Olive visits Adam’s office, where Adam reports the dean’s stance: they can date since he’s not her adviser, but he must avoid formal collaboration, recuse himself from awards decisions involving her, and cannot serve on her thesis committee. Olive agrees those terms are acceptable and decides to proceed.

They negotiate ground rules. Olive requires campus-only interactions and explicitly rules out sex; Adam is surprised but readily agrees and says he won’t date anyone else. They establish a deadline of September 29, the day after Adam’s final budget review, and plan brief, visible weekly coffees to sell the ruse, starting next week at the campus Starbucks. They seal it with a handshake.

Later, Olive faces Malcolm’s anger in their kitchen. She reveals the relationship is fake, with no benefits, and explains her motive: freeing Anh to date Jeremy without guilt. Malcolm calls the plan reckless but, after venting, softens and agrees to support her and keep the secret.

Olive then shares a career development: Harvard researcher Tom Benton has reached out about a potential position next year. Malcolm is thrilled and says Olive’s mother would be proud. Buoyed but emotional, Olive ends the evening watching TV with Malcolm and eating his undersalted casserole.