Episode 5 of *Hotel Costiera* opens with a vivid flashback to the 1950s, where a young boy named Laurent stands in awe, watching the legendary opera singer Maria Callas arrive at the grand Hotel Costiera. Adorned with a dazzling diamond necklace, she captivates not just the audience with her voice but also young Laurent with her elegance. Fast forward to the present, and Laurent, now a seasoned thief, is meticulously crafting a counterfeit version of that very necklace. His crew comprises the rough-edged thugs who recently abducted Alice, among them a enigmatic French girl named Sabine. Alice, sensing an opportunity, attempts to forge a bond with Sabine.
However, Laurent's true target is Adele. The hotel is set to host a prestigious auction featuring Maria Callas's iconic necklace, and Laurent is determined to seize it, enlisting Adele's aid in his daring heist. He concocts a plan to exploit Alice, motivated by Bruno's revelation of her disdain for the hotel and her father. Laurent harbors his own grudge against them, believing the necklace rightfully belongs to him, a sentiment fueled by his past ejection from the hotel by Augusto and his father for not being a guest.
Meanwhile, the team intensifies its efforts to extract information from Bruno. He divulges only that Alice, inebriated, had initially consented to participate in the heist, prompting Bruno to reach out to Laurent. Yet, upon sobering up, she had withdrawn her agreement. In a calculated move, Daniel feigns a loss of control and resorts to torture, but the team restrains him, allowing Bruno to flee—a ruse, as Genny had secretly affixed a tracker to him. She and Daniel tail Bruno as he contacts Sabine, demanding his payment for aiding in Alice's kidnapping.
Back at the hotel, Augusto beams with pride as he informs Adele of Alice's impending return. Adele checks in with Daniel, her anxiety mounting when he reveals the distressing news of Alice's abduction.
In the car, Genny playfully teases Daniel about his rare lapse in composure, noting his usual unflappable demeanor. Daniel's troubled expression hints at deeper, unspoken concerns.
Meanwhile, Alice remains steadfast in her refusal to assist Laurent's crew in infiltrating the hotel and stealing the necklace. In response, Laurent dispatches his son to ingratiate himself with Adele. Reluctantly, the young man, bound by filial loyalty, checks into Hotel Costiera as a guest. With his unwitting cooperation, Laurent issues a chilling ultimatum to Alice: aid him in his theft, or face the consequences directed at Adele.
Genny and Daniel witness an unexpected encounter: Bruno meeting Sabine. However, the situation takes a dark turn as Sabine has been dispatched with the grim task of killing him. Unwilling to spill blood, Sabine allows Bruno to slip away and stages his death. Meanwhile, Genny, who is terrified of guns, feels utterly overwhelmed by the escalating crisis and believes the entire case has spiraled far beyond her control.
In a moment of vulnerability, Daniel finally opens up to Genny about his troubled past. His last assignment was in Yemen, where he forged a close bond with his source's family. But tragedy struck when a catastrophic decision by Central Command led to their deaths. Overcome with grief and rage, Daniel lashed out at his commander, an act that resulted in a dishonorable discharge from service. Moved by his story, Genny offers her understanding and vows to assist in rescuing Alice.
Back at the hotel, Adele's mind is elsewhere, and the auction security team begins to question her competence. In a moment of weakness, she confides in her father that Alice is in grave danger.
Simultaneously, Genny and Daniel trail Sabine to Laurent's secret lair—a formidable castle heavily guarded. They quickly summon Bigne and Tancredi for backup, but chaos ensues when their car crashes. A fierce brawl erupts, drawing out some of the guards and creating a perfect diversion. Seizing the opportunity, Daniel slips past undetected.
Inside the castle, a surprising transformation occurs as Sabine's demeanor softens toward Alice. Sensing an opening, Alice cunningly locks Sabine in a room and makes a daring escape. Outside, the commotion reaches a fever pitch, prompting Laurent to send Le Bris to intervene. Le Bris confronts Bigne, brandishing a gun, but a struggle ensues before Genny steps in and knocks him unconscious.
Back within the castle walls, Daniel finally reaches Alice, but their relief is short-lived as they find themselves trapped. Laurent, enraged by the ongoing disruption, issues a chilling ultimatum: unless Daniel swaps the authentic necklace for a counterfeit and hands over the genuine article, Alice will pay the ultimate price.
