circled tracks

01

scene 01.
❝ lawyer ❞

celeste's day is always punctuated by an argument or someone kicking her gate. In a nutshell, it's frantic.

atty. ma. celeste fernandez a human rights advocate, a reliable lawyer. she deals with a variety of situations, including criminal and divorce cases. even if she was promised a large sum of money to win a lawsuit, she always puts others first and assists a family member or someone who has been harmed. that is why some people admire her and others, most notably politicians, dislike her.

she sat at her desk, inspecting paperwork, her glasses resting on the bridge of her nose, and she continued to look at it carefully. sighing, she realizes how busy she is these days. she didn't get any sleep the night before. her parents kept reminding her and calling her to come home as she prepared for her trial today.

celeste's secretary, tasha, asked
"atty. fernandez? may I come in?"

celeste said,
"yes, you may enter,"
her gaze still fixed on documents.

"these are the final pieces of evidence in mr. latrividad's case. you will certainly slay it again, atty!" exclaims tasha.

"haha, maybe," celeste replied, laughing at tasha's expression. "we are on the side of the truth, and truth is the most powerful weapon in defeating enemies."

celeste treats every case she handles as if it were her first trial. just doing her greatest to win her client and as she leaves office, the phone on her desk rang . "no, not again," she said as she looked at the caller id, and she didn't hesitate to decline the call.

———

"these last evidences that I gathered can convict the opposition. your honour, you can check it first. that is mr. valera's involvement in any illegal doings. keeping illegal firearms, taxes, drug distribution involvement, and many more. that is all from our side your honour. thank you," she said, her face solemn.

"any oppositions on mr. valera's side?" the judge inquired.

"none, your honour," the opposition's lawyer said, "our side has already accepted the reality, that we are guilty."

people murmuring in the back, "atty. fernandez always gives the last resort. she is the best human rights lawyer."

———

as the judge slammed the gavel, he declared, "the opposition is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt."

———

"I was ready to declare the subject guilty, attorney fernandez, but every time you provide the last resort, it is significant."

in the corridor, judge loren and celeste met, and mr. loren took advantage of the opportunity to speak with celeste.

"it's because I treat every case as if it were my first, and I'm motivated to win my case, your honour."

"do you get enough sleep, atty?" mr. loren said, looking concerned.

"are my eyebags really that visible, sir?" celeste ponders as she searches her pouch for her mirror. her eyebags are prominent, but you can't notice them unless you're close to her. "no, not much," mr. loren said, "but it appears that a lot of people are coming to talk to you about their issues."

"I can get an hour of sleep sometimes and not," celeste said, scratching her head.

there is a brief interval of stillness while they converse. celeste is unable to come up with a topic to discuss because she is preoccupied with numerous problems in her life

"what are your plans these days, attorney? I have a suggestion from a large law firm," mr. loren says, breaking the silence between them.

"I should decline your offer, sir. my parents constantly contact me and tells me that I should go home," celeste remarked, her face revealing as if she was defeated in today's trial.

mr. loren asks celeste, "I thought you lived here?" looking shocked

"no, sir, I'm from the philippines," celeste exclaimed, surprised that mr. loren hadn't read any articles about her nationality.

"I know you're a filipina since you possess a filipina beauty but I thought you were immigrants," mr. loren remarked, his face contorted with disbelief.

mr. loren continued with a surprised face, "oh! now I know! you're related to the f. haven hotels? the fernandez?"

"yes, sir," celeste said and didn't gave any information, wanting to keep her identity closed.

mr. loren assured celeste, "atty. fernandez, you are a powerful woman. haha. good luck getting back to your home country."

———

"you are not a good enemy to make, father."

with a sigh, celeste said. her father is adamant about her returning home. she and her father have a lot of unusual interests. despite her father's wishes for her to pursue a degree in film, modeling, or business, she refuses to interfere with the family business. her father's family was not one of her favorites.

"Ms. Tasha Beckett," celete said, her voice authoritative. tasha, on the other hand, was nervous because of celeste's tone and the fact that she addressed her by her entire name.

"did my relatives contact the law firm? did they also call you?" celeste asked anxiously.

tasha informed celeste, "yes, they also contacted the head."

"uh, what a headache" celeste exclaimed, her hands in her temples in disbelief. her parents are a complete pain in the neck.

"I'm going to take a 3-month leave. I'm going back to the philippines, do take a leave also." celeste informed tasha.

"attorney, I'm your secretary, and I'd want to accompany you there. I understand you don't want people around you, but please allow me to accompany you" tasha pleaded.

"you have a bright future here. if I do not return, you may accept the offer of the hidellton firm" celeste also couldn't believe that tasha was willing to put her career on the line to serve as her secretary.

"ate," tasha replied, her face solemn and serious  "my ambition has been to serve as your secretary since I first started here as a new employee. I was completely enthralled by what you did to win your cases. I am completely willing to serve as your secretary. you are aware that you are my role model" tasha said, "how you defend helpless people even if it puts your life in jeopardy." celeste was affected by her willingness to be her personal secretary.

"ok, I'll let you be my secretary as long as you don't get sick working under me." celeste said helplessly as she felt touched "write your information as I'll register you as a personal employee of fernandez."

celeste didn't need to be involved in her family's problems, and her father agreed because she had a promising degree and situation at the time. however, she is perplexed as to why her dad is so insistent that she return home.

"i wonder what happened."