05x07 - Hitting Home

[bunniefuu]

You walked out of our session because you didn't wants...

To talk about your mother.

You're insane.

And you're a self-serving narcissist Who will do or say anything to get what he wants.

It's my sister's company. I'll give you her business.

All you have to do is handle her divorce.

All right, I'll do it.

Promise me you won't sleep with Esther.

The last thing I want to do is sleep with your sister.

Would you like to take me home tonight?

I would.

Jack Soloff signed Fletcher as a client and now I have to let McKernon go.

I'm sorry you're in this position right now.

I'm not the one who put you in it.

Jack Soloff is.

This is your last chance to work with me.

Take it and you have a future, don't and you can go ask Daniel Hardman for a job.

I'm ready to talk about my mother.

[door closes]

[woman laughing in other room]

Mom?

Mom?

Harvey.

What are you-- what are you doing here?

I got sent home from school.

I threw up.

Oh, well, let's get you to bed.

Hey, Lil, I was thinking that--

Who's that?

Honey, you remember our cousin-- my cousin Scott?

Hey.

No.

Course you do. He's cousin Judy's brother.

I don't feel good.

Oh, yeah, you're burning up.

Let's get you to bed.

And let's not tell Dad about cousin Scott.

Okay? 'Cause they don't get along.

Come on.

You poor thing.

"You poor thing." That's what stuck with me.

She said "You poor thing," but she didn't give a sh*t about me.

And did you know what you saw?

No, I just knew something was wrong.

And you didn't tell your father?

She told me not to.

And you trusted her?

I did.

Harvey, I never thought I'd be saying this to you, but I'm proud.

It took an amazing amount of courage to tell me that.

We're not gonna hug, are we?

[chuckles] No, we're not.

But it does feel good to end a session on a positive note for once.

Peterson case, huh?

I remember when I used to handle that assh*le.

Funny, I don't remember inviting you into my office.

Oh, yeah, that's right, it must be because it's something that I would never do.

Listen, Mike, I know I pulled some sh*t with you and Louis, but I'm here to make things right with you.

Not interested.

Just hear me out.

What the hell is this?

It's a case that's tailor-made for someone with a hedge fund background.

New York Teacher's Pension Fund just lost 30% of their annual income.

They put half their portfolio in derivatives without hedging?

Not just derivatives. Derivatives created and marketed by Straussbank to increase their own revenue.

[chuckles]

Sorry, Jack, I don't work with people that I don't trust and I don't trust somebody who comes to me saying their trying to make things right without a good reason.

You want the reason? Jessica told me to.

Yeah, well, she didn't tell me.

And until she does... you can get out of my office.

The Simon brief is on your desk and I moved your Wednesday noon meeting to five.

Why'd you do that?

Because Anthony Kimball's most honest with a drink in him.

And on top of that, I wouldn't want you to have to work too hard on your birthday.

What? It's not my birthday.

Oh, come on, you can tell me.

What is it? 48? 49?

The big 6-0?

A: I'm not the one pushing 60.

You better not be talking to me.

B: If it were, I'd be drinking with someone a lot prettier than Anthony Kimball.

Then why is Wednesday night permanently blocked out on your calendar?

Donna.

Harvey.

You look busy.

I look busy because I am busy.

Too busy to join me at Del Posto on Wednesday night?

Harvey, we don't need to do that anymore.

Then why did you leave it permanently blocked off on my calendar?

Because I did that a long time ago and when I left your desk I forgot to undo it.

Then why don't we pretend that you forgot to undo it on purpose?

I don't work for you anymore.

What would we be celebrating?

Instead of celebrating the day you came to my desk, how about we celebrate... two weeks of being on decent terms?

It's only been a week and a half.

Seriously, Donna?

I don't just want to be on decent terms.

I want to get back to being friends.

That's really nice, Harvey.

See you Wednesday night.

[upbeat music]

♪ ♪

Thank you.

Jessica.

What a pleasant surprise.

I think we both know that it isn't.

Pleasant? Or a surprise?

Either.

Because we also both know that Jack Soloff came to see you before I did.

Is there a problem with that?

There is if you're colluding with one of my partners to take over my firm.

Jack came to me asking for advice about how to land a new client.

He was so determined I was suddenly reminded of Harvey's first client.

McKernon Motors.

A client he cared so much about he gave up a promotion just to keep his word.

It's hard to forget a move like that.

It's also hard to forget your history of worming your way back into my firm.

