The unstoppable fear surrounding Edong’s (Jake Cuenca) escape has already reached his main targets for vengeance—Erica (Kaila Estrada), Beth (Charlie Dizon), Alice (Janella Salvador), and Mel (Sue Ramirez). In this tense buildup, the November 21 episode shows that the cruelty and traumas of the past know no bounds, as they also affect the connections of the characters, including Erica’s relatives (Annette and Althea), Mel’s PR team (Tim and Tom), and Beth’s daughter (Chloe).
Lucas makes the unexpected move of allying with Erica
Upon Erica’s (Kaila Estrada) arrival at her unit, the man waiting for her turns out to be Marco (Race Matias), unyielding in his protection of her despite her consistent refusals.
Uneasy about the possibility of Edong’s (Jake Cuenca) infiltration, Marco notices the MABEL friendship bracelet on Erica’s wrist, commenting that it might only provoke the vengeful Edong further.
Calmly, Erica explains that she didn’t wear it to trigger Edong and thanks Marco for guarding her, while adding a subtle note of disapproval for his overprotectiveness. Determined, Marco insists that she needs backup, and Erica eventually concedes.
In the morning, the two share cordial greetings and subtle jokes and converse about Edong once more, with Marco hinting that he’ll stay as long as needed until the coast is clear of Edong’s lurking.
Soon after, the brief peace ends when someone calls Erica to ask for permission for an unknown visitor to meet her—which she grants, inviting the visitor to her unit. As she rushes to change her clothes, Marco prepares a gun in anticipation of the possible danger that looms.
The door finally opens to a displeased Lucas (JM de Guzman), who quickly brings up Erica’s famed statement at the recent press conference, in which she called out to Edong. Wasting no time, Lucas offers to help Erica find Edong, knowing full well that the police might kill his brother on sight.
A brief flashback shows Lucas with an informant, instructing him to find Edong before the NLEA police or Lawrence Kyo do—going so far as to pretend to be Erica’s and the public’s ally.
Despite remaining resolute in her belief that Lucas is untrustworthy, Erica agrees to a temporary alliance, though she does not fully let her guard down.
Erica’s lonely fight from the past comes to light
Busy in their small store, Althea (Andi Abaya) sparks a conversation with Annette (Sharmaine Suarez), expressing her disbelief and confusion over Erica’s (Kaila Estrada) statement—wondering whether she should feel proud or fearful for the fate of her older stepsister, who may have just endangered her life.
Annette emphasizes Erica’s profession as a lawyer, noting that she may have numerous connections capable of protecting her.
Not stopping anytime soon, Althea now wonders about Erica’s feelings in the past—particularly over the death of one of her best friends, Louisa (Mutya Orquia). Erica had no time to mourn, as she was also reliving the trauma while attending investigations and court hearings as a witness.
Oblivious to the gravity of Annette and Erica’s fractured relationship as mother and daughter, Althea speculates that Annette might have been worried sick about her first daughter and didn’t want her to face the horrors alone.
However, this notion is immediately contradicted by a flashback during Celestino’s (Bart Guingona) interrogation of the young Erica (Krystal Mejes), where Annette is shown to be more hell-bent on asserting that she was Mrs. Encio, severing her ties to the Melendez name.
This illustrates how she gradually abandons Erica, a rift that becomes permanent when Erica decides to leave Amurao.
Mel realizes she has lost the right to tell her story
Finally, in an online meeting with Christi Yu from Women of Asia magazine, along with Tim (Dingdong Bahan) and Tom (Patrick Ramirez), Mel promises to meet Christi in person soon and receives praise from both Tim and Tom for her performance in the interview.
Her enthusiasm at the thought of finally breaking free from Anton’s house arrest was short-lived, as her schedule had already been adjusted for a full online setup—just as Anton appears on screen to thank both Tim and Tom.
Composing herself for a moment, Mel reasons that she is the only one who can truly say whether she has fully recovered or not. Anton seizes this chance to reveal more about Mel’s past, mentioning the killer still on the loose and now targeting her next. Worrying Tim and Tom even more, they scold Mel for not prioritizing her safety and urge her to listen to Anton.
When nighttime comes, Mel walks out of the bathroom, visibly upset as she searches for something. She eventually lashes out at Anton, insisting that he should not have revealed her past—something that belongs to her to share—and accusing him of using it against her. Moments later, she continues her search and discovers that Anton has taken her phone and cards, anticipating that she might try to escape.
Beth opens up about Erica and Louisa
Late at night, Beth (Charlie Dizon) finds Chloe (Jewel Milag) entertained and amused by Erica’s (Kaila Estrada) interview. Aware that Erica is one of Beth’s friends, along with Alice (Janella Salvador) and Mel (Sue Ramirez), Chloe wonders why she wasn’t involved in rebuilding the dream house and why she hasn’t been visiting.
Beth explains simply that they lost contact after high school. Chloe quickly suggests the possibility of reconnecting, but Beth brushes it off, reminding her that real life is not like fiction—Edong (Jake Cuenca) is a real killer who murdered Louisa (Mutya Orquia).
Ever curious, Chloe asks more about Louisa. Beth reminisces about how strong and determined Louisa was, even as she was constantly embroiled in reputation-damaging gossip.
Chloe notes that both Erica’s and Louisa’s personalities resemble parts of Beth’s, prompting Beth to speak softly about the past Erica, who was once quiet and timid.
Don’t miss an episode of “What Lies Beneath,” weeknights on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), A2Z, TV5, and iWant