Next week on Neighbours, a mistaken assumption from Jane leads to a furious outburst – but is Victor just trying to make amends?
Since returning to Erinsborough four years ago, Jane (Annie Jones) has made it clear that there was no love lost between her and her ex-husband, Victor Stone. Having split up while the pair were living in the UK, Jane has forged ahead with a life that doesn’t have her ex in it… until now!
Next Tuesday 14th May, Victor (Craig Hall) makes a sudden reappearance in the lives of Jane and their two children Nicolette (Hannah Monson) and Byron (Xavier Molyneaux). It’s a shock for both Jane and Byron, but for Nicolette, it’s a pleasant surprise.
No sooner though does Vic arrive, than it becomes apparent that he’s hiding something.
When he turns up on the doorstep of No. 24, the house owned by Jane’s absent fiancé Mike Young (Guy Pearce), it’s not exactly the welcome home he expected. But he’s also aware that he wouldn’t be welcomed with open arms.
It soon becomes clear that he’s going through money troubles, as he reaches out to his son and asks whether he can temporarily move into No. 32 with him, whilst he navigates his way through his cashflow problems.
Although intially against it, a conversation with Mackenzie (Georgie Stone), whose own relationship with her father was fraught for many years, helps Byron see the situation in a new light.
Unfortunately for Byron, it seems he’s been lied to as Vic takes a moment to check his bank account balance, revealing he has more than $1,000,000 in the bank.
With the mending of relationships now underway, Vic tries to work towards reparations with his ex-wife, but it’s far from smooth sailing. Jane’s very cautious of Vic and his true motives for returning, and when he asks for advice on how to reconnect with their children, Jane’s only answer is to put in the time.
As Vic returns to No. 32 with his tail between his legs, he’s shocked to find Byron’s girlfriend Sadie (Emerald Chan) looking at his computer. Although Vic’s quick to intervene, Sadie has read something very alarming, which Victor begs her to keep secret.
Sadie believes that his family deserve to know the truth, but Vic reminds her that it is up to him to come clean, and he’ll only do it when he’s ready.
Sadie reluctantly agrees to keep the truth from Byron – but just what is Victor hiding?
Come Thursday 16th May, Vic finds himself in even more trouble with Jane. He invites his ex-wife over to his new house, but when she arrives, she’s positive that her former husband is going to ask her for a loan.
However, when he surprises her with an apology, Jane isn’t quite sure how to react. He is truly sorry for hurting her, and explains that, having had time to reflect, he’s realised that marrying her was the most honest thing he ever did.
Yet Jane is convinced that all Victor wants is money, and she orders him to admit this is the case.
When he assures her that she doesn’t need money, she’s left with no option but to rip into him, leaving her ex-husband hurt and embarrassed.
Nicolette can’t help but step in to defend her father, wanting to believe that he could be telling the truth and that he’s sincere in having reassessed his life.
Nailing for a fight, Jane turns to attack her daughter, but the glimpse of a mysterious vase on her table catches her offside.
Upon closer examination, it’s a vase that belonged to Mrs Mangel (Vivean Gray), Jane’s grandmother, and a family heirloom that she hasn’t seen in years. In the most desperate of times, without Jane’s permission, Vic had gone behind her back and sold it.
Realising that Victor had it the whole time she was berating him, Jane’s surprise quickly turns to fury.
Confronting Victor, he explains that he’d always kept an eye out for the heirloom since selling it all those years back, and eventually found it at an estate sale.
Touched, Jane can’t help but feel grateful to her ex-husband and their frosty relationship finally begins to thaw.
Later, Sadie once again urges Victor to come clean to his family, but while he’s moved by her words, he insists that he needs to do things his way.
Unfortunately, he places his hand on Sadie’s arm just as Byron walks in. Byron misinterprets the innocent interaction, and tells Sadie that she needs to tell him if Victor is making her uncomfortable…
