MIRRORED FATES

CHAPTER 12

Huminga nang malalim si lawyer Villa, “Is that so? But. . . No one shall ever fail her own responsibility based on the contract of agreement which means that whatever happens, Alliyah will have no rights to the baby.”

“This isn’t based on the contract of agreement anymore. Everything will be done as planned in the end and everything must go back to what it used to be. EVERYTHING WILL BE DONE AS PLANNED SO NOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THEM IS NO MORE IN THE PLAN, IT’S NOT THEIR PLAN FOR ALEXIS TO DISCOVER WHAT THEY DID. And this is not how it used to be for all of them apparently.” tugon naman ni lawyer Tiangco. “Just by thinking of this shallowly, everything that is happening right now is no more in their plan, it’s not written in the contract. Nothing was stated that even if Alexis finds out, Alliyah should go far away and not accept him in her life.”

“Isn’t this a made up story? Because if that was the case, why would you sign up for petition?” pagbato naman ni lawyer Villa ng nakapangangangang tanong.

“To get the Judge’s approval because my client is so sure that this will still be taken to court by your client.” sagot naman ni lawyer Tiangco sa kaniya. “Kagaya na lamang nito ngayon, iniisip niyong kasama pa rin sa kontrata na bawal tumayong ina si Alliyah kahit si Alexis na mismo ang lumalapit sa kaniya. Kaya, nilinaw ko na nang mas maaga upang wala nang mangialam sa buhay nila.”

“Iyon ay kung mananalo kayo?” balik ni lawyer Villa. “Lalo na’t itong mga pinagsasabi mong gusto ni Alexis si Alliyah ay gawa-gawa mo lamang, hindi ba?” matapos niyang sabihin iyon ay lumingon siya kay Glaiziel na aniki’y kinulbit siya.

May pinagbulungan pa sila pero hindi na ako nakapag-focus doon nang lumingon sa amin ni Alexis si atty. Tiangco.

“Alexis, totoo namang gusto mo si Alliyah, ’di ba? Iyan yung sin—”

“H-huh? HAHAHA,” pagputol ni Alexis kay Lawyer sa tinig na hindi maririnig ng kabilang panig. “Oh yeah, I told you about it. Gusto ko siyang maging ina ng anak ko, siya naman kasi ang totoong ina, right?” pagkaklaro ni Alexis.

Ako naman ay nanatiling nakaupo nang tuwid na pinagigitnaan silang dalawa ngumiti pa ako nang bahagya nang marinig na nais niyang ipaalaga sa akin si Starlette.

I want to, I need to, I’d love to do everything for my child.

“Right.” nakatangong sambit ni lawyer Tiangco.

  “So, Atty. Tiangco, you said that there’s something going on between Alliyah and Alexis, wasn’t it?” tila pangungumpirma ni lawyer Villa.

Lumingon na sa kaniya si lawyer Tiangco, “Nothing is going on between them...yet. But Alexis is planning to get her heart already.”

“Still planning? Or you’re just plotting this up?” taas-kilay na tanong ulit ni lawyer Villa. “I mean, logically, she signed up for a petition to be with her child because she knows Alexis has no intention of marrying her.”

Tumingin sa gawi namin si lawyer Tiangco nang panandalian na tila nagdadalawang-isip na tumingin sa mga mata ni Alexis bago muling lumingon kay lawyer Villa.

“You’re just trying to bring up another case of infidelity into this, of course, the divorce paper didn’t come earlier so they couldn’t have anything to say out about their relationship, or their courtship.” pagrarason ni lawyer Tiangco na ikinatikom ko ng bibig.

“Ngayon, ang sinasabi mo ay may namamagitan sa kanilang dalawa na ayaw nilang isapubliko noong kasal pa si Alexis, at itong petisyon ni Alliyah ay ginawa niya dahil inakala niyang matatagalan pa ang diborsyo? Si Alexis ay nagpakitang may hangarin na siyang makamit si Alliyah? Ngayong parehas na silang malaya ay malaya mo na ring sinasabing may gusto siya kay Alliyah, ganoon ba?” sunud-sunod na katanungan ni lawyer Villa.