17. Ophelia

Ophelia receives her exam results and officially ends her tutoring arrangement with Alex, though their chemistry remains evident. Later, a mysterious parcel arrives containing a tape labeled with her mother's name, forcing her to confront a devastating secret about her past. That evening while swimming alone at the tarn, she is violently attacked and drowned by an unknown assailant.

Ophelia scores ninety-one percent on her psychology exam while Alex barely passes with forty-eight percent, marking the end of their required study partnership. Their banter reveals Ophelia's inexperience with romantic relationships, and when Alex departs to take a call from someone named Evie, she notices his deteriorating emotional state—his mother was recently photographed in public disarray, and he left his rugby match to fly to New York. She observes him growing increasingly volatile, stretched to a breaking point. Days later, Ophelia receives a parcel forwarded from her parents' cottage. Inside is a tape labeled "Laura, my darling, I'm sorry"—connected to her mother and accompanied by a cryptic note signed only "—L." The discovery paralyzes her with conflicting impulses: one side of her wants revenge against Cain Green, the other craves peace. She orders a tape-to-MP3 converter but postpones a decision. Seeking clarity, she heads to the tarn for a swim. While treading water, she experiences a sudden realization: "Alan Sine" is an anagram of "Annalise"—her mother's name—suggesting the crossword puzzles she's been solving are deeply personal messages. Unease overtakes her. As she emerges from the cold water and reaches for her phone to unblock Alex's number, she is attacked from behind. A large male assailant pins her face into the shallow water, choking her. Despite her desperate struggle—headbutts, clawing, thrashing—she cannot break free. She detects the scent of cloves and anise as water fills her lungs. Her consciousness fades to black as both versions of herself—the hopeful girl and the vengeful girl—surrender to drowning.