I am currently at Zayn's office discussing about the final things that I have to remember dahil bukas na ang hearing ni Dad. For the past few days me and him are spending almost every free time we have together.

Talking about my dad and the case, of course. I was helping him gather the thing he needed to prepare for tomorrow. Alangan namang maglandian kami, kadiri.

"Caitlyn, can I ask you something?" I nodded before siping from my starbucks, na nilibre niya sa akin ehe. 

"Bakit mo sinabi sa anak mo na... kasal na ako?" he asked at muntikan na ako masamid. Naalala niya pa iyon? Pansin ko din na he hasn't asked me about Zai, bulag na ba siya at hindi napansin ang resemblance nila sa isa't isa?

"Uhm, nung unang beses ako pumunta dito sa firm mo tinanong kung sino ang kikitain namin, tinanong kung Mrs. or Mr. Domingo.." I told him and he chuckled with what I told him. May nakakatawa ba sa sinabi ko?

"That's my mom, she's just here for extra help whenever im stressed. And I told my receptionist to always ask for Mrs. or Mr. because some clients are always fond of asking me out on dinners. I just want them to think that I'm married." he informed me at medyo napahiya naman ako doon. So tama nga ang hinala ni Azaleah! It was just his mom.

He then looked at my straight in the eye again, "You assumed that I am married... it means you are also the ones who are interested on taking me out huh?" he teased at agad naman akong umirap. 

"For a lawyer, parang hindi ka lagi nagseseryoso." sambit ko sa kanya and he scoffed. "Oh, wait until you see me in court. I'm merciless, Caitlyn. And I know that you know that." tss, ang yabang naman.

"'Wag mo ko pipicturan ah, baka mainlove ka ulit." biro niya at agad ko naman siya hinampas sa braso. Feeling ko we're back in good terms like the old times.

"Are you going to take... Zai tomorrow?" he asked at nagulat naman ako and I slightly bit my lip. Does he want to see his daughter? "Do you.. want me to bring her?" I asked him and he nodded. 

"I want to see my .... again." hindi ko naman siya narinig kaya pinaulit ko sa kanya. "Wala, I said I want to see Zairah again. She's cute and all, just like you." he said which made me blush at umiwas naman ako ng tingin para hindi niya mapansin.

"Una na ako, hinahanap na siguro ako ni Zairah." I told him at tumayo naman siya, hinatid ako papunta sa parking. I was about to get in to my car when he spoke.

"Hey, would you still be interested if I court you?" he asked at agad naman bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko. Why the sudden? Hindi ko alam kung ano isasagot ko.

Magsasalita na sana siya pero inunahan ko na siya, "court me then. Prove to me that you're willing to correct all your wrongs..." pumasok sa utak ko na sabihin na sa kanya ang totoo. Pero tsaka na pag tapos ng first hearing. "Prove to me that you are willing to love me for who I am right now." 

I drove off papunta sa bahay and when I arrived Zairah was already asleep I kissed her forehead before going to my house. Hindi ko na pwedeng gisingin 'yon dahil baka toyoin. Mahirap pa naman utuin si Zai.

The next morning I woke up early and run on my treadmill before showering. I wore a simple navy blue dress layered with a white blazer. Kinuha ko na rin ang damit na susuotin ni Zai at navy blue din na dress iyon and white flats with her hair in a ponytail.

Pagpunta ko sa bahay ay naka-ready na rin ang mga sasama. Miski mga kaibigan ko sasama rin sa korte dahil first time nilang makakapunta sa ganon. Binatukan ko pa nga sila nung sinabi nila 'yon dahil ano, gusto pa nila may mapahamak at may kumailangan ng abogado para makatapak sa korte?

"Bihis na anak, makikita mo na ulit si Attorney Zayn!" I told her at naexcite naman siya. Nangungulit na rin kasi siya sa akin na gusto niya na makita si Zayn eh. Sabi pa nga sa akin na gusto din niya maging lawyer para daw magbigay ng justice sa tao. 

Siguro pwede sa kanya ang profession na 'yon. Madaldal siya and she likes to argue sometimes, just like her dad.

