Objection

Chapter Three

The next day, the entire second-year law class at UE could feel it, something in the air was off. The energy was thick, like the universe itself had been subpoenaed.

And at the center of it sat Mariella, posture perfect, face calm, but eyes burning like gasoline.

Her friends watched from their seats. Nancy was tense, Elliot was thrilled, and Jasmine was already praying.

Jonas walked in late, as usual, all smug and oblivious, holding a Starbucks cup like it was a trophy. The sight of him made Mariella’s jaw clench so hard it could break glass.

He spotted her. Smiled. Sat two rows away, still with that annoying confidence that made her want to call the Bureau of Internal Revenue just to audit his soul.

When the professor dismissed the class for break, Mariella stood up so abruptly her chair scraped the floor. The sound silenced the room.

She marched straight to Jonas, eyes locked on him like a heat-seeking missile.“Jonas.”

He looked up, confused. “Hey, babe—”

“Don’t you babe me,” she snapped.

Everyone froze. A few heads turned. Gossip thrived faster than bar rumors, and the law lounge suddenly became courtroom-worthy silent.

“You think I wouldn’t find out?” she said, voice loud enough to make people stop mid-sip of their coffee.

Jonas blinked. “Find out about what?”

Mariella laughed, the kind of laugh that had no humor in it. “Oh, don’t play dumb. You walked out of Sogo, Jonas. Sogo. With a girl who still writes her name in bubble letters.”

Gasps. A chorus of “oh my God” spread like wildfire.

Jonas paled. “Who told you that?”

“It doesn’t matter who told me,” she said, taking a step closer. “What matters is that you cheated. After three years. After everything. After all those nights I stayed up helping you with your mock trial notes and pretending you were smarter than you actually are!”

Someone in the back choked on their water. Nancy mouthed, go off, queen.

Jonas’s face flushed red. “Keep your voice down.”

“No,” Mariella said, louder. “Why should I? You humiliated me, Jonas. You cheated on me with a freshman who probably thinks a codal is a skin-care brand!”

The room erupted with muffled laughter. Jonas’s jaw tightened. “You’re making a scene.”

Mariella crossed her arms. “Oh, I’m making a scene? You frequent Sogo like a fastfood chain and called it loyalty!”

That was it, the class lost it. Even the quietest students were covering their mouths, pretending to cough.

Jonas stood, trying to tower over her, but Mariella didn’t flinch.

“Wow!” he hissed. “You act all perfect, all high and mighty, but you’re cold. You’re boring. You think just because you’re smart, I should worship you. You should be grateful I stayed with you that long.”

The words hit hard, but Mariella only blinked once, twice, then slowly smiled.

“Grateful?” she repeated, voice dripping with disbelief.

He smirked. “Yeah. You’re a prude, Mariella. Admit it.”

Something inside her snapped. Without thinking, she grabbed the nearest law book from her desk, Civil Code Volume II, a thick, deadly weapon, and hurled it at him.

Jonas ducked just in time. The book slammed against the whiteboard with a loud, satisfying thud.

The class screamed. Someone yelled, “Objection! Excessive force!”

Mariella stood there, breathing hard, hair slightly out of place, adrenaline coursing through her veins. Jonas looked stunned, and honestly, a little scared.

She straightened, smoothing her blouse, and said coolly, “You’re right. I am a prude. But at least I’m not a cheap liar who thinks infidelity is a personality trait.”

Jonas glared, but didn’t respond. He grabbed his things and stormed out.

The moment the door shut, the entire room broke into whispers.

Elliot fanned himself. “I think I just witnessed divine justice.”

Nancy was clutching her chest. “You threw the Civil Code at him. The Civil Code, babe. That’s poetic.”

Jasmine exhaled. “I can’t believe that just happened.”

Mariella sat back down, hands trembling slightly. Her friends swarmed her, whispering half-congratulations, half-concern.

Inside, though, Mariella wasn’t calm. She wasn’t relieved. She was angry, humiliated, and burning with something darker.

It wasn’t enough that she confronted him. It wasn’t enough that she made him squirm.

She wanted more.

Jonas Fuente, average face, average brain, average everything, had cheated on her.

Her, Mariella David, consistent dean’s lister, magna c*m laude in Political Science, former Binibining Magdiwang, and once the Reyna Elena of Barangay Poblacion.

She knew she wasn’t average. She knew what she brought to the table, intelligence, beauty, and grit.

And yet she’d been cheated on by a man who couldn’t even properly iron his polo.

As the laughter around her slowly died down, Mariella sat back, her eyes hard with resolve.

He wasn’t worth her tears, but her pride wasn’t letting this go.

She didn’t know how yet. But she was going to get even.

Jonas Fuente was about to learn that cheating on Mariella David was a mistake he’d regret for the rest of his mediocre life.