The second episode of Maxton Hall season 2 commences with James' hallucinatory encounter with his mother, Cordelia. In this surreal vision, he finds her tending to her beloved flowers, and he apologizes for his rudeness in their last conversation. Cordelia reassures him, saying that what truly matters is his good heart. She urges him to listen to it more often. Suddenly, she vanishes, and James wakes up to the sight of paramedics loading him into an ambulance. Ophelia tries to call out to him, but her face appears blurry, and James slips back into unconsciousness.
Ophelia escorts James to the hospital, where she waits anxiously for Lydia and Mortimer's arrival. Upon their arrival, Lydia rushes to her brother's side while Mortimer once again clashes with Ophelia. This time, she stands firm, determined to honor her sister's last wishes. Mortimer's ire is palpable when the doctor credits Ophelia's quick thinking as the reason for James' successful rescue. His sole concern now is for James' swift recovery and a return to business as usual.
In the hospital room, James confides in Lydia that he cannot continue to focus on the business. He blames himself for breaking Ruby's heart and desires to right this wrong. He implores Lydia to keep the accident a secret from others. Lydia offers to shoulder the business load herself, speaking with Mortimer before he leaves for an emergency board meeting and assuring him of her readiness for the task.
At the school's hushed halls, Lexington imparts the radiant news of the Campbell gala to Lin and Ruby, announcing that Ruby's visionary concept has been chosen. However, Lexington tasks her with the arduous duty of securing forty thousand pounds in funding, urging her to steer clear of the school's affluent parents' pockets.
As Ruby exits Lexington's office, her ears catch the low whispers of James' name from a group of gossiping girls. Her eyes cloud over with tears, and she confides in Lin her plight: every corner of the school serves as a constant reminder of James, threatening to upend all her arduous efforts.
Meanwhile, the lacrosse team debates the fate of their leadership, with Vega eager to seize the captaincy while Alistair insists on waiting for James' return.
Graham leaves a message for Lydia, expressing his heartfelt condolences. Lin calls to discuss Ruby's predicament, while at the hospital, James is finally discharged, his doctor prescribing a soothing therapist's care.
James returns to an empty home, searching for any sliver of hope amidst the silence. He stumbles upon an old list of his aspirations, a testament to his former dreams.
In the meantime, Ruby struggles under the weight of her fundraising task. Ember, to distract her, invites Lin and Lydia to a pajama party, imploring them to keep James' name off the lips.
The girls revel in their sojourn, scribbling their wishes on paper lanterns and releasing them into the night sky. Lydia dreams of making her mother proud and leading the Beaufort company. Ruby, on the other hand, wishes to banish James from her thoughts and blocks him on her phone.
From his balcony, James witnesses one of those lanterns drift away. He takes it as a glimmer of hope, while Ruby views it as a sign to let go.
A week had passed, and James and Lydia returned to school, their paths occasionally crossing in a subtle dance of unspoken emotions. Ruby, with a determination to keep her distance from James, immersed herself in working alongside Lin and Kiernan to ensure the gala's success. Alistair and Vega, on the other hand, approached James with an invitation to join them for the upcoming lacrosse training session, a subtle nudge to rekindle their team spirit.
Meanwhile, Lydia found herself contemplating a conversation with Graham, their mutual feelings still simmering beneath the surface. Graham, sensing the urgency, called Vega aside and issued a stern warning—his grades were lagging, and an athletic scholarship hung in the balance, depending on his performance in the final game.
Despite Ruby's best efforts to steer clear of James, he somehow found his way onto the organization committee. In a private conversation, Ruby politely declined his help, but James's persistence won her over, with the condition that he work solely with Lin and Kiernan. James vowed to prove his trustworthiness.
As Ruby was about to leave for a message from Lydia, she asked Lin and Kiernan to include James in their efforts. The result? James missed the lacrosse training, and Vega was named captain. Alistair left a voicemail, inquiring about the sudden absence, to which James apologized, explaining that he was dealing with a myriad of issues.
James, Lin, and Kiernan visited an art studio, successfully convincing several artists to loan their works for the gala. Kieran's hurt feelings after James made light of his assumption about breaking a statue were quickly silenced when James had to apologize for his privileged attitude.
Simultaneously, Mortimer reached out to James in an impromptu board meeting, his frustration evident at Lydia's absence. Taking the opportunity, James used the meeting to raise funds for Ruby's gala.
Speaking of Ruby, she accompanied Lydia to the gynecologist's office after Lydia expressed some discomfort. The news of twins set Lydia's heart racing as she listened to their heartbeats. Ruby celebrated by taking her to her mother's bakery, where they both congratulated Lydia on her decision to keep the babies.
Back home, Lydia mentioned her time with Ruby to James, who accused her of reneging on her promise to help him with the business. The accusation sent James into a tailspin, and Lydia intervened by pushing the glass from his hand, a silent but firm reminder of their differing priorities.
As he pulls away, her bag slips from her grasp, spilling its contents – prenatal vitamins that James notices with a start. Lydia's tears begin to fall as he asks if she's pregnant, and he embraces her in a comforting hug.
Later, an email from Oxford University informs James that his father has rescheduled his interview dates. Meanwhile, Ruby receives her acceptance letter, and the family erupts in celebration, popping open champagne to congratulate her.
Her parents surprise her further by announcing that they've saved money to help fund her education. Ruby is touched, but her heart yearns for them to use the money to buy back the bakery.
James interrupts the festive mood to confess his feelings to Ruby. He tells her he wants to fight for them, as he belongs to her. Ruby responds that she's done, and she desires peace to find herself. She hates him for hurting her, but still loves him.
She no longer wants to be responsible for fixing his life or making him happy. She wishes for him to achieve some mental stability and save himself from his father's influence. They part ways, crying. On the way back, James returns to the list he made and contemplates doing right by Ruby and himself. He reaches out to the therapist recommended by his doctor.
For the next few days, Ruby focuses on school and the upcoming gala. Lexington nearly cancels the event after realizing they haven't raised enough money for the budget. James steps in and brings up the donation he received from his board members, and Lexington is delighted to support the group and wishes them well.
With Lin and Kiernan busy with catering arrangements, Ruby is forced to team up with James. They drive to pick up a photo booth from an artist. On the ride, James congratulates Ruby on her acceptance and she apologizes for her harsh words earlier. To escape the awkward silence, she turns on the radio, only to hear a romantic song on every channel she tries.
The man they meet opens up about the blessings the Campbell Foundation has brought into his life. He was struggling with his mental health, and the foundation paid for his therapy. He invites James to test out the photo booth with Ruby.
In a moment of pure coincidence, a love heart carving falls and locks them in a close embrace. The episode ends with James moving in for a kiss, their hearts finally finding a moment of peace amidst the chaos of their turbulent relationship.
