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Summary
Chapters 4-6
Chapter 4
Dressed in nondescript clothes, Evie goes to PO Box 1428. Although she has after-hours access, she arrives just before closing to avoid leaving a record. She angles her face strategically to avoid the cameras and blends in with the women around her. She uses her middle knuckle to enter the code on the box, ensuring there are no fingerprints. She retrieves an envelope from the box, hesitates briefly, and then slips it into her leggings.
Chapter 5
Evie meets Ryan’s friends—Beth, Allison, and Sara—who she first encountered at the dinner party. They agree to meet at a restaurant near Evie’s new job. Ryan has already found her a job: an assistant position at an art gallery, conveniently with a boss who is one of Ryan’s clients, so Evie didn’t need to submit references.
When she arrives, she notices the women are joined by Rachel, another member of their group who wasn’t invited to the dinner party because Ryan finds her annoying. The women give Evie a once-over, silently judging her revealing outfit, which Evie purposely wore to stand out. They make small talk about upcoming events, including a Kentucky Derby watch party where large hats are encouraged. Since Evie isn’t familiar with the people or places they’re discussing, she listens quietly. She reflects that, while they think they’re using this lunch to get to know her, she is actually the one studying them—their mannerisms, how they speak, and what they reveal. Out of all of them, Sara seems genuinely interested in getting along, and Evie notes that she’s the type who would choose the same china pattern as her mother-in-law for her wedding.
She tells them she’s from Brookwood, Alabama, and that she didn’t graduate from college because she was in a car accident with her parents, who died in the crash. The women fall silent, but Rachel keeps pressing, embarrassing her friends. Rachel also expresses surprise that Evie and Ryan are moving in together after only two months, suggesting that Ryan might be blinded by sex. Evie confronts the group, acknowledging their protectiveness but insisting that they should trust Ryan’s judgment about her.
After an awkward meal, Evie leaves and immediately Googles “Evie Porter” and “Brookwood, Alabama.” She finds several articles about the accident she mentioned, all dated from years ago but actually created only a few months prior to make her fabricated identity appear credible.
Evie reflects on the phrase “The first lie wins.” It doesn’t refer to casual white lies but to the deliberate, game-changing lie—the one that sets the stage for everything to follow. Once the first lie is told, it becomes the truth in most people’s minds. The first lie has to be the strongest, the most important, and the one that must be believed.
Chapter 6
Ryan shows up at the gallery where Evie works, dressed casually instead of in his usual suit and tie. She notices but doesn’t ask why, and he doesn’t offer an explanation. He mentions that Sara told him what happened at lunch and is surprised she didn’t call him. Evie brushes it off, saying it doesn’t matter what his friends think—only what he thinks. Ryan tells her he thinks she’s wonderful, and she responds that he’s wonderful too. For once, it isn’t just part of the act; she realizes she actually means it. She finds herself wishing she were a normal girl who truly met him because of a flat tire.
Ryan suggests she should work for him so they could leave early together, but she jokes that they’d never get anything done. Just then, Ryan answers a phone call, confirming something scheduled for Thursday. His voice is tense and angry—a side of him she’s never seen before. After the call, she offhandedly comments that she could help him with whatever problems he’s dealing with if she worked for him, knowing full well she wouldn’t be trusted with such things. Ryan reminds her that she turned down his offer to work for him, underscoring the distance and secrets between them.
Evie calls Rachel, saying they got off on the wrong foot and admitting she’s partly to blame for being unwilling to discuss her past. She suggests a truce, and Rachel reluctantly agrees. Evie reflects that Rachel is probably taking the call from her small office, three doors down from the corner, revealing that she has done extensive research on her. She also knows that Rachel’s firm handles all of Ryan’s company’s legal work and that Rachel is good at her job. Evie concludes that she’ll have to keep a close watch on her.
Analysis
These chapters explore performance in relation to class and privilege. evie’s ability to move through Ryan’s world with relative ease reflects the ironic benefit of his privilege—because her gallery job is a favor from Ryan, her lack of references and background checks becomes irrelevant. This dynamic underscores how privilege operates quietly in the background, granting Evie access she otherwise wouldn’t have.
The social dynamics at the lunch further illustrate Evie’s outsider status. While Ryan’s friends try to size her up, believing they are interrogating her, Evie is the one truly in control, observing their mannerisms and speech to learn how to blend in. This reversal highlights one of the novel’s central ideas: the performance required to navigate relationships, particularly in privileged social circles. Sara, with her adherence to tradition and conformity, symbolizes the kind of woman Evie is pretending to be—someone who seamlessly fits into the expectations of Ryan’s world. This comparison reveals the psychological strain Evie endures, as she constantly shapes herself into someone she isn’t, all while knowing she can never fully belong.
Ryan’s duality emerges more clearly in these chapters. He reassures Evie not to worry about his friends’ opinions, yet his actions, like securing her a more socially acceptable job, reveal his discomfort with her former life. This conflict between being supportive and maintaining appearances exposes a deeper tension in their relationship. Ryan wants to control the narrative—not just about their relationship, but about who Evie is in his world. While he presents himself as a loving, easygoing partner, his concerns with what others think reveal a need to control both her image and their dynamic.
Evie’s internal reflection on “the first lie” marks a pivotal moment in the novel, suggesting that her deception is not just about survival, but a deliberate strategy. The lie isn’t incidental; it’s the foundation of her entire relationship with Ryan. The concept of "the first lie" frames everything she does, hinting that Evie’s motivations are not just about fitting in, but about mastering control of the narrative, much like Ryan.
Sara represents a mirror to Evie’s performance—she is exactly the kind of person Evie pretends to be. Sara’s desire for conformity, choosing her mother-in-law’s china pattern and fitting into a predictable social mold, contrasts sharply with Evie’s deliberate construction of her persona. This contrast underscores Evie’s deep frustration with the charade she’s living. While Evie is skilled at adapting to these social norms, she longs for authenticity, wishing she were someone who could have met Ryan naturally. This desire for normalcy highlights the emotional toll of her deception.
