A woman in the Algarve spots a man with a small wheeled case walking toward the village and recognizes him as her husband, Simon Smith. She recalls that she is the only person to whom Simon revealed his true name four years earlier and believes she is his only true wife, unlike the women named in the press. Compelled by longing, she leaves her cottage door open and walks to meet him.

The woman reveals that she was the person filmed leaving her flat on the day Tara Truscott disappeared, disguised in Tara’s clothes. She describes taking public transport to create a false trail, disposing of the clothes, and returning to London while Simon used Tara’s phone to message Tara’s daughter and himself, ensuring they were beyond suspicion. Simon then left her, later going to Martha’s place, unknown to the wife at the time.

She recounts disturbing acts she did for Simon, including posting false negative reviews and fabricating an assault at a wine bar. She later learned of Luke’s death by suicide and wondered whether her actions contributed. She drank heavily to cope with the trauma of Tara’s death at her flat and has not seen her sons in four years, during which they believed their father died twice.

The wife admits she helped Simon dismember Tara’s body and scatter the remains in three woodland locations around the M25, as well as lying and stealing for him. She reflects on years of broken promises: Simon repeatedly claimed he was about to join her but always had new excuses about illness, money, and documents.

A week earlier, Simon phoned claiming he had escaped a trap and needed to lie low; the previous night he promised to arrive by six o’clock. As he approaches, smiling, he does not see a plainclothes London detective exiting her cottage, nor the police cars cresting the hill. The wife has decided to atone and ensure Simon faces consequences, even if it means prison for herself.

In the final moments, she steps aside as officers move in. Simon sees only her—his first wife—believing in her devotion, unaware of the ambush she has set. She resolves that she will do anything for him, except protect him now.