So, if you're looking for someone to mentor, Daniel, go find yourself an afterschool program.

But stay the hell outta my house.

Jessica...

I have no interest in your shitty firm and I don't have to enter your house to damage it.

You did that all by yourself the second you let Fletcher Engines go.

Jack tell you that?

Fletcher Engines told everyone that.

And you told your entire firm that you care more about Harvey Specter than you do about them.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting in my new office.

It's so nice to be back in the city.

♪ See the money, wanna stay for your meal ♪
♪ Get another piece of pie for your wife ♪
♪ Everybody wanna know how it feel ♪
♪ Everybody wanna see what it's like ♪
♪ I'll even eat a bean pie, I don't mind ♪
♪ Me and Missy is so busy, busy making money ♪
♪ All right ♪
♪ All step back, I'm 'bout to dance ♪
♪ Suits 5x07 ♪
Hitting Home
Original Air Date on August 5, 2015

♪ The greenback boogie ♪

Clean out your things and get the hell out of my firm.

What?

I gave you one last chance to play nice, and you blew it.

How did I blow it?

Oh, you're going to deny that you've been spreading word around the office that I told you to drop Fletcher Engines?

Yes. I'm gonna deny it, because I didn't do it.

Then how the hell does everybody know?

Because I told them when I signed Fletcher.

Which I wouldn't have done if I'd known you were gonna drop them because it made me look like sh*t.

Well, it didn't make me come out smelling like a rose either.

And your mentor seems to have known that.

He's not my mentor.

I went to him for advice, and all it got me was almost getting fired.

But you said you'd give me one more chance, and I've been trying to take it.

Give me one good example of that.

I approached Mike Ross to work with me this morning.

And by the way, he spat in my face.

[sighs]

Jessica... you made your point and I heard you.

If you're just gonna fire me anyway, why give me the chance in the first place?

A joke? Uh, do you hear me laughing?

10% is 11% more than you deserve.

I--

What the hell?

This better be important.

I was just about to close a deal.

I just heard a rumor that Jack Soloff signed Fletcher Engines.

That's ridiculous--everyone knows we can't sign Fletcher if we represent McKernon.

I'll tell you what everyone knows, Louis.

Jack signed Fletcher.

Jessica forced him to drop them, and the only reason Jack would have done that in the first place is if you were fired by McKernon.

Harvey, I can explain.

God damn it. I knew it.

Just wait a minute. Harvey, listen to me.

Jack set us up.

He acted as if he was cooperating when all along he was looking to blow up the deal.

Why the hell didn't you come to me when it happened?

Because we wanted to fix it ourselves.

Wanting to fix it yourself is the cause of every problem you and I have ever had, and now you're teaching that bullshit to Mike?

You know what, Mike and I worked on that deal together, and we kicked ass.

I'm happy, Mike's happy, Dominic's happy, and I'll tell you why.

Because I'm a damn good attorney, and you know it.

So if that's the only thing you came in here for, I would like to close my deal now.

Mr. Specter, Esther Litt just called.

She has an urgent matter. Needs to see you right away.

Did she say what it was about?

No. Just not to tell her brother.

Oh, so this is where the little people get their caffeine.

I'm guessing you're not here to have a breakfast bar.

I've never had a breakfast bar in my life.

I want to thank you for taking on that pension case with Jack Soloff.

I didn't take on the pension case with Jack Soloff.

Yes, you did.

Jessica, no.

You can't make me work with that man.

I can make you work with the g*dd*mn window washers if I want to.

And if you don't do this, you might find yourself dangling 50 stories above the ground.

Why?

Because I asked Jack to make peace, and you're the one he chose to reach out to, so you're the one to do this.

I guess I meant why don't you just fire him?

If I fired every ambitious attorney that ever took me on, there'd be nobody left here but me and Harold Gunderson.

Wait a second--you know who Harold Gunderson is?

I know who everybody is.

And before you say one more word, if I ever start handing out pink slips for troublemakers, you'd be the first in line.

[softly] Right.

I came here as soon as I got your message.

I don't do that for most people.

So much for hard to get.

I think we're past that.

Did Jeffrey get greedy again?

No. A man named Kenneth Jackson is claiming my nut-free muffins put him in anaphylactic shock.

What happened? Too much gluten?

Not enough gluten?

Harvey, this isn't funny. This is my company, and my entire brand is based on quality.

I'm sorry. I'll take it seriously.

