King of Sloth

The following day, Alberto falls into a coma. Sloane becomes concerned about Xavier when she doesn’t see him for a few days. She worries that he is drowning himself in alcohol or worse. She finds him in his room, drawing blueprints for a bar. Their moment is cut short by Eduardo, who announces that it is time for Xavier to join the family at Alberto’s bedside. Before leaving, Xavier thanks Sloane for checking on him and admits that she is the only one who has done so.

Alberto dies without regaining consciousness, leaving Xavier unable to say goodbye. In the aftermath, Xavier asks Sloane if she thinks he is a monster for failing to cry. Sloane admits that she struggles with crying herself, revealing that she has never shed tears over sadness, only physical pain. A mention of her past engagement confirms the rumors that Xavier had once heard, but he chooses not to press her for details.

Later, the family gathers for the reading of the will. Tía Lupe and Tío Esteban receive their respective shares, along with other family members, but Xavier inherits the majority of his father’s estate: $7.9 billion in fixed and liquid assets. However, the inheritance is conditional; Xavier must assume the role of CEO by his 30th birthday (which is in six months). He must also serve as CEO for at least five consecutive years, during which time the company must remain profitable. A committee will evaluate his performance every six months to determine whether or not he fulfills the role to the required standard. Failure to meet these terms will result in the entire inheritance going to charity. The stipulations spark outrage among the family. Xavier sees his father’s terms as another attempt to force him into a role that he doesn’t want.

In the chaos, Xavier’s mind drifts to the letter from his mother, in which Patricia expresses pride in him regardless of the path he chooses. She encourages him to follow his passions and embrace change, urging him to take another road if the one he’s on does not bring him happiness. She hopes that he embraces his full potential and instructs him to go to the beach if he ever doesn’t know where to go next in life. She states that it is never too late for him to change his path in life. She also leaves him a pocket watch that has been handed down in the family for generations. Engraved on the watch are the words, “The greatest gift we have is time. Use it wisely” (130).

Now, the lawyer states that the committee members who will be judging Xavier’s performance every six months are Eduardo Aguilar, Martin Herrera (Tía Lupe’s husband), Mariana Acevedo (the chairwoman of the Castillo Group’s board), Dante Russo, and Sloane.

To distract Xavier from the weight of his father’s will, Sloane persuades him to join her in exploring Bogotá. While they are out, Sloane suddenly realizes that the wording of Alberto’s will only specifies that Xavier must be a CEO—it doesn’t explicitly state which company he must be involved in. This loophole could potentially give Xavier the freedom to fulfill the terms of the will without taking control of the Castillo Group.

Xavier finds the vagueness of the will’s wording suspicious, especially coming from his meticulous father. Xavier and Sloane convene the inheritance committee to outline their interpretation of the clause. Dante Russo, the only absent member, is looped in via email by Eduardo. The committee agrees that Xavier has six months to comply with the terms in a way that meets their criteria. In the interim, Eduardo remains CEO while the Castillo Group searches for a long-term replacement.

A week after returning to New York, Xavier visits the elite Valhalla Club, where the world’s wealthiest and most powerful often meet. He crosses paths with Kai Young (the CEO of the world’s largest media conglomerate and a friend of Dante Russo)—who happens to also be the husband of Sloane’s friend Vivian. Kai reveals that Sloane has spoken to him about Xavier’s predicament. Offering his assistance, Kai provides a list of influential names—key contacts who can help Xavier launch a business that fulfills the will’s requirements.

Sloane enjoys an evening of homemade cocktails, takeout, and a new rom-com at her apartment, spending time with her friends: Alessandra, Vivian, and Isabella. The women ask questions about Sloane’s time in Spain with Xavier, but Sloane offers no details. Sloane acts uninterested in him, but the other women insist that he is interested in her.

Midway through the evening, Sloane receives a text from Xavier, who asks her to meet him at Valhalla. After the movie, she heads to the club. When she arrives, Xavier shares his plan to open a nightclub, which she thinks is a brilliant idea. Xavier then shows her the list of contacts that Kai gave him, and she is impressed. He thanks Sloane for speaking to Kai on his behalf, and she is happy to see him so excited and motivated by this new venture. In the ensuing conversation, they become intimate and kiss passionately. When they break apart, Sloane flees the room.

