Thursday, October 22nd, 2009 (3490)

After Carla told her that it is over, Stella tries to explain that she did what she did for Carla because she wanted the fighting with Ansgar to end and thought that in Shanghai, they could finally be happy. Carla wants to know if that is reason enough for Stella to join forces with her enemies. Stella again emphasizes that she did not ally herself with Ansgar and Maria aka “Francesca”, and that “Francesca” is not Carla’s enemy. Carla does not want to hear Stella’s explanations.

Stella assures Carla that she would have exlained everything to her once they were in Shanghai, but Carla bitterly remarks that that would have been after Stella deceived her and lured her to Shanghai under a false pretense. Stella finally realizes that Carla does not believe her and decides that, under those circumstances, it is probably better for them to take a break and put some distance between them for a while. Carla agrees.

The next morning, Elisabeth meets Carla in the library. Carla is visibly shaken. Elisabeth asks her whether she had a fight with Stella, because Stella seems as distraught as Carla. Carla replies that it was less of a fight and more of a complete disaster. Then she tells Elisabeth that Stella made common cause with Ansgar and Maria to entice Carla away from Düsseldorf, but that Stella kept saying that she only did it for their relationship.

When Elisabeth asks Carla if she believes Stella, Carla says that it does not matter if she does because Stella deceived her, and that it is now over.

Meanwhile, Stella is in her office. Sadly, she looks at the picture of her and Carla on her desk, then puts it away and starts to write something down. Maria approaches her and asks whether she and Carla were able to work things out the night before. Stella says that if Maria was meaning to ask whether they made up, the answer is no. Maria offers to speak  with Carla and explain to her that Stella was not part of the plan and that everything was her, Maria’s, idea. Stella declines that offer, saying that she is fed up with Maria’s interferences. Then she asks Maria for a few days off so she could avoid Carla. Maria agrees.

Even though Stella asked her not to do it, Maria still tries to talk to Carla and explain to her that it was all her fault and not Stella’s, but Carla refuses to listen and tells Maria to leave her alone.

Later, Carla is in the entrance hall when David approaches her and tells her that the edges of the castle moat are covered with moss, which could be very dangerous. Carla tells him to talk to Stella about this.

That’s when Stella enters the entrance hall as well, carrying a suitcase with her. She looks at Carla and, with a put-on politeness, says goodbye to her. Carla, acting the same way as Stella, asks whether Stella wants to go away on a journey. Stella explains that she is taking time out, which she thinks will probably suit Carla fine. Carla wishes her a good rest. David mentions the castle moat to Stella, but she tells him to talk to the gardener about it and leaves.

After Stella has left, Carla takes a walk in the park. She looks devastated. While pacing up and down, she has to think of  her conversation with Stella the day before, when she told Stella about her concerns about Ansgar’s seemingly noble decision; of the conversation between Stella, Maria and Ansgar that she overheard; and finally of how she told Stella that it is over.

Carla does not realize that she is standing on the mossy edge of the castle moat when she starts to cry uncontrollably. Suddenly, she loses her footing and falls into the moat.

Unconscious, she drifts in the water of the moat when, of all people, Ansgar finds her.

After a bitter quarrel with Carla, Stella decides to take time out and leaves Carla and the castle. Devastated by losing Stella, Carla has an accident and nearly drowns.

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