Thank you.

Don't thank me. Thank Louis.

Because he's gonna handle this case.

What?

This is a business matter, not personal.

And I'm not stealing Louis's client.

You're not stealing me. You already handled my divorce.

Are you gonna tell me that Louis is a better lawyer than you?

No. I'm gonna tell you that he's a damn good lawyer, and he'd do anything to project you.

That's not the point.

I need this to go away quietly, and Louis doesn't do anything quietly.

Then tell him that.

He never listens to me.

Then get him to listen or get another law firm, because I'm not taking this case.

Harvey, I don't need another firm.

I need you.

You know what I think?

I think you want to go out with me again, and you came to me with this because you're afraid to say it to me.

I don't believe you!

You think I concocted a lawsuit against my own company just to tell a man I've already been with that I like him?

Sure looks that way.

In that case, I guess I do have the wrong man for the job.

Thank you for taking the time.

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

Please let him know I'm here.

Esther.

What are you doing here?

I thought I was very clear yesterday.

I'm not taking your case.

You were clear.

I'm here to see Louis.

But it's nice to see your ego's as strong as ever.

I'm sorry...and I didn't mean to be such a d*ck yesterday.

It's okay, Harvey. I know what you did.

You accused me of what you accused me of, so I will go to Louis.

So you're not mad at me?

It was actually sweet... in a d*ck-ish sort of way.

That's my specialty.

Thanks, Harvey.

Hi, Esther, I'm Donna Paulsen.

I'm the--

I know who you are.

You're the best thing that's ever happened to my brother.

Oh. Well, you don't know the half of it.

Anyway, I hope I didn't put you to too much trouble on short notice.

Oh, nonsense.

Louis was thrilled when he heard you were coming in.

What was so g*dd*mn important that I had to cancel my entire morning?

I swear he was happy to do it.

And you and I are having lunch the second whatever it is you're here for is over.

Want a sip?

Is that a prunie?

No! I can't believe you still drink that crap.

You know I've got Grandma Gertie's spastic colon.

What he hell are you doing here?

I'm being sued.

[chuckles] Holy sh*t.

Your shitty muffins really did give someone salmonella.

It's not salmonella, and Louis, this is serious.

It's my company.

All right, I'm sorry.

Well, does he have a leg to stand on?

Of course not.

I do an audit of every supplier every three months.

Are you sure? Because if we're gonna go after him with everything we've got--

Louis, we're not going after him at all.

I want to settle this quickly and quietly.

Esther... you settle, you look guilty.

This is a shakedown, pure and simple.

I know that, but I don't care.

This is a business decision.

And that's why I'm trying to stop others from doing the same thing. I'm telling you, I know what I'm doing.

I didn't say you don't.

No, you're just telling me how to do my job.

Louis, I came to you because you're my brother, and I am telling you, this is what I need.

All right, we'll settle.

Thank you, Louis.

No, thank you.

For what?

For not going to Harvey.

Once he handled your divorce, I would have thought you'd want him to handle everything.

[poignant music]

♪ ♪

Harvey, make yourself comfortable.

Can I get you a mimosa?

No, thanks. I just stopped by to eat my morning bagel and ask why Jack Soloff tried to sign Fletcher Engines and you didn't tell me.

I didn't tell you because I was busy fixing it.

And did fixing it involve figuring out that he went to Daniel Hardman?

As a matter of fact, it did.

You saw Hardman.

I did, and it didn't take long, because he's back in New York.

Let me guess.

He said he had nothing to do with any of this.

Yep. He said he was just giving Jack some helpful advice.

Well, I think it's time we gave Jack some helpful advice of our own, like get your ass another job.

Now, Harvey, I met with Jack.

He says he's done confiding in Hardman, and I've decided to consider the matter closed.

You telling me you trust that clown?

Now, I may look damn good for my age, but I wasn't born yesterday.

You want to know how deep it goes with him and Hardman, don't you?

I sure as hell do.

Which is why I asked Mike to work with Jack and play nice, and you better not get in the way.

This doesn't look like a "forgive me for being a d*ck" card.

It's not. It's a 28-page interrogatory for Straussbank.

Thanks.

What are you doing?

You told me you don't work with people you don't trust.

Neither do I.

You don't have to trust me to understand that the shady sh*t at Straussbank starts at the top.

All the way to the top?

There's a 50-50 chance that the CEO knows.

The CFO had to know.

