Episode 3 of *The Paper* kicks off with Ned poring over Adam's article. After some deliberation, Ned decides that slotting the piece into the regular news section doesn't quite fit the bill, so he relegates it to the "Also News" corner instead. Gathering the team for a meeting, he leads a discussion on all the stories that have been covered throughout the week.
In a bid to foster camaraderie, Ned proposes a team-building game of "Two Truths and A Lie" and pairs everyone up. Adelola and Travis square off first, with Travis fumbling and failing to spot the lie among Adelola's statements. On the other hand, Detrick finds himself at odds with Barry, who seems utterly clueless about how the game works.
The scene then shifts to Ken and Esmeralda, who are huddled in a meeting in Ned's cabin. Mare diligently takes notes as the trio brainstorms strategies to boost the paper's popularity. Esmeralda voices her frustration over Ned still being stationed in Toledo, while Mare floats the idea of resuming their exposé series on shady businesses. Ned, taken with the notion, asks Mare to scout for a company or brand ripe for investigation.
Meanwhile, Esmeralda drops a bombshell on Ned, revealing that Mare is on the verge of switching jobs. Ned jumps to the conclusion that Mare is apprehensive about the long-term prospects of the *Toledo Truth Teller*. He reasons that if their exposé piece proves to be a hit, he might just be able to persuade Mare to stick around. Determined, he decides to throw his lot in with Mare's investigation, setting their sights on a local mattress company.
Detrick, seeking Ned's approval, invites Nicole to partake in a bonding exercise with him. Ned, ever the taskmaster, nudges Oscar, urging him to have another Sudoku puzzle lined up for the next issue. As Detrick and Nicole forge a connection over the game, Mare and Ned go undercover, posing as a couple to infiltrate the mattress store's operations.
During their sting operation, Mare and Ned uncover that the company is engaging in price discrimination, selling identical mattresses at varying prices. They meticulously gather evidence to build a case against the rogue retailer. Back at the office, Oscar is engrossed in an accounting debriefing with Esmeralda, Ken, and Marv.
With Ned conspicuously absent from the meeting, Esmeralda seizes the opportunity to stir the pot, attempting to turn Marv against Ned by planting seeds of doubt and resentment. Fueled by Esmeralda's scheming, Marv makes a rash decision to terminate Ned's employment. However, just as the tension reaches its peak, Oscar swoops in with a seemingly innocuous but strategically timed mention of an obscure account, effectively diverting Marv's attention.
Ken's heart skips a beat as he suddenly realizes that Oscar has just inadvertently blown the lid off his clandestine secret. Marv, now thoroughly perplexed, learns to his astonishment that the company has been footing the bill for a storage facility—a facility that, in truth, is none other than a cozy apartment.
In a desperate bid to save face, Ken turns to the camera crew, explaining that the apartment was rented for his exclusive use when he first joined the company. He then urgently pleads with Oscar to brush the matter under the rug and dismiss the account, a tactic that succeeds in steering Marv away from the explosive revelation.
Meanwhile, at the mattress company, Ned and Mare are hard at work, sifting through files and gathering damning evidence against their employer. A salesperson, sensing the gravity of the situation, agrees to lend a helping hand by assisting the duo in crafting a tell-all exposé. Ned, thrilled with the article's potential impact, tries his best to persuade Mare to stay put. Mare, however, remains resolute, informing Ned that she has no intention of accepting the other job offer.
The episode draws to a close with an awkward yet oddly endearing moment as Ned and Mare bump fists, their future uncertain but their bond stronger for having weathered the storm together.
