Previously, on "Ambitions..."
You like it rough?
- Evan offered you a payout,
why don't you just take the money
and go on back to Chicago? - It ain't enough.
Stephen, we both know the only reason Cairo confessed
is because you put him up to it.
Face it, Greg, we are from two
different worlds.
- Gotcha.
- It's in my opinion that we settle.
- Five billion dollars.
- When does it all end, Carlisle?!
- When you have nothing left! - That's enough!
Aren't you going to congratulate me?
It's not every day that your wife scores
a 2.5 billion dollar settlement against Big Pharma.
- Congratulations, my darling,
on practically driving one of Atlanta's biggest employers
into the poorhouse.
- Atlanta and the rest of the world,
will be well rid of Purifoy Pharmaceuticals,
should rumors of their pending bankruptcy prove true.
- I'll be sure to quote you
during my reelection campaign.
- If Amara Hughes and her DOJ colleagues
are able to prove you orchestrated
that bribery scheme,
you'll be planning your next campaign
from federal lock-up,
and don't expect any conjugal visits from me.
- Amara wouldn't be so obsessed with my cabinet
if not for her grudge against you.
Maybe you should stop throwing yourself
at the woman's husband like some lovesick co-ed.
- So not your lesson to teach.
We'll have to finish--
--this riveting conversation some other time.
Or not.
- He's leaving now.
Now.
About that other matter.
I need the intel as soon as possible, Rashid.
It's time Daddy Dearest knew just how formidable an opponent
his firstborn is.
Don't let me down.
- Bella.
Joaquin?
Anybody home?
- Thanks, Bella.
- Hey.
- What are you doing here?
- I thought I left my charger,
you know how I'm always forgetting stuff.
I'll see you later-- - Wait a second.
Why are you really here, Perla? The truth.
- Jesus, I just told you. What's your problem?
- You're my problem.
You and the lies you're constantly telling.
- Whatever, Bella, I'm out-- - Not until you tell me
what the hell is going on with you--
- Let go of me. - What the--
Is that blood?
- Yes.
But it's not mine.
- Perla, whose blood is on your arm?
Alix's. - Alix?
You mean Evan's bodyguard?
- He tried to rape me tonight.
I stabbed him. - What?!
Why would Alix-- - I had to get him off me.
I had no choice, it was self-defense, Bella,
you have to believe me. - I'm calling Evan.
- Wait! You can't call Evan or anyone.
- Okay.
But you need to calm down
and tell me everything that happened.
- Why? So you can call me a liar again?
- No. I wouldn't do that.
Not with something this serious.
- Don't act like you care about me.
- You know I care. - Then prove it.
Just let me go, okay? No more questions.
- Give it to me--give it to me, Perla.
Gimme the money--give it to me. Give me--
- Mine. It's mine! - Let go of me!
- Thank you for coming on such short notice, Mitch.
Is bourbon and branch still your drink?
- It is. - Constance?
- Right away. Please.
- It really couldn't wait until morning?
- It's now or never, Mitch.
- I guess it's now. What's this all about?
- I think the time has come for me to...
succeed my father atop Carlisle Perkins.
- Looks like I'm gonna need this.
- Your reservations?
- I don't disagree, in theory.
I've long felt the firm needs fresh vision and leadership.
- And I can provide both.
- Stephen won't go quietly. - Well.
He will if we give him no other choice.
- And what if he takes half of our clients
out the door with him?
- And would you rather risk
my taking the other half, Mitch?
- Look, Stephanie, you know I can't even conceive a future
for Carlisle Perkins that doesn't include you--
- Then back my play.
Ensure that I have the full support
of the other senior partners.
I mean it, Mitch, no one can waver on this.
- And what about your father? - Leave him to me.
I have a little insurance policy that all but ensures
Daddy falls in line.
Then I have your back.
- To the future of Carlisle Perkins.
To me!
- Let me get you a steak knife for that.
Welcome, come on in, make yourselves at home.
Sit on down, I'll be right with you--
ooh, excuse me, I got to deal with a pan handle.
