- Angela Vaughn: My mother, who was the smartest person God ever saw fit to walk this Earth, always taught me to speak your mind at any time.
- Olivia Dupont: And in order to become a Gracetie, you must also learn that there are times when decorum must take precedence over your opinion.
- Olivia Dupont: There's a certain refinement that comes from being born to this rare air that is impossible to counterfeit. That is why the Graceties have never invited someone not on our level into our membership.
- Leah Franklin-Dupont: It's the incubator program. Franklin Holdings is going to shut down this summer's program, which means that your distribution deal - isn't gonna happen.
- Angela Vaughn: What?
- Teddy Franklin: Ever since the intrepid Alex Rivera exposed my Parkinson's diagnosis, we've taken a hit. The board voted to stabilize by putting all of our assets in the stadium deal. Franklin Holdings cannot invest in anything now.
- Leah Franklin-Dupont: Including Eve's Crown.
- Angela Vaughn: So it's over? Just like that?
- Angela Vaughn: I'm sorry, but our hands are tied.
- Leah Franklin-Dupont: The Graceties support Black businesswomen from within the ranks. So win over the Graceties, and I promise you, you will stay on track to meet your goals. And, yes, you have to go through all the events and you have to get around Olivia. But then you're part of the sisterhood, and I will do whatever I can to help.
- Olivia Dupont: What is this I hear about Jack selling his Darmon shares to Teddy? .
- Raymond Dupont: I'm handling it.
- Olivia Dupont: Can we get you a drink? Uh, small gin martini. If Teddy controls that much stock, we have no chance of getting our company back.
- Raymond Dupont: Yeah, well, Jack and I had a little dust-up, so I'm gonna give him a beat to cool down, and then I'll get him to see the light, but in the meantime, we have more than just his stock to secure. Teddy has tied up Darmon in some sort of less-than-reputable operations
- Olivia Dupont: Our Legacy, LLC? I never heard of them.
- Raymond Dupont: That's 'cause it only exists on paper.
- Olivia Dupont: A shell corporation? Is Teddy setting Darmon up for a fall? If your father knew what had become of Darmon, he would be spinning in his grave!
- Raymond Dupont: I know you're really upset right now, but we both know it's not on Dad's behalf. When he passed, you expected to be in charge, but instead, he put me in charge, so with that, stand down.
- Leah Franklin-Dupont: Okay, so this is my mother's memorabilia from her time as president. You should study everything. There are invitations, fundraising amounts, guest lists. Oh, oh, and these are labeled so you get a sense of who's who of the Black Glitterati.
- Angela Vaughn: Got it. May I?
- Leah Franklin-Dupont: Yeah, of course. Now, Olivia and her cronies are gonna question you on history, etiquette, and past membership. But most importantly, on your commitment.
- Angela Vaughn: I want this, so I'm gonna dive right in.
- Leah Franklin-Dupont: Ah. Giselle Hilgard. Commit that face to memory. She runs a venture capitalist firm out of Boston, and Giselle will be coming to the Welcome Back Low Country Boil. Win her over, and you keep Eve's Crown alive, not only for you, but for Nikki, too.
- Angela Vaughn: I was really just expecting some tips and pointers. This is... Thank you.
- Leah Franklin-Dupont: Well, tips and pointers are for friends. I go deeper for family. Oh, I'm gonna look for the charter membership roster. You mention any of these names to Olivia, and she might just pass out.
- Nikki Vaughn: Maybe we could try a memory palace. It's a memory strategy that uses visualization to help you remember stuff.
- Leah Franklin-Dupont: Well, pledges are your lane, and everything else is mine.
- Olivia Dupont: If we're talking about lanes, Teddy Franklin has jumped the median. By scooping up Jack's Darmon shares, your father has my son in a choke hold. Are you gonna help Raymond, or are you too busy ordering shrimp by the pound?
- Leah Franklin-Dupont: Oh, my man doesn't need my help.
- Olivia Dupont: You know, you may be running a corporation and presiding over the Graceties, but the job you should be working twice as hard at is bolstering your husband's success.
- Leah Franklin-Dupont: Thank you for the pearls of wisdom, and for killing feminism while you're at it. But you know what, I'm really happy that you are here. Please, have a seat. Earlier, you mentioned that our organization has never admitted anyone who wasn't upper class.
- Leah Franklin-Dupont: Earlier, you mentioned that our organization has never admitted anyone who wasn't upper class. But I've been going through Mommy's memorabilia, and I came across a picture.
- Olivia Dupont: Hmm.
- Leah Franklin-Dupont: Of you, Rose, and Eve at a tea for prospective.
- Olivia Dupont: Look at us. Rose believed that Eve could rise in membership with the Graceties and truly build something for herself. But instead, little Eve took the shortcut to success through Teddy's bed.
- Leah Franklin-Dupont: And so that's why you're always so obstinate when it comes to Angela Vaughn?
- Olivia Dupont: I'm sick of her touting her mother's name, putting her up on a pedestal for all to admire when, in reality, Eve Vaughn was trash. And Angela Vaughn is proving to be no better. Her behavior is a disgrace, and the fact that you can't see that, it makes me question your leadership. The dark blue.
