War (2026) s01e04 Episode Script

1
(LOW RIVETING MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
SERENA BYRNE:
Final stage of arbitration.
CARLA DUVAL:
Otherwise, we go to court.
SERENA: Yes, but remember,
we have the upper hand.
- CARLA: Hi, there.
- MANDY: Good morning.
SERENA: Hi, hi. Good Morning.
- MANDY: Serena Byrne.
- SERENA: Yes.
MANDY:
You're on the first floor.
SERENA: Ah, it's so strange
to be back here.
What's your
What's your name again?
- MANDY: Mandy.
- SERENA: Mandy, yeah.
I worked here for the past
six years and it's so
It's surreal to be back here.
I'm glad to see
they've renovated the foyer.
- MANDY: Yeah.
- That was actually something that,
uh, that I said
that they should do.
Anyway, it's nice
to see you again.
- Yeah. Bye.
- MANDY: Bye.
- (SERENA SIGHS)
- We're looking forward to today.
- Yeah.
- Yeah, we are.
Prenup's gone and I think
we're in really excellent shape.
St. John's leading
on their side, by the way.
So it's you versus him.
(ELEVATOR BELL DINGS)
(MUSIC RISES) ♪
CAROL: How are all the cravings?
SERENA: Mm.
Werther's Original.
Club biscuits.
I'm into all sorts these days.
- (BOTH LAUGH)
- (INDISTINCT CHATTER)
(MUSIC FALLS) ♪
MICHAEL STEFANOU: So, Nick,
let's, um, recap before we all go in.
Estate analyst has property
at 100 million,
investments and pensions at 50.
Another 50 for other assets
including art.
Morgan had a penchant
for Cubism, Expressionism,
anything early 20th Century.
Or the guy
that buys his art does.
- Well, exactly.
- (NORA OKAFOR CHUCKLES)
(CLEARS THROAT) - All
in, we're looking at 300 million.
- Yeah.
- Of which we'll expect half.
Obviously. However
Uh, Zephyr remains the wild card.
Worth pennies
when they got married but, um
It's all gone silly since then.
What does that mean in numbers?
As I've said to Serena,
overall figure you should be
asking for today is half a billion.
Sterling.
Which explains why our client's
in such a jolly mood.
Uh, St. John's
leading on their side.
Yes, I was aware of that,
thank you.
(MUSIC CONCLUDES) ♪
Singer.
(CHUCKLES) "Singer"?
Hmm.
Nick and I were at Borthwicks
together years ago,
and that
was his nickname, Singer.
I just remembered this morning.
I should mention
some of the, uh,
the nicknames that we had
for you, St. John.
- Please, go ahead.
- (CHUCKLES)
Well, I don't think we want to,
um, sink to that now, do we?
Is it because there weren't any?
Hard to remember things
that don't exist, I suppose.
They did exist.
(CLEARS THROAT) Hmm.
May I begin, following
the dismissal of the PNA
by thanking the Cathcarts team
for, as I understand it,
putting forward
a new starting point, yes?
That is correct. Fifty percent
of our client's net worth.
(CLEARS THROAT)
(TENSE MUSICAL CHORD PLAYS) ♪
Ah.
(SCOFFING)
(LOW TENSE MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
(CHUCKLES)
I wish to make it very
clear
that, uh, that we object
to this derisory figure.
- What is the figure?
- Well, it seems to, uh, relate
to your client's pett
Petty cash tin,
rather than, you know,
instead of his, um,
amassed assets.
It relates to the agreed assets
listed in the disclosures.
(SCOFFS SOFTLY)
ST. JOHN SMALLWOOD: If
there's a problem, Singer, let's hear it.
Isn't that what we're all trying
to do here?
Mr. Taylor, the floor is yours.
(BREATHES DEEPLY)
We we absolutely
(STUTTERS)
ca cannot proceed
with this, um, you know, until
Until we get time
to interrogate this number.
(TENSE
DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
(WHISPERING)
What's the fucking number?
RACHEL GRANN:
May I remind everyone,
should this process fail,
we have no choice
but to proceed to trial.
