Oh dear, is it ever going to let up for poor Bethany Platt in Coronation Street?
When Nathan was arrested by police during a raid of his house a couple of weeks back, we all hoped that finally Bethany could get her life back in order, after having been groomed and sexually abused for months.
But it looks like her ordeal has left its mark on her and altered her behaviour.
It would seem that even though he may not be around her, Nathan’s hold over her remains just as strong.
In a scene in last night’s episode, viewers watched Bethany outrageously flirt with Peter Barlow in a brazen attempt to snag a cigarette off him – and viewers were horrified.
It all started innocently enough.
When she asked him for a cigarette, he told her that her nan, Gail, would “string him up” if he dared to give her one.
She replied flirtily, seductively stroking his arm, “Well, a tough guy like you’s not afraid of someone like Gail surely?”
But Peter wasn’t playing her game and stepped back from her and said: “Listen Bethany, I think you need to go home, love.”
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Peter dutifully headed to the Rovers where he told her mum Sarah about what she was up to.
Without a seconds thought concerned Sarah dashed back to house to find Bethany about to burn herself with a cigarette.
Grabbing her to her feet, Sarah screamed: “What are you doing?”
A tearful Bethany appeared to ignore the question and instead said something more revealing and more sinister.
“I don’t deserve him – I don’t deserve happiness,” she pleaded, proving his power of her.
Viewers keen to see young Bethany put the evil Nathan behind her once and for all were distraught by the scene.
“Wot on earth is Bethany doing chatting Peter up #Corrie What the heck is Bethany doing,” one disturbed viewer Tweeted.
Another added: “Nathan has really messed with her head. #Corrie #CoronationStreet ”
While a third was more concerned with the teenager’s taste in men than her burning herself, stating: “Bethany just hit a new low. peter [effing] Barlow #Corrie ”
While we are all eager to see the wicked Nathan get his comeuppance, it looks as though we won’t have long to wait.
Chris Harper, who pays the villain, says his character is due to meet a very “sticky end”.
Speaking to OK! this week he revealed that the sleazy sexual predator is “spiralling” towards his doom.
“He’s spiralling towards his sticky end,” he explained. “I think we’ll see them [together] in court and he’ll end up in prison.
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“We wanted to show it’s worth victims telling people. It was also important to show that victims can be so manipulated, they don’t even realise they’re being abused.”
Although it would appear Nathan will get banged up, Chris also says he would actually like to see him meet a “gruesome end”.