Heartbreak, hope, and a devastating question collide this week on Home and Away, as one of Summer Bay’s most emotionally charged storylines reaches

a painful crossroads. Just weeks after young Cohen finally met his biological father for the first time, viewers are left reeling as Adrian appears to walk away—

leaving Roo shattered and a vulnerable child facing the terrifying possibility of being abandoned yet again.

The storyline traces its roots back to Samantha’s arrest earlier this year, when she and Cohen were found living in a tent. With Samantha facing multiple theft charges, authorities stepped in, and Cohen was placed into foster care under Roo’s watchful, compassionate eye. From the beginning, Roo was determined to protect Cohen from further trauma. When Samantha abruptly announced her intention to relinquish all parental rights, Roo delayed telling Cohen the truth, clinging to the hope that a relative might be found or that Samantha might reconsider.

That hope slowly disintegrated. Sergeant David launched an exhaustive search for Cohen’s family, following the only clue Cohen could offer—his grandmother, believed to be living somewhere near Canberra. But the investigation led to another crushing blow: Cohen’s gran had passed away from cancer months earlier. With Samantha’s legal renunciation finalized and Cohen’s letters to his mother being returned unopened from prison, Roo was forced to deliver the devastating truth. Samantha had abandoned him.

The emotional toll was immense. Cohen, already fragile, was later admitted to hospital with tonsillitis, and it was there that Roo made a life-altering decision. Determined to give him the stability and love he desperately needed, she decided to apply to adopt him. Cohen’s reaction was immediate and heartfelt—he was thrilled at the thought of having a forever home with Roo. For a brief moment, it seemed like light had finally broken through the darkness.

But Home and Away rarely allows happiness without complication.

Everything unraveled when David uncovered a startling detail in Samantha’s old case files. Years earlier, when Samantha was arrested as a pregnant teenager, her bail had been posted by a man named Adrian Pcel. Together with social worker Harper, David realized the implication was unavoidable: Adrian was almost certainly Cohen’s father.

When summoned to Yabbie Creek Police Station, Adrian confirmed what he had quietly believed for years. He had always thought Cohen was his son—and he even carried a photo of the boy in his wallet. According to Adrian, Samantha had vanished with Cohen when he was just three months old, insisting the child wasn’t his and severing all contact.

Although everyone agreed it would be best to wait for DNA confirmation, fate intervened. Spotting Roo and Cohen near the surf club, Adrian couldn’t resist introducing himself. The moment left Cohen confused and overwhelmed, forcing Cash to step in and Roo to gently explain the truth. When the DNA results arrived, they confirmed Adrian’s claim—he was Cohen’s biological father.

For Roo, the confirmation was bittersweet. While relieved that Cohen had family, she was devastated by the possibility of losing the boy she had grown to love as her own. Initially, things seemed promising. Adrian and Cohen bonded quickly, sharing a game of footy and tentative smiles, with Cohen even beginning to call him “Dad.”

But the emotional ground shifted again the very next day. Adrian tried to explain to Cohen that he had never abandoned him—it was Samantha who had lied and taken him away. Cohen, still clinging to an idealized image of his mother, rejected the explanation outright and lashed out, refusing to accept Adrian’s version of events.

Roo instinctively sided with Cohen, keeping Adrian at arm’s length. Yet a quiet conversation between Alf and Cohen revealed deeper truths. The boy admitted his fear, confusion, and anger—emotions Alf gently encouraged Roo to acknowledge from both sides. At the same time, Harper issued a stark warning: if Roo continued to block Adrian’s attempts to build a relationship with his son, she could lose her status as Cohen’s foster carer altogether.

Realizing she had to step back, Roo allowed Adrian another chance. Father and son agreed to start over, cautiously rebuilding trust. This week, Cohen’s curiosity about Adrian grows, and he eagerly asks questions about his father’s life. Yet Roo’s unease deepens when Adrian admits he has no idea how to be a dad. Her fear is immediate and visceral—what if he’s not ready? What if he’s giving Cohen hope he can’t sustain?

A family dinner offers temporary reassurance. Adrian speaks excitedly about his extended family and promises to introduce Cohen to them. For Roo, the moment is both comforting and agonizing, as she remains stuck at the very beginning of the adoption process, terrified of losing the child who has come to mean everything to her.

Then comes the gut punch.

The following day, while Cohen spends a peaceful afternoon with Alf, swapping fishing stories and family memories, Roo makes a shocking discovery. Adrian is packing up his car, preparing to leave town. There’s no explanation, no goodbye. Just a devastating message: “Tell Cohen I’m sorry.”

The implications are brutal. Having only just learned that his mother no longer wants him, Cohen now faces the unbearable possibility that his father has chosen to abandon him too. Roo is utterly devastated, knowing the damage this could inflict on a child already drowning in rejection and loss.

Determined not to let Cohen down, Roo puts her own heartbreak aside and takes decisive action. She heads straight to the police station, demanding Adrian’s address from David. She needs answers—and more importantly, she needs Adrian to understand what walking away will do to his son.

The question now hangs heavy over Summer Bay: did Adrian really abandon Cohen, or is there more to his sudden departure than meets the eye? And can Roo convince him to come back before the damage becomes irreversible?

As this storyline continues to unfold, Home and Away delivers a powerful exploration of parenthood, abandonment, and the fragile hope that love—if fought for—can still win.