The Ruthless (Quantum Meruit Series #1)

44. Ruthless

44.
Ruthless

━━━━━━━

After I dismissed Atty. Roces, we immediately filed a motion in court to reschedule the next hearing for me to be given time to find a new lawyer. Everyone was furious. Si Papa na nanatiling tahimik sa loob nang ilang buwan ay sumasabog ang bibig sa mura. Vivienne became too ashamed to show her face since it was the president who hired Atty. Roces. It took a lot of my mother’s conviction for her to visit me again and clear her conscience.

Of course, I wouldn’t leave that asshole unscathed after he almost left me in ruin. Nag-file ako ng administrative case sa IBP. It caused a stir in the legal community because my case was controversial and Atty. Roces was a luminary. At dahil hindi pa ako kuntento, I was still open to other suggestions.

This world had fucked me up. Now that I got an ounce of sanity, I wouldn’t let it fuck me up further.

“So that’s it,” Nayeli concluded with the same arrogance she had been known for. “Just be relaxed and chill, you’re good to go. Kung ano lang ang itanong ko, ‘yon lang sagutin mo. And if you can, cry a bit. Nag-aartista ka naman.”

Luka-luka talaga.

“Prosec. Calleja may be a bit provocative. Just remain cool,” she added. “Don’t listen to him.”

“I know.”

Nayeli was my lawyer now. At first, she didn’t want to take the case since she got her hands full. But she changed her mind and agreed with me. Ayoko rin naman sana talaga siyang kunin din pero wala rin akong choice. I needed someone who could I truly trust. She might be annoying most of the time but I knew her loyalty. It was enough to assure me.

“Your case is really something,” she commented as she stared at the document she was holding. “No wonder everyone’s curious. Parang telenovela.”

“Anong sabi ni Bredant no’ng sinabi mong magiging abogado kita?”

“He was a little hesitant,” she replied without looking at me and turned the page. “He knew of the stuff surrounding your case. Pero hindi rin naman siya kumontra. So I assumed it was okay with him.”

Oh, now that made me feel a bit bad.

“Don’t worry about it,” aniya nang napansin yata ang pag-aalala sa mukha ko. “I know what to expect handling this controversial case. Handa na rin naman ako.”

Criminal lawyers are a really different breed. Whether they like it or not, they will anger some and receive the latter’s wrath regardless if they deserve it or not. It’s a scary profession only to be dominated by the fearless ones.

We discussed more about the case. She originally wanted to stay a little bit longer but when Bredant said Racquel was crying nonstop and wouldn’t drink her milk, she excused herself and made her last reminders.

Huminga ako nang malalim at nagmumog saka iniluwa ang tubig.

Next week would be the next hearing for my case and I would be the first to testify. Ayoko man, pilitan ko man magpakatatag, kabadong-kabado pa rin ako. Sigfred would be cross-examining me. Who knew how he would handle it? He was a notorious cross-examiner for the good and the bad reasons.

“Gusto ko nang umuwi,” I whispered to the wind as I stared at the clear blue sky.

I missed everything outside. The food, my work . . . freedom.

Freedom, maybe, is as important as life. Because life without freedom is nothing but forced happiness within borders. A life of yearning, a reincarnation of untruths.