Mark Jr has had a chaotic week in EastEnders and today’s episode showed just how far he is willing to go to get out of his gang drama.

In a move that left viewers stunned, he dragged Lauren into his latest mess as he scrambled for fast cash. And if that was not bad enough, next week brings an even darker twist as Mark takes desperate steps to clear his mounting debts.

Mark’s week got off to a bad start

After beating Ravi half to death earlier this week, Mark’s been under pressure from his boss to finish the job.

Vicki tried to persuade Mark that there must be another way to sort out the mess he’s got himself into. But he’d been told he had 24 hours to get rid of Ravi for good.

While Ravi’s mental health spiralled, Vicki took matters into her own hands and begged Phil to help Mark. While Phil was reluctant to get involved in his nephew’s drama, he agreed to make some calls.

Mark was grateful when Phil said he would pull some strings. And, like a knight in shining armour, Phil managed to get Mark off the hook with his boss. However, there was a catch. While he no longer had to kill Ravi, he now owed his gaffer £100k to settle his debt.

Phil saved the day – again!

Horrified that he now owed so much money, Mark knew there was no way he could get his hands on that kind of cash. So he took desperate measures… and unfortunately, Lauren got caught in the middle.

After promising Max she would sell the classic car at the car lot, Lauren couldn’t believe her luck when Mark took an interest in the motor. They took it for a test drive, and Lauren was convinced she had the sale in the bag. However, her hopes were dashed when Mark confessed he didn’t have the cash.

Lauren was miffed, but when Mark offered to buy her lunch to soften the blow, she agreed. As Mark left her to go and get some sandwiches, Lauren was attacked by a seemingly random thug, who hit her, knocked her to the ground and stole the keys before driving off in the car.

Mark races out to chase the car down the road and soon comes to Lauren’s aid, taking her back to Albert Square to her family.

While Peter played the worried husband to perfection, Max seemed to care more about the stolen car than his traumatised daughter and went to call the insurance company.

Meanwhile, Mark made a hasty exit, but not before accepting the cash for the taxi they had to get home from Max.

EastEnders: Mark stooped to new lows

In a shock twist, Mark was later revealed to have set up the whole ordeal. He met up with the man who attacked Lauren and was fuming that she got hurt, telling him that wasn’t part of the deal.

But with Mark now stealing cars for quick cash to pay off his debts, it won’t be long before Lauren gets caught up in more drama over the coming weeks…

More drama for Mark in EastEnders next week

Next week, the drama continues as Mark approaches Lauren with a tempting business offer. He suggests supplying luxury cars for her to sell at the car lot.

Lauren is unsure at first, but eventually agrees. And things seem promising when she manages to sell one of the vehicles.

However, the situation quickly changes when Callum turns up with news that the classic car stolen during the mugging has been found. He also reveals that other vehicles have gone missing in the area.

That is when the penny finally drops.

Lauren starts to suspect that the cars Mark is bringing her might not be as legitimate as he claimed. Determined to get answers, she heads to confront him. But what exactly will she uncover?