Esme confronts her fiancé Caden about his controlling behavior after he forbids her from having dinner with David, whom she is secretly close to. Caden demands loyalty, warning her not to cause scandals that could hurt Howard Corp. Despite tensions, Esme agrees to attend her grandfather’s birthday with Caden but firmly tells him not to expect her feelings to change. At the celebration, Esme meets her grandfather, who gifts her expensive perks and encourages her to get along with Caden. Meanwhile, Wendy Sloan offers Esme money to break off the engagement, but Esme rejects the bribe, leaving the engagement's fate uncertain.