Sharing a flat with would-be stand up comic Naomi, Effy is now the office junior at the hedge-fund department of Hewitt Maurice asset management fund. To avoid a friend getting into trouble, Effy stands in for her boss Victoria and takes it upon herself to deal with valued client Max Stibbard, who is impressed. As a result Jake, the head of the firm, gives Effy the chance to be a dealer and, helped by lovelorn Dominic from the research department, pulls off an impressively-lucrative deal. Effy is now mixing with high-flying financiers and Naomi is appalled at her friend's shallow behaviour, especially as Naomi admits to having cancer. But Effy is on a roll and embarks upon an affair with Jake. At the same time it is noticed that market returns are not matching the firm's returns.