Hate The Game (COMPLETED)

Chapter 33

Chapter 33

"Thank you, Atty. Manjarrez," sabi sa akin ng isang kliyente ko. Kakatapos lang ng collusion hearing namin para sa annulment case niya. I thanked her, too, for being a cooperative client. Mas naappreciate ko siya ngayon dahil pinapahirapan ako ni Shanelle sa kaso niya. Right after that, dumiretso na ako sa coffee shop kung saan kami magkikita. Ayoko na pumunta sa office ni Shanelle dahil baka magkita na naman kami ni Samuel. I should really be avoiding him at all cost—at least until this was over and done with. Trabaho ko na nga lang ang meron ako, ilalagay ko pa ba sa alanganin?

"Why here?" tanong ni Shanelle nang dumating siya. She was wearing a old rose pantsuit at may dala siyang kulay itim na bag—pretty sure it was Hermes dahil may ganyan din si Kitty.

"Ayokong pumunta sa office mo."

"Because?" she asked with her forehead creased.

"Baka magkasalubong na naman kami ng asawa mo," I replied. She nodded as if she understood my reasoning. "I'll be charging every meeting to your account."

She slightly rolled her eyes. "Sure, fine, whatever," she said. "What is this meeting about?" tanong niya. "I have an appointment in an hour."

Tumango ako at pinagsalop iyong mga kamay ko. "I attended an event last night," I said.

"The one in Sofitel?"

I nodded. "Nandun ka rin?"

She scoffed. "No. Why would I?"

I shrugged. Marami ngang pamilyar na mukha doon. I was actually surprised na nakita ko roon si Samuel dahil marami akong nakita na member ng frat nila. Okay na ba siya sa frat nila? Because as far as I was concerned, hindi naman siya tinanggal talaga—he was just... deprived of the benefits.

"Anyway," I said, "Nakita ko si Samuel doon."

"Really..." she replied like it was intriguing na nandoon si Samuel kaysa sa pagsasabi ko sa kanya na kausap ko si Samuel.

"He told me na hindi pa sila nagsusubmit, pero malapit na silang magsubmit," sabi ko sa kanya. Tumango lang siya. But I was trying to observe every little thing—nakita ko kung paano niya abutin iyong baso ng tubig sa harapan niya. But she didn't drink. It was almost like she just needed to hold on to something.

She must be scared—ayaw niya lang ipakita.

"And what did you tell him?" she asked while looking at me. "Did you say that you'll have it dismissed?"

Tumango ako. "But then he said that he'll have Vito and Clary summoned if need be."

Nakita ko iyong paghigpit ng hawak niya sa baso. I saw how she struggled for breath for a quick second. She lost control. But she's Shanelle—she quickly gathered herself.

"No, he won't," she said.

"I think he will," I told her. "He told me himself—he'll get his annulment."

"Of course he'll tell you that—because I'm pretty sure you'll be the first person he'll go to if this annulment is granted."

Napaawang iyong labi ko sa mga salitang sinabi niya. She was so... casual about it. Like she didn't care kung sa akin man nga pumunta si Samuel—at this point, I believed that Shanelle wouldn't even mind if I fuck Samuel so long as she'd remain married to him legally.

This was fucking bonkers.

I had to grab my glass of water. Ako yata iyong kailangang uminom ng tubig dahil parang mauubusan ako ng lakas sa babae sa harapan ko.

"Shanelle, I'll be—" I said and then paused. "Are you straight? Gay? Lesbian? Bisexual? Asexual? Non-binary? You have to tell me because I can't do my job kung pati iyan ay huhulaan ko."