A/N: Goodluck.
𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 … …
Umaga ng ika dalawampu't lima ng Hunyo. Risa gets ready. Sinta was still angry at her mother, but Helena remained understanding. Issa, her eldest child, stood up with Sinta; but unlike her sister she wasn’t angry at her mother. Kiko was neutral.
Hindi makakapag-maneho si Manong Ben sapagkat kaarawan ng kaniyang nobya na si Marites. Malugod namang sumang-ayon si Senator Risa na hindi muna siya mag-trabaho, magsisilbi na rin itong pahinga ni Manong Ben mula sa pabalik balik na pagbyahe mula Manila hanggang Tarlac (and vice versa.) nung sila pa ay nagu-usap.
Haharap siyang muli sa Senado ng may dangal at tapang kahit na inulan siya ng batikos mula sa nakuhang litrato. Hindi niya hahayaang siya ay matalo.
But with all honesty, she still thinks of Alice occasionally.
Various looks of people from other Committees were thrown against Risa Hontiveros. She paid them no mind. This was just like the Philhealth issue again, except their accusations were … correct. But she’s ready to accept the challenges she’ll face, and she’s ready to clean her name; as long as her other secret meetings with the mayor won’t be leaked.
Risa was no corrupt woman, she had always been transparent. But at this point, gusto na lang niyang i-tago lahat ng ebidensya na nagpapatunay na may relasyon sa kaniya. In fact, she already did; binura niya lahat ng kanilang litrato, mga ugnayan sa telepono, at ang bulaklak na binigay ng alkalde.
The cold and intense atmosphere of the courtroom sent shivers in her spine.
“Alice Guo is just the tip of the iceberg.” Risa says as she reads her introduction speech.
Alice Guo is just the opening of the large networks of illegal doings in the Philippines. It’s a big insult for the people in Bamban, that they voted and trusted a fraudulent woman.
It’s a bigger insult to Risa Hontiveros that she loved a deceitful woman.
Not only was Alice involved in various crimes, she was also caught allegedly stealing an identity from another Alice Leal Guo; born at the same date: July 12, 1986, and born in the same province.
Ilang kasinungalingan pa ba ang masasabi ng alkalde sa senadora? Hindi lamang sinira ni Alice—or should we say, Guo Hua Ping?— ang tiwala ng sambayanan, pati na rin ang karera ni Risa.
Risa looked around and realized that Alice did not attend the hearing. She got annoyed when Alice Guo's lawyer wrote about the entire family’s excuse for not attending. Her irritation triggers more when the ComSec. reads Alice’s excuses.
“This is the lawyer of Alice Guo? So why is he even writing the committee about them?” She asked, trying hard to make a snide face. “At ano po yung grounds ni Alice for not attending?”
𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 … …
“Huwag ka ng umattend sa hearing.” Shiela says as she tries to calm down the anxiety-ridden Alice.
“Pero kailangan kong patunayan yung sarili ko!!” Alice exclaimed as she walked back and forth.
Shiela bit her lip as she hugs her sister, effectively stopping her from her rants. “Wa peh… please, if pumunta ka pa mas lalo ka lang mapapahamak.”
“Hindi…” She says as she cries, “Gusto kong patunayan kay Risa na inosente ako…”
“Alice, stop being delusional. Buking ka na. Nakagawa na kami ng excuse—”
“No!” Hua Ping says, getting away from her sister’s grasp.
Shiela stood as she watched her sister take the car keys. Alice ran outside. The eldest sister massages her head and fished her phone out, “正门，阻止郭华平去见 Risa。” (Seimen, stop Hua Ping from meeting Risa.”
𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 … …
All this rage was once love.
That was what Risa Hontiveros thought while reading the comments. People were rooting for her at the beginning of the probe, her advocacy against POGO was cheered and agreed upon by people.
“Good job senator Risa.”
“Ban POGOs!”
“Senator Risa is one true genuine senator.”
“Ang ganda ni Sen Risaaaaa”
But now, her comment section is filled with trolls throwing malicious comments. She ignored them. It was just like this two years ago, when the Duterte administration ruled the country; the opposition, the liberal party was ridiculed.
“Ano na ba iyan.” Kiko stated, eating the cookies placed on the marble tabletop. “Ano na gagawin mo kay Alice Guo?”
“Correction,” Atty. Chel interjects, “Guo Hua Ping.”
“Patalsikin sa pwesto at ipakulong.” Risa shrugs.
“As you should ma'am.” Former Senator Bam replies. “Hindi pa din ako maka-get over dun sa leaked photo niyo, sa totoo lang.”
Risa rolls her eyes, “Wala na kasi silang magawa dahil labas na labas na yung kabahuan nila.” She says as she slams the cookie’s wrapper, “Ganiyan naman gawain nila pag na-a-angatan. Nanghihila pababa; style bulok.”
Kiko eyed Risa as a way of saying “Hindi naman fake news ‘yon, dine-date mo talaga si Alice.” He tried to be as discreet as possible since Bam was not aware of Risa’s real connection with the suspended mayor.
Risa furrowed her brows, she eyed Kiko back, “Even so.”
“Ang pait nung cookie.” Atty. Chel commented
“Dark chocolate yung flavor, Atty. Chel…” Sen. Bam replies apologetically.
𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 … …
Darkness fell down in the city of Pasay. Vehicles as well as the people start to swarm the streets, wishing to go home as early as they can. Risa was one of the people who wanted to go home, she was excited to have some rest again after the stressful senate hearing.
Sa labas ng gusali ng opisina ng Senado ng Pilipinas, naka-antabay si Risa Hontiveros sa kanyang sundo: ang kanyang anak na si Helena.
May tumigil na sasakyan malapit sa kanya ngunit hindi niya ito makilala. Lumabas sa kotse ang drayber nito.
“Tangina.” Isip isip ni Risa. “Ikaw na naman.”
“Senator Risa…” Iyak ni Guo Hua Ping.
Ang mga tao sa tabi ay nagsipag-tinginan sa kanilang direksyon. “Anong ginagawa mo dito?” Asked Risa.
But as Alice walked closer to her, something fell down from one of the floors and—
Boom!
Tumingala si Alice itaas at nakita ang dalawang pares ng mata at hindi siya nagkakamali. Si Seimen ay nakadungaw at biglang umalis.
YOU ARE READING
Your Honor
RomanceWhat happens if a Filipino senator falls in love with a Chinese agent? SATIRE!!! PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY
