At the ceremony for Karlie's sister's genetic marriage, a returning woman taunts Karlie as the "fake one" and stirs gossip about Gael choosing the other. The celebration spirals when someone reveals the sister's device was tampered with, exposing a hacking incident. Jerome Scott, the Scotts' eldest son and Luprea's Chief Instructor, steps in, condemns the hack, bans further gossip, and insists on escorting Karlie to her dorm. Their walk ends in a charged, silent moment, Karlie's scent draws attention, and an onlooker asks, "Who is he?" leaving Karlie suddenly exposed and watched.