In an unexpected turn of events, hinted at in previous episodes, Mel (Sue Ramirez) had always been fond of Lucas (JM de Guzman), in what one might call a secret admiration.
On the day of young Erica’s (Krystal Mejes) eventful—and soon haunting—birthday, the young Mel (Reich Alim) leaves a pastry shop and sees Lucas (Andrez del Rosario) being verbally bullied.
Right after Mel confronts the bullies, she and Lucas share a brief conversation, particularly about how he usually handles them. Delighted by their exchange, Mel asks Lucas if he remembers visiting their house in the past, as his mother, Dolores (Jennica Garcia), once worked for the Barreras. He agrees but leaves silently when Mel asks if he’s in a rush to find something.
Mel soon becomes quietly afflicted when she, along with Beth (Allyson McBride), Alice (Eliza Borromeo), and Louisa (Mutya Orquia), stumbles upon Erica and Lucas holding hands in the park—confirming their relationship. This discovery quickly sparks a heated confrontation among the girls, as they didn’t want Erica to be with someone connected to the infamous Edong (Renshi de Guzman).
During the onslaught of Edong’s case as Louisa’s alleged murderer, the pressure on the families of Louisa’s friends—especially the Barreras—was at an all-time high, with Mel’s parents forcing her to follow the police’s orders, even at the cost of Edong’s freedom.
Conquered by her father’s reminders and her mother’s indifference, reminders of how she had always been a disappointment, even in her choice of friends, Mel gives in and adds to the testimony that unjustifiably imprisons Edong.
Erica stands her ground against the ire of a resident
Soon after the false bomb threat, Marco (Race Matias) returns to the unit with Erica (Kaila Estrada). They promptly discuss the forensic investigation of the severed hand, speculated to be Mel’s (Sue Ramirez); the masked delivery man; and how to inform Mel’s relatives of the situation.
Just as they were about to go in, Erica’s neighbor—the same one who had brought the package inside the premises—berates her, insisting that she should move out to ensure the safety of the residents. Vexed, Erica merely sizes the neighbor up with her gaze, and if not for Marco stopping the neighbor’s retaliation, it could have turned into another disastrous moment for the night.
The dreadful news reaches Alice and Beth
In the thick of finding traces of the vanished Mel (Sue Ramirez), Alice (Janella Salvador) turns to contact her Uncle Edward (Joel Molina), whilst Beth (Charlie Dizon) calls for Mel’s office—both earning no green light of Mel’s whereabouts.
Erica (Kaila Estrada) communicates at the right time, but not with the news they were expecting—instead, she delivers another shock, informing them of the severed hand assumed to be Mel’s.
Taken aback, Alice immediately doubts her, and Beth seizes the opportunity to snatch Alice’s phone and reprimand Erica, blaming her statement on the news about Edong (Jake Cuenca) as the reason for Mel’s endangerment. Erica tries to reason, but, as in the past, Beth refuses to back down, finally prompting Erica to end the call.
With the weight of the situation sinking in, Beth quietly recalls the day they all identified false evidence that led to Edong’s incarceration, Chloe’s (Jewel Milag) praise of her as a suitable friend for the courageous Erica and Louisa (Mutya Orquia), and memories of Mel.
Back at Erica’s, her night doesn’t come to rest as she decides to contact NLEA, offering probable strategies to catch Edong faster, before requesting another security detail for the residents’ ease. She continues on the frustrating adrenaline, reviewing Louisa’s case for anything she might have missed—until the patient Marco reminds her to slow down this time.
Lucas and Mel’s unexpected love story
Still shaken by the revelations, Lucas (JM de Guzman) remembers many things at once. First, Erica’s (Kaila Estrada) hysterical declaration of Edong’s (Jake Cuenca) way of seeking justice through Mel (Sue Ramirez). Second, Edong’s unstoppable thirst for revenge—or, as he puts it, his way of helping those who wronged him. Lastly, Lucas recalls his final meeting with Mel, when they almost shared a kiss, and she was clearly still in love with him, as evidenced by their secret relationship in the past, which Lucas ended for the sake of Mel and Anton’s child.
More memories come to mind, taking him back to the night he met Mel again after years of merely passing by each other. At a party, with Steve and Jenny present, Lucas refuses a handshake from Mel, who soon follows him, urging a fresh start and asking to move past their painful and complicated history—especially with Edong.
Initially ignoring her approaches, Lucas eventually talks to and comforts Mel as the night ends, prompted by witnessing one of Anton’s (Jameson Blake) abusive moments toward her.
Aware of Lucas’s hatred toward her and her friends, Mel presses him to publicize her battered life, hoping he might find poetic justice for his brother. Instead of agreeing, Lucas assures her that he won’t harm a woman—a promise he has held since growing up with an abusive father. This leads to a short time of solace for both, with Mel finally finding someone she feels safe with.
Ending the flashes of the secret love story, Lucas stares at an old photo with Edong and tries to call him. To no avail, Edong cannot be reached, having promised to meet Lucas when it was all over.
An unsettling cut scene then reveals Edong in a violent state, chopping something, with bright red blood splattered on his chest.
Don’t miss an episode of “What Lies Beneath,” weeknights on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), A2Z, TV5, and iWant.