All we have to do is get their emails.

That's easy. We agree not to pursue criminal charges, they'll hand emails over right now.

We can't give up the thr*at of going to prison.

That's what gives us leverage. We have to go to court.

Going to court will take forever.

I just went through the same thing with Robert Zane.

Why don't you pick up the phone and ask him who turned out to be right?

You know, I heard you were cocky, but I had no idea.

You're the one who came to me looking to make peace.

You wanna make peace or not?

All right. We'll try it your way.

Rachel, what can I do for you?

I heard about Esther, and I was hoping I could help.

I appreciate the offer, but I'm gonna take care of this one myself.

And I'm not trying to interfere.

I just thought it would be nice to learn from the most talented, diligent, and respected partner that we have here.

Yeah, you're just trying to butter me up.

Is it working?

Handsome.

Listen to me.

She's my sister.

She's being sued.

Last time she had a problem, she went to Harvey, but this time she's coming to me, and I'm not gonna farm any of it out.

Can you understand that?

The reason I want on this case is that I admire Esther and her company, and if someone's coming at her with a frivolous lawsuit, then...I don't care how little I do.

I just want to help you.

Paperwork's right here.

Jack: Your Honor, as you can see, there's been clear negligence at best, deliberate deception at worst.

Not to mention a breach of fiduciary duty.

I'm inclined to agree.

Your honor, the only thing that's clear is his clients chose a risky investment.

That's not deception on our part.

The deception is he created those derivatives, he knew how risky they were, and he sold them to us anyway.

I have $2 billion in investment funds.

You think I review every investment?

I don't know, but you sure as hell reviewed this one.

And where's your proof?

We don't have any...yet.

Which is why we're requesting access to these emails.

This isn't about getting their emails.

This is about determining if trial's moving forward.

And it is.

I'll set the email discovery hearing for three weeks.

Three weeks?

Uh, your Honor, my wife has surgery in three weeks.

I'd like to request an additional month.

Bullshit she has surgery.

Scheduled C-section at Columbia Presbyterian.

Then put someone else on the case.

That's not how it works.

If I may...

If we agree not to pursue criminal charges in this matter, will you give us the emails within the week?

You agree to that right here, I'll give 'em to you tomorrow.

Then we have a deal.

Wanna tell me what kind of kickback you're getting?

Excuse me?

You went behind my back.

I didn't do anything behind your back.

I did it in front of your face.

You know what I mean-- you gave up on leverage by handing him a get out of jail free card, which means you're either in their pocket or you're using this case so you can sign them once it's over.

What did you just say to me?

You heard me.

You shook that guy's hand like you were his g*dd*mn cousin.

You listen to me. If they wanted to be my client, I'd take them. But I didn't do that to kiss his ass.

I did it to get what we needed.

We already had what we needed.

No, we didn't.

We had a hearing on it in seven weeks, and that C-section bullshit was just the tip of the iceberg.

Between now and then, they'd have figured out a way to put it off for another two years.

You don't know that.

Yes, I do.

I said I would try it your way, and it didn't work.

Well, now those emails are coming.

Are you gonna help me or not?

Louis, I need to talk to you--we have a problem.

What's wrong?

What's wrong is Kenneth Jackson's lawyer.

Her name's Lisbeth Wexler, and this isn't her first frivolous suit.

Well, it never is with these people.

That doesn't mean we can't settle.

Okay. You don't understand.

I went through dozens of her cases.

Every time she gets an offer, she threatens to go public with it.

sh*t.

What?

That's exactly what I was afraid of.

Okay, well, then you know it's not a big deal.

We can handle it, but we can't give them an offer.

No, you don't understand.

I tried to tell Esther this might happen, but then she made me promise that I would make this thing go away without any trouble.

Okay, well, if we don't do something other than settle, she's in for a hell of a lot more trouble.

Harvey: He didn't really say that.

Oh, not only did he say it, but I had to transcribe it word for word off his Dictaphone.

[laughs]

What?

No, I just realized I haven't thought about Jack Soloff and his bullshit for two hours.

Glad we did this, Harvey.

Me, too. We should do it more often.

Well, I'm not sure how Mitchell would feel about that.

Who's Mitchell?

He's the man that I've been seeing for the last six weeks.

He's... he's smart and he's funny and... best of all, he has nothing to do with the practice of law.

I'm happy for you, Donna.

Thanks.

