Quest For Justice

CHAPTER 30: An ally or a foe?

Fire her.

Nakasimangot ang mukha niya habang pumipila siya sa counter ng isang grocery store. She was buying fruits for Jasmine. That girl must be thankful because after what she did to her ay nagawa pa niyang ibili ito ng masusustansiyang mga pagkain. She didn't do it because she was concerned about Jasmine; She did it because her boss told her to.

Pagkatapos niyang bayaran ang mga prutas gamit ang card ni Jarred ay lumabas na siya agad ng grocery.

Ilang sandali muna siyang tumayo sa tabi at nagpalinga-linga. Nothing suspicious. Ilang sandali pa ay palapit na si Tony sa kinatatayuan niya.

Tony stood beside her at hindi silang dalawa nagpahalata na magkakilala. They talked without facing each other or looking at each other.

Namulsa si Tony habang sa mga sasakyang nag-uunahan sa daan nakatingin. "Jarred was investigating you 24/7."

She shook her head. "That j*rk!" She gritted her teeth.

"What do you expect would he do?" Tony sarcastically chuckled.

"Ano'ng ginawa mo?" Her forehead creased while looking straight.

Magalaw ang paa ni Tony na parang may sinisipa pero wala naman while he was looking down. "I stole his private investigator."

Hindi niya naiwasang mapatingin kay Tony. Her eyes widened. "Awesomeee!"

"Don't look at me. Hindi naman ako gano'n ka-gwapo." He smiled.

Agad siyang nag-iwas ng tingin dahil hindi sila pwedeng mapaghalataan na nag-uusap. Mahirap na at baka may nagmamatyag. They had to be cautious.

"Does he only have one investigator? Ton, there were different persons following me that day." She narrowed her eyes.

"I'm not sure, but Jarred's investigator told me he was the only one he hired." He stroked his chin.

"You should find the other one, Ton. If that person wasn't Jarred's. There could be another person who's after me." She swallowed.

"I'll figure it out."

"How about the Daez Family?" Her brows knitted.

"We detected one virus." Tony smirked. Them and their jargon.

"What a stroke of luck!" Her face wrinkled in an evil grin.

***

Victoria and Sebastian entered Jasmine's hospital private room together. The chairman was holding a basket of fresh fruits and Victoria was holding a bouquet of flowers.

Jarred was not inside. Lumabas muna ito para kumuha ng mga gamot sa hospital pharmacy.

"Oh dear, what happened?" Mabilis na lumapit si Victoria sa future daughter-in-law nito na nagpanggap namang nahihirapan sa pag-upo sa kama kahit na mabuti na naman ang pakiramdam niya.

"Dahal-dahan lang, ija," ani Sebastian. Ipinatong nito ang basket at bouquet sa round table.

Victoria brushed her hair gamit ang mga daliri nito.

"Tita, I'm very fine. Don't worry about me." She plastered a smile onto her face.

"What happened, ija?" Nakatayo ang chairman sa tabi ng kama niya.

She sniffled. "Kasi, Tito and Tita, 'yong katulong niyo na si Olivia, sinabunutan niya ako."

Victoria's jaw dropped. "How dare that shabby girl do that to an elite?"

Sebastian folded his arms and his face flushed.

Sabay silang tatlo na napalingon sa pinto nang nakarinig sila ng malakas na pagkatok.

***

Nang palapit na sa kuwarto ni Jasmine si Cassandra ay huminga muna siya ng malalim at baka kapag nakita niya ang pagmumukha nito ay maitapon lang niya ang basket ng prutas na dala-dala sa pagmumukha nito.

Nilakasan niya ang pagkatok sa pinto para kung natutulog man ito ay magising. That girl did not deserve to sleep soundly, deserve lang nitong mapuyat.

She opened the door at nanlaki ang mga mata niya when she saw Jasmine's visitors. Nagpalipat siya ng tingin sa dalwa niyang mga amo na pawang pinandidilatan siya ng mga mata.

Walang anu-ano'y sinugod siya ni Victoria kaya nabitiwan niya ang basket na dala. Isang malakas na sampal ang dumapo sa kanyang pisngi.

Sa buong buhay niya ay ito ang kauna-unahang pagkakataon na nasampal siya. Hindi masukat ang galit na nadarama niya. That

slap was not worth her pain. Isang maruming kamay ang nanakit sa kanya, hinding-hindi niya matatanggap.

Nang mag-angat siya ng tingin kay Victoria ay nag-aalab ang mga mata niya.

"Ano? Gaganti ka?" Victoria glared at her.

She took a deep breath. Pakiramdam niya ay mapipigtas na talaga ang tali kung hindi lang dumating si Jarred.

"What's happening here?" Jarred drew his brows together.

"That shabby, girl! Sinabunutan niya ang fiancée mo, Jarred." Dinuro-duro siya ni Victoria.

Gustong-gusto na niya itong sakalin pero hindi niya magawa dahil wala pa siyang hinahawakang patunay na magpapabagsak sa mga kaaway.

She turned to Jarred. "Sir, nakita mo kung ano ang nangyari. Wala akong ginagawa sa kanya pero sinabunutan niya ako, pinaglaban ko lang ang saili ko. Sir, please."

Nagkatitigan silang dalawa ni Jarred, nag-uusap ang kanilang mga mata. That was the moment of truth, she had to prove if Jarred was an ally or a foe?

"Fire her," seryosong anito habang nakatingin sa kanyang mga mata.

Her shoulders shrugged. Jarred was a foe after all. It wasn't the first time he went against her, but that was the first time she had been so disappointed that it hurt.