On Saturday evening, Delphine drives Lydia to the Coletto house and gives her a prepaid phone. Delphine loves repeating numbers and tells Lydia the phone is lucky because its number contains three sevens. She’s given Lydia a flattering, shoulder-length haircut, but Lydia still feels inadequate. In a beauty contest, Merritt would beat her “by a landslide” (68) with her ash brown hair, blue eyes, and perfect white teeth. She’s sophisticated in a way Lydia can never be. At the same time, she wants to appear poor and scrawny to make Merritt feel bad for her.

Merritt answers the door elegantly dressed, wearing lipstick. She’s anxious, trying to assert dominance as the mother of Luca’s children. Luca’s flight was delayed and he will arrive shortly. She confirms Luca does not know Lydia is alive or waiting for him. Lydia enters, resentful of the Colletos’ opulent lifestyle after her years of suffering. As tasteful music plays in the background, she anxiously awaits Luca’s arrival.

While waiting, Merritt receives a text that Luca is 15 minutes away. She’s curious to see how he reacts when he sees Lydia. She offers Lydia a sandwich, feeling guilty for rejecting her that first night.

As Merritt prepares the sandwich, Lydia unnerves her by correctly noting that Luca keeps his bread in the refrigerator. Merritt notes Lydia’s small stature, thinking that a strong man could easily overpower her, “assuming that’s what happened” when Lydia disappeared (73). She gives Lydia a glass of water and offers her alcohol before realizing it’s an insult. Lydia looks healthier, like “she’s come back from the dead” (76).

As Lydia takes her first bite, Merritt sees Luca’s headlights and announces his arrival.

Luca enters and greets Merritt, freezing in shock when he sees Lydia. Merritt gets between them and suggests Lydia tell them what happened. Lydia’s surprised that Luca isn’t the one asking the questions, but she recounts being abducted and subjected to graphic sexual abuse and rape for nine years with The Monster. Six months ago, The Monster took Lydia into the forest and shot her. She survived by playing dead, showing her scars as proof. Luca doesn’t show any emotion while Lydia tells her story.

When their daughter, Elsie, cries, Merritt leaves the room. Alone with Luca, Lydia touches his hand. He asks why she didn’t go to the police, and she says she wanted to see him first. When Merritt returns, Lydia prepares to leave, and they exchange phone numbers.

Later, Merritt asks Luca what Lydia’s return means for their marriage. Distressed, Luca paces as Merritt confesses Lydia visited earlier in the week. Luca is angry that Merritt kept it secret. Luca confirms her identity but insists she is “mentally” unstable, making Merritt promise to stay away from her and stating the problem is his to solve. He can tell Lydia is unhappy that he’s doing well and has a new family. In the morning, Merritt makes Luca breakfast and resolves to do whatever it takes to keep her family together.

On Sunday morning, a coffee with Delphine triggers a flashback for Lydia: She recalls overhearing men in a café discussing an “overnight millionaire” restaurateur, Luca Coletto, and his “smoking hot” wife in Bent Creek (92). Angry that he was living the high life without her, Lydia vowed to find him.

Back in the present, Lydia mentally criticizes Merritt as anxious and shallow. She’s beautiful but dull, Luca’s “human accessory” (93). Lydia revels in Merritt’s pity, which she sensed the previous night. Feeling optimistic, Lydia goes for a walk, believing she will soon settle her score.

On Monday morning, Merritt is still anxious. Luca made love to her last night, but this morning he forgot the travel mug of coffee she made him. He might still be thinking about Lydia.

Merritt devises a plan to offer Lydia $100,000 to leave town, even though it would require borrowing against their retirement account again. Ignoring Luca’s warning, Merritt texts Lydia, inviting her to meet that afternoon. When Lydia accepts, Merritt feels hopeful that her plan will resolve the situation.

That afternoon, Merritt takes Lydia shopping for expensive perfume, new shoes, and clothing. Lydia tears up at Merritt’s generosity, even though she knows Merritt is trying to buy her friendship. She lies that she’s hungry when Merritt asks her to lunch.

The diner belongs to Luca: It’s upscale but has few customers. Over lunch the women share personal details: Lydia met Luca when they worked together at a diner in Washington state; Merritt met him when he came by her apartment to fix her fridge. Merritt had a privileged upbringing in Maryland—her mother is deceased, and she is estranged from her father, who now has a second family.

Lydia is skeptical that Merritt would like someone as average-looking and unaccomplished as Luca used to be. For Merritt, he was “mysterious” and unpretentious.

Merritt suddenly has contractions and reveals she is having a boy, due in early March. Merritt doesn’t want to fight over Luca. She suggests they all spend more time together as a family to find closure, and Lydia agrees. Afterward, Lydia privately reflects on how easy it will be to manipulate the naïve Merritt.

When Luca gets home, he pours himself a glass of $200 Scotch and reveals to Merritt that his business is failing after a major investor pulled out. Merritt is nervous; she doesn’t like Luca when he’s drunk.

Merritt tells him about her day with Lydia. Furious, Luca reminds her he forbade contact between them and can’t afford lavish gifts. After Elsie interrupts their argument, Merritt resolves to handle the situation on her own.

On Tuesday, Lydia dines alone at Luca’s most upscale restaurant, Coletto’s by the Sea, ordering the most expensive items. She asks to speak with Luca, deducing that he owns the white Maserati in the parking lot.

When he arrives, Lydia demands a job as assistant manager. He refuses, saying that he’s laying people off, but she threatens to ruin his reputation by publicly revealing he abandoned her. Cornered, Luca agrees. Lydia then demands an office, a key, and a salary of $1,000 a day in cash for “a couple of weeks” (118), and he accepts her terms.

That afternoon, Merritt takes Elsie to surprise Luca at the restaurant but sees a smiling Lydia leaving, wearing the clothes Merritt bought her. Shaken, Merritt drives away. She texts Luca, asking about his day; he reads the message but doesn’t reply. Fearing they are colluding, she decides to hide her distress from him when he gets home.