Masquerade

Tim Whalen takes the helm of Granger Morrison's racing sailboat Obsession. At the same time, he starts an affair with Brooke, Morrison's wife, setting a tense dynamic between employer and employee and hinting at trouble ahead.

Olivia Lawrence returns to Southampton after her mother's death and encounters Tim at a social gathering. They form a spark, and she agrees to go sailing with him, opening the door to a new romance.

Tim and Olivia take to Olivia's late father's sailboat Masquerade for a sail where their connection deepens. Their shared moments at sea lead to the start of a romance.

Back at Olivia's mansion, Gateworth insults Tim, fueling a volatile scene. Olivia privately tells her aunt that Tim is the first man she has trusted and that his interest isn't in her money.

Gateworth and Tim secretly plot to murder Olivia for her wealth. Tim hesitates, but Gateworth threatens to expose Tim's past, pushing him toward a dangerous plan and involving him in a deadly ruse.

That weekend, Olivia and Tim sleep together, solidifying their bond. Gateworth barges into Olivia's room as part of the plan, but Tim turns the tables and kills Gateworth with his own gun, leaving Olivia to cover it as self-defense.

With Gateworth dead, an investigation starts. Officer Mike McGill, a friend with feelings for Olivia, finds indications that Tim may be involved but keeps quiet, torn between duty and his affections.

Anne questions the investigation's findings and informs authorities about Olivia and Tim. She later tells McGill that a diner sighting might connect Gateworth to Tim. Anne is found hanged in an apparent suicide, prompting an autopsy request.

McGill requests an autopsy to resolve lingering questions about Gateworth's death and the broader conspiracy tying Tim and Olivia together. The move deepens Olivia's fear and complicates the case.

While sailing Masquerade, Olivia proposes to Tim, but he reveals a past conviction for bad checks and admits the affair with Brooke. Despite the shadows over him, Olivia's faith deepens and they become engaged.

Tim and Olivia marry, with Tim's honesty and awkwardness about his past shaping their union. Olivia becomes pregnant soon after, cementing a fragile happiness amid lingering danger.

That night, Tim visits the marina to meet McGill, who has orchestrated everything. Tim resists killing Olivia, but McGill threatens to imprison him for Gateworth's murder if he fails, pushing for a staged accident instead.

McGill sabotages Masquerade and plants incriminating evidence in Tim's drawer. Tim discovers the treachery and rushes to the marina to save Olivia, but a gas explosion seals his fate.

In the marina office, Olivia finds a newspaper clipping linking Tim, Gateworth, and McGill. McGill enters and attempts to kill her, but she pushes him out a window to his death, ending the conspiracy along with Tim's story.

At Tim's funeral, Olivia's lawyer notes that Tim had recently asked to be removed from her will and that he ultimately came to love her. The case closes with Olivia bearing both loss and a complicated love that survived the storm.