The fifth episode of Malice unfurls with Adam being pulled over on the roadside by a stern-faced police officer. The officer reprimands him for the kids' lack of seatbelts and his incessant phone use while driving. The officer decides to mete out a fine for the phone offense, but spares him the added burden of demerit points.
After dropping the children off at their football training session, Adam disposes of Damien's body by the lake, effectively setting the stage for a manhunt. Meanwhile, the family is reeling from the discovery of Adam's stashed phone, found by Jules. Their concerns are heightened by Damien's history of antidepressant use and past attempts at suicide, though those incidents are from years ago.
Damien's previous disappearance for 24 hours provides Adam with a golden opportunity to evade suspicion. As the search for Damien intensifies, Adam continues his espionage on Jamie, who is struggling with his investments. When Jamie arrives at the office, he is called into a formal meeting with HR after receiving a complaint from one of his female colleagues, Emily.
Unfortunately for Jamie, it's no coincidence that these emails were sent while he was on his laptop and even went out for drinks at the office. Despite Jamie's suspicions that he's been hacked, the IT department hasn't uncovered anything unusual yet. The situation is looking grim for Jamie, and Adam's malicious deeds continue to spiral out of control.
The situation escalates to a dire point, with Emily's accusation looming like a dark cloud over the Tanner household. Jamie finds himself on the brink of a forced retreat, his dilemma left to fester in the limbo of unresolved conflict. Emily's resolve to press charges remains unwavering, and Nat's attempts to mediate only serve to exacerbate the situation further.
Sophie's earnest pleas to Adam, imploring him to let go of his family's past, fall on deaf ears. Instead, he continues to weave his web of manipulation, releasing his pet snake into the house and anonymously tipping off Austin Samuels, a journalist at the investigations desk, about Jamie's alleged "sexual abuse" scandal. Samuels is determined to run the story regardless, and calls Jamie for his side of the story. Legally bound to remain silent, Jamie's silence only fuels Samuels' determination to publish without his input.
As the family embarks on a weekend getaway, hoping for respite from the mounting tension, April decides to stay behind, eager for some quality time with her boyfriend, Joel. While Adam leaves with the rest of the family, he leaves a parting gift - the loose snake in the house. That night, two thugs break in, their intentions clear: to rob the Tanner household.
Bedford finds himself in April's bedroom as she's with Joel, and as they rush downstairs, their path crosses with the robbers. The encounter spirals out of control, setting off a chain of events that promises to be both thrilling and fraught with consequences.
