The body lay sprawled across the marble floor, one pale hand still clutching the stem of a crystal champagne glass. Detective Sarah Chen knelt beside the victim, noting the purple bruising around the neck and the scattered pearls from her necklace. Outside the ballroom windows, thunder rumbled ominously while rain streaked down the glass panes like tears for the newly deceased woman. The guests huddled in small groups, their elegant evening wear now seeming absurd given the grim circumstances of this unexpected tragedy. Sarah stood slowly, her keen eyes scanning the room for anything out of place, any clue to explain this murder tonight. A waiter nervously approached, wringing his white-gloved hands, clearly desperate to share what he had witnessed during the fatal evening's events. "She argued with someone before midnight," he whispered urgently, glancing around to ensure none of the other party guests overheard him. Sarah pulled out her notebook, pen poised and ready, knowing that the next few hours would determine whether justice prevailed here. The mansion's grandfather clock began to chime, its deep tones marking one o'clock, the witching hour when secrets began unraveling slowly.