Emmerdale's Leyla Harding was visibly panicked during Thursday night's episode of the ITV soap, as she bumped into a familiar face.
Leyla came across secret friend Suzy Merton who was on a date with Vanessa Woodfield in the pub.
But Leyla made it clear to Suzy that she didn't want her there, as she addressed their mystery link - and her yet to be revealed secrets.
Leyla could not hide her fear that her secrets would soon be exposed, as Suzy vowed to keep them to herself - stating she had no intention of revealing all to the other villagers.
But this wasn't enough for Leyla who asked her to break things off with Vanessa, just as Suzy had told her new love interest that she and Leyla "went way back".
Confirming they'd actually met up just two weeks ago, around the time Leyla was seen making a cryptic phone call, Suzy suggested they knew each other through work, but had been friends for a while.
Leyla didn't seem happy about her revealing this though, and it also was clear she wasn't happy to see her so-called pal, instead asking her to leave.
It all kicked off when Leyla revealed she was having the day from hell, only to be shaken when she spotted Suzy.
Vanessa was excited that the two ladies knew each other, believing this meant they could go for drinks together.
But as Suzy alluded to their past and present, and what they got up to, Leyla was quickly warning the newcomer.
Suzy told Vanessa: "We go years back. We're both in work events management so we move in the same circles, wedding fairs, restaurant openings, those sort of things.
"You don’t wanna know what we get up to outside of work!"
Leyla quickly stopped this going further, saying: "I'm sure Vanessa doesn't wanna hear about my boring social life," as Suzy replied: "What happens on tour stays on tour, right Leyla?"
As Leyla told Vanessa that she and Suzy were in touch "occasionally", Suzy rubbished this claim and said: "What are you on about, we literally did a work event together two weeks ago."
Leyla then warned her when Vanessa was away: "Its a small village... you're here in my local chatting up one of my mates."
As Suzy reassured her Leyla said: "No Suzy that’s not alright, because this is my life you know, my actual real life."
Suzy told her: "Oh listen you do not need to worry, no one is gonna hear a thing from me," with Leyla telling her: "I don’t want you here."
Her mystery friend replied: "Leyla, it's alright, I'm not gonna say anything, I would never dream of saying anything... you can't tell me who I can and can't go out with."
Scenes to air further down the line will reveal what Leyla's secret is and how exactly Suzy is involved - amid speculation of the new character's real identity.
Earlier in the year, Emmerdale producer Laura Shaw hinted something huge was in the way for the character.
She told press: "Leyla has a big storyline coming up in 2022. We’ve seen her be a huge support to Liam through the loss of his daughter Leanna but is all as it seems?
"Is Leyla really coping as well as she seems to on the surface or is there a bit more going on there that we’ll uncover?"
It comes as soap boss Kate Brooks promised big "ramifications" ahead for characters in the fallout to Meena's exit.
One character set to take centre stage is Leyla, with Kate hinting there was a "massive" storyline for her and Liam.
She told The Mirror and other press: "This woman wreaked havoc in the village and destroyed people’s lives, Liam has lost his daughter, Manpreet... what hasn't she been through in the past 12 months?
"So I think we were very conscious not to just tie it up in a very neat bow and say okay, now Meena has left and gone from the village, let’s just move on.
"That is not what would happen or how we have made it. There's a massive story on the table for Liam and Leyla which is the result of what has gone down with Leanna and everything, there are big ramifications for Charles and Manpreet."
Got any theories or thoughts on the storyline? Let us know in the comments section below.
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7:30pm on ITV, with an hour-long episode on Thursdays.