What part of "Don't bring your rusty black ass
back up in here" can't you seem to comprehend?
- Long as I'm co-owner, I can come and go as I please.
- We'll see what my attorney has to say about that.
Don't you mean Evan Junior's attorney?
Your broke collard green peddling ass can't even afford
to keep them tired locks together.
- You know, I ain't got time to deal with you, Darcia.
I am busy as hell and shorthanded,
staff already talkin' 'bout quittin'
'cause of your triflin' self.
- If they quittin', it's because they disgusted
in the way that you're handling the memory
of my poor Uncle Senior.
- Shame on you! They be tellin' folks
that my Uncle Senior-- - I'm sorry.
- --is crazy-- - Ain't nobody said
Daddy was crazy.
He was suffering from TIAs.
And obviously they impaired his judgment
to leave you any part of Thelma's Place.
- Y'all will do anything to cut me out, won't you?
I don't see how you and Evan can even live with yourselves.
- Living, period, is about to be a problem for you
in three seconds, one...
...two.
Everybody hear this?!
- Keep your ass out of here.
I'm sorry, guys. Can--let me get your order.
- How do you think life at Purifoy will change
now that the class action suit has been settled?
- Thank you, baby.
My big worry is that it won't change anything at all.
Terms of the settlement say Purifoy never has to admit
guilt or wrongdoing.
- Yeah, but still, 2.5 billion had to hurt.
- Yeah, but don't let the bankruptcy rumors fool you.
That'll protect Purifoy from a wagon train of suits
that are sure to follow.
- There's rumblings that the DOJ will task us
with looking into Purifoy's marketing practices.
That'll take some time,
and of course, I'd recuse myself.
- No need for that. Hell, I'll be your star witness.
- You're serious, aren't you?
- Baby, Purifoy's money was so good,
I kept making excuses for things I knew were wrong.
This company made a fortune from turning
a generation of poor black people into opioid addicts,
and I defended their actions.
I have to make it right.
- What are you gonna do? - Keep digging.
- For what? - Anything and everything
until I hit pay dirt.
I reached out to some ex-employees,
and some actually got back to me, so...
gotta follow where it leads.
- You sure about this?
You're trying to take down Purifoy yourself.
Babe.
I'm with you 100% whatever you decide.
Yeah?
I love you, Mrs. Hughes.
I love you more, Mr. Hughes.
- Sleeping Beauty finally awakens.
- Untie me, Perla. - It's too late.
Why are you doing this?
- Why do you think, you selfish whore?
My life is shit because of you!
- Stop! You don't have to do this.
Just like Evan's guys didn't have to kill Eddie?
- It was you. - Eddie was the best thing
that ever happened to me,
and now he's gone because of you!
- Was it Eddie's idea to kidnap Joaquin?
- Shut up, Bella! - I won't tell Evan anything,
I promise! About you or Eddie.
- You... are such...
a goddamn liar.
- I'm telling you the truth!
If you want money, I'll get it.
- You know... I think...
I'm good for now.
- I trusted you. - Yeah, well,
that was a mistake.
- No-- - And you're gonna burn for.
- Please, no! Perla, no! No, Perla, no!
No! No! Perla, no! No, please, no!
No, Perla, no, please! No! - Goodbye, Bella.
- Perla, stop, no! No! Perla, no, please!
Bella!
- It's alright. - Get your hands off me!
It's all over, I know.
You sons of bitches killed Eddie!
- He's dead. - Which one
of you shot him?!
- It's okay. It's okay. You're alright.
- Let me go! Let me go! - Let me go! Let go of me!
This isn't done!
- I'll kill you. - I'll kill you all!
- You okay? Look at me.
Okay, no, no, no, you're hyperventilating,
you gotta breathe.
Come here, it's okay.
It's beautiful.
My daddy sure had some good taste.
I can't accept it.
Luelene. My daddy wanted to marry you.
He was on his way to give it to you when...
The ring is yours.
- This sure is sweet of you.
Now, Rondell, did I hear right?
