Game Over

Chapter 51

Chapter 51

I received a call from Vito asking me kung may kinalaman ba ako sa pagkalat ng balita tungkol kay Arthur Villamontes. True to Lui's words, maraming tiktok videos ang biglang nagsulputan. Most of them were true... the others were exaggerations. I told Lui that we should be as truthful as possible; he said that he didn't instruct them to do that, but that maybe that's for the better. After all, who doesn't love shock value?

"Is Assia okay?" tanong ko sa kanya. As much as I didn't want her to be involved, she's right in the middle of it, too. Kung hindi rin naman dahil sa kanya ay hindi iingay nang ganito iyong kaso. It was even because of the major stunt that Vito pulled kaya maraming naka-alam sa kaso na 'to.

"Not really, but she'll be fine," he replied. "Just... take care, okay?"

"I will."

"Lui, too."

"Tell him yourself."

"Can't get ahold of him," sagot ni Vito. I bit my tongue because I knew I shouldn't tell him. Sa mga documents na nabasa ko, alam ko na madadamay at madadamay si Sancho. Alam ko na kaibigan ni Vito si Lui, pero alam ko na mas close siya kay Sancho. I just didn't want to put him in the middle of it.

But they've been friends for a long time now... surely alam ni Vito iyong tungkol sa pamilya ni Sancho. He shouldn't blame Lui and I kung siya naman talaga ang nagsimula nito.

After my brief conversation with Vito, mabilis akong nag-ayos. I would be formally filing the case today. Fina-fucking-ly. Parang isang dekada ang hinintay ko para lang magawa 'to.

Lui and I debated kung kailan i-fa-file iyong kaso. I told him na mas maunang i-file kaysa sa online smear campaign niya. But even before I could defend my stance, he reminded me of all the times I was silenced. He told me that it's better for the general public to hear about the case first and make a noise about it. Kapag maingay na, at saka ako sumama sa ingay. Hindi kagaya noon na ako lang ang nag-iingay kaya mabilis akong mapa-tahimik.

Sometimes... his mind scares me.

What I'd give to open his brain and see what's going on in there.

It felt like forever since I wore something formal. I wore my black checkered pantsuit and paired it with my cream colored French pointed heels. I straightened my hair and applied light makeup assigned from my red lips. And of course iyong binigay sa akin na relo ni Lui.

Life's been stressful lately, but it didn't mean that I have to look stressed.

Paglabas ko pa lang sa unit ko ay nakita ko na agad iyong security team na kinuha ni Lui para sa akin. I heard they're ex-special forces. Kung paano sila nakilala ni Lui? I didn't even want to know. I just gave them a brief nod. I didn't like people following me, but I also didn't want to give Lui additional headache. Least I could do for him was cooperate.

The ride was awfully quiet. I turned on the radio at pumunta sa AM station. Tama nga talaga si Lui. Pinag-uusapan doon iyong kumakalat na balita tungkol kay Villamontes. There was a speculation tungkol sa mga kasabwat doon. I mean, they were right. If they had the guts to gun down a vehicle full of people, you'd wonder kung saan sila naka-kuha ng lakas ng loob... kung sino ang back-up nila sa gobyerno na 'to.

They'd be surprised... or even frightened kung makikita nila kung sinu-sino ang kasama dito.

"Thank you," sabi ko nung salubungin ako ni Julia.

This was a murder case. Public prosecutor should be the one trying this. I thought I had to persuade her to recommend having a private prosecutor. I was so surprised nung ni hindi ko na siya kailanganing pilitin pa.