THIS ARTICLE REFERENCES THE UNMISSABLE DRAMA THAT OCCURRED DURING THE EPISODE THAT AIRED ON THURSDAY 16th NOVEMBER 2023
As Flashback Week draws to a close, fans have been trying to link all the loose ends as numerous stories from the past show themselves to be connected, but still trying to work out exactly what happened to cause destruction of two marriages and causing numerous people to flee Erinsborough. Of course, we now know that Paul Robinson is implicated in the drama as we saw him rush to Ramsay Street at the end of Wednesday’s (15th November) episode to stop Melanie from telling the truth about whatever happened.
Remember, at this point, only the viewers are aware that Krista is Reece’s sister…
As Aaron, Nicolette and Jane arrive at No.22, Melanie continues telling her story. Going back one year, the day before Paul and Terese’s vow renewal.
When Paul interrupts Melanie confiding in David at The Waterhole, he inadvertently becomes embroiled in something that will change his life forever. Eden appears and Melanie chases him out of the pub. A confused Paul sees how disturbed Melanie is and demands an explanation. In the Penthouse with Paul, David, Aaron and Nicolette, Melanie confided everything that had happened to that point. The drugs bust in England, Krista’s arrival, the blackmail, the stalking, the threats. But Melanie was adamant that Toadie couldn’t find out.
Determined to put an end to the threats and intimidation, Melanie instigated a meeting with
Krista at the Lassiter’s rooftop. Their meeting turned into a heated argument as Krista demanded more money and threatened to expose Melanie. Voices became raised and the argument became physical and Melanie pushed Kritsa, causing her to trip on the edge of the hot tub, falling in and smashing her head against the side.
A panicked Mel drags Krista’s lifeless body out of the hot tub, blood dripping from her head and no sign of life. Melanie realised that she was in trouble and turned to the closest person she could for help, the worst person she could turn to, Paul Robinson, who lived right beneath the roof terrace. An action that Melanie would live to regret.
Rather than call the Police, Paul takes things into his own hands, but before Melanie can continue with the story, Paul storms into Toadie and Terese’s house, demanding she stops talking.
“It’s too late” says Mel.
“We know Krista is dead”, Toadie realising the enormity of what his ex-wife is admitting.
The Police arrive and Paul realises there is no way out.
As all of the players in this story are paraded to the Police Station, Paul and Melanie discuss the ramifications of what has happened. Whilst Paul thinks of the impact on him, Melanie realise that someone else has lost a lot more.
“Maybe we should stop thinking about ourselves and start thinking about the person who lost their life, Krista Sinclair.” This is the moment that the penny drops for Paul, Melanie’s Krista is the missing sister that Reece Sinclair has been searching for. He covered up the death of the daughter of his hotel’s major investor. Holly overhears the exchange and is shocked to learn the true identity of the woman she knew as Kelly Miller and the impact this is going to have.
In his Police statement, Paul stays true to form and tries to claim that he is a victim in this situation and did the best he could. As he arrives at the rooftop, he finds that Krista’s body has gone, instead, Eden is there. Telling Paul he has done him a gigantic favour, he tells Paul how bad it would be for him if any of what has happened got out.
Knowing that news of Paul’s connection to a murder at Lassisters would make for very poor headlines, Eden takes the opportunity to extort money from Paul. Paul agrees, paying Eden $500,000 dollars for his silence.
Paul returns to the Penthouse where he explains that Eden has disposed of Krista’s body. Everyone panics as they realise the trouble they are in, especially David who was only recently released from jail for his involvement in Gareth’s death at River Bend the year before. David sees that Paul’s lack of honesty has put him at risk of returning to prison.
From the Police Station, Melanie terfully looks out at Toadie and Terese embracing in the complex courtyard. She sees everything she has lost because of the events that occurred relating to Krista Sinclair.
David explains to his friends that the reason he left Erinsborough with his family shortly after was because of the mess he had gotten involved in, but also because of what Paul had done to fix it.
“I couldn’t be around him or expose my family anymore to what he does”.
When Terese questioned why no one wanted to go to the Police, David said that he and Melanie did, but they were overruled by Paul. Uncharacteristically, Nicolette sided with Paul and Aaron was happy to do whatever it took to keep David out of a return to jail.
Disgusted, David confronts Paul.
“Dad, can you really look Terese in the yee after what you have just done?”
David felt that his father had ignored his plea as he turned around and left to go to the vow renewal.
As Paul stood at the alter with Terese, listening to her vows, guilt set in and for a brief moment, Paul Robinson had a crisis of conscience, realising he was dragging the woman he loved into an unthinkable drama, covering up a murder. The guilt got too much and Paul walked away in the middle of the service, leaving Terese standing alone at the altar. Paul and Terese’s marriage was over.
Terese cannot believe what she is hearing as David continues with the story.
“He said he loved you too much to hurt you,”
As Toadie tries to comfort Terese, she storms out, heading to the Police Station where she confronts Paul. Going into full Terage mode, she unleashes her wrath onto him in an emotional outburst. She blames him for ruining everyone’s life because of his dishonesty. Toadie tells Melanie that she should have been honest too and Mel breaks down as she realises that Toadie is right, she wouldn’t be in this situation if she had been honest from the start.
Paul tried to tell Terese he only did this because he loved her then and still loves her, but Terese refused to listen and stormed off.
Whist we now know what happened to cause the breakdown of so many relationships, this is just the beginning of the drama in Erinsborough. In the “Coming up” section we see Holly preparing to tell Reece what has happened to Krista, Toadie realising that Paul is still in love with Terese and Nell and Hugo demanding to see Melanie. That may be easier said than done as we see a broken Melanie locked in a prison cell.
The drama continues next week with new episodes of Neighbours dropping at 7am Monday-Thursday on Amazon Freevee and Amazon Prime Video.