Ruby Fox-Miligan (Beth Cordingly) has been left guilt-ridden after Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller) bravely opened up about his self harm in Emmerdale.
Aaron found himself in a dark place following Anthony Fox’s (Nicholas Day) murder last month, assuming that he was the one responsible for killing him.
The soap stalwart had attacked paedophile Anthony after learning he had abused his daughter Ruby over thirty years ago.
As a victim of sexual abuse himself, Aaron lashed out and left the pensioner for dead on the floor of Caleb Miligan’s (William Ash) depot.
He later returned to the scene of the crime with boyfriend John Sugden (Oliver Farnworth) and they discovered that he had passed away.
John told him that he would help dispose of the body, as Aaron began to spiral into a state of despair.
Despite the ordeal seeming to be over, he returned home and stood in the kitchen with a knife in his hand. Tears fell down his face as he contemplated harming himself, something he has done previously.
Realising that he couldn’t take the weight of the situation any longer, he sat down with Ruby to confess what he had done. He was left stunned when she revealed that she was the one responsible.
In last night’s episode, Aaron and Ruby were chatting about the events of the last month and he admitted that he still felt awful for playing a part in Anthony’s downfall.
She didn’t seem as bothered about his death – he was finally gone from her life. As she cracked open a bottle of alcohol, Aaron wondered whether that was her coping mechanism.
He then bravely opened up about his struggles with self harm, and how he was recently considering it.
Ruby felt terrible that her actions had driven him to feel that way, and went on to explain that although her father is dead, she still feels like Caleb is treating her differently.
There was never going to be full closure, and his reappearance in her life had simply reopened old wounds.
When Caleb returned home, Ruby told him that she hated how much he pitied her, and that all of her work to find that side of her life was now undone.
She felt ‘totally exposed’ as a victim.
In emotional scenes, Caleb reassured her of his love, and said that was only strengthened now he knew the truth.
Is this a step forward for Ruby?
