Hate The Game (COMPLETED)

Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Agad akong napa-hinto sa pagsasara ng pintuan ng sasakyan ko nang magtagpo iyong mga mata namin ni Samuel. His eyes probably mirrored mine—or mine was probably worse... because I was not able to get a wink of sleep after what happened earlier. Pero nandito na agad ako. Because I am professional. Because I didn't want my professional life to suffer because of my personal life.

I was very protective of my work... because at this point, I felt like this was all I have.

Huminga ako nang malalim nang isara ko iyong pintuan. There was no choice but to pass by him dahil nandoon iyong daan papunta sa firm. When I passed by him, I heard nothing from him. Hanggang sa makapasok ako sa loob ng elevator ay hindi ko siya nakita. Hanggang sa makarating ako sa floor ng BGY ay wala akong narinig mula sa kanya.

"Hi," pagbati ko nang makita ko si Yago.

"Hi," he replied. "Can we wait for a while? My client's on the way."

Tipid akong tumango. Dito din siya papunta. Of course, dito din siya papunta. Pero hindi siya sumabay sa akin. Was he finally giving me what I wanted? Because I felt like I already lost count sa kung ilang beses kong sinabi sa kanya na tigilan niya na ako. Kasi may asawa siya. Hindi ko alam kung bakit parang ang hirap sa kanyang intindihin iyon.

"Do you want anything? Coffee? Water?" Yago asked.

Umiling ako. "No, I'm good."

Tumango siya na may kasamang tipid na ngiti. He must probably think how this whole... set-up was insane. Kahit ako rin naman. Yet here I was gobsmacked right in the middle of it all.

At nang marinig ko iyong katok sa pinto, automatic na bumilis iyong tibok ng puso ko. I should've said yes to the water. I needed to calm down. This was work. I should treat it as nothing but work. I'd been in this position before. Alam ko ang gagawin—or probably not... This was the first time that I'd be in this... situation.

"Mr. Fortalejo," sabi ni Yago.

Huminga ako nang malalim. Tumayo ako at tumingin. Nandoon si Samuel. Some streak of his hair was wet na para bang galing siya sa CR at naghilamos.

"Mr. Fortalejo," I said as I extended my hand to signify that we're here professionally.

Naka-tingin lang siya sa mga mata ko tapos ay tinanggap niya ang kamay ko. I almost flinched when our hands touched, but he just squeezed it like he would any other meeting.

I guess I finally got what I asked for.

"Atty. Manjarrez," he said as a professional courtesy. We were looking at each other's eyes when I heard Yago telling us how we should probably begin with the meeting.

Naunang umalis si Samuel. Nanatili akong nakatalikod sa kanilang dalawa. Muli akong pumikit habang humuhugot ng malalim na hininga. Okay. Kaya ko 'to. This was but another day in my life as a lawyer.

"Shall we begin?" Yago asked. I nodded. "Can I ask where your client is?"

I shrugged. "Work, probably," sagot ko sa kanya. "She didn't want to be here. Plausible deniability."

"Ah..." Yago said with a small smile on his face. "Smart."

"But she told me about what she wanted to get from this."

"And that is?"

"For people to mind their own business," I said. "Her words, not mine."

"I see," sabi ni Yago. "As for my client," dugtong niya tapos ay tumingin kay Samuel na tahimik na naka-upo sa tabi niya. "He wants annulment," he said. "What's your client's stand about the annulment being granted?"