Episode 2 of "Sara: Woman in the Shadows" commences with an intense scene as Sara incinerates the stolen vehicle following Ludovico's demise at her hands. Meanwhile, Teresa is consumed by anxiety, as Sergio has neither surfaced nor contacted her in excess of 24 hours.
Elsewhere, Sergio finds himself in a harrowing predicament, enduring brutal torture at the hands of two masked assailants desperate to uncover his employer. Despite Sergio's unwavering insistence that he works for Tarallo, his captors remain unconvinced.
At the police station, Pardo uncovers the grim reality of Ludovico's fate—a hit-and-run accident. He proceeds to retrieve Giorgio's belongings from the evidence room. Later, as Giorgio is laid to rest, Sara observes from afar, her presence shrouded in secrecy. Pardo approaches her to impart the tragic news of Ludovico's passing. Following the burial, Pardo entrusts Giorgio's possessions to Viola, cautioning her to steer clear of Sara. Utilizing her exceptional lip-reading ability, Sara catches wind of Pardo's warnings and reassures Viola of her sincerity, vowing not to abandon her.
After the solemn ceremony, Sara crosses paths with Teresa, who implores her for assistance in locating Sergio. Sara initially refuses, but Teresa leverages her knowledge of Sara's involvement in Ludovico's death, leaving her with no alternative but to aid Teresa in exchange for her freedom. Teresa provides Sara with Sergio's details, including his address, while sternly advising her to stay away from Tarallo, as she has been monitoring him closely and doesn't want Sara to jeopardize her operation.
Armed with this information, Sara infiltrates Sergio's apartment, methodically copying everything on his laptop as per Teresa's instructions. She inadvertently overhears Sergio's mother knocking on his door, her voice laced with concern as she expresses worry over his prolonged absence. Subsequently, Sara visits her former contact, Lorenzo, at the police station, seeking information on the missing person's report filed by Sergio's worried mother. Pardo, who catches sight of Sara exiting the office, finds himself puzzled by her presence and actions. He has been surreptitiously investigating Sara, yet his efforts have yielded no official records on her.
Sara pays a visit to Sergio's mother, seeking insights into Sergio's whereabouts. Shortly after her arrival, Pardo enters the scene, and the two cunningly feign collaboration. They uncover that Sergio's mother harbors a deep dislike for his girlfriend, Rachele, who persuaded Sergio to abandon his college education in favor of a promising high-paying job. Although Sergio did indeed secure the position, he found himself discontent with Tarallo's perspectives on various matters.
Later, a heated debate ensues between Sara and Padro, centered around Sara's impersonation of a police officer and her involvement in an ongoing investigation. Sara justifies her actions by claiming she is merely aiding a friend in locating a missing person, while maintaining the confidentiality of the details. United by their mutual goal, they proceed to Rachele's residence for questioning.
After interrogating Rachele, Sara senses she is withholding information, whereas Padro believes she is being transparent. Sara asserts that one can discern much about a person by observing their body language and emotions, whereas Padro prefers to rely on concrete evidence. Sara perceptively uncovers Padro's insecurities and admits she is beginning to develop a fondness for him.
An altercation outside her hotel jogs Sara's memory about a white van that had been tailing Sergio on that fateful day. She informs Teresa of this observation, who, despite acknowledging the agency's possession of numerous vans, denies having Sergio followed. Sara is convinced that this van is somehow linked to his disappearance. Teresa remains vague about their relationship but urges Sara to persist in her search.
Meanwhile, Sergio continues to endure the brutal torture inflicted by masked men. Sara departs the hotel and heads to the house she once shared with Massimiliano. As she wanders through the familiar rooms, memories of the day they acquired the house flood back. She discovers a hidden room, which Massimiliano had once revealed contained numerous secrets in its files. He had warned her to only delve into the files pertinent to her needs, as uncovering some secrets could place her in grave danger.
Viola discovers a coaster bearing a number and, out of curiosity, dials it, only to find that it belongs to Sara. Their subsequent meeting leads to a poignant conversation, where Viola contemplates allowing Sara to become the grandmother to her upcoming bundle of joy. Sara, moved by the prospect, vows to be a more nurturing grandmother than she had been a mother, if only Viola would grant her the opportunity.
That very night, Teresa sends Sara a text with chilling news: Sergio's body, along with another individual's, has been discovered. Driven by urgency, Sara breaks into a clandestine agency, her actions unnoticed by no one but Teresa. Teresa confronts Sara, unveiling the truth about her intimate relationship with Sergio and revealing the location of the grim discovery. The next day, Sara arrives at the crime scene, where, through expert lip-reading, she learns that the deceased alongside Sergio is Gaspare Russo, an employee at a local body shop.
Sara tracks down Padro post his haircut, pleading with him to collaborate and obtain autopsy reports on Sergio, as well as any additional information that could piece together the puzzle. However, Padro firmly declines, asserting that he no longer works for Sara.
At Sergio's apartment, Sara finds it in disarray, as though someone had been frantically searching for something. She updates Teresa on her findings, speculating that despite the absence of evident clues on Sergio's laptop, he might have harbored secrets. They agree to approach the investigation with a fresh perspective, refusing to overlook the possibility that Sergio's killers were after something specific.
Teresa, deeply ensnared in her love for Sergio, is reluctant to accept the official narrative and implores Sara to delve deeper into the mystery. Her dedication knows no bounds, and she is prepared to sacrifice anything to uncover the truth.
The episode concludes with Padro receiving a call from his superiors, informing him that his request has been granted. He heads to the police station, intending to follow up despite not having requested leave. There, he bumps into Sara, who reveals that she was the one who arranged his leave. Despite her persistent pleas for him to work alongside her, Padro, burdened with commitments, regrets having to decline.
