Episode 4 of "Midnight at the Pera Palace" commences with Esra, her pen poised, immersed in her quest to unravel the raging war against women that has escalated in the aftermath of the ominous ransom note. Her urgency to expose the truth is palpable, and the editor, recognizing its urgency, grants her wish for an immediate publication. Yet, Esra's resolve is marred by the bitter pill of collaborating with her rival to uncover the answers.
As they step into the police station, Esra stumbles upon Halit, who had just concluded his statement in the previous episode's tense aftermath. Addressing the unyielding investigator, Halit dismisses the letter with a wave of his hand, ordering Esra to abandon her pursuit and refusing to entertain further probes.
The letter bears a mysterious symbol, akin to Iris, the Egyptian deity, yet it whispers of a clandestine organization lurking in the shadows. Its iconography—an eye piercing through the veil, wings spanning the horizon—"We see everything, and we are everywhere," echoes, fueling speculations that it masks a figure haunted by a hidden inferiority complex. But who among them conceals such depths of insecurity?
Parallel to this intrigue, Ahmet arrives at Mumtaz's grand mansion, donning the guise of a butler while surreptitiously conducting his own investigation. Little does he realize that his every move is under the watchful eye of an unseen observer.
Meanwhile, Halit's midnight visit to Naim takes on a sinister turn, his threats like icicles to Naim's silence. This encounter seals Naim's lips, rendering him a reluctant witness to his own ordeal. Esra, however, receives a vital clue from her associate—Halit's car had been spotted lurking outside Naim's abode. She relays this tidbit to Ahmet, who instantly senses a web of deceit. Ahmet's suspicions deepen, wondering if Halit still possesses the keys and if the tale of Mumtaz is merely a smokescreen to mask his own nefarious designs.
In the intimacy of their private moments, Halit confides to his beloved, his heart brimming with emotion, that he has known Esra "beyond the veil of time," thanks to the enigmatic Gateway of Truth. This portal, it seems, has intensified his feelings, nurturing a love that has only deepened with each passing moment.
Unbeknownst to them, Ahmet, eavesdropping on a fateful revelation, rushes to Esra with a pivotal clue uncovered at the mansion. The shocking truth unfolds: the culprit behind the women's abductions was not a man, but a woman—a mysterious figure with long, fiery red waves cascading down her back.
Emboldened by her belief that Halit remains unsuspecting, the woman, her thoughts consumed by Halit, secures a gown from a boutique and stealthily makes her way to his apartment. There, she embraces him with a fervor that speaks of her unbridled passion, their lips meeting in a kiss that ignites the air with desire.
As the night wears on, Esra, her curiosity piqued, delves into Halit's office, searching for any hint of the truth. Ahmet, too, engages in a parallel quest, scouring the mansion for clues. Esra's investigation yields a letter, tucked away in Halit's pocket, adorned with the same ominous sigil as the kidnapper's. Its message is chilling: "The time has come for certain matters to be revealed." Meanwhile, Ahmet's efforts uncover a telltale red wig, a fragment of the puzzle that begins to take shape.
Dawn breaks, and Esra arrives at work, her heart heavy with anticipation. A letter, addressed solely to her, awaits, its contents a summons to a solitary visit to an address if she desires to reclaim Leyla. Without hesitation, she embarks on this perilous journey, escorted by the police to the designated spot. But Leyla remains elusive, replaced instead by a chilling sight—a splash of blood staining the ground and a young girl, suspended from the rafters, a haunting reminder of the darkness that lurks.
