On Monday, Max is still in a predicament as Phil’s demanding the £13,000 he owes the Mitchells for the insurance scam he sold them. After asking Masood if he can help with his post round, Max’s financial concerns escalate when Abi and Lauren present their Christmas lists and insist on getting a real tree.

At his wit’s end, Max decides to sell his watch on the internet and begins to look around the house to see what else he can sell. After a failed attempt at conning compensation out of Ian, Phil suggests that Max rethink their plan to scam Ian. But Max maintains that Phil must be hoping for a small miracle if he seriously believes he can raise £13,000 by the end of the following day.

Phil points out that Max has no money, and with Christmas on the horizon, he needs all the money he can get. With that, Phil gives Max until 1pm to decide whether he’s in on the plan or not.

When the Christmas tree salesman refuses to take a cheque as payment, Max is livid. Max then watches Ian buy a tree, and when he opens his wallet, Max sees that it’s full of notes. When Ian mentions how close he and Tanya grew during the wife swap, Max boils over; it looks like the con is on.

Max later turns up on Ian’s doorstep with his towel and trunks ready for the hot tub. As the pair bathe, Max happens to mention a property development that will potentially pay huge dividends, and says that it’d be a privilege to work with Walford’s most successful entrepreneur. Max reveals to a flattered Ian that he has to raise £150,000 for the venture. Masood later stops Ian and offers him the rent to buy Amira time to find a more suitable flatmate. Intrigued, Ian asks where he’s found the cash.

Later, Ian turns up at the Vic and tells Max that the property development plans have changed as Masood’s now in on the deal, too. Phil looks on as Max squirms in an attempt to wriggle out of the deal, but it’s too late. Before Max knows what’s going on, he’s shaking Masood’s hand…

Meanwhile, a seemingly happy Ronnie returns home and signals her presence by barging into Roxy’s bedroom, where she and Dr Al are snuggled up. Al soon leaves to let the sisters catch up, but Ronnie leaves to unpack. Roxy lets Phil know that Ronnie’s returned, but adds that she knows nothing of Sam’s disappearance or the family’s financial woes.

As Roxy searches for her sister, Bianca bumps into Ronnie first and reveals that Sam’s left Walford. Ronnie looks for answers from Roxy who reveals that Sam had an affair with Jack and ran off with Archie’s help, ultimately skipping her bail and losing the family thousands. Ronnie, however, doesn’t seem to care and with that, she confides in Roxy that she’s pregnant.

Elsewhere, Ian introduces Amira to her new flatmate Nicky, but she’s surprised to find out that Nicky’s male.
Meanwhile, Janine tells Ryan that they’ll be in the Vic by Christmas but she’s frustrated when Archie hears that Peggy’s in Portugal with Grant, meaning that she’ll probably return with some money.

And finally, Phil wonders where the payment for the Arches is and Bianca and Whitney learn that Tony recently tried to commit suicide, but that the trial will go ahead as planned.

On Tuesday, while Phil’s confident that his financial situation will resolve itself, Max is put in an awkward position when an excited Masood turns up with a package for him. Worried that Tanya will rumble his scam, he covers for Masood’s gleeful attitude in the hope of keeping his plan under wraps.

Meanwhile, Isaacs the debt collector is still wandering around the Square and takes pleasure in reminding Phil that he has until 5pm to pay what he owes. When Max tries to back out of the con, Phil threatens to tell Tanya and the kids about his fraudulent activity.

Ian spots Max talking to Archie and he’s concerned that Max is trying to edge him out of the deal. Max, however, reassures Ian that the auction’s still on and he’ll need the money by 4.30pm. He also suggests that Masood be left out of the deal, but Ian’s adamant that he’ll stump up the cash.

Later, Max tracks down Masood and tries to persuade him not to invest in the ‘property development’ but Masood’s insistent; he’ll have the cash and his brother even wants in on the deal too. Tanya’s intrigued to see the pair in cahoots, but Max lies that he’s asking Masood about a missing package. Max also suggests to Tanya that they go to Canada with the girls for Christmas, clearly thinking about escaping the fallout of his scam.

