Valentine’s Day may be synonymous with romance, but in Casualty’s next episode from the ongoing Learning Curve boxset, love takes a back seat to tension, secrets, and difficult choices across Holby City General. With several long-running storylines converging, the episode looks set to deliver emotional fallout rather than happy endings.

One of the most quietly explosive threads remains the revelation that Dylan Keogh is actually Matty Linklater’s father — a truth that Matty still doesn’t know. Dylan has recently tried to keep his distance after showing concern for the junior doctor, a change in behaviour that Matty is already beginning to notice. When Matty confronts him, Dylan attempts to brush off the questions, but the pressure is mounting. The longer the secret is kept, the greater the risk that it will come out in a way Dylan can’t control, threatening to upend both their professional and personal lives.

Elsewhere, the aftermath of Iain Dean’s impulsive decision continues to ripple outward. After being turned down by Faith Cadogan, Iain sought comfort in a one-night stand. Now, with Faith having realised she wants to try again, he finds himself in an impossible position. The episode sees Iain finally confess what he’s done, leaving Faith facing yet another painful choice: whether trust can survive one more blow, especially with a baby on the way and their history already so fragile.

However, it’s Jacob Masters and Teddy Gowan who take centre stage in one of the episode’s most confrontational storylines. Teddy’s girlfriend Ashley Sullivan, back at work after being discharged, finds herself pursuing a suspect connected to a series of muggings. When the description leads her to Jacob’s son, Blake, events escalate quickly. After an outburst, Blake is arrested, and Ashley’s actions leave Jacob blindsided and furious. The situation becomes even more uncomfortable when Jacob turns to colleagues Jan Jennings and Teddy for support, only to find them siding with Ashley, pointing out it’s her first day back. The fallout threatens to strain friendships that have long been built on trust and loyalty.

The episode also continues to explore the emotional consequences of Siobhan McKenzie’s assault. She is left deeply disappointed when police inform her that there isn’t enough DNA evidence to identify her attacker. The setback pushes her closer to breaking point, and when she hears colleagues casually planning to walk home, she finally opens up about what happened to her. It’s a significant step, but one that underlines how isolating and unresolved her trauma still is.

Meanwhile, Stevie Nash remains unaware of what’s really going on with Kim Chang. While Stevie maintains her tough-love approach to mentoring, Kim’s private struggle with an eating disorder continues in silence. After eating with Matty, Kim pushes herself into overexercising, determined to stay in control, even as the pressure mounts. Stevie’s ignorance of the situation suggests this storyline is heading toward a more serious confrontation in the weeks ahead.

Taken together, the Valentine’s episode promises not romance, but reckoning. With relationships under strain, secrets threatening to surface, and trust being tested on multiple fronts, Holby’s latest chapter looks set to deliver emotional consequences that will resonate well beyond a single shift in the ED.