29. Ophelia

Ophelia wakes to discover that evidence of Alex's father's crimes has been leaked to the press, credited to her name, though she didn't do it. She realizes her account was compromised and tries desperately to reach Alex, but he's already at the airport leaving the country, convinced of her betrayal. After an emotional goodbye she cannot prevent, Ophelia receives a mysterious message containing a photograph of Alex holding a knife over Bancroft's body, along with a blackmail demand.

Ophelia discovers seventy unread messages and learns that articles exposing Alex's father's crimes have been published with her byline. She finds an unfamiliar email sent from her account and realizes someone else posted the report she had written and deleted long ago. Unable to reach Alex or Vincenzo, she races to the airport with Eike's help. She spots Alex at security and texts him her innocence, but he declines her calls and boards a private jet, his eyes conveying a final goodbye. He texts that he believes she betrayed him from the moment they met, then blocks her number. Ophelia stands devastated as his plane takes off. Moments later, an unknown sender messages her a Jane Austen quote and a black-and-white photograph showing Alex holding a knife over Bancroft's kneeling, broken form in the dark forest. The sender demands she hand herself over in exchange for Alex's safety, threatening exposure of what appears to be a murder scene. Ophelia collapses.