(MUSIC CONCLUDES) ♪
(THEME MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
(THEME MUSIC CONCLUDES) ♪
(TRAFFIC RUMBLING)
- (INDISTINCT CHATTER)
- (CUTLERY CLINKING)
Forty-five?
I know.
(LOUDER) Forty-five.
Well, don't bring me here.
If you know I'm upset,
don't bring me
to a place like this.
Or was that the plan?
Take her to the library,
stop her from shouting at us
for getting it so badly wrong?
We haven't gotten it wrong.
This morning,
you said half a billion.
I know.
CAROL: That's more
than ten times as much.
I know.
- Stop saying you know.
- It's a ridiculous offer.
But it is all just
It's standard game play.
CAROL: Look, I get that it's
an obscene amount of money,
but the fact is, it's not 50-50.
Even if it was 50p and 50p,
if I am one half
of this partnership.
You expect the same as Morgan,
and we agree with that.
Don't we?
Totally. Totally.
And we will
push back aggressively,
and, you know, just make
a mockery of this number.
- Really?
- You just watch.
'Cause those weren't
exactly the vibes
you were giving off
in the meeting.
You went for the more "sit there
looking dumbstruck" approach.
(CELL PHONE CHIMES)
BERNARD KANE:
Nick, slight problem.
Call me sooner
rather than later, please.
MICHAEL: Well, it's probably
better you weren't there, to be honest.
The whole thing felt like
one big willy-waving exercise.
St. John trying to prove he had
the biggest sword in the room.
Nick, not quite, um
JOHNNY WARREN:
Not not quite what?
My God, it was like
he'd left his sword at home.
Thanks.
But that's okay. I mean, they
can offer us as little as they want.
Our position is strong.
Right, let's go back
through the shadow valuations
and look to see
if there's anything
we've missed.
Above the grunt work
now, are we?
Are you gonna find
Morgan's hidden billions
in his socials?
He's looking for
what he's hiding
by looking at what he's showing.
Sorry, we've tried that already.
Michael Ancker has
liked every Morgan post
for the last month
with zero interaction
from Morgan until a week ago.
Gillian Pope,
that's Zephyr's CFO,
has been chef-kissing
the shit out of Ancker's posts.
You think
they are going to sell?
No. No, he does that,
Carla gets half.
Whatever it is, you should tell
Nick and Serena.
She wants to know everything.
They're having a drink
with Carla.
Yep. Cool.
Right, I'll see you in a bit.
We have everybody working
on this, Carla. The whole firm.
People are working
through the night
so that in the morning,
I promise you,
we will call their bluff.
Tell me how you're feeling.
We're drinking okay wine
in a not great bar,
while Morgan's team are working
round the clock
to fuck me over.
I'm just ever so slightly
under-fucking-whelmed
with both of you,
is how I'm feeling.
Shall I get you a car?
I've got a car.
What I need is a decent divorce.
(PENSIVE MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
What the fuck is wrong with you?
(MUSIC FADES) ♪
CARLA: Thank you.
You one of the people
working late?
JOHNNY: One of the many.
How's it going?
Oh, you're fucked.
(BOTH CHUCKLE)
Was it all right,
missing that party?
Was your girlfriend pissed?
Well, it was my fault.
But she forgets
that I'm not trained
in posh prick etiquette,
but I do try.
Don't.
Don't try.
Don't pretend to be anything
that you're not.
Says the actress.
Can't kid a kidder.
Yeah, but it cuts
both ways, dunnit?
You know, not everyone gets
to see the real Carla Duval,
but when they do, it's, uh
When they do, it's what?
Well, it's such
a pleasant surprise.
Careful.
There are people taking photos
on their phones.
She needed reassurance.
I gave her reassurance.
Oh, did you? I think
I must have missed that bit.
- Why are you being like this?
- We're about to get fired.
It's one thing
losing your first big case.
It's another thing losing
the actual sodding client.
- And the worst thing
- We're not gonna lose the client.
is she's absolutely right.
You just sat there
while St. John
made a fool of us.
Of you.
Uh, it was
a low ball offer, Nick.
Not even a very good one.
You locate your balls
and you fire back.
We can't counter until we know
how they're minimizing
his worth.
Or I can take over,
because I can,
if you want.
