All Clear, Attorney

QT

"APART FROM THAT, I would also like to submit this as evidence, Your Honor. The defendant and Mr. Reyes had a shared condo unit before where the defendant currently resides with her child. Before the defendant and Mr. Reyes broke up, he willingly gave the unit to the defendant, and this is their contract." Cadence pressed the remote again, showing the said contract.

Napatingin siya sa biktima na awang ang mga labi habang nakatingin sa screen ng projector. It was as if blood had left her face, at nanlaki pa ang mga mata nito. Disbelief was written in them. 

"But when Mr. Reyes married the victim, the victim knew about the unit, and she wants to—"

"Objection, Your Honor! The defense is making accusations!"

"I would like to call a witness who would support my claim, Your Honor," Cadence immediately cut the prosecutor off.

"Objection, Your Honor! We weren't notified about the new witness—"

"Overruled. Proceed."

Cadence smirked as triumph danced in his eyes. "May I call on Mr. Reyes, the husband of the victim." 

Gasps filled the court, at ang lahat ay nakatingin sa asawa ng biktima na ngayon ay naglalakad. Mayroong lungkot sa mga mata nito, and he was clearly avoiding his wife's gaze. 

"A-Anong. . ." The victim's lips parted. Malalaki ang mga mata nito na nakatingin sa asawa, and she saw pain in her eyes and disbelief. 

The witness stood on the stand and raised his right hand as the clerk read the oath. 

"I do."

"Please state your first and last name."

"Edsel Reyes."

"You may be seated."

Cadence stood up, bringing the small remote, and walked towards the witness stand. "Can you give us some details about your relationship with the defendant?"

Napatingin muna ang lalaki sa asawa nito. His stare lasted for seconds, before disappointment filled his eyes. No'ng tumingin ulit ito kay Cadence, unti-unti iyong nabura. 

"Nadine and I had a romantic relationship before. I remember, it was on our second year when we decided to buy a condo unit and live together. . . but due to some personal reasons, we broke up. It was a mutual decision, at bago kami naghiwalay, I gave the condo unit to her. We signed a contract, and it was stated in there na kung may mangyri man sa kanya, mababalik sa akin ang unit.

"A year after, I met. . . Belinda, and we got married after three years.  Alam niya ang tungkol sa amin ni Nadine, pero hindi niya alam ang tungkol sa condo unit. Doon lang niya nalaman no'ng naglinis siya ng kwarto namin, and she showed me the contract, asking me about it. Wala akong itinago sa kanya. Sinabi ko lahat, and I thought she's cool about it at tanggap niya. 

"Pero nagulat na lang ako nang madatnan siyang putok ang mukha sa police station." Napahilamos ito sa mukha at marahas na napabuntonghininga. "It was a nightmare. . . to see my wife in that state. And that's when she told me that she had been receiving threats. No'ng pinakita niya ang mga mensahe sa akin, one look of it, and I know it came from Nadine."

He chuckled humorlessly and shook his head, as if scolding himself for falling into her trap. "Or so I thought. Because two nights after the said hearing, may nakita ako sa laptop niya. It was. . . a link of Listcraig."

"Can you explain what Listcraig is, Mr. Reyes?"

Huminga muna ito nang malalim at tumango. "It's a classified advertisement website, and upon tracing her footprint on the website, I found out that she had clicked this. . . rape fantasy advertisement wherein you hire men to rape you and satisfy your fantasy."