Evelyn meets Don Adler over lunch to discuss the potential film. Don opens by apologizing, revealing he has been sober for 256 days and acknowledging his past as a drunk, a cheater, and a pig. Evelyn challenges him, making clear that an apology does not erase his harm.

As they order and eat, Don continues to take responsibility, conceding that career decline and being dropped by a powerful ally likely forced his reckoning. He frames his remorse around the love he once felt and the damage he caused, stating he is committed to never repeating his behavior.

Evelyn assesses him coolly, realizing she no longer fears Don and that her life—anchored by her daughter, her marriage to Harry, and her love for Celia—cannot be diminished by him. That clarity shifts the power dynamic: she shares a photo of Connor, accepts his compliment lightly, and decides she can work with him.

When their meal ends, Evelyn agrees to do the movie, calculating the professional benefit while controlling personal risk. She draws a firm boundary that they are not friends, though they can be friendly. Don accepts the terms, and they part with a workable, strictly professional accord.