- Raymond Dupont: You know, there are easier ways to get my attention.
- Teddy Franklin: Is that so?
- Raymond Dupont: Oh, it's so. Yes, I don't know, maybe like trying to buy Jack's Darmon shares.
- Teddy Franklin: There's no trying involved. Jack came to me. Not the greatest negotiator. He agreed to my first offer. The result by week's end, I will have a controlling interest in Darmon Foods. What will you have?
- Raymond Dupont: My youth. You've been gunning for me, and I had a lot of time to actually contemplate why. And the bottom line is I think you're jealous that I have the rest of my life ahead of me. Time is no longer on your side. It's on mine. There's nothing you can do about that. Enjoy your nightcap.
- Olivia Dupont: Did your father ever tell you how the DuPonts and the Harmons formed Darmon?
- Jack Harmon: Yeah. Our great-grandfathers were best friends. Just like me and Raymond used to be.
- Olivia Dupont: Not quite. There was respect, yes, but your great-grandfather was no more to Raymond's great-grandfather than a guarantor for a loan at a time when a Black man couldn't get one on his own. Now, granted, your family did us a solid, but we returned the favor 100-fold by allowing generations to participate financially. But those shares are not yours to sell. Listen carefully. You may not sell your shares to Teddy Franklin.
- Jack Harmon: You're not my mother. And according to you, we're not even family. No more than a guarantor. Isn't that what you just said to me, Olivia?
- Angela Vaughn: Giselle Hilgard, Managing Partner, Contributing Editor at Essence magazine, and Graceties legacy.
- Giselle Hilgard: Ooh, someone's done their research.
- Angela Vaughn: Angela Vaughn, CEO of Eve's Crown. It is such an honor to meet you. This organization that your great-grandmother helped found is so inspiring, uplifting, much like the work you do at your firm.
- Giselle Hilgard: We try to level the playing field for entrepreneurs other VCs might overlook or undervalue.
- Angela Vaughn: That's what I'm talking about. And, you know, Eve's Crown, my hair care company, is not a start-up, but it's still small, and we're looking to scale up by securing national distribution.Matter of fact, we are launching a new curl pudding, and let me tell you, this stretches curls better than yoga.
- Olivia Dupont: Have you no decorum?
- Angela Vaughn: Excuse me?
- Olivia Dupont: Decorum. Good taste, propriety? Maybe you should've taken that etiquette class with your daughter, because then you would know we don't pass out samples and pressure our VIP alumni.
- Angela Vaughn: I wasn't trying to pressure her. I'm...
- Olivia Dupont: We all stand on the shoulders of ancestors like Giselle's great-grandmother I know reaching back so we can continue reaching forward to take hold of the very principles that the Graceties were founded upon. Now, clearly, you did not understand the assignment because curl pudding is not one of those principles. I apologize for our prospective.
- Leah Franklin-Dupont: You know, the responsibilities of the president of this organization run the gamut. Sometimes it's choosing the right place settings for an event. Sometimes it means reprimanding a member who's out of line.
- Olivia Dupont: Well, heavy hangs the head that wears the crown. Who's on the block?
- Leah Franklin-Dupont: Well, I'm issuing a formal warning. To you.
- Olivia Dupont: Me? Leah, you are drunk. Go lie down.
- Leah Franklin-Dupont: I'm sick of your behavior towards Angela. This can't just be about defending my mother's honor, because my mother has never been so cruel.
- Olivia Dupont: You know I was raised to believe a woman's place was behind her husband. Bolstering his success, propping him up. Darmon was the family business I married into, but one I couldn't be part of no matter how many times I asked Vernon. Eventually, I wore him down, and he gave me some money to invest. I chose to back Eve's Crown.
- Leah Franklin-Dupont: So my mother wasn't the only one who was friends with Eve?
- Olivia Dupont: Friends? I trusted Rose, so I put cash on the barrelhead, and then she went and slept with Teddy and got pregnant, and then that arrest, and Vernon scolded my judgment. And he took the money back. And now her daughter's back with the same mouth, flaunting her freedom to have it all, when it was her mother that took mine.
- Leah Franklin-Dupont: That wasn't Angela's fault. Look. You will leave her alone. You've been censured.
- Olivia Dupont: Push me, little girl. I will push back.
- Leah Franklin-Dupont: You're drunk, Olivia. Go lie down.
- Raymond Dupont: What's unfortunate is that Lauren found his body first. You know, I'd imagine that there's not too many people who drink Harpson's Reserve with this shade of lipstick.
- Olivia Dupont: I told you to stay out of it.
- Raymond Dupont: So, I'm pretty sure that they're gonna rule this an accident. But I'm also pretty sure that you're aware that, according to the corporate bylaws, upon his death, Jack's shares revert back to our family.
- Olivia Dupont: Yes. I'm aware.
- Raymond Dupont: So, did you think you were just gonna take over Darmon yourself?
- Olivia Dupont: Damn right. It's about time a woman was in control of this family
- Raymond Dupont: You know, for once, I don't mind you meddling in my business. 'Cause this is actually gonna turn out quite well for me. But I hate to break it to you. Your chances to run Darmon have not come. I'll be taking things from here. Have a good night.