Lane MacKenzie, an aspiring newspaper writer returns to her hometown of Savannah, Georgia, for the wedding of her best friend Reese Burton to Travis Peterson. Lane and Reese's best friend is the scheming Peyton Richards.
Reese and Travis make up, but their relationship is again ruined by Peyton, who hires a stripper to pose as "Bunny". Travis goes to get revenge on Peyton, and their encounter ends with a liquor bottle to the head.
As news of Travis' "accidental" death spreads, Peyton scrambles to find a damning video he made of them; a less-than-grief-stricken Reese decides to go on her honeymoon, and Lane considers returning to New York.
Reese, Peyton and Lane supply Dean with alibis. Peyton shows who's boss when "Bunny" returns to Savannah for more hush money, and the real murderer is revealed following a robbery at the Burton estate.
Peyton provokes a feud between Edward and Reese; heartbreak looms for lovers Lane and Dean when a woman from Dean's past resurfaces. Meanwhile, Veronica cozies up to Edward; and Lucille beseeches Peyton to forgive.
Veronica arouses Peyton's suspicions when she offers to tend to a recuperating Edward, and Dean leaves two women distraught for different reasons. Peyton discovers Veronica's past and makes Tom an offer he can't afford to refuse.
Lane uncovers Jeannie's private affairs after Jeannie warns her to stay away from Dean. Meanwhile, Lucille shares the Gothic history of Massick-Burton relations with Peyton, and Edward learns of Veronica's own equally torrid past.
Veronica blows Tom's cover to protect herself from Edward's accusations; Dean learns the truth about Jeannie with the help of Lane, his son and Jeannie's mother. Vincent fills Reese in on the background of Tom's true intentions.
Edward's senatorial campaign is jeopardized by Lane's story about his affair with Veronica and Lucille's letter of confession to Reese about daddy's other little girl. Meanwhile, Jason objects to Dean's relationship with Lane.
The dramatic opening of Lucille's trial tests the friendship of Reese, Peyton and Lane. Peyton's hotshot lawyer offers a new theory about Travis's murder, which gains legitimacy from Lane's reporting and Tom's testimony.
A mysterious source feeds Lane disturbing tips about Dean's role in Travis's murder investigation; Edward is forced to admit his guilt to one daughter, breaking the other's heart. Things heat up between Peyton and Brian.
Lucille is acquitted as the pieces of Travis's death finally fall into place, but her subsequent actions may lead to her downfall. Meanwhile, Reese gets caught in the crossfire when she tries to stop the Massick-Burton feud.