And the reason I told you is so that you'll know that I'm not jealous when I say... you need to tell Louis you've been sleeping with Esther.

What?

Oh, please.

It took me all of two seconds to put it together after I saw you two mooning over each other this morning.

It's not what you think.

We bonded together during her divorce proceedings.

Harvey, you said you wanted to be friends.

This is me being your friend.

Friends don't accuse each other of things.

I'm not accusing you. I'm looking out for you.

How is that looking out for me?

Because, like I said, you need to tell him.

Well, you know what? I don't need to do that because, for once, your radar is off.

We haven't been sleeping together.

We slept together one time.

What difference does that make?

You promised him you wouldn't do it at all.

Donna, Louis isn't rational on his best days with issues that don't involve his sister, Now, how is he going to take it if I do what you're asking?

And how do you think he's gonna react when he finds out you kept this from him?

He's not gonna find out.

Yes, he is.

Because I didn't have to be me to see the way you two looked at each other.

And someday Louis is gonna see that, too.

Donna, I appreciate you telling me this as a friend.

Now, as a friend, I'm telling you to mind your own business.

I was right. You cut them some side deal.

What the hell are you talking about?

I went through all their emails and I found them nothing tying them to anything.

Which means you knew they would leave some emails out and you let it go to get something out of it.

I didn't know they would leave anything out, but I thought they might and I am gonna get something out of it, but it's not what you think.

What are you talking about?

Your idea of threatening prison was right, but nobody ever went to jail for selling shitty securities.

They go to jail for destroying evidence.

So, instead of proving to some jury that doesn't understand securities law that these guys knew the risks of their investments--

All we have to do is prove they deleted some emails.

[scoffs]

I'm sorry.

Take a seat.

You know that's the second time in two days that you jumped right to me being the bad guy?

Well, you have to admit, my experience with how you treated me and Louis was you being the bad guy.

Fair enough.

But were you there when Louis lied to my face about backing me in a meeting?

Or when he told Jessica that I did something awful that he, in fact, did?

No, I wasn't.

But you do know him and what he's capable of.

And you're somehow on good terms with him.

I'm on good terms with him because I've seen other sides of him.

Well, I have other sides, too.

I may have done some office backstabbing, but I have never done anything to indicate to you that I would do something illegal.

Which is what you came in here accusing me of.

Okay, Jack.

You can have a chance to show me another side of yourself, too.

I told you to settle this thing!

And I'm trying to.

Then why did I just get a notice that the FDA is investigating my company?

What?

What did you do?

I was gonna settle, but then Rachel found out their lawyer has history of blackmailing companies so our only option was to counter-sue.

You filed a counter-suit against my explicit instructions?

You know what, Esther? You came to me for help, and I don't tell you how to bake your muffins.

Because you don't know the first thing about my business.

And you don't know the first thing about mine.

I don't have to. I know you.

And you've got a chip on your shoulder the size of Montana and when it comes out, you make everything worse.

You know what, Esther?

I was right to do what I did.

And, for once, I'm not gonna let you treat me like I'm less than you.

[chuckles] Less than me?

Yes, less than you!

I'm always your buffoon brother.

Well, not this time.

You had no right to do this without asking me!

I didn't ask you because you wouldn't have listened.

No, you never listen!

Which is why I wanted to go to Harvey in the first place!

What?

You heard me.

How could you betray me like that?

I wasn't betraying you.

I was looking out for myself.

If you were looking out for yourself, then why did you lie to me about going to him?

Because you're always jealous whenever I ask anyone else to do anything.

You're my brother, Louis, not my boyfriend.

If you wanted Harvey so much, why don't you go to him right now?

I can't.

Because when I went to him, he told me I should trust you.

He really said that?

He didn't just say that.

He said you were a damn good lawyer.

I am a damn good lawyer.

But I should have told you.

Well...

What are we gonna do now?

That depends on if you think you can trust me or not.

I can.

Morning, Louis.

Good morning.

Where the hell were you? I text you like 18 times.

Yes, and if it had been an emergency, I would have called you back.

It was an emergency.

Louis, running out of paper clips is not an emergency.

I know, it's just that I... needed you, and I couldn't reach you, and that's never happened before.

I was having dinner with Harvey.

Harvey?

Yes.

We're trying to stay friends.

Friends?

Yes, friends.

I'm not going back to him, Louis.

What? I know that.

How'd it go?

It was fine.

He didn't happen to bring up Esther, did he?

What? Why would he do that?

