Enright holds an informal ceremony to celebrate the opening of the Enright House. A young photographer sees Roark looking up at the building. He is reminded of the feeling of awe one gets in a dream, but is not sure exactly why this feeling takes over. He takes a picture of this and shows it to his editor, who throws it away because no one wants a picture of the architect. The Enright House is rented quickly and the tenants are very happy, although others talk about how horrible it is. A reader writes to Toohey asking his opinion; Toohey responds in a letter, saying his column doesn't have time for trivial things. Roark continues to get work: the Norris House, and the Cord building. Roark's staff loves him, though they wouldn't use that word; his office breeds self-respect because the draftsmen know they are valued for the work they do and nothing else.
Dominique remains in the city. One day, she takes the ferry to Staten Island but can feel New York pulling her back; when she gets back, she walks halfway across Manhattan to Roark's apartment. She wants to demonstrate her power over him but finds it impossible because he is so open about how she controls him. It becomes redundant for her to affirm it.
Kent Lansing comes to Roark to do the Aquitania Hotel; Roark warns him that no board has ever hired him. Kent understands, and says boards don't actually exist - they are just mindless people whose minds can easily be swayed. He fought the board for weeks and finally won; Roark signed the contract.
Dominique visits Ellsworth's office for the first time. He is reading in the paper about the Aquitania contract. He asks why she came; she indicates the article. She says it makes her so happy she could sleep with Kent Lansing. She asks Ellsworth what if they were wrong about the world? But she says she will keep trying to destroy Roark.
Ellsworth thinks about Hopton Stoddard, a wealthy investor who admires Toohey because he doesn't care about money. He thinks that this makes him a saint. Stoddard finds relief in religion, and often switches, seemingly on a quest to find the true faith. He has wanted an interfaith temple to be built for some time, but Toohey has continuously told him he should build a home for subnormal children instead. Toohey goes to Stoddard and tells him he had been right, and that he should build the temple. Stoddard is delighted and listens, agreeing with everything Toohey has to say. He is to hire Roark. Toohey tells Stoddard all about Roark - that he doesn't believe in God (although he is profoundly religious and you can see that in his buildings). He tells Stoddard to let Roark do whatever he wants, and to keep the project highly secret. Stoddard will build a wall around the construction site so there can be a grand unveiling when it is finished. First, he intends to take a trip around the world looking at temples to different religions.
Toohey goes to Dominique, tells her that the Stoddard Temple is being built and that he was the one who told Stoddard to hire Roark. She asks why; he says he's going to make Roark famous.
Stoddard goes to Roark with the proposal; he has carefully planned what to say. Roark is surprised and skeptical that he would give him free reign; he tells him he does not believe in God, and Stoddard replies with what Toohey has told him - that Roark is a profoundly religious man, and one can see it in his buildings. He tells Roark to put his own spirit into it and it will be what Stoddard wants. Roark's doubt is removed, and he accepts the commission.
