
Before dying, Tessa tells Julia to let Lily always remember the woman she used to be before David's divorce turned her into a monster. Seeing herself in a mirror, Tessa realizes the woman she has become and despairingly commits suicide by stabbing herself in the stomach. Tessa knocks David out with a fireplace poker, and a fight between Julia and Tessa ensues, where Julia gets stabbed with a knife. There, he sees burned gloves in the fireplace and his grandmother's wedding ring on Tessa's finger, realizing that Tessa framed Julia. David is initially supportive after a tearful Julia explains her history with Michael, but when the police show him the "evidence", he becomes disillusioned and goes to Tessa's house to get Lily.

The police release her, stating the investigation into Michael's death will continue. Julia is brought in immediately and questioned for the murder of Michael, evidence being the social media conversations with Michael. Tessa, waiting outside, enters and stabs Michael in the chest. A badly beaten Julia stabs him in the leg with a kitchen knife and escapes the house. Michael enters the house when the actual Julia is alone, and when she spurns his advances, he attacks her. It culminates in one evening where "Julia" says she wants him to visit for sex. She also steals David's watch, his grandmother's wedding ring, and a pair of Julia's panties, sending the watch and panties to Michael. Tessa, through the account, tells him how much she misses him, sending him sexually explicit messages. She sets up a Facebook account impersonating Julia, and send messages to Michael over the course of days. Tessa, on the side, does internet investigations in Julia, discovering her recently-ended restraining order against her psychotic ex-boyfriend Michael.

After taking Tessa to a hospital, David confronts Julia about treating his ex-wife so badly. Tessa throws herself down the stairs and pretends Julia accidentally pushed her when David arrives. Tessa cuts Lily's long hair short as punishment for leaving riding practice early, leading to a heated argument with Julia. Tessa tries to get Lily to ride an unruly horse at her horseback riding practice, but Julia notices Lily's fear and takes her home, to Tessa's annoyance. Lily wanders off in the arms of Tessa, who is complaining to David about Julia's incompetence as a mother. Another afternoon, Julia and Lily visit David at a farmer's market. She anonymously sends Julia a surprise flower delivery to make it appear to David she is having an affair. Tessa makes several attempts to win back David and be Lily's mother. The marriage ended after he suspected she was having an affair.

At David's house, Julia is greeted by his ex-wife Tessa, who is not coping with the end of their marriage two years earlier. Julia is currently doing remote work in a mansion with her fiancé David Connover and her soon-to-be stepdaughter Lily.