As 4.30pm draws ever closer, Max drafts a fake contract and assures Phil that everything’s going to plan. Almost on cue, Isaacs turns up at the Vic with his heavies in tow. Ian and Masood turn up at the Vic with their cash, and Max panics as they take their time signing the contract. Max, however, is stunned when Ian signs his name as ‘Mickey Mouse.’ They knew it was a scam all along.

While Isaacs walks into the Vic with his men, Ian and Masood meet with Archie in the café; he tipped them off about Phil and Max’s scam. As they toast Phil and Max, Archie shares a knowing look with Ryan. On Ben’s return home, he walks in to find Phil battered on the floor.

Elsewhere, Masood informs Amira that he’s paid her rent up to the wedding so she can live in the flat alone, but as they’re talking, Amira accidentally drops the ripped letter and visiting order from her father in front of her future father-in-law. However, Masood agrees to keep quiet about the letter. And in a bid to raise money, he later asks Janine for as many taxi shifts as possible.

Also, Roxy quizzes Ronnie over the identity of her baby’s father, but she soon realises that it’s Owen. Roxy’s unimpressed that Owen’s done a runner on Ronnie, but Ronnie reassures her that she’ll cope without him. meanwhile, Liz decides to leave Walford as there’s nothing to stay around for, and she doesn’t know that Ronnie’s carrying Owen’s baby. Before she leaves, Liz asks Patrick to look after Sugar.

And finally, Whitney’s concerned about Tony, but Bianca reassures her that she won’t have to worry about him for much longer. In a bid to divert her attention from the looming trial, Bianca encourages Whitney to sign up for a fashion course. However, instead of completing the course application, Whitney writes a letter to Tony.

On Thursday, following Phil’s beating from Isaacs and his gang the previous day, Ronnie begs Phil to talk to Grant as people like Isaacs don’t stop until they have what they want. Ben backs up Ronnie’s plea and insists that if he doesn’t ask Grant for help, he’ll have to turn to Ian. With that, Phil receives a phone call from Isaacs threatening to hurt the family unless he coughs up what he owes.

Later, concerned for his daughters, Archie appears at the Vic to find out what happened to Phil. Archie offers financial assistance but Ronnie and Roxy remain firm – he’s not welcome in the Vic. Phil receives word from Portugal that Grant’s bank won’t allow him to remortgage his house so Phil’s forced to admit defeat and agrees that they’ll have to turn to Ian or Archie for help.

Phil turns up at the Beales’ and on seeing a badly beaten Phil standing before him, Ian’s concern for Ben’s safety heightens. Phil tells Ian that he’s going to accept the loan that he recently offered. Realising that Phil’s a desperate man, Ian suggests that they draw up a short-term loan contract, meaning that the Mitchells would need to repay the loan to Ian within two weeks. Ian, however, insists that Phil throw the Vic into the mix to ensure that the loan is well and truly secured.

Meanwhile, Max’s money troubles continue. As he stares at a postcard from Bradley and goes through a pile of bills, final demands and Christmas lists, he has an idea. With that, he calls Rachel and asks if they can talk about Bradley. Max lies to Rachel that Bradley’s struggling to find his feet in Canada and needs a £10,000 cash injection to set him up. Max coaxes her to write the cheque out to him so he can wire it to him in dribs and drabs. On his return home, Max notices that the cheque’s not been signed. As Masood heads over to the Car Lot to tell Janine that he can’t work his shift, Max collars him and asks if he can take Rachel home to Tring.

Taking the opportunity to earn a hefty fare, Masood accepts the job. Before Masood drives away, Max tells him to keep quiet about everything that’s happened over the last few days. As a tired Masood drives Rachel home, she unfastens her seatbelt to answer a call from Max. As Masood’s eyes close and his hearing drops, the car suddenly swerves and Rachel’s thrown across the back seat. The car eventually comes to a halt but it soon falls onto its roof, leaving an unconscious Masood slumped at the wheel and a bloodied Rachel sprawled across the back.

