She Loved, He Fought (The Daughters' Series #1)

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Witness

"I think she's been evaluated before," Ms. Alec said, the Psychiatrist.

We're now in the office, working relentlessly in Mariana's case. Kahit pa alam ko na sa nangyaring preliminary trial mas lamang na kami ay hindi pa rin ako nakokompyansa. I don't want to miss even a single dot of this case. It's just that there's a part of me thinks that Elias is superior in this field or at least to me, though I am certain─ he's not the type of person who plays dirty.

Even so, I still have no idea how he works. Also Mariana trusts me, and I can't afford to break that because I am not just her Lawyer but her mentor, too. It's my responsibility to guide her.

I sighed. "How come? She didn't say anything about that."

Alec shrugged her shoulder. "Yeah, you're right. Hindi nga naman siya nagsasalita."

I nodded before I leaned in my desk with my hands clasped.

"How is she, by the way?"

"No improvement, Frances. I recommend to send her in a rehabilitation center."

"She's been traumatized, indeed. Naaawa tuloy ako lalo," I sighed heavily as I rose from my seat and subconsciously, my eyes rolled.

Hindi ko lang talaga maiwasan magalit sa ex-boyfriend niya. Dagdag pa ang kaalaman na nagtagal ang relasyon nila. If the boy did really love her, was he capable of committing this crime? Unless, he never loved her from the start and his only motive was to get Mariana's virginity.

That thought made me ask Mariana if it's the first time it happened and she said 'yes'. May duda ako roon pero hindi ko na pinilit pa siya.

I opposed to doubt and chose to trust her as to how she believes me. Ang pinakaimportante naman sa laban na ito ay ang tiwala sa isa't-isa.

"Frances, there's no room for pity here," Miles hissed.

Hindi ko siya pinakinggan at hinarap nalang muli ang Psychiatrist. Basher kasi si Miles.

"I've already talked her about that, Alec. Pero hindi naman siya pumapayag at patuloy lang sa pag-iyak. I... honestly, don't know how I should have handled her..." I trailed off. "The reason why I need you."

Alec is my friend, we're not close though but her parents used to visit our mansion long time ago. And now she's part of my movement as well. Dahil katulad ko ay gusto niya rin protektahan ang mga kababaihan kaya kinuha ko rin siya bilang isang officer sa organization na ako mismo ang nagtayo. We've been counselling women with mental illness, may it be a minor or a major case. We treat them equally.

So going back, Mariana's case was truly a big and major one because it involves legal procedures. To be raped is terrific and to be put in a trial is different.

That's why I don't want to put pressure on her shoulder anymore. She had enough.

I massaged my temple before I excused myself and stepped off the office to grab a coffee. Bumaba ako ng building para dumiretso sa cafeteria. Naisip ko na akyatan rin sila ng merienda. Four o'clock na rin naman at wala pa silang break.

I walked inside the cafeteria when my trail of thoughts got crashed momentarily into solid and strong features of a man, awakening the girl in me and filling my head with images that I shouldn't be thinking about. Causing my heart to beat abnormally.

So sudden. My mind was stubborn!

I tilted my head, hoping that his face would be out of my mind.