The sands of Summer Bay are no stranger to heartbreak, scandal, and high-stakes drama — but next week on Home and Away, Mali finds himself at the center of one of the most difficult decisions of his life.

With his beloved board shop hanging by a thread, the question is no longer whether he can fix things, but how much he is willing to risk to save everything he has built.

For weeks, the surfboard shop has been in chaos, largely thanks to a chain of poor decisions that Mali now has to reckon with. It all began when he left town for Mantaray Point to help his sister Lana with childcare,

trusting his new assistant, Lacey, to manage the shop in his absence. A risky move, considering she had been barely hired before he handed over the reins. What followed was a snowballing disaster that threatens not only the business but also Mali’s confidence in his own judgment.

Lacey’s Struggles and Theo’s Sacrifice

Almost immediately, cracks began to show. Lacey, inexperienced and unprepared, didn’t even know how to serve customers properly. To cover her tracks, she brought in her boyfriend, Theo, to run the surf lessons — the shop’s biggest money-spinner. For a brief moment, it seemed like a quick fix. Mali eventually learned of the arrangement, and against his better instincts, agreed to let it continue.

But the cracks only deepened. The shop was already running at a loss, and Lacey was quickly out of her depth. Abigail stepped in, offering to help oversee the business until Mali’s return, but even her steady hand couldn’t keep things afloat.

The real turning point came when Theo, clearly passionate about surfing and teaching, turned down a chance to return to his old job at the garage. Instead, he dedicated himself to the board shop, believing it could be his future. Lacey, seeing how much it meant to him, urged Abigail to let him go from the shop responsibilities — a decision that ultimately stripped away its most reliable source of income.

A Business on the Brink

Without Theo’s lessons, the board shop’s finances spiraled further into chaos. Customers demanded refunds, surf lessons were left unfilled, and the shop’s already fragile reputation took a serious hit. Abigail, overwhelmed by the mess, began to panic. Mackenzie urged her to be honest with Mali about just how dire the situation had become, but Abby hesitated. She couldn’t bring herself to shatter Mali’s peace while he was away with family.

But fate had other plans. A call from her boyfriend revealed that Mali was already on his way back to Summer Bay. Suddenly, the luxury of time — and secrecy — had run out.

Mali Returns Home

When Mali finally walks back into the Bay next week, he is full of optimism. Reuniting with Mackenzie, Levi, and Abigail, he is in good spirits, blissfully unaware of the storm brewing beneath the surface. Abby, however, can’t hide her guilt. She knows the truth will devastate him, but the longer she waits, the worse it will be.

The next morning, Mali senses her unease and pushes her to come clean. Abby admits she made the tough decision to let Theo go and insists they need to dive into the board shop’s accounts immediately. Mali, ever the optimist, brushes it off at first, convinced they can sort things out together.

But reality hits hard when they sit down with the books. Piles of unsatisfied students, backlogged board orders, and endless stock issues paint a grim picture. The problems have been snowballing for weeks, and now Mali is staring down a crisis he can’t easily surf his way out of.

Abby’s Ultimatum

Abby doesn’t sugarcoat it. For the business to have any chance of survival, something drastic has to change — starting with Lacey. She argues that the shop needs someone capable of managing both the day-to-day operations and the all-important surf lessons. Lacey, despite her good intentions, simply isn’t up to the job.

But firing her isn’t that simple. Mali, deeply loyal by nature, is torn. Lacey may have failed him, but she also stepped in when he needed her most. Can he really turn his back on her now? The guilt gnaws at him as he tries to balance compassion with cold, hard business sense.

Lacey’s Plea

When Lacey arrives at the shop, oblivious to the discussions about her future, Mali thanks her for holding the fort while he was away. Clearly weighed down by guilt, she shrugs off the praise, insisting she doesn’t deserve it. She’s just grateful they can rely on each other.

But Mali can’t ignore Abby’s words echoing in his head. The tension is palpable, and when Lacey senses it, she turns to Abby for reassurance, stressing just how important the job is to her. Little does she know that Abby has been urging Mali to let her go.

The confrontation leaves Mali even more conflicted. He can’t bring himself to sack her outright, but he knows something has to give.

The Challenge That Could Change Everything

In the end, Mali devises a compromise. If Lacey can step up — really step up — and learn to surf well enough to teach lessons herself, she can keep her job. That way, she’ll not only manage the shop but also contribute to its most crucial income stream.

It’s a risky gamble, and Mali knows it. If Lacey fails, the business could collapse completely. If she succeeds, it might just buy them the lifeline they so desperately need.

The question now is whether Lacey is truly up for the challenge. Does she have the drive and determination to reinvent herself for the sake of the shop — or will Mali’s decision only plunge the business deeper into jeopardy?

What’s Next for Mali?

As the dust settles, Mali finds himself facing one of the toughest calls of his life. Every choice seems fraught with consequences — for his business, his friendships, and his own self-belief. Summer Bay has seen its fair share of heartbreak, but for Mali, the battle ahead isn’t just about survival. It’s about proving he has the strength to rebuild, even when the odds are stacked against him.

Fans will no doubt be gripped as the storyline unfolds, watching to see whether Mali can salvage his dream — or whether this could mark the beginning of the end for the board shop. One thing is certain: next week’s episodes promise high-stakes drama, raw emotion, and the kind of tension that keeps Home and Away viewers hooked.