Did Senior really leave two-thirds of Thelma's Place
to some niece I've never heard of?
- Unfortunately he did. - Why would he make someone
an heir to Thelma's Place
without telling you and your brother?
- We had the same question.
The estate attorney said he only updated his will
a few months ago.
Luelene, how did Daddy seem to you?
- What do you mean, sugar?
- Those little strokes he was having.
He got a little confused sometimes, didn't he?
- After he started taking his pressure medicine regular,
he was as sharp as he ever was.
- So he didn't seem... bothered about anything to you?
- Only thing bothering him was those prank calls
he kept getting.
- Prank phone calls? From who?
- He wouldn't say.
He'd never admit anything ever worried him.
- Yeah. - Well...
I better get going.
I don't wanna be late for my Bible study.
Thank you again for the ring, Rondell.
I will cherish it and your daddy for the rest of my days.
Daddy, no.
- Daddy, of course.
Uncle Senior, this is Darcia,
stop ignoring me, old man.
- Has it been taken care of?
It's handled.
- You got any details for me?
The less you know, the better, Mr. Mayor.
Just know Perla Ortega won't be able to hurt you
or anyone else you care about ever again.
- Good.
- The son of a bitch played it smart,
firing our key witness and announcing an internal probe
before we issued so much as a warrant.
When we go to the press it's gonna look
like we're playing catch-up.
- He won't get away with this, Karen.
- You're damn right he won't.
We still have Daphne's testimony.
That's enough to indict Lancaster
and several contractors who do business in the city.
- We can't rush this,
we don't have anything solid on Evan.
- Manning was his lover, if she says that it was Evan's idea
to start taking bribes--
- Daphne is a lousy witness.
I know for a fact she's withholding key information.
- She's the only witness we have left
since Herschel Cooper put a gun to his cowardly head.
- If we rush to charge a sitting mayor
and our case is thrown out...
- We'll be the laughing stock of the Department of Justice.
I get it.
- Just give me some more time,
we'll have both Lancaster and Peters dead to rights.
I'm on this.
- You better be.
- I gotta make a quick run to the courthouse,
I'll check in when I get back.
Amara, before you go.
I wanna apologize for not believing you
where Damian Collins was concerned.
What a sicko that guy turned out to be.
- Apology accepted. Damian fooled a lot of people.
Including me.
Hello, Amara.
- Damian, stay back.
We have unfinished business.
- Don't test me, I will use it.
- Titus turned you against me, didn't he?
- Keep my husband's name out your mouth.
- You know, I'm finally starting to realize
the only thing that's standing between us is the love
you think you have for your husband.
- There are very few things that I'm certain of.
And my love for Titus is one of them.
- Deep down you're still the good little church girl
from Texas.
Even though you can't bring yourself to sever the ties.
It's okay. I'll wait.
I'm a patient man.
- You really need help.
- See?
You still care about me. I knew it.
Please tell me that isn't a box
of my dad's old emails.
I don't think my heart
or Purifoy's share price could take it.
- It's some useless memos.
So, I'm guessing you're here to wring me out
about advising the board to settle.
- Actually, on the contrary.
I think you offered sound advice.
- Who are you and what have you done with Lori Purifoy?
- Just trying to be pragmatic.
We were either gonna have to pay now or later.
- This is true.
- We haven't used these old boxes in forever.
Where did you find them?
- Yeah, um, when I was preparing for trial,
I reached out to some folks that used to work here.
You ever hear of a Jessup Highsmith?
He worked in sales.
- Yeah, he died a few years back.
- Yeah, well, his wife was just about
to throw out some boxes he had stored in the attic.
I said I'd take 'em off her hands.
Mostly useless junk, though.
- Yeah.
- You know, maybe with this lawsuit settled,
some of the bad PR Stephanie was constantly generating
can die now.
- I'm gonna have to bust my ass
to redefine how the public sees us.
- Well, if anyone can do it, you can.
- Look, you talk a lot about wanting to change
the culture of Purifoy from inside out.
