I stared at Nicklaus in front of me. He's sitting in his office while I was standing in front of him. Nakahalukipkip at masama ang tingin sa kaniya.
He looked at the window blinds of his room. He clenched his jaw and stood up to close it. Tumuwid ako ng tayo at sumandal sa lamesa niya.
He glanced at me with his cold eyes. He's wearing his glasses and an unbuttoned polo. I saw a couch in front of his office, a coat rack, drawers, coffee machine, computers, and a bottle of whiskey on the side.
He went straight to me. Napahawak ako sa magkabilang gilid ng lamesa niya.
"Why are you here?" he voiced.
I gritted my teeth. "I haven't seen you in days, Klaus."
"You didn't want to see me, Blair. What do you want me to do..." malambing na usal niya.
It's been three days since the wedding. Ganoon katagal na hindi na muling lumilitaw si Nicklaus sa harapan ko.
I've been staying in his hotel room for days. I haven't left. I didn't want to leave the hotel room until today, just to look for Nicklaus. I didn't want to look for him. But I just found myself asking Juan about him.
He said that he'd he here, so I gathered all the strength and the kapal ng mukha that I have.
I swallowed hard. "Is it true?"
"What's true, love?"
"About Danica..."
He paused for a while. His eyes looked at me. Namumungay ang mga mata niya.
"Uh-hmm..." tumikhim siya.
Pumikit ako. "I don't want you to do this."
Kumunot ang noo niya. "What, baby?"
"This," umiwas ako ng tingin. "I let it go years ago. I don't want to do this. You should let it go, Klaus."
It was a moment of silence. Bumitaw siya ng hawak sa lamesa. He pushed himself away from me. I saw how upset he was. Salubong ang kilay niya at tinungo niya ang lamesa niya.
He sat in his chair, never putting his gaze at me.
I sighed. "Klaus, please, listen to me. I know how determined you are in your cases, but this is me saying that I don't want it—"
"You don't want to press charges, Blair?" he sounded like he was in pain, and it was all ridiculous.
"It might sound crazy but—"
"It's not just crazy, Blair. It's unfair and ridiculous." he said. "Are you listening to yourself? You've suffered so much. And you don't even want to let him pay for everything?"
"I just think you're doing so much for just like that—"
"Just like that? It's not just like that, Blair. Do you know how many chances there are that he might do it to you or to others again? He might have done it. He did it to you again, right? Are you really going to let that go?"
I pursed my lips. That felt like a slap. He was right. He is always right. Damn it.
"Klaus, I don't know if we'll win it. I agreed to go to the hotel with him. I wasn't thinking! I don't want your efforts to fail."
He clenched his jaw. "You didn't agree to be assaulted. You didn't agree to be scared. Stop thinking it was your fault, Blair, please..." namaos ang boses niya, hirap na hirap na siya. "It pains me, too."
Lumunok ako.
He shook his head. "I will not let this go. He will go to jail, and I will make sure of it."
