A month into her employment, Gus starts performing more tasks for Anna. Clover compliments Gus’s work ethic on Anna’s behalf but reminds her to send her invoices. Gus readjusts her personal schedule around Anna to increase her chances for interaction.

Anna appreciates Gus’s honesty but also resents hearing the truth in general. At one point, she asks if Gus has ever undergone therapy. Gus replies that therapy isn’t something she can afford. Anna discredits therapy as a science, calling it “cowardice.” She asserts that therapy isn’t necessary for remembering one’s trauma and that Mary could have always talked to her about her problems.

She tells Gus about her legal team’s plan to contract a psychologist to argue that Mary’s mental health has gotten worse since working with Jean. Gus argues that the psychologist’s report would be biased towards their argument, unless they allowed the psychologist to conclude that Mary was better off with Jean. When Anna expresses her confidence that the psychologist will make observations that favor her case, Gus worries that Mary will become more alienated from Anna.

Anna dismisses her argument since Gus has never had children and doesn’t know Mary. She alludes to Mary having “silly crushes” on other women, which Gus quietly resents. Gus reminds her that the trial is highly publicized, so whatever Anna’s case suggests about Mary will affect her reputation. Anna angrily retorts that she is willing to risk everything to bring Mary home. Later, Anna accuses Gus of judging her rather than supporting her. Gus apologizes and acknowledges that Anna knows what is best for Mary. She becomes discouraged from advising Anna further.

Ms. Ibrahim cross-examines Anna. She asks Anna about what happened on March 7, Mary’s 24th birthday, earlier that year. Anna explains that in the evening, two police officers came to Anna’s home to arrest her for breaching a restraining order that Mary had against her. Anna explains it away as a failed attempt to give Mary a birthday card. During her arrest, Anna kicked at the police car. Ibrahim accuses Anna of thinking herself above the law, which would also explain why she thought she could defame Jean without experiencing any consequences. Anna denies this.

Ibrahim asks Anna about the new memoir she is writing. Anna explains it is a guide for parents who are experiencing strained relations with their children. Ibrahim implies that it would not look good for Anna to write anything about Mary without her permission. Anna isn’t worried, claiming that Mary doesn’t read books anyway. Ibrahim explains that Mary has been in the public eye ever since she was born. Anna claims that Mary doesn’t really want to leave a life of publicity.

In her witness statement, Mary claimed she was not happy growing up. Anna rejects this as untrue, citing the psychologist’s report, which concluded that Mary has depression. Ibrahim reminds her that the report also concluded that Mary was not experiencing psychological entrapment, meaning that she made her decisions without any external influence. She even adds that Mary no longer uses substances in the wake of her treatment. Anna dismisses the issue, believing that Mary did not experience addiction.

Before Carr can object to the questions, Ibrahim explains that she is trying to address Anna’s claims that Jean is influencing Mary to separate from her family. She reads text messages that show Anna asking Mary about Bonamy’s marijuana supply. It implies that all three family members were sharing the supply. Anna admits that these texts were sent during their Carnival party in August 2009, when Mary was still 14. Ibrahim connects this to Mary’s mental health as a teenager. Anna admits that she hired a therapist to work with Mary, but she stresses that this therapist was an accredited professional. Anna denies that she is trying to seek revenge against Jean for Mary’s therapy’s present outcome.

After walking Quill one day, Gus returns while Anna is meeting with her legal team. Anna introduces Gus as both her and Quill’s caregiver. Since it is raining, Anna asks Gus to wait in the lounge while she has her meeting. Gus eavesdrops.

Anna suggests calling Oriel Ayres as a witness against Jean. Her lawyers indicate that Oriel is in recovery, having recently survived a substance overdose. Anna then suggests Lawrence Melrose, a name that Gus recognizes as a famous artist. Anna’s lawyers inform her that Lawrence has gotten into legal trouble—a former student has made an accusation against him. Anna is aware of this and was assured that it would go away. The lawyers suggest it would look bad for Lawrence to support her case.

