Netflix’s Secrets We Keep grips viewers with a chilling mystery, weaving a tale of privilege, deception, and a crime hidden in plain sight. By the time the series reaches its unsettling conclusion, audiences are left haunted by a single question: Who really killed Ruby Tan? The show refuses to offer a straightforward answer, instead scattering unsettling clues throughout its final episode—hints that suggest the truth may be closer to home than anyone wants to admit.
The Disappearance of Ruby Tan
At the heart of Secrets We Keep is Ruby Tan, a young Filipino au pair who had been working for the wealthy Hoffmann family in an affluent Copenhagen neighborhood. Ruby’s life takes a terrifying turn when she confides in Cecilie, a sympathetic neighbor, revealing that she is frightened and can no longer stay with her host family. Cecilie encourages her to speak directly with her employers, unwilling to interfere. But that same night, Ruby vanishes. Days later, her body is discovered floating near a marina—she had drowned.
Twists and Revelations
As investigators dig deeper into Ruby’s tragic fate, an unsettling detail emerges—Ruby was pregnant at the time of her death. The immediate suspicion falls on Rasmus Hoffmann, the family’s patriarch, but DNA testing rules him out as the father. The revelation that Ruby’s unborn child was Oscar Hoffmann’s, the teenage son of the family, turns the case on its head.
What began as a missing persons case morphs into something darker—a tangled web of secrecy, manipulation, and a desperate attempt to maintain appearances. Cecilie, troubled by everything she has uncovered, confronts Katarina Hoffmann, Oscar’s mother, desperate for answers. But rather than deny involvement, Katarina delivers an eerie, ambiguous response: “What if I did?” It isn’t an admission of guilt, but it isn’t a denial either—it’s a chilling challenge, a glimpse into a mind that sees survival and privilege as more important than morality.
A Frustrating Lack of Justice
Katarina presents her actions as those of a mother protecting her son, teaching him to “fight for what’s his.” In her world, that means shielding Oscar at any cost—his future, his reputation, his family name all matter more than Ruby’s life. As the story closes, justice remains agonizingly out of reach. Oscar suffers no consequences, and the wealthy elite continue their lives undisturbed, insulated by money and influence. Katarina’s cold resolve suggests she may have done far worse, but with no definitive proof, Ruby’s death is officially ruled a suicide.
The ending of Netflix‘s Secrets We Keep is designed to linger—to leave viewers questioning not just what happened to Ruby, but how easily the powerful can manipulate reality itself. Did Katarina kill Ruby to protect Oscar? The show offers no clear answer, only whispers of a terrible truth that refuses to be fully uncovered. It’s a brutal, thought-provoking conclusion, one that ensures the mystery of Ruby Tan will haunt audiences long after the screen fades to black.
Key Takeaways
- Secrets We Keep concludes with a haunting mystery—who really killed Ruby Tan? The show refuses to provide a definitive answer, leaving viewers unsettled.
- Ruby, a Filipino au pair, disappears after expressing fear of her host family. Her body is later found in a marina, ruled as a drowning.
- Investigators discover Ruby was pregnant, initially suspecting Rasmus Hoffmann, but DNA tests reveal her unborn child’s father was his teenage son, Oscar Hoffmann.
- Katarina Hoffmann, Oscar’s mother, responds cryptically when confronted, neither denying nor confirming involvement—suggesting a disturbing willingness to protect her son at any cost.
- Justice remains elusive. Oscar faces no consequences, and Katarina’s chilling stance implies deeper manipulation, but Ruby’s death is officially ruled a suicide.
- The finale underscores the power of wealth and privilege in controlling narratives, leaving audiences with lingering unease rather than closure.
The show’s ending is designed to provoke thought rather than provide resolution, making it a dark, unsettling commentary on power and morality.