Swap now.
That'll look very
Very what? Very
Very weak?
- (JOHNNY CLEARS THROAT)
- NICHOLAS TAYLOR: Oh, God.
Michael wanted me
to update you all
on the latest
information request
we're making to Zephyr.
Yep.
Thank you, Johnny.
You can update Nick.
I'm leaving.
JOHNNY: Oh, and by the way,
Bernard wants you back
at the office when we're done.
(CLEARING THROAT)
Small one?
I'm not having one.
He is. I have
to go and see Cathy.
ST. JOHN: Hmm.
I'm having one because we're up.
The mole has come up for air.
They're all at sixes and sevens,
arguing internally.
ST. JOHN:
Mummy's cross with Daddy
because Daddy did badly
at work today.
BEATRICE UBOSI:
Which means what, do we think?
That they might settle?
How boring of them.
I'd like them to settle.
How boring of you.
Provided it's a good offer.
And I say that, St. John,
because something's wrong.
They got the prenup thrown out.
They arrived here
this morning in high spirits.
Then all of a sudden,
some silly opening offer
- Silly?
- sends them sprawling.
Even we think more
of them than that.
I don't want us getting
caught out by some kind
of feint here.
There must be more to this.
There is.
Nicholas can't
look St. John in the face
because of the Singer situation.
(LOW RIVETING MUSIC
PLAYING) - When Taylor first qualified,
Fiona Rose-Macklin and I
threw him in the deep end,
had him present to one
of our biggest clients.
This was at Borthwicks?
Mm. And he thought
that meant a one-to-one.
But when the client turned up,
he had the entire board
with him.
Poor Nick went to pot,
started jabbering, stammering,
couldn't get his words out
in the room,
and then couldn't get
past it for months.
In the end,
Fiona found him a vocal coach
whose technique was to sing.
- (ST. JOHN SIPS)
- Sing?
DAVID SCHILL:
Sing through the stutter.
Hence the nickname.
And you never let him forget it?
No, I reminded him.
Not quite the same th thing.
That's bullying.
Don't say it like it's bad.
It means he's having flashbacks,
which is good for us.
More of the same tomorrow,
we hope.
(GLASS THUDS)
Turn my lights out when you go.
(MUSIC STOPS) ♪
She's always been like that.
Triple checking,
in case we're not ahead.
Not a bad habit, I suppose.
"The simple act
of paying attention
can get you a long way."
Remind me?
Keanu Reeves.
Hm. (CHUCKLES)
- (SIRENS WAILING)
- (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
(ELEVATOR BELL DINGS)
BERNARD: It's looking
worse than we thought.
Wage bill is high.
Office isn't cheap, as we know.
And we're not taking
on any new cases.
The Carla case is all-consuming.
Then it needs to be resolved.
No, we need to win it.
That's what we need, Bernard.
I don't think you understand
the position we're in here.
What a black hole this is.
Everyone in the building
is working on Duval.
So either we get better
and win it,
or get worse and we get fired.
Because this can't go on.
How bad are we talking?
By next month,
you won't be able to pay me
to tell you how bad.
(MUSIC CONCLUDES) ♪
Everything Michael's
found today,
if you could summarize it
in an email and send it
to the whole team.
I want everyone knowing
what points I'll be
hitting tomorrow morning.
And do you want that as in,
like, right now?
If that's okay with you, Saeed.
Yeah.
- (HUFFS)
- (SIGHS)
Four years at law school,
and I'm basically
the bosses' bitch.
At least you are a bitch.
Imagine being me.
Working this hard just hoping
to achieve bitch status.
I don't even mind doing it.
He just doesn't rate me.
Of course he does.
Hey, there's a group of us
that go out on Thursdays.
I can't.
I promised Philip I'd shortlist
house viewings with him later.
Oh, wow.
What, you gonna move
to the burbs
and start gardening?
Finish the notes,
come for a drink.
(ZIPPER WHOOSHING)
Michael Ancker's EA
is gonna be there.
Well, not his actual EA,
but his EA's EA who works
in the London office,
and he is absolutely hot.
Not that that last bit's
relevant in any way.
Absolutely not.
