At the French Grand Prix press conference, Katarina and Heath sit in the gold medalists' place after their comeback victory in the free dance. Heath gives a modest answer about how they turned the program around, while Katarina explains that they finally found a way to make their traditional music feel like their own. As reporters focus almost entirely on them, Katarina realizes how much their success came from abandoning restraint and fully committing to the intense love story the audience wanted to see.

When a reporter asks about Sheila, Katarina says her coach will probably be proud, though privately she doubts Sheila would have approved of the risk they took. Katarina reflects that Sheila would have preferred subtle, refined skating, but the judges and crowd responded to something bigger and more passionate. By truly connecting with each other instead of holding back, Katarina and Heath also connected with the music, and the gold medal confirms that this freer, more emotionally exposed version of their partnership works.

Even after the competition, ceremony, photos, and interviews, Katarina is too exhilarated to feel tired. Wanting to savor the victory, she asks Heath to go out with her in Paris. Back at the hotel, Katarina dresses more boldly than usual, leaving off the cardigan and the hosiery she normally uses to hide her scar, which shows her growing confidence and desire to enjoy the night without self-protection.

They celebrate with a romantic dinner, then wander into a nightclub where they dance for hours without choreography or judgment. The night becomes an extension of the emotional breakthrough they found on the ice: Katarina gives herself over completely to pleasure, movement, and Heath. Afterward, they run laughing through the rain back to the hotel and fall into bed together almost before they reach the suite.

Later, Heath falls asleep, but Katarina is still too charged to rest. When she checks her phone, the mood shifts abruptly. Katarina finds two missed calls and a text from the same number, sent while they were out; the message says, Call me immediately, and the chapter ends with Katarina gripped by dread.