Vicious

Rosie and Emilia watch the Spencer mansion burn on the news; Emilia knows this to be Vicious’s work and calls him to check on his and her parents’ safety. He confirms that they are all far from the blaze and that he has given Charlene a new job, one that will pay enough so that Emilia’s father can retire. Emilia agrees to speak with him when he returns to New York.

Emilia is nervous on the day of the exhibition. She quickly sells her painting of Vicious, which she submitted to the exhibition’s “love” theme. A wealthy buyer contends that the subject must love the artist, too. Vicious appears and declares that the only thing he wants is Emilia. He reveals that he has already purchased her painting and then spends the evening waiting while Emilia receives abundant praise for her work. She is surprised when he sends her home alone, but he contends that he is interested in love, not sex.

Vicious thrills in his successes of destroying the Spencer mansion and threatening Jo with exposure of her crimes if she accesses her inheritance from her husband. He is most satisfied, however, with purchasing Emilia’s painting. When he meets Emilia for lunch the day after the exhibition, he feels that their relationship suddenly makes more sense to him because he no longer feels so “broken.” He takes her to sit beneath a cherry blossom tree and explains his history, including how Jo and Daryl killed his mother. He adds that his instinctive dislike of Emilia when they first met was because he thought she had overheard Daryl threatening him and because he thought she resembled Jo. He confesses to killing Daryl and is relieved when Emilia doesn’t condemn him for this. He insists that he wants her to know everything about him if they are going to have a relationship. She confirms that she wants to be with him, and they kiss.

Over the next six months, Vicious and Emilia date. They increase their physical intimacy slowly, a contrast to their previous sexual affair. Vicious’s happiness leads to an improvement in his sleep. He eventually confesses his love. She admits that she loves him, too, but that this feeling frightens her. He finds sex more pleasurable with this emotional connection between them. He admits that he only has three weeks before his deal with Dean is over and he must return to Los Angeles. He doesn’t pressure her to come with him and accepts it when she doesn’t say that she wants to relocate.

Emilia apologizes to her boss for her decision to relocate to Los Angeles. Though she worries about the damage this will do to her career, she looks forward to being near her parents and Vicious. Rosie plans to stay in New York. When Emilia goes to Vicious’s office to tell him about her decision, she finds Jo there, screaming at him. Emilia slaps her and vows to protect Vicious from Jo going forward.

Jo insists that Vicious has no evidence about her role in his mother’s death. Emilia lies on his behalf and says that Vicious confessed the details of his abuse while they were in high school, in their letters, and that she still possesses this evidence. Jo begs Vicious to leave her with some money, but he refuses. When Jo tells Vicious of her plan to move to Los Angeles with him, he is thrilled. He reports that he has loved her since they met and that he intends to marry her someday.

Two months later, Vicious and Emilia wait with Jamie and his wife at the hospital as Trent’s child is born. When Dean arrives with a date, Jamie teases him, but Emilia is kind to both Dean and the woman. Vicious finalizes plans to purchase an art gallery in Emilia’s name. Dean agrees to sell Vicious back his shares in FHH. Emilia and Vicious sneak off to the roof to kiss. He tells her about the art gallery, and the two discuss their happiness. When they return downstairs to meet Trent’s daughter, Luna, Vicious reflects on how his friends and Emilia are his true family.