Chapter 24 Summary, Analysis, and Key Themes
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
The chapter opens the morning after Margo's decision to quit OnlyFans. She drives to Kenny's condo to apologize to her mother, Shyanne, and to announce her plan to get a real estate license. Shyanne is initially cold and guarded, but the tension thaws when she starts describing her secret gambling trips in Vegas—sneaking out of the hotel at night, winning nearly ten grand, and hiding it from Kenny. Margo laughs along, and Shyanne becomes enthusiastic about the real estate idea, even suggesting a new wardrobe.
The warmth collapses when Shyanne casually mentions that “they did come by” regarding CPS. Margo realizes her mother and Kenny were the ones who called Child Protective Services. Shyanne admits Kenny pressured her into it, claiming it was a wake-up call and that Margo needed to be taught a lesson. Margo is furious, pointing out that she was doxxed and that the Facebook posts weren't hers. Shyanne deflects, blaming Margo's choices and her own fear of Kenny's disapproval. Margo tells her mother to stay out of her life and leaves, carrying a sobbing Bodhi.
Back home, Margo receives an email from Ward with a PDF attachment: the psychological evaluation report ordered by Mark. The report, written by Dr. Sharp, recommends that Margo retain full legal and physical custody of Bodhi. It details her MMPI-2 results, a home observation, and a parent-child interaction assessment, all of which find her fit. The report notes that both Margo and Mark want her to keep custody, and it recommends weekly visitation for Mark and child support for one year. Margo is overjoyed but unsettled by reading about herself in clinical terms. She also realizes that because Shyanne called CPS, Mark was not responsible—a revelation that shifts her understanding of the situation.
Key Events
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Margo apologizes to Shyanne and announces she's quitting OnlyFans to pursue real estate.
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Shyanne reveals her secret gambling habit in Vegas, briefly bonding with Margo.
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Shyanne admits that she and Kenny called CPS on Margo, claiming it was a “wake-up call.”
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Margo confronts her mother, tells her to stay out of her life, and leaves.
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Margo receives the psychological evaluation report from Ward via email.
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The report recommends Margo retain full legal and physical custody of Bodhi.
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Margo learns that Mark requested the evaluation and supports her keeping custody.
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Margo realizes Shyanne's CPS call means Mark wasn't behind the investigation.
Character Development
Margo shows significant growth this chapter. She takes the initiative to apologize, even when she doesn't feel entirely in the wrong, and she commits to a legitimate career path. Her confrontation with Shyanne is a turning point: she stops making excuses for her mother's behavior and sets a firm boundary. The psychological report forces her to see herself through an outsider's lens, and while it's uncomfortable, she accepts the validation it offers. Her final realization—that Mark wasn't the enemy—shows her willingness to reassess her assumptions.
Shyanne is revealed as deeply flawed and self-serving. She initially appears to soften, but her admission about CPS exposes her willingness to sacrifice her daughter to appease Kenny. She deflects blame, claims ignorance of the doxxing, and frames her betrayal as tough love. Her character underscores the theme of conditional love and the damage of parental selfishness.
Mark remains off-page but his actions speak loudly. By requesting the evaluation and explicitly stating he wants Margo to keep custody, he demonstrates a surprising level of support—perhaps guilt, perhaps genuine care for Bodhi's well-being. This complicates Margo's earlier view of him as a villain.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
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Betrayal and Trust: Shyanne's call to CPS is a profound betrayal, especially after Margo came to apologize. The chapter explores how trust is broken and whether it can be repaired.
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Sex Work Stigma: The report's discussion of OnlyFans highlights societal judgment, even as it acknowledges the work is legal and financially beneficial. Margo's decision to quit is partly a response to that stigma.
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Mother-Daughter Conflict: The confrontation with Shyanne is a raw depiction of a daughter's longing for love and a mother's failure to provide it. Margo's final “No” is a rejection of her mother's toxic influence.
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Self-Improvement: Margo's pivot to real estate represents her attempt to build a stable, respectable life—a theme reinforced by the report's approval of her parenting.
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The Legal System as a Double-Edged Sword: The psychological evaluation is both invasive and liberating. It reduces Margo to checkboxes and clinical language, yet it also gives her the validation she needs to keep her son.
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The Puppy as a Symbol: Lieutenant, the new puppy, represents a fresh start and the possibility of joy, but also the complications of Kenny's controlling presence in Shyanne's life.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is a turning point in the custody arc. It resolves the mystery of who called CPS, revealing that Shyanne and Kenny were responsible, not Mark. This shifts Margo's understanding of her enemies and allies. The psychological evaluation provides concrete, court-admissible evidence that Margo is a fit parent, effectively neutralizing the CPS threat and paving the way for a resolution without a trial. It also deepens Margo's character, showing her capacity for self-reflection and her determination to protect Bodhi. The chapter sets up the next phase of the story: Margo's new career, her strained relationship with her mother, and the possibility of a more cooperative co-parenting arrangement with Mark.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Margo decide to apologize to Shyanne at the start of the chapter, and what does this reveal about her character?
Margo apologizes because she wants to repair the relationship and because she's genuinely remorseful about missing Shyanne's wedding and the public fallout. She also hopes to show Shyanne that she's changing by quitting OnlyFans. This reveals Margo's desire for maternal approval and her willingness to take responsibility, even when she feels wronged.
2. How does the psychological evaluation report both validate and unsettle Margo?
The report validates Margo by declaring her psychologically fit and recommending she retain full custody. It praises her parenting as “high-care, low-control” and notes her intelligence and emotional regulation. However, it also unsettles her because it reduces her life to clinical observations—her MMPI scores, her family history, her past with Mark—making her feel exposed and “creepy” to read about herself.
3. What does Margo's realization about Shyanne's CPS call reveal about her relationship with Mark?
Margo had assumed Mark was behind the CPS investigation, but learning that Shyanne and Kenny called shifts her perspective. It suggests Mark may not be as adversarial as she thought, especially since he requested the evaluation and supported her keeping custody. This opens the door for a more cooperative relationship, though Margo remains cautious about what she's “dealing with.”