Chapter 44

Admittedly, when I first heard about Vito's case, I thought he was insane for what he did. Kasi sino ba naman ang nasa matinong isip ang gagawin ang ginawa niya? Ang akuin iyong kaso na para sa iba? I thought he has lost his mind... until I met Assia.

One conversation with her and I understood why he did what he did—at kung bakit pati sina Niko ay para bang gagawin ang lahat para protektahan siya.

"You don't have to do this," I told Lui nang ihatid niya ako sa condo ko. "I can handle this case alone."

"Mas mabilis kapag tinulungan kita."

"Can't wait to get rid of me," I commented. He gave me a look that told me that he agreed with me. It stung a little, but I really couldn't blame him. Nasabihan na rin ako ng ibang kakilala ko na masakit ako magsalita. In my defense, I practice restraint... kaya kapag nakapagsalita na ako ng masama, it means that I already reached my limits. Kasi tao lang din naman ako na napipikon.

Inilagay ko sa lamesa iyong mga files sa kaso ni Assia. Shanelle couldn't wait to hand them over to me. May mga notes din doon na sinulat sina Niko at Sancho. They're all really trying to help.

"Lui," I called his attention dahil seryoso siyang nagbabasa. Napa-tingin siya sa akin. "Can I take a shower first?"

Bahagyang kumunot ang noo niya. "Nasa akin ba 'yung shampoo?" pilosopong sagot niya.

I rolled my eyes before I walked away. Naninibago ako sa ugali niya. Nung nag-away kami dati, formal naman siya kapag biglang nagkkrus ang landas namin. Sure, we weren't friendly, but he was never this hostile. At most, he'd pretend not to know me... In my opinion, mas okay ata iyon kaysa sa ganito na ang reflex niya ata ay ubusin ang pasensya ko.

I took a quick shower. Mas mabilis ako maka-labas ay mas mabilis din siyang aalis. I reminded myself over and over again to keep things professional kaya naman instead na nighties kagaya ng usual na sinusuot ko ay naka-pajama at sweater ako.

"Do you want coffee?" I asked as I walked out of the bedroom.

"No," he replied.

I merely shrugged as I walked towards the kitchen para gumawa ng kape. Habang hinihintay ko na matapos iyon ay muling napa-tingin ako sa lamesa. Nakita ko kung paano bahagyang naka-kunot ang noo niya habang binabasa niya iyong information. He's probably thinking on how to get Vito out on a technicality—his forte.

"I have a question," I told him. Napa-tingin siya sa akin. "Who do you think will win kung ako pa rin iyong may hawak sa kaso ni Revilla?"

"Why do you insist on doing this?" he asked.

"Insist on what?"

"Walking down the memory lane."

Bahagyang napa-awang ang labi ko. Hindi ako maka-sagot. Kasi ano ba ang isasagot ko doon?

It was like the universe got a whiff of the embarrassment that I was feeling dahil biglang tumigil sa pagbuhos iyong kape ko. Mabilis kong itinuon pabalik doon ang atensyon ko at nagpanggap na hindi ako napa-hiya sa sinabi ni Lui.

Why... was I doing that exactly?

I was the one who ended things with him.

Tahimik akong naglakad papunta sa may lamesa kung nasaan iyong mga papel. I quietly took my seat and placed my coffee on the table. I drew a deep breath and reminded myself once again to be professional.

"I heard Julia's the prosecutor," I said.

Lui nodded without looking at me. It's either he's focused on the case o ayaw niya lang akong tignan—both choices were plausible.

"She'll go harder this time considering that he actually died," I continued. If she could justify his wrongdoings nung buhay pa siya, mas lalo pa ngayon na patay na siya at sa pananaw ni Julia ay biktima siya.

Lui looked at me. "Did you talk to Sancho?"

"Yes... why?"

"May sinabi ba siya sa 'yo?"

Lumalim ang pagkunot ng noo ko nang mapagtanto ko kung ano iyong tinutukoy niya. "Ikaw ba iyong nagbigay ng idea na 'yon sa kanya?"

"You honestly think that I'm the root of all things evil."

"I didn't mean—"

"I didn't suggest that to them," he said, cutting me off. "But they have a point. Villamontes' family won't stop hanggang walang nakukulong para sa pagkamatay ni Arthur."

"And you think they'd be satisfied while knowing that we threw a random person in jail?"

"They don't know anything for sure," Lui replied. "As you read in the information, walang ibang tao doon bukod kay Vito. And we're certain that Vito won't sell Assia out. Villamontes' family won't risk going against Vito's family."

"And why are you sure about that?"

"Because."

"Because what?" I pressed on.

Lui gave me that look that he used to give me before—iyon bang may bagay na gusto niyang agad na sabihin sa akin pero nagtatalo pa sa utak niya kung dapat ba niyang sabihin o hindi.

"You should talk to Vito and convince him that this is the best option for him—unless he prefers to rot in prison," he said instead.

He ultimately chose not to tell me whatever was going on in his mind.

"I can," I told him, "But I honestly don't think that Assia will go for it—because newsflash, may mga tao pa rin na may konsensya."

I already told Assia about that option, but she looked like she'd rather throw herself in jail kaysa mandamay ng inosenteng tao. She's pure like that. Kaya mas bumibigat lang ang konsensya ko dahil kung hindi ako umurong sa kaso laban kay Villamontes dati, hindi sana mangyayari sa kanya lahat ng kababuyan ni Villamontes.

That guilt will always stay with me...

