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The room is utterly silent aside from the passionate and brave voice that is coming from the woman as she walks back and forth inside the courtroom and delivering her closing argument. One could even here the sound of her shoes as she walks and the flicker of a pen from the man on the other side of the bench and wearing a prosecutor's uniform. "There are many conclusions as to this case but only one is true and that is Mrs. Alvarez is not guilty of murder, that's all, thank you for your time and patience." she said and seated. Alot of people inside the room is worried and nervous, some are thinking about the case, just like the juries who are responsible for making the decision. "Let's have a 15 minutes break, after that I'll read the verdict. Is that enough time to make the decision madam jury?" the judge ask the head of the jury and she nod. Everyone in the room escorted their selves outside and waited for 15 minutes before coming in. "I'll read the verdict, defendant please stand. "and the defendant stand along with her lawyer. "In the district court of Chinz, Albury, 39th judicial district, the state of Albury versus Ariane Alvarez, number 68 DA355618, verdict form B. We the jury find the defendant not guilty of murder-- As the judge announce the verdict, half of the people inside the courtroom scream of so much happiness, and the other were disappointed and sad. The defendant was in the state of shock but still hug her lawyer after a minute and repeatedly say her thank you. In every trial people who are involve should respect the verdict. Freatch pov: I'm on my way to the firm, katatapos ko lang din ng trial ngayong araw. I pick up my phone when I heard it ring, and connect it on my car so I could hear it in loadspeaker. "Hello?" I answered not looking who's the caller. "Yow, ano? Kumusta yung trial, did you win?" she asked. "What do you think?" I ask back with a hint of arrogance, but still eyeing the road. Ayoko pang mamatay ng maaga. "Right, you win." walang gana niyang sabi kaya naman napatawa ako ng mahina. "You know what, I think we have to celebrate for our recent achievements and also a goodluck charm sa pagbabalik mo sa atin." "Yeah." I sarcastically said, pero mukhang hindi naintindihan ng babaeng to na sarcasm yung sinabi ko. Hayy, paano ko ba naging kaibigan tong babaeng to. The moment I received the case itinawag ko agad yun sa kanila. "So what do you say? I say we do it tonight, I'm sure libre tayong lahat." hindi parin nawawala ang enthusiasm sa boses niya. "Okey, call ako basta papayag si Dorothy." I smile as I end the call. Who would have though 15 years before, that 3 little girls who people think are stupid and crazy would be big in each fields that they choose to fought for. I am still smiling whole heartedly as I enter the building, I also greet the guard as I enter and went directly to the elevator. Just when I set foot on my designated floor my smile slowly fade, my eyebrow arch at its finest. I just huff and continue walking not minding the person I'm about to walk through. "Your really unbelievable Ms. Almodavar, your arrogant. Can't you see me?" as she look at me. "I'm your senior you should atleast pay respect. Lumalaki ata ang ulo mo dahil laging nananalo lahat ng kasong hinahawakan mo." I just rolled my eyes. "So what, are you envy?" I ask her. "What?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong niya sa akin. "Aba at bastos ka talaga ano?" "I've always been like this, we have been fighting for years now. Nagugulat ka pa din at sinasagot kita?" "Galangin mo man lang ako dahil mas nauna ako sayo sa kompanyang to." pasigaw niyang sabi kaya naman lumabas na ang ibang tao sa office nila para maki-usyuso. Umiling nalang ako. Nakakahiya! Lumapit ako at umikot sa kanya. "As a woman, we both know I won't." I stop on her rear, and pat her back a little hard. Tumuwid naman ang likod niya kaya naglakad ako ulit, and held her chin up. "Now you look sophisticated and respectable." I said and draw near her left ear and whisper. "I know you let men f**k you for position, information and... money. How can I respect you IF you remind me of why men think woman are just toys?" at lumayo na. Tulala naman siyang nakatingin sa akin. "Kausapin mo nalang ako kapag ikaw na ang nagmamay-ari ng sarili mo, from there i could say you deserve respect."sabi ko at tumalikod na para umalis. Wala namang reaksyon ang mga tao sa paligid. When I entered my office Joyce greet me, I just replied with a nod. "Ma'am I already passed the case about Ms. Visconde, she knew that you will represent her in court." tumango lang ako at pinaalis na siya. May gusto lang akong kunin dito sa office at uuwi din ako kaagad para mag prepare sa dinner mamaya. We don't usually hangout but I always look forward when we have one. I look at my phone on the desk as it beep. I look at the message, it's from Thea. "Pumunta ka hah, paghindi susugod talaga ako jan sa building niyo tapos magwawala ako." Tumawa naman ako upon reading her text, I could even hear her voice, and warning if won't come. Still I did not reply, I want her to go crazy thinking if I'll come or not. Natatawa pa din ako kahit na nandito na ako sa sasakyan. Naiimagine ko kasi siyang nagwawala sa loob ng building. Imagine a great known ENGINEER, nagwawala dahil hindi sinipot sa date, it would be a big scoup for media,but if course I know she won't do it, pero mahirap hamonin ang babaeng yun, minsan kasi nagkakatotoo. I'm ready, I said to myself as I look infront of the mirror. I get my cout from the cout tree and went outside. I hug myself, it's snowing and freezing cold outside. I could even see the air from my breath. I park