CODE'S ADDICTION

Chapter 6

Trissalia Pearl

When I was a little younger, my nanny always reminds me that it is not bad to laugh. Nakakatanda raw kasi ang pagiging seryoso at kapag lagi akong nangiti ay baka may lumapit na sa akin para makipagkaibigan. But then, I asked her if do we really have to fake our emotions just to please others? Kasi hindi ako ganoong tao. Ayokong ngumiti dahil alam ko namang walang dahilan. Ayokong isipin na masaya ako kahit hindi naman. I'm already suffocated with the fact that the world I'm living in was full of lies, so why would I hit the final blow to die just to keep my self faking all the remaining emotions I have.

I'm not being too hard on my self, I just want to keep my peace, the last one I have.

“Good morning, Atty. Ipinapatawag po kayo ni Judge sa opisina niya.”

First thing in the morning my father wants to summon me. I wonder what did I do this time? Ganoon naman palagi, he'll never call me if I didn't do something wrong besides, I've never heard him being proud of my achievements. Well, kahit naman din ako, hindi ako proud sa narating ko. I hate my self for being not the person what I wanted to be but what can I do? Nandito na ako at wala nang dahilan para talikuran ko pa ito.

As I walk through the hallway, people keeps smiling on me but I didn't do the same, 'cause I knew better. They only smile at me because I am a Shilton, I carry the supreme infamous name of my family but without it, I am just an ordinary woman with no achievements at all. Me, being a lawyer for years, is not my achievement but my family's. And everything who I am right now is not me but the reflection of my family.
Honestly, I want to pity my self for having a life like this but I've realized, I have no rights at all. Desisyon ko naman ito, hindi ba? Ginusto ko namang maging aso ng pamilya. That's why I have no reason to refuse nor demand because I do not own this life but Shilton's.

But now...since Code came into my life, everything's slowly changing Should I be grateful?

I don't know. It's too early to answer.

“Judge, you called for me?” I asks as soon as I stepped inside. In this place, he is not my father dahil para sa kanya ay isa lamang akong empleyada niya.

His cold gaze directly settled on mine. Pumuputi na ang buhok niya but the intimidation he could inflict never gets old. My father, Jackson Shilton, is the Lion King of this den—Justice Law Firm. They fight for rich not for poor. What a bummer. How could they use such name when they don't really know what justice is. Lawyers...what makes us an exception to other professions is that we can play the laws in our hands. Law is just law. We are the masters of it.

“So, how was the work with Atty. Dwanson?” My eyes remained on him.

Ang sabi nila sinungaling daw ang mga abogado. Well...I beg to disagree.

“The case was settled, I only gave him some useful advice, actually.”

Binitawan niya ang folder na hawak niya at tsaka tumayo mula sa swivel chair.

“So, what was the case about?”

Interrogation, huh. This old man never trust me. What a shame.

“Kidnapping case.”

He looks at me interestingly. “Tell me more.”

I subsequently sat. He wants more, huh.

“The defendant was accused of force kidnapping a woman while on her way to her house. Same just like the old cases I've handled before.” I shrugged. On the other hand,  my father looks serious.