After the meeting, Anna finds Gus in the lounge and shares a drink with her. Anna confides distressing news that came out during the meeting: Bonamy bumped into Mary in London. He tried to talk to her, but she ignored him, and he let her go instead of following her. Anna resents Bonamy for his failure and speculates that Mary was passing out flyers to recruit more people into Jean’s cult. She worries that everyone sees her as a liability in her own case. Gus reassures her that she is acting as a mother would. Anna confides her fear of allowing Jean to exploit Mary for her money. Gus reveals that Jean is planning to donate her damages to charity if she wins. Anna asks her where she read this; Gus tells her to forget about it.

Anna admits that she dreams frequently of Mary returning to them and checks her room every morning to see if it was real. She also shares that she sees Mary in every young woman, including Gus herself, despite their differences in character. Gus lets Anna rest while she cleans up. Anna assures Gus that she wouldn’t have let Mary go if she had been in Bonamy’s place, a sentiment that Gus quietly shares as her sympathy for Anna grows.

While waiting in the kitchen, Gus looks through a notebook one of Anna’s lawyers left behind. She takes a picture of a document tucked inside, a briefing on Lawrence Melrose. Just then, Bonamy arrives and meets Gus for the first time. Gus offers to cook for him after telling him that Anna is resting. They talk about Bonamy’s encounter with Mary. Bonamy admits that while he felt relief to see Mary, he was disturbed by how blank she looked. Eventually, Mary started cursing him away. Gus reassures him that he did what he could, considering that Mary can make her own decisions as an adult.

Anna emerges from her bedroom and nearly argues with Bonamy, but Bonamy reminds her that Gus is still there. Gus retreats to the bathroom to give them space, listening as the argument ensues. Anna wonders what Bonamy was doing in Maida Vale, the station where he saw Mary. Just before Gus leaves the bathroom, she sprays her wrist with a perfume she stole from them several weeks earlier. As she says goodbye to Anna and Bonamy, she accidentally trips on Quill, and the perfume falls out of her pocket. Bonamy sees it and recognizes it as Mary’s perfume.

After the first day of the trial, Gus is pessimistic about Anna’s chances of winning the case. On her way to a meeting, Gus sees Lucy at the pedestrian crossing. She tries to wave, but Lucy does not see her. Gus follows her, hoping to debrief the first day of the trial. She loses track of Lucy, however, and proceeds to her meeting with her legal support worker, Bernard.

Bernard warns Gus that the lawyers may try to discredit her in court. He compliments her for being brave enough to speak the truth to power. He advises her not to draw any attention or engage anyone over the next few days, even if they approach her. While Bernard takes a phone call, Gus goes through his evidence files. Among them are screenshots of correspondence, as well as pictures of Gus during her employment with Anna. The last photo is Gus’s favorite: a Polaroid of her and Mary sitting together with several other girls in Rome.

The novel flashes back to two years earlier. Ten days into her residency in Rome, Gus finds herself struggling to maintain her finances. Exhausted, she retreats to a bar in Trastevere, where she sees a group of girls enter the bar. The prettiest of the girls, Mary, asks Gus for her extra chair. Gus continues to watch them as she consumes several more drinks. The other girls tease Mary about her crush, Vincenzo, whom Mary hopes to see at a party they are attending later that night. Mary also complains about the number of messages she gets from her overbearing mother. They also talk about their classes; Gus correctly guesses they are artists.

Gus approaches them when she overhears them discussing the need for new life models for their classes. The girls enthusiastically invite her to come. Mary introduces her friends: Decca, Decca’s dog Frida, and twins Cleo and Bea. The girls warn Gus that being a life model is a commitment. Gus doesn’t mind, explaining that she has time because of her residency at Creta.

The next day, Gus comes to the Melrose Academy. She is intimidated by the school’s grandiose features but reassured by Mary’s encouraging invitation. Gus enters the studio and sits among the model candidates. She watches Mary from afar and imagines her on her date with Vincenzo. To Gus’s dismay, Mary does not acknowledge her, making Gus feel like Mary regretted inviting her. Lawrence enters in a belligerent mood, as per his reputation. He briefs the models on their process, which involves each student artist selecting a model to work with. There are more models than students, meaning some may not be chosen.

Gus is among the last remaining models to be chosen. Mary is the last student to choose. She chooses Gus over the only other candidate, a neat-looking woman. Lawrence reminds Mary that the other woman is more experienced in sitting than Gus. Mary affirms her choice. Lawrence relents. Finally, Mary’s friends acknowledge Gus, and Mary walks over to her.