Arzen Rose Dulzura

The first episode of ABS-CBN’s “What Lies Beneath” depicts a chilling story of betrayal and injustice among a group of friends called “Mabels.”

Article (news)

Rianna Mae Santiago

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1761012577060New Project (10).jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><p><strong>ABS-CBN</strong> brings viewers another pulse-pounding suspense-drama series, with compelling performances from Janella Salvador, Sue Ramirez, Kaila Estrada, and Charlie Dizon. Jake Cuenca, who plays their speculated falsely accused character, hint at a dramatic reversal, or perhaps a game-changing reveal. </p><p>With a chilling first episode, “<a href="http://whatliesbeneath.abs-cbn.com"><strong><u>What Lies Beneath</u></strong></a>” has set the tone for a season of truth-twisting and heartwrenching secrets.  </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>A single flashback opens old wounds </strong></div><p>The episode kicks off with a puzzling flashback scene, as the younger versions of Erica Melendez (Krystal Mejes), Beth Sevilla-Mora (Allyson McBride), Alice Quintana-Miller (Eliza Borromeo), and Mel Barrera-Montenegro (Reich Alim) frantically wait for a missing Louisa Mae Soria (Mutya Orquia).  </p><div><iframe width="928" height="522" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pDorBkKlqL8" title="The tragedy that shakes the lives of Erica, Beth, Mel, and Alice | What Lies Beneath (with Eng Subs)" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>A startling transition transports the audience to Louisa’s tragic fate, as she holds a birthday cake and balloons. On her way to meet her friends, the hazy figure of a woman strikes Louisa on the back of the head, injuring her. A male onlooker hurries to inform her friends that Louisa has once again engaged in a physical altercation with another person. </p><p>Erica, Beth, Alice, and Mel all rushed to the scene, only to discover Louisa had vanished and only their friendship bracelet remained on the floor. Continuing their search, the group finds themselves in an isolated area with no people nearby. A few more minutes later, they discover a man slitting Louisa’s throat, and they hold their dying friend throughout the heavy rain.  </p><p>As the crescendo ends, an adult Erica (Kaila Estrada) awakens from the flashback, ushering viewers into the characters’ current reality. </p><div><iframe width="928" height="522" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Fv33RFOhBLk" title="Erica is haunted by the memory of Louisa’s tragedy | What Lies Beneath (with English Subtitles)" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>Meet MABEL, a group of five friends </strong></div><p>Fourteen years later, the group is set to reunite, this time with their own careers and families. Erica (Kaila Estrada), who is now a lawyer, appears to have distanced herself from the group. With a commanding presence in court, she is well-known for preventing wrongfully accused suspects from being imprisoned, even lecturing lawmakers on how to make the laws more understandable to the public. </p><p>Beth (Charlie Dizon), the group’s confident visionary, now works as a teacher. She encourages a student to represent the school at a journalism conference in Baguio but is turned down, with the student’s mother viewing the path as a failure, since the teacher herself never became a journalist. </p><p>Mel (Sue Ramirez), the next intriguing personality, enters the scene. Mel, dubbed as the IT girl and a “famous celebrity stylist turned husband beater,” finds her reputation on the verge of being tarnished as the scandal spreads on set. </p><p>Bringing a mysterious, poignant mood upon her arrival from the US, Alice (Janella Salvador), along with her son, is greeted by Beth’s family at the airport. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Reuniting at the “House of Memories” </strong></div><p>Originally owned by Alice’s Uncle Edward, the two-story mansion-style house overlooking a vast green scenery became the group’s “childhood-slash-high school tambayan.”  </p><p>Alice’s and Beth’s reminiscence of their past reveal more youthful hopes and dreams, as well as Louisa’s somber realization that Beth, Mel, and Alice are moving out of the small town to attend college in Manila, leaving her and Erica behind. They eventually make a promise in their hearts to live in this one beautiful house when they are all older. </p><p>After rounds of nostalgia and humor from Chloe (Beth’s daughter), Mel arrives with a PR team to broadcast their plans for the house, hoping to save her reputation with an awe-inspiring scoop about their long-standing friendship. She tells the cameras that a “dream retirement home” will be renovated to honor their late friend, Louisa.  </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Erica’s Atonement </strong></div><p>Then we see Erica speaking with her informant, whom she saved from being wrongfully arrested. Despite the risk of her hard-earned life being shattered by controversies, Erica is determined to right her wrongs: “Kung hindi ako naduwag, noon ko pa ‘to ginawa,” she stresses. </p><div><iframe width="928" height="522" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/f-LGzBLIxE4" title="Erica’s friends don’t listen to her when she defends Edong | What Lies Beneath (with English Subs)" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p> Another series of flashbacks reveals that Louisa&#x27;s murder happened on Erica’s birthday, and she was the only one in the group who attempted to stop the murderer from fleeing.  </p><p>Erica has been unveiled as Lucas’ love interest, and Lucas happens to be the younger brother of Edong Santiago (Jake Cuenca). With Edong now the primary suspect in Louisa&#x27;s death, and after reviewing all the misleading evidence, Erica stands out as the only one who truly believes he is innocent —a position that isn&#x27;t exactly winning her friends’ trust. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Who is the infamous ‘Edong Santiago’? </strong></div><p>Louisa and Edong’s feud allegedly began when she discovered Erica is dating Edong’s younger brother, Lucas. Expressing strong disapproval of their relationship, Louisa confronts Lucas, emphasizing that his older brother is a drug addict, thief, and has been in and out of jail—factors that could put Erica in danger in the long run. Edong also took money from Louisa’s older brother, Lemuel Soria. </p><p>Despite Erica’s strong disagreement, claiming that Lucas is not like his brother, Beth enters and continues the spiteful remarks. The fight escalates when Edong arrives, calling Beth the child of a mistress. Beth responds by bringing up the murder of Edong and Lucas’ mother by their father, which becomes Edong’s breaking point and eventually leads him to threaten their lives. </p><p>Edong has long been known in the town of Amurao as a drug pusher, which has earned the ire of Celestino, a high-ranking police officer, due to his son’s repeated stints in the drug rehabilitation center. Edong’s denial of the murder and being the cause of Celestino’s son’s addiction leads to him being beaten until he is bloodied. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>How the betrayal unfolded </strong></div><p>Lucas believes his brother is innocent, and Erica vividly remembers that the murderer had a scar on his back—something Edong doesn’t have—offering the first proof of his innocence. </p><p>During the questioning, the friends answer Celestino’s questions, at one point earning a threat of obstruction of justice from the determined officer, who is intent on putting Edong behind bars. </p><div><iframe width="928" height="522" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/y9NipmRzYuc" title="Erica gathers the courage to defend Edong | What Lies Beneath" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>Erica tries to debunk the evidence during one of the group’s discussions, but Beth strongly disagrees, casting serious doubt on Erica as a friend, and she is judged as selfish because of her relationship with Lucas. </p><p>The warrant of arrest comes, and Celestino searches the home of the brothers to find a missing watch, which Erica stated Louisa lost during the course of her murder. The watch found by the police was missing a big letter “L” at the back, another piece of evidence that doesn’t point to Edong as the murderer. Despite this, Beth and their friends, with the exception of Erica, testify that the watch belonged to Louisa, resulting in Edong&#x27;s imprisonment. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>One call brings revenge </strong></div><div><iframe width="928" height="522" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AwC9R7riZo0" title="Edong is finally imprisoned because of Louisa’s case | What Lies Beneath" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>Edong in prison watches Mel&#x27;s episode of the group&#x27;s dream house with disdain. An adult Lucas (JM de Guzman) also watches the episode. Hours later, Edong calls Erica, “Nakabuo na kayo ng buhay, sinira n’yo ‘yung akin.” </p><p>Don’t miss an episode of “<a href="http://whatliesbeneath.abs-cbn.com"><strong><u>What Lies Beneath</u></strong></a>,” weeknights on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), A2Z, TV5 and <a href="https://app.iwanttfc.com/dFR6MWHAcVb"><strong><u>iWant</u></strong></a>.</p>

<p>The first episode of ABS-CBN’s “What Lies Beneath” depicts a chilling story of betrayal and injustice among a group of friends called “Mabels.”</p>

The past comes crawling back for Erica, Beth, Alice, and Mel in the chilling premiere of “What Lies Beneath”

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The past comes crawling back for Erica, Beth, Alice, and Mel in the chilling premiere of “What Lies Beneath”

Rianna Mae Santiago

Published October 21, 2025 10:17 AM PHT

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Updated November 07, 2025 12:54 PM PHT

Read More:

What Lies Beneath

Kaila Estrada

Janella Salvador

Sue Ramirez

Charlie Dizon

Jake Cuenca

JM de Guzman

Mutya Orquia

Krystal Mejes

Allyson McBride

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