Mathew’s heart pounded in his chest as he raced toward the elevator. The cold steel doors opened with a chime, and he didn’t hesitate for a second.
His hand slammed the button for the top floor, and the elevator shot up. His mind was a blur of frantic thoughts, and the feeling of dread only grew stronger as the seconds ticked by.
He arrived at Andrea’s apartment, his breath coming out in short bursts, and knocked repeatedly, his fist pounding on the door.
“Andrea? Andrea!” he called, his voice tight with urgency. No answer. He knocked again, harder this time. Still, silence. He hesitated, his mind whirling.
What if she wasn’t home?
But just as he turned to leave, the door creaked open, and there she was—her eyes wide, as if she had been expecting something, or someone.
“Mathew…” she whispered, standing in the doorway, a mixture of fear and resignation in her expression.
Mathew’s eyes scanned the room behind her. Clothes were scattered across the floor, bags were open, their contents hastily thrown inside.
His pulse quickened as he stepped into the apartment, his eyes now wide with disbelief.
“Are you leaving?” he asked, his voice barely a whisper as he walked further in.
She didn’t answer, continuing to stuff clothes into the duffle bag with a swift, practiced motion, but there was no emotion on her face.
“Why?” he demanded, walking toward her. His hands clenched into fists at his sides. “Why are you doing this?”
Andrea paused for a second, then shook her head. “I have to leave. I can’t stay here.”
His brow furrowed. “What are you talking about?”
She didn’t meet his eyes. Instead, her hands trembled as she zipped up one of the bags and moved to grab the second one.
Mathew’s frustration reached its peak. “Andrea, answer me! Why are you leaving?”
She still didn’t speak, so Mathew stepped forward, blocking her path. His tone hardened, demanding a response. “I’ll arrest you if you don’t tell me what’s going on. Are you involved? Did you kill him?”
At the mention of arrest, Andrea’s shoulders slumped, and she broke down, her tears falling in a steady stream. “I didn't,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “Sebastian’s dead. He’s dead, Mathew.” Her body trembled as she spoke, her words barely audible through her sobs. “And I’m the prime suspect. I…I slapped him last night. We argued. I—I just…” She trailed off, her words lost in her sobs.
“I didn’t kill him!” she cried out, her hands gripping his shirt as she pulled herself up, trying to look him in the eye. “But they’ll think I did. They’ll all think I did.”
Mathew’s jaw clenched. He couldn’t deny that she had reason to be scared, but he still needed the truth.
“Are you sure you had nothing to do with this?” he asked quietly, his gaze intense as he searched her eyes.
Andrea shook her head violently. “No! No, Mathew! I swear to you, I didn’t.”
Mathew remained silent for a moment, his mind racing. His gut told him she wasn’t lying, but there was still something off. He needed to know more. “Do you have an alibi?” he asked, his voice low and stern.
Her eyes widened. “What?”
“Do you have an alibi?” he repeated. “Where were you this morning, when he died?”
Andrea paused, then wiped her tears away, her face pale. “I was at the company. But my father wouldn’t answer his phone.”
Mathew’s expression darkened. “And before that?”
She looked down, wringing her hands. “I was in your apartment.”
Mathew raised an eyebrow. “You got up early. Didn’t even say goodbye.”
Andrea rolled her eyes. “I needed to go to work. I went to my best friend’s house to borrow clothes and went to the office. And then I went to the bank.”
Matthew leaned in closer. “You went to the bank? Why?”
“Because my dad said if I don’t marry Sebastian, he’ll disown me. He’s been controlling me my whole life. I was trying to get my money, so I could leave. So I could live without him.”
Mathew’s stomach churned as he processed her words. “And what happened?”
Andrea’s voice broke. “I couldn’t get the money. They said I couldn’t withdraw without my father’s signature. I… I couldn’t do anything.”
Mathew ran a hand through his hair, a sense of dread creeping over him.
“And then?” Mathew pressed, his heart hammering in his chest.
Andrea shook her head. “That’s when I saw the news. Sebastian’s body. They said I was a suspect.”
Mathew’s eyes narrowed. “You’re telling me you didn’t have anything to do with his death?”
“No! I didn’t do it,” Andrea insisted, her voice rising in panic. “I didn’t kill him, Mathew. I didn’t even know he was dead until I saw the news. “I didn’t kill him,” she repeated, her voice trembling. “But everyone’s going to think I did.”
Mathew stepped closer to her, his voice low and serious. “The fact that you tried to leave and withdraw your money—that doesn’t look good. It’s what criminals do when they’re trying to get away before the authorities catch them. That’s how it looks.”
Her heart sank. “I didn’t do it… I didn’t kill him. Please, Mathew, you have to believe me.”