Chapter 3 Maxwell's Agony

Two months later, Ariella speaks to a much happier Juanita through a video call; she just got an A on her report card. She’s clearly doing very well, and although Ariella is planning to arrive in Malaysia again soon, Juanita tells her that she doesn’t have to. She notes that it’s weird that the two of them see each other more than Ariella sees Paulo.

Ariella starts to respond, but when Carol tells Juanita that she’s heading out, Juanita picks up her backpack and leaves the house while her mother is still mid-sentence on the video call.  After Juanita leaves, Ariella hears a male voice in the room, and looks closer to see that Carol had also left her computer open on her desk on the other side of the room. Maxwell is filming the rain falling from the roof for her, which Carol apparently asked for as a part of her homework.

“Carol? Are you there?” Maxwell calls out, Ariella laughs, realizing that both of their daughters went off after saying only what they needed to say. She turns to discover it’s raining where she was as well. Ariella leaves for duty after putting some food in the refrigerator for her husband, who comes home after she’s long gone. He takes the refrigerated food out and wonders dryly if it’s an in-flight meal.

Ariella arrives in Malaysia to meet Juanita at the Art ornament gallery. The traditional knots catch Ariella’s eye, and Juanita tells her that Carol’s uncle and grandmother made them. But Juanita is in no state to appreciate the exhibits, she’s worried that Carol is going to return to Texas for her grandmother’s birthday today, and she has to stay nearby to say goodbye in case she does. She finally convinces her mother to call Mary and ask whether Carol has decided to go. When Mary reports that she’s not going, Juanita practically jumps with joy.

At Carol’s grandmother’s ornament store, Madison joins Grandma in working outside, expressing her regret that Carol won’t be here for Grandma’s birthday again this year.

Surprisingly, however, Grandma tells her that Carol is coming. She informed her that she was at the airport a short while ago. Madison looks mightily displeased about that.

At the airport, Carol tries to ignore the repeated phone calls from her mom, but finally gives in and picks up before she enters the gate.

Through the phone, Madison tells her: “Do not come, Please do not come. Do as you promised. Why do you think your dad sent you to me?”

Carol tears up and runs back outside out of the airport, running into Ariella and dropping her grandmother’s bead. Ariella picks it up, but Carol doesn’t even notice in her hysteria. She runs blindly outside and into the street and is abruptly hit by a car.

Maxwell is teaching a class when he gets the phone call. He texts Madison that he’s on the way to the airport; Carol was in an accident. Madison reads the text and calmly returns to her meeting with her clients.

On the plane, Ariella comforts one of her co-hostess; who had witnessed Carol's bloody accident, she is traumatized and can’t stop thinking about it.

Ariella helps her breathe to ease her anxiety, comforting her professionally and kindly. “Inhale, exhale. I take deep breaths whenever I feel anxious and short breaths afterwards” she says as she comforts her.

Chairman Paulo’s special cell phone rings; "She died and I heard she gave up your daughter, Juanita's location."

He hangs up immediately and calls Ariella with his main cell phone asking about Juanita. She tells him she’s good and she was about to call her before his call came in.

“Bring her home” he whispers and hangs up. She looked at her phone for a while confused, frustrated and speechless.

Back home, Juanita calls her mom, telling her that something weird is going on. Carol isn’t home, and the police keep coming by”. Ariella calmly tells her not to worry “I’m sure you’ll figure it out. If Mary said not to worry then do not worry” She hangs up just after she lets Juanita know she’ll ask around to find out what's going on then get back to her.

She calls Sarah for Carol’s parents’ phone number, but suddenly thinks of something: Maxwell Stone’s name is awfully similar to the name shown on her flight ticket, "Carol Stone", who was recorded as a minor.

Unable to shake the feeling that Carol might be her daughter’s roommate, she turns straight around to buy the last direct ticket to Kuala Lumpur. In the booth next to her, Maxwell runs up and asks for the same flight, when he’s interrupted by a phone call.

His face goes pale as he listens, and then stutters “She’s… She's dead?”. He grips the side of the counter, trying to gain balance. Ariella stands for a while looking at him and decides to give up her ticket and asks for it to be transferred to Maxwell.

He looks at her, but she quickly turns away before he could see her. She walks away and immediately dials his  number but no matter how many times she tries to call Maxwell and Mary, they won’t answer. She calls Sarah instead. Sarah, however, reminds her that there’s nothing she can do anyway, and Ariella finally gives up.

Maxwell arrives at Carol's homestay. He sits in her room and stares at the iron his daughter bought to replace Mary’s ancient one then lays on Carol’s bed in mourning. He reminisces about their last outing where Carol told him it was good to miss something “we’ll meet again, I’m hopeful” her voice echoes in his head. Maxwell lets himself feel the hurt as he  wails  out in pain and Agony. Ariella is in her room pacing while trying to get a hold of Mary and Maxwell. When Ariella goes ahead to video call Juanita, she hears a glimpse of a man screaming in her room before her computer runs out of battery.