I thought maybe we could work together to accomplish that.
- Yeah. I'd like that, Lori.
You know, it's about time you and I were on the same page.
- Yeah. Couldn't agree more.
- Alright, I'm here. What is so pressing this time?
- Have a seat, Mother.
- Is this concerning Evan and your dressmaker?
It's about Daddy.
I had my investigator look into some of his more...
questionable actions.
There's no way to soften this particular blow.
Daddy has been laundering money for the Petrovic family
through the Samuel Perkins Foundation.
I'm so sorry, Mother.
You already knew?
How could you know this was taking place
and do nothing to stop it?!
- We were in dire straits.
With the law firm and the foundation.
We found someone to save us.
Novak Petrovic.
That's how he became our client.
Money laundering was just part of the deal.
- And you accepted this?
- Stephen did exactly what you always do.
Whatever it takes to get ahead and stay there.
- I am nothing like my father.
- Of course you are.
You're the perfect blending of your parents.
Stephen's ruthless drive and my... quiet cunning.
Now, the question is...
How do you plan to use that information?
- It's already in motion.
- If I raised you right...
and I know that I have...
your father won't know what struck him.
I'm gonna need you to calm down
and consider a different approach.
You came to me looking for help in securing your inheritance,
not the other way around, remember?
- You told me to drive Rondell so crazy she'd wanna sell.
I tried that.
Thelma's After Dark damn sure didn't work,
all it did was make her dig her heels in deeper
and with a loaded shotgun.
Now she's trying to say I harassed Senior.
- Don't even worry about that.
The undue influence argument is never gonna fly.
Claiming Senior suffered from diminished mental capacity
on the other hand, could work.
- For real? You mean they could say that the will
is null and void because of that?
- It's possible.
- You had me say no to $500,000
and now I could end up with nothing?!
What kind of bullshit you feeding me?
Somebody's gonna get me my money.
- Somebody's gonna remember where they are
and who they're talking to.
- I can't be going back home to Chicago empty-handed,
that's all I'm saying.
- Alright, listen to me and you won't.
Okay? Now our next move has to be tactical and precise.
You play this my way and you will get your payday,
and my client will finally get his hands on Thelma's Place.
- These oxtails were delicious.
Thanks for recommending we meet here.
- Just wanted to make sure we could chat freely, Ben.
- You said on the phone you had some questions for me.
- Yeah, you were Purifoy's Midwest regional
distribution rep back in the 90s, right?
- Yeah, that's right.
- Tell me about Fairburn County, Michigan.
- Why do you wanna open that Pandora's box?
- Well, I just had to settle a class action lawsuit
against Purifoy Pharmaceuticals
to the tune of 2.5 billion dollars,
and I need to make sure nothing else
is gonna pop up from the past to hurt us.
- What do you wanna know?
- I've been piecing together old inventory logs and waybills.
Enough pills to medicate New York City were sent
to that tiny black county over a three-year period.
- That was awful, what was going on.
- Tell me. - Look, I get it.
Sales are sales, right? Purifoy isn't a nonprofit.
We had to generate revenue and Limodol was
a once-in-a-lifetime painkiller.
But when is enough enough?
That's what I used to ask myself.
- You guys were flooding the market
in Fairburn County and some other hotspots.
- Doctors were screaming for it. Still are.
There's a lot of people with pain, Titus.
You know, it's time somebody pulled the covers back
on what was really going on.
- And just what is really going on, Ben?
- You have no idea how much you just helped me.
- It's Ben, we have a problem.
What's all this?
- Proof that you laundered
millions of dirty Petrovic dollars
through the Samuel Perkins Foundation.
I'm taking over Carlisle Perkins, Daddy.
With your blessing.
- You must have had one too many of those Manhattans
if you think that scenario is ever gonna happen.
- It's happening.
- I'm sure you think it is, Stephanie.
Which is why
I'm gonna walk out of this house,
you know, the one you paid for with the trust fund
I set up for your ungrateful ass and pretend
that you did not just try to blackmail your own father.