We drove off to the court at nakita namin si Zayn doon at nagulat naman ako na ang polo niya sa loob ay navy blue din! it's like the three of us are matching.

"Wow, matching ang pamilya ah." biro ni Luca at siniko ko naman siya before smiling akwardly. "You look pretty," Zayn whispered before greeting my Mom and Dad. He also turned to Zai and gave her a kiss on the cheeks which was heartwarming.

Kahit hindi niya alam kung sino ama ni Zai, he still acts as the Dad. Pero siya naman talaga ang tatay eh! Napako ang mata ni Zayn sa necklace na suot ni Zai at nilingon niya ako puno ng pagtataka. 

"You gave her the necklace I gave you?" he asked and I nodded before smiling. "Mommy, I want one of Attorney Zayn's bracelet." Zairah said at lumingon naman ako sa kamay ni Zayn. The bracelet had a scale of justice design on the middle part.

Agad naman hinubad ni Zayn yung bracelet at isinuot kay Zai, that's right, give your daughter what she wants.

We went inside the courtroom at medyo marami nang tao at halos kami na lang ang hinihintay. Nasa likod ako ni Zayn nang tumigil siya at may kinausap. "Attorney Viliamor, you are the prosecutor in this case huh?" he squinted his eyes. Wait, pwede ka maging attorney and prosecutor at the same time? Woah. 

"I am looking forward proving your client guilty, Attorney Domingo." the man replied before sitting down. Si dad ay nakaupo katabi ni Zayn pati si Mommy at ako naman ay nasa likod nila. 

"Please rise," tumayo naman kaming lahat. "The honorable judge, Richard Dela Paz." said the bailiff, if I'm not mistaken. 

"Ms. Diez, what is today's case?" the judge asked.

"Your honor, today's case is Flores real estate versus Canlas corporation."

"Is the prosecution ready?" Judge.

"Yes, your honor." sagot nung prosecutor na nakasalubong ni Zayn kanina. 

"Is the defense ready?" tumayo naman si Zayn at agad sumagot sa judge. Grabe pagtayo niya pa lang nagkaroon na agad ng mabigat na atmosphere, parang lahat ng tao biglang natakot sa kanya.

Well sinasabi nga nila na magaling si Zayn kaya hindi na ako magtataka pag naipanalo niya itong case na ito.

"We will begin in 5 minutes." the judge said and Zayn fixed his evidence and other papers.

The trial began and I was just sitting there looking over them arguing with their statement. "It's true, I saw Mr. Flores enter our building without anyone else seeing. But as a receptionist I saw him enter the safe."

"There's a rat in our company because they are doing the illegal transactions down in the basement's safe."

"The defense may cross-examine the witness." the judge gave a signal.

Agad naman tumayo si Zayn, "You're saying that but what can you make the jury convinced that my client did actually do that? Who knows, maybe you're lying in front of the stand just to save Mr. Canlas' reputation." he said calmy but his tone was intimidating. So this is how he acts in court.

"How can you prove that your alibi is factual?" he asked once more close to the witness bago bumalik sa kanyang upuan. Natahimik naman sila at nakita kong ngumisi si Zayn.

Lumapit naman ako kay Luca at may tinanong, "If Zayn proves one suspect guilty right now sa first trial, will there be a second trial pa?" umiling naman siya. "Kung ganon kagaling ang bebe mo at naipanalo niya agad in one trial ibig sabihin pakasalan mo na at 'wag nang pakawalan pa." he said at binatukan ko naman siya. Gago 'to baka marinig usapan namin.

"Mr. Canlas, my client said that you agreed to meet up with him at the basement base on the email that you have sent to him 4 months ago." kinuha naman ni Zayn ang isang papel at binigyan ng copy ang judge pati ang kabilang side.

"What exactly did you two talk about?" hindi naka-sagot si Mr. Canlas at mas lalong kumaki ang ngisi ni Zayn. "Your honor, might as well just prove them guilty because he won't admit that he's the one influencing  my client to do those illegal transactions."

"Mrs. Canlas, I believe that you entered the building at 2:37 pm in that very day, am I correct?" tanong ni Zayn sa asawa ng kalaban nila. Tumango naman ang babae at tiningnan ang log book na hawak ni Zayn. 

