Retrieving Ethan’s burner phone, Chloe checks his list of contacts, confirming that the number linked to “N” is Nicky’s. When Chloe confronts her, Nicky admits that Ethan secretly contacted her a year earlier, wanting to get to know her. Fearing that Chloe and Adam would object to this contact, she bought him the burner phone.

During their conversations, Ethan disclosed how his father regularly hurt Chloe. He also revealed Adam’s claim that Ethan experienced uncontrollable rages after smoking marijuana. As Ethan had no memory of these episodes, he set up a webcam and proved his father was gaslighting him. The evidence of Adam’s dishonesty led Ethan to accuse his father of lying about the swimming pool incident. Shortly afterward, Adam threatened Ethan with military school.

Among the court documents, Chloe finds a police report recounting that when Nicky resisted being rescued by Adam from the swimming pool, she said, “I’ll be an angel over Wallace Lake” (296). Adam explained to the police that his wife was referring to a family prayer, and her words expressed a wish to end her life.

Nicky is puzzled by this account, reminding Chloe that their prayer referenced Shadow Lake, not Wallace Lake. Chloe realizes that she once told Adam about the prayer but misremembered the lake’s name. The discovery proves that Adam’s account of events was a fabrication. Chloe points out that Ethan was fine when checked by paramedics and speculates he may not have been in the pool at all.

Nicky admits that she killed Adam. Learning from Ethan that Adam was alone in the East Hampton house, she decided to confront him about his abuse of Chloe and Ethan. She left her cell phone at home in Cleveland, worried Adam would take her to court for the unannounced visit. Nicky swears that she had no intention of killing Adam, but once she was faced with him, the feelings of powerlessness she experienced during their marriage returned. After stabbing Adam with their father’s old Buck knife, she hid the weapon in the house in Cleveland. Nicky says that she is prepared to go to jail now that she knows her sister and son are safe.

Chloe visits Bill Braddock, and they exchange Christmas gifts. When Chloe expresses concern that the FBI may target Bill in their investigation of Gentry, he seems unconcerned. Bill implies that if he ever faced a prison sentence, he would end his own life. Before leaving, Chloe uses the guest bathroom and plants the murder weapon among a pile of towels. Driving to the police station, she hands Detective Guidry Adam’s file on Gentry, stating that the evidence should be sufficient to convict Bill Braddock.

Chloe, Nicky, and Ethan settle into a routine in Manhattan. Chloe retains her position at Eve, Nicky secures a sales job at a high-end jewelry store, and Ethan is happy in his new public school. The discovery of the murder weapon at Bill Braddock’s home has convinced Ethan that his father died in the pursuit of justice.

Olivia Randall informs Chloe that Bill is unlikely to be charged with murder because charging a second suspect in homicide cases is notoriously difficult. However, Bill has made a deal with the US Attorney’s Office, agreeing to serve a four-year sentence for corruption after spending the summer in East Hampton. Recalling Bill’s feelings about prison, Chloe guesses how he will spend Labor Day.