Lily wakes after forcing Ryle out and finds her phone destroyed, her face bruised, her lip cut, and a mark on her neck. When Lily opens her apartment door, Ryle is outside, apparently having slept there. Ryle apologizes and tries to kiss Lily, but Lily leaves without speaking to him.

After buying a new phone, Lily receives a flood of messages from Allysa and calls her back. Lily tells Allysa that Ryle broke her phone during their fight, and Allysa rushes to the flower shop. When Lily arrives, Ryle is already there with Allysa, who sees Lily’s injuries and demands that Ryle tell Lily the truth about something from his past.

Lily and Ryle return separately to Lily’s apartment so Ryle can explain. Ryle reminds Lily of the night they met on the rooftop, when Ryle was devastated by a young patient’s death and said the surviving brother would be destroyed forever. Ryle reveals that Ryle understood because, at six years old, Ryle accidentally shot and killed his older brother Emerson, not realizing the gun was real.

Ryle describes the aftermath with horror and explains that he has been in therapy since childhood, suffers from rage and blackouts, and does not remember the exact moment he pushed Lily. Ryle insists this does not excuse his actions, but explains that he panicked and wanted Lily away from him without processing the stairs or his strength. Ryle breaks down because Ryle believes he should protect Lily, not become someone who harms her.

Lily retreats to the bathroom and struggles with the comparison between Ryle and Lily’s abusive father. Lily feels ashamed for wanting to justify Ryle’s behavior, but Lily also decides Ryle is not the same as Andrew because Ryle is remorseful and has shared a traumatic truth. Lily returns, tells Ryle he is not a bad person, and sets a boundary that they must separate whenever anger escalates. Ryle asks Lily for help, and Lily chooses to believe they can work through it together.