Max and Linda's secret romance exposed in EastEnders

Max Branning and Linda Carter's secret relationship was exposed to the entire community of Albert Square on Wednesday. The revelation happened by accident inside the Vic, following a series of events that left Max's brother Lee Carter drunk and defensive. The slip of the tongue sent shockwaves through the pub, catching the attention of Max's ex, Cindy Beale, and setting the stage for further conflict in the coming days.

The trouble began early in the day when Max ran into his brother Jack. Jack was still angry because Max had taken money from his missing daughter, Amy Mitchell. Amy remains in the care of Craig Ingram, a groomer who has held her for some time. Jack and Max met at the café to discuss how Jack had kept Denise Fox in the dark about Amy's situation. Linda joined them and recounted the horrors of what Craig had done to Amy. She made Max promise that if anything similar ever happened to her children, he would tell her everything, no matter what was going on in his life.

Lee entered the café and ordered a coffee. Linda told Max she could not attend the wake for Zoe Slater because her son Lee was not in a good state. Max offered to keep Lee occupied so Linda could go alone. When Linda asked why Max was missing the wake, given his past with Zoe, he brushed her off and quickly left. He told Lee to come help with some work to keep him busy.

The pair washed cars together. Lee told Max he was struggling with the funeral procession for his father's former pub. Max talked Lee out of going to the pub to drink and instead took him to lunch. Max faced the Slater family at the funeral car with a look of guilt on his face. During lunch, Max opened up about his approach to relationships and the chaos he faces. He left to get a drink, and Lee bolted. The next time viewers saw him, he was plastered at Harry's Barn.

At the wake, Max arrived looking for Lee. He found Cindy Beale instead. Cindy was angry about Max's secret involvement in Zoe's death. Lee stumbled in and tried to defend Max against Cindy's comments. Linda arrived at that moment. Lee tried to act as Max's protector, but in his drunken state, he revealed their relationship to the room.

Meanwhile, Kat Moon and Cindy Beale woke up in a police cell after the previous night's events. They bonded over the loss of their children. Cindy tried to figure out if Kat knew who had left Zoe alone. Kat smelled a rat and asked Cindy directly. A police officer interrupted them, giving Cindy a chance to compose herself and lie about knowing anything. Kat made it home in time for the funeral. Zoe's twins, Josh Goodwin and Jasmine Fisher, delivered a moving eulogy. Kat then gave her own emotional tribute to her daughter.

Jack and Denise struggled with the funeral, reminded of Denise's ongoing battle with cancer. Darnell Larson Jr admitted what had happened to Amy, forcing Jack to tell Denise the truth. The stress caused Denise to have a nosebleed. They missed a call from Amy while she was on the run with Craig. At Harry's Barn, the ice between Kojo Asare and Jodie Hawkins melted, and a spark seemed to appear between them.

New spoilers for Thursday, October 29, indicate that Denise is suffering physically from the stress. Ash Panesar steps in to check on her and help her manage the situation. Jack is rocked by a completely unexpected arrival on the Square. The Hawkins clan is not ready to let the spark between Kojo and Jodie fade. They shift into matchmaker mode to ensure a happy ending. The revelation of Max and Linda's relationship continues to cause shockwaves, particularly for Cindy, as the wider reaction to the news unfolds.