Defending Mr. Billionaire (Sandoval Trilogy #1) | COMPLETED

Chapter 48

Atty. Christine Villeza

"O-Oh, it's nothing. He was just asking me for a scoop or an interview of the complainant regarding the Sandoval's case."

Pagkatapos ng ilang segundong pagkatulala ay nagawa niya ring i-reject ang tawag at sagutin ako. Agad namang napakunot ang noo ko sa kaniyang sinabi. "Why would he ask you that?"

He just shrugged his shoulders and smiled confidently as if I never had a doubt on him. "I don't know. Maybe he wants me to get into their team. You know, these past few days, I've been so influential."

Sandoval hid his sarcastic smirk as I chuckled. Mabuti na lang hindi nakita ni Jeffrey ang sarkastikong ngiti ni Sandoval dahil kung hindi ay baka magsuspetsa na ito. "You became influential because of this case." I remarked to Jeffrey.

"Yeah, that's right. On the other hand, I already declined Prosecutor Bright's request since I'm on the defense side. Besides, I couldn't change party since I already signed an exclusive contract with you."

Napatango-tango naman ako sa kaniyang sinagot sa akin. "At the very least, could you just block Bright's number now?"

He smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I will do that later—!"

"Block him in my presence." I commanded firmly. Tinitigan niya lang ako nang ilang segundo at ngumisi nang bahagya. "You don't have a problem with that, do you?"

He got his phone and waved it on me. "As you say, Attorney Christine." Agad naman niyang ipinakita sa akin na ini-block na niya si Bright sa kaniyang phone. "Finished."

"Don't let me see that he's calling you again, Jeffrey. Do you know where I'm coming?"

"Yes, Attorney." Jeffrey answered politely. Mabuti naman na alam niyang naninigurado lang ako sa mga taong higit na nakaaalam sa kasong 'to.

Actually, the media wasn't allowed to know all the confidential info, but I let Jeffrey be an exception. Kaibigan namin siya eh. Pinagkakatiwalaan namin siya na hindi niya muna ihahayag sa publiko ang lahat ng mga napag-uusapan namin nang walang pahintulot namin ni Jelsey o ni Jeffrey. Until now, he still deserves our trust.

Hindi ko na ito pinansin at nagsimula nang tanungin si Sandoval. "As you were saying, Sandoval, John is a great business partner, right?"

Sandoval nodded. Sinenyasan ko naman siya na ipagpatuloy ang sinasabi niya kanina, na siya naman niyang ginawa. "He's a great friend as well. Madalas din kaming magka-kwentuhan at mag-bonding. Minsan kasama si Charisse, minsan wala."

Rina tapped me so I instinctively looked at her. "May I ask him, Christine?"

I nodded as a response. Hinayaan ko muna si Rina na tanungin si Sandoval.

"Mr. Sandoval, you said earlier that John has something that he is not telling you. . . and you're aware of it. Can you tell us what was that?" Rina asked while holding a stylus and a notepad.

Sandoval smiled politely and rested his arms on the table. After a few seconds, his fingers started to tap, giving us the rhythm of a metronome. Napatitig ako sa kaniyang mga mata nang ginawa niya 'yon. He's meditating, for sure. Nabanggit ko na rin 'yon sa mga kasama ko ngayon.

The moment Sandoval had stopped tapping, he started answering Rina's question. "He doesn't want me to be part of their family because of the money that I got." he said, air-quoting the word 'I got'.

"What do you mean by air-quoting your last two words?" I asked back. Sumandal na si Rina sa upuan niya na bahagyang tumango-tango. The info that she got from the videos were right. It was all about money issues and inheritance.