Game Over

Chapter 40

Chapter 40

In my entire fucking life, I have never rebelled against anyone or anything because why would I do that? I have lived a privileged life, as far as I was concerned. I was sheltered, even. I saw no reason as to why I would rebel... until today.

Since that night na nagkausap kami ni Lui, hindi muna kami nag-usap. We didn't agree to not talk, but it was an unspoken agreement. He's pissed at me but I was more pissed at him. Ayoko muna siyang makita dahil maaalala ko na naman kung gaano ako katanga sa kanya. Because if I were being honest, if it weren't him, I would've walked away. At once. Without even looking back.

But I didn't want to think about that and to think about things I didn't have control over.

"Yes po, Attorney?"

"Pa-request ng lahat ng relevant files sa may Villamontes case," I told her. I saw the surprise on her face nung banggitin ko iyong kaso. I was right—everyone in this building's aware tungkol sa kaso na 'to. Seriously, ilang complaint na ba ang na-dimiss laban kay Arthur Villamontes? Pang-ilang prosecutor na ako na gusto nilang tumulad din sa mga nauna sa akin?

"Sa Villamontes po?" she asked like she didn't want what I said to be real.

I nodded. "Lahat nun dismissed complaints, affidavits, testimony, lahat," I replied. "Paki-prio and pabigay sa akin asap," I continued before I dismissed her.

Nagsuot ako ng airpods habang nagta-trabaho ako. I only had two hours bago kailangan ko na namang umalis dahil may hearing ako na pupuntahan. Hindi naman porke gusto kong i-prioritize iyong kay Villamontes e kakalimutan ko na iyong ibang kaso na hawak ko.

I was so deep in my work na halos tumalon mula sa dibdib ko iyong puso ko nang may makita akong kamay sa may lamesa ko.

"Seriously?!" inis na tanong ko habang tinatanggal ko iyong airpods at nakita ko na naka-tayo si Julia sa harapan ko. I mean, alam ko naman na na makakarating sa kanya 'yon, but did she really need to frighten me like that? Ano ang plano niya? Kung hindi man niya ako mapa-backout sa kaso, papatayin niya naman ako sa gulat?

"You'll proceed with the case?" she asked.

"Yes," I replied at saka ibinalik ko iyong tingin ko sa document na dina-draft ko. "Unahan na kita—wala akong pakielam kung isama mo si Lui sa complaint mo. Go ahead. If you feel like he's guilty, name him as one of the defendants. I would do the same. Trabaho lang naman."

"Fine," she replied, but I didn't like her tone—I never did, really. "I was just trying to be nice since magka-trabaho tayo."

Tumingin ako sa kanya. "Have you read the complaint?" I asked. Nakita ko na natigilan siya. "I know you're friends with him, but seriously, have you read the complaint, Julia?"

Hindi agad siya naka-sagot.

"Because I did. And I read all the other complaints. And I know that you're not dumb. You know that there's a probable cause to at least get this case to the court."

Did she honestly believe that he's innocent? The same way that Lui believed that he's innocent, too, dahil lang hindi siya kasama sa mga humawak sa paddle? Paano nila nagawang makapagtapos sa law school at maka-pasa sa BAR exam kung ganito sila mag-isip?

"I read the complaints," she said. Diretso siyang naka-tingin sa akin na para bang kumbinsido siya sa kung anuman ang sasabihin niya. "The first complainant was his ex-girlfriend. She falsely accused him. They settled out of court. Nalaman nila na malaking pera iyong binayad ni Arthur. And you know people would do anything for money."

"And how did you know that she falsely accused him?"

"Because why would she accept the money if not?" mabilis niyang sagot sa 'kin. "If what she was saying was true that he assaulted her, bakit mabilis siyang nakipag-areglo?"