(CHUCKLES)
- Bye.
- Bye-bye.
(PENSIVE MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
GILLIAN POPE: (ON CELL PHONE)
We need all the paperwork you can get.
Bank statements,
proof of address,
whatever you can find.
MORGAN HENDERSON:
I'm just arriving now.
GILLIAN: Good.
- (DOOR CLOSES)
- GILLIAN: Stephen's with me.
We've been on this all day.
- (KEYS JINGLING)
- MORGAN: How far have you got?
Getting there.
Slowly.
What the hell's taking so long?
You're gifting
multi-millions worth of shares
to your colleague
to prevent your wife
getting hold of them, Morgan.
Not sending me 50 quid
for my birthday.
Oh, I tell you
what would speed things up.
If you came
to the office, gave us
those signatures
we've been chasing you for.
Or we could come to you.
(SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
GILLIAN: Morgan.
- I'll call you back.
- (CELL PHONE BEEPS)
(SOFT PENSIVE
MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
(CELL PHONE PINGS)
(SOMBER MUSIC RESUMES) ♪
(MUSIC FADES) ♪
(CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING)
(LIVELY CHATTER) - (ENERGETIC
DANCE MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS) ♪
Oh my God, stop it!
You came!
- Hi.
- MOLLY GIORDANO: Aw, hi.
Guys, this is Saeed.
- Hi.
- (OVERLAPPING GREETINGS)
He's a fellow junior,
and he is sober as fuck,
so let's help a guy out.
Which one is, uh, Ancker's EA?
Oh, wouldn't you like to know?
- He's not even here.
- Oh.
Ah!
Which one do you want?
I want none of them.
Oh, my gosh.
- MOLLY: Yeah! (CHUCKLES)
- (COUGHS, SPLUTTERS)
- MOLLY: Good job.
- Molly, what is in that?
("I ONLY SMOKE WHEN I DRINK"
BY NIMINO PLAYING) ♪
And I only drink
When I overthink ♪
I only smoke when I drink ♪
And I only drink
When I overthink ♪
And I only think about ♪
(REVELERS CHEERING)
- SAEED MASOOD: I'm gonna go get a drink!
- MOLLY: Okay!
SAEED: Sorry.
- There you go.
- (UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS) ♪
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
SAEED: Cheers.
Hello!
Taylor's boy.
Out on a school night. Tut, tut.
Listen, if it makes you feel
any better, that guy seemed
like a bit of a dick.
Excuse me?
I just mean you shouldn't worry
if someone doesn't,
you know, see your qualities.
No, I said excuse me.
(UPBEAT MUSIC
PLAYING IN DISTANCE) ♪
(LIVELY CHATTER)
Molly!
Molly.
You're not gonna believe
who I've just seen.
This is Saeed.
We work together.
And this is Noah,
who I was telling you about.
Yeah, apparently you work for a
guy who doesn't appreciate you either.
Well, is it that obvious?
No, no, I just
I feel like I've met you before,
if that's not weird.
No. No, it's nice.
I'm gonna go.
- SAEED: Really?
- MOLLY: Yes.
You're welcome, bitch.
- Bye-bye.
- See you.
SAEED: Bye!
So you're a lawyer?
Yes.
That's pretty cool.
I mean, it's not really,
but thank you.
Can I have some cigarette?
Sure.
(ENERGETIC DANCE MUSIC
PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS) ♪
MAN: All right, lads?
- SAEED: Go in there.
- MAN: Sorry guys!
- (NOAH LAUGHING)
- SAEED: Wait.
- (DOOR CREAKING SHUT)
- (LOCK CLACKING)
SAEED: Okay.
Wait, you're not, um,
into gardening, are you?
What is that, like some kind
of fucked up euphemism?
No, no, like actual gardening.
No, I don't
have an opinion on that.
Good. Me neither.
Okay, let's
Let's do some of this.
Whoa! No, no, no, no, no, no.
I'll be awake all night.
Oh, don't worry about that.
You'll be awake anyway.
(BOTH LAUGH)
- (CLOCK TICKING)
- (SERENA SNORING SOFTLY)
(SIGHS)
(TICKING GROWS LOUDER)
(SIGHS)
(LOW TENSE MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
(TICKING INTENSIFIES)
(SOFT PENSIVE
MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
(SCOFFS SOFTLY)
SERENA:
You gotta be joking.
