Jailed With You (Architect Series #4)

Prologue

 "Ate..." Nicole's shaking voice wakes me up in the middle of the night. May mga mantsa ng dugo ang kanyang damit. "A-ate, tulungan mo ako..."

Napabangon ako sa kama nang matauhan ako sa posibling ginawa niya.

"Nicole! What the hell did you do?!" pagalit kong sigaw sa kapatid. "Bakit may mga dugo ka sa damit mo?!" I pointed out the bloodstains spilled all over her dress.

"Ate... I... I..." She couldn't speak straight because her lips were trembling in nervous. She is panicking and doesn't even know what to do.

"Okay... okay. Sit over here. Tell me everything," mas kalmado na ngayong sabi sa kanya.

Nang hawakan ko siya, nanginginig ito at hindi umaalis sa kitatayuan. Bumuntong hininga na lang ako at kinuha ang maliit na upuan sa gilid ng aking kama at binigay sa kanya para kahit papaano kumalma siya. Nanginginig ang kanyang mga kamay at nanigas lamang siya sa kinaroroonan.

"Pakiusap, Nicole. Sabihin mo kung... bakit ganyan ang suot mo... b-bakit may mga dugo ka sa katawan."

She lifted her eyes on me and shook her head repeatedly as her tears continuously falling through her face.

"I... I... k-killed Calve..." she confessed.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko at hindi alam ang gagawin sa kapatid ngayon. Pati ako napaiyak na rin sa sinabi niya. I know my sister and I know she couldn't kill anyone. Our parents raised us with love, care, supports they provided everything we need. Hindi kami pinalaking walang alam sa mundo. Pinalaki kaming tanging kagandahang loob ang tanging magagawa namin sa aming kapwa.

Our parents make sure we could walk freely without judgment next to us, they made sure we have the dignity they planted on our minds even we were a child. Respitado at hindi basta bastang babae ang pinalaki ng mga magulang namin.

Imposibli ang sinasabi ng kapatid ko. Kahit sino hindi siya paniniwalaan sa sinabi niya. Ngunit paano ko siya hindi paniniwalaan kung siya mismo nagsabi niyan? Hindi siya sinungaling. Walang sinungaling sa amin.

"A-ate... tulungan mo ako... a-ayokong makulong..." she is sobbing to death. Umiiling-iling ito sa aking harapan.

"Bakit, Nicole? Bakit mo nagawang patayin ang boyfriend mo?"

"Pinagtangkaan niya a-akong gahasain, ate..." aniya at humagulhol.

I balled my fist and hugged her tight. Awang-awa ako sa kapatid ko. Now, she's going to be jailed for protecting herself.

Lumuhod ako sa harapan niya para pagpantayin ang aming mga tingin. I held her hands and caress them. "Listen to me." I was trying to make my voice clear so she could understand everything I would say. "Go to CR you should take a bath first. Then, I will call Crisa to pick you up here. Susunduin ka niya rito. Huwag na huwag kang lalabas ng condo na ito hangga't hindi siya dumadating. Am I clear?" She nodded so I continued. "Magtago ka. Magtago ka sa malayo, Nicole. Sa lugar na walang makakakita at makakakilala sayo, okay? Sunugin mo ang damit mo na 'yan. Ako ang bahala sa kaso mo."

"Paano ka, ate?"

I gave her a reassuring smile and kissed the top of her head. I bit my lower lip to prevent myself from crying.

"I will be okay here. Don't you ever come back whatever happens, okay? Magiging okay ka... m-magiging okay ako... magiging okay ang lahat..." Hindi ko na mapigilan ang sariling humikbi sa harapan ng kapatid. "Kahit anong balita ang marinig mo, hinding hindi ka uuwi at susuko sa mga autoridad, Nicole. Naiintindihan mo ba ako?"

Takot na takot akong lumabas sa condo ko. I was wearing a hoodie jacket and black jeans. Tinakpan ko ang ulo gamit ang malaking sumbero at nagpatuloy sa bahay ng boyfriend ni Nicole kung saan nangyari ang insedente.

"Carl... I need you to delete all the CCTV footage near the house of Calve Requilitos now." I called one of my friends. Si Carlo ang kaibigang tinakbuhan ko dahil kaibigan din siya ni Nicole.

"It was Nicole who went out of his house, Lyk."

"Yeah I know. Delete it now. E-on mo ang CCTV kapag palabas na ako ng bahay niya."

"What the hell are you planning to do, Maquiling?!" he shouted through the phone.

"Carl, please... hindi ko hahayaang mabulok ang kapatid ko sa kulungan."

I heard him sighed before he spoke. "Tangina, sige."

"Thank you..."

I went directly to Calve's room and saw him lying on the cold floor. Blood is flowing beside him. He was stabbed by my sister, his girlfriend. Kumuha ako ng puting tela para takpan ang kanyang dilat na mukha at walang buhay na katawan.

KAEL'S POV

"Dude, open your television now!" bungad sa akin ni Lexel nang sagutin ko ang tawag niya.

"I am doing my case report, Lex. 'Wag mo akong storbohin!" I shut the call after.

Napahilot ako ng sintido nang tumawag na naman siya uli.

"What? Can't you directly tell me about the news? I have no time left!"

"Fuck you! Just open it now!"

Iritado kong inabot ang remote at binuksan ang television.

Nangunot ang noo kong tinitigan ang babaeng naka hoodie na jacket. She was fiercely looking at the camera while she is having her criminal photos. Nangingitim ang ilalim ng kanyang mga mata at walang emosyon ang kanyang mukha.

"Architect Lyka Mae Maquiling was arrested las night while she was caught on her way out from the house of a victim, Eng. Calve Requilitos." the reporter said and divert back the camera to the suspect. "We still reaching out to her lawyer and until now, no comment she has been made."

Napamura ako nang makilala ko kung sino ang babaeng 'yon. Wala akong sinayang na oras at agarang sinukbit ang coat na nasa swivel chair at nagkukumahog papunta sa presinto kung saan siya dinala.

LYKA'S POV

"Architect, wala pa ba ang abogado mo?" Asked by the Police.

Itinaas ko ang mga tingin sa kanya. "Wala akong law-"

Hindi ko natapos ang pagsagot sa Pulis nang may magsalita bigla.

"forgive me, I am late. I am Atty. Zackael Kish Iland. Her personal lawyer."

Napanganga ako nang magpakilala siya at nakipagkamay sa mga Pulis.

He went in front of me after. He's looking at me deadly and shook his head.

"Even you broke my heart a million times, I am still here to protect you, to defend you."

Napaamang ako sa sinabi niya. Hindi ko makuha kung bakit pa siya narito.

I have no personal lawyer and,

He's not my lawyer,

 He's my ex.