Alongside the specter of revenge, Emmerdale witnesses the rise of the dangerous criminal duo Celia Daniels and Ray Walters.

These two run a drug trafficking and extortion empire throughout Yorkshire, but when a young girl dares to denounce them, they immediately retaliate with violence.

April Windsor – a young victim in Celia’s network – decides to speak the truth.

She and her boyfriend Dylan secretly contact the police, but Ray discovers them.

In a breathtaking scene, Ray drives Dylan into a car in the middle of the night, leaving him stranded on a snowy road. This shock awakens the entire village: Celia and Ray are willing to kill to silence her.

In a fierce confrontation at Smithy Cottage, Marlon and Rhona decide to expose the evil duo. Celia coldly pulls out a lighter, threatening to “burn the whole village down.” Rhona’s struggle, coupled with Ray’s half-smile, became the most haunting image of the holiday season. Fans declared it the darkest moment in Emmerdale’s history.