Episode Report Card Kelsea Stahler: A- | 74 USERS: B- YOU GRADE IT Pieces of Me
By Kelsea Stahler | Season 3 | Episode 5 | Aired on 10.27.2013
He says they only set a date because Conrad was sick and ultimately, he now sees what she really is and the marriage is off. It’s a big blow, but Emily shouldn’t be that surprised. She should have been paying attention to the fact that Daniel is growing up finally (even Nolan takes notice) and that her cute smiles wouldn’t work on him much longer. Nolan, who’s getting in touch with his feelings this week, tells her the only way to win an "evolved" Daniel back is to give up a piece of her heart and herself. It’s the one thing she could never do, and apparently she’s not only duping Daniel, she straight-up "can’t stand" him. This is going to take her swallowing every ounce of her unctuous pride. This should be fun.
But before we get to see Emily humbler herself, we find out who tampered with Conrad’s brakes. It was Patrick -- a piece of knowledge Aidan uses to play dear Victoria against herself. He gives her the chance to handle the situation as she sees fit, which leads her to use Charlotte as her pawn. Because Conrad is so desperate to have Charlotte back, Victoria has her confess to tampering with the brakes. She’s saving Patrick and Jack, but Charlotte makes it clear that she only helped Victoria to save her dead boyfriend’s brother. She may have looked like a mini-Victoria all episode, but she’s not on the Graysons’ side anymore.
With Jack somewhat safe (and romantically occupied with Margaux), Emily finally manages to appreciate Aidan for the loving, well-meaning man he is. Sure, he’s jealous, but Emily gives him a couple of damn good reasons to be so. She apologizes for making him feel used, because Aidan means so much more to her than that and we’re inclined to believe her. And just in case we’re not, she betrays some feeling when she says he’s everything to her and they kiss.
Perhaps it’s this moment that helps put her back on track to give Daniel what he needs to marry her. She goes home where she finds Daniel and says she wishes he wouldn’t leave. When he declines to stay, she hands him a picture of Amanda’s family (that she stole from Jack’s apartment) and hands it to him, mixing her own stories of David Clarke with the image in the picture. She cries while she talks about her real father, saying that she knows what real love is and that she had it ripped away from her. It triggers a reaction in Daniel because he feels that he just ripped it away from her again (see? He’s still a puppy). And boom …a few tears and a sweet hug means the wedding is back on. And, perhaps, feeling the love that Daniel clearly has for her, despite her apparently hatred for him, she feels a momentary twinge of sadness. Just maybe. Either that or she’s just wishing it was Jack who’d forgive her so easily.