Episode 2 of Industry Season 3 seamlessly picks up where we left off, as a sudden power outage ignites a frenzy on the trading floor, coinciding with the pivotal moment of Lumi's IPO launch. Amidst the chaos, Eric implores the bankers to steady the ship and sustain the buying momentum for Lumi's stocks, yet their phones relentlessly ring, each call a new hurdle to overcome.
Concurrently, Eric's concern for Yasmin surfaces, as she struggles to shake off the aftermath of their drug-fueled night. Her stumble prompts a swift rescue from Eric, who encourages her to soldier on despite her unsteadiness. However, his frustration boils over when Rishi dares to chastise him for appearing at work under the influence, highlighting the tension brewing amidst the turmoil.
Meanwhile, Anna's panicked call to Yasmin reverberates with accusations, querying the veracity of rumors swirling about Lumi's impending bankruptcy. She lays blame at Pierpoint's doorstep, claiming they misled her into a disastrous investment. Yasmin pleads for Anna's trust, unaware of the gravity of the situation dawning on Eric.
Elsewhere, Henry and Robert's heated debate escalates as Robert's fear of his company's plummeting stock price intensifies. Robert strategizes, urging Henry to grant interviews to reporters as a last-ditch effort to salvage Lumi's public image and stabilize its share price.
Petra confronts Harper, revealing Eric's desperate nine attempts to dissuade her from hiring the latter. Her inquiry into the rift prompts Harper to evade with a dismissive remark, dismissing Eric's concerns as melodramatic. Sensing Anna's distress over the Lumi IPO debacle, Petra tasks Harper with mitigating their company's exposure, seeking a naive banker at Pierpoint to minimize potential losses. Harper's suggestion: Yasmin.
Henry, on the other hand, reluctantly agrees to a live video interview, bracing himself for the public spotlight as he navigates the treacherous waters of crisis management.
Robert, with a strategic mindset, advocated for a print interview to mitigate any potential hiccups, yet Henry stood firm in his conviction. Amidst the fray, Henry engaged with the reporter, heedless of Robert's counsel, delving into the Ashford review. Boldly, he announced plans to facilitate stock purchases through the Lumi app, only to retract swiftly when faced with criticism from the reporter.
Desperate to salvage the interview's tenor, Henry insisted that investing in additional Lumi shares posed no risk to buyers. Post-call, Henry's ire towards Robert boiled over, resentful of his meddling. Meanwhile, tensions flared among Rishi's colleagues, until William's timely intervention diffused the situation, leaving Eric to contemplate the threat to his own position, impressed by William's deft handling.
As the stock percentages tentatively rose, Yasmin's revelation of a Henry-centric tweet trending abruptly sent the market into a tailspin. Robert, attempting to soothe Henry's frayed nerves, encountered a wall of frustration as Henry lamented his lack of understanding. Henry's emotions spiraled, voicing concerns about his employees' livelihoods while Robert accused him of hypocrisy. The confrontation escalated into a physical altercation, with Robert branding Henry as greedy.
Exiting the Lumi offices, Robert's phone rang, Venetia's voice soothing amidst the chaos. They exchanged thoughts on Pierpoint's state, Venetia gently urging him back to the office. Elsewhere, Petra sought Harper's counsel to mitigate risks, cautiously concealing their discussion from Anna. Harper, ever obliging, guided Petra in acquiring stocks from Yasmin's portfolio. Anna's discovery of the deception ignited a storm, accusing Petra of betrayal and Harper of disloyalty.
Petra retreated for the day, leaving Harper lingering in her office, hesitant to confront Eric over the phone. At Lumi, the board confronted Henry over his manipulation of numbers to expedite the IPO, highlighting the CFO's resignation and urging him to reconsider his leadership role. The air was thick with uncertainty, as Henry faced the consequences of his decisions.
Henry, overcome with panic, abruptly abandons the meeting, his heart racing. Meanwhile, Robert, with stealthy steps, infiltrates Nicole's abode only to be unexpectedly confronted by his own daughter. The truth spills from his lips: Nicole was his client, and he's on a hunt for crucial documents. As they exchange words about Nicole, Robert attempts to soothe the girl's grief, but she, unbeknownst to him, harbors feelings for him. Boldly, she initiates a romantic advance, which he, caught off guard, politely declines. Amidst a fleeting kiss, she departs, remarking that she's still in the throes of adolescence.
Elsewhere, Eric's concern for Yasmin is palpable as he notices her struggles. Drawing on motivational quips and analogies, he strives to reignite her spark, unaware that his own world is about to shake when he discovers his hand in Kenny's dismissal. Henry's tell-all interview, like a vicious storm, plunges Lumi's stock prices into freefall.
Determined to intervene, Yasmin reaches out to Robert, imploring him to intervene and halt Henry's downward spiral. Robert, heeding her plea, phones Henry, offering a heartfelt apology amidst revelations of Henry's seclusion in a bathroom, resorting to medication to quell his anxiety. Yasmin, springing into action, abandons her desk to lend Robert a hand in calming Henry's frayed nerves. Together, they devise a plan, leveraging Yasmin's connections and the relentless paparazzi. She cunningly orchestrates photos of Henry in the company of influential business elites, a strategic move that miraculously elevates Lumi's stock prices, turning the tide in their favor.
At Pierpoint, William basks in the glow of Lumi's progress, yet a shadow of unease creeps in upon learning that Rishi's day yielded neither profit nor loss. His inquiries to Eric about the trading floor's well-being and Yasmin's state of mind are met with reassurance and Eric's unwavering support for his protégé.
At FutureDawn, Anna triumphantly celebrates the triumphant IPO launch, her joy shared by all but conspicuously excluding Harper and Petra. Yasmin, meanwhile, reveals to Eric the mastermind behind Lumi's stock resurgence, her act of ingenuity. However, her revelation stirs up a storm within him, who admonishes her for blurring the lines between professionalism and familiarity with their clients.
Yasmin endeavors to gently bring Eric's attention to the previous night's interactions, her words acting as a soothing balm to his frayed emotions. As he departs, seeking solace in the familiarity of his own abode, Yasmin finds herself unexpectedly invited to dine with Henry. Meanwhile, Petra uncovers a shocking revelation – Harper had cunningly leveraged her intimate knowledge of Pierpoint's intricacies to secure shares at a discounted price. Undeterred by past injustices at her workplace, Petra confronts Harper, imploring her to abstain from deceit, no matter the provocation.
The evening's dinner takes an unexpected turn as Henry attempts to charm Yasmin, employing his vast network to erase the unflattering article that had marred her reputation. However, Yasmin's advances in the bathroom are met with a subtle rejection; Henry leaves her with a lone bottle of wine, a gesture that inadvertently stirs up painful memories. The vintage liquid brings back vivid recollections of her father's betrayal, a haunting image of him entwined with a pregnant server on a luxurious yacht, his indifference to her hurt cutting deeper than any glass could ever do.
The episode draws to a somber close as Yasmin, wine-tinged and vulnerable, rides the bus back home. In the dimly lit confines, she catches a fleeting glimpse of a man surreptitiously capturing her drunken state on camera, a jarring reminder of the world's unwelcome gaze and the fragility of one's privacy, even in moments of solitude.
