Episode 3 of The Crowded Room commences within the confines of Rya's abode. With a touch of intrigue, she reveals Danny's sketchbook to Matty, a presumed law enforcement officer. As he flips through the pages, he identifies Ariana as the perpetrator of the Rockefeller Centre shooting. Even more ominously, Rya hints that the portraits within the book depict "victims." Could Danny be a serial killer? The mystery looms large, as the season unfolds, leaving us all in suspense.
Danny remains reluctant to discuss the fate of his doppelganger brother, Adam. However, he confides in Rya about Ariana's tragic past, revealing that as a child, she was sexually assaulted by a friend of her father's. The trauma has left her unable to foster meaningful emotional connections with those she cares for. As soon as she draws close to someone, she flees, distancing herself further. Danny nods solemnly, acknowledging that Adam faced a similar ordeal, which ultimately led to his suicide.
Later, Danny orchestrates a "favor" for Ariana, asking Jonny to arrange a meeting with Angelo, his drug supplier. His intentions are clear: he seeks a firearm. But Angelo desires more than just monetary compensation. Jonny warns Danny against venturing into the abandoned garage alone, but Danny remains stubborn. However, before Angelo can force himself upon Danny, Jonny arrives, saving the day. Danny snatches the gun, and the two friends escape on the metro, narrowly avoiding capture.
Mike learns of the incident through Jonny and promptly visits Danny's home. Annabelle, who had promised to spend the day with Danny, is also there. Their mutual affection is palpable, yet something holds them back from fully embracing each other. Annabelle takes Danny to a field to fly a kite, where they discuss his aspiration to become an artist. They return to Danny's house and spend more quality time together. Annabelle even promises to showcase Danny's sketches to an art professor at Baruch. The two eventually fall asleep in each other's arms, their bond purely platonic.
Suddenly, the mood shifts as Angelo breaks into the house in the dead of night, signaling a dramatic turn in the narrative.
He jolted Annabelle awake, urgently instructing her to remain in the room. Danny rushed out, yelling to Angelo that he'd return the gun but in a moment of carelessness, the bullets spilled from his grasp. Hiding in the shadows, Angelo discovered Anabelle's hiding place and dragged her out, only to be confronted by Yitzhak, who had emerged from Danny's shadow. Without mercy, Yitzhak assaulted Angelo, gun pointed. As Angelo begged for his life, his pants soaked with fear-induced urine, Yitzhak hesitated, ultimately sparing his life, allowing Angelo to flee. Terrified, Annabelle fled the house as well.
Yitzhak lost his composure, furious at Danny for bringing a gun into their home. Ariana stepped in, claiming she had given the gun to Danny. He ordered Danny to leave, and in the morning, Marlin drove past, pleading for Danny to return home. Before Danny departed, Ariana entered the room, her tone诚恳. She confessed that her life would be simpler if her rapist were gone, placing the gun before Danny but begging him to frighten, not harm, the culprit.
The events of that fateful day replayed in Danny's mind, this time with a subtle twist—the suggestion that Danny had acted alone. He struggled against the temptation, but Rya pushed him further. The moment he saw the man he was meant to "scare" revealed the truth—it was Marlin. But how could he have raped Ariana? The coincidence seemed too improbable to be genuine. Danny rejected Rya's insinuations, declaring it all a ruse—a setup to lure him into finding his biological father. Heeding the call, Danny boarded a flight, determined to uncover the truth.
