"Defend Me, Attorney." (Law Series #1)

PART FIFTEEN: THE GAME DESTROYER

"He resigned to join the prosecution because he saw a probable cause to prosecute your friend. It was his dream, to be in prosecution, but I let him handle a defense. He was mad for 8 years."

"Hindi n'yo po s'ya inutusang umalis?" I asked.

My dad shook his head. "No. It was his will."

My jaw clenched. He quitted because we were losing and he joined the other side because their chance of winning was higher. Snce it was a national topic, being in a winning team is a good opportinity for his law career.

There was silence.

"Dad..." I now said, looking at him. "I... I'm sorry..."

Finally, he looked at me.

"Sorry kung...kung hindi kita sinunod...Sorry kung...kung hindi ako nakinig. Only If I know..." I bit my lower lip. "Sorry..." and my tears fell.

"Why apologize? Will you drop the case now?"

I closed my eyes hardly. "I... I don't know. Everything seems so messed up. The defender whom I considered a brother betrayed me for his career, the prosecutor I thought who cared for me just...just used me for his own gain. The person I am fighting for eight straight years...just...lied to me. I don't know anymore, dad. I feel so weak, so fragile, so dumb. I feel so damaged."

"The prosecutor is the devil ever since I met him when he asked for the autopsy," dad said, there was bitterness in his voice.

"Why did you tamper the autopsy, dad?"

"I didn't do it intently," he said. "I did it because he won't use it in court and he's just digging something I don't know so I faked it."

"Dad..." I said. "He's the son that mom apparently killed...he's the son of the 13th president..."

My dad got petrified for a moment. He can't talk.

"Dad..." I said with tears flowing uncontrollably from my eyes. "Did...mom really kill the president...?"

Dad's mood  evidently changed. His face went blank.

"Dad, please, tell me," I sobbed. "Did she do it?"

"I...can't tell you that," my dad said. "But I believe, these can."

He handed me a box.

Before I could answer, he smiled at me.

"Don't focus on your mom's case yet. Focusing on it will divert your focus from Traise's case. But focusing on your Traise's case will give you answers about your mom's case, if that makes sense."

"I don't know anymore, dad," I said, now barely crying. "Pakiramdam ko bagsak na bagsak na 'ko. Pakiramdam ko pinagkakaisahan na 'ko ng lahat..."

"Quitting will give you no good," dad said, giving me an encouraging smile. "Dropping the case will cause your friend's death, and losing the case will give him death too. So, I'm giving you the consent to fight for him. Like what I did to your mom before."

"But dad..." I said. "I... I don't know. I feel so lost, so broken so....so vague. I don't know who to trust, I don't know what to do. I...I don't even know where to start. Everything seems hopeless, as if... as if I'm fighting an already lost battle. As if...as if this game is not for me to play."

"If you feel lost then start here," he placed a paper in front of me.

Baffled, I looked at it.

"AUTOPSY REPORT."

My eyes grew bigger.

It's the autopsy report of Traise's mom!

"I hid that," my dad said. "Because I know someday you'll need it."