Back in the present timeline, as their weekend in Naples draws to a close, Achilles becomes overwhelmed by his reckless actions. He dreads losing contact with Tierney. After they land in New York, he insists on driving her home. 

When Tierney quietly admits she does not want to leave him, Achilles realizes she must go for her own protection. He concludes that the only way to force her away is to deliberately make her hate him again.

Achilles is cold and distant toward Tierney, in stark contrast to the previous night. He instructs her to go into hiding with a fake passport and cash, warning that Coppola will likely retaliate against her as a way to hurt Achilles. When Tierney questions his sudden change in demeanor, he cruelly states that he has sobered up. 

As they arrive at her home, their hostile exchange culminates in Achilles making a remark about ensuring she didn’t get pregnant. Enraged, Tierney spits in his face and reveals a secret she has kept for 15 years: She is unable to have children because she has no uterus. She then storms away.

As he drives away, Achilles realizes with shame that Tierney must have been subjected to an involuntary hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) as part of the torture she endured in the Siberian camp. He is overwhelmed with sadness and regret.

Tierney destroys a hidden camera planted in her apartment by Achilles (during their time in Italy, he confessed to monitoring her apartment). Now that he can no longer spy on her, she calls FBI agent Tom Rothwell, a man intent on taking down the Ferrante family. She tells him that she has information and arranges to meet him. Fully aware this action means she must disappear after this conversation, Tierney prepares to go on the run. She arranges for a fake passport, packs a bag and plans to withdraw a large amount of cash, resolving to start a new life.

Tiernan phones Tierny, demanding to know why she is unmarried and back in the US. She explains her deal with Achilles and that she is now required to move abroad and start a new life. Tiernan agrees to provide her with money and asks her to come to his house, where their father, Tyrone, will be waiting to say goodbye. Tierney is disinterested since she doesn’t feel close to their father, or to their deceased elder brother, Fintan (whom Tiernan killed in revenge). However, she agrees to the meeting.

Achilles endures a brutal beating from his father as punishment for ruining the deal with Stefano Coppola. Achilles lies about his motives, claiming he sabotaged the arrangement because it was a bad business deal for their empire, not simply because he wanted the woman. Don Vello informs him that Stefano is now planning a major attack in retaliation. Eventually, Vello seems satisfied and asks Achilles to confirm that he got Tierney “out of his system” (132). Vello ominously implies that he intends to find Tierney.

Tierney meets Agent Tom Rothwell to negotiate a deal. She offers to provide evidence to imprison Vello and Achilles Ferrante in exchange for protection for her brother Tiernan, his wife Lila, and Enzo. Rothwell agrees to protect Tiernan and Lila but initially refuses to spare Enzo. Tierney holds firm, stating her loyalty to Lila, who loves Enzo, outweighs her desire for revenge. Rothwell concedes, promising to give Enzo three or four days’ head start before the FBI pursues him. 

Tierney gives Rothwell a USB drive containing incriminating evidence she has collected over the years, from which she has omitted anything related to Enzo and Tiernan. She informs Rothwell she is leaving the country that night but agrees to give a formal statement before she departs. He advises her to change her appearance to evade the Ferrantes.

Luca informs Achilles that Tierney has betrayed him to the FBI, leaving Achilles feeling betrayed and devastated. This information has leaked because Tyrone (Tiernan and Tierney’s father) has secretly bugged Tiernan’s house. Achilles also learns Tierney is still in New York: Tiernan is holding her at his house and desperately trying to negotiate a deal with the Ferrantes so that she won’t be hunted down as a traitor. 

Achilles races to Tiernan’s home. Lila and Tiernan try to prevent him from taking Tierney but eventually Tiernan declares they will all go to the Ferrante family home to resolve the situation. Lila makes Tiernan promise to keep Tierney safe, but Achilles thinks this is a naïve aspiration. Tierney is brought out by guards, and forced into a car.

Tierney is frustrated and confused by the fallout. She did not expect her brother to turn her over to the Ferrantes after she confided that she had spoken with Rothwell. She also doesn’t know how Vello learned about her betrayal (she is not aware that her father spies on Tiernan’s house and passed this information along to the Ferrantes). She wonders if Rothwell could be a double agent. 

Tiernan explains that it is vital Tierney receive a formal pardon from Vello Ferrante; if not, the Ferrante family will pursue her indefinitely and she will never be able to feel safe again. At the tense meeting, Tiernan defends his sister. He threatens Vello with war if Tierney is harmed and guarantees she will leave the country for good. Vello demands that Tierney swear loyalty by kneeling and kissing his ring. Forced to her knees, Tierney bites off Vello’s finger instead. Luca draws his gun on Tierney, but Tiernan protects her. The standoff is broken when Achilles unexpectedly aims his gun at Luca, demanding his family let Tierney go. Achilles orders Tiernan to get his sister away permanently, warning Tierney he will kill her if he ever sees her again.

Vello announces to his sons that Tierney must be assassinated. After some debate, the task falls to Achilles. Recognizing Tierney as his personal weakness, and needing to prove his loyalty, Achilles agrees to the assignment. Vello gives him a final warning that if he fails, he will kill both Achilles and Tierney himself. Achilles then contacts Tierney, giving her a 24-hour head start before he begins pursuing her. They are now on course for a final, deadly confrontation.

This flashback details the beginning of Achilles and Tierney’s romantic relationship, when they were teenagers. Tierney became more confident and popular; she had many suitors but always claimed to have a boyfriend. Achilles grew increasingly possessive but remained afraid of rejection. One night after a party, Achilles walked Tierney home. Emboldened by consuming alcohol, she confronted him, demanding to know why he hasn’t kissed her and confessing she wants a real relationship. After he admits he’s afraid of losing her, they share their first kiss. 

Achilles immediately asks her to marry him as soon as they turn 18, brushing off concerns about his father’s disapproval. Tierney agrees but is secretly conflicted since she has never told Achilles that she is unable to have children. She knows the Ferrante family will expect him to have heirs of his own. Afterward, Achilles senses that Tierney was not entirely open with him, and that she is harboring a secret sadness.