Maria begins renting the flat alongside the builder's yard from Charlie Stubbs (Bill Ward). Even though he is dating Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford), Charlie sets out to seduce Maria, installing security cameras at the yard to watch Maria's flat and staging a break-in to make her feel vulnerable. Maria falls for Charlie and begins an affair with him but when David Platt (Jack P. Shepherd) finds out and tries to blackmail Charlie, Charlie tries to drown him in Maria's bath. Maria stops him and admits the affair to Tracy, resulting in a fight between the two women in the street. Even though she wants nothing more to do with Charlie, Maria is the only resident aside from Jason to be upset when Tracy murders him in revenge for the affair.