my car infront a modern house. And guide my self on the frontdoor. "You came!"Dorothy cheerfully ask me as she open the door. I smile, and hug her before coming inside. "Sarmiento sino yan?" a voice ask from inside. I look at Dorothy unbelievably, but she just shrug her shoulders. "Ako to yung iniwan mo." I answered back with a smile. "Ayy, luh bat kailangan isama yung iniwan." I chuckle at her answer. I arch my eyebrow as I see her stirring the egg in the kitchen counter. "Aba may naligaw ata." "Ganun talaga ang magaganda naghahasik ng kagandahan kapag hindi busy." napaubo naman silang dalawa ni Dorothy sa sinabi ko, kaya ngumiti tuloy ako. "Ano na? Walang salamin sa inyo pre? Marami sa kompanya ko, gusto mo libre papadala ako sa unit mo." we all laugh because of what she said. "Tama na yan, kumain na tayo." yaya sa amin ni Dorothy, siya din kasi ang pinakamatanda, sumunod ako at panghuli si Thea. We're not siblings but we see each other as one. "Kumusta kana?" Dorothy ask me as we sit on the table and started eating. "Sarmiento, alam mo bang nanalo yang nbsb na yan kanina?" pagbabalita niya kay Dorothy na parang nakikichismis lang sa kapit-bahay. Kami lagi ang magkaaway sa maliliit at malalaking bagay, pinagtatalunan namin ang mga pinakasimple at walang kwentang dahilan na parang iyon ang pinakamabisang paraan para umangat ang bansa. "So ngayon, anong problema mo doon iniwan?" nakataas ng kilay na tanong ko sa kanya. "Wala naman, siguro kaya nbsb ka kasi nilalampaso mo yung mga kalaban mo sa korte." sabi niya pa na parang inosente. "Ahh, ganun ba? Ano na nga yung nangyari sa project mong hotel?" ganti ko naman. "Sino nga ulit yung may-ari noon? Ayy oo nga pala yung ex mo nga pala." dagdag ko pa, kaya naman sinamaan niya na ako ng tingin. "Diba Dorothy, isipin mo yun sinuportahan na siya sa mga desisyon niya, sa pangarap niya, pinaglaban sa pamilya, sa ibang tao."I stop a bit when I sense na nasasaktan na siya. "Alam kong pinagsisisihan mo, pero nakakaasar lang, you know why I choose this profession. Kasi ang daming gahaman at sakim na lalaki sa mundo and there's this one guy na sobrang perfect." dagdag ko, pero iba na ang ihip ng hangin tumahimik lalo si Dorothy samantalang sobrang lungkot naman ni Thea. "I know, alam mo din naman kong bakit ako umayaw diba? Because I want to prove something to my father na hihigitan ko yung pangalan niya, na mas magiging sikat ako na engineer kahit babae lang ako." she said on the verge of crying, that take me back inside. Nandito nga pala kami ngayon sa posisyon namin dahil may gusto kaming patunayan sa lahat lalong-lalo na sa pamilya namin. "I'm sorry, I know it... it just frustrate me sometime hindi kasi lahat ng lalaki luluhod at magmamakaawa wag lang iwan." I said sadly, alam ko ang dahilan niya at naintindihan ko yun. "I know, nakakabwesit pa kasi lagi kong nakikita yung hipon, argh kaasar." sabi niya at napalitan ng inis ang mukha niya. "Bakit?" Dorothy ask curiously. "Hay, may bago na kasi siyang girlfriend yung anak ng alkalde sa atin." labag sa loob na kwento niya. Napapakunot nuo naman kami ni Dorothy. "So, bakit parang affected ka?" "Because I am planning to seduce him, and continue our cliffhanger love story duhh!" nabubwesit niyang sagot na para kaming bata at kailangan pa I spoon feed sa sagot. I know she said this before, i just never take it seriously. It got me thinking. "So, sisirain mo yung relationship nila?" "I-I don't know." mahina niyang sabi. "Basta susubukan ko." she said positively, kaya naman ngumiti ako. "Oh, ikaw Dorothy kumusta na ang lovelife?" I ask at nilapit pa ang mukha ko sa kanya. "Alam mo Freatch bagay sayo mukha kang chismosa." asar sa akin ni Thea. Mukhang nakamove on na ang gaga sa masamang hangin. "Ngayon?" "Wala lang, dapat pala nagreporter ka, hahaha." halakhak ng taong iniwan, napaismid na lang ako. We finished the night just fighting with each other, samantalang tahimik lang si Dorothy, lagi naman siyang tahimik kaya hindi na lang namin pinupuna. In the end of the day, Dorothy is our adviser sa lahat ng bagay. Legal device lang ang alam ko wala akong alam sa lovelife, dahil hindi naman ako gaanong interesado sa pag-ibig. The next day I went home early, sabay lang kaming umalis ni Thea dahil may lakad pa daw siya samantalang mag-iimpake naman ako. Hindi kuna sinama si Joice, I don't need a paralegal for now. Alam kong kaya ko din ang sarili ko, I just wonder kong sino ang makakalaban kong attorney. As a criminal defense lawyer, maraming nagsasabi na sinungaling daw kami, na kami yung mga taong nagpapalaya sa mga krimanal. But different from what they believe in, we're just giving right on every citizen that is accused, 'innocent until proven guilty' according to the law. We just defend them in layman's term and to prove that they are guilty is in the hands of the prosecutor's. As I finished wrapping up my clothes and things that I will bring for my case. I get my cup of coffee and blanket and went through my veranda to look for city lights, they are breath taking especially this time of the night, where every light is visible in every color and brightness. It is peaceful, quiet windy and cold because of snow. Thoughts clouded my mind as I travel back on what, where and how things started for me, for us. How we fight for the things that we want, our sacrifices, doubts, failures, achievements, accomplishments and most of all how we stand again to fight firmly for what we believe in. I smile inwardly as I wipe the tear that run on my cheeks. It's not yet done, the fight is just starting and I have to prepare for everything that will happen and prove them they're wrong. This is Freatch Almodavar, your criminal defense lawyer and this is my story.