04:00 p.m. — Guests gather at Spring Haven Farm for the grand masquerade ball.  
Music fills the barnyard, lanterns glow across the pasture, and masked figures mingle beneath the string lights. Penelope Stewart arrives in a silver gown, her mask adorned with pearls, greeting guests warmly.
 

04:20 p.m. — Silas Moore is seen near the barn.  
He mutters about the noise frightening the animals. He was clearly unsettled about the ball
 

04:35 p.m. — Beatrice Vane arrives late, wearing a lavish mask decorated with emeralds.  
She clings to Penelope’s side, but people overhear Penelope scolding her about unpaid debts. Beatrice’s smile falters, and she excuses herself to fetch wine.
 

04:45 p.m. — Celeste Sterling makes a dramatic entrance.  
She notices Penelope arriving with another companion and grows visibly tense. Guests whisper as Celeste fixes her gaze on the couple, fuming and staring without blinking, her emotions barely contained behind the mask.
 

05:00 p.m. — Julian Stewart appears, mask slightly askew.  
He drifts through the crowd, wine glass in hand, pacing restlessly and avoiding conversation. His silence and uneasy demeanor draw glances from nearby guests, as though he is burdened by something he cannot conceal.
 

05:15 p.m. — Beatrice Vane is seen lingering near the refreshment table.  
She clutches her purse tightly and avoids eye contact when guests mention Penelope’s wealth. Her forced smile and sudden change of subject leave onlookers uneasy, as though she is hiding something.
 

05:30 p.m. — Silas is spotted pacing near the edge of the ballroom.  
He mutters about the farm being “for the animals, not for resorts.” His agitation draws attention, though he avoids direct confrontation.
 

05:45 p.m. — Penelope is last seen alive.  
She drifts toward the fountain, her mask slightly tilted, pausing to speak in hushed tones with several guests throughout the evening. Some recall seeing her in a tense exchange, others remember her brushing someone aside with a dismissive gesture. The music swelled, and Penelope slipped into the shadows near the fountain, her presence fading from the crowd.
 

05:55 p.m. — A scream pierces the music.  
Guests rush to the fountain. Penelope Stewart lies half-submerged, her mask shattered beside her, her gown torn and marked by violent wounds. Panic spreads through the crowd.
 

06:00 p.m. — The aftermath.

Silas insists he was only worried about the farm, muttering that “none of this should have happened here.”

Beatrice trembles, her mask spotless, refusing to speak when guests mention Penelope’s wealth or the will.

Celeste paces near the fountain, claiming she was searching for something she had lost earlier in the evening.

Julian lingers at the edge of the crowd, silent and withdrawn, his expression unreadable behind the mask.
 

06:30 p.m. — The sheriff arrives.  
He surveys the fountain and declares the scene suspicious, ordering Penelope’s body and belongings to be examined. As lanterns flicker across the farm, whispers ripple through the crowd, each guest speculating who could have committed such a terrible act against the young woman.