Because apparently, she went to him before she came to me.

Well, he did handle her divorce.

I know, it's just... you don't think it's possible that anything happened between them, do you?

I don't know, Louis, I mean...

Look, I do know that we talked about a lot of things last night, and Esther wasn't one of them.

[scoffs] You're right.

Harvey would never make a promise like that to me and then break it.

I'm glad you had a nice dinner, Donna.

[tense music]

♪ ♪

What the hell is this?

It's a stack of emails they left out.

How did you get them?

Doesn't matter how I got them. It matters that I got them.

It does matter, because if you got them illegally, then we can't use them, and you know it.

I didn't get them illegally.

Then why won't you tell me where you got them?

Because there are some things I like to keep to myself.

And didn't you give me a speech about getting to know different sides of you?

Well, this is a different side of me.

Are you gonna trust it or not?

Jack: Gentlemen, I'm so glad you could see us on such short notice.

Well, you scratched our backs.

I think we can scratch yours.

What kind of settlement are you looking for?

We're not looking for a settlement.

We're looking for you to give up your CEO.

What?

He's not giving anyone up.

You've waived your rights to criminal charges in this matter.

Yeah, we're not talking about this matter.

We're talking about conspiracy to hide evidence.

That's 200 emails from your analyst laughing about the suckers that you all ripped off.

[whispers] sh*t.

Relax. There's no way he got those legally.

You're right, we didn't.

What?

God damn it, you told me--

I know what I told you, Jack, but you wouldn't have let me come here if I told you the truth.

And the truth... is that we also got this one illegally.

That's your CEO saying that if push comes to shove, he's gonna throw you under the bus.

And you really want to take a chance that we won't figure out a way to find these others legally?

You've got 200 people in your firm?

We're gonna offer every single one of them immunity to admit they exist.

And when they do, either your CEO is going down, or you are.

[stirring music]

♪ ♪

Lisbeth: Glad you came to your senses and called us to settle.

Well, clearly, Mr. Jackson has suffered great physical harm.

I just don't want anyone else to be hurt.

Yeah, that'd be a shame. Then who would you have to sue?

Excuse me?

Sit down.

Now, we're here because my sister wanted to give you $50,000 to make this thing go away, but I didn't listen to her.

So I'm gonna throw in an extra $50,000 of my own.

It doesn't matter.

Because if you think we're gonna settle for $100,000, you're wasting our time.

The $100,000 isn't to settle this.

It's to have your client admit that you approached him after he had a public episode and then instructed him to say that it was within five minutes of eating one of our muffins.

You have no proof of that.

No, we don't.

But he's on record for making a false statement to a federal agency, which means when we do have proof, you're gonna be in prison for a very, very long time.

$100,000?

Kenneth, you'll get 20 times that when we win.

Maybe this'll help you decide, Kenneth.

What's that?

It's a list of all the other people you've done this with.

What?

Oh, did you think you were her first?

You were not.

Whoever rolls over first gets the money, then the rest get to line up for orange jump suits.

That's enough. We're leaving.

What do I have to do?

Esther, what are you doing here?

I came to give you this.

This is a $100,000 check.

It's for Kenneth Jackson.

We're splitting this.

No, we're not.

You were right.

I never should have tried to settle with him in the first place.

You saved me more than that.

I don't know what to say.

Say you'll forgive me.

I don't think you're a buffoon, Louis, and I never have.

But I didn't realize how good a lawyer you were until I saw it myself.

I appreciate that.

But I know how hard you worked to make your business happen, and I know what you gave up, and there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell that I was gonna let someone take advantage of you.

[whispers] Thanks, Louis.

Thank you.

Hey.

Do you wanna get dinner tonight?

I can't tonight. How about tomorrow night?

Tomorrow night is perfect.

What do you say we also invite Donna?

That'd be really nice.

Come by just to tell me how impressive I was today?

I came by to ask you why you still don't trust me.

Who says I don't trust you?

You didn't tell me that evidence was obtained illegally.

Jack...I told you the truth.

Those emails weren't obtained illegally because... they weren't even real.

What?

I know how traders talk.

I know exactly what they'd say, so...

I just wrote them myself.

Are you sh1tting me?

Take a look.

I lied to you because to get them to believe they were illegal I had to get them to believe they were real.

[laughs]

And you needed me to be pissed to help you do that.

Told you to trust me.

You know what?

I do.

