Burning Betrayal (2023) Movie Ending Explained: Is Marco Dead?

Burning Betrayal (2023) Movie Ending Explained: “Burning Betrayal” is a 2023 Brazilian erotic thriller featuring the likes of Louise D’Tuani, Camilla de Lucas, Giovanna Lancellotti, Leandro Lima, Micael, Bruno Monteleone, and more. The movie follows the story of Babi, a beautiful and successful woman who breaks her engagement with her fiancee after finding he’s cheating on her. Little did she know this would set up a chain of events, putting her life in danger. Spoilers Ahead.

Burning Betrayal (2023) Movie Plot Summary & Synopsis:

Babi (Giovanna Lancellotti) is soon to be married to Ciao (Micael), one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the city, in a couple of weeks. However, there’s something else that needs their attention first: a preliminary court case that’s putting their company under the scrutiny of the prosecutor’s office. However, Ciao assures Babi not to worry as they have their finances in order, thanks to their accountant, Thiago (Bruno Monteleone), who’s also one of Babi’s oldest friends.

Babi is also an avid rider who loves taking her Harley out for a spin. But now she’s thinking about selling the bike after Ciao says it takes a tonne of her time. During the hearing, Babi locks eyes with Marco Ladeia (Leandro Lima), a handsome judge presiding over their case. They immediately feel a connection, but Babi decides to suppress her desires as she’ll be a married woman in a week.

The hearing goes smoothly, and Ciao leaves for Rio for a business meeting while Babi heads over to a bar with her friends to celebrate her bachelorette party. Babi’s dreams of getting married falter when she receives a package from a secret admirer. Inside the package are multiple photos of Ciao cheating on her with some other women. She loses her cool, locks herself in the room, and cries for hours.

Babi manages to enter Ciao’s office with Thiago and Patty (Camilla de Lucas) with hopes of learning the identity of the woman Ciao is sleeping with. Babi finds a note suggesting that Ciao has been seeing the other woman for two years while he was committed to her. She also trashes Ciao’s office in anger.

What Happens Between Babi and Marco?

Babi receives a call from Marco’s assistant, who informs her that she has left her folder in the court. Therein, she once again encounters Marco, who’s also a rider like her. We can sense the obvious sexual tension between them. Marco offers Babi a drink, and the latter shares the tidbits of their life over some margaritas. In the bar, Babi also notices a middle-aged woman who seems to be shadowing Marco. Babi returns home and finds her place to be trashed. However, there seems to be nothing stolen.

She calls Thiago for help, who, after learning about Babi spending time with Marco, advises her to steer clear of the judge, as she never knows what secret he might be hiding. Thiago leans over and kisses Babi, implying that he has genuine feelings for her and wants to be more than just a friendship. Babi joins a motorcycle club and is surprised to see that Marco is also one of the members. The club together takes a trip to the faraway resort, giving Marco and Babi the perfect opportunity to act on their desires.

Babi reveals to Marco that she saw him in one of her dreams before they even met. The duo shares a passionate kiss, but Marco receives a call in the middle of it and has to leave. Babi doesn’t have to wait long as Marco returns to the resort, and the duo ends up making out on the beach. Babi, however, assures him that she’s not looking for a serious relationship.

What is Marco’s Secret?

Babi receives a video on her phone detailing her passionate encounter with Marco. She suspects this to be Ciao’s doing, as he was upset after she called off their wedding and even canceled her company’s partnership with him. Babi also can’t help but suspect Thiago, as the latter harbored feelings for her. Patty, on the other hand, backs Thiago’s alibi, claiming he was with his friends when she was in the resort with Marco. Things turn interesting when Babi manages to guess Ciao’s laptop password and learns that Ciao was scamming them from the start. He had multiple fake accounts set up via Babi’s company and was using these accounts to launder money. Ciao gets overboard, but Babi offers to take the laptop to Marco so they don’t appear accomplices for Ciao’s crimes.

Burning Betrayal (2023) Explained — A still from Netflix’s erotic thriller ‘Burning Betrayal’ (2023)

Babi can’t stop thinking about Marco after their first night together. Marco, too, shares this feeling and can’t help but ask Babi for a second date. Babi doesn’t want to enter the dating circle again, especially after her fallout with Ciao, whom she dated for five years. And what happened? Ciao cheated on her, regardless. However, Babi agrees after Patty convinces her that Marco might be her second shot at finding true love. Their date goes well, and the duo starts seeing each other regularly. No matter how busy they are, both Babi and Marco manage to find some time to make out. One fateful night, Babi learns that Marco is married and has been lying to him all around when Marco’s ex-wife barges into his house. Paula (Louise D’Tuani) calls Babi a slut, claiming Marco will throw her out, just like he did with her.

Who is Victoria?

Babi leaves Marco’s house in anger and gets into a severe accident. Fortunately, she manages to escape with just minor scars. Marco tries visiting Babi in the hospital, but it proves ineffective. Like Babi, he, too, suspects that the accident was premeditated. He calls his contact in the police forces and requests traffic footage of the area. Marco also troubles his contact to put a wiretap on someone. Marco once again visits Babi in her house, begging her for one chance so he can explain everything. He takes Babi to the hospital, where his daughter Victoria is admitted. In reality, Victoria was born with a rare disease called Emanuel Syndrome. As a result, the little girl has extremely weak muscles, along with many developmental problems, including the malformation of her intestines, as well as a heart defect.

Paula is Victoria’s mother and was married to Marco for four years till their separation. Paula suffered from mental health problems, and after the pregnancy, it got worse. Marco tried everything; he took her to doctors and psychiatrists, but it proved futile. When Victoria was born, Paula’s condition worsened, and she lost all sense of reality. One day, Marco Paula took Victoria from her room and tried to leave with her, disregarding the fact that Victoria couldn’t survive without the machines. Fortunately, Marco was there, and he stopped her. He then filed a restraining order to keep Victoria safe from Paula. Babi apologizes to Marco for judging him and asks for some space.

Burning Betrayal (2023) Movie Ending Explained:

Is Marco Dead?

Toward the end of “Burning Betrayal,” Babi finally makes up her mind and decides to take all the evidence to Marco’s office to expedite the case. Thiago desperately tries to convince Babi to do the latter, but she denies it. The sweat rolling down Thiago’s face suggests that he’s not as innocent as he puts out. His meeting with Ciao, who is badly trashed by his clients for losing their account information, confirms that they’re indeed working in cahoots. Thiago explains that Babi now has incriminating evidence that could land them in prison for decades. The only way to stop Babi from handing the evidence to Marco is to kill her.

Thiago further states that he had tried everything to keep Babi occupied, including sending videos of her intimate episodes and running her off the road. Fortunately, Marco overhears everything as he has already placed a hidden microphone in Ciao’s house. Thiago picks up Babi from her house, but instead of going to Marco’s office, Thiago takes a different route. He takes Babi to the woods, where Ciao is already waiting with a shovel. Thiago hands Ciao his gun, asking him to shoot Babi, but the latter refuses.

Babi wrestles the gun away from Thiago’s hand, but the latter recovers it and kills Ciao. Thiago then tries to kill Babi, but Marco intervenes. Sadly, he’s shot in the process as well. Thiago once again aims his gun at Babi but is shot and killed by a cop. Thankfully, Marco survives, and the movie ends with Marco and Babi returning to their normal life full of adventure and erotic escapades.

Burning Betrayal (2023) Movie Ending Explained: Is Marco Dead?