Episode 3 of "A Nearly Normal Family" commences with a tense exchange between Thelian, the seasoned detective, and Adam, as the latter attempts to divulge crucial information about Linda's shoes. Thelian, unyielding, admonishes Adam to relinquish the investigation to their expertise. Undeterred, Adam endeavors to persuade Jenny Jandsdotter, the resolute prosecutor, to grant Stella an audience, yet his efforts inadvertently come across as coercion, costing him a client and earning him a reprimand alongside a mandate for respite and therapy.
In a poignant flashback, Stella's obsession with Chris takes a digital turn as she cyberstalks him, her eyes locking onto Linda's pristine white shoes. Inspired by her fascination, she confides in Amina, sharing her infatuation with Chris and subsequently acquiring the identical footwear. Their chance encounter blossoms into a conversation where Chris divulges the sordid tale of Linda's transformation from lover to possessive, jealous partner, ultimately leading to their breakup amidst her suicidal threats. Now medicated and distant, Chris remains a shadow of his former self.
Passion ignites between Stella and Chris as they engage in a tender embrace, yet he halts her advances when she seeks to hasten their intimacy. Memories of Robin flash through Stella's mind, evoking panic, but she regains her composure, and their night together blossoms into a physical union.
Days later, Linda's unexpected appearance at the café where Stella toils serves as a chilling warning. She implores Stella to inspect a specific drawer at Chris's abode, a message Stella relays to Amina with a sense of unease.
On her maiden visit to Chris's residence, Stella arrives bearing a bottle of wine, drawing the attention of one of his associates. Their evening unfolds with laughter and camaraderie, but a dark undercurrent emerges when Chris attempts to capture her naked form on camera, leaving Stella deeply unsettled. Swiftly, she maneuvers to diffuse the situation, and he relents.
Awakening alone the following morning, Stella's curiosity piqued, she delves into the drawer Linda warned of. Her discovery chills her to the bone—a trove of phones and illicit drugs, revealing a sinister side to Chris's life that she never could have imagined.
Returning to the present day, Stella's weekly therapy sessions have become a necessity. As the therapist's gaze lingers on the tattoo adorning her forearm, Stella casually mentions its age, tinged with a hint of sadness that her mother's disapproval still lingers. Meanwhile, within the confines of their home, Adam and Ulrika grapple with their own demons, each in their unique way.
Adam finds himself consumed by the venomous words of online trolls, their hatred for Stella echoing in his mind. In search of solace, he turns to Valter, a fellow priest who offers a comforting shoulder amidst the storm.
Ulrika, on the other hand, drowns her sorrows in alcohol's embrace while embarking on a personal investigation into the case. Her path crosses with Amina, who reveals a fleeting acquaintance with Chris and Stella, their encounters few and far between. On that fateful evening, fate intervened as a headache forced Amina to abandon her plans to meet Stella at Bar Inferno, a decision that strikes Ulrika as uncharacteristically abrupt, given their closeness. Amina, citing academic commitments, hurries away, leaving Ulrika with more questions than answers.
Later, Mikael fills Ulrika in on Adam's confrontational encounter with Jenny, igniting a spark of intrigue within her. Under the guise of mending fences with Jenny, Ulrika orchestrates a meeting with her old prosecutor's office comrade, Veronica. Once alone, her true intentions reveal themselves as she stealthily infiltrates Jenny's office, her camera capturing crucial case files. In a tense exit, she narrowly avoids Jenny's suspicion, slipping away undetected.
As the curtains close on Episode 3 of A Nearly Normal Family, a bombshell revelation shatters the calm: one of the DNA samples discovered at Chris's residence belongs to none other than Amina, leaving Ulrika reeling and the mystery deepening.
