Ruby Allen (Louisa Lytton) and Martin Fowler (James Bye) are further plunged into crisis in EastEnders next week, amid health concerns for their young son Roman.
Ruby made a dramatic return to Walford earlier this week, coming face-to-face with ex-husband Martin three years after she was sent to prison.
After Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) had tipped Martin off that Ruby had secretly given birth to his child while inside, the pair had a confrontation during which Ruby claimed she’d given the baby up for adoption.
That later turned out to be a lie, after Martin and his other ex-wife Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) followed her to the hospital, where they discovered Ruby caring for their sick son.
Fans will see a furious Martin demand answers from Ruby, as he prepares for a battle with his ex.
However, in scenes to air next week, it’s clear their son’s condition remains serious, as they keep a bedside vigil at the hospital.
Martin offers to take the reins so Ruby can head back to Walford to freshen up.
While there, she bumps into her former best mate Stacey at the caff, and their exchange later leads to an argument between Stacey and Martin about how he is handling the situation.
Actress Louisa Lytton has revealed that Ruby will start to soften in her approach to Martin, despite having tried to keep him out of their son’s life.
She explained: ‘Ultimately the reason she’s gone to prison is for something she didn’t do, which Martin knew she didn’t do and he hasn’t stepped in.
‘So I think she’s figured that she’s going to live her life separately now and have a child and do this on her own. I also think that she has a baby, that’s become her life. She doesn’t need or want anybody else.
‘She feels so let down by him and the system and everything else that I think she just feels, “I’ve lived my life alone. I’ve now got a child – I’ll do this alone like I do everything else.”
She added: ‘It all starts to unfold the moment she’s back in front of Martin. I think that’s when the guilt sets in.’
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One and from 6am on iPlayer.