So to tell you the truth, when we started this thing, I was just doing it to kiss your ass so Jessica would forgive me.

But... you're the real deal.

I see what Harvey sees in you.

Thanks, Jack.

Maybe now you can give Harvey a second chance too.

It's just everything comes so easy to him.

Jessica plucks him from the mailroom.

Youngest senior partner ever.

Well...

I been busting my ass for 20 years.

Nobody ever does anything like that for me.

Well, I'll tell you something, Jack.

He's got his own problems just like everyone else.

And if you want to get along with me, you better figure out a way to get along with him.

Gretchen, were we at with the Cabrillo claim?

I have to go.

I'm not Gretchen.

And that's too bad for you, because she's still in the habit of covering for you.

Covering for me for what?

I told you Louis was gonna find out about Esther.

And I told you it's none of your business.

Well, it became my business when Louis asked me about it yesterday, and I had to lie to his face just to get him to leave it alone.

I didn't ask you to do that.

Yes, you did, and you know it.

Donna, I don't have time for this.

I have an appointment--

What appointment?

I checked with Gretchen so you couldn't get out of this with some made-up thing.

Your calendar's empty.

You know what, Donna?

One thing I learned the hard way is not to tell your secretary everything.

Be careful, Harvey.

Because you're about to learn the hard way that I may have lied to Louis about this once, but I am never, never gonna do it again.

[tense music]

Harvey?

Harvey, where have you been for the last 40 minutes?

What are you talking about?

I mean, you scheduled a session so that we could explore your mother, and you've been telling me some meaningless story about when you got stung by a bee.

I got in a fight with Donna.

Fight about what?

She wants me to tell Louis that I slept with his sister.

Why, exactly, does she want you to do that?

Because I promised Louis that I wouldn't, and she thinks he's gonna find out.

Why would you make a promise like that to Louis if you had no intention of keeping it?

I had every intention of keeping it.

It's Louis's sister.

But then I met her, and... it happened.

Well, why don't you just tell him that?

Because he's like a four-year-old, and on top of that, he doesn't own her.

She's his sister.

But this isn't about his relationship with his sister.

It's about his relationship with you.

You made him a promise.

Yeah, and as long as he doesn't find out I broke it, it doesn't matter.

And in light of the story you told me the other day, that's probably what someone you know very well said to herself.

Are you sh1tting me? You're comparing me to her?

I most certainly am.

Right down to you putting Donna in a position not to say anything.

Donna is not an eight-year-old boy, and I'm not cheating on my wife.

No, but you're putting two people you care about in positions to feel betrayed.

Betrayed?

Yes.

Like when someone has an affair with someone else.

Okay--you don't get to say that to me.

It's my job to say things like that to you.

Then you don't know what you're talking about, because I've lived my whole life - not to be her.

And when people do that, they very often become that very thing in a different way.

Well, I'm not g*dd*mn her!

Well, then, you better take a look in the mirror.

Because you made a promise, snuck behind someone's back to break it, and when confronted with that fact, you're denying all responsibility.

That sounds like an affair to me.

[dramatic music]

[knock knock]

You wanted to see me?

Do you know how hard I worked to get a view like this?

Full scholarship to Vassar.

Three years Harvard Law, and one year as the first black woman to clerk in the Third Circuit.

And I'm not going to waste all that hard work just to let someone take everything away.

Jessica, as far as I can tell, Jack Soloff is holding up his end of the bargain.

He's doing more than that. He just sent out an email nominating you for Junior Partner.

And you're gonna figure out a way to turn it down.

What?

Go ahead, take a minute.

Congratulations. You've earned it.

You are the best associate I have ever seen.

Now, these are your options.

Medical issues. Family emergency.

You're just not ready.

Whatever it is, you simply cannot accept a junior partnership at this time.

Jessica, no one turns down partner.

Well, they do now.

Because I'm not sending out a press release announcing Mike Ross of Harvard just got promoted.

Then don't send one out.

You're not hearing me.

No, you're not hearing me.

What do you think is gonna happen when word gets out that I was offered the one thing that every associate dreams of, and I turned it down?

Nothing's going to happen.

Because you're going to put your mind to finding a good reason with as much enthusiasm as you did bullshitting your way into this job in the first place.

[tense music]

♪ ♪

What is this?

You know what it is.

Portfolio of business I want you to take to Pearson Specter for me.

I'm not doing it.

This is an opportunity for you, Jack.

