In the narrative present, Sarah is married to Bob and living with him and their daughter Summer in Manassas, Virginia. Sarah recently discovered that Bob was cheating on her, and she filed for divorce. She, Bob, and their respective lawyers Jess and Brad meet to discuss the terms of the divorce. Bob wants to reconcile, but Sarah insists the marriage is over. She can’t trust Bob, just like she couldn’t trust Adam. The discussion turns to custody of Summer. Sarah suggests that she could take away Bob’s custody if he doesn’t cooperate.

After the meeting, Sarah reflects on her relationship with Bob in comparison to her relationship with her late husband Adam, who received the death penalty and recently died. She knows she’s changed since her relationship with Adam and had thought Bob could, too.

An unnamed woman wakes up in a dark basement with a shackle on her ankle. She calls out for help, but no one answers. Then someone throws her water and food. She lies down and drifts off to sleep.

Sarah reports to work at the Morgan Foundation. After Adam’s case, she left Williamson & Morgan (the law firm where she used to work with Bob), moved to Old Town Manassas, and started the foundation; it helps formerly incarcerated people reenter society. At the office, she meets their newest reformer, or formerly incarcerated client, Alejandro Perez. She tells her assistant Anne that she’ll handle his intake. Sarah gives him his paperwork, money, and an apartment key, and she explains that he’ll have to find a job within six months. A call from the sheriff’s office about a client interrupts their conversation.

The Prince William County Sheriff, Marcus Hudson, arrests Ryan Stevens, the former sheriff, for a hit-and-run accident. Since he lost his job, Stevens has become more reliant on alcohol. The night before, he was drinking while intoxicated and hit and killed a woman. Marcus puts him into a cell. Sarah arrives to speak with Stevens, whom she’ll be representing.

Bob meets with Brad about getting custody of Summer. Brad suggests they build a case against Sarah, asking if she’s “ever been violent with Summer” (26). Bob suddenly remembers an incident from several years ago. He and Sarah were both vying for partner at the law firm, and Bob gave Sarah photos of Adam with his lover. Sarah accused Bob of using the photos to upset her so that she’d mess up at work and he’d get the partnership. She also guessed that Bob showed her the photos because he wanted revenge on Adam’s lover, Kelly, too. (Kelly was married to Bob’s brother, and Bob still believes Kelly killed him.)

Bob tells Brad that Sarah hasn’t been violent with Summer, but he knows what she’s capable of. Brad promises to fight for him as best he can.

Sarah talks to Stevens about his case. They have known each other for some time since he was the sheriff during Adam’s arrest and trial. She now knows that Stevens needs representation because of his past. She fears that the state will cast him as a violent person with alcohol use disorder, and more information will come out against him. She’ll do her best but informs Stevens his chances of walking free are slim.

Bob returns home with a bouquet of roses for Sarah. He wants to make amends, but the house doesn’t feel welcoming to him. However, he and Sarah decided not to tell Summer about the divorce yet, so he has to act normal. While Sarah makes dinner, she and Bob get into an argument about his affair. He swears that he doesn’t remember the girl he slept with and that she meant nothing to him. Frustrated, Sarah slashes Bob’s hand with a knife. Summer appears in the kitchen. She notices Bob’s cut and offers to get him a Band-Aid.

Sarah angrily finishes cooking dinner while Bob is with Sarah. She can’t stop thinking about Stevens. When Bob returns, the television turns to news of Stevens’s arrest. Forensics ran his DNA and discovered him in the system in association with the Kelly Summers case. The report details Adam’s case and recent death by lethal injection. Stunned that the police have tied Stevens to Kelly, Sarah can barely talk.

Marcus yells at his team for leaking information about Stevens’s case to the media. One officer reminds Marcus that they didn’t get the forensics report until the story broke; someone at the lab must have leaked Stevens’s association with Kelly.

Overwhelmed, Marcus digs through the old Summers case file. He realizes he can’t talk to the press before he talks to Stevens.

Bob meets with Brad and informs him that he’s worried about the divorce in light of Stevens’s arrest. He then informs Brad that Adam’s lover Kelly was his late brother’s first wife and murderer. Brad is upset by this revelation and frustrated that Bob isn’t being more direct about what he wants in the divorce. Bob tries to explain that Sarah can be dangerous, and he’ll need ammunition against her.

Marcus goes to Stevens’s cell to “confront him about Kelly” (53). He’s convinced he’ll know if Stevens killed her if he asks. However, when he arrives, he finds Stevens unattended with a belt around his neck. He races inside and removes the belt, saving Stevens.

Hordes of reporters are outside the foundation when Sarah arrives for work. She pushes through the crowd, trying to summon a different version of herself. She answers a few of the reporters’ questions, telling them that she’s devastated about Stevens’s connection to Kelly’s murder. Then the reporters ask how she’s processing Adam’s mother Eleanor Rumple’s plans to file a wrongful death suit on Adam’s behalf. Sarah hates Eleanor but hides her frustration.

Alejandro appears and escorts her inside. He admits he can’t find a job, and Sarah offers to give him some odd jobs at her house.

Afterward, Sarah and her assistant Anne discuss the news about Stevens. Sarah is careful to hide her true feelings about reopening the Summers case—which she asked for to keep up the appearance that she loved Adam and believed he was innocent. A call from Marcus about Stevens interrupts her. She sends her regrets about his attempted death by suicide but informs Marcus that he’s not her client now that he’s been connected to Kelly’s murder.