Matty helps Olympia take on Elijah's cousin's wrongful termination case. Edwin worries that the longer Matty remains at Jacobson Moore, the more she puts herself in danger of being caught.
Matty has stopped viewing Olympia as a suspect in the Wellbrexa case. It's not based on any evidence. Edwin saw this shift in perspective coming. Matty uses Olympia as an example for modern parenting. She hovers over every decision that has to be made for Alfie. She trusts Edwin. She's often frustrated by his reluctance to listen to her though. He wants to take a beat before alerting the school to bullying. Matty sees the danger in that thinking because she receives calls from her grandson all the time. She wants to spare him from pain because he has already endured so much. She has entered this world of high-powered litigation. Olympia and Julian are at each other's throats after he admitted to having an affair. They are still able to come together for an opportunity they believe will benefit their children. That's where they stand united. They have no doubts about changing schools to find a better social environment. Matty views that positively. She belongs in this world. She sees the appeal. She works cases in the hopes of helping people. She is doing honest work with Olympia. She trusts her instincts in ruling Olympia out as a suspect. That may only set up the devastation even more strongly when the reveal ultimately comes. Right now, it's all about the shift in perspective.
Edwin knew the longer Matty stayed at Jacobson Moore the more difficult the mission would become. He's worried about criminal exposure. Him mentioning that is enough to make her nervous when police arrive at the firm. She dismisses his concerns at home. She knows the firm would look foolish if they had to admit to how she deceived them. Her story seems too ridiculous to be believed. She has gotten away with it for now. No one is suspicious of her. Sure, Shae always seems to be lurking. She questions Matty's story and doesn't like it when she changes the subject. However, Matty has information that can be used against Shae too. She was the woman Julian slept with. Everything is tense around the office. It reaches its breaking point when Olympia suggests one of them should leave. Olympia and Julian can no longer work together. It's largely about being in the same office space. Their cases don't have much overlap. They essentially share custody of Matty. They rely on her. Sarah and Billy are jealous. They try to make themselves look good too. Their efforts are appreciated even though Olympia clearly favors Matty. She views her as a friend as well. That's how complicated this dynamic has become. It's not from a legal threat. It's all informed through the personal relationships.
That applies to the episode's case too. Elijah wanted Olympia to represent his cousin after she was fired for being pregnant. On the eve of trial, Sam is arrested for allegedly stealing from the company. The focus is so significant on Sam being pregnant. As such, one could miss the detail initially that Sam was talking about unionizing. That was the actual threat to the company. They had to get rid of the employee who threatened their bottom line. The company would rather hire a union buster than negotiate with its employees. It's too important to hit their high quotas every day. Sam was left peeing in bottles in order to deliver. The company provided too few benefits. And yet, she still needed the job. It was important during the pandemic to care for her family. She needs the support even more now that she is expecting. She doesn't want to have this case hanging over her either. That provides the expedited schedule. The story goes from arrest to trial immediately. That offers a few unique quirks to the law. It also means Olympia and Matty are surprised by the final reveal. They put the pieces together that the witness they convinced to testify was actually the figure framing Sam for this crime. They were deceitful in obtaining what they wanted. It was all in pursuit of justice. Sam did nothing wrong. And now, the rest of her case can move forward in civil court in the aim of getting even more.
It's just fun watching Olympia and Matty getting drunk together. Matty knows it's a bad idea. She doesn't slip though. In fact, she gathers information about what Olympia was like when she worked on the Wellbrexa case. She was fresh out of law school. She was doing what she believed was expected of her. She hadn't yet established her identity in the firm or even as a lawyer. Matty believes in that innocence. She also knows someone forged Senior's signature. She targets Julian exclusively now. Of course, she also gathers that Shae was involved in the case too. Olympia had these suspicions about Julian being attracted to Shae before they were even married. This hits a deep insecurity within her. She needs to remind herself to be an alligator. That mentality helps her thrive during litigation. She doesn't have to hide her true self from Matty. Her friend is lying to her. It doesn't matter that Olympia has won her trust. It has to be earned from Matty as well. She's not quick to share her true motivations. It's all still about the money. Olympia knows just how corrosive that can be with the pharma cases. She has seen how it has destroyed Julian. She wants to protect him. She wants him to get out from underneath his father's thumb. He doesn't have that same urgency. He just accepts it all. Nepotism has been good to him. But now, he's in competition with Olympia. He may still prevail because of his connections. She does noble work. Matty is proud of it. That forges their connection. It may not align with the rest of the firm. That has been displayed previously. It will also drive the outcome of Olympia and Julian's professional lives because of the choices they make in order to function.
