Summer is over and it's time for Alice to go back to the Institute. Among the tasks that Wally immediately entrusts her is that of tutoring Erika, a new resident. In the meantime, human bones are found in the basement of an archaeological area. Alice and Claudio, with whom the girl continues to live a turbulent love relationship, go to the place. Here Alice meets the fascinating PM Sergio Einardi and soon discovers that, between the man and Conforti, there is a mysterious resentment linked to the past.
Claudio and Alice continue to have opposite points of view on love. Meanwhile Ambra mysteriously disappears and Claudio seems to be very worried. A pharmacy robbery degenerated into murder leads Alice and Conforti to meet Einardi again, who once again does not hide a keen interest in the student. In the meantime, the Supreme Prof. Malcomess, director of the Institute, communicates the decision to retire, opening the race to his succession and calling for a competition among the trainees for a scholarship in Baltimore.
During the investigation into the attempted murder of a theater director, Alice senses the reason for the rust between Conforti and Einardi: between the two there is a war that risks involving her. During the investigations, which also bring up Cordelia, Alice's roommate, a formidable scientific intuition of the student reveals the motive for the attempted murder.
Claudio has a proposal for Alice: he will agree to formalize their relationship and open up to the project of a family with her, as long as Alice leaves the Institute. Alice is stunned: such an either or is impossible to accept. Meanwhile, a crime on a sailing boat brings the pupil and PM Einardi even closer.
Alice confesses to Claudio what happened with Einardi. The murder of a cemetery maintenance worker captures the student's interest: her colleague and friend Lara seems to be involved in the affair. On the sentimental front, meanwhile, Conforti does not cease hostilities, while Einardi continues his courtship. Alice feels more and more confused.
The crime of a young Libyan inmate brings Alice into contact with the prison world. Claudio tries to get closer to the girl, but Einardi's intrusions do nothing but fuel the misunderstandings. Alice must admit that the court of the brilliant PM pleases her and, when the man invites her to spend a weekend in the countryside, the girl accepts. Things, however, will not go as he had hoped.
Alice is convinced that she was "used" by Einardi. Meanwhile, Calligaris summons them to a school where a student died falling from a structure under construction: it is necessary to carry out the relevant findings to understand if it was a murder or if there is something else behind it. While following the developments of the investigation, Alice learns from the PM's ex-wife what happened in the past between Einardi and Conforti. Knowing the truth won't make her feel better.
A famous surgeon is killed during a home robbery. In the course of the investigation, Alice's sentimental doubts about Claudio mingle with professional ones: she is almost certain that Conforti is hiding something about the case they are following. Alice's spirit of observation will be decisive to understand what happened and to allow Claudio to reveal the reasons for his strange behavior.
Between Alice and Claudio it seems to be clear again. The death of an American student dedicated to helping the homeless will bring the student back to Einardi, who is still interested in her. Arthur's sudden return, however, will put everything back into play.
A mysterious illness causes the death of a young oboist and the inspection carried out by Conforti and Alice in a luxurious recording studio leads the student to reflect on human impulses such as jealousy, envy for talent and unbridled ambition. In the meantime, the winner of the contest for Baltimore is announced.
Claudio announces to Alice that he will probably become the director of the Institute and tells the girl that he wants to meet her parents, to make their love official. The romantic atmosphere is abruptly interrupted by the tragic wounding of Deputy Chief Calligaris in front of the institute's entrance. The investigations will progressively distance Claudio and Alice: their ways of reacting to emotions, pain and adversity are too different.
A running coach is found dead on the edge of a track. This is a complicated investigation, with a single visually impaired witness. Alice, meanwhile, must reflect on her feelings towards Arthur who reveals that he wants to return to live in Rome just to be close to her.
