Avery wakes tied to an antique chair in a crowded storage-like room that smells strongly of gasoline. Mellie is there, visibly sick with fear or guilt, along with Sheffield Grayson, Grayson’s father, who calmly admits responsibility for the chloroform, the restraints, and the earlier bomb at the airstrip.

Sheffield explains that the bomb was meant to injure Avery, not kill her. His real goal was to lure Toby out of hiding, because Sheffield believes Toby is Avery’s true father and blames Toby for Colin’s death. Sheffield expected Toby to come to Avery’s hospital bedside after the explosion, but Alisa moved Avery to the secured Hawthorne House, ruining the trap.

Avery insists that Toby is not her father, because Alisa’s DNA test identified Ricky Grambs as her father. Sheffield contradicts that conclusion, claiming that Mellie provided Avery’s DNA and that Sheffield compared it to a sample of Toby’s from the Hawthorne Island investigation. According to Sheffield, the match was definitive.

Sheffield also reveals that Mellie was paid to help him. When Sheffield dismisses Mellie, Avery tries to stop Mellie from leaving by warning that Sheffield may not spare loose ends and by invoking Nash, but Mellie continues toward the door. Left trapped and increasingly panicked, Avery realizes Sheffield intends to wait for Toby to come for her.