Aahana Swrup
One of the defining plot twists of ‘The Last Thing He Told Me’ comes early on, when Hannah and Bailey find out that Nicholas Bell is dead. The lawyer, who represents many shady individuals, namely the Campano crime family, had been the only thing that confirmed the stepmother-daughter duo’s safety at the end of season 1. Therefore, when he unexpectedly passes away years later, with Owen still at large, it reanimates the dangerous target on the latter’s family. For the same reason, Hannah and Bailey find themselves on the run, dodging attacks left and right from the Campanos’ hired hands. However, when the season’s episode 4 brings the family back to Austin, they make the startling discovery of Nicholas’ apparent survival. As it turns out, the news of his death has been a sham from day one, fabricated for a more complicated reason. SPOILERS AHEAD!
Nicholas’ Heart Attack Was Actually an Assassination Attempt
The news of Nicholas’ death arrives shortly after the first attack at Hannah’s house. For the past few years, she and Bailey had been enjoying relative safety thanks to the deal the latter’s grandfather struck with his friend and long-time collaborator, Frank Campano. Therefore, it isn’t surprising when Charlie informs Hannah of his father’s apparently fatal heart attack hours after the Campanos breach this agreement and go after her and her stepdaughter. With the lawyer gone, there’s nothing compelling Frank to hold up his end of the bargain and allow his son, Teddy, to go after Owen’s wife and daughter. Nonetheless, the Bell family patriarch’s death isn’t a tragedy so much as it is a strategic move.
Nicholas really did undergo a severe heart attack, as Charlie informs Hannah. However, rather than meeting his demise, the attorney manages to survive the medical emergency. In the aftermath, the doctor’s report showcases that the attack wasn’t a natural progression of his heart condition. Instead, it was a result of intentional poisoning. Therefore, the Bells realize that someone has taken a hit out on Nicholas, actively deploying assassination attempts on his life. Even though this attempt fails in reality and Nicholas is able to survive, thanks to a timely medical response, the family decides to put out a story that confirms his death. However, due to an abundance of caution, they’re unable to tell Hannah and Bailey the whole truth over the phone, leading them to believe the false story.
Nicholas Fakes His Death to Avoid Any Future Attempts on His Life
It isn’t until Hannah and Bailey are cornered by two strangers in a parking garage in Austin that the truth about Nicholas is revealed. Charlie knows that the mother-daughter duo has become a target for the Campanos ever since the public declaration of his father’s “death.” For the same reason, he instructed two of his security agents to tail his niece and her mother throughout their journey. Now that they’re back in Austin, they can be brought back to the Never Dry Bar, where they are finally made privy to the family secret. On his part, Charlie believes that Frank Campano himself is behind the assassination attempt. He believes that the head of the crime family suspected his father of being in cahoots with Owen/Ethan Young.
Nicholas doesn’t entirely buy into this theory since he believes his friendship with Frank to be above such backstabbing methods. Even so, he can’t deny the reality of the assassination attempt. Someone had tried to take him off the board by poisoning him. For the same reason, his life is perpetually in danger. As a result, he complies with Charlie’s idea to fake his death in order to ensure that this elusive bloodthirsty enemy does not come after him again. Later, Hannah devises a plan to hold a wake for Nicholas’ “death,” in order to evaluate whether or not Frank is truly behind the attack.
In order to do so, Hannah talks to the Campano patriarch and subtly mentions the fact that his friend had actually died of poisoning rather than a simple heart attack. When Frank expresses his genuine outrage at the revelation and vows to take revenge on Nicholas’ killer, Hannah and Charlie realize the crime boss truly isn’t behind the assassination attempt. As a result, Frank learns the truth about Nicholas’ survival and his morbid charade. This brings up the rather uncomfortable, but entirely possible reality, that Teddy Campano has gone over his father’s head to take out a hit on Nicholas. Still, since this theory cannot yet be confirmed, the latter decides to keep up with his fake death story in order to keep the real enemy off his scent.
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