Wynand and Dominique depart on their cruise aboard Wynand’s ship, the I Do. Wynand gave his ship this name in response to the many times in his life when people told him he did not run things. Dominique realizes that this is a question Wynand never answered for other people, but he readily gave the answer to her. On the deck, Wynand tells Dominique that he loves her and wants to marry her. He will take care of her divorce from Keating and marry her when she gets a divorce in Reno. Dominique remembers Wynand’s role in the Stoddard Temple as well as other things in the Banner that played a part in her attempt to destroy Roark. She agrees to marry him.

When he returns from the cruise, Wynand goes to see Peter Keating. When Keating sees that Wynand has returned early, his first fear is that he will not get the Stonebridge contract. Wynand assures him that the contract is his. He hands him the contract as well as a check for $250,000—payment for Dominique. At first Keating refuses, but eventually he accepts the inevitable. After Dominique leaves for Reno, Keating realizes he actually loves her. He goes to Toohey and gives him a check for $10,000 to give to some charity. He tells Toohey that Dominique is marrying Wynand. Toohey is in shock; he realizes how dangerous both of them together will be to him.

Dominique takes the train to Reno but stops in Clayton, Ohio, where Roark is working on a construction job. Although it is night, she finds him walking down the street. She tells him that she is not staying but is on her way to Reno. When she tells him that she is marrying Wynand, Roark remembers how much Henry Cameron despised Wynand. Dominique wants to stay with Roark, but he refuses. Dominique grieves because life has lowered Roark to building inexpensive homes. She gets back on the train and continues her journey to Reno.

The Council of American Writers, the group founded by Toohey for young “talent,” has become the literati of the country. Ike, one of the members, reads a truly awful play of his, but the other members pronounce it sure to be a hit. Toohey writes an article in support of modern architecture, in which he praises the pioneer work of Henry Cameron. Guy Francon announces his retirement. Keating chooses Neil Dumont as his new partner but completely forgets about the announcement celebration and is out in the country at the time. Thus Stonebridge, for which Keating gave up Dominique, is the last contract signed by the firm of Francon and Keating.