Against the Waves (THE PRESTIGE 1)

33

I immediately slapped him. Abes hugged me from behind to stop me from causing a ruckus but I am raging mad right now! Hindi ganitong balita ang inaasahan kong dadatnan ko sa Pilipinas! Hindi ganito!

"What was that, ha!? You're his lawyer? Why did you that! Why did you do that!"

Hugo did not talk. He just frowning like an idiot there. My eyes are bloodshot. The pain kept on coming back. Why does my friends keep on betraying and hurting me Why?

Ganitong klaseng abogado ba siya? He was supposed to defend the rights of people rightesously. He should be the one who will speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. But what look what he did? Diniin niya ang isang taong walang kalaban laban.

"Hugo you was there when the verdict was held. Hayes and his father are the ones who killed my family! Why did you let him out!"

He sighed heavily. When he met my eyes, I saw a glint of pain and guilt in his eyes."Hayes is innocent, Layana.Inosente si Hayes."

"You rat asshole," I said in greeted teeth. "Alam nating lahat na si Hayes nga ang pumatay sa pamilya ko! Tapos ngayon ito? Ngayon ay hinayaan mong makalaya ang mamatay tao na iyon? Tao ka pa ba?" I hardly see him because of my tears. "Y-you just broke me into pieces again, Hugo," I cried.

Nanghihina akong kumalas sa pagkakahawak ni Abes at sinapo ang noo ko. I closed my eyes because of so much pain and disappointment. It is not the physical ache that is bothering me right now. It's the emotional anguish from which I sought to flee. This inequity, this unreasonableness of all of it, it's all drowning me.

"I have nothing to disclose with you, Layana. Hayes is innocent," he said like it is not a big deal.

I opened my eyes and looked at him directly with my parted lips."Naririnig mo ba iyang sinasabi mo?" Hindi sumagot. "Nakalimutan mo na ba kung no ang ginawa sa akin ng pamilyang iyon!?"

"Layana." Si Abes. Pumalag ako nang hawakan niya ako.

"You was there, Hugo! You witnessed it! You know what his family did to mine. So what bullshit is this!?"

"I told you, he is innocent!"

Humihikbi ako dahil sa sobrang pag-iyak at sakit. Sakit dahil sa katotohanang ang kaibigan ko pa ang tumulong para mapawalang bisa ang kaso na ipinatong sa taong pumatay sa pamilya ko.

"W-why?" I asked between my sobs. "Why it has to be you?"

I clenched my fist. Siguro ay may matatanggap ko pa kung ibang abogado ang humawak ng kaso pero hindi ko matanggap na si Hugo iyon. Pinagbili niya na ba ang prinsipyo niya bilang abogado sa pamilya Espinoza? Hindi ko kailanman inasahan naganitong tao siya. Why did he need to bend his principles? For what? For money? He already had everything. For how long his greed will take him?

"Don't use the 'you don't have a choice' card to me, Hugo. You could have said no! You can just declined it. Why did you accept it?"

"It has to be me," madiin niyang sagot at sinalubong ang tingin ko.

He looks thorn and pained but I am hurting more. Whatever his reason is, I still can't stand the fact that he did this to me. He did this to my family.

"Y-you are my friend, Hugo," patuloy ang pag-iyak ko.

"I was," he said. "From now on, you should cut your ties with me."

"Tol, ano ba, huwag namang ganito," pagsingit ni Abes. "Huminahon nga kayong-"

Umiling iling si Hugo. "This is better this way...and I am sorry, Layana."

"Who is behind this, Hugo?" Walang emosyon kong tanong. Napagod na.

Na naman.

Hugo knows his principles. Despite of the power their family hold since he is the only son of Monte de Ramos clan, I know that he is a different person. He has a humble heart. His heart was so closed to those who are needy. So, I can't understand why he is doing this.