Maxton Hall: The World Between Us, episode 3, opens with James's visit to Ruby, escorting her into town to peruse the gowns for the upcoming party committee. As anticipated, Ruby is overwhelmed by the grandeur and luxury that envelopes James's lifestyle. She reveals the whispers and rumors circulating in school about his privileged existence, and he amusingly plays along, teasing her gently. Curiously, he prompts her to divulge something about herself that no one else knows.
Ruby confides in him that she will be the first in her family to attend university, a revelation that leaves James startled. Secretly, Ruby also discovers James's hidden talent as a skilled sketch artist.
The day dawns romantically, with James embodying the epitome of a gentleman. He extends an invitation to Ruby, allowing her to explore the opulent dresses stored in his family's vault, even encouraging her to capture them with her camera. In a moment of intimate sharing, he encourages her to try one on, and as she emerges in the gown, her beauty takes James's breath away. He finds himself unable to tear his gaze from her, and they steal fleeting moments together, their chemistry captured in a series of flirtatious photos.
Unfortunately, James' parents unexpectedly appeared on the scene, and Mortimer publicly humiliated Ruby in front of everyone. He vehemently argued that she was unworthy of the dress and looked absolutely terrible in it. As James and Cordelia stood by helplessly watching, Ruby gathered her dignity and stripped off the dress. She sarcastically thanked the Beaufort family and flatly refused to ride back with Percy.
Mortimer then shifted his attention to James, scolding him for being late for a meeting and entertaining Ruby. Ruby was deeply hurt that James never stood up for her and suspected that he was embarrassed by her presence. She left the scene in tears, riding home on the bus alone, and spent the entire weekend secluded in her room.
The following Monday, Ruby arrived at school to find posters plastered everywhere, featuring her and James promoting the donation gala. She felt worse than ever as people gave her suspicious glances. The dean seemed pleased with the posters, but Ruby was experiencing a semi-panic attack. She confronted James, demanding to know why he would plaster her face on the posters knowing how much she wanted to keep a low profile. She also demanded answers for why he would humiliate her in such a public way. She demanded that he pretend they were strangers.
As her panic attack intensified, Ruby's mind kept replaying memories of her father's accident. She confided in Lin that Mortimer had treated her like dirt. Lin tried to comfort her, but Ruby pushed her away, doubting their friendship.
During class, Ruby's emotions continued to spiral out of control, especially when she was called to the front of the class. Unable to bear the pressure, she chose to skip classes and head home. Upon arriving, she found her father struggling to make dessert for his wife. He accidentally spilled the dessert and was unable to clean it up. He had wanted to surprise his wife on their 20th anniversary.
Later, James visited her and admitted that he couldn't pretend like he didn't know her. The situation had left Ruby feeling exposed, vulnerable, and deeply hurt, and she was left to navigate the fallout of this humiliating episode alone.
He profusely apologized for failing to defend her, confessing that the embarrassment he felt was not only his own, but also his parents'. He solemnly declared his desire to become a better man than her father ever was. He further explained that his reason for posting the posters was to showcase her remarkable qualities to the world. However, Ruby firmly stated that it was her choice to make, and James gracefully invited her to Alistair's upcoming bash. Ruby, however, was resolute in her belief that it was his world, and she longed to return to her state of invisibility.
Later, he sent her the dress she had tried on, asking her to wear it to the gala. The next day, Ruby apologized to Lin, and their friendship was restored. Lin urged her to stop hiding, arguing that staying in the shadows would never fulfill her dreams. Even one of her teachers echoed this sentiment, encouraging her to step out of the shadows and pursue her aspirations.
Meanwhile, the Beaufirts finally secured the finances for their new project. Mortimer capitalized on Elaine's infatuation with James to strike a deal with her father. When James confronted him about this, Mortimer scoffed, claiming that he had no right to question him as he had poured blood, sweat, and tears into the company while James merely reaped the rewards. James pointed out that the project was Lydia's idea, but Mortimer insisted that Lydia's past scandal had ruined any chance for her.
As Alistair's party commenced, Elaine attempted to cozy up to James. However, he ignored her, his thoughts constantly drifting back to Ruby. He was pleasantly surprised when she unexpectedly appeared at the party, and they tried to enjoy the festivities together. However, Lydia warned Ruby that she would ruin her if she broke James' heart. The party soon lost its charm for Ruby as Elaine's constant attempts to undermine her grew increasingly irritating. James asked her to wait while he fetched his jacket, but Cyril, in a prank, pushed her into the swimming pool.
James dived in to rescue her, and the party came to a standstill as everyone realized the gravity of the situation for Ruby. Many whipped out their phones to capture the moment as James carried her away. He gently placed her in his car and instructed Percy to fetch a blanket to keep her warm. He did his utmost to comfort her, and she poured out her heart, revealing that when she was young, she had fallen into the water during a fishing trip. Her dad, in a desperate attempt to save her, was hit by another boat, resulting in paralysis. Ruby blamed herself for the accident, and James was moved to tears as he comforted her. She eventually drifted off to sleep in his arms, and Percy drove aimlessly, giving James time to ponder his next move. James admitted that he was torn, as his feelings for Ruby were deeper than he had ever anticipated.
