Content Warning: Both the source text and this guide contain descriptions of emotional manipulation, psychological abuse, and domestic violence.

The story’s opening chapter is narrated from the third-person perspective of Amber Patterson Parrish. Her life of luxury has taken a significant turn ever since her husband, Jackson, was incarcerated for tax evasion. During her husband’s imprisonment, Amber reluctantly maintained her social standing in their affluent community of Bishops Harbor. However, the financial strain is starting to show, and to remedy this, Amber plans to sell Jackson’s 65-foot yacht, the Bellatada, for at least $1.5 million.

During her latest visit to Jackson, their interaction is tense as Jackson tries to exert control over Amber despite his circumstances. He demands that she throw an elaborate party upon his release, but she refuses. When she suggests selling the yacht, Jackson vehemently opposes this and hints that the boat holds something vital to their future. Suspicious, Amber searches the Bellatada herself. The name has always irked Amber because it honors Jackson's ex-wife and daughters by combining their names: Daphne, Tallulah, and Bella.) On the yacht, she eventually finds a hidden metal cylinder that contains an assortment of precious gems, including diamonds, rubies, and sapphires.