Chapter 2
My father was a compulsive gambler, always buried in debt. My mother… well, she ran a massage parlor in our town. You know, one of those places.
The news spread like wildfire, and soon, the whole school knew. No one wanted anything to do with me, except Chloe.
My entire adolescence, thanks to Chloe’s companionship, didn’t seem so bleak.
She meant more to me than my own parents, with whom I had long since cut ties.
“What was her job? Did she have any enemies?”
“She was a food influencer. She rarely got into arguments with people. I honestly can’t imagine anyone hating her enough to kill her so brutally.”
As I spoke, I started to choke up again, lowering my head and covering my face.
“Did she have any romantic entanglements?”
I racked my brain for a long time, then shook my head blankly. “I don’t know. I didn’t really pry into her love life.”
“Weren’t you best friends?” Devin narrowed his eyes slightly.
I felt a little awkward. “Even best friends don’t tell each other everything, do they?”
Devin said nothing, then continued to ask, “What about you? What do you do for work now?”
I paused, then answered truthfully, “I just quit my job recently. I’m currently unemployed.”
“Why did you quit?”
“Officer Devin, how are these questions relevant to Chloe’s death? Or are you implying I’m the killer?”
I was angry, but Devin coldly continued, “Chloe died in her home. There were no signs of forced entry. The killer must have been someone Chloe knew, someone she let in, or someone who had her house key.”
“You reported receiving a strange message from Chloe, but we haven’t found Chloe’s phone at the scene.”
When he put it that way, I understood perfectly: he was genuinely suspicious of me.
I scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping me. “So you think I, someone with no stable job or income, killed my best friend out of jealousy because she lived a better life than me?”
“Answer my question.” His voice was devoid of warmth.
I caved. “Fine. I quit my job because I suffer from severe anxiety. It makes it impossible for me to live and work normally.”
I kept my head down, not wanting to see pity or sympathy in his eyes.
Honestly, his distrust disappointed me.
But then again, when we were together all those years ago, he never really believed in me with that much conviction either.
To him, I was, at best, a familiar stranger. Why should he believe what I said?
Devin stared intently at me, seemingly trying to read guilt or panic on my face.
We sat in silence for a long time. Then, he suddenly pulled out an evidence bag and gently placed it on the table.
“This phone, it’s yours, isn’t it?”
It was an outdated, old phone.
The screen was lit up, displaying my selfie.
Given Chloe’s family wealth, she wouldn’t own a generic phone like this. Her phone had always been the latest model from a certain fruit company.
I stared at the phone for a long time before nodding. “It’s mine.”
“Can you explain why your phone was found at the crime scene?” Devin asked.
That’s when I noticed the bloodstains on the back of the phone.
I shook my head. “I have no idea. Honestly, I lost this phone three years ago. The one I’m using now was a gift from Chloe.”
My expression must have been terrible.
Otherwise, Devin wouldn’t have been staring at me with such a complex look.
“Tell me, what happened?”