The Lawyer's Dangerous Lover (Ongoing)

10th

"What the fuck are you doing, Jade?!"

The fury in his voice echoed through the earpiece, each word laced with frustration that I couldn't blame him for. I could feel the tension radiating from him, and I couldn't deny the gravity of my situation. I had almost blown the mission—my mission to assassinate the five upper members of this group, not to mention their arrogant messenger. But despite everything, I felt no regret for what I had done.

"I can't help it, okay? I already handled it. Tuloy pa rin ang mission," I replied firmly, my voice barely above a whisper. I couldn't let my anger spill over, especially not now. My eyes drifted over to Thara, who lay in a deep sleep beside me, her face serene but still haunted by the shadows of the past. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang nangyari sa nakaraan niya upang makita ko siyang gano'n, pero alam kong meron. . .ramdam kong sa likod ng matapang at palaban niyang katauhan ay nagtatago ang isang nakaraang hindi niya kailanman magawang takasan.

My heart twisted at the thought of dragging her into this dangerous web. But I knew she would sense something was off if I told her not to come with me later. I had to tread carefully, balancing my responsibilities with her safety.

"Dammit! I told you to stay focused! I never said you should get involved with that woman! Who is she, huh? Is she more important than the mission? You're smart, but every time it comes to her, it's like you lose all common sense! This is your warning. One more move that's not part of the plan, and I'll send someone else to take over. You're off the mission! I'm sending Caliber to keep an eye on you, so get your act together." I sensed the frustration with his voice, agad din naman niyang kinalma ang sarili niya.

"Jade, you can't let your emotions cloud your judgment," the voice on the other end snapped, bringing me back to the moment. "We're dealing with dangerous people here. You need to stay focused."

"I know," I said, my tone edged with frustration. "I'm doing my best, but I can't just abandon her. Not after everything."

"Then you need to find a way to protect her without compromising the mission. You can't afford any mistakes." With that, he ended the call. I ripped the earpiece from my ear and hurled it angrily onto the bed, my frustration bubbling over.

The reality of his words settled heavily in the pit of my stomach. I needed to find a solution—quickly. As I glanced back at Thara, the resolve began to harden within me. I wouldn't let anything happen to her. I would figure this out, no matter what it took.

Hindi ko naman kasi inaasahan na nandito si Thara. Hindi ko rin inaasahan na alam niya ang ganitong mundo. The first time I saw her, she struck me as someone righteous. A bit sneaky, yes, and her eyes—so secretive, so carefully masked. But even then, I couldn't see anything in her that hinted she could be involved in this kind of life. And despite myself, I couldn't help but save her. There's something about her, something that makes it impossible for me to just walk away and pretend I'm deaf and blind to what's happening. I know that even if it were another woman, I would've still helped. But I wouldn't have risked this much just to ensure her safety. I wouldn't jeopardize my badge, my career—for anyone else.

But not Thara. Just not her.

I can't explain it, but I think I'd be willing to risk everything, even my name, for her. And I hate that. I hate the idea of getting to a point where I'd choose her over my mission, over everything I've worked for.

Yet... why does it feel so damn heavy to think that I wouldn't choose her?

From the very first moment I laid eyes on her, something felt different. There was something about her, something I couldn't quite put my finger on.