Chapter 3
1711 Words
BRAKE
She is such a cruel, spiteful woman sometimes I think I would do anything to make her pay, even if it meant holding her down until her blood stained the floor and she was begging for my forgiveness.
I’m here in my penthouse, going over the case of Mr. Jason Vent Gurd, finalizing my notes after the day’s court proceedings. The evidence against him is strong: he was the last person seen with Mr. Johnson before his death, and his body was found in the river near a bar where both men had been drinking. There is also CCTV footage showing the two of them arguing loudly the audio is too distorted to make out what they were saying, but the tension is clear enough.
I’d just finished my bath when the doorbell rang. I wasn’t expecting anyone today, but I knew exactly who it would be when I opened the door. She stood there, looking at me with that familiar, challenging look.
“So, Attorney Brake is this how you always act when someone comes to see you?” I had only wrapped a white towel around my waist, and her eyes drifted slowly over my bare skin.
“Did you want me to make it harder for you?”
Her gaze didn’t waver.
“Cut the nonsense. What are you doing here?” She stepped inside and settled onto the couch.
“I’ve got information to share, but change your clothes first before I tell you. This body of yours isn’t half as impressive as my Apollo statue and if you stay like that, you’ll just be wasting it.” She picked up the remote and turned on the television, acting as if she owned the place. She really is a witch.
“Or maybe we could test that,” I said, moving behind her without moving to change. “We’ll see who ends up being the useless one.”
She laughed, sharp and bright. “You really know how to make me laugh. Thanks for that. But don’t mistake it I don’t play games with people who don’t know what they’re doing.”
God, why does her laugh sound so teasing? “I built my body for more than just looks, witch.” I turned and walked down the hall to change. I put on casual clothes: khaki shorts and an olive-green shirt. She was still in the living room when I came back, wearing black trousers and a white blouse, watching an animated show like she belonged there.
“Someone seems very comfortable in a place that isn’t hers,” I said. She turned off the TV and stood up, stepping in front of me.
“Why are you here?”
She held out an envelope she’d been carrying since she arrived. “Open it.”
I looked at her, confused. “What is this?”
“Details about the death of Allan Mark Johnson.” She sat back down on the couch. “The day before Mark died, he was seen on the street talking to someone wearing a mask and all black clothing. Later that same day, he called Jason Vents Gurd to meet him for drinks, but not at their usual bar.”
I opened the envelope and read through the documents.
“How did you get all this information so quickly?” I couldn’t help but admire how fast she worked.
“Don’t get too impressed, you might end up asking me to marry you.” Her mood shifted instantly, turning sharp again.
“I mean, it’s only been four hours since we left the ranch.”
“Good sources. You don’t tell me you don’t have connections like that, do you?” She grinned. “Don’t tell me you’re actually broke?”
She can be so infuriating, but I won’t lie — she moves faster and digs up facts better than almost anyone I know. “You’re not the queen I answer to.”
She walked up to me and leaned in, speaking low against my ear. “That’s because someone who has nothing wouldn’t try to pretend they have everything figured out.” She kissed my left cheek, then pulled away. “Don’t go blushing now.” She walked toward the kitchen laughing like she’d just won something. I wasn’t blushing but I was furious, and I made sure she knew it.
“Just you wait,” I muttered, loud enough only for myself. “I’ll be the one standing victorious in the end.”
I sat down and read through all the details again, going over every point to make sure I didn’t miss anything. She came back a few minutes later carrying a tray with milk and cookies.
“Is that everything you need, or should I show you out of my home now?”
She sat down in my chair wing on the right side, crossing her legs. “Is this how you treat all your visitors, or am I just here to pass the time until you get bored?”
“Keep your distance, Ms. Venna you’ll only end up getting hurt.” I looked at her with a stern, unyielding expression.
She didn’t back down; instead, she leaned forward, her tone playful but sharp. “What kind of hurt are we talking about? The kind where you beg for something you really want?” She took a bite of the cookie, her eyes never leaving mine, then drank some milk and wiped a drop from the corner of her mouth with her tongue. My throat tightened, and I found myself clenching my hands into fists.
Then my phone rang. I pulled it out of my pocket and saw who was calling. I stood up and stepped away from her, so she wouldn’t hear what I said.
“Te extraño, querida.” Her voice made all my frustration fade away instantly.
“Yo también te extraño,” I answered, my voice softening completely. “¿Cómo estás?”
“Estoy bien. ¿Y tú, cariño?”
“Solo estoy ocupado con trabajo.”
“Descansa un rato, te llamo luego, querida,” she said. “Te quiero.” We said our goodbyes, and I could hear the sound of her kissing her hand and blowing it toward the phone.
When I turned back to the living room, she was gone all that was left was the glass she’d used and a note underneath it that read: Thanks for the attention. And don’t think about me while you’re alone later.
What the hell? She didn’t have to tell me that she’d already made sure I couldn’t think of anything else.
VENNA
I just play by the same rules he does and if he thinks he can tease me, you better believe I’m going to tease right back. The information I have comes from my own connections, my people who know how to get things done. I’m moving fast on this case because I plan to head back to the Philippines for Christmas, and I want to stay there for a whole month. It’s only October 1st, so I’ve got plenty of time, but I need to wrap this up quickly. I already told Ann to run the corporate office while I’m away I’ll be in the Philippines for two days, and she’ll send me all the details about anything related to Mr. Brake’s case, and keep me updated on everything else too.
Yna and I flew out on the same day. She offered me a place to stay here until I get back to Canada once everything is settled in court. My family’s ranch is in Palawan, and I live here in Manila if I went all the way out there just to rest, I’d waste half my time traveling back and forth. Besides, I only have two days here to get everything sorted out, so I can’t afford to be going anywhere far.
I have a meeting with Senator Nate tomorrow, so right now I’m in one of the guest rooms going over all the evidence I’ve collected, plus everything I have on his dirty dealings. Yna and I have already discussed this we’re going to talk things through properly first, and if he refuses to back down, then we’ll take it all to court.
I put on my suit, and Yna lent me her SUV so I wouldn’t have to take public transport. Her driver, Mang Tomas, was there waiting for me.
“Senator Nate, I’m Hilaria Monique Venna , I’m Ms. Yna Bruna Sanchez’s lawyer.” I held out my hand to shake his, but he just stared at it like it wasn’t even there. Rude. He looks nothing like Mr. Gurd, that’s for sure.
“What do you want? And if you’re here to tell me to stop what I’m doing, you’re wasting your time.” His office is just as cold and unwelcoming as his attitude. I handed him the envelope I’d brought with me. “Don’t come in here with nonsense, Ms. Venna.”
“Too bad, Senator this isn’t my nonsense. It’s all yours.” I looked at him straight on, standing my ground and keeping my voice steady. He opened the envelope, and shock spread all over his face. His hands clenched into fists as he tried to keep himself under control.
“Where did you get all this? How do you even know about this? You’re a foreign lawyer, you don’t even live here in the Philippines how is this possible?”
“Isn’t it obvious? It’s information you should have expected. And if you don’t cooperate, tomorrow you’ll be the headline news everywhere."
- Writer
