As Rose and Mali reach their breaking point the following week on Home and Away in the UK, Mali eventually summons the bravery to send Zara packing.
When it appeared that Mali (Kyle Shilling) had come up with a plan to deal with his ex-girlfriend Zara (Matilda Brown) visiting Summer Bay, Mackenzie’s (Emily Weir) reappearance puts even more wrench in the works.
A few weeks ago, Zara shocked everyone by showing up out of the blue and declaring herself to be Mali’s “promised wife.” Zara was secretly hopeful that she could win back Mali, even though it seemed like she was just kidding and it was a running joke in their families that the childhood friends were meant to be together.
The two were in a relationship prior to Zara leaving their hometown of Mantaray Point for law school, so although Mali didn’t want Zara to stay with him given his current relationship with Rose (Kirsty Marillier), he felt he had no choice when his mother Vicky (Ursula Yovich) advised him to make Zara feel at home.
Needless to say, Rose, who has been waiting for Mali to grow up and send Zara on her way, hasn’t been impressed by the scenario either.
Rose was obliged to give Mali an ultimatum following another run-in with Zara last week: “It’s either me or her.” At last, Mali made the decision to confront Zara and make it clear that he prefers Rose and that he would not allow her to destroy their relationship. Zara then at last acknowledged the real cause behind her desire for Mali to return.
She discovered after a few years of law school that the dream and reality weren’t quite the same. She gave up on her dream of becoming a lawyer six months after graduating, but she is afraid to tell her parents when she gets home.
Zara reasoned that it would lessen the damage if she went back to Mantaray Point with Mali, appearing as though she had abandoned her ideal job for love. especially when it was the person her parents had always wished she would marry.
Mali showed compassion for Zara and allowed her to stay for as long as she needed, but in order to please Rose, he asked if he might live with her for a short while while Zara stayed at the farmhouse.
Mali, however, was unprepared for the Mac’s comeback.
As Mac gets home from her visit with Dean and Ziggy, she is shocked to see a stranger by herself in her kitchen, while Mali and Rose are relishing their first alone time together this week.
“You scared me half to death!” Zara yells as she turns back and sees Mac looking at her quizzically. “What in the world are you?”
“I could pose the same query to you,” swiftly responds Mac.
Soon, Mac is interfering with Mali and Rose’s romantic festivity, demanding an explanation and reminding him that he cannot simply invite someone to stay in her home without first consulting her.
Mali tries to talk Mac out of going back with her even after giving her the whole story and explaining that it’s complicated.
“Not my problem, not my promised wife!” Mac says.
Returning to Zara, Mali acknowledges that leaving her alone wasn’t the best choice, but Mac, not ready to let Zara stay without Mali, tells Zara it’s time to go home.
Mali thinks Zara is only biding her time, hoping he will change his mind about leaving with her, despite Zara’s protestations that she came to him believing she could trust him to help her. But when Zara begs him to grant her a few more weeks so she can figure out how to inform her parents, Mali caves in once more.
But Mac correctly warns Mali that if Zara is remaining put, he needs to return to the farmhouse, therefore he won’t accept his answer of simply keeping things as they are.
“She’s either not there or you are. You have an option. Discussion is over. Mac informs him.
Naturally, Mali decides to return to the farmhouse after all, instead of defying Zara, which annoys Rose that they’ve gone back to their original location after her order.
Not unexpectedly, she rejects Mali’s offer for her to remain with him as well.
Mali ultimately realises that enough is enough and tells Zara that she needs to leave Summer Bay, go back home, and tell her parents the truth after understanding that their relationship is about to shatter.
Mali rejects Zara’s accusation that he is neglecting “his responsibilities” in order to watch out for her.
He looks at her and says, “You’ve been making my life more difficult because you can’t face your own.”
Zara agrees to go back home and confront her parents after realising that she must mature. As a friend, Mali offers to accompany her, but she understands that she must do this alone.
Rose gets there in time to witness Mali loading up her car and saying goodbye to Zara.
Will there be any more turbulence in Rose and Mali’s relationship once they move in together?