We're not fucking settling,
not at a shitty low number.
- We are sinking financially.
- (MUSIC CONCLUDES) ♪
And you're worried
Carla's going to sack us.
- She won't.
- Then why say it?
Because I want to fight, Nicky.
That's what I want.
I want to win,
not throw the towel in.
It doesn't have
to come across like that.
Really? Because it feels
like that to me.
- You're a lawyer.
- So?
So it doesn't
matter what you feel.
We strike a deal,
proactive, something
that works for Carla.
Okay, it's not half a billion.
It it would never
have been half a billion.
But it just it beats
whatever's in the prenup.
She wins, he wins,
and we get ourselves
out of this mess.
This is our first big case.
It's our only case, if we don't.
You know what, no, no,
that is not why we set up.
That is not what Carla deserves.
Carla doesn't get
a fucking vote!
No, no she doesn't, and that's
why she's relying on us!
I'm serious, Nick.
Be stronger.
Take control of this.
Get past whatever
school reunion bullshit
you and St. John
have going on and win this.
If it's a number,
it needs to be decent.
No?
Nothing more to say?
(TENSE MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
(MUSIC FADING) ♪
(ELEVATOR BELL DINGS)
- RACHEL: Morning.
- BOTH: Morning.
Right.
We are quorate, save for our
Save for our clients.
Maybe they've given up
on us altogether
and have decided
to arbitrate themselves.
(CHUCKLES)
- No? Okay. No. (GULPS)
- (PEN CLINKING ON CUP)
Thanks.
MANDY: Uh, just a moment.
One question.
Why the premiere?
My big night.
Why so cruel?
It was their idea.
Not mine.
They just forced you to go along
with it, did they?
(ELEVATOR BELL DINGS)
NICHOLAS: Good morning.
Um, as a result
of extensive work
undertaken yesterday
and last night,
uh, looking into
the agreed asset list,
lifestyle expenses,
the needs and entitlements
of Ms. Duval as a mother,
we reject the 45-million-pounds
opening offer and today p..
And today propose
a settlement figure
of 315 million pounds sterling,
which takes into account
Ms. Duval's expected shares in
and contributions
to the creation
of Zephyr Communications
and all associated assets
and companies.
Do you want to be the one
to reject that or shall I?
- What did we say about spoilers?
- Hm.
No.
Without any discussion
with Mr. Henderson?
No discussion required.
ST. JOHN: There's no need
to discuss with my client
the concept
of him giving your client
315 million pounds sterling
when he doesn't have 315
million pounds sterling to give.
Our forensic accountants
would say otherwise.
Then now might be the time
to get rid of them.
RACHEL: But you do
acknowledge the paucity
of yesterday's offer,
Mr. Smallwood?
There is a significant gap here,
you'll agree.
More so, looking through these
than during mediation.
We'll adjust a little,
but I can't have us
all distracted
by the number Singer's
just put out there.
No? Why?
Zephyr alone's recently been
valued at a billion pounds.
- And that figure's only gonna go
- Valued by whom?
- Sorry?
- Just because you put it on a spreadsheet
and print it out
doesn't make it true.
(SCOFFS) - BEATRICE:
You appear to be confusing
our client's potential earnings
with his actual wealth.
That's right, of course.
Unless you're suggesting
your client has some right
to the future hypothetical
endeavors of Zephyr,
I suggest
you adjust your thinking.
Perhaps, Singer,
I can have a slice
of your bonus next year,
or maybe you can share
in Ms. Ubosi's winnings
in the Christmas tombola.
Although these things
have potential,
they do not as yet,
and in all likelihood
never will, exist.
Well, you've just
had a sip of water.
(GLASS THUDS)
The point here is
to acknowledge the fact
that Zephyr, as a
(STUTTERING)
(LOW TENSE MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
This is why Fiona got in
that specialist
I was telling you about.
- Maybe we could all sing a song.
- (MUSIC ENDS) ♪
- St. John.
- Serena.
Yeah, I think
we're a little off topic.
