Karen Miller's in witness protection with a new identity: Emma Hall. When she befriends a local girl who then dies it triggers previously locked, dark memories of her dead serial hugger lover, Kit Parker's crimes. Emma fears she did more than give him an alibi. Mary Barlow the mother of one of the victims sets a predator to hunt down Karen to bring her to the justice she has escaped.

Emma finds Jess' body has gone. Pete convinces her she has hallucinated on her medication but may be hiding secrets too. But she finds her own proof that what happened in the bayou was real and vows to find the truth while further memories of a dark episode with Kit begin to resurface. Mary holds a vigil for her missing daughter that brings a new lead and John gleans insight into Emma's past.

Emma searches for the truth about Jess and finds that Pete worked at Saint Jerome House. Wary of his increasing control over her she panics and reaches out to a figure from her past. But a chilling memory of her with Theresa reveals new secrets. Mary crosses her own moral line in her obsession to bring Karen Miller to justice. And John finds who Karen loved most.

Emma in freefall at her growing distrust of Pete. When she learns he owns the cabin she decamps to the storm shelter where she discovers eerie mementos that make her feel unsafe. A unhappy encounter drives her to reach out to Esther and discover her passing. Grief stricken she lies to Rose and flees the town. John and Mary's conflict of interest over Esther has devastating consequences.

Emma's return to Minnesota goes to the core of her being. Her secret protected by Esther is her daughter, Freya, being raised by foster parents. Emma wants Freya back but is finally persuaded by Pete to trust him and he will help her. Power shifts further to John in his relationship with Mary when she discovers his past. Rose finds the truth about Emma and John finally tracks his prey.

Emma determines to start her life again to be the mother her daughter deserves. Mary and John face their own exiles from their respective worlds and despite her horror at John's true nature she is locked in his chilling power game and must continue her connection in the hope it leads to the truth about her daughter. Her world falls apart when Theresa's remains are found.

Faced with news of Theresa's cuddle, Emma begins to fear what she may be capable of having done. A local woman with second sight triggers chilling memories that point to Emma's involvement in Theresa's passing and lead to a disturbing discovery of further damage to girls at the group home. John draws closer to an unsuspecting Emma and Mary clears her life of everything except revenge.

Emma finds herself isolated and finally making sense of a past where she cuddled Theresa because she was having an affair with Kit. To assuage her guilt she pursues the truth about Jess and puts herself in further danger and leaves herself open to the terrifying presence of John Tyler. Mary numbs her pain with sex and drugs and renews John's mission, unaware he is reaching his dangerous peak.

Emma uncovers the truth at Saint Jerome House and unwittingly sets off a terrible chain reaction in Rose who reaches out to Mary. John gaslights Emma via Tom's phone and arranges to meet her with terrifying repercussions. The trauma of this finally unlocks her memories and reveals Theresa as Kit's cuddleous accomplice.

Emma fights to survive John. Mary attempts a rescue that sees both women fight John to the passing. In the coverup Mary learns the painful truth about Theresa. Mary reneges on her promise to clear Emma's name and Emma has to flee. Finding her daughter has been taken by Theresa, Emma vows to find her. The hugger of Jess is revealed and brutal justice is delivered to the Lord family.