Elsewhere, Zainab encourages Syed and Amira to postpone the wedding due to her pregnancy, but Masood reassures his wife that she’ll look beautiful. He also asks Amira to take Zainab out for a “girly day”. Later, Zainab and Amira return from their shopping spree, having found Zainab the perfect outfit for the wedding, but it costs £300. Desperately wanting the dress, Zainab phones Janine and asks for all the taxi shifts she can have, but Zainab insists to Mas that she can find a different outfit if they can’t afford the one she really wants.

Meanwhile, Syed spends the day with Christian who reaffirms his love for Syed, before Syed reluctantly – and quietly – confesses that he feels the same.

Tiffany reveals to Whitney that Bobby’s been bullying her at school so Whitney tells Tiffany that if Bobby hurts her, she should hurt him back twice as hard. Later, Ian struggles to separate a fighting Tiffany and Bobby. When it all settles down, Whitney and Ricky argue over what she told Tiffany to do. And Ricky tells Bianca that he wants Whitney to know that he’s Tiffany’s father after Tony’s trial

On Friday, Masood hobbles around the house on crutches following his car crash, and Zainab worries that he could be taken to court for reckless driving. Masood however has a lot more on his mind; the condition of Rachel, the possibility that he’ll lose his driving licence, Archie’s car being written off and paying Amira’s rent.

Meanwhile, with the unsigned cheque in hand, Max visits Rachel in hospital, but she’s yet to regain consciousness. Max informs Tanya that Rachel’s still in a bad way, and although she’s concerned about Rachel’s health, Tanya’s puzzled over why she was actually in Walford. Max, however, manages to appease her curiosity.

Across the Square, the police question Masood about the accident and as he recounts his version of events, Amira interrupts to ‘remind him’ of the child in the road that he swerved to avoid. Masood realises that Amira’s fed him a line and with that, Masood continues the tale, explaining that there was a youth swerving in the road with no helmet or lights. Uncomfortable with the lie, Masood goes on to agree with Amira that if he hadn’t have moved the car as quickly as he did, the teen on the moped would be dead.

As the police leave, they inform Masood that without the moped driver, there’s nothing more they can do about the accident. With the police out of the house, Amira’s forced to defend her lie, claiming that she doesn’t want to see another father sent to prison.

Later, Max receives an update from the hospital regarding Rachel’s condition – her spleen has haemorrhaged and she’s been rushed in for emergency surgery. At the Masoods, Zainab comforts her husband but he’s devastated by the recent turn of events.

Meanwhile, a worried Janine breaks the news to Archie that Phil has somehow managed to raise the cash to pay off his debts. Archie automatically presumes that Ian’s bailed Phil out and sets his sights on persuading Ian to sell him Phil’s debt. Later, Archie visits Ian and talk quickly turns to the contract Phil signed. Archie’s eyes light up when he hears that Ian managed to persuade Phil to secure the loan with the Vic, and with a steely determination, Archie asks to buy the debt from him at whatever cost. Ian, however, resists temptation. That evening, as Ian becomes slowly inebriated in the Vic, Janine assures Archie that she’ll find a new angle to talk Ian into selling on the loan.

Elsewhere, Syed tells Christian that he felt forced into saying ‘I love you’ the previous day, and he thinks his father’s accident is his ‘punishment’. Syed tells a frustrated Christian that it’s over between them because he’s a “good Muslim”.

Meanwhile, Lauren tells Peter that she’s going out at the weekend, but he’s put out as it’s his birthday. Later, Lauren talks to Whitney about Tony’s trial and Whitney calls the prison to arrange a visit to see Tony. Ryan then finds an upset Whitney crying in the Square as nobody will let her see Tony. Bianca later confronts Whitney over her attempt to make contact with Tony, but the Whitney’s determined to see him; she won’t accept that Tony’s suicide threat was further manipulation.

Finally, Whitney’s stopped in the Square by a mystery man who hands her a phone containing a text message that reads ‘I can’t stop thinking about you. T x’.