The kiss with Sloane lingers in Xavier’s thoughts, becoming a distraction that persists throughout the week. When he and Sloane meet to discuss public relations strategy for his nightclub’s grand opening, he suggests taking a break to grab lunch together. Though Sloane initially resists, she eventually agrees.

At lunch, he encourages her to go on a date with him. She is extremely reluctant and cites the need to maintain professional boundaries. She also expresses concern for her reputation. Their conversation is interrupted when a muscular man arrives and introduces himself as Sloane’s boyfriend.

Sloane is quick to clarify that the man, Mark, is not her boyfriend—just a former fling who has not accepted that their arrangement has come to an end. Xavier sternly warns Mark to leave, and he does. Afterward, Xavier resumes his pursuit of Sloane, expressing a genuine desire to explore their chemistry. Reluctantly, she agrees—but only under strict terms. Their relationship will operate on a trial basis for two months, with a decision on its future to be made by the end of December.

When Sloane shares her agreement with Xavier with her friends, they are smug. Xavier takes Sloane on their first date, which is held at his house. He leads her to a rooftop setup that has been meticulously designed for a movie night and features potted plants, soft rugs, candles, and twinkling lights, as well as a mattress layered with pillows and blankets. Though Sloane believes that the romantic setup feels like it was lifted straight out of a rom-com, she is touched by the effort that Xavier is making. They watch a rom-com together, and for the first time in years, Sloane finds herself enjoying the movie without reviewing it.

The success of his date with Sloane leaves Xavier elated. A few days later, Xavier meets Vuk Markovic, the intimidating chairman of Valhalla Club’s management committee, who is also a potential partner for Xavier’s nightclub venture. Xavier proposes a collaboration, suggesting that the club would prominently feature Vuk’s liquor empire. Vuk doesn’t immediately agree; instead, he sets a condition and stipulates that Xavier must secure a location for the nightclub before he will consider backing the project. To accomplish this, Xavier must meet with the second name on his contact list.

Meanwhile, Sloane begins plotting the downfall of the notorious gossip blogger Perry Wilson. Just as Xavier checks in with Sloane after his meeting with Vuk, Sloane receives a call from Rhea informing her that her sister Pen has been hospitalized.

Xavier drives Sloane to the hospital. Rhea’s brief call revealed that Pen collapsed in the street; she was being accompanied by another nanny on Rhea’s day off. During the ride, Sloane finds comfort in holding Xavier’s hand despite her general dislike of displays of affection.

At the hospital, Sloane sneaks into Pen’s room while her family is distracted. Pen is relieved to see her, explaining that she fainted during a walk and hit her head on the sidewalk. Annie, the nanny accompanying her, was fired immediately after the incident. When Sloane exits the room, she is confronted by her family—George, Caroline, and Georgia—along with Georgia’s fiancé, Bentley, who also happens to be Sloane’s ex-fiancé.

Sloane’s family is hostile and expresses anger at the realization that Sloane was allowed to see Pen even though they no longer consider her to be part of the family. To protect Rhea from losing her job, Sloane lies, claiming that Annie informed her of Pen’s condition. The confrontation with her family reveals the details of their estrangement. Years ago, Sloane discovered Bentley, who was then her fiancé, in bed with her sister Georgia. This betrayal was compounded when their father sided with Georgia, forcing Sloane to either reconcile or leave the family entirely. She chose to leave.

Now, Georgia’s condescending remarks about Sloane’s lack of a boyfriend or pregnancy fuel the tension. However, Xavier arrives and plays the role of a devoted boyfriend, and because his wealth and status far outshine Bentley’s, this display puts Georgia off-balance.

After her family leaves, Xavier asks Sloane about Bentley, sensing the history between them. Sloane shares the story of her broken engagement, describing Bentley’s insecurities about her ambition and explaining the lack of remorse that he and Georgia showed after their betrayal. They both accused Sloane of being so cold and emotionless that she drove Bentley to seek Georgia’s affections in the first place. Xavier reassures Sloane, insisting that she is neither cold nor at fault for the fallout.