Chapter 3: The air at Osprey Cove carried an eerie stillness as Maggie stepped onto the shoreline, where a chaotic scene was unfolding. Guests had gathered in hushed murmurs, their eyes locked on the lifeless body of Gwendolyn, floating face-up in the water. Her pale robe billowed gently with the current, creating a haunting image that was both serene and tragic. Security guards waded into the shallows, carefully working to retrieve the body while a few of the wedding attendees, unable to resist their curiosity, whispered among themselves. Some stood frozen in place, while others clutched their phones tightly, struggling with the urge to capture the moment. Khalani, unable to resist, raised her iPhone and began recording, her gaze fixed on the unfolding scene. Before she could continue, Gerry approached, his voice sharp and authoritative, reminding her and the others about the confidentiality agreements they had all signed before the event.

As Hugo knelt beside Gwendolyn’s motionless body, a heavy silence settled over the crowd. His experienced eyes scanned her face, taking in the unsettling expression frozen on her features—her lips slightly parted, eyes wide, and her body unnaturally stiff. The absence of any immediate injuries was puzzling, though the stillness of her frame suggested she had been in the water for some time. Maggie’s mind reeled as she replayed her last encounter with Gwendolyn just hours before. She had seen the young woman standing alone near the docks, a faraway look in her eyes, her posture tense, as though she had been deep in thought. Maggie recalled Aidan’s earlier remark about Gwendolyn’s history of drug use, suggesting that she had likely been under the influence, which only added to the speculation. However, her father, Errol Gardner, took a different approach—his sharp gaze lingered on the body, his expression unreadable as though he were trying to extract meaning from the situation beyond the obvious tragedy.

A sudden movement caught Maggie’s eye as one of the security guards lifted a blanket to cover Gwendolyn’s remains. That was when she noticed something unusual—red marks, deep and distinct, stretching across the woman’s throat. A chill ran down her spine as she stepped closer, her eyes narrowing as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing. Hugo, now aware of the marks as well, bent down for a closer look, his brow furrowed in concern. He turned to the security staff and gave a curt order to clear the area, ensuring that no further contamination of the scene occurred before law enforcement arrived. The weight of the moment was undeniable, and despite the sense of detachment some of the guests displayed, Maggie could feel the ripple of unease passing through the crowd. The medical examiner and local authorities were called immediately, and the looming uncertainty over Gwendolyn’s death deepened.

Determined to make sense of what had happened, Maggie stepped forward, volunteering to inform Aidan of the tragic news. Her offer was met with a mix of sympathy and reluctance, but she remained firm in her decision. If anyone needed to deliver this information to Aidan, it had to be her. She had been close to him, had witnessed firsthand his dynamic with Gwendolyn, and perhaps, deep down, she needed to know how he would react. Would he be shocked? Would he grieve? Or would he already know the truth behind what had happened? The thought sent a wave of unease through her, but she suppressed it, focusing instead on the task at hand.

As the scene slowly dispersed, Maggie found herself walking away with a lingering sense of dread. The day had started as another step toward a grand wedding celebration, but now, the weight of something much darker hung over them all. The discovery of Gwendolyn’s body had set something into motion, an unraveling of secrets and hidden truths that would not be ignored. Deep in her gut, Maggie knew that this was only the beginning of a far more sinister revelation, and she had no choice but to follow the path it would take her down.