrified of losing her son and everything she’s fought to protect, argues that revealing the truth would destroy Harry emotionally.

Caught between loyalty to their son and the brutal consequences of the truth, Teddy reluctantly agrees to keep quiet — for now. However, their younger son Barney (Lewis Bridgeman) notices the growing tension between his parents. An innocent comment from Barney gives Nicola unexpected pause, making her rethink the web of lies she’s spun.

Later in the week, Teddy grows increasingly uneasy and issues Nicola an ultimatum. He warns her to stop whatever she’s plotting, hinting he has an alternative plan in mind. Acting quickly, Teddy halts the work at the Dartford site, stopping any further risks of Shireen’s body being discovered.

However, keeping Nicola’s secret comes at a heavy cost. They are soon forced to strike a dangerous deal with local gangster Benji, who is fully aware of Nicola’s deadly secret. With Benji threatening to expose everything, Nicola considers selling Harry’s beloved Barn to buy their silence.

But Teddy has his own ideas, proposing an alternative plan — one that leaves Nicola blindsided. Whatever he suggests throws their already fragile situation into chaos, leaving Nicola feeling increasingly cornered and vulnerable.

Just when Nicola thinks things can’t get any worse, danger comes knocking — literally. While alone at Harry’s Barn, she is confronted by a mysterious intruder. In a heart-pounding moment of reckoning, Nicola is forced to face the possibility that someone else knows the terrible truth she’s been hiding.

As the walls close in, Nicola is left wondering whether her life — and the fragile future she tried so desperately to protect — is about to come crashing down. Has the secret of Shireen’s death finally surfaced, and if so, how far will Nicola go to keep it buried once more?

The Mitchells’ household becomes a pressure cooker of suspicion, fear, and barely concealed fury as the week progresses. With Teddy increasingly conflicted, Nicola spiraling, and outside threats mounting, it’s only a matter of time before the entire situation explodes.

Fans will be left on the edge of their seats, wondering whether Nicola can claw her way out of this spiraling nightmare — or if she’s destined to face justice at last.