"Fine, so what's your brilliant plan?" he asked, his tone smug like he was challenging me.

"Innocent until proven guilty. Vito's an upstanding citizen with no criminal record. No gun, no weapon. Everything's circumstantial at this point," sabi ko sa kanya. "I say let the prosecution do its job and prove that Vito's the one who pulled the trigger."

"Julia will argue that Vito's the only person present and given his history with Arthur, there can be a sufficient provocation on Vito's part."

"History of what? At this point, everything's hearsay."

"Hypothetically," Lui said. "If Julia can present evidence of the history between Assia, Vito, and Arthur?"

"Then Julia will open a can of worms that I'd gladly dive in—and we both know that she cares about her best friend's legacy," sagot ko kay Lui.

We continued discussing the case. Lui's throwing arguments that Julia might use. If I were being honest, I was enjoying what we were doing. I had always known that Lui's smart, but we were never really given the chance to argue like this in court. Iba pala talaga kapag galing St. Claire's.

Halos hindi na namin namalayan iyong oras dahil sa tagal ng diskusyon namin. I offered Lui a cup of coffee dahil anong oras na rin at baka inaantok na siya, but he declined.

"Thanks," I told him as I walked him to the door.

He gave me a small nod. "Inform me if you've come to an agreement with Vito regarding the defense," he said.

"Will do."

He, once again, gave me a small nod before he simply turned his back on me and walked away... and I stood there and watched as he did—because it wasn't as if I had a choice in the matter.

* * *

It seemed as though wala ring kwenta ang naging meeting namin ni Lui para sa defense ni Vito dahil nagdesisyon si Assia na pumunta sa presinto at umamin na siya iyong bumaril kay Villamontes. I told her again and again, as her counsel and also as someone who grew to care about her, kung ano ang implication ng gusto niyang gawin.

She said that she wouldn't be able to live with herself kung may inosenteng tao ang makukulong dahil sa ginawa niya... And I respected her decision. I knew too damn well kung ano ang tinutukoy niya.

It weighs heavy.

Bago kami pumunta sa presinto ay hinanda na namin iyong extra-judicial confession ni Assia. I read it again and again and again. Sure, she might've pulled the trigger, but Arthur deserved that and more.

Hindi talaga ako naniniwala kapag sinasabi ng iba na magaling akong abogado, but this time, I needed that to come true—I needed to pull through for Assia.

We went to the precinct together. I went out for a fucking second at pagbalik ko ay agad kong nakita si Julia na naka-upo sa harapan ni Assia. Agad na nag-init ang ulo ko dahil alam na alam ko ang galawan ni Julia pati iyong katotohanan na kahit ata sa harapan niya gawin iyon ni Arthur ay magbubulag-bulagan pa rin siya. I had long given up trying to understand how the mental gymnastics inside her mind works.

"No discussion with my client without my presence," I said as I took the seat next to Assia.

Julia looked at me with her brow slightly arched. "Okay..." she said as she straightened her back. "Let me try again... in the presence of your counsel," she said with a taunting tone. "According to the confession you submitted, you're the one who shot the victim—"

"In self-defense," I said, cutting her off. "After he tried to rape her—again."

"Allegedly," she said.

"That's what happened," I said in response.

"The judge will decide."

"Thankfully it's not up to you," I said with a small smile because we both know that if it were up to her, she'd probably build Arthur a wax figure and worship him. Seriously... is she like in love with him?

"My client voluntarily surrendered, and I'd like to have that in record," I told her as I reminded myself that this was about Assia and not some beef betweem me and Julia.

Mahinang natawa siya. "This is some joke, right?"

"I don't think I'm funny enough, so no," I told her. "She voluntarily surrendered, and whatever you want to ask her, I'm sure it's already included in the signed confession. If any, let's thresh it out in the court, as how the legal system should work."

Julia stood up and called the police. I tried to keep a straight face as I watched Assia getting cuffed. I needed to appear strong in front of her because that's my job.

"I'll come after all of you," Julia told Assia bago siya dalhin papunta sa selda.

"Julia," I called her. "You saw her. Do you honestly think she has it in her to kill someone?"

She gave me a straight look. "Criminals come in all shapes and sizes."

I pressed my lips into a thin line. "Fine."

"You already have your cushy job. I don't understand why you're doing this again," she told me.

"Because you didn't let me do my job before and now, I have a chance to alleviate my conscience," I replied before I left her because I knew that I'd be receiving Vito's ire for what me and Assia did.

Vito was mad at me, but I didn't take it against him. He's understandably upset, but I'd rather he turns his anger in helping me with the case. Wala namang magagawa 'yang galit niya.

"What are you doing?" I asked when I saw Lui in the parking lot sa condo ni Niko. Doon kasi kami nagmmeeting.

"Niko called me," he replied. "He said Vito lost his shit."

"Understandably."

"What's the plan now?"

"Self-defense—on the top of my head," sagot ko. "I'll talk to Niko about the possibility of tracking down all the other victims of Villamontes."

"Do you really have to do that?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Come on, Tali, you're brilliant. You can easily win this case without doing all that."

Bahagyang kumunot ang noo ko. "Why are you so afraid of me digging up the past, Lui?" I asked him. "At bakit dito mo ako sa parking kinakausap? Bakit hindi ka umaakyat sa condo? Tinataguan mo ba sila Niko? Gaya ng ginawa mo kay Samuel noon, may ginawa ka rin ba kina Vito?"

Like always, Lui gave me no response... but the look on his face told me that there's a whole story waiting to be uncovered. 

**

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