The fourth episode of "The Beauty" commences with Cooper reliving a cherished memory of his time with Jordan. The duo strolls through the streets on a late-night jaunt, indulging in their shared love for books and authors. As they approach a tranquil fountain, Jordan prompts a wish-making ritual. Cooper, with a touch of irony, wishes that she wouldn't fall in love with him, to which they both jest about the absurdity of such a wish.
The present narrative shifts to Cooper's interrogation of Ashley, a man who was present at the Condé Nast cafeteria during Harper's explosive outburst. Ashley delves into the intricacies of office politics and the events that ensued. His inquiry about the blood test results elicits a response from Cooper that they are still under investigation.
The conversation takes a dramatic turn when Ashley unexpectedly reveals that he and Harper were involved in a casual sexual relationship. He confesses his undying love for Harper, only to be met with the revelation that she viewed him as just another option in her vast pool of admirers. Without hesitation, Cooper texts for reinforcements, and a team swiftly arrives to administer further tests on Ashley. As he attempts to flee, they sedate him to continue their investigation.
Cooper donns a hazmat suit and confronts Manny, Harper's intimate friend who has already been exposed to the virus. The medical staff is closely monitoring his condition but struggles to regulate his body temperature. Manny's emotional state is fraught with fear and anxiety, as he remains unanswered by the medical team. They relentlessly extract blood samples and secure him to the bed, causing further distress.
Cooper attempts to pacify Manny, hoping to ease his anxiety and extract vital information about Harper's other liaisons. Despite Cooper's earnest attempts, Manny's agitated state prevents him from focusing on the questions at hand. His panic escalates as Cooper explains the significance of his answers.
Despite Cooper's persistent inquiries, Manny's thoughts wander to his beloved dogs and boyfriend, prompting him to plead for the opportunity to reunite with his family and beg for his release. Suddenly, Manny's body begins to contort in strange angles, his eyes gush with blood, and he peels off his arm skin in an attempt to break free. In the ensuing chaos, he vomits and then attacks the medical staff. Cooper tries to secure the exits but is outpaced by Manny's strength and agility.
The episode concludes with Manny fleeing the ward and sprinting through the hospital corridors. Cooper gives chase, following a trail of shed skin left behind by the desperate fugitive.
Meanwhile, Manny's agonizing transformation continues unabated. Cooper rushes to his aid but is swiftly overpowered. Manny dashes into a theater, interrupting two plastic surgeons who are performing a facial skin graft. In a desperate attempt to escape, Manny manages to elude them and enters the room where they are storing the skin grafts and donor bodies. Cooper commands the doctor to open the doors, and inside, he discovers Manny's empty cocoon. As he looks up, he sees Manny's new reflection on the glass, causing the man to panic momentarily at the changes in his body. He then blames Cooper and attacks him, leading to a fierce struggle for the gun. Manny secures the weapon first and attempts to shoot at Cooper... but misses! He drops the gun and continues to run towards the exit. A sympathetic nurse provides Cooper with a syringe containing enough propofol to sedate a grizzly bear. At this point, more hazmat-suited guards arrive, cornering Manny as Cooper arrives. Another struggle ensues between the two, and finally, Cooper manages to sedate Manny, but the man doesn't stay down! In the end, Cooper grabs the taser gun, and Manny finally succumbs to it. The guards move in to arrest him.
In Rome, Jeremy and Antonio enjoy a shopping spree, later, Antonio watches and directs Jeremy as he has sex with a sex worker. He is trying to teach Jeremy how to have fun without infecting others. After a fun time, the two head to the airport to take a private plane to meet Byron. Speaking of Bryron, he drops by the lab to meet with Dr. Ray for his monthly booster appointment. Ray is worried about the ongoing news about people exploding. However, Byron, like a true business entrepreneur, has decided to use the leak to his advantage. He asks Ray to speed up production now that he has finally solved the ignition ketosis problem.
Byron wants Ray to get on board with the accelerated business plan and be ready. Ray warns him that the drug is not ready, but Bryon doesn't care. All he can see are the dollar signs once he announces what he calls "injectable Instagram fillers." After getting his boosters, he spots Antonio getting his. He asks Ray to water down the boosters, double production and change the doses from monthly to weekly and keep the price the same.
In New York, Cooper heads home and keeps calling Jordan, but unfortunately, he only gets her voicemail. He drops by his neighbor's place to pick up his cat, but sadly, she tells him that the cat died two months ago. He heads to his house and has a nightmare about Jordan. A knock on his door wakes him up. He opens the door to find a beautiful woman who claims to be Jordan.