No, Daniel, it's an opportunity for you, and I'm not interested in carrying your water.

Am I mistaken, or did we not have this discussion?

We discussed it...once.

I remember.

It was during that same conversation we had when you came to me for advice on the best way to s*ab Harvey in the back.

I get it. You did me a favor.

But I'm finished.

I don't want your advice or your shortcuts anymore, because all it did was almost get me fired.

So please... just take this.

Ah, you've always been a grinder, Jack.

What's that supposed to mean?

I admire it.

But you're not just a grinder.

You have a chip on your shoulder.

And the thing I've noticed about people with chips on their shoulder is that somewhere along the way they went to great lengths to get 'em off.

I got the chip off my shoulder.

I got Jessica's respect.

She doesn't respect you.

And that's not the chip I'm talking about.

Don't call me again.

[stirring music]

♪ ♪

Esther, what are you doing here?

I'm actually going out to dinner with Louis and Donna.

Well, thanks for the invitation, but that's the last thing in the world I want to do right now.

Esther: That's not why I'm here.

I was thinking about what you said about why I called you first and then about how you handled it.

And I thought... maybe you might want to take me out this weekend.

Esther, what do you think's going on between us?

I don't know, I just--

You don't know?

Well, I'll tell you. We had a moment.

It was nice, but I'm not interested in sneaking around.

Who said anything about sneaking around?

I did. And you just got divorced.

And you're a mother of two, and I'm not gonna be the reason that--

That what?

That nothing.

Why don't you just go out to your dinner?

Harvey, tell me what's going on.

What's going on is, you asked me out and I said no, so please just leave me alone.

Harvey--

I said leave me alone.

[dark music]

♪ ♪

Did you make the reservation at Sarabeth's?

For the seventh time, yes.

And why was it so important that it be there anyway?

Because their muffins are ten times better than Esther's, and I just want her to know it.

I thought you two made progress.

She's still my sister.

And I can't let her think that she's the best at something.

Okay.

Hey.

Wait--what's wrong? You look upset.

Nothing's wrong. I'm just not feeling very well.

It looks like tonight's not a good night after all.

No, no, no, you're upset.

It's not that, Louis.

I just don't feel well.

Please, let's just reschedule.

I'm gonna just call the restaurant and--

Wait a second, wait a second, wait a second.

She came all the way down here just to cancel?

I don't know, Louis, I mean, maybe she was already on her way over here and--

Did she just come from Harvey's office?

Because that's the direction she came from, not the elevators.

I don't know, Louis. What do you want me to say?

"I don't know" is exactly what you said when I asked you if you thought there was anything going on between Harvey and Esther, and now you're saying it again.

But you're Donna, and you know everything.

I'm sorry, Louis. I do know.

What are you gonna do?

None of your business.

Stay out of it. You've done enough.

[solemn pop music plays]

♪ ♪

You and I are gonna have a talk right now.

Hey, whatever it is... it can wait.

I need to tell you something.

Does it have something to do with why my sister just left here too upset to go out to dinner?

You piece of sh*t. I knew it.

What'd you do to her now?

I didn't do anything to her, Louis.

And when I say now, I mean as opposed to before when you slept with her.

That's right--Donna, the one you tried to steal from me at dinner the other night told me--

Calm down, I didn't try to steal any--

You made a promise to me!

And even after I told you about when Esther and I were kids and the boys used me to get to her, you still went ahead and betrayed me.

Louis, it had already happened, and I was just now about to tell you.

Bullshit! You were never gonna tell me.

You were gonna keep it to yourself till the day you d*ed.

Louis, you have to believe me.

I swear I was just about to tell you.

What you're about to do is get your ass kicked.

All right, watch yourself.

Don't thr*aten something you can't handle.

You don't think I can handle you?

You also thought I was too stupid to find out, but I did find out.

I found out that you're nothing but a lying, cheating--

I didn't cheat with Esther.

It was two grown people making a g*dd*mn decision for themselves.

Well, that decision ended with her walking out of here near tears because she didn't have all the facts, like the fact that you're a serial womanizer who can't stand when anyone else has anything.

Shut the hell up!

So he takes whatever woman's in sight...

I'm telling you.

Because he's so messed up from whatever g*dd*mn thing happened to him in his pathetic childhood...

Shut the hell up!

He can't-- [groans]

[solemn pop music]

[grunting]

♪ ♪

Harvey.

Get away from me.

You get the hell out of here.

♪ ♪