Ryan explains that he has had sex with a married woman and when her husband arrives, Ryan claims that Robert had sex with her so he punches Robert. After the wedding, Ryan decides to stay in Weatherfield. He applies for a job at Underworld but is eventually gets a job as a waiter at the restaurant Speed Daal. Ryan is sacked after spying on Kayla Clifton (Mollie Winnard) with Bethany Platt (Lucy Fallon), but she secures Ryan a job as a labourer with Gary Windass (Mikey North). He arrives late on his first day and leaves early after completing the wrong job, angering Gary. Ryan asks Bethany on a date and they have dinner at Michelle's flat. As they get intimate, Bethany suffers a panic attack and hits Ryan several times. She rushes out, which is seen by her mother, Sarah Platt (Tina O'Brien), who presumes that Ryan attacked Bethany and attacks him, leaving him hospitalised. When he awakens, he cannot remember any details about the attack. When Ryan remembers the attack, he begins blackmailing Sarah for money. Ryan decides to return to Ibiza but changes his mind after speaking with Michelle. Sarah stands up to Ryan, so he stops blackmailing her and resumes his friendship with Bethany. In October 2018, Ryan and Michelle become involved in a feud with gangster Ronan Truman (Alan McKenna) after Ryan is present when his son, Cormac, overdoses on drugs but Ryan does not call an ambulance, fearing that Cormac will be sent to prison. After Ronan threatens the Connors after going to Cormac's funeral, Michelle drives her, Ryan and Ali out of Weatherfield, only to be chased by Ronan. After a car chase, the car breaks down, due to Tracy damaging it in a bid to get mechanic Abi Franklin (Sally Carman) in trouble, and Ryan tries to face Ronan himself but is knocked down by his car. As Michelle and Ali tend to Ryan's bloodied body, Leanne sees the commotion, but Ronan reverses and hits her with his car too, before crashing the car himself. Ronan is impaled by a sharp piece of wood, which Ali rips out of him as he states that he will continue to make the Connors suffer, killing Ronan. As Ryan begins to recover in hospital, Bethany begins to realise her true feelings for Ryan. When Ryan returns home, he and Bethany kiss, and they begin dating.