Hello, Ex! I Finally Found My Worth!-Chapter 173: Because She Blames Me

Matthew Lewis sat across from Ivy and Emma, his sharp gaze steady as he opened his briefcase.

His demeanor was all business, but Ivy couldn't miss the underlying urgency in his tone.

"Hunter told me he was at your place that morning," Matthew began, folding his hands. "He claims he went straight from your home to his father's house after getting a text from his late father. That's when he was discovered with his father's lifeless body. I want to know if it's true."

Ivy nodded slowly, her mind replaying the events. "Yes, he was at my place early that morning. I returned from my morning runs only to see him outside my house. But..." She paused, struggling with the weight of her words. "I didn't exactly talk to him. He showed up unexpectedly, and I told him I didn't want to hear anything. I didn't even see where he went after that. So, there's no useful information you can get from me."

Matthew's eyes narrowed slightly as he studied her for a bit. "So, you can't confirm his whereabouts after leaving your place?"

"No, I can't," Ivy admitted, her heart sinking. "I didn't give him the chance to listen or know where he'd be headed."

"Really? Why? I thought you were his girlfriend or are the rumors not true?" Matthew asked even though Hunter had already told him the nature of his and Ivy's relationship.

"I don't think you should believe all you see on the net. I mean, if we all do that, then I should also believe Hunter is guilty, shouldn't I?" she asked with a raised brow.

Matthew looked at her for a brief moment before going ahead to jot something down in his notebook. "Is that all you remember?"

"Yes. That's all," Ivy said with a slight nod. She could feel Emma's eyes on her, silently urging her to stay calm.

The lawyer stood up, preparing to leave. But Ivy couldn't let him walk out without asking the one question that had been tormenting her.

"Wait," she said hesitantly. "Mr. Lewis... what do you think? About the case. Do you believe Hunter killed his father?" she asked even though deep down she wasn't sure she'd believe it even if the lawyer were to confirm it.

Matthew paused, glancing at both women. His expression softened slightly. "From what I've seen so far, it looks like a setup. But proving that in court is another matter. Right now, we don't have any concrete evidence to back it up," he said with a sigh.

Though Ivy had denied being in a relationship with Hunter, from the concern in her voice, he could tell that despite all Hunter did to her, she still very much liked him and wanted nothing but Hunter's betterment. She was someone he could trust.

Ivy's chest tightened. She had suspected foul play especially when she saw that strange lady leaving Hunter's house barely three hours after his alleged arrest, but hearing it from the lawyer made the situation even more real.

"What kind of evidence would you need?" she asked thoughtfully.

"Anything that can point to another suspect," Matthew explained. "Alibis, inconsistencies in the timeline, anything out of place...."

Ivy's brows furrowed and she cut in before he could finish. "What about the autopsy? Has the time and cause of the death been determined? That should help, right?"

"Not yet," Matthew admitted. "Right now, we're waiting on the autopsy results to get a clearer picture. But the results should be ready soon. Once we have the exact time of death, we can start piecing the timeline together. If it aligns with the time Hunter was found there, then there'll be nothing I can do for him."

Ivy nodded thoughtfully. "I understand. What about Mr. Stone's legal affairs? His will? Have you perhaps tried to find out if the will was recently changed or if it had been a long time since it was written?"

Matthew's gaze sharpened as he looked at her. "I was planning to speak with the lawyer who handles the late Mr. Stone's estate. I need to confirm the details of the will to see if it can be used as evidence," he said even though he had only though of it after she mentioned it.

"Good," Ivy said quietly. "You'll want to make sure it hasn't been tampered with."

Matthew gave her a curious look. "Why do you say that?"

Ivy's eyes darkened. "There have been rumors—about Hunter's half-sister. If she stands to inherit something, it could explain a lot especially since she'd be the only one gaining from it if truly Hunter gets convicted for the murder."

Emma leaned forward. "Have you ever met Hunter's sister?"

Matthew shook his head. "Not exactly. I've heard of her but haven't seen her in person. Why?"

Ivy hesitated. "No reason. Just curious."

The lawyer didn't push, but Ivy could tell he was filing the information away. He reached into his briefcase and pulled out a business card, handing it to Ivy.

"Although I understand your logic, I still think it's too early to point fingers. I appreciate your cooperation and I want to say that if you think of anything else—anything at all that might help Hunter's case—call me immediately, please."

Ivy took the card, her fingers trembling slightly. "I will."

Matthew gave a curt nod, then gathered his things and left the office.

As soon as the door closed behind him, Ivy sank back into her chair. Emma placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

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"Do you think he's right?" Emma asked softly. "About it being a setup? It's one thing for us to think it even without knowing anything but it's entirely different to hear it from an attorney."

Ivy didn't answer right away. Her mind was already spinning with possibilities. If someone had set Hunter up, they were smart—calculated. But who? And why?

One thing was certain: she couldn't sit by and do nothing.

"We'll find the truth," Ivy said firmly, meeting Emma's gaze. "No matter what it takes."

Away from there, Matthew Lewis left Ivy's office with a lingering sense of unease. Hunter's half-sister, Chloe, kept circling in his mind. He hadn't thought much about her before, but something Ivy said had stuck with him.

"Why hasn't Chloe visited Hunter, or has she?" Matthew wondered aloud as he walked to his car.

As at when he visited Hunter the previous day, he had been told she hadn't been there and that he hadn't received any visitor too. Why was that? Did no one care about him?

The more he thought about it, the more it didn't make sense. If Chloe was close to their father, why hadn't she shown up to support her brother—or even just to collect answers and accuse him of taking their father away?

Family dynamics were often messy, but this felt more than that. It felt calculated. Though he had told Ivy off, he couldn't deny that if truly Hunter didn't murder Mr. Stone that it had to be Chloe or one of the household staff who probably had been vengeful for one thing or the other.

He slid into his car, started the engine, and headed toward the police station. The conversation with Hunter was long overdue especially after talking to Ivy.

He needed to find out things about Chloe and more about their family dynamics if he were ever going to help solve this case.

Hunter sat alone in the dimly lit interrogation room. His hands were cuffed to the table, and the weight of everything—his father's death, the accusations, and the memories of the morning—pressed down on him.

His mind kept circling back to Ivy. He had hoped she'd understand, but instead, she had shut him out. Not that he blamed her. It was entirely his fault, after all.

When the door creaked open, Hunter looked up, his eyes dull but curious. Matthew Lewis entered, carrying his usual stern expression but with a hint of something else—determination.

"Matthew," Hunter said, sitting up straighter. "You're back sooner than I thought."

Matthew didn't waste any time. He pulled out a chair and sat across from him. "I need to talk to you about Chloe."

Hunter's jaw tightened at the mention of her name. "What about her?"

Why would Matthew leave the previous day and return to ask him about Chloe? What was the connection with Chloe? Why did he have to talk that bitch?

"I don't know. What's there I should know about her?" Matthew asked and Hunter scowled.

"Nothing. I don't have anything to say about her——"

"I think you should reconsider saying that because I need your utmost cooperation to be able to do this. So, what's there I should know about Chloe?" Matthew asked again and Hunter sighed.

"What do you want to know?" Hunter asked and Matthew flashed him a smile.

"Let's first start by why she hasn't come to see you. You must know why, don't you?" Matthew asked bluntly.

Hunter looked away, his gaze fixing on a crack in the wall. "Probably because she blames me."

Matthew raised a brow. "Blames you? For what?"