Episode 5 of *The Girlfriend* picks up right where we left off, with Cherry uncovering the shocking truth. Her world shattered, she wastes no time in confronting Daniel, accusing him of being cruel. But when she realizes that Daniel is just as clueless as she is, the floodgates open. Cherry spills the beans, reveals the entire truth, and then storms off in a whirlwind of fury. Laura, desperate to cling to Daniel, tries to stop him, but he too flees the scene.
The next few hours are a blur of anxiety for Laura. She frantically leaves Daniel numerous voicemails, each one more desperate than the last. Meanwhile, she fails to confide in Howard about her recent escapades. When Howard inquires about the upcoming exhibition, he can't help but notice Laura's neglect of the gallery. A heated exchange ensues, with Laura calling him out, and Howard, caught off guard, apologizes, explaining that he's stressed about an impending business trip.
The following day, Laura's temper flares when she discovers her assistant, Harriet, has been talking to Howard behind her back. Harriet breaks the news that the new artist, Jamal, was supposed to meet Laura yesterday. But, choosing sides, Harriet opted not to inform Laura since she was preoccupied with Daniel. Enraged, Laura fires Harriet on the spot.
Later, Daniel shows up to collect his belongings. He avoids any interaction with his mom, but Laura is determined to explain herself. Downstairs, Cherry waits impatiently for Daniel to finish packing. Seizing the opportunity, she confronts Laura, warning her that she's not done with her yet. With a final call to Daniel, they both make their exit.
That night, Laura tosses and turns, unable to sleep. The next morning, she leaves the house only to discover that someone has slashed her tires. She reports the incident to the police, but they dismiss her concerns, citing a lack of evidence.
At the gallery, things go from bad to worse. Jamal, the new artist, pulls out of the exhibition. He informs Laura that she's been trending on the internet for all the wrong reasons. Harriet has accused her of unfair dismissal, fostering a toxic work environment, and bullying. To make matters worse, Jamal never signed a contract, all thanks to Harriet's incompetence. Laura finds herself in a precarious position, screwed on all fronts.
Isabella arrives to offer Laura some much-needed moral support. But even she is shocked to learn the extent of Laura's deception towards Cherry. Isabella warns Laura that she's gone too far and needs to put an end to this madness. With no one believing her side of the story, Laura's paranoia grows. In a last-ditch effort, she leaves Daniel a voicemail, pleading with him to make Cherry back off.
Desperate for a lifeline, Laura turns to Lilith, seeking her unwavering support. With a blend of persuasion and vulnerability, she manages to convince Lilith to step into the spotlight and join forces to rescue her struggling gallery. Lilith, ever cautious, makes Laura pledge an unwavering promise to safeguard her precious paintings with utmost care.
That night, the two women share an evening filled with laughter and camaraderie, a rare escape from their respective turmoils. As dawn breaks, Laura returns home, only to be greeted by the unexpected sight of Howard. He had rushed back early, having heard about the ordeal Daniel faced. His heart is heavy with hurt, not just for the lies Laura spun to Daniel, which had plunged their son into a whirlpool of grief, but also for the shattering realization that, after committing to exclusivity, Laura had shared a night with Lilith. In a moment of profound disappointment, Howard decides he's had enough and ends their relationship.
With her personal world in shambles, Laura throws herself into organizing the exhibition, determined to salvage her professional reputation. As the event unfolds, Cherry makes her presence known, creating a stir that threatens to overshadow the art on display. Sensing the tension, Laura invites Cherry into her office for a private conversation.
In the confined space, Cherry's threats reverberate, but Laura, fueled by a mix of desperation and defiance, stands her ground, pushing Cherry against the wall and issuing a warning of her own. The air thickens with tension, and suddenly, Cherry's piercing scream pierces the silence, cutting through the ambiance as the scene swiftly transitions to the lively party raging upstairs, leaving the audience to wonder what transpired in that intense confrontation.
From Cherry's perspective, the story resumes after her heated confrontation with Daniel and Laura at the club. Cherry returns home, her emotions raw, and pours her heart out to her mother, Tracey. Tracey, with a look of concern etched on her face, cautions Cherry against any rash decisions, reminding her that she can no longer shield her from the consequences of her actions.
Just then, Daniel arrives, his eyes pleading as he begs Cherry for a second chance. Cherry, though wary, feels a flicker of hope. He implores her to meet him at his hotel, promising to wait for her no matter how long it takes. With a mix of trepidation and anticipation, Cherry gets ready and makes her way to the rendezvous. They reach an understanding, agreeing to start anew, and their reunion culminates in a passionate embrace.
The next morning, Cherry awakens to a sinking feeling as she realizes Daniel doesn't recall proposing to her the night before. Determined to make him see the gravity of their commitment, she agrees to accompany him to Laura's place to collect his belongings. Seizing the opportunity, Cherry confronts Laura with a veiled threat and vandalizes her car by slashing a tire.
Over the following weeks, Cherry and Daniel's relationship deepens. They invite a few close friends over for dinner, and Cherry is taken aback when she realizes that Daniel's friends are unaware of Laura's deceitful actions. They seem to believe that there was merely a misunderstanding regarding Daniel's accident. Brigette, in particular, is stunned to learn the truth about Laura's treachery. She reveals that Laura had also fired her friend Harriet, adding another layer to the web of deceit.
Driven by a desire for retribution, Cherry begins to stalk Harriet online and even attends her yoga class. With a calculated charm, she manipulates Harriet into launching an online and legal campaign against Laura. In a twist of fate, Harriet inadvertently divulges the passcode to the gallery, granting Cherry access to a new realm of possibilities.
As days turn into weeks, Cherry starts to notice a subtle shift in Daniel's demeanor. It seems as though he is on the brink of forgiving his mother. Hurt by the fact that he has allowed his friends to misunderstand her for Laura's sake, Cherry feels her grip on Daniel slipping away.
Sensing that her hold over Daniel is waning, Cherry decides to take drastic measures. She attends Laura's art exhibition, her heart pounding with anticipation. In a dramatic display, she creates a scene, striking herself with a glass and falsely accusing Laura of attacking her. With tears streaming down her face, she rushes home and begins packing her belongings, acting as though she is about to break up with Daniel for good.
In a desperate attempt to hold onto their relationship, Cherry insists that she cannot tolerate Laura's presence in her life any longer. Faced with the choice between his mother and Cherry, Daniel, moved by her emotional display, chooses Cherry and proposes to her once again, hoping to mend the fractured bonds between them.