Agreed.
SERENA: I don't know
about you, Mr. Smallwood,
but we're here
to make realistic proposals
at the end of a marriage
which saw your client move
with the support of our client
from obscurity to, well
If Mr. Henderson
has only amassed
the 45 million that you claim,
then perhaps we should
be ringing his billionaire,
uh, "big boy friends"
and seeing, I don't know,
where he went wrong.
Yes or no, is
Mr. Henderson's share percentage
of Zephyr established
and confirmed by both parties?
- Yes.
- No.
The exact structure
of Zephyr has turned out
to be a lot more complicated
than first thought.
Mm. Hard to put into words.
RACHEL: If we are
to find a way through this,
can I urge all parties
to turn up
with agreed figures,
or even disputed figures?
I put that to you
most pointedly, Mr. Henderson,
It's your company after all.
You should know who owns it.
Of course.
(SERENA CLEARS THROAT)
(LOW RIVETING MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
ST. JOHN:
Enjoy the rest of your day.
(MUSIC RISES) ♪
(MUSIC FALLS) ♪
We were in Normandy.
We were walking on that beach
and we talked about
Zephyr together.
- Shall we not do this here?
- It's the truth, Morgan.
I don't care who hears it.
Delays on the Central line,
apparently.
- (EXHALES)
- (SOFTLY) Thank you.
(SOFT PENSIVE
MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
I wish I could tell you
it wasn't personal,
but that's precisely what it is.
- He hasn't stammered in years.
- (MUSIC CONCLUDES) ♪
BEATRICE: But it's in there.
And St. John knows it is.
And it's at its worst
when he points it out.
It's that old dynamic.
St. John's the boss that Nick
can never impress.
He's just making
the most of that.
"Find the weak spot,"
- "and never let go."
- That's what you taught me.
You were right to step in.
And when you did, it was
it was very good.
Oh, and I keep meaning to say,
congratulations on the bump.
(LOW BROODING
MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
(MUSIC INTENSIFIES) ♪
(MUSIC FADES) ♪
- (KNOCKING ON DOOR)
- No
CLEO HYLAND: Nick,
the shoe shop called me back.
They said blisters
are quite common.
Best thing is
to push through it.
What, at 600 quid a bloody pair?
- (FAINT CHATTER)
- (TELEPHONES RINGING)
MOLLY: Someone had a good night.
NICHOLAS: Saeed!
What the fuck time
do you call this?
(SIGHS)
Um
No, I have not slept.
And yes, I am still
a little bit drunk.
But you need to know this has
all been entirely for the cause.
Cause?
Henderson's pulling a massive
stunt with Zephyr shares.
- How could you possibly know that?
- (RIVETING MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
Michael Ancker.
He has an executive assistant,
who has an executive assistant,
who knows way too much.
Pub chat is useless
to me, Saeed.
Oh, no, no, no. That's why I
went home with the pub chat.
He told me everything.
He doesn't care.
He thinks Ancker's
rhyming slang as it is.
Ancker wants to acquire Zephyr.
He's been after it for months.
Henderson would never sell
to that maniac,
certainly not now.
Well, then the message came
through to Ancker's office
telling them to hold fire.
Not because
they don't want to sell,
but because they want to wait
to have that conversation
until after they've
"cleaned house."
Message from who?
Well, Henderson might not
want to sell,
but there's clearly people
at Zephyr who do.
The guy said that Henderson
is transferring his shares
to his colleagues
to deplete his net worth,
then they will transfer them
back post-settlement.
(MUSIC FADES) ♪
- Right?
- (ENTHUSIASTICALLY) Yes!
You should get
wrecked more often.
- (DIALPAD BEEPING)
- (PENSIVE MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
Nick.
Hm?
I'm not just a graduate.
I'm actually way better
at this stuff
than I think you give me credit
for and
Yeah, just
think you should hear that.
Budgie. Yeah. (CLEARS THROAT)
Budgie, where are you?
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
(DOOR OPENS)
So I'm making home visits now,
like the family GP.
Apologies.
- Let me get you a drink.
- Hm.
I, um
I wrote her something.
Carla.
Ah.
