16. Ophelia

Ophelia breaks into Carmichael's office searching for missing files about her parents' deaths and discovers a stolen master key in Alex's possession. After a tense confrontation with the chancellor reveals he knew her parents didn't die accidentally, she encounters Alex in the forest where their charged antagonism shifts into undeniable attraction—though Ophelia insists their connection is only academic and flees to maintain distance.

Ophelia wakes at five in the morning gripped by panic about the arriving helicopter and decides to retrieve the folder from Carmichael's office regarding her parents' death case. She dupes Eva, the chancellor's secretary, into leaving by reporting a false alarm about Eva's car, then searches Carmichael's files only to discover that the November folder from the year her parents died is missing. An email from Alan Sine arrives, triggering a flirtatious exchange before Alex unexpectedly enters the office. Ophelia hides beneath the sofa as Alex and Carmichael discuss some proposition involving section four and Green Aviation, during which Alex and Ophelia conduct a suggestive email exchange. After they leave, Carmichael returns and Ophelia confronts him directly about knowing her parents' deaths were not accidental. He refuses to provide details, dismisses her investigation, and warns her to stop digging, ultimately revealing he sits on the board of Green Aviation. Escaping the office, Ophelia encounters Alex in the forest path, and their familiar antagonism dissolves into intense physical and emotional proximity. He admits he thinks about her constantly and questions whether she's involved with Shawn Miller. Though she lies and claims she is, Alex notes the contradiction and later reveals his awareness of her distress and emotional state. They return to the mansion together, where Alex demonstrates understanding of her need for crosswords as a mental cage, leaving Ophelia unsettled by their growing connection. She abruptly excuses herself, fleeing to her room where she struggles with the realization that she is becoming fonder of him.