Toby is brought before Avery, Eve, and Vincent Blake. Avery is struck by Toby's healing bruises and by the emotional weight of seeing him again, but Toby warns Avery that Avery should not have come. Avery silently signals that Avery understands Blake's danger and needs Toby not to interfere.

Blake announces that the three of them will play a tournament of three chess matches: Toby against Eve, Toby against Avery, and Avery against Eve. Blake frames the games as tests with stakes tailored to each player, using freedom, identity, inheritance, and secrets as leverage.

For Toby, winning both games means Blake will let Toby disappear and remain legally dead; losing one means Toby must publicly confirm Toby Hawthorne is alive; losing both means Toby must remain at Legacy Ranch as Toby Blake. When Avery objects, Toby stops Avery and asks for everyone else's terms.

Blake tells Eve that winning one match earns Eve a Blake family seal, losing both makes Eve subject to whoever receives that seal instead, and winning both gives Eve all five seals. Avery understands this means Eve could inherit all of Vincent Blake's fortune and power if Blake dies while Eve holds them.

Blake then turns to Avery. If Avery loses both games, Blake will claim the open-ended favor Avery offered. If Avery wins at least one, Blake will release Grayson and promise not to target anyone under Avery's protection again; if Avery wins both, Blake will also keep Sheffield Grayson's death secret. Toby reacts with shock to this hidden leverage, but Avery accepts because winning could protect Grayson and Avery's loved ones, even though Avery knows Blake will still look for another way to destroy Avery.