Near Calle Balmes, Daniel realizes a car is tailing him. Two men seize him, drag him into the backseat, and, as Daniel fades in and out of consciousness, one of them discovers and takes Nuria Monfort's manuscript from inside Daniel's coat. Expecting Inspector Fumero, Daniel instead recognizes Fermín Romero de Torres just before blacking out.

Daniel wakes in a small apartment lit by candles, with Fermín and the watchmaker Don Federico Flaviá watching over him. Fermín explains they brought Daniel to a “safe place” and confirms Daniel was badly beaten—blaming Mr. Aguilar at first—until Daniel reveals it was Tomás, and that Bea has fled home and is pregnant. Daniel insists he must find Bea, but admits he does not know where she is.

Don Federico gives Daniel broth and pills “for pain,” and Daniel notices Fermín has already read Nuria’s manuscript. Daniel claims he now thinks he knows where Bea is, but when he tries to get up, dizziness overwhelms him. Fermín restrains him and Daniel realizes too late the pills are meant to put him to sleep; he passes out again, feeling guilty and powerless.

Near dusk, Daniel wakes to find Fermín asleep in a chair and Nuria’s manuscript scattered on the floor. With the snowfall still raging outside, Daniel quietly writes a note—“Gone to find Bea. Don’t follow me.”—and slips out of the apartment alone.

Daniel heads through snow-choked streets to the Hospital Clínico subway station, passing newspaper headlines proclaiming the “Snowfall of the Century.” On the platform, a Tibidabo amusement park poster shows the blue tram and, behind it, the outline of the Aldaya mansion. Daniel wonders if Bea saw the same image and, having nowhere else to go, turned toward that place.