- You got greedy. And sloppy,
considering how easy it was for me to find the information
to take you down.
Which I will use against you if you don't do what I say.
- Would you send Irene to prison just to usurp me?
'Cause you do realize that you cannot come after me
without incriminating your mother.
- I'll tell you how this is gonna play out.
Mother and I are going to throw you
a tasteful and elegant retirement party
at the compound.
During said party, you will announce
to our gathered friends, family members and colleagues
that you are stepping down as managing partner
of Carlisle Perkins. Immediately.
And naming me your successor.
I will graciously accept and the senior partners
will vote me in.
I will afford you Chairman Emeritus status.
- How generous of you to afford me a title
as you stab me in the back.
- If that dossier gets out,
the entire world will know what you really are.
A common mob lawyer.
And Daddy.
You'll never be able to recover from that.
Excuse me, Daddy.
Stephanie, if you think that I am going
to let you steal my firm, you've gotta--
- It's my firm now, Daddy.
The sooner you realize that, the easier it'll be.
Now, if you'll excuse me.
I've got... another matter that requires my attention.
See you at the party.
- Stephanie, this is not over yet!
Not by a long shot.
Stop ignoring me, Uncle Senior.
You should've paid back that loan my daddy gave you.
Now, we're gonna have some problems
if you don't run me my money immediately.
- I know it sounds harsh, but we'll have a hard time
proving undue influence.
- But what about all those angry texts she sent Daddy?
- I had my reservations at first, but our best argument
is that Pop revised his will during the period
when he was suffering from mini strokes.
I consulted with a number of attorney friends of mine
who've won using this argument.
Once we're through this,
we'll go back to honoring Pop the way he deserves.
- And what if that doesn't work?
- Then we'll find another way.
- You don't even care about Thelma's Place the way I do.
Why are you fighting so hard?
- 'Cause you are my sister.
I won't let that greedy grifter take Thelma's Place
away from you.
Aw.
- No, no, no, get in here. Get in here.
I love you so much.
- I love you.
- We checked your new security system.
Damian Collins hasn't been anywhere near the premises.
- Okay, great, thank you.
Now, if you could just find him and arrest him
for violating the restraining order.
- We're on it. In the meantime, AUSA Hughes,
there will be an FBI detail watching your house tonight.
- Okay, thank you.
Good night, gentlemen. - Good night.
- Okay?
- For someone who was nearly turned into a human torch?
I'm doing great.
- If you hadn't showed up-- - But I did.
That's all that matters.
You're safe now.
What did you do with her?
You're better off not knowing. - What the hell
does that mean, Evan? - That woman kidnapped our son.
She murdered my executive protection officer,
and you're worried about what happens to her?
- Perla isn't well, Evan. She needs treatment.
- Don't worry, Perla is getting all the treatment she needs.
- Alix being found dead in Perla's apartment
is all over the news.
The police aren't just going to stop looking for her, Evan.
What if they find where you have her stashed?
- You worry too much. - You don't worry enough!
Perla knows everything.
- You forget who the chief of police reports to?
Listen, let's give the subject of Perla and Alix a rest
for the evening.
- Don't you just get tired of it all?
All the lying and all the covering up?
- At least there's never a dull moment.
- I'm serious, Evan. Our relationship taints
everything it touches.
- It didn't taint Joaquin.
No matter what else happens to us,
we produced a beautiful son.
- Thank you for saving my life.
Anytime.
- Well, I guess I better be going.
- Evan.
I'm sorry. For everything.
The dick pics, Roderick, all my crazy stunts
to get your attention.
- I'm sorry for trying to control you.
You are your own woman, not my possession,
I get that now.
- Bella, I love you.
- You wanted to see me, Mr. Carlisle?
- Yes, Marty, please, come on in.
Have a seat.
Listen, Marty, I, um, I wanted to discuss the...
challenge to Evan Lancaster Senior's will by the mayor
and his sister.
- At the time, I thought nothing of it,
but in hindsight, I believe Mr. Lancaster may have
suffered a mini stroke in one of our meetings.
