Jeremy’s demand shocks Naomi. He accuses her of being an irresponsible mother, claiming that she’s often late picking Teddy up from school and was an hour late for a planned exchange the previous Saturday. Hardwick argues that Teddy should remain in his primary residence and that Naomi’s new apartment provides “questionable living conditions” (127). In a heated moment, Jeremy offers Naomi $500,000 to agree to his custody arrangement. After the session, Ezra explains Jeremy’s financial motive: With majority custody, he wouldn’t have to pay child support. As Naomi leaves, she takes a photo of Veronica’s license plate.

While they wait for their children after school, Naomi tells Cora about Jeremy’s custody demands. Outraged on Naomi’s behalf, Cora offers to help. She says that her new boyfriend is a police officer and can use Veronica’s license-plate number to find out more information about her. Naomi accepts the offer and texts Cora the photo.

Naomi confronts Rosita about Jeremy’s claim that she would testify against Naomi. Rosita tearfully denies thinking that Naomi is a bad mother but refuses to get involved, implying that Jeremy has threatened her job. Moments later, Cora texts with Veronica’s full name, Veronica Chesson, and a Scarsdale, New York, address. An online search yields little information. Ezra calls to postpone their meeting and agrees to make a house call to Naomi’s apartment that evening instead.

Ezra arrives at Naomi’s apartment with organic takeout for dinner. As they eat, he reveals that he was formerly married to Stefanie Gorman, the lawyer who referred Naomi to him. He explains that they divorced because he wanted children and she didn’t. They connect over their shared experiences of work consuming their lives, and Ezra reassures a despairing Naomi about her divorce case.

After Ezra leaves, Naomi uses her recently reinstated credit card to run a background check on Veronica. The report reveals a past charge for drug possession. While reviewing the information and drinking some homemade kombucha, Naomi becomes violently ill. She feels a surge of anger, blaming Veronica’s actions for the financial desperation that has forced her into making her own health drinks, convinced that she made the kombucha wrong.

Naomi drives to the Scarsdale address from Veronica’s background check, which turns out to be a large mansion. A housekeeper there tells her that Veronica used to have a live-in position at the house. The woman claims that Veronica is manipulative, used to have a heroin addiction, and relentlessly pursued the wealthy homeowner, Maxim Simington. According to the housekeeper, Mrs. Simington caught on to her intentions and had Veronica removed from the house. The woman also reveals her suspicion that Veronica engineered a “bad tumble” that Mrs. Simington took down the stairs. She warns Naomi that Veronica is dangerous and wants a rich man to support her.

When Jeremy arrives to pick up Teddy, Naomi confronts him with what she learned about Veronica’s past. Jeremy dismisses her concerns, insisting that Veronica is now sober. While looking for clothes to pack for Teddy, Jeremy opens a dresser drawer and discovers the stuffed elephant from Veronica, which has been stabbed with a kitchen knife and disemboweled. He furiously accuses Naomi of being “deranged” and storms out with Teddy. Naomi denies it, suspecting that Veronica framed her. Later, Naomi finds that a new bottle of Tylenol is nearly empty and concludes that Veronica entered the apartment and poisoned her kombucha.

Naomi meets Cora for drinks and tells her about the incident with the stuffed elephant. Cora insists that Jeremy is “gaslighting” her by manipulating situations to make her seem forgetful. She urges Naomi to recognize that the divorce is a “war” and to fight back in the next mediation session.

At the second mediation, Hardwick revises their request to full custody, claiming that Naomi’s behavior has become erratic. They present a photo of the stabbed elephant and accuse Naomi of threatening Veronica over the phone from a blocked number. Ezra counters by revealing Veronica’s past arrest for heroin possession, which visibly shocks Hardwick. Caught up in the moment, Naomi blurts out that Veronica tried to poison her with Tylenol-laced kombucha. Hardwick requests that they end the session to regroup. Afterward, Ezra warns Naomi against making accusations she can’t prove.

