Hate The Game (COMPLETED)

Chapter 33

She stared at me. "What did Samuel tell you?"

"Nothing," I said. "He told me he won't discuss it unless it came from your first."

She scoffed and smirked and shook her head. "Same old Samuel," she said. "Do you know that that's one of the reason why I married him? Because he's... polite, I guess? And he generally just minds his own business," she continued. "That's why I don't buy his bullshit na ipapatawag niya si Vito at Clary."

"And if he's not bluffing? What, then?" I asked her because she needed to know that it's a possibility—a huge fucking possibility. Because I was there. I heard it. I knew that Samuel wasn't calling bluff—he'd really do it. I felt it when he said that he'll get his annulment.

Hindi nagsalita si Shanelle.

"Fine," I said. "Answer my first question, then. Because if you are, then we both know that he'll get his annulment. You do know that concealment of homosexuality is considered as fraud. You know that he'll get his annulment if it's proven that you lied to him," I continued while staring at her. "Did you conceal anything, Shanelle? And if you did, may ebidensya ba si Samuel?"

Hindi pa rin siya nagsalita.

"What is the goal here, Ms. Nuevas?" I asked her. "Is it to stay married? Or do you just not want your family dragged? I need to know."

I counted the seconds.

It took her a minute.

"I don't want anyone on my business," she said. "I don't owe anyone explanation."

Tipid akong tumango. "Okay," I replied. "Okay. At least now, I know what my goal is."

"My father is terminally ill, Atty. Manjarrez. I don't want to be the one to kill him by disappointing him once again."

Napaawang iyong labi ko. "Shanelle—"

"I don't need a fucking pep talk, Atty. Manjarrez. I'm a grown woman. I know what I want. I know what I don't want. And what I want is for people to mind their own fucking business. My sexuality is not some topic that I want discussed in court," sabi niya at saka hinawakan iyong bag niya. "Talk to Samuel. Make it happen. Stop wasting my money and do something."

What... the fuck did just happen?

* * *

Hindi ko alam kung bakit ako dinala ng mga paa ko sa BGY. All I knew was that I found myself inside Iñigo's office.

"What?" he asked habang nasa papel ang mga mata niya at may binabasa.

"Dapat nakinig ako sa 'yo," sabi ko habang isinandal iyong ulo ko sa lamesa niya. "Naghanap lang ako ng ipupukpok na bato sa ulo ko nung tinanggap ko iyong kaso—"

"Wag," he said.

Kumunot ang noo ko. "What?"

"Iyong kay Samuel ba?"

Tumango ako. "Yeah... bakit?"

"We can't talk about that."

Lalong kumunot ang noo ko. "Why?" I asked but he remained silent. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "Ikaw ba iyong abogado ni Samuel?" I asked in horror dahil ano naman ang laban ko kay Iñigo? I mean, sure, he mostly focuses on criminal law, but I was pretty sure he could easily catch up with family law.

"What? Hindi, ah!" sabi niya.

"Bakit 'di natin pwedeng pag-usapan?"

Ibinaba ni Iñigo iyong ballpen na hawak niya. "Basta," he replied.

"Oh, my god. Dito ba sa firm niyo iyong abogado?!" I asked in panic.

"Bakit ka ba nandito?" he asked.