Mariah, now miles away from the Newman ranch, was now in a dingy motel room that she had rented with the little money she had left. She sat on the bed, her mind racing with questions. Who was she really? Why was she feeling so much anger towards Sharon? And who was this Daniel that kept popping up in her thoughts?

Her head was pounding from the intense flashbacks she had been experiencing since leaving the house. They were getting stronger, more vivid, and she couldn't ignore them anymore. In a desperate attempt to make sense of her fractured memories, she decided to seek professional help.

Mariah found a psychologist, Dr. Laura, who had an office in a small, unassuming building downtown. She walked in with a mix of hope and trepidation, the door chiming as it closed behind her. The waiting room was comfortably lit, with calming colors on the walls and the faint scent of vanilla candles wafting through the air. She picked up a magazine, but her hands were shaking too much to even pretend to read.

When her name was called, she followed Dr. Laura into a cozy office with a large, cushioned chair facing a neatly organized desk. She sat down, her bag clutched tightly in her lap, and took a deep breath.

"Now, tell me what brings you here today, Miss Copeland?" Dr. Laura said with a gentle smile.

Mariah's voice trembled as she began to recount the odd occurrences, the overwhelming feelings of anger towards Sharon, and the mysterious flashbacks that had been plaguing her. She spoke of the girl with the same face, the unconscious man named Daniel, and the ranch she had never seen before.

Dr. Laura listened intently, her gaze never wavering from Mariah's eyes. She nodded thoughtfully, her professional mask slipping for a brief moment to reveal a hint of curiosity. "These are classic symptoms of repressed memories, Miss Copeland," she said, her voice measured and calm. "It's not uncommon for traumatic events to be buried deep within our psyche, only to surface when we're ready to confront them."

Mariah felt a weight lift slightly from her chest as she realized she wasn't going mad. The validation was a comfort, but it didn't quell the burning questions within her. "What do we do now?" she asked, her voice a whisper.

"Now, we explore those memories," Dr. Laura said, her voice firm yet empathetic. "Together, we'll navigate through the fog and find out who you truly are."

Mariah nodded, her heart racing as she leaned back into the chair. She had hoped it was all just a terrible nightmare, but now, faced with the possibility that she was actually Cassie Newman, she felt a strange mix of dread and excitement. Was it possible that she had been living a lie her entire life?

The sessions with Dr. Laura grew more intense as the days passed. Through hypnosis and guided meditation, they uncovered layer after layer of buried memories. The girl from the flashbacks grew clearer in her mind's eye, and the name Daniel Romalotti became synonymous with fear and confusion.

One evening, as the rain pattered against the window, Dr. Laura led Mariah into a deep trance. "You're safe here," she assured her. "Just let the memories come to you." And they did. The image of the crash was vivid, the sound of shattering glass echoing in her mind. The fear was palpable, the guilt a heavy weight on her chest. It was her fault. She had been driving.

Suddenly, everything shifted. The hospital room, the machines beeping, the smell of antiseptic in the air. A woman's voice, soothing and cold, speaking to her. "You're not Cassie," it said. "You're Mariah Copeland." The words seeped into her, rewriting her very essence. She felt the panic rising, but it was too late. The world grew darker, the memories slipping away like sand through her fingers.

Mariah jolted upright in the chair, her eyes wide with horror. "It's true," she murmured, her voice barely audible. "I'm Cassie."

Dr. Laura, taken aback by the revelation, offered a comforting hand. "Take your time, Cassie. We'll work through this together."

Mariah, now fully aware of her true identity as Cassie, felt a whirlwind of emotions. The anger towards Sharon made sense now; it was the pain of a lost mother-daughter bond. The sense of belonging she had felt at the Newman ranch, the connection she had with Nick, it was all real.

With each session, the memories grew more tangible. The night of the accident, the hospital, and the shadowy figures of Ian and Helen whispering lies to her, manipulating her thoughts. The truth washed over her like a cold wave, leaving her shivering and nauseous. She was a pawn in their game of revenge, her own life a lie constructed to bring pain to those who had wronged them.

Mariah, now confronted with the reality of her true identity as Cassie Newman, found herself torn between the life she had known and the one that had been stolen from her. The anger towards Sharon began to dissipate, replaced by a deep sadness for the lost time and the pain her amnesia had caused. She thought of Nick, her heart aching at the thought of his suffering, her mind racing with the possibility of rebuilding what had been shattered.

The revelation of Ian and Helen's twisted plot made her stomach churn. They had manipulated her, turned her into a weapon for their own twisted vendetta. The betrayal cut deep, leaving her feeling violated and used. How could they do this to her? How could they play with people's lives so callously? Her mind swirled with questions and accusations, each one hitting her like a sledgehammer.

Mariah, now fully grasping her true identity as Cassie, felt like a stranger in her own skin. Who was she? The girl who had grown up with Ian and Helen, believing she was Helen's daughter, or the daughter of the powerful Newman family?

Her mind reeled with the gravity of Ian and Helen's deceit. They had taken her life and twisted it into something unrecognizable, all to inflict pain on a woman they believed had wronged Ian. The anger she had felt towards Sharon now shifted to the couple who had so cruelly orchestrated her existence. How could they do this? How could they rob her of her past, her family, her very essence?

As the rage built within her, Dr. Laura's voice grew urgent. "Cassie, listen to me." She was shaking her slightly, trying to bring her back to the present. "You need to be careful. Ian and Helen are dangerous people. They can't know you're remembering."

Mariah's eyes snapped open, and she looked around the room, her breathing erratic. "What do you mean?"

"I'm sorry, Cassie," Dr. Laura whispered, her hand still on Mariah's shoulder. "But we have to end this session now. We've been compromised."

Mariah's heart raced as she followed Dr. Laura's gaze to the corner of the room. There, hidden in the shadows, was a small, unblinking eye—a camera lens. The realization that Ian had been watching her the whole time was like a knife in her back.

"We need to get out of here," Dr. Laura whispered urgently. "Now."

Mariah's eyes widened in terror as she realized the implications of the camera. Ian had been watching her, listening to her most intimate thoughts and revelations. She felt exposed, violated. Without a word, she grabbed her bag and followed Dr. Laura out of the office, her legs trembling beneath her. The rain had stopped, leaving the city streets eerily quiet as they rushed to the doctor's car.

"He can't know," Dr. Laura whispered as she started the engine. "If Ian finds out that you remember, he'll do anything to silence you."

Mariah nodded, her mind racing. Nick had to know the truth. He deserved to know. They had to stop Ian and Helen before it was too late. She took a deep breath and typed out a text to him. "Meet me at the park. It's urgent."