Chapter 3 unfolds with Frank waking up to the sound of quiet chatter and movement in the living room, where his daughter Abigail is being fitted for her flower girl dress. Tammy and Maggie adjust the fabric, making sure the hem is even, while Abigail beams with excitement, her small hands smoothing out the lace details. The crown of daisies in her hair enhances her innocence, a stark contrast to the weight Frank carries in his chest. As he watches the scene unfold, he feels a fleeting sense of normalcy, but it is quickly overshadowed by the pressing concerns that have plagued him since the night before. Maggie, sensing his unease, diverts her attention from Abigail and turns to her father, asking how he is holding up. Though Frank wants to reassure her, the truth lingers on the tip of his tongue—he is drowning in uncertainty, and the growing tension between them threatens to pull him under.

Realizing that their conversation needs privacy, Maggie leads Frank outside, away from Abigail and Tammy’s watchful eyes. The crisp morning air carries a sense of urgency, as if nature itself is aware of the difficult discussion ahead. Maggie assures Frank that she is ready to be honest with him, but in return, she needs him to listen with an open mind. Her words do little to ease the apprehension settling deep in his bones. He nods in agreement, bracing himself for what is to come. What he does not expect is the confession that follows—Maggie reveals her romantic involvement with Errol Gardner, a man nearly twice her age and very much married. The revelation leaves Frank momentarily speechless, his mind racing to connect the dots. Maggie insists that their relationship, which began as a professional mentorship, gradually evolved into something more, something she willingly pursued.

Frank struggles to process this information, his initial shock giving way to a wave of concern and anger. He presses Maggie for answers, questioning why she would entangle herself in such a precarious situation. Maggie, unwavering in her stance, explains that Errol made her feel seen, valued in ways she had never experienced before. However, Frank sees through her rationalizations, recognizing the imbalance of power and the inevitable consequences of such an affair. Before he can formulate a response, Maggie continues, revealing an even darker truth—during a weekend trip to Osprey Cove, she and Errol stumbled upon a dead woman at the lodge. The weight of her words hangs between them, heavier than the morning air. Frank is horrified as Maggie describes how they concealed the incident, constructing a carefully curated lie to protect Errol’s wife, Catherine, and her son, Aidan.

The shock of Maggie’s confession is almost too much for Frank to bear. He demands to know why she would willingly involve herself in such a dangerous cover-up, why she did not come to him for help. Maggie, defensive now, insists that she had no choice, that the situation spiraled beyond her control. Frank sees the cracks in her composure, the subtle tremor in her voice, and he realizes she is scared—whether she admits it or not. His disapproval of her impending marriage to Aidan grows tenfold, but Maggie refuses to back down. She argues that her decisions are her own, that she is not a child who needs saving. She believes that her marriage to Aidan will provide her with financial independence, a safety net that Frank cannot comprehend.

Frustration mounts as Frank pleads with Maggie to reconsider, to walk away before it is too late. He warns her of the potential consequences, of the fallout that will surely come if the truth is ever exposed. But Maggie remains firm, her resolve unshaken. She insists that Frank support her, that he stand beside her on her wedding day as her father, regardless of his feelings. Frank, torn between his love for his daughter and the deep sense of dread filling his heart, realizes that his hands are tied. He cannot force Maggie to make the right choice, nor can he shield her from the path she has chosen. As he watches her walk away, he is left grappling with a painful reality—the daughter he raised, the one he tried so hard to protect, is slipping further away, and there is nothing he can do to stop it. The chapter closes with a lingering sense of unease, foreshadowing the inevitable reckoning that awaits them both.