Julie wakes up in the middle of the night, increasingly disturbed by events on the island. She also realizes that she hasn’t seen Isla since Isla’s confrontation with the other influencers. Bella Marie soothes Julie, promising her that there is nothing to worry about.

Julie is increasingly alarmed and disgusted by the events on the island; as soon as she wakes up in the morning, she goes in search of Isla. She finds that the villa where Isla was staying is mysteriously padlocked. Julie decides to break into the villa that night to avoid the staff who are typically present.

The Belladonnas gather to watch a video in which Angelique shares to social media that she has lost her pregnancy. Julie is very saddened and distressed, but she realizes that the other women are only interested in the success of the video and how many followers and income it is earning for Angelique. They see the pregnancy loss as a successful outcome of the pact Angelique made with Eto: she was willing to trade her future child for increased success as an influencer. They also suggest that Julie needs to continue with future initiations to be fully accepted into their secret society. They strike Julie on the head, knocking her unconscious.

Julie comes to in a room where she has been tied to a chair. Bella Marie and the other women show her a portrait of Nikolai (the ancestor of Bella Marie and the first to make a sacrifice to Eto). Bella Marie explains that in order to pledge fealty to Eto and receive success from him, Julie must decide on something precious to give to him. She leaves Julie alone, under the supervision of Viktor, to pledge her sacrifice.

Julie begins questioning Viktor, asking what Chloe pledged. Viktor explains that Chloe offered up her adoptive parents. Thinking back to the mysterious accident that nearly killed the Van Huusens, Julie wonders if this could be possible; it would explain why Chloe seemed to hold herself responsible for the accident. Julie also begins to ponder what she will offer: It occurs to her that the love and approval of the Belladonnas is what she values the most. Strange noises and light seem to indicate that Eto has accepted this as her offering.

The Belladonnas come to greet Julie; she claims to be distressed after the ritual and asks them to spend the night with her. She also asks them to take a sleep supplement, which they agree to do. Before long, all the Belladonnas are deeply asleep, but Julie has abstained from taking any sleep medications.

Julie slips out of her villa. Not far away, she runs into Viktor, who is clutching an axe he has been using to chop wood. He expresses suspicion of what Julie is doing and seems on the verge of going to consult Bella Marie: Julie blackmails him, explaining that Bella Marie would be angry if she found out that he told Julie about Chloe’s initiation ritual. She also tells Viktor that he should side with her, since the Belladonnas will soon be gone. Viktor gives Julie the axe and promises not to tell anyone that he saw her.

Julie uses the axe to break into Isla’s locked villa: Inside, she finds Isla tied to a bed. Isla explains that after confronting the Belladonnas, she was seized by two men and forcefully locked into her villa. Julie explains that they need to get off the island and that she has a plan; she is relieved when Isla immediately agrees to help her.

Isla and Julie douse the villa where the Belladonnas are sleeping in gasoline, preparing to light a fire. At first, Isla thinks they are going to use the fire to attract attention, and she balks when she realizes that Julie wants to set the villa on fire. Julie explains that the Belladonnas are powerful and will never let Julie and Isla escape or live in peace now that they know all the secrets. She instructs Isla to go back to the main house and wait there until the staff notice the fire and become distracted. Then, Isla can call the emergency helicopter for further assistance. Isla agrees and takes off; Julie enters the villa.

Julie douses everything in lighter fluid. She is startled when she finds that Bella Marie has woken up; the latter explains that she did not actually swallow the sleeping pill. Julie confronts Bella Marie about imprisoning Isla, but Bella Marie defends her action. She also explains that she killed Chloe: Chloe had been planning to provide a tell-all story about the Belladonnas to Jessica Peters (the journalist). Enraged, Julie confronts Bella Marie about her controlling and insidious actions, while Bella Marie continues to insist that Eto is real and is the source of everyone’s success. The two women get into a physical altercation, and Julie swings the axe at Bella Marie, gashing her throat. Then, she deliberately strikes Bella again, severing her head.

Julie lights the villa on fire and then steps outside, watching as it burns down with the Belladonnas trapped inside. She collapses.

Two days later, Julie wakes up disoriented in a hospital bed. She quickly becomes unconscious again.

Two weeks later, Julie has been extradited back to America and charged with the murders of all the Belladonnas. Although she had tried to help Isla escape, the latter went to the police to explain that she had heard some of the women calling her “Julie” (rather than Chloe). This led to the whole truth being revealed. Julie is furious to find out that she is being charged not only with the deaths of the seven women who comprised the Belladonnas (with Angelique and Isla having escaped) but also with Chloe’s death. Julie wants it to be very clear that she did not kill her sister and is heartened when she is assigned a lawyer, Shannon, who is determined to clear her name.

Julie awaits her trial while under house arrest. She and Shannon have prepared a case claiming that she acted in self-defense in order to escape the Belladonnas, a coercive and dangerous cult who held Julie on the island against her will. Bella Marie’s mother and Isla have both agreed to testify that they were held against their will on the island, which will help Julie’s case. However, the circumstances around Chloe’s death make Julie appear very suspicious, especially after she assumed Chloe’s identity. Julie sticks to a story that after she found Chloe dead, she was immediately suspicious and assumed Chloe’s identity to infiltrate the world of influencers and try to solve her death. She also justifies her brand and endorsement deals as necessary to obtain money after her aunt started extorting her. Julie is alarmed when Viktor shows up at her apartment, posing as a repair person.

Viktor is seeking out Julie because she promised to help him back on the island. Julie realizes that she can manipulate Viktor into helping her case. A few days later, Viktor gives a televised interview in which he explains how he was manipulated and forced into sexual servitude on the island. He expresses his gratitude and relief for Julie, claiming that she saved everyone on the island from the cruel manipulation of Bella Marie. The interview immediately makes Julie much more sympathetic to the public in the lead up to the trial, which may positively impact the outcome.

Julie is delighted to realize that she has now achieved a level of fame and influence she never had as a social media influencer: The story of the Belladonnas is fascinating everyone, and she has multiple offers for the rights to her story. Julie feels a sense of power in knowing that everyone wants to hear her side of the story.

Even though Julie has been cautioned to stay off social media in the lead up to her trial, she can’t resist the potential influence she will have. She believes that Eto may be rewarding her with the potential success she feels entitled to. As the novel ends, Julie begins recording a video in which she decides to tell her side of the story.