Chapter 45

Akala ko sobrang tanga ko na sa pag-ibig... mali pala ako dahil hindi ko pa nakikilala si Vito. Kalagitnaan ng gabi nung tawagan niya ako para tanungin tungkol sa progress ng kaso. Kasama ko si Lui. Tinutulungan niya pa rin ako sa kaso. Tama naman siya na abogado man sina Vito, pero iba pa rin kapag criminal lawyer at sanay sa litigation iyong kasama ko.

"What?" I asked nung banggitin niya iyong plano niya na lumabas sa TV at magbigay ng pabuya. Napa-tingin sa akin si Lui na naka-kunot ang noo dahil sa biglang pagbabago ng tono ng boses ko.

Vito went on to tell me that he knows for a fact that Villamontes did this before already. That he won't stop hanggang walang lumalabas na ibang biktima ni Villamontes. That he'd do anything para maka-labas si Assia sa kulungan.

Sa tono pa lang ng boses niya ay alam ko na na desidido siya. Anuman ang sabihin ko ay hindi siya makikinig. I didn't even know why he bothered to tell me about this.

Nang matapos iyong usapan namin ni Vito ay naalala ko na kasama ko nga pala si Lui. He was looking at me like he was waiting for me to tell him kung ano iyong pinag-usapan namin ni Vito. Still, after all this time, halos hindi pa rin siya nagpapakita kina Vito—lalo na kay Niko. He's acting all sketchy kapag nababanggit ko sila sa kanya.

"What?" I asked when I saw him staring.

"What did he say?" he asked back. Mukhang curious talaga siya kaya hindi niya mapigilang magtanong.

"That was Vito."

"I know," he quickly replied like he wanted me to just straight up tell him kung ano iyong sinabi ni Vito para magreact ako ng ganon kanina.

"He said that he'll go on national TV and offer money for any victims of Arthur to come forward," sabi ko. "He's offering ten million per victim. I'm certain it'll only take quite some time before someone comes forward," dugtong ko. Malaking pera iyong sampung milyon. Sigurado ako na sinira ni Villamontes ang buhay ng mga biktima niya kaya malaking bagay iyong pera na 'yon.

"And you advised him to go ahead with it?"

Napa-kunot ang noo ko. "It's his money," I told him. "Besides, I highly doubt na makikinig siya sa sasabihin ko."

"You're the lawyer."

"And he's a fool in love—talo na agad ako."

I didn't understand, like always, kung bakit ganito iyong reaksyon ni Lui. He left shortly after that. I didn't even bother to ask him why. At this point, naghihintay na lang ako. Naniniwala talaga ako na walang sikreto ang hindi nabubunyag kaya malalaman at malalaman ko rin kung anuman ang tinatago niya. Until then, I'd focus on giving my all sa kaso ni Assia.

"You sure about this?" I asked Vito bago siya humarap sa media.

"Yes," he replied. "Why? Will you stop me?"

"No," sagot ko.

"Can you say for certain that you can win Assia's case if I don't do this?"

I wanted to tell him yes, I was confident na kaya kong ipanalo ang kaso na 'to. But I'd be lying if I say that... mahirap talaga ipanalo ang self-defense lalo na at walang history si Villamontes dahil laging dismiss iyong mga kaso niya dati. This was actually the first case against him kahit marami na siyang kagaguhan na ginawa.

Also, I knew that more than anyone na pagdating sa mga ganitong kaso, lalo na kapag involved ang makakapangyarihang tao, hindi mo pa rin masasabi.

But it's not my story to tell or not to tell... kaya nga hindi ko rin sinasabi kina Vito iyong tungkol sa client ko dati. I did reach out to her. She left me unanswered. It wasn't like I could blame her. Sinubukan niya na dati... walang nangyari. I perfectly understood kung nawalan na siya ng tiwala sa sistema. I would, too, kung sa akin nangyari 'yon.

Kaya sisikapin ko talaga na ipanalo ang kaso ni Assia because for me, her win is a win for all the victims of Villamontes.

I instructed Vito na 'wag isama iyong pangalan ni Assia sa panawagan niya. If there's anything I know about her, it's that she didn't need any more negativity and publicity from this case. Vito agreed. Mukha ni Arthur Villamontes ang naka-paskil sa may offer niya. I was pretty sure that we'd be hearing from his family dahil sa ginawa na 'to ni Vito. Gagawin pa naman nila lahat para pagtakpan si Arthur tapos biglang ipapaskil ni Vito iyong mukha niya at papangalanan siya na sexual abuser?

