9. Sex, Lies and Hard Knocks High

Complete story — includes the ending

Sutton (as Emma) stays with Emma's best friend Lexi in Las Vegas after she is released from jail. She is later aggressively confronted by Emma's former foster mother, Clarice, who was most upset about not receiving any more money after her fostering license was taken away when Emma fled town. Emma and Ethan overhear Ted and Kristen arguing about whether or not to "tell Sutton the truth." They then listen in on a phone conversation between Ted and Alec. This prompts Emma to investigate what Kristen might know. Laurel's lies to her parents about her and Justin are exposed and this causes a rift between the four of them until Emma gives her a little advice about family honesty. Alec is unhappy about Derek's growing bond with Char (which was supposed to be fake so he could spy on Sutton) and tells him to break up with her on their tenth day anniversary, which he does to Char's surprise. Emma suspects that Alec had something to do with it. Back in Vegas, Sutton is looking for a way back to Phoenix, but doesn't have any money for a bus ticket. After giving Emma's image a makeover, Sutton catches the attention of some boys at Emma's school and they invite her and Lexi to a casino party. Sutton sees this as an opportunity for a way out. A person named "Annie" calls Char in Phoenix to talk, but Phyllis grabs the phone before she could say anything. It is revealed that she is Phyllis' younger sister whom she had stopped contact with over the years. When Char tells this to Mads, Derek is shown eavesdropping in the background. He later meets up with Alec and tells him that he'll only tell him what he knows if he could get back with Char. At the casino party, Sutton manages to get the money she needs after a series of "extremely lucky" rounds of blackjack. The male nurse back at the Dowinger Clinic contacts Sutton to tell her that Annie had gone to find her. In the end, Laurel decides to be honest with her mother, bringing the two together, while Ted lays it down on Justin during a round of golf, leading Justin to believe that Ted isn't the honest, wholesome guy everyone might think he is. Lexi reveals to Sutton that she knew that she wasn't Emma all along and urges her to make up with Emma when she returns to Phoenix, which Sutton is reluctant to do. The letter of secrets that Sutton sent the Mercers during her time in jail arrives in the mail and Emma is able to intercept it before Kristen opens it, saying that she wrote it out of anger, but she doesn't mean it now. She tears it up in front of Kristen, but later tapes it back together and reads it to Ethan. Emma starts thinking about how she'll say goodbye to everyone she'll have to leave, but Ethan promises her that he'll follow her to wherever she'll have to go.