Game Over

Chapter 42

Chapter 42

My phone rang.

I saw Lui's name.

But I didn't answer his call. I stared at it until the call ended... and then I saw a text appear on the screen of my phone.

'Call me when you see this.'

Humigpit iyong pagkaka-hawak ko hanggang sa mapansin ko na nalukot iyong papel. Agad na binitawan ko iyon at sinubukang tuwirin. Bumalik ako sa pagkaka-upo sa upuan ko. Pinikit ko iyong mga mata ko at huminga ako nang malalim.

It's impossible...

Hindi gagawin ni Lui 'yon. He couldn't possibly be behind what happened to the witness. Dahil kahit iyong sa dati, kaya ko pang ipaliwanag sa utak ko. Na nagsinungaling siya pero tama naman siya... wala siyang ginawa doon sa initiation. That there may have things that he's involved in... but he was always just passively there... never actively.

But wasn't that just the same?

Or maybe even worse?

Because he's letting it all happen just the same?

I didn't know how to function while knowing or not knowing this. Hindi ko ibinalik iyong tawag ni Lui. I told myself to focus on things that I could control. Mababaliw ako kung iisipin ko lahat ng bagay na wala akong kontrol sa trabaho ko. I kept on telling myself na sandali na lang, makaka-alis din ako sa prosecution. I'd be able to work on another job that will hopefully pay well and will allow me to handle case that I actually care about.

Iyan na lang ang gusto kong sabihin sa sarili ko.

I went to the office and continued doing what I was expected to do. I still had other cases that I needed to focus on. I knew what happened to the witness was horrible... but I just couldn't let myself think too much about that.

At least not right now.

"Iyong pinapa-kuha—"

Agad na natigilan ako nang makita ko na si Lui iyong pumasok sa opisina ko.

"Didn't you read my message?" bungad na tanong niya.

Ibinalik ko iyong tingin ko sa mga papel na nasa harapan ko. "I'm busy," I told him instead.

But of course he didn't leave. Why would he kung alam naming pareho kung bakit siya nandito?

"You know I had nothing—"

"I told you, marami akong ginagawa," I said, immediately cutting him off.

"Do you seriously think I can do that?"

I looked at him. I pursed my lips together. No words came out of my mouth, but even my silence was answer enough. I saw the pain cross his face. This was why I didn't want to see him or at least talk to him. Dahil alam ko na hindi niya magugustuhan kung anuman ang sasabihin ko.

"Wow..." mahinang sabi niya.

"Lui, please—"

"Why do you think I'd do that, Tali? It's just a fucking case—"

"A case that you're losing."

I saw his jaw clenching. "According to who?" he asked, looking straight into my eyes. "According to you? According to one witness examination?" diretso niyang tanong. "I know you're good, pero ang taas naman ng tingin mo sa sarili mo para isipin mo na kailangan kong magpa-patay ng witness para lang manalo sa kaso."

Pilit akong huminga nang malalim.

"Can we please talk about this later?" I asked because the last thing I wanted was to make a scene in my workplace. I was doing a great job with keeping my head down. I just wanted to leave this place without making any noise.