"And my client entered the building at exactly 2:32 pm, 5 minutes before you entered and is currently in a meeting in one of the rooms in the basement with your husband." magsasalita na naman sana si Zayn pero inunahan siya nung Attorney Viliamor.

"Your honor, I don't know what Attorney Domingo is insinuating but--"  agad naman siyang pinutol ni Zayn. "I'm not insinuating anything, I'm just reading it based on the log book." he said with a casual tone not giving a fuck about his enemy.

"And you allegedly accused my client for stealing 200 million dollars when we checked 450 million was stolen? What's not clicking in that?" sarkastikong tanong ni Zayn. "The money was stolen at 2:49 pm, and as I've said my client is still in a meeting with Mr. Canlas. So meaning to say that Mrs. Canlas is the one who stole from the company."

"You have no evidence to prove that my clients wife is the one guilty about it." sabi ni Attorney Villiamor at natawa si Zayn bago kinuha ang flashdrive at isinaksak sa laptop connected to the projector. He played the video and it was Mr. and Mrs. Canlas entering the parking whereas si Mrs. Canlas ay nagpaiwan muna sa labas to take a call. 

"Nagpaiwan si Mrs. Canlas to take a call from the man she's been having an affair." sambit ni Zayn and everyone gasp at nagtinginan ang mag-asawa. "If we look over here she came inside the building 27 minutes after Mr. Canlas entered the building and we already know where he is. After that she went up to your witness, the receptionist and gave an envelope, and who knows what is inside there. Could be money, could be a check, just to keep her mouth shut about what Mrs. Canlas is going to do."

Pinakita pa na pumasok at lumabas ng safe si Mrs. Canlas bago pumunta doon sa meeting room nila Dad. 

"Will the wife of Mr. Canlas please stand?" said the judge at tumayo naman agad ito. "Is it true that you are having an affair with someone and went inside your company's safe to steal the money?" tinanong sa kanya, agad naman kinabahan ang itsura nung babae, grabe nakakaintimidate mga tao dito sa korte. 

"I went inside but--" sagot nito pero hindi natapos. "It is a yes or no question," the judge said with full authority.

"Yes, your honor."

Umupo naman ng maayos si Zayn sa kanyang upuan already wearing his victory smile, this dude is so confident with himself huh? "Have you been threatened or coerced into pleasing guilty?" 

I saw the woman gulp, "No, your honor."

"But at least look at the evidence that me and my team--" agad naman hinarang ni Zayn si Attorney Viliamor. "Sustained, the opposition have already admitted that she is guilty of the stolen money, hence, there is no longer use of the evidence that they will be providing."

Natapos lahat ng paguusap at halatang halata na panalo na ang case namin dahil ang kalaban ay gumagawa ng rason na mahalataan silang guilty. Nagbulungan naman ang jury before the judge. "Members of the jury, you have heard all of the testimony conerning this case. It is now up to you to determine the facts. Once that you have concluded all of the factual evidence that it proves, you must then apply the law as I give it to you to the facts as you find them."

Lumabas naman kami muna for the jury to decide, lumapit naman kaming dalawa ni Zairah kay Zayn. I gave him a water bottle at tinanggap naman niya 'yon. 

"Mommy, I want to be like Attorney!" turo niya kay Zayn at natawa naman ako pati rin si Zayn. That's right, anak. Be like your father. 

After 10 minutes we were advised to go back inside. "Have you reached a verdict?" tanong nung judge sa jury. "We have, your honor."

"What's your say?"

"We the jury, in the case of Flores real estate versus Canlas corporation find the defendant not guilty in the charge of illegal transactions and stealing of money from Canlas corporation." agad naman ako napapalakpak dahil hindi makukulong si Daddy.

"Thank you jury for you service today. Court is adjourned." 

Lahat naman kami ay lumabas na ng courtroom and I hugged my Dad as well as my Mom. Nang makita kong nakatingin sa amin si Zayn habang nakangiti, it was like my body wasn't in control noong lumapit ako sa kanya and gave him a hug.

Nagulat naman siya doon pero niyakap din ako, "thank you." I whispered and he held the back of my head.

"Anything for the person I love."