Beyond The Gates – Episode 8 Recap
Eva is in Nicole’s office, playing the role of the perfect assistant. She tells Nicole she wanted to make a good first impression. Nicole acknowledges her hard work but says they need to discuss the elephant in the room—there’s no use pretending she doesn’t know what she’s talking about.
At the diner, Mona talks about Laura being out for weeks. Leslie flashes back to the accident. Ashley’s mom mentions that the Richardsons have been good to Laura, covering her medical expenses and treating her like family. Leslie asks if there are any suspects, and Mona assures her it’s only a matter of time. Meanwhile, Jacob reviews a video of the accident.
Back in Nicole’s office, Eva acts clueless, asking what elephant she’s referring to. Nicole tells her not to play dumb—she knows she’s seen the wedding coverage. Eva reassures her that her job is to make Nicole’s life easier, not to worry about her personal matters. They briefly discuss Dani, and Eva says she understands her more than Nicole might think. At the country club, Vanessa is flirting with her trainer when her husband, Doug. walks in. They wave at each other across the room.
Mona compliments Leslie on recommending Eva for the assistant position. Leslie asks how things are going, and Mona assures her she trained Eva well. Leslie reminds her that she drilled into Eva’s head that first impressions are everything. Mona tells her that the sky is the limit if Eva keeps up her dedication.
Meanwhile, at Nicole’s office, Eva snoops through files—only to be caught by Kat.
Eva quickly greets Kat and introduces herself, but Kat isn’t impressed, she is even rude, insulting her clothing. When Eva asks if she’s Nicole’s daughter, Kat throws back that any qualified assistant would already know that. She then insults Eva’s sense of style before calling her out for digging through Nicole’s desk. Suspicious, Ka tells her not to be in her business when she questions whether she will be joining Nicole for breakfast. Eva tries to smooth things over, but Kat shuts it down, reminding her that this is a temporary job—maybe even shorter than she thinks.
At breakfast, Vanessa and her husband sit together. He’s a cardiologist, and she urges him not to overwork himself. Nearby, Smitty and Martin arrive for the family breakfast. Martin gets a call about the wedding scandal and says he has no comment—he loves his aunt and respects her privacy. Smitty remarks that if he were still a journalist, he wouldn’t let up. Martin reminds him that’s because he was good and had integrity. Smitty seems like he’s itching to dig deeper.
Ted enters Nicole’s office, and Eva recalls her conversation with her mother, Dana/Leslie, about him. Ted introduces himself warmly, shakes her hand, and says he’s happy she’s there.
At the country club, Vanessa’s trainer approaches her table about a property she could show him. She agrees to show him the house that afternoon, but I suspect she won’t just show him the house.
Leslie and Ashley’s mother watch the Shotgun Wedding video at the diner. They discuss Bill’s audacity and how he finally got his karma. They only regret that Dani missed it. Mona, however, doesn’t find it funny. Nicole is her girl. She asks how they’d feel if their own family’s dirty laundry was aired for the world to laugh at. Mona worries that Nicole has been holding it together for so long, but it will all be too much one day.
At the country club, Nicole and Kat meet for breakfast. Kat wants to talk about Nicole’s new assistant, saying she doesn’t trust her. Nicole suggests they give Eva a chance, but Kat is judgmental and asks to be included in staffing decisions. Nicole explains that she personally interviewed Eva, checked her records, and hired her based on a trusted recommendation.
Back at Nicole’s office, Ted checks in with Eva and tells her she has a great handle on things. He compliments her work and encourages her to keep it up. Just then, Jacob arrives to discuss Laura’s hit-and-run. Eva excuses herself but stays close enough to eavesdrop. Jacob reports that the video wasn’t much help—the motorcycle was a common model, the license plate had been removed, and the driver’s face was obscured. They’ve hit a dead end.
Meanwhile, as Doug leaves, he drops a gambling chip. Earlier, he had been checking sports stats. Could he have a problem?
The Richardsons and Duprees gather for breakfast. They mention that Dani is at a spa. Kat updates them on the scandal—TMZ, The Shade Room, and others have picked up the video. Smitty asks how they’re holding up.
At home, Eva is running errands. She stops by Leslie’s to tell her how well things are going—and that she met her father. She gives Leslie every detail. Leslie asks what she thinks of him, and Eva replies that she now understands how he fooled her mother. To him, it’s all a game—Ted had no flicker of recognition when she met him. She even considered exposing him right then and there. Leslie tells her to be patient—their day is coming.
At the diner, Jacob meets his dad for coffee. They catch up, and Jacob shares that something has been weighing on him—he didn’t stop Dani at the wedding. He believes he neglected his duty to act. Meanwhile, Doug is seen gambling—and losing.
At the country club, Vanessa mentions to Nicole that if she had known about Dani’s spa day, she would have joined her. Meanwhile, Kat tells Ted she’ll stop by the hospital to show him the research she’s working on. She then tells Nicole that at least her father trusts her—unlike her mother, who will not listen to her suspicions about Eva, whom she still doesn’t trust. Kat warns that Nicole will regret bringing her into their lives.
Eva tells Leslie about her tense encounter with Kat. Leslie tells her to stand tall and picture the look on Kat’s face when she realizes she isn’t the only daddy’s girl. Eva also mentions that Jacob stopped by because he’s investigating Laura’s crash.
Jacob’s father tells him he’s being too hard on himself—he also has a duty to his wife. Dani turned herself in. He advises Jacob to let it go.
A woman approaches Doug in a gambling room, remarking that Lady Luck isn’t on his side. He asks for a spot from the house, but she reminds him it’s against policy. He calls someone to meet him.
Smitty sits with Nicole, lamenting that the kids aren’t interested in spending time with their parents. He admits that part of him feels lost now that he has so much free time. Nicole asks if he’s considered channeling his energy into something meaningful—something for him. She reminds him that he has an activist spirit. Smitty admits he’s been thinking about getting back into reporting. Martin, nearby, listens in as Smitty mentions reaching out to former colleagues. Nicole asks how Martin feels about it, but Smitty hasn’t told him yet.
Eva continues discussing Laura’s accident with Leslie, wondering if it was intentional. Leslie warns her not to jump to conclusions. Eva shares that the police have nothing to go on, and Leslie lies, saying she hopes they find the person responsible. Eva starts feeling guilty about taking Laura’s job. Leslie smoothly reassures her. Then, Eva suddenly asks if this opportunity just fell into her lap. She reminds Leslie that she has rented bikes before and bluntly asks if she had anything to do with the crash.
Meanwhile, Doug, the gambler, meets with his contact, Randy. He assures him he’s good for the money. Doug tells Randy, a childhood friend, that he is desperate for help. Randy warns him not to mix good money with bad and says that Joey, his boss, is not a good person.
At the country club, Vanessa’s trainer approaches her, revealing he isn’t really interested in seeing a house—he just wants to give her what she wants. They disappear into a room together to make out.
Later, Martin talks to Nicole about the next step in his career. He’s considering running for president. Elated, Nicole embraces him.
Back at home, Leslie is furious at Eva for suspecting her. She denies any involvement, putting on a convincing act, and Eva quickly apologizes. Leslie asks if she’s getting cold feet and reminds her that she doesn’t have to go through with this. Eva reassures her that she’s ten toes down.
Leslie tells her to play it cool—gain their trust—because when the time is right, she’ll be the one to make sure their world crumbles.
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