The first episode of The Alibi commences with Vincent Cabrera, a seasoned journalist at Cabrera News, returning home after his morning jog. Post a refreshing shower, he receives a call from one of his diligent subordinates, informing him that one of their trusty informants is experiencing second thoughts. This informant had previously served as a whistleblower for a formidable group of individuals. Vincent, determined to ensure the success of the interview, insists on doing whatever it takes to make it a resounding success. He then gets ready and heads to work with renewed determination.
At the office, Vincent runs into George, who informs him that Walter has an announcement waiting for him. Upon reaching Walter, he learns that the company is planning to shut down Cabrera News due to its underperformance. Walter asserts that this decision is an order from the company's higher-ups and there's little he can do to change it.
Determined to save his program, Vincent decides to confront the higher-ups himself – none other than the Chairman of the Cabrera Group and his adoptive father, Arthur Cabrera. After an intense argument, Vincent seems to have swayed Arthur's decision, granting him three more months to turn around Cabrera News with an upcoming exposé on a group of nepotistic kids involved in drugging and raping women.
As he receives a call from George about a landslide, Vincent and his team head to the location. However, they arrive late to find no victims on site for an interview. As he surveys the scene, Vincent notices a sign indicating that the land belongs to Cabrera Land. With a wry smile, he stealthily takes it down.
In the midst of his investigation, he sees a woman disciplining her daughter for getting dirty after cleaning her up. The sobbing girl gives him an idea. Vincent approaches the woman and asks her to pretend to be a victim of the landslide. He strategically applies dirt to the daughter's clothes and asks the mother to embrace the crying girl as they conduct the interview, making it appear as if she's a victim of the landslide. The news piece goes viral, capturing public attention in a dramatic fashion.
As the night deepened, Vincent returned home, his steps echoing through the halls. He made his way to his daughter's room, where the housekeeper informed him of Bea's feverish state and Claudia's absence, as she was out preparing for Arthur's birthday celebration. Vincent sat by Bea's side, his thoughts heavy, until Claudia finally arrived, her wedding ring gone—a casualty of its looseness.
The next day, the Cabrera family gathered for Arthur's birthday bash, filled with excitement and anticipation. In the midst of his speech, Arthur surprised everyone by announcing that the celebration marked his stepping down as CEO of Cabrera News but that he would continue to serve as Chairman of the Cabrera Group. The room fell silent when he named Walter as the new CEO, not Vincent.
Vincent's anger boiled over as he confronted his father, frustrated that no matter what he did, it never seemed to be enough. Arthur tried to soothe him with words of gratitude for being given the Cabrera name, but Vincent's ire was fueled by the realization that despite being adopted, he had never been treated as a true son. Why had Arthur taken him in if he never intended to accept him as part of the family?
The argument escalated until the mother intervened, trying to calm Vincent with her comforting words. But he chose to leave, only to run into Walter on his way out. The encounter turned heated, and Vincent punched Walter, only to be stopped by his brothers, Edward and Chua. Edward, an engineer and head of Cabrera Land, stood by Walter, explaining that Arthur had not chosen Vincent because he would run the company with emotions.
As Vincent ran into Claudia, both were angry at him for punching Walter and embarrassing them. They considered leaving the party together, but Vincent received a call from his colleagues informing him that a lawyer from the 'Nepo kids' case was willing to speak with him that night. He decided to meet with the lawyer and left without Claudia. However, moments later, he received a text saying that the lawyer had bailed. Disappointed and frustrated, Vincent made his way back to their rooms at the resort.
Vincent arrived at the room in the dead of night, only to find Bea alone and Claudia missing. After checking on the little girl, he tried calling Claudia, but her phone was silent. Determined to find her, Vincent ventured out and stumbled upon a scene that left him seething with rage. He witnessed Claudia engaging in intimate moments with Walter. Vincent wanted to confront them, but Bea's innocent awakening interrupted the moment. The little girl sought her mother, and in a fit of exhaustion and emotion, Vincent decided to take Bea back and wait for Claudia's return.
When Claudia finally arrived, she concocted a lie about Vincent's parents asking her to help at their villa. She advised Vincent to apologize to Walter and his father for the events that had transpired that night. Vincent's fury boiled over as he realized that his wife and family had chosen others over him. Claudia's insults, labeling him as a nobody and urging him to accept Walter's superiority, pushed him over the edge. She declared her intention to leave with their daughter Bea. Vincent chose to let the argument simmer while Bea slept and left.
Vincent made his way to Walter's room, where he surprised the unsuspecting Walter, who thought it was Claudia returning for more. Vincent told him they had much to discuss and let himself in.
The scene then cuts to Vincent in his car, where he encounters Stella stranded at the resort entrance. Unable to get a taxi, she hails a ride with him. As they drove out of the resort, they encountered police cars heading towards the resort. It turned out that hotel attendants had found a body in one of the rooms.
After dropping Stella off, Vincent drove away, distracted by the news broadcast of an unknown body found at the resort. His car skidded, and he came to a stop outside a club. Stranded due to a flat tire, he decided to head into the club for a drink.
It emerged that Stella worked at the same club as a hostess, known by the stage name Alegria. Vincent was stunned by her captivating performance on stage.
That night, Vincent returned home, removing his bloody shirt and hiding it in the laundry basket. Claudia confronted him for letting himself become such a mess over a promotion. Vincent went to tell her the truth, but they were both interrupted by a phone call informing them of Walter's death.
The next morning, the entire family was interviewed, including Arthur, Claudia, Jacqueline, Chua, and Vincent himself. Vincent got into an argument with the police when they tried to make him seem like the suspect due to his encounter with Walter at the resort. They had a video of Vincent and Walter fighting at the party, but Vincent walked out of the interrogation room, stating that if he was a suspect, they should obtain a warrant and have a lawyer present.
Meanwhile, Stella got into an argument backstage with some colleagues and later with Mama Mona, the manager. She vowed that one day she would make enough money to leave that job, insisting that Mama Mona's belief that she would never make it out unless she died or found a wealthy husband was wrong.
As dawn broke, Stella trudged home, weary and half-asleep. The landlady, unrelenting in her prejudice, halted her in her tracks, lashing out at her profession, warning that if she didn't change her ways, she would reap the whirlwind of hell. Stella, unbowed, paid her rent in full, even tipping her with a few extra coins for a snack. She declared with pride that she had no shame in her work; it was honest money earned through tireless effort, and far superior to the theft that plagued society.
Back at home, Stella was met with more insults from her sister Katherine, who labeled her an escort and a former convict. Stella retorted that she would do whatever it took to ensure they could finish their education, have a roof over their heads, and have food on the table. Just as their conversation reached a crescendo, Joseph, the younger sibling, fainted due to an asthma attack. Stella sprang into action, rushing him to the hospital with urgency.
Meanwhile, at Vincent's abode, Claudia pressed him for answers, wondering if he had taken the life of Walter. She hinted that they both knew what he was capable of when provoked. Vincent vehemently denied any motive for killing Walter simply because he had secured the CEO position. As the episode drew to a close, Claudia stumbled upon Vincent's shirt stained with blood, while Vincent found Stella. He made a request of her services for a million pesos.
