Ash arrives at Bar Amelie to meet Jane Trevally. Jane expresses excitement about their investigative role and compliments Ash, setting a supportive tone as they enter the stylish, crowded bar. At the counter, the bartender mentions that one of the bar’s original owners, Luke Berner, died by suicide about three years earlier, reportedly amid money issues.

Jane quickly researches Luke Berner online, finding a low-key report confirming his death, and then looks up the other owner, Jensen de Witt, a wealthy, older international bar owner based in Geneva. As they talk, Jane notices that Jensen is actually present in the bar and urges Ash to approach him.

Jane introduces herself and Ash, explaining that a man—Nick Radcliffe—claimed to be a co-owner and has now disappeared. Jensen’s demeanor darkens at Nick’s name, and he calls Nick a crook and a madman before agreeing to speak with them in a booth.

Ash recounts Nick’s story and shows Jensen photos and a screenshot of the now-deleted LinkedIn profile. Jensen denies any co-ownership claim and explains the history: Luke had initially considered Nick, who presented a confusing CV and claimed he was hiding from a lifelong stalker, but Luke ultimately cut him loose amicably. After Bar Amelie opened, Nick tried to sabotage it—posting false negative reviews under fake accounts, sending inspectors by planting a domesticated rat in the kitchen, and orchestrating a bogus sexual assault complaint against a gay staff member, leading to more bad reviews.

Jensen characterizes Nick’s behavior as petty and vindictive and says it weighed on Luke, who felt responsible; after Luke died by suicide, the harassment abruptly stopped. He calls the vendetta cruel and tragic and reacts to Ash’s revelation that her mother had been dating Nick by hoping Nick stays gone.

Ash is shaken by Jensen’s account. The description of Nick’s “stupid, childish vendetta” echoes in her mind and makes her connect this pattern to Nick’s grudge against her father, chilling her with the implication that Nick targets perceived slights with escalating malice.