While driving home from karate, Teddy tells Naomi that “Daddy and Ronnie” are throwing him a big sixth birthday party that coming Sunday (168). He reveals that his whole class is invited. Naomi is heartbroken to learn that she wasn’t invited, but Teddy insists that he wants her to be there.

When Jeremy arrives to pick up Teddy, the boy immediately asks if Naomi can come to his party. Jeremy takes Naomi aside and tells her he doesn’t want her there because it would create “drama.” To appease him and protect Teddy, Naomi reluctantly agrees not to attend.

Ezra comes to Naomi’s apartment again with Chinese food to discuss their legal strategy. He advises her to stop wearing her wedding ring, as it makes her look like she’s unable to move on. They have a personal conversation in which Ezra calls her “beautiful.” He seems like he’s about to say something more but stops himself, stating that he would be disbarred. As he leaves, he shows her that he still has the quartz crystal she gave him for luck.

On the day of Teddy’s party, Naomi arrives at her former house at noon, the time she believes Jeremy told her the party would be over. The party, however, is still in full swing. Jeremy confronts her angrily, claiming that he told her to come at one o’clock. Veronica intervenes, invites Naomi to stay, and directs her to the kitchen for food. Teddy is thrilled to see her and shows her the party’s pony and bouncy castle.

Feeling alienated at the party, Naomi drinks three glasses of wine. Even Cora is there, and she apologizes for attending. Suddenly, Jeremy storms up to Naomi and accuses her of destroying Veronica’s gift to Teddy—a robot car he found smashed in the den. Veronica feigns tears, but the moment Jeremy turns away, she smirks at Naomi. He demands that Naomi leave, but she refuses, wanting to stay for the birthday song. Jeremy calls the police.

A police officer arrives and orders Naomi to leave the party. When she instinctively pulls her arm away from his grasp, he declares that she’s being “combative.” He pushes her down onto a table, wrenches her arms behind her back, and handcuffs her in front of all the guests. As Teddy sobs, the officer marches a humiliated Naomi out of the backyard.

At the police station, Naomi is booked for trespassing and obstructing an officer. After being fingerprinted and having her mugshot taken, she’s allowed to call her lawyer. She reaches Ezra, who is shocked to learn that she’s been arrested. Despite his frustration, he promises to make some calls and come to the station to help.

After about four hours in a holding cell, Naomi is free to go. It takes another half-hour of paperwork before she’s released. Ezra is waiting for her and explains the consequences of her arrest: Jeremy has filed for a temporary order of protection. For the next few weeks, until a court hearing, she’s legally forbidden from contacting or going near either Jeremy or Teddy.

Devastated, Naomi tells Ezra all her fears about Veronica—the housekeeper’s story, the poisoned kombucha, and the threat to Teddy. Ezra looks at her with concern, as if he thinks she’s becoming delusional, and urges her not to do anything else foolish.

The next morning, Naomi is distraught over being separated from Teddy. A calendar reminder shows that Jeremy is scheduled to fly to Boston, Massachusetts, for a business trip that afternoon. Terrified that Veronica will be left alone with Teddy, Naomi calls her mother for support. After hearing about Veronica’s history, Lorraine alludes to having helped Naomi in the past but says she can’t fix this. She then gives Naomi ominous advice: “[G]et rid of this other woman before she gets rid of you” (206).

Naomi takes an Uber to her old neighborhood to retrieve her car, which remained there after she was arrested. Seeing Veronica’s Jetta in the driveway confirms her fear that Veronica is alone with Teddy while Jeremy is away. She decides to violate the protection order, inventing a reason to be at the house: She claims that she’s returning one of Teddy’s favorite rocks.

Veronica opens the door but is skeptical of the story. When Veronica turns to call Jeremy and confirm, Naomi panics. Fearing that the call will ruin her chances of ever getting custody, Naomi raises the large rock in her hand. While Veronica is fiddling with her phone, Naomi brings the rock down on her head with all her strength, knocking her unconscious. Naomi is horrified by what she has done.