Nakikita ko na ang gulo na paparating.

And true enough, Vito's stint kept me busy. On top of the criminal case of Assia, ang dami kong natatanggap na harrassment mula sa abogado ng pamilya ng mga Villamontes. They're threatening to file a civil complaint as well as criminal one against Vito dahil daw sa paninirang puri niya sa pamilya nila. I told Vito about this, but he told me to tell them to shove it where the sun doesn't shine.

He really doesn't give a fuck anymore, that one.

"Can you read my mind?" Niko asked nang mahuli niya ako na naka-tingin sa kanya.

Napaayos ako ng upo. "No," I replied. Kapag kasi napapa-tingin ako sa kanya ay natitigilan ako. I wanted to ask him about Lui at kung bakit palagay ko ay iniiwasan siya ni Lui, but I didn't wanna take any attention away from Assia's case.

"Oh," sabi niya tapos ay naka-ngiti. "Good news. We finally found someone."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "Really?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko. Sa laki ng offer ni Vito, ang dami naming natanggap na bogus claims. Kumuha si Niko ng mga tao na sasagot sa tawag at magfifilter nung mga tawag. It took quite a while. I was fine with waiting dahil mas gusto ko na sigurado, but I knew that they were eager to get Assia out of jail as quickly as possible.

Niko nodded. "It's verified, but of course we need to double check."

Napa-hinga ako nang maluwag. "Alright. Kailan daw siya pwedeng maka-usap?"

For some reason, I didn't tell Lui about this... I mean, sigurado naman ako na malalaman niya pero ewan ko. My guts were telling me not to tell him about this one—or at least until ma-secure ko iyong statement nung witness. Naaalala ko pa rin kasi iyong nangyari dati na sigurado na sana ako sa kaso tapos biglang... patay na iyong witness ko.

Even I, at that time, was surprised at the lengths people will go through just to save themselves.

Niko set up a meeting between me and Patricia. Na-double check na 'to nila Vito, but I still wanted to do my due diligence. Ayoko ng surpresa sa mismong hearing.

I got her judicial affidavit at kinuhanan ko na rin siya ng video testimony—it couldn't hurt to have both.

"You got everything you need?" Niko asked me. It took me the whole day dahil gusto ko na kumpleto lahat sa files ko.

I nodded. "Yes. I think we're good," sagot ko sa kanya. "I already filed a motion para makakuha ng DNA ni Villamontes for comparison sa anak ni Patricia," I continued. Patricia told us na anak ni Villamontes iyong bata. That would be a solid evidence na nagkaroon ng, at the very least, sexual relationship sa kanilang dalawa.

Niko asked me different things regarding Assia's case and I answered them as clearly as I possibly could kasi ramdam ko iyong dedication niya sa kaso na 'to.

"I have a question," I told him.

"Sure."

"I mean, Assia is lovely... but—" I stopped kasi parang alam niya naman kung saan papunta iyong tanong ko. "Sorry if I'm being too nosy."

"No, it's fine," he said, waving his hand. "Jersey did ask the same thing," he continued. "Assia's been our friend since our first year in law school. Things got a bit messy during our last year in school. I guess I just feel a little guilty. That what if things weren't bad between us before... that maybe what happened before wouldn't have happened... or at least we would've been there to protect her."

I saw him heaving out a heavy sigh.

"But what's done is done. What we can do now is to ensure that she'll get out of jail," he said and then he looked at me. "I know you said you don't do magic... but I wish that this time, you can use some of that fairy dust or whatever."

I just gave him a small smile.

"My turn," he said. "How's Lui?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Di ka ba galit sa kanya?"

Napa-kunot ang noo niya. "Why would you think that?"

I shrugged again. "I mean... he's your friend... I guess even I was expecting that he'll be helping more..."

Niko gave me a small nod. "What made you think that he's not helping?" he asked.

"Tumutulong ba siya?"

Bahagyang natawa si Niko. "In a way," Niko replied. "Besides, I understand his position—that whole frat thing is fucked up. That's why I never joined in the first place. I don't like owing shit to anyone. And I have my friends if I ever need help."

Tama naman siya... thankful din ako sa sorority pero minsan kapag may humihingi ng favor, nahihirapan din ako umayaw dahil naka-benefit din ako dati. Kung uulitin ko lang, hindi na siguro ako sasali. Mas magfofocus na lang ako sa pag-aaral. Ang hirap din talaga na may utang na loob. Parang lagi kang pwedeng sumbatan.

