Bob Miller meets his lawyer and old law school acquaintance, Brad, at a café in downtown Manassas to discuss custody of his daughter, Summer. Brad bluntly tells Bob his chances at full custody are "virtually zero" unless Sarah Morgan can be shown to be dangerous to Summer, and asks if Sarah has ever been violent.

The question sends Bob into a detailed flashback to over a decade earlier, late at night at Sarah’s office when Sarah had just made named partner. Bob had brought a manila envelope of photographs showing Adam Morgan with another woman. At that time, Bob and Sarah were rivals vying for advancement, and Bob hoped the revelation would destabilize Sarah’s career and open a path for him.

Sarah opened the envelope and remained stoic as she reviewed the intimate photos. When she asked why Bob had the pictures, Bob said he kept tabs on the woman because she killed his brother, and when Sarah asked why she wasn’t in prison, Bob replied that not everyone pays for their crimes. Sarah quickly deduced Bob’s ulterior motive: that he wanted to derail her focus and take her partnership. She then reframed the situation, telling Bob they both wanted the same thing—revenge—smiling in a way that signaled a new, darker alignment between them.

Back in the present at the café, Brad repeats his question about violence. Bob answers no, clarifying to himself that Sarah has never been violent with Summer. Brad asks about neglect, and Bob concedes Sarah is a wonderful mother. Bob confesses he does not really want full custody; he wants his family back together despite his infidelity and his fear of Sarah’s potential reaction to it.

Brad counsels that reconciliation is unlikely, noting they have already had three negotiation meetings and that Sarah’s demands grow as Bob prolongs the process, interpreting her demeanor as indifference rather than anger. Bob insists he can fix the situation; when pressed about failure, he vows to fight as if his life depends on it, reflecting his belief that, with Sarah, it does.