Hello, Ex! I Finally Found My Worth! - Chapter 185

Chapter 185: Free
Hunter leaned forward slightly, his brows furrowed. “How did you know everything?” he asked, his voice firmer this time. “You put the pieces together so quickly while I was here thinking it impossible.”

Matthew rested his hands on the table and sighed. “Because of Sherlock,” he said simply.

Hunter frowned. “Sherlock?”

Matthew nodded. “Your father’s lawyer. Derek and Chloe tried to kill him.”

Hearing that, a chill ran down Hunter’s spine.

“Tried?” he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper.

Matthew leaned forward. “I found him barely alive.”

Hunter’s breath hitched. His pulse quickened.

Derek had tried to kill someone just to get him convicted? Was it that serious? Was it that bad? Was that how badly Derek hated him?

“Mr. Sherlock, what… what did he say? Was he the one that told you all this?” Hunter asked, his throat tightening.

Matthew’s expression darkened slightly. “He told me he overheard Chloe and your father arguing that morning since Richard had called him. Richard had already made up his mind about his will. That was what they were arguing about. He made you his sole successor.”

Hunter stiffened. “What?”

Matthew’s gaze locked onto his. “Sherlock confirmed that Richard left everything to you, Hunter.”

The words hit him like a punch to the gut.

Hunter stared at Matthew, his mind blank for a second.

Then he let out a short, bitter laugh.

“That’s impossible,” he muttered, shaking his head.

Matthew didn’t say anything.

Hunter clenched his jaw. “My father and I never saw eye to eye. He made it clear he wasn’t giving me a dime. He… he despised me.”

“That’s what I thought too,” Matthew admitted. “But Sherlock was sure. That was what Chloe was arguing with your father about. I heard the record too and it’s clearly stated in the will.”

Hunter ran a hand through his hair, his chest tightening.

It didn’t make sense. Why?

Why would Richard leave everything to him? Why would he change his mind?

Had he known what Chloe was planning? Had he finally regretted the way he had treated him?

Hunter gritted his teeth. It was too late now.

Richard Stone was dead and Hunter would never know the real reason behind his decision.

His hands curled into fists as a wave of emotions crashed over him—anger, confusion, sadness…. and guilt. Guilt that he didn’t have a good relationship with his father.

Matthew continued, “After Sherlock told me that, I went to his house to retrieve the phone and the will. But someone followed me.”

Hunter’s gaze snapped up. “What?”

Matthew nodded. “I don’t know who they were, but I outsmarted them. I drove around, making it seem like I didn’t notice them, and I called the police. That’s how they were caught.”

Hunter swallowed hard, gripping the edge of the table. “And?”

Matthew’s lips pressed into a thin line. “They confessed.”

“They admitted that Derek ordered the hit on Sherlock. And not only that… they told Derek that I had gone to Sherlock’s house.”

Hunter felt his stomach drop.

Derek… his best friend. He wasn’t only involved but had been actively involved.

He was behind it all.

Hunter looked away, swallowing against the lump in his throat. He hated the burning sensation behind his eyes.

It was one thing to hear about Derek’s betrayal.

But hearing that Derek had actually ordered a hit?

That was something else entirely.

Matthew continued, “After that, I released the news of Sherlock’s death.”

Hunter’s brows furrowed. “Why?”

“To make Chloe and Derek lower their guards.”

Hunter exhaled shakily, taking in all the information.

Matthew leaned back. “And it worked. Chloe didn’t waste any time. I got word earlier today that she hired an unknown attorney to forge a fake will.”

Hunter scoffed. “Of course she did.”

Matthew smirked slightly. “That was all I needed. I presented everything to the judge, and with the forensic evidence, the phone records, and the confession, the judge issued an immediate arrest and conviction.”

Hunter’s shoulders sagged as the weight of it all settled in.

It was over. It was really over.

He wasn’t going to spend the rest of his life rotting in a prison cell for something he didn’t do.

He could finally breathe again.

Hunter looked up at Matthew, his throat tight with unspoken emotions. “Thank you,” he said quietly. “For everything. For believing in me. For standing by me when even my best friend was the one setting me up.”

Matthew shrugged. “I didn’t do it alone.”

Hunter frowned slightly. “What do you mean?”

“Ivy,” Matthew said simply. “She helped in every way she could. She was terrified when the news of Sherlock’s death was released. She didn’t know he was still alive.”

Hunter’s breath caught when he heard that. His stomach twisted as a pang of guilt washed over him.

Despite everything…

Despite what he had done to her… he could understand the pain because he had experienced it now from Derek’s betrayal.

Despite betraying her… and ridiculing her the way he did by making that bet.

She still cared.

Hunter clenched his jaw, his chest tightening.

How? How could she still care? After everything he put her through? He didn’t deserve it.

And yet… she still fought for him. His mind raced, already thinking of ways to make it up to her.

When he gets out of here, he was going to make sure she never shared another tear of pain. He was going to make sure he gave her everything there was to make her happy.

But before he could dwell on it any longer, the sound of footsteps echoed through the hallway.

A moment later, the door opened and a police officer stepped inside.

“Mr. Stone,” the officer said. “It’s time.”

Hunter let out a slow breath.

It was time to walk out of this place and be free again.

But as he stood up, there was only one thing running through his mind and that was Ivy and how he needed to make things right.