The next few days, I worked harder than ever to make sure that everything will go smoothly during the cross and direct. Medyo mahirap kausap si Patricia, but I extended my patience dahil alam ko na mahirap din sa kanya na paulit-ulit na pag-usapan iyong nangyari dati. I wished Julia would not go as hard on her, but I knew better. Hindi ko mapipigilan si Julia dahil trabaho lang din naman niya 'yon, so I just have to prepare Patricia better.

The day of the cross-examination, tinawagan ko muna sina Niko. Gusto ko kasing sumabay sa kanila papunta sa court. He told me that everything's fine and that they'd be leaving in a while. Napanatag ako dahil may kasama naman silang security. It wasn't like before na walang laban iyong witness ko... It's different now. I have to keep on reminding myself that tuwing kinakabahan ako na may masamang mangyayari.

Once again, I checked my things to make sure na kumpleto iyong mga gamit ko. Limang beses ko na atang chineck iyon. I had to stop myself kasi counterproductive na.

Then I heard a knock on the door. Bahagyang napa-kunot iyong noo ko dahil medyo weird na pinuntahan pa ako ni Niko sa unit ko. Ang usapan ay pupunta ako sa kanila. But maybe he thought na marami akong dala kaya tutulungan niya ako.

"Lui," I said when I opened the door and saw that it was Lui who was standing outside my door. "Why are you here?" I asked. I hadn't heard from him in a few days. I just told myself that he's busy with his work. It happens. Besides, I didn't have the time to think about him.

"Papunta ka na sa court?"

"No. Sasabay ako kila Niko," I replied tapos ay napa-tingin ulit ako sa phone ko dahil anytime ay magtetext na si Niko sa akin. "Why?"

Naka-tingin lang siya sa akin.

There was... worry in his eyes.

Dare I say fear?

Ewan.

I didn't have the luxury to examine every little details about him.

"I'll drive you there," he said.

"What? Why?" I asked because his offer was all of a sudden and out of the blue.

"Today's the cross with the witness, right?"

Bahagyang napa-kunot ang noo ko. Sinabi ko ba sa kanya iyong tungkol kay Patricia? I mean, he did know about the ten million offer of Vito... He probably thought na by now, may witness na kami. Or maybe alam niya kasi ano ba ang hindi niya alam? Bago ko pa ata malaman ay alam niya na agad. Iba talaga ang nagagawa ng koneksyon.

"Yes." He gave a small nod. "We'll be winning this case," I told him for sure. "Kung nabili man nila iyong judge, the first thing I'll do is to appeal this case and file an administrative case against the judge dahil sigurado ako na nagkaroon ng dayaan."

Lui looked at me intently. "I'm sure you will," sabi niya at napansin ko na napa-tingin siya sa orasan sa may sala ko. Napa-tingin din ako doon.

Napa-kunot ang noo ko. "Weird..."

This was a very important day... ngayon pa ba sila male-late?

"I'll drive you there," Lui said once again.

"Why?"

"Nothing," he replied. "Important direct mo ngayon. Gusto ko lang manood."

"Hindi mo na iniiwasan sila Niko?"

"Hindi ko iniiwasan sila Niko," he replied. I arched a brow. "Just... conflict of interest."

"Really?" I asked. "Between your friends and a fucking rapist? Conflict of interest?"

He looked at me like he was in no mood to argue. "It's not like that and you know it," he said.

"Fine, whatever..." sabi ko na lang.

Lui was acting a bit weird na parang hindi siya mapakali. I wanted to ask kung bakit dito kami dumaan, but maybe may traffic doon sa usual na dinadaanan ko. Mas kabisado naman ni Lui iyong daan dito.

Nagtext ako kay Niko na baka ma-late ako nang kaunti dahil traffic, but that on the way na ako. Nakita ko na nagseen siya. I was waiting for a reply... but after a while, hindi rin ako mapakali dahil hindi sumasagot si Niko. It was like I was having deja vu sa nangyari sa akin dati. I kept on calling them pero ni isa sa kanila ay walang sumasagot.

There was a gnawing feeling inside me... telling me that something bad happened...

My chest began to tighten and it was like I couldn't breathe.

Nangyayari na naman.

Para akong hinahabol ng sumpa na 'to.

I kept on looking at my phone like I was waiting for someone to finally break the bad news to me.

And then I heard it on the radio.

'Breaking news: isang SUV ang natambangan. Bilang ng namatay ay hindi bababa sa dalawampung katao.'

Agad akong napa-tingin sa kanya.

"What the fuck did you do?!"

**

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