It's not gonna mess
with anything, it's just
I wanted you to know
that I intend giving it to her.
Can you read my handwriting?
Unfortunately, yes.
I've decided we should play
this whole thing
a bit straighter.
A bit?
Straighter, fairer.
I'm a very wealthy man.
I'm no angel, and I don't
want this upsetting her
any more than it has.
Serving her on the red carpet
was a particularly low blow.
The fuck are you doing?
St. John, I
I'm not asking your opinion.
I'm ordering you, 300 million.
If that's what this takes,
then let's do it.
Save everyone the pain.
She set you up.
- (TENSE MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
- The girl at the awards show?
She was a honey trap.
Hang on, w
Carla paid her
to sleep with you.
Flora Monroe is the low blow.
There's an innuendo there
if we want it.
What?
No, no, no, no.
No, she was
We won't be playing
anything straighter
or fairer, Morgan. Why?
Because that's not
what Carla is doing.
(PENSIVE MUSIC OVERLAPPING) ♪
(MUSIC FADES) ♪
JOY "BUDGIE" BUDGE: Five
minutes, Nick, then I'm back to court.
If you want to freeze
any asset movement,
you need a Mareva injunction.
But would they know
we're doing it?
No, we can do it ex-parte.
These things are often urgent.
Is this urgent?
How urgent?
- (CHUCKLES)
- I see.
Nick, I must warn you,
if we spring this now,
Cathcarts going
to get awfully grumpy.
They'll try and hit you
in other ways.
Take it to court, you mean?
Take it to court.
String it out.
Bleed you dry.
And they can do that, Nick.
They've got very deep pockets.
The financial implications
- for you could be
- Oh, ruinous, I know, I know.
I think they probably
think you don't have
the stomach for the fight.
- Our firm or me, personally?
- (LOW TENSE MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
Honestly, both.
What does Serena say?
I haven't asked her yet.
Then it's on you,
Nick, I'm afraid.
If you want me to make
the application today,
I'm afraid I need to know now.
(MUSIC RISES) ♪
- (NICHOLAS SIGHS)
- Nick?
(MUSIC CONTINUES) ♪
(MUSIC FALLS) ♪
(NICHOLAS SINGING
IN ARPEGGIOS) ♪
- (DISTANT DOOR OPENS)
- (CLEARS THROAT)
- This way.
- Thank you.
We know Henderson's offloading
his Zephyr shares to employees,
hiding assets he's intending
to reclaim post-settlement.
To stop that happening,
I am applying
for a Mareva injunction.
And I think
you know we'll get it.
And you said all that in one go.
Well, let me say this.
You start lobbing
bits of paper about,
this late in the day,
and we'll end up in one place.
I know that.
Litigation.
I understand that.
And the last thing I want
to do is unsettle you,
but that is a very long
and very public
and very embarrassing way
for you to lose.
We both know Henderson
won't look good in court.
Do we?
- After all the things he's done.
- Done?
Or done
at your client's instigation?
What's that meant to mean?
It means stop pretending to be
brave and make your offer
so we can both get on
with our evening.
The offer is 300 million.
Counter is sixty.
Two-eighty, and we have a
deal.
Let me cut to best and final.
The highest he'll go is one-ten.
Whoops, there, I've said it.
Maybe that's
the Glenmorangie talking,
but shake on that and it's over.
A score draw, away from home,
saves your wife
from bailing you out.
Again.
I'm lucky my wife
is so formidable.
If you'd tried harder,
you could have
kept her at Cathcarts.
Hmm.
Tricky when Beatrice
didn't really rate her,
vetoed her for partner,
if I remember correctly.
And she's usually right
about that sort of thing.
(SCOFFS)
(LOW TENSE MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
You see, you think you've got us
all pegged, don't you?
You should know
that I am not the graduate
that first arrived
at Borthwicks.
And I am better at this stuff
than you think I am.
But you still don't have
the balls to take this
to court, Singer,
and that, I am afraid,
will never change.
(MUSIC INTENSIFYING) ♪
(SIGHS HEAVILY)
(MUSIC CONCLUDES) ♪
Hmm. What what time is it?
It's late.
(NICHOLAS CLEARS THROAT)
What's wrong?
