My Paranoid Big Brother [𝑪𝑶𝑴𝑷𝑳𝑬𝑻𝑬𝑫 ✔]

11

"Sorry, Sissy. I made you sad in your birthday." Mahinang sabi ko at pinat siya sa ulo.


We're here in the car. Papunta sa korte. And today is her birthday. Ni hindi manlang namin mai-celebrate dahil ngayon ang hearing. Nauna na doon sina Lavoisier, Challace at ang abogado. Pinauna ko talaga sila doon dahil ayokong magkasabay 'yung dalawa.


Eunice and I already talked last night. We settled everything and I sticked to the decisions I have made. She had no choice but to agreed, and she does at the end. And I felt so guilty. This should be one of her best day yet we can't have a celebration.


"It's okay. I won't mind celebrating it." Tipid na sagot niya. Napa-buntong hininga na lamang ako.


Nakarating kami sa korte at doon ay nag-aabang na ang media. This is the other reason why I let them go here first. I don't want to expose Lavoisier in public too much. Mabilis kumalat ang mga issue at balita. Baka kung anong isipin ng Inang Reyna niya kapag napanood niya ang anak niya. Tss. Baka lalo pang msira ang image ng mga Henrichen.


"DAXX HENRICHEN! DAXX HENRICHEN!"


"IS REALLY THE BLOOD FEUD BETWEEN YOUR FAMILY ISN'T REALLY OVER!?"


"HOW CAN YOU EXPLAIN EVERYTHING TO US!?"


"IS IT TRUE THAT YOUR OUTCAST SISTER HURT MISTER DWAYNE!?"



Natigilan ako sa huling narinig. Nangungunot ang noo kong tiningnan ang reporter na nagsabi 'non at mabilis siyang kinwelyuhan.


"O-Onii-chan!"


"Say what you have said again." Madiin na sabi ko at matalim siyang tiningnan. I do really hate the media. They're asking offensive things na hindi na dapat nila pinapakialaman. It's out of bounds already at nakakabastos din sila.


"Don't just call my sister an 'outcast' or I'll show you the true nature of hell." Madiin na sabi ko bago siya itinulak. Tinabig ko lahat ng camera'ng nakatutok sa amin at nagtuluy-tuloy na sa loob kung saan naghihintay sila sa amin.


"Are they here already?" Tanong ko habang naglalakad kami papunta sa kwarto kung saan gaganapin ang trial.


"Onii-chan," napa-tingin kami kay Eunice na naka-ngiti sa akin, "If it happened that you can't fight for me today, let me fight for myself. Blanche Eunice Henrichen doesn't know the word 'defeat'. I will definitely win this trial. Just trust me." Natigilan ako sa sinabi niya. Nag-iwas na siya ng tingin at pumasok sa loob. Sinundan ko siya ng tingin.



There is something behind her smile. It's not threatening. It makes me excited to know it.


~


"All rise. Department One of Supreme Court is now in session. Judge Borja presiding. Please be seated." The bailiff announced kaya naman nagsiupuan din kami agad.


"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Calling the case of Dwayne Henrichen versus Blanche Eunic Henrichen. Are both sides ready?" Huminga ako ng malalim. Kinakabahan ako na confident. I trusts Lavo's suggested attorney. I trusts Eunice too. We will end this now once and for all.


"Ready for Dwayne Henrichen, Your Honor."


"Ready for Blanche Henrichen, Your Honor." The defenders answered, standing mightily. I looked at Eunice. She just smiled at me.


"Your Honor and ladies and gentlemen of the jury: Miss Blanche has been charged with the crime of physical assault to Dwayne Henrichen, damaging his skull," his defender showed us an x-ray of his skull. Tsk. Hindi pa tuluyang nasira nang mamatay na siya.


"This x-ray shows the damage she have done to him. On August 15 in the morning, his body was found inside a garbage can, wrapped inside a black plastic bag and tied up. That's shows the brutality of Miss Blanche hence, proving her guilty." Mayigas na sabi ng abogado ni Dwayne. I looked at the other side and saw the whole family. They looked back at me and smirked, so do I back to them. Hindi ako magpapatalo sa kanila. This wasn't just a blood feud. It's more than that already.


"Your Honor and ladies and gentlemen of the jury: under the law my client is presumed innocent until proven guilty. During this trial, you will hear no real
evidence against my client. What Miss Blanche did was for self-defense. Miss Blanche is just a 15 years old, rather 16 now, and her body is now fully matured that could make a man's beast alive. We have a footage showing Mister Dwayne sneaking inside her room under the intention of rape." Fuck it. Kaya pala kinaumagahan katabi ko na si Eunice. If only I knew... He already gave me a sign yet... I shouldn't have let my guard down that day.


"And in addition, Mister Dwayne already gave a sign to his brother, saying that he will get her. At the same day, they had a little fight. Showing that the mother physically hurting the youngest son, Dave Henrichen." Damn. Lavo's attorney is really a good one. This is all going well according to what I wanted to be.


"Your Honor, it was just a type of discipline." Depensa naman agad 'nung isa.


"Under the Republic Act 7610 of the Philippines, it was made to protect children against abuse and discrimination. Those who will violate this law will recieve a penalty of imprisonment of one year and one day to six years or a fine of P100,000 to P400,00, or both, at the discretion of the court, shall be imposed on any employer who violates Section 12, 12-A, and Section 14 of the Act. I can say that Mrs. Henrichen wasn't a good mother." Fuck. This is so good. This is so GOOD!


