I'll fight your fight

Hearsay

"How do you think she obtained that?" Bea asked Jema about how Alyssa got the file.

"Don't know, didn't asked." Jema answered without looking up to Bea. She was scanning files for tomorrow's witness when Bea barged in to her office.

"Why?"

She looked at her in disbelief. "It's the first time that someone from your team gave a useful help. And you're asking me why? And what makes you think I know? It's your team."

"Bullshit."

Jema looked at her in the eye and spoke. "I didn't know."

"Okay. Let's find out, then." Bea stepped out. Minutes later she was with Alyssa.

"Anong meron?" Alyssa asked.

"Bea here is asking me if I knew how'd you end up with the text messages." Jema said and leaned on to her table.

Alyssa looked at Bea, who is just looking at her, waiting for the answer. Then she looked at Jema who raised her brows and nodded.

She sighed. "I followed these IT personnel that works on the company...." 

"Oh my fucking God." Bea exclaimed.

"...and I slept with one of them, after she gave me those." Alyssa continued.

Jema raised her brows with a hint of smile.

"It's a one night stand." Alyssa answered an unspoken question.

"Oh, oh! It's a one night stand." Bea chuckled fake. "Should I be thankful? I should be glad that it's one night stand?"

Alyssa was about to rebut when Jema instructed her leave. "Alyssa, get out."

"I..."

"Get."

Alyssa shook her head and left the room.

"You knew." Bea accused.

"I didn't." Jema answered.

"But you knew it was obtained illegally."

"It wasn't on the files of the previous lawyer, so yes, I knew it was obtained illegally."

"What the f... Since when did you play like this?"

"Play like what? You thought I was a clean player? Like your girlfriend." Bea looked at her with a slight warning. "You know that if you're working this long, in this kind of job, you won't go by the book anymore."

"I thought New York served you right."

"Oh, you thought New York's justice system is fair? It was a hundred times worst. Racism, sexism, terrorism. And that just three of many fucked up things in that God forsaken country." Jema looked at her and sighed before sitting back on her chair. "I went back here cause I want to experience a much better justice system. Not because I wanted to defend my previous partner."

"Ha?"

"You have been itching to ask me to defend Deanna to the court from the moment that we talked on the phone. You gave me this case not because you wanted to impress your associates on my skills. You wanted to test me, because you, Bea, can't even win that case. You haven't even tried yet, but you accepted defeat already. Why? Why me?"

"Cause I know you will accept it, whatever happens."

Jema smiled. "Conflict of interest. Have you heard of that?"

"There is no conflict if you don't love her anymore." Bea said firmly. She stood up and walked towards Jema's table. She put her hands on it and leaned towards her face. "Now, tell me straight to my face, that you still love her. And I won't bug you about it anymore."