After avoiding a prison sentence following her non-guilty verdict for kidnapping biological daughter Ivy, Rhona’s (Zoe Henry) attention is now turned to Ivy’s future as ex-husband Gus (Alan McKenna) has his own day in court.

After Gus turned against Rhona during her trial, delivering a damning statement in an attempt to get her sent down, Rhona warned him of her intentions as he left court to go home to his child.

“Chances are she’ll be my child too,” Rhona stated to a bitter Gus. “Once I’ve fought for custody, which I am now free to do. Then you’ll be forced to put Ivy first.”

With Gus’s days of freedom potentially numbered, he came to realise that Ivy could well end up in care.

Gus again approached Rhona and Marlon with a proposition, having decided to plead guilty to the charge of fraud. But with Gus having made promises before in attempts to deceive Rhona and Marlon (Mark Charnock), the couple were wary.

“They’re very sceptical because they’ve been here before,” Zoe Henry told EverySoap during a press event last week. “He says ‘If I sign Ivy’s care over to you while I’m in prison, will you look after her?’. They don’t really believe it at first.”

Rhona sent Gus packing, which left Marlon worried that they’d live to regret not attempting to reach an agreement. It was enough to make Rhona rethink, and after they met again they learned that Gus could be facing a maximum of eight years inside.

Again asking if they’d take care of Ivy during that time, Gus hoped for a favour in return—would Rhona consider giving a witness impact statement defending him, in the hope of reducing his sentence?

Rhona was all ready to walk out, figuring Gus could easily go back on his word after receiving a lesser sentence, but Gus was desperate to change her mind.

Telling Rhona to forget about the statement, he appealed to her that they would all lose Ivy if she has to go into care.

With an agreement in place, and paperwork drawn up by solicitor Ethan (Emile John) to formalise the Ivy arrangement, it seemed that things had turned quite amicable between the warring exes.

“It looks like everything’s going to be fine…” Mark Charnock teases.

Next week, Gus pays another unexpected visit and assures Marlon and Mary (Louise Jameson) that on the off-chance he does get a lighter sentence, he will still ensure they’re all a part of Ivy’s life.

This gives the family further food for thought. Considering Rhona’s unexpected verdict, it’s entirely plausible that Gus could somehow come away from this without a prison sentence, and despite his promises, there’s nothing set in stone for Rhona’s access to Ivy in that situation.