Article 2 - Section 1

999 22 4
                                    

"Who was that?" Tanong ko kay Attorney Franco sa tabi ko. Agad naman siyang nag-angat ng tingin para makita ang tinatanong ko.

"Yung gwapo?" Tanong niya sakin na inirapan ko na lang bago tinanguan.

Alright, the guy's face was too eye-catching but what caught my attention wasn't his face, it was the way he talked inside the court.

Kung mukha lang naman ang pagbabasehan ay immune na ako sa mga gwapo. All of my close friends were men with striking looks. Forbes, Achi, EJ and JD are all gifts for the women, and I'm proud to say that I never had any romantic feelings to any of them. Although they thought Achi and I were a thing back then.

Hindi ako mabilis maattract ng mukha. What catches my attention all the time is the brain and confidence of a man. Gustong gusto ko ang mga lalaking kayang dalhin ang sarili at hindi puro papogi lang ang alam.

"That's Attorney Brent Hernandez, ang gwapo diba?" Humahagikhik pang bulong ni Attorney Franco sakin habang pinapanood namin ang cross-examination. It was now Attorney Hernandez's, according to Attorney Franco, turn to question the witness of the other party.

"Where were you on the night that the victim had disappeared?" Tanong niya sa witness.

"Nasa Room 1823 po." Sagot ng cabin crew na siyang naka-upo sa witness stand ngayon.

"Room 1823? Sino ang guest niyo roon?"

"Si Mr. Yakuza po." Tumaas ang kilay ng gwapong abogado sa tinuran ng witness.

"Pustahan tayo? Si Mr. Yakuza yung accused." Bulong ni Attorney Franco sa tabi ko. Nginisihan ko ito at inilingan. It was revealed that Mr. Yakuza was just a name used to reserved and pay for the cabin.

"Nah. It was the victim." Sagot ko rito habang naaaliw sa mga tanong ni Attorney Hernandez sa witness na hindi na mapakali.

"Objection your honor! He was manipulating the answer of the witness!" Ani ng abogado mula sa kabilang kampo.

"Objection sustained. Change your question." Ani ng judge, pero mas lumapad ang ngisi ko ng makitang mas natuwa ang lalaki dahil doon.

"Babae ang victim, paanong naging si Mr. Yakuza iyon?" Tanong ni Attorney Franco. Huminga ako ng malalim to gather enough patience in explaining her what was actually happening.

This is a set up.

Attorney Hernandez knew that kaya ganoon ang mga tanong niya sa witness. He was trying to pull out from them na babae ang nananatili sa kabilang cabin na pinangyarihan umano ng krimen.

His client was charged with rape and attempted murder. Boyfriend ito ng biktima pero ipinipilit ng huli na pinilit raw siyang makipagtalik nito at ng hindi siya pumayag ay pinagsasaksak siya.

"So you haven't seen Mr. Yakuza in his cabin, ever?"

"Hindi pa po. Laging ibang tao ang naroroon."

It's finally happening.

"Is the person you're talking about, inside this room?" Umikot ang mga mata ng witness sa buong court at saglit na tumigil sa isang banda bago niya muling binalingan ang abogadong nagtanong at tinanguan.

"Yes po." Lumakas ang bulungan mula sa mga taong nasa loob ng court na kinailangan pang suwayin ng judge.

"Maaari mo bang ituro sa amin ang taong ito?" Agad na tumango ang witness at itinuro ang kabilang banda ng korte kung saan naka-upo ang biktima kasama ang abogado nito.

"Siya po." I saw how a playgul glint flashed the attorney's eyes before he followed the direction the witness was pointing out.

Pero kahit ako man ay halos malaglag ang panga ng marealize na mali ako.

It wasn't the victim he was pointing at. It was the victim's lawyer.

"Attorney Paco? Are you sure about that?"

"Yes, attorney. Ilang beses ko po siyang naabutan sa loob ng cabin."

"Anong ginagawa niya roon?"

"Hindi ko po alam." Sagot ng witness na tinanguan niya lang bago ibinaling ang tingin sa judge.

"I don't have further questions, your honor." He said before he came back to their table.

Sinundan ko lang siya ng tingin. Somethings brewing inside me. Pakiramdam ko ay alam ko na ang nangyari dito. Kaya ng magpatawag ng break ang judge ay sinundan ko sa labas ang abogado.

Naabutan ko siyang umiinom ng kape habang nakatingin sa ibaba. Sinundan ko talaga siya hanggang dito sa rooftop.

"It was the lawyer who did the stabbing, right?" Saad ko bago tumabi sakanya at humawak rin sa railings. Diretso ang tingin ko sa baba pero ramdam ko ang pag-baling nito sakin.

"You are?" Tanong nito at ng binalingan ko ito ay nakataas na ang kilay.

Sungit mo po.

"I'm Attorney Rebekah Claire Alarcon." Ani ko rito at nag-lahad ng palad, saglit niya iyong tinitigan bago tinanggap.

"Attorney Brent Hernandez." Pakilala niya rin na tinanguan ko.

Saglit lang na nag-daop ang mga palad namin bago kami sabay na bumalik sa pag-tingin sa tanawin.

"How did you know?" He asked after a little while.

So I was right.

"This is just my conclusion, Attorney Paco and your client are having an affair. Probably driven by jealousy, Paco probably lose her mind and did the deed." Paliwanag ko sakanya habang nakatingin parin sa ibaba.

"But, I'm pretty sure the victim doesn't know about that." Pinihit ko ang ulo papunta sa direksiyon niya at tama nga ako ng hinalang nakatingin na ito sakin.

"How did you know that? Nag-imbestiga ka?" He asked. I just shook my head and chuckled.

"Of course not. I just concluded that after watching."

"You're smart, Attorney Alarcon." He said at pabaligtad nang sumandal sa railings. Ginaya ko ang pwesto niya at pareho na kaming nakatingin ngayon sa pintuan ng rooftop.

"Same to you, Attorney Hernandez." Sagot ko ng nakangisi.

Tahimik lang kami doon hanggang sa maubos niya ang kapeng iniinom at sinulyapan ang relo.

"The recess ends in five minutes. Shall we go down?" Tanong nito ng nakataas ang kilay.

Kinuha ko ang pagkakataong iyon para matitigan ng maayos ang mukha niya. He had the darkest shade of brown as his eye color. It makes him look more mysterious. His angled jaw and thin lips just made him more attractive. His thick brows are almost meeting while he stare at me with his forehead creasing as he waited for my answer.

"Manonood ka pa ba?" He asked and that made me chuckle bago ko ibinaba ang nga brasong nakasandal sa railing.

"Do you want me to?" Tanong ko sa kanya. Tinitigan ako nito ng may katagalan before a playful grin appeared on his face.

"If you wanted to watch an interesting way of revealing what really happened that night, I would be glad to perform it with you being one of the audience."

"What a cocky lawyer. Are you that confident?" Nakangisi pero nakataas ang kilay kong tanong sa kanya.

"Watch me." He said with a challenging voice and a mysterious smile on his face.

Evicted (TLS #2 - COMPLETED)Where stories live. Discover now