Two weeks after their reconciliation, Lauren accompanies Nic to his parents' mansion for the family dinner where he plans to renounce the family business. They've spent the time rebuilding trust and secretly setting up Nic's new place near Velvet, keeping his acquisition quiet so his father can't scheme to trap him into staying.

Outside, they meet Aly and Josh, who've been waiting so they can walk in together. Moira, Nic's mother, appears and warmly welcomes Lauren, expressing approval of the relationship. Nic tells Moira he loves her and doesn't want to lose her no matter what happens; she assures him he never will. When Josh learns Nico Senior had once threatened a teenage Lauren, he becomes ominously eager to confront him, but Aly calms him down.

Inside, Nico Senior greets them with practiced charm and immediately probes about Tommy's disappearance. Lauren, primed by Nic about his father's manipulation tactics, casually deflects with the cover story that Tommy ran off to a secret family out West, refusing to give Senior any ammunition. Senior studies her for tells but moves on, snubbing Josh and trying unsuccessfully to hug Aly, who firmly rebuffs him.

In the sitting room, Alec teases Nic about hiding his relationship with Lauren, while Greg and Stefan join in the brotherly ribbing. When Senior pointedly asks Lauren about her work hoping to shame her, she confidently lists her professional wins, including legislative progress on the Expanded Safeties for Sex Workers Act. Senior pivots to criticize Nic for slacking, but Moira shuts down shoptalk until after dinner. The housekeeper announces dinner in Italian, and Lauren and Aly each grab a fresh martini before heading into the dining room for the real confrontation.