The ninth episode of Dear X opens with the shocking announcement of Longstar Entertainment's termination of its contract with Baek Ah-jin. CEO Seo Mi-ri's words are chilling as she lays the blame squarely at Ah-jin's feet for In-gang's demise, promising to uproot her life entirely. In retaliation, Ah-jin accuses her of knowing In-gang's decline for over a decade and doing nothing due to her insatiable greed.
Learning that Seo Mi-ri is not shielding Ah-jin, Jun-seo withdraws his investment from her company. Meanwhile, Ji-sun's desperation grows as Jun-seo shuns her. She reaches out to Ah-jin, who has just arrived to confront Jun-seo. Ji-sun reveals that she's on dialysis and needs a kidney transplant. Ah-jin plays her conversation with Jun-seo's mother for him to hear, making it clear that her apology was merely a means to an end.
Jae-oh joins the conversation, and the trio discusses Ah-jin's predicament. Ah-jin declares that either she or CEO Seo must fall. Later, Jun-seo visits Ji-sun in the hospital, offering her his kidney and clearing her debts if she promises to stay away from Ah-jin and his grandfather.
At Longstar Entertainment, the police arrive with a search warrant, and CEO Seo is arrested for embezzlement and bribery. That night, Le-na overhears Jun-seo discussing the kidney transplant at his house and accuses him of not caring enough to tell her. She storms out in a huff.
The next day, Jun-seo goes under the knife, while Ah-jin receives a call from another entertainment company, eager to meet her. For some reason, Sim Sung-hee is still staying at Ah-jin's house. She argues with Ah-jin as she prepares to leave for her meeting, then ransacks her wardrobe in search of an expensive purse.
Meanwhile, a man in a black suit continues to shadow Jae-oh. Jae-oh discusses it with his boss, who advises him to inform Ah-jin of the situation. Unknowingly, a bug in the room relays their conversation to another man in a suit - Moon Do-hyuk, the mysterious figure we've seen in previous episodes.
Ah-jin reaches out to Jae-oh on the phone, requesting a ride to her meeting with Dio Entertainment, the new agency. The agency employee, informed of her arrival, divulges that Moon Do-hyuk, the CEO of Hadere and a shareholder of the agency, had suggested they recruit her. Moreover, it was he who removed all the defamatory articles about her. En route to see him, Ah-jin stops by to catch up with Moon Do-hyuk during his lecture. She inquires about his motivations for assisting her. He reveals that he has conducted a thorough investigation into her life, witnessed her struggles, and wanted to lend a helping hand. Their conversation also reveals that he was the one responsible for removing CEO Seo from the company. She inquires about his plans for her, and he teasingly responds with a surprise.
At the hospital, Jun-seo is recovering swiftly and is about to be discharged. Jae-oh calls him to come over to his office. Meanwhile, Moon Do-hyuk's associates discover CEO Seo's shackles files and remove Ah-jin's involvement before submitting them to the police. Do-hyuk then instructs his assistant to pursue Jae-oh but leave Jun-seo untouched.
As for CEO Seo, she firmly believes that Ah-jin is behind the current developments. Her assistant pleads with Ah-jin for help, but she dismisses her in the same manner CEO Seo had dismissed her at the beginning of the episode. Ah-jin officially signs on with Dio Entertainment. Do-hyuk asks if she wants him to go further and eliminate her enemies. She inquires about his motivations for going to such lengths for her.
Meanwhile, Jun-seo shows up at Jae-oh's workplace to meet him. Jae-oh informs him about the men who were following Ah-jin and had beaten him up. At the same time, one of Moon Do-hyuk's associates rigs the office to explode. Jae-oh realizes something is amiss, but we next see the office engulfed in flames.
Do-hyuk expresses his pity for Ah-jin's tumultuous life and reveals his desire to make her his own, even going so far as to suggest marriage and a fresh start together. He offers her grandiose dreams, which elicit a mischievous laugh from her.