Nothing. Everything's fine.
Um
I just had Budgie get us
a Mareva injunction,
stop Morgan Henderson
diverting assets away
- from Carla.
- (SIGHS) What?
And then I went to St. John,
and he said that if we did that,
we could end up in court.
So we renegotiated,
and he improved his offer.
To what?
A hundred and ten million.
And you said?
I told him where to shove it.
I said, one-ten is nowhere near.
That, uh, we are stronger
than he realized
and we are going to fight him.
We're gonna win.
Oh, it's fucking crazy.
And Bernard is going
to kill me, but, uh
that's the call.
- We're going to court.
- (NICHOLAS LAUGHS)
We're going to court.
(TENDER MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
And that's it?
That's how you left it?
(SIGHS) No.
I said, "If you make
one more joke
about my stammer,
I'm going to put you through
the next fucking window."
Did you?
No.
But on the way home,
I thought, "Ugh, that
is what I should have said."
Huh? (SIGHS)
(SERENA GRUNTS)
(LOW RIVETING MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
(MUSIC RISING) ♪
- (FAINT CHATTER)
- (TELEPHONES RINGING)
Hi.
- Here you are.
- (MUSIC STOPS) ♪
Got a spare.
What's going on?
We're going to court, mate.
Do you know what that means?
It means Saeed is gonna
be fucking insufferable.
And Bernard's gonna lose
what's left of his shit.
Nora and Michael
reckon they're clean outta cash.
Hm.
Anyway
- Thank you.
- Of course.
(INTENSE MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
(INAUDIBLE)
- (MUSIC FALLS) ♪
- BERNARD: Johnny.
Thought you could use
one of these, mate.
Hm. Thanks.
You, uh
Not keen
on the court plan, then?
(SIGHS) It's not my circus,
not my monkeys.
Uh, Carla knows
who you are, yes?
Yes.
Yeah, I'm sending
a litigation form
to that printer there.
She needs to sign that today.
There's envelopes on the side.
Printing it now.
Take it to her,
get her signature, bring it
back when it's done.
- (INTRIGUING MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
- Did you hear what I said?
Back when it's done.
-Good man.
-All right, mate. (CLEARS THROAT)
(MUSIC CONTINUES) ♪
- (PRINTER BEEPS)
- (MUSIC GROWS TENSE) ♪
(PRINTER WHIRRING)
(MUSIC BUILDING) ♪
(PHONE RINGING)
ANTONIA:
Good morning, Taylor and Byrne.
(ELEVATOR BUTTON CHIMES)
- (ELEVATOR DOORS CLOSE)
- (CLEARS THROAT)
(RIVETING MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
(MUSIC RISING) ♪
(MUSIC FALLS) ♪
Serena said he's hiding assets.
(SCOFFS)
It's like I have no idea
who I've been married to.
I slept next to this person
for ten years.
I have no idea who he is.
Listen, this isn't
normal life, remember?
This is a crazy fucking fight.
So forget him
and worry about you.
Going to court means no privacy,
everyone knows everything,
you're in the papers every day,
there's stuff online, there's
shit about my son.
Just feels like there's
no turning back.
No, Carla, look.
They want to get you
what's right, what's fair.
That's the plan, no settling.
Yes, it's a fucking nightmare,
but you go in there with Budgie,
you get what you deserve,
and then you and Gabriel are set
for the rest of your lives.
Why are you
the one talking like this?
Someone so junior.
- It's not what
- No, it's it's what I want.
(LOW RIVETING MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
- Sorry.
- It's fine.
You don't have to.
I want to.
("HARD TO HANDLE"
BY OTIS REDDING PLAYING) ♪
Baby, here I am,
I'm a man on the scene ♪
I can give you
What you want ♪
But you got
To go home with me ♪
I forgot some good old lovin'
And I got some in store ♪
When I get through throwin' it
On you ♪
You got
To come back for more ♪
Boys and things will come
By the dozen ♪
That ain't nothin'
But drugstore lovin' ♪
Pretty little thing
Let me light your counter ♪
'Cause mama, I'm so hard
To handle now, yes, around ♪
(SONG CONCLUDES) ♪