- This is for reasons that I won't go into.
We need to affirm that he was of sound mind and body
when he executed that will.
And not only that, we're gonna need
his medical doctor to co-sign on that as well.
Now, that might prove expensive, getting him on board,
but you let me know
and I will handle that end of things.
- You want the challenge to the will to fail?
- Well, in the grand scheme of things,
it's gonna be best for all concerned.
- I could get disbarred for what you're asking.
- Or...
you could become the next junior partner
here at Carlisle Perkins.
And a very rich young woman.
And Marty.
You may have heard some rumblings
about a power change around here.
Don't believe the rumors.
I will be calling the shots here at Carlisle Perkins
for a very long time.
We understand each other?
- We do, sir. - Good.
You let me know how things progress.
- Will do.
- What time does Thelma's After Dark start?
- Ain't gon' be no more Thelma's After Dark.
Never again. Bye, Big Charlie.
- I was supposed to meet Tyrell and 'em up here!
- Stephanie, what--
How did you get in here?
- Quite easily.
I simply told the doorman the truth.
I own the place.
Did you give Evan a nice kiss goodbye before he left?
- I can explain.
- Explain what, dear?
How you've been having sex with my husband
behind my back for years?
How he's been stealing from me and my children
to... provide you with this loudly decorated
monstrosity of a loft?
How that little boy you're always pawning off
on your waitress mother is my husband's little bastard?
- Don't call him that. - I'll call him
whatever the hell I want.
And you will stand there and you will take it,
you deceitful little wretch!
You and Evan have had your last laughs
at my expense.
- We never laughed at you. - I trusted you!
I invited you...
...into my home after I thought you'd been robbed,
for god's sake!
What was it, some kind of perverse sex game
between the two of you?!
Did you do him under my roof?!
- No, we didn't, I swear!
- Bella, Bella, Bella, you better enjoy this
while you can, because... I'm taking it all from you.
This loft.
Your company.
What little reputation you have.
It'll all be obliterated once I'm done with you.
Hell, I might even sue you for custody
over little... Julio.
I am his stepmother, after all.
- Threaten me all you want, Stephanie,
but stay away from my son.
- Like you stayed away from my husband?
- Life as you know it is over.
You home-wrecking little slut.
- Not this time, you little firearm fetishist.
- I don't have time for your bullshit, Damian.
- Don't worry, this won't take long.
Just thought you'd like to see my latest filmmaking project.
STEPHANIE ON VIDEO:
- You son of a bitch.
- Not a fan of cinema verité, I see.
I have to admit, the sex scene was interesting,
I mean, who new an ice queen like Stephanie Lancaster
could be so flexible?
My favorite part of the flick, though,
was that exposition about how your dad hired some thug
to take the fall for your father-in-law's murder?
No, no, no, wait, was it when you and mommy dearest
were talking about laundering money
through your family's foundation?
- How much will it take to make you
and that... video go away?
- You can't really put a price tag on art,
but... 20 million dollars and a private plane
to fly me out the country should get the bids going.
- 20 million dollars?
You're more insane than I thought!
- You were insane to ever think you could wind me up
like one of your little dolls and get away with it.
- And if I refuse?
- I'll show the world just how crooked
all you Carlisles really are.
- Hey, baby.
- Hey, babe, where are you?
- On my way home with a box of your favorite cupcakes.
- That's sweet, you didn't have to do that.
Listen, you know that pay dirt I was looking for--
Titus!
Next time, on "Ambitions..."
- Your husband was taken directly from the ER
into pre-op. - I have to see him!
- That's not possible.
Whatever deal you think you made
might as well have been signed in invisible ink.
- Read it and weep, cuz.
What makes you so sure that I'm gonna go along
with your plot to overthrow me?
- It's time, Daddy.
- Welcome, everyone. This is the beginning
of a new day for Carlisle Perkins.
- Stephanie is never gonna back down.
You can't control your wife.
- Give me one good reason why the next bullet
shouldn't go between your eyes.