Who Am I

Heartbreak

Lotte slammed a heavy box onto the metal table. Matteo chewed his omelette.

"You really need to stop doing this." He gestured at the box with his fork. "What is this?"

"Everything about Sonya Abromsky."

"Why are we investigating? The case is over."

"Maybe."

"We already dropped the Japanese case."

"It's so we can look into this." Lotte lathered a piece of bread with butter. Matteo regarded her before turning to his breakfast.

"You're not going to take no for an answer."

"No. The tampering and the testimonies don't make this a put together case."

"We could have mentioned the tampering," he said.

"He still would have gotten convicted."

"Why Sonya?"

"She has little to no information. We never looked beyond the public information stated."

Lotte washed her hands. She opened the box, setting piles of paper next to it. "We can start with childhood, then move on to her death, then find whatever happened, and..... Matteo?"

"Yeah?" Lotte stood. Matteo dried his dish as Lotte stood next to him.

"Are you ok with this?"

"I don't think it really matters." Lotte flinched.

"Is that what you think?" Matteo turned.

"This isn't working out. We're always busy with the case-"

"We can work around that-"

"We tried that. Now you want to pursue this and you didn't consider what I thought about it."

"I'm sorry. But I think this is really important and we may have convicted the wrong-" He turned away, continuing to dry the dish.

"Then you should have never said he was guilty."

"You said it too!"

"Because I trusted you!" Matteo set the dish down. His jaw twitched. "This won't work out."

"But we're partners."

"I'll ask for a transfer."

"We... We always worked together as a team."

"I think you can manage without me."

"I love you."

"Expectation is the root of all heartache," he replied.

"Shakespeare." Matteo looked at her.

"It wouldn't work out." He walked away. Lotte stared at his back. The apartment door closed with a firm click. She took several deep, shuddering breaths.

"He...." A tear ran down her face. She shook her head rapidly, sitting down. She rested her head on her arms for a minute. She clenched her teeth to keep the sobs in. She eventually raised her head. She looked at the papers, wavering.

I should work. I still need to find out even without.... Even if...

She swiped the first paper, eyes scanning the page with fervor. She grabbed the bext one. And the next.

Knock.

"Lotte?"

Lotte rubbed her eyes. She glanced at the clock. 11 PM. The knocking grew.