Drowning Emotions (Isla Series #5)

25

"Have you heard? Si Reyes ang kalaban mo."

Pinatay ko ang blender para mas marinig nang maayos ang sinasabi ni Cadmus, Cali's brother. We were here at home to discuss the case against the Valmoridas. Hanggang ngayon, 'di pa rin nagigising si Manu.

"Sorry, come again?" I asked, wiping the sides of the blender because the contents spilled a little.

"You're against Reyes for this case. He's Benjamin's lawyer," balita sa akin ni KD.

Pinindot ko pinakamahina na button ng blender para matapos na ang pag-blend ng berry. Gumagawa kasi ako ng protein bowl. I was also making one for Kie with lots of fruits. Kung gaano niya kaayaw sa gulay, ganoon siya kahilig sa prutas.

"Sino na Reyes? Daming Reyes na abogado. Be specific," I told him sternly.

"Fredericko." He let out a small laugh.

Bigla akong napangisi.

I turned the blender off. I got a bowl so I can transfer the contents already. "Ganda naman pala ng reunion namin noon. Korte," sarkastikong sabi ko.

"Oh, classmate mo sa law?" tanong niya pero halata naman na hindi interesado. Tumango lang ako. "He had lots of cases but for some reason, it's all gone. He probably paid the higher ups. Grabe naman ang kapit niya sa taas."

"Nagtaka ka pa. Money talks, you know," I stated. "Pera-pera lang dito. Kung hindi pera, kapangyarihan at koneksyon. Ano pa ba'ng inaasahan mo? Ilang taon ka nang lawyer. You should know by now that our justice system is the worst."

"I definitely know that, so do your best to win this." His voice was laced with seriousness.

Tinaasan ko naman siya ng kilay. "You had this case for years now pero hindi mo mapanalo. Huwag mo akong i-pressure." Pabirong pinaningkitan ko siya ng mga mata.

"It's going to be easy for you. You topped the BAR," he stated as if that was enough reason.

"Mas matagal kang lawyer kaysa sa akin." Totoo naman. He had more experience than me.

"But I'm not good."

"Humble. Don't give me that sorry ass of an excuse," I stated in a harsh tone. "And don't pressure me. Baka pati ikaw ipakulong ko. Kahit wala kang kasalanan, gagawan talaga kita."

The ends of Cadmus' lips twisted a little, forming a smirk as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I thought you're a prosecutor. Bakit biglang libeller?" pang-aasar niya.

"I can be both. Because you see, Attorney Mercader, in law school, we study all kinds of cases. Both sides," I said with no humor. "Seriously, just don't take the case personally."

He tiredly leaned his back on the backrest of the stool he was sitting on as he fiddled with his ballpen. I tapped his chest twice before proceeding with preparing the food.

"Cali's my sister. Manu's my friend. And that bullshit of a man who assaulted her when she was high school and assaulted her best friend too, was my cousin. How can I not take it personally?" nahihirapan na tanong niya.

"And that's the reason why you never win this case." I gave him a small sad smile. "You're a good lawyer, KD. You and Alonzo basically helped me grow. Best lawyers for me. I look up to you. But you're too kind."

"I don't see the point of being harsh." He looked down on the papers, bothered.

"But at some point in life, you got to be harsh to succeed. To be heartless. To not feel. Isipin mong hindi mo kilala ang pinaglalaban mo, pero kailangan mo pa ring ipanalo para makamit ang hustisya. Hindi kailangan iyang kabaitan mo sa korte. Matatalo ka talaga."