The estranged couple have a heated confrontation.
The following article references coercive control.
Emmerdale spoilers follow.
Emmerdale has aired a sinister cliffhanger for Belle King.
Tuesday’s (September 3) episode saw Belle desperate to stop Amelia Spencer from making a dangerous mistake by getting into a relationship with abuser Tom King.
Tom had charmed Amelia as she waited for the bus to go visit her dad Dan behind bars. Tom retrieved Esther’s bunny from the road after the baby had accidentally tossed it away.
Any suggestion that Tom was turning over a new leaf quickly faded when he warned Belle in the village that he could leak explicit photos of her online.
When Belle reminded him he could face legal trouble just for his threat, Tom quipped: “Do your worst Belle. I’ll always win.”
Belle went to Ryan Stocks in hopes of finding a way to trace the photos back to Tom, but he didn’t think it was possible to prove definitively.
Desperate to find some proof, Belle used Nicola’s ‘lost keys’ to let herself into Victoria Cottage to search for Tom’s tablet. Tom soon arrived home, forcing Belle to hide in a closet.
Belle was able to snatch the laptop and escape once Tom went upstairs. However, Tom became suspicious when Nicola explained that Belle had found her ‘lost’ keys earlier.
Tom used the secret cameras he’d installed at Dale Head to watch Belle trying to get into his tablet. There was a knock at the door at Dale Head, but nobody was there when Belle opened up.
A confused Belle went back inside to find the backdoor slightly ajar and the tablet gone. At the Woolpack, Belle confronted Tom for sneaking into Dale Head to take back his tablet.
Belle admitted she’d broken into Victoria Cottage first, but Tom tried to make out like she was delusional because he’d been working on his tablet “all day”.
Amelia stepped in to defend Tom, claiming that they’d met up earlier. As Chas broke up the argument, Amelia admitted to Tom that she’d lied to stop Belle from attacking him.
“[Belle] has done and said all sorts of things about me for ages,” Tom told Amelia. “To be honest, I don’t think she’s been well since the split.”
Tom continued to charm Amelia with a brand new stuffed bunny for Esther to replace the one damaged earlier.
In the village, Belle begged Tom to leave Amelia alone but he spitefully insisted his new girlfriend was “useful” for now.
“You will never be able to outsmart me, Belle,” he warned. “Try taking me down again and I’ll make sure you always end up looking madder than you already do.”
Tom’s threat chilled Belle as the episode ended…
Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV1, and streams on ITVX.
