Plot

An unexpected promotion at a cutthroat hedge fund pushes a young couple's relationship to the brink, threatening to unravel far more than their recent engagement.

Hot off the heels of their new engagement, thriving New York couple Emily and Luke can't get enough of each other. When a coveted promotion at a cutthroat financial firm arises, supportive exchanges between the lovers begin to sour into something more sinister. As the power dynamics irrevocably shift in their relationship, Luke and Emily must face the true price of success and the unnerving limits of ambition.

Inseparable Manhattan hedge fund analysts Emily and Luke have all the time in the world to plan their future after their secret engagement. But nothing is above personal aspirations in the private microcosm of their competitive financial firm. Little by little, the young couple's prospect of a fresh start takes a dark turn when a sought-after promotion comes out of the blue, changing everything. And with rabid ambition clouding their judgement, trying to play fair is a fool's game.—Nick Riganas

Emily Meyers (Phoebe Dynevor) and Luke Edmunds (Alden Ehrenreich) are analysts at One Crest Capital, a cutthroat Manhattan hedge fund. The two are in a passionate relationship they keep secret from their co-workers (Dax (Brandon Bassir), Rory (Sebastian De Souza), Arjun (Sia Alipour)). Luke proposes to Emily while at his brother's wedding, and she happily accepts.

The next day at work, one of the company's portfolio managers named Quinn is fired. Emily overhears her colleagues mention that Luke is being considered as a replacement, and passes the news onto him; the two celebrate that night. However, the firm's CEO Campbell (Eddie Marsan) summons Emily to a meeting late in the night to tell her that she will in fact be receiving the promotion. Emily reluctantly breaks the news to Luke, but he expresses his support.

As Emily settles into her new job, Luke's resentment over not being promoted becomes increasingly apparent, leading to tensions in his relationship with Emily. Luke now works for Emily, and she tells him what to do at work. Emily tells Luke that Campbell doesn't think highly of Rory and when Rory gets fired, she will pitch for Luke. But Emily makes Luke work hard and Luke is slow, so this means he has to spend long hours at work to complete the tasks assigned by Emily. Luke privately becomes consumed with the work of a self-help guru coaching men on how to assert themselves in the workplace. Their sex life is strained; at one point Emily tries to initiate sex and Luke says he is not feeling up to it. She then crawls onto him and tells him that she doesn't care what he feels like, and that she would do all the work. He ultimately denies her and goes to bed.

While out for drinks with Campbell and Paul (Rich Sommer), a senior executive at the fund, Emily learns that Campbell is seeking to get rid of Luke, considering him ineffectual. Luke's last big call lost the firm $15 million. Campbells also reveals that Luke was a favor that Campbell did for a friend, and eventually he wants Luke to leave. Emily attempts to advocate more for Luke in the workplace, but it backfires when Luke makes a poor trading call that loses the company $25 million, leading to Campbell harshly insulting her. Luke attempts to rectify his mistake by feeding Emily insider information confirming the rumored collapse of a company whose stock the fund can short. Concerned that the trade is illegal, Emily recommends Campbell to short another company, which proves successful; she receives a hefty commission of $575,000. Emily considers celebrating her success with Luke but opts to go to a strip club with her male co-workers instead after Luke ignores her attempts to celebrate. She comes home intoxicated, leading to a fight with Luke where he shames her for dressing and behaving like one of the prostitutes her colleagues habitually hire for their nightclub outings.

When another portfolio manager Rory is fired the next day, Luke demands that Emily recommend him for the role to Campbell, but she hints that Campbell is not interested in promoting him. Luke then goes to Campbell's office and makes a grandiose speech pledging his loyalty to him, only to learn Campbell has already hired a new portfolio manager. That night, Emily learns that her overbearing mother (Geraldine Somerville) has planned a surprise engagement party for them that Friday. Emily is livid since Luke hasn't informed even his parents yet and they are in no position to celebrate. A drunken Luke accuses Emily of stealing his job, but Emily reveals that Campbell wanted to fire him, leading Luke to storm out. Turns out Emily's mother had informed Luke's parents about the engagement and all the relatives are flying in. There is no calling it off now. Emily calls Luke and asks him to put their differences aside to attend the engagement party.

The next day, while Emily, Campbell, and Paul pitch to overseas investors, Luke barges into the conference room intoxicated and causes a scene, berating Campbell for denying him a promotion and revealing his relationship with Emily, which has been in violation of company policy since her promotion.

An infuriated Emily is unable to reach Luke over the phone, only to find him at the engagement party. The two argue in front of their families and guests, and Emily smashes a bottle on Luke's head when he suggests that she traded sexual favors for a promotion. Emily retreats to a bathroom where Luke finds her and the two argue further before having sex; after it has started, Emily tells Luke to stop, but he sexually assaults her, violently shoving her face against the bathroom sink.

The next morning, to protect her job, Emily tells Campbell that Luke was stalking her and that the two were never in a relationship. Emily returns home to find Luke there, having packed up his belongings and planning to move in with his brother. Enraged by his nonchalant demeanor and demanding an apology for sexually assaulting her, Emily attacks Luke with a kitchen knife until he breaks down crying and begs for her forgiveness. Emily orders him to clean his blood off the floor and leave. She drops the knife and lets out a huff of laughter.