James arrived at the Emotional Garden out of breath, where Agatha and Ian Sanchez were confronting Rosabelle about Leon’s ransacked room and the dining hall incident. When Rosabelle immediately denied wrongdoing, James sided with her, stating that unless there was proof, accusations were unproductive. He argued that Rosabelle would have admitted it if she had done it, and he reiterated clinical observations from the previous day that Leon showed unusual signs—dilated pupils and slight slurring—suggesting something was off.

Agatha defended their intake protocols and Leon’s vetted status, conceding only that Leon had a difficult history but no evidence of intoxication. Ian speculated that Rosabelle might have drugged Leon, which Agatha rejected as unlikely under their strict controls. James held firm, emphasizing due process and the absence of evidence that Rosabelle intended to kill Leon. Rosabelle undercut his defense by flatly saying she had tried to kill Leon, which James dismissed as unhelpful.

James ended the confrontation by reminding Ian of his schedule and arranging to follow up later, after which Agatha and Ian left, visibly displeased. A chime signaled the next block, and James told Rosabelle she had a midmorning “radical gratitude” session. Their interaction shifted to a quieter, more intimate tenor as Rosabelle lingered, feeling calmed by James’s presence and struggling with how intensely she was drawn to him.

James asked why Rosabelle looked at him the way she did, but when she deflected, the moment passed. Rosabelle observed details about James—his hair, eyes, posture, denim jacket with a fleece collar, and a bright kite-shaped pin—while James tried to coax her into reciprocal conversation, proposing a deal to trade answers. She panicked and withdrew, recalling that she had previously revealed too much about her observations of him and resolving not to repeat the mistake.

James noticed her glance at her bare feet and correctly deduced she wanted her shoes, telling her they were in a cubby outside. This small act of attention deepened Rosabelle’s internal reaction: James made her feel restful, a feeling she considered dangerous. She retreated into thoughts about her life trajectory, reaffirming that she planned to return home, protect her sister Clara, avoid marrying Sebastian if possible, and accept her role as a mercenary executioner molded by The Reestablishment.

Breaking her reverie, James warned that her pretense of participation was unconvincing because she carried a notebook without a pen. In a quiet, unguarded response, Rosabelle admitted she had fooled people her whole life, but James was the only one paying attention. The chapter closed with that wary confession underscoring their growing bond and James’s perceptive interest in her.