Leyla Cavanagh’s (Roxy Shahidi) resolve to quit her drug habit crumbled again in tonight’s Emmerdale (1st August), and her behaviour saw her alienate those around her.
Having recently been caught out by close friend David Metcalfe (Matthew Wolfenden), Leyla reluctantly agreed to get help, attending a support group so long as her husband Liam (Jonny McPherson) was kept in the dark. But she later lied and went elsewhere when David dropped her off for a second session. She had also told dealer Callum that she was stopping with the drugs, and seemed to stick to this – at least until the latest dramatic instalment of the ITV soap.
The day quickly went downhill when a cash-strapped Leyla warned colleague and friend Priya Kotecha (Fiona Wade) not to use the company credit card on an expensive lunch with a client. But Priya went ahead anyway, explaining that the engaged couple were all set to spend a fortune with the business on their wedding event.
Leyla responded by instantly sacking Priya for negligence, reminding her that she had also had to reprimand her for offering help to Lydia Dingle (Karen Blick) who was now planning Kim Tate’s wedding. Priya was stunned, as were the villagers who overheard the conversation and tried to leap to her defence.
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But there was no budging Leyla, who then went on to undermine a stressed Lydia’s work for Kim. Manipulating the situation, Leyla crushed poor Lydia’s confidence, leaving the latter ready to quit. And with Kim’s groom Will Taylor (Dean Andrews) witnessing this, Leyla convinced him to return the wedding account and the deposit back to her, promising to get Kim back on board.
When Callum arrived in his car, Leyla furtively met with him and asked for cocaine, pleading for a deal as she was low on funds. Callum obliged, saying he would be back to call in the favour another time.
Later, she ran into Priya at the Take A Vow office, who coldly announced she was leaving now that she had packed up her things. Leyla was cruel and remorseless as she called Priya a “dead weight”, insisting that business would improve now that Priya was gone. The latter warned her former pal about pushing everyone away with her selfish behaviour, but a smirking Leyla was just happy to see a text confirming that Kim’s deposit money would be back with her soon.
Alone again, Leyla was amped up as she loudly declared her own brilliance, taking out her new stash of coke and setting up a line. But how long until someone else cottons on to her actions? And what will Callum want from her?
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