Guided by Mrs Elm, Nora selects a life inspired by a wine-label fantasy and becomes Nora Martínez, married to Eduardo and co-owner of the prosperous Buena Vista vineyard in the Santa Cruz foothills. They have a son at boarding school, and their Syrah-driven winery draws steady tourist traffic.

During tastings, Eduardo sets the pours while Nora echoes wine descriptors for visitors, finding it easy to improvise and fit the part. The success, polished image, and warm marriage feel uplifting, yet Nora notices how effortless it is to fake knowledge and wonders if Eduardo’s gentle inattention helps sustain the illusion.

That night, they sit beneath a clear, starry sky. The couple shares a comfortable, almost wordless intimacy, but Nora still seeks reassurance and asks if they are happy. Eduardo affirms, then goes to bed, leaving Nora among the vines to contemplate the serene silence and her own unsettled heart.

Recognizing she craves other possibilities, Nora compares herself to Hugo’s life-skipping restlessness. She finishes her wine—“Earth and wood”—closes her eyes, and, feeling the misfit of this otherwise beautiful life, waits for it to dissolve so she can return to the library and continue searching.