Chapter 47 – Weight of Doubt
After
a long day at work, Jacob locked the door behind him and entered Madeline’s apartment, where the aroma of freshly prepared coffee welcomed him. He chuckled to himself as he heard the sound of fast typing fill the living room, knowing that she was probably deep in
concentration on her work.
She was wearing an oversized sweatshirt and socks, and he discovered her sitting cross- legged on the chair in her little home office, her face was framed by a few stray hairs that were wrapped up in an untidy bun. She slid the laptop screen down and stepped up to meet him, her eyes brightening as she turned to him,
“Hey” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck in a warm hug,
“Hey, angel” he replied, kissing the top of her head,
“How was work?” she asked, pulling back slightly but keeping her hands on his shoulders,
“Typical day at the office” Jacob said, setting his briefcase down,
Though, some interviewers from your office came to see me earlier”
Madeline’s brows knitted together in surprise,
“What? They did? What did they want?”
“They had some questions about Sebastian” he replied, his tone neutral but his eyes sharp,
“Things like, what do I have to say about his arrest? And whether I think he did it”
She studied his expression carefully,
“And? What did you say?”
“I told them what I’ve always said… he’s a good man. Upright, hardworking, and diligent. He’s earned his position in my company“.
“And the other question?” Madeline asked, folding her arms,
“Do you think he did it?”
Jacob sighed, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face,
“I didn’t answer that one”
“Well, answer it now” she pressed.
“We’ve already been through this, Maddie. I don’t know why you’re bringing it up again”
“Because” she said, her voice softening,
“We both know him well. And like I’ve said before, I…”
“Do you still love him?” Jacob cut her off abruptly,
“What?” Her eyes widened in disbelief,
“I asked you a question” His gaze bore into hers, unyielding.
“No, I don’t” she said firmly
“I’m in love with you”
“Or am I just some kind of rebound to get over your unfaithful, unloving ex?”
Madeline’s mouth fell open, her hands gripping her knees.
“Why are you saying this?” she asked, her voice breaking slightly,
Jacob shook his head, his expression hard,
“Goodnight, Maddie”
She stood there in shock and pain as he turned and left the room without saying anything else.
After going to work the following morning, Maddie sat at her desk and looked through her work emails when her coworker approached her with a curious expression,
“Did you
hear?” She asked, sliding into the seat opposite Maddie,
her phon
“Hear what?” Maddie asked, setting down,
“Sebastian. He’s been locked up” she said, her voice low.
Maddie stiffened,
“What? When?”
“Late last night. He has a lawyer, of course, but until the trial, he’ll be in jail. The police found some pretty damning stuff, apparently”
“What kind of stuff?” Maddie asked, her throat dry.
Her colleague lowered her voice further,
“They went through Emily’s phone. Found their last chat, it matched the exact time she went out to meet him. And… well, you know what happened next”
As Maddie took in the information, her heart raced. She was aware of the gossip about Emily and Sebastian, but this was something else. The thought made her stomach turn. Social media, TV, and even the office group chat were all buzzing with the news. Sebastian was portrayed as an unpredictable man who had reached his breaking point due to the sensationalized allegations.
Maddie was sitting in her living room that night, staring at the TV’s flickering pictures with blank eyes. Commentators were analyzing every aspect of the case, which was trending on
Chappi Weight of Dubt
several platforms,
Sebastian Young: Tragic Lover or Cold–Blooded Killer? one headline read.
Leaning back and massaging her temples, Maddie turned off the television. She was unable to ignore this. She needed clarification. But how? Jacob had made his position on the subject painfully obvious, so she was unable to turn to him, and because of her past with Sebastian, she didn’t think anyone else would believe her.
Bailey won’t give her a listening ear and to her, just like Jacob believed, Sebastian was responsible for it.
Maybe she should go see Sebastian, she thought, but no, he wasn’t worth risking her relationship with Jacob
As she weighed her possibilities, her mind went awry. She needed to see Sebastian in order to find out the truth. To find out for herself whether he was guilty or innocent, she needed to listen to his side of the story, to look him in the eye.
Maddie was overcome with internal disagreement. She had once shared hopes and goals with this man, and she had once loved him. Was he actually able to commit murder? Or was he a convenient scapegoat for a complicated scenario or worse,
Was he being framed?