"How dare you---"


"And she don't have the manners." Eksena ni Eunice na prenteng naka-upo sa kanan ng judge. Napa-ngisi ako.


"Manners? Coming from you? You're a rebel, Hija! Just because you were neglected by your parents---"


"Wait, calm down, Aunt Ingrid. You're losing your cool again. We'll go there later, okay? Did you ready yourselves? This won't just end in my case against your nasty son but against my deceased parents too. I will reveal all of your dirty secrets to the whole wide world! That's why I invited the media here. Because I want everyone to be a witness. I can stand up on my own, I can defend myself alone, I can put you behind bars alone and I can break each of your 206 bones so alone you sit down your ass because we're not yet done." Fuck. I'm crying. My baby sis is so fierce. She's so strong. I'm so proud.


Napa-tayo kaming tatlo nila Lavo at Challace at pinalakpakan siya sa sobrang pagkamangha at pagka-proud. I'm out of here. Mukhang kaya na naman niya ang sarili niya. Susuportahan ko na lamang siya.


Nagsi-upo na ulit kaming tatlo, "Takte bro napakabangis ng kapatid mo. Idol!" Challace. I just proudly smirked at him at itinuon na ulit ang atensyon sa kanila.


"Your Honor, please give me the power to defend too. I promise not to commit anymore sin." Wika ni Eunice na nagpa-milog sa mga mata namin.


"Your Honor! That's absurd! You can't---"


"Alright, you may, Miss Blanche." Nalaglag ang panga namin. Pumalo ang jury. Umupo ang abogado ni Lavo at tumayo si Eunice. Bumaba siya at pumunta sa harap.


"Let me properly introduce myself. I am Blanche Eunice Henrichen, I'm in no legal age yet but with the jury's consent, I must defend myself and my family against my relatives."


"It is true I was neglected and sent to Japan under the custody of my grandparents. All of the attention of my parents are poured to my eldest brother, Daxx Henrichen, who is soon to be the next CEO of our company." I bit my lower lip because of nervousness. Hinawakan ni Lavo ang kamay ko.


"Calm down, Bro. Let's trust her." Wika niya at matamis akong nginitian. It made me calm down a little bit and at ease. Good thing I have him on my side.


"We all know that there's been a fire between us long ago, I wasn't born yet when it happened but I made my own investigations. And yes, you musn't underestimate the daughter of Ione and Eureke Henrichen. I may be not raised by them but I was open minded enough to what's happening around me and to the family I am in." May kung ano siyang inilabas sa bag niya. Printed pictures. Showing all of their bad side.


"They were using illegal drugs and was doing illegal transactions too. Smuggled weapons and drugs, human trafficking and grafts." Ibinigay niya ang mga 'yon sa judge. Hindi na ako nagulat. Ang kabilang panig, sobra. Uneasiness was registered on their faces. Cold sweat and pale. But I was wondering, how did she get those?


"YOUR HONOR! THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Malakas na sabi ni Ingrid na kitang-kita ang panggagalaiti. Eunice looked at her before smirking.


"Oh? Kasama kayo sa mga litrato, Aunt Ingrid. Uncle, did you know that Danicka's not your daughter?" It made the all of us gasped. W-What!?


"M-Mom!?" Danicka.


"N-No! That wasn't true! It was just some false accusations of hers!" Natatarantang sabi niya at halata naman sa mga ikinikilos niya na nagsisinungaling siya. She looked at Eunice with so much anger.


"I'm not yet done. Sit your ass again." Wika ni Eunice at nag-gesture gamit ang kamay niya. But Ingrid persisted. Her husband forcefully pulled her down.


"D-Derick!?"


"SHUT.UP." Pffft. You're dead, bitch. Parang hindi mo kilala magalit 'yang asawa mo.


"You mad? Why? Because it's true? You're guilty to the highest, Aunt Ingrid." Mapang-asar na sabi ni Eunice at pagak na tumawa.


"What I did to your son, he deserved it. Lusting over his own cousin? How incest could he be? How incest YOUR FAMILY can be? Anong gusto nyong gawin ko? Magpagalaw muna sa kaniya bago gumawa ng aksyon? I didn't formed myself like that, my dear Auntie. You must be thinking Grandpappy and Grandmammy spoiled me with wealth and pampered me but you're wrong."


"They were just SUPPORTING me. Yes they gave me love and care. Wait, what did you call Grandmammy again, Dwayne? OLD HAG? Where's your respect? I am what I am because I made myself to be like this. I am not a REBEL nor a black sheep you were thinking. I already knew what's good and bad, I am no innocent already for I already opened my mind in just my young age. And I am proud to say that, I AM A STRONG INDEPENDENT GIRL." Mariin kong naikuyom ang mga kamao ko at napa-ngiti. I was holding my tears back, I was so overwhelmed and proud of her. I really do.


"And it was a shame for you." Napa-iling siya at humarap sa judge.


"They were behind my parent's death, with my parents' secretary as their accomplice." Matapang na sabi niya sa judge na nagulat rin.


My heart skipped a beat. Natulala ako kay Eunice na wala na ngayong emosyon. Napuno ng katahimikan ang buong kwarto. Lahat ay nanlalaki ang mga mata, hindi makapaniwala sa isinaad niya.



"They killed my parents. And they are the ones behind their deaths."