Lipstick Jungle Episode 2.01 Chapter Eight: Pandora's Box

A few months have passed since we have seen Victory, Nico and Wendy. They are dressed in black and attending a funeral. Rewind to five days earlier, in Nico's apartment with Charles bringing home the framed photograph of Nico's naked backside that Kirby took. Charles purchased it in a gallery in Manhattan for Nico. She meets with Victory and Wendy later to discuss Charles' gift, thinking he has known about Kirby all along.

While Nico and the girls are having drinks, Wendy notices her scantily dressed daughter entering the bar with friends, using a fake ID. Wendy, shocked, grabs Maddie and her friends and escorts them all out of the bar. The next morning, Wendy informs her that she is grounded and will be spending all of her time at home because of her behavior choices. Hoping for some guidance, Wendy consults with Shane on Maddie's behavior.

Joe pays Victory a visit to check in on her and the business. He tries to explain to Victory that he has missed her, but she keeps the conversation to business. They are then interrupted by Dahlia Morales, Victory's new publicist. Nico decides to pay Kirby a visit on the basketball court to discuss the photo her husband purchased. She was hoping Kirby could have the gallery ask for it back. While talking, the two share a moment, but it quickly turns sour when Kirby puts the situation into perspective for Nico.

Dahlia and Victory are looking for a store location to expand the Victory Ford business and brand. Just as they exit a potential store location, Victory catches Nico grabbing a cab. Nico fesses up to seeing Kirby. While Victory tries to give her some advice, Dahlia offers up another solution. According to Dahlia, women are increasing their sexual pleasure with a new procedure that has just hit the market. Nico, unsure and uncomfortable with the conversation having just met Dahlia, takes the information but quickly leaves the two women to continue their search for the perfect location.

Back at Parador Pictures, Wendy is passing off work to Sal so she can spend more time at home with Maddie and the family. Then her mother calls to let her know she is in the city. She has already checked into a hotel, but Wendy offers for her to stay with them. To her surprise, her mother accepts the invitation. Upstairs in the Bonfire offices, Nico decides to call about the new "procedure" after a strained conversation with Charles.

Wendy and her mother are picking up some groceries at the local farmers market for dinner later that night. Wendy's mom is highly opinionated about everything from her job, to her choices in food, to how she is raising her children -- and simply does not hold back. Dahlia has just shown Victory another location that she has absolutely fallen in love with. However, it appears Joe Bennett owns the building and Victory quickly changes her mind about wanting to sign a lease.

Nico walks into Wendy's office to let her know that she and Charles won't be able to make dinner that night with her mother. Once Wendy realizes that Nico had the "procedure" Victory told her about, she becomes concerned. Wendy tries to get to the root of why Nico had the procedure. After listening, Wendy encourages Nico to come clean to Charles about the affair. At home, Wendy prepares dinner while her mother sits with Maddie and offers her opinion on Wendy's cooking skills and life choices.

After sharing an awkward moment with Charles in the bedroom, Nico confesses to him about her affair with Kirby. Upset, Charles won't discuss it further and walks away, but only after telling her that he hasn't cheated on her. The following morning, Shane and Wendy decide to take a shower together to enjoy some private time while her mother and the kids get ready for school; time they haven't had much of lately due to their crazy work schedules.

Dahlia reminds Victory that she was hired to brand her company and that at the end of the day, she would only be hurting herself by not renting that space from Joe Bennett for her store. Back at Nico's, she walks into the bedroom to find Charles packing his suitcase. After a doctor's appointment, his cardiologist has scheduled him for a bypass surgery the following morning. At the hospital the next day, Nico, Victory and Wendy are in the gift shop when they run into Megan, Charles' student who had shown interest in his health when he'd had a heart attack. After a heated exchange in the gift shop, where Megan explains to Nico that she is with Charles and having his child, Nico rushes home. There, Nico discovers photographs of her with Kirby; it appears Charles had her followed and has known of the affair all along.

On the morning of Charles' funeral, Victory and Wendy help Nico get ready. But, Nico has overindulged in a bottle of scotch trying to numb the pain of Charles deeper betrayl. Nico explains to both Wendy and Victory that Charles was working up a case against her to prove abandonment so she would be required to pay him alimony. That way he and his pregnant student could move on with life together. Nico, at her breaking point, doesn't think she can make it through the funeral, but pulls it together with the help of her friends and a little more scotch.

After the funeral, Wendy and Victory leave Nico to cope with her loss. Victory and Joe exchange a few words after the funeral about their relationship and business dealings. Victory lets him know that all she wants from him is a business relationship, nothing more, and to prove it she plans on taking the lease in his building. She explains to him that it's the best thing for her brand, and by not taking it, she would only hurt herself.

Wendy speaks to her mom about the growing concern about Nico after the funeral. Her mom however takes the opportunity to criticize Wendy's career choices and parenting decisions. After a difficult conversation, they share a touching moment and seem to call a truce, at least for the time being.

Nico, alone, wanders the streets of NYC, taking in the sights of families, students, and children. Victory is signing the appropriate lease paperwork with Joe Bennett at the new store location. Wendy is home reading while her mom and Maddie spend some time bonding. Then, after wandering the streets, Nico hops in a taxi and finally feels the benefits of her new "procedure" when the ride becomes a little bumpy; she also just happens to be reading Kirby's card from the funeral.