The Glass Tower

ChapterTwo

The flashing lights from the police cars outside painted the whole lobby in red and blue. It slid over the marble floors, the fancy glass walls, and everyone’s pale, frozen faces. Every pulse of light felt like an accusation.

“Why do they need so many cops?” someone whispered, their voice shaky.

“This isn’t good. This is really, really not good,” another person muttered, hugging their expensive purse like a shield.

The officers moved in quickly, their heavy boots loud and out of place on the polished floor. Their radios crackled with static, cutting through the last bit of party atmosphere. They didn’t care about designer dresses or who anyone was.

“Everyone, please stay where you are.”

“Don’t move around.”

“We’ll be taking statements.”

You could see people starting to fall apart. Some were trembling, their fancy drinks shaking in their hands no matter how hard they tried to stop it. Others puffed out their chests, trying to look calm and innocent. But you could almost hear the same thought running through everyone’s head:

“Who are they going to blame?

And right in the middle of it all stood Naomi Choi.

She was perfectly still. That black dress still looked flawless, not a hair out of place. She wasn’t crying. She wasn’t freaking out. She just stood there, her face a complete blank. But she could feel it the weight of everyone staring. The silent questions hanging in the air.

“She’s not saying anything.”

“Why is she so… calm?”

“It’s creepy.”

A tall detective stepped forward. He had that stern, no-nonsense look, with a little notebook already in his hand. He introduced himself clearly.

“Detective Yoon Haejin.”

The room got quiet fast.

“That’s me,” he said, his eyes slowly scanning the crowd. “No one leaves until I’ve spoken with them.”

You could feel the discomfort sweep through the room like a wave.

Before anyone else could move, Han Jiwon stepped up. Her heels clicked with purpose, and she wore this tight, professional smile.

“Detective, I’m Attorney Han Jiwon,” she said smoothly. “I can help coordinate statements for… my neighbors.” She gestured around the room like she was in charge of everyone. “We’re all in shock, of course. But we want to cooperate.”

Detective Yoon just raised an eyebrow. “Neighbors?”

Jiwon’s smile flickered for a half-second. “Yes. But let’s just say I’m good at keeping things organized.”

Naomi watched her without blinking. She knew the type. All polish and ambition, the kind of person who helps you just to get closer. The kind who smiles while they figure out your weak spot.

Finally, an officer laid a white sheet over the body. It didn’t help much. You could still see the outline. It made the whole thing feel horrifyingly real.

A woman let out a soft gasp.

“Oh God, you can still see…”

“Don’t look over there.”

The whispers started up again, poisonous and low.

“You think he jumped?”

“Who jumps at a party?”

“Then someone must have pushed him.”

Naomi kept her eyes on that white sheet. She knew his face. She’d seen him before. Not a friend, not really. But enough to know this wasn’t some random accident. This meant something.

Detective Yoon’s eyes landed on her and stayed there.

“You,” he said. “Name.”

The room went dead silent.

“Naomi Choi,” she answered. Her voice was even. Steady. No emotion.

You could feel a chill go through the crowd.

“That’s her.”

“The widow.”

“The one with all that weird inheritance money.”

The detective scribbled in his notebook. “You showed up right as the victim fell,” he stated. “Care to explain your timing?”

Naomi tilted her head just a fraction. “Detective,” she said evenly, “I don’t schedule my arrivals around other people’s tragedies.”

Someone in the crowd let out a nervous, choked sound that was almost a laugh.

“Did you know the victim?” Yoon pressed.

Naomi paused. Just a beat too long.

“I’ve seen him around,” she said. “At events. That’s it.”

It wasn’t a lie. But it wasn’t the whole truth, either.

Han Jiwon’s eyes were sharp, watching her like a hawk.

Kang Minseok kept adjusting his tie, sweat beading on his forehead now.

Lee Sohee pulled her daughter closer, looking like she wanted the floor to swallow her whole.

Do Hyunwoo came down the stairs with that calm, powerful walk of his, like he owned the place.

“Detective,” Hyunwoo said, his tone cool. “This is a tragedy. But we must be careful not to let it tarnish the reputation of this building. The people here are upstanding.”

Detective Yoon didn’t back down. “Upstanding people can still do terrible things.”

The murmuring begin again.

Hyunwoo gave a thin smile. “I’ll cooperate fully, of course. But let’s not confuse panic with facts.”

Naomi glanced at him. He sounded defensive. Like he was already lawyering up in his head.

Then the questioning started.

They were herded into one of the Tower’s fancy private lounges. Gold trim, plush sofas. Abandoned champagne flutes were still sitting around, half-full. Now the room just felt suffocating.

Han Jiwon went first.

“I hardly knew the man,” she said coolly. “These parties all run together after a while.”

“Where were you when he fell?” Yoon asked.

“At the bar. With Mr. Kang.” She nodded toward Minseok.

He nodded back, a little too fast.

“Convenient,” the detective murmured.

Jiwon just smiled wider.

Minseok was next. His hands wouldn’t stop shaking.

“We were talking business,” he said. “I heard the scream and I—”

“What about your phone?” Yoon cut in. “It was buzzing nonstop earlier.”

Minseok froze. “Just… market updates. You know how it is.”

Naomi didn’t miss the tremor in his fingers.

Lee Sohee was a mess through her whole statement, crying softly.

“I shouldn’t even be here,” she kept saying.

Detective Yoon actually seemed to ease up a little with her.

Do Hyunwoo was calm and collected through his, but his knuckles were white where he was clasping his hands.

Finally, it was Naomi’s turn again, sitting across from Detective Yoon.

“You knew him,” he stated, flat out.

“I said I’d seen him.”

“Where were you right before you walked into the lobby?”

Naomi paused. Just for a second.

“Stuck in traffic,” she said smoothly.

Yoon leaned back in his chair. “Mrs. Choi,” he said, his voice dropping. “Right now, you’re our first suspect. Until we can rule you out.”

A ripple of gasps went through the room.

Naomi just smiled. A small, faint thing.

She shifted her purse on her lap. Inside, her fingers brushed against the edge of a sealed envelope.

They could suspect all they wanted, she thought.

But I Naomi Choi am not going down for a crime I didn’t commit.