As the morning sun filters through the window, Teresa and Elena savor their steaming cups of coffee. Elena gently shares her decision with Teresa—she's set to return to her uncle’s residence. The endless banter under Teresa's roof, though cherished, leaves Elena struggling to focus on her studies. Despite her deep affection for Teresa, she must find a quieter haven to concentrate. Reluctantly, Elena recounts her late return the previous night, an evening spent at the movies with Lorenzo and his two companions, followed by an enchanting stroll through the city's moonlit streets with Lorenzo. At last, Elena confesses the truth: the spark between her and Lorenzo has blossomed into love, compelling her to move out.

Teresa absorbs this revelation with surprising composure, exuding a calm and rational demeanor. She acknowledges the budding romance between Elena and Lorenzo, noting she had already sensed it. Assuredly, she tells Elena that she knows Lorenzo's heart is now elsewhere, so she is unperturbed. Determined to maintain their friendship, Teresa even offers to annul her marriage, paving the way for Elena and Lorenzo to wed. Yet, with a hint of vulnerability, she admits her enduring love for Lorenzo, expressing a willingness to welcome him back, no matter the circumstances. In an unexpected twist, Teresa reveals her dark resolve—to one day take her own life through a gunshot, making Lorenzo a widower free to marry Elena. She confides in Elena about the pistol she purchased while living with Lorenzo, originally intended for him. Elena pleads with Teresa to discard the gun, and Teresa promises to comply.

As Elena retreats to her room to pack her belongings, Teresa retrieves the pistol from her own room. She enters Elena's room and, in a moment of devastating finality, fires the gun. In a frenzy of panic, Teresa phones Lorenzo to confess her fatal act. Just then, the doorbell rings. Standing at the threshold is Giovanna, a young woman responding to Teresa's advertisement for the vacant room.