In another corner of Emmerdale, two women – Nicola King and Laurel Thomas – are also at a painful crossroads.

Their friendship, once stronger than blood, is now falling apart in anger and hurt.

Laurel, after a series of losses and heartbreaks, finds comfort in Nicola – who has always been there for her.

But this week, everything comes crashing down when Nicola suddenly announces she is leaving the village.

“I can’t go on anymore, Laurel. I need to get out,” she says, her eyes cold. Laurel is stunned: “We’ve been through so much! Why leave now?” Nicola doesn’t answer. She closes the door, leaving Laurel slumped in her chair, sobbing.

According to spoilers from Digital Spy, Nicola will shockingly “withdraw from all close relationships”, leaving Laurel in a state of collapse. Many believe Nicola is hiding something – perhaps she is ill, or involved in financial trouble that forced her to leave. But Laurel thinks otherwise: “She’s hiding from her true feelings.”

Imagined scene: Laurel runs out into the street, calling: “Nicola! Stop!” – rain pouring down, hair dripping wet. Nicola turns back, tears mixing with the rain: “If I stay… we’ll both be in more pain.” Then she walks away.

It’s heartbreaking. Emmerdale is full of tears, but the moment Nicola leaves Laurel in the rain is one of the most painful. It’s not just the end of a friendship – it’s the collapse of trust, where two women who once saved each other now become each other’s wounds.