The fifth episode of Palm Royale begins with Maxine torn between confronting Douglas about his intended marriage to Linda and her fear of being abandoned. The revelation gnaws at her, making her increasingly uncomfortable, ultimately pushing her to face her husband.
When Maxine confronts Douglas, he's unaware that Penelope has changed her name to Linda. He tries to reassure her that she's the only woman he's ever loved, revealing that Penelope shot her father on their wedding day, shocking him to the core and leading him to abandon the marriage plans. But when Maxine probes further, Douglas claims he doesn't remember, shattering Maxine's trust in him after two decades of secrets.
Enraged, Maxine seeks out Linda, her new best friend who's kept the truth about her almost-marriage to Douglas hidden from her. She storms into the bookstore, only to find Linda behind a locked door, eavesdropping on her rant to Virginia. Virginia tries to comfort Maxine, assuring her that Linda values their friendship, even if there are multiple truths at play.
Determined to uncover the truth, Maxine heads to the Palm Beach Shiny Sheet News, searching through old copies of the newspaper. She eventually discovers that no one was caught in the shooting, and the weapon used remains missing. A flash of memory reveals that Maxine found the gun in Norma's deposit box.
Realizing that only those present on the day of the shooting know the truth, Maxine questions Evelyn, who reveals that Linda intended to shoot her while seeing her father but accidentally shot him instead.
Meanwhile, Douglas enters the men's washroom, unaware that Linda is waiting for him. She confronts him about his past actions, but he brushes her off. It turns out that Douglas had an affair and got a girl pregnant, a secret that Linda has held for years.
Later, Maxine appears drunk at the golf course, ready to drive to the Delacorte Mansion. Robert intervenes, offering to take her. When they arrive, Maxine throws herself at Robert, but he rejects her advances. Mitzi appears, offering Maxine a well-paying job at a club, but Maxine tries to dissuade her, warning her about Perry's true nature.
As the episode nears its climax, Linda arrives at the Delacorte Mansion to confront Maxine. When Maxine asks about the shooting, Linda confesses that she planned to shoot Douglas out of jealousy over his affairs. Shocked, Maxine learns that Douglas was cheating on her with Linda while they were engaged. She apologizes to Linda, admitting she had no idea. Linda reveals that after accidentally shooting her father, Norma covered up the crime to protect everyone, including arranging Evelyn's marriage to Skete and Douglas's escape from the marriage with a hefty sum and a ticket to Chattanooga.
As the episode draws to a close, Maxine receives a call from Douglas. She answers it, returning to find Linda burning incriminating evidence in the Rolodex. In a final act of liberation, Maxine throws the gun into the sea, symbolically letting go of the secrets and lies that have bound her for so long.
