King of Envy

Ayana arrives at the bistro to meet with Vuk, Jordan’s best man, and Jordan. They discuss wedding details with Vuk (who signs in ASL in return) until Jordan gets a call.

Ayana tries to talk to Vuk, but a passing child makes disparaging remarks about Vuk’s scars around his neck. Ayana is disturbed, as she believes his scars are about as noteworthy as other people’s freckles. She tries to change the subject back to the wedding, but Vuk remains elusive in his responses as to whether he’s bringing a date to the event.

When Jordan returns, he announces that his grandmother is not doing well and he won’t be able to attend the cake-testing in San Francisco with Ayana. He asks Vuk to go in his place. Vuk reluctantly agrees because Ayana is a nervous flyer. Ayana is not looking forward to spending time with Vuk, who she thinks hates her.

Ayana and Vuk arrive in San Francisco. When they take a car to the cake-tasting appointment, Ayana’s agent, Hank, calls her. He somehow found out Vuk had replaced Jordan and implicitly threatens her revenue when he reminds her of her photoshoot the following Monday. Unsettled, Ayana reminds herself that after the wedding, she will have enough money to break her contract with them. Vuk notices how upset she’s become from the phone call and asks about her agent. His sudden interest and anger toward Hank make Ayana think he’s being protective of her.

At the tasting, Ayana almost gives herself away by favoring a cake with almonds, which puzzles Vuk since Jordan hates almonds. Instead of helping her find a suitable choice, Vuk antagonizes her with non-answers. Eventually, Ayana snaps and signs at him, which surprises and amuses him. She picks a cake. When they arrive at the hotel, Ayana realizes she didn’t change the booking, and she and Vuk are forced to share a bed together.

While agonizing over Ayana’s proximity, Vuk listens as his head of security, Sean, reports on the fire incident that nearly killed Vuk months ago. Sean believes they might have found a clue to the culprit through a partial capture of the man’s tattoo. Vuk orders him to find as much information as possible as Ayana steps out of the shower. Vuk feels lustful, but reminds himself he has no business taking an interest in his friend’s fiancée.

He tries to distract himself by asking about her photoshoot and why she became a model. Ayana speaks about her love of fashion and how she’d imagined being something else entirely as a child. She asks how he got into the alcohol business. Vuk does not tell the true story of how he’d worked in a distillery in high school and bought it after college. Instead, he pins it on his studies in chemical engineering and business. He abruptly leaves to take a cold shower after he makes a suggestive comment Ayana doesn’t immediately shut down. As he reminds himself that she is Jordan’s fiancée, he cannot stop his own jealousy.

Ayana discusses her circumstances with Sloane, her publicist, as Vuk showers. When he emerges, Ayana finds herself staring in curiosity. They share the bed, and eventually Ayana falls asleep. Vuk is unable to sleep as Ayana’s presence keeps him awake. When Sean sends him files late at night on Hank and Ayana’s model agency, Vuk finds their records suspiciously clean.

Later, while sleeping, Ayana drapes her leg over Vuk’s, which causes him to fall off the bed. Ayana wakes up, and Vuk hurries away and goes to the gym. There, he agonizes over his scars and how Ayana belongs by his side.

The next morning, they fly back to New York on Vuk’s private jet, and Ayana asks him point-blank why he hates her. He writes on a piece of paper that while he doesn’t hate her, he wishes he did, and leaves for a different part of the plane.

Hours later, Ayana recalls how her agency has been extorting her and often withholds payment. She messages Hank for an update on a payment for a shoot from eight months ago, and he dismisses it. Violent turbulence jars the plane, and Ayana’s fear of flying takes hold. Vuk returns and takes care of her. He tries to distract her by asking questions about her family. Eventually, he asks her why she’s marrying Jordan, and she deflects. As he continues to question her, Ayana begins to wonder if his earlier message meant he actually cares about her.

Vuk tries to distract himself at his personal shooting range at the Valhalla Club when Sean arrives with news on the suspect. The tattoo they found is a match for the Brotherhood, a criminal organization with whom Vuk shares a history. He and Sean discuss increasing security measures. As he leaves to find out why the Brotherhood is after him again, he feels shame for his own tattoo that marks him as a former member. That night, he attends a party at the Vault, a club he secretly invested in, and sees Ayana with Jordan. When Jordan leaves, Vuk watches as Hank approaches Ayana.

Hank corners Ayana and questions her about where she went after her photoshoot. He informs her of another photoshoot booking with the infamous photographer Wentworth Holt. Ayana does not want to take part in the shoot, as she knows Wentworth is a predator. Hank reminds her that refusing to do the shoot would qualify her as “difficult” and would affect her reputation.

Vuk appears behind her and scares Hank away. She and Vuk banter. Ayana is surprised to learn, and doesn’t believe, that Vuk plays bingo at a seniors’ center to unwind. As the night’s event is about to start, Ayana finds Vuk’s presence soothing. Jordan returns and announces that they need to move up the wedding so his grandmother can attend while she remains in good health.

Vuk reviews his three problems: the Brotherhood, the monotone voice of his CFO in their briefing, and the fact that Jordan and Ayana’s wedding is now set for October instead of February. He ignores the dealings of his company and focuses on the files about Ayana’s modelling agency, Beaumont. He broods over his friendship with Jordan and how much he suffers over Ayana. He then notices the agency owner’s birthplace and asks Sean to dig into Emmanuelle Beaumont.

Emmanuelle calls Ayana to her office and confronts her about her demands to be paid on time. To avoid suspicions about her plans to leave the agency, Ayana placates Emmanuelle and blames her insistence on her upcoming wedding. Emmanuelle asks whether working with Wentworth will be an issue, and again, Ayana chooses not to ruffle feathers. As she leaves, she recalls how her deal with Jordan—five million dollars to remain married to him for five years—will give her enough money to hire the right lawyers and provide her with a financial safety net should there be any blowback from Emmanuelle.

At a nearby café, she buys tea and reviews the new timeline for her wedding when Vuk appears. She invites him to sit with her, and they discuss the wedding. When he asks if she’s excited, she once again gives a non-answer, which prompts Vuk to ask if she’s really in love with Jordan. She forces herself to say she does. They bicker over the bachelor party, and when Ayana makes an off-hand comment about strippers, Vuk tells her that if she were his fiancée, he would never look at another woman. He abruptly leaves, and Ayana watches him chase after a man down the street.

Vuk chases after the man that looks like the culprit and catches him in an alley, noting how sloppy he is for a Brotherhood member. The man confirms he isn’t a member, but he was paid to get his attention by another man. He describes his employer to Vuk, specifically the smell of motor oil, and hands over the note he left him with, which states, “Find me before they do” (109).