Hardin’s success at Idea Architects has given her newfound self-respect. In the wake of her trip to India, she begins to see her successes as a bank account in which she logs credibility.

Hardin goes to court to get off probation, but she has not paid back the victims of her crimes. In a deal afforded her by the state, she agrees to accept a ruined credit score in order to get off probation. Being in the courtroom feels demeaning because Hardin feels she has proven that she is better than this.

This experience prompts a moment of realization: “And if it was hard for me to navigate all the conflicting requirements and illogical bureaucracy as a white, educated woman with some social support, how difficult was it for others without the same sort of opportunities and privilege?” (276). Finally, Hardin admits that she benefited from her status and was afforded leniency when others were not. She accepts that she was set up to succeed while others were set up to fail.

Hardin’s mother dies after suffering from Alzheimer’s, and Hardin confides in Hinton about her difficulty in forgiving her. Ray explains that he forgave the state of Alabama so that they would have no more influence on his life.