A'ishah's POV

Two days later.

I took a deep breath as I fixed my formal clothes in front of the mirror.

Today is Maxine's arraignment.

I glanced at my reflection, the stark, unfamiliar face staring back at me. The last time I’d seen Maxine in court, it was under entirely different circumstances.

We were on opposite sides since day one, yes. But it feels entirely different now. Now, I was standing on the opposite side of the courtroom, preparing to represent the very case that could put her behind bars.

It felt like my chest was being crushed by an invisible weight. I had promised myself that I would approach this case with professionalism, but every thought kept circling back to Maxine, the woman I had loved, despite everything that had happened.

I snapped out of my thoughts when my phone buzzed with a reminder of the arraignment time. With one last glance at my reflection, I grabbed my briefcase and headed out the door.

“Good morning, Ate A'ishah!” Nicolas greeted me as soon as he saw me walking down the stairs.

“Good morning, kiddo.” I gave him a small smile.

“Good luck today, Ate.”

I smirked. “No, good luck to them. I won't lose this case, Nicolas.”

“I mean, good luck on meeting Ate Maxine again.” He chuckled.

“Wha—”

“Just try not to freeze in front of her.” Ashley winked at me, joining the teasing.

“I don't freeze!” I argued.

“Nyenye!”

“Keep lying to yourself, Ate.”

“Tigilan niyo kong dalawa ah! Hmp!” I rolled my eyes as I stomped my feet. The two kept laughing, kahit nasa labas na ako ng bahay, dinig na dinig ko parin ang tawanan nila.

Geez! Why would they even think that?

I don't freeze! I'm always cool. I always keep my composure!

I was sulking as I drove away. Who says I'm freezing in front of Maxine? Fight me!

The courthouse was buzzing with activity as lawyers and clients prepared for their respective hearings. The hum of conversations and the shuffle of papers only heightened the tension in my chest. I could feel the eyes of those around me, but I kept my focus on the task ahead.

As I walked into the courtroom, my heart skipped a beat when I saw Maxine.

She was sitting at the defendant's table, her posture straight, but there was something about her face that betrayed the tension she was feeling. She looked exhausted, almost defeated.

I felt a sharp pang in my chest. But I quickly steeled myself, forcing my gaze to the judge who was entering the room.

Maxine’s eyes locked with mine as I made my way to the opposite side. I could see the flicker of recognition, the familiar mix of emotions that would always tie us together. But there was something else in her eyes now, something darker, colder.

It hurt.

And it hurt even deeper when I saw her counsel… Denise.

I scoffed to myself. She really trusts her ex that much, huh? Sa dami ng mga magagaling na abogado, she still chose her ex to represent her.

Ayos.

The courtroom was filled with tension as the judge took her seat, signaling the start of the proceedings. My gaze flickered between Maxine, who was sitting stiffly at the defendant's table, and Denise, who sat beside her. I had to force myself to focus. Today wasn’t about personal feelings. Today was about justice.

I stood up, adjusted my blazer, and nodded at my colleagues before stepping to the front of the room. Maxine’s eyes followed me, her gaze sharp, but I refused to acknowledge the whirlwind of emotions brewing inside.

The room fell into a heavy silence as the clerk of court stood, stepping forward to announce the case.

"Case number 2025-XYZ, People of the Philippines versus Maxine Blair De Luna, charged with the murder of Nicole Mendoza." The clerk's voice echoed through the courtroom, sharp and official.

Everyone in the room seemed to hold their breath, the weight of the case pressing down on all of us. I felt the eyes of the court on me for a moment, the intensity of the situation not lost on anyone.

The clerk continued, holding a document in his hands. "Ms. De Luna, you are here today to answer the charges of murder. How do you plead?"

Maxine remained seated, her hands clasped in front of her. I couldn't help but notice the tension in her body, the tightness in her posture as though every part of her was holding back.

Maxine slowly stood, her face a mask of controlled composure, but I could see the subtle tremor in her hands. Her lawyer, Denise, whispered something to her, probably a last-minute piece of advice, before turning to face the judge. The air was thick with anticipation as all eyes turned to Maxine.

She took a deep breath, her lips pressed tightly together before speaking in a steady voice.

"Not guilty, Your Honor."

There it was. My heart dropped, and for a moment, I couldn't breathe. Not guilty. Of course, she would say that. She had to.

I glanced at the family sitting in the front row, their faces painted with a mixture of grief and anger. Nicole’s parents sat rigid, their eyes filled with disbelief. They had lost their daughter, and now they were hearing the woman they once considered a daughter stand there and deny everything.

And then there was Mara, whose fury was undeniable. She stood up suddenly, her voice shaking with emotion as she shouted, "You’re not guilty? You killed her, Maxine! You killed Nicole!”

The courtroom fell silent as Mara's outburst echoed. Maxine flinched, but she remained standing, her expression hardening. Her jaw tightened, and she refused to look in Mara’s direction.

But Mara wasn’t finished. She stormed forward, her fists clenched. "How dare you! You stand there and pretend nothing happened? You’re a murderer!" Her voice cracked with the weight of her grief, her pain too raw to contain.

The judge quickly called for order, slamming his gavel down. "Lieutenant Guerrero, calm yourself or I’ll have you removed from this court!"

But Mara was beyond reason. She was shaking with fury, her eyes wild with a mix of pain and anger as she turned to face Maxine.

“You’re nothing but a cold-hearted liar! You don’t deserve to stand there as if you didn't just kill her! Sana ikaw nalang ang namatay!”

“How dare you say that!” Maxine's sister stood up in anger. “My sister wouldn't do that! You know that, Mara.” Then she turned to look at me. “You know she wouldn't do that.”

I stood frozen, my heart torn in two. I couldn’t help but glance at Maxine. Her face was cold, unreadable. But I knew her well enough to see the strain in her shoulders, the subtle tightening of her hands.

Nicole’s parents too, were reacting. They looked like they were about to break down, but there was also an undeniable sense of betrayal in their eyes. They too had been left in shock, struggling to process the woman they had once welcomed into their family now accused of murdering their daughter.

I could feel their pain, their disbelief. And part of me understood it. But another part of me was drowning in the deep, overwhelming wave of confusion.

Maxine was pleading not guilty. And no matter how I tried to convince myself that I could keep my feelings out of this, there was no denying it. I was being torn apart.

“Mamamatay tao ang kapatid mo!” Mara once again shouted.

“Manahimik ka nga, Mara! Kaibigan din natin si Max!” Sasha scolded her friend.

“Kaibigan? Wala akong kaibigan na mamamatay tao!”

“Order in the court!” The judge shouted, and everyone instantly kept their mouth shut.

Then the judge spoke again, this time with more authority. "I order the defendant to remain in custody until further hearings. The court will reconvene in two weeks for the next proceedings."

Maxine didn’t react. She simply nodded, her eyes empty, her stance unwavering. But I couldn’t help but notice how her shoulders sagged ever so slightly as she was escorted back to her seat.

As the court session concluded and everyone started to rise, I took one last look at Maxine. She met my gaze for the briefest moment, her eyes still distant, but I saw the faintest trace of guilt.

Was it for Nicole? Or for me?

Either way, it didn’t matter anymore. She had chosen her path. And I had chosen mine.

I stood frozen in my place as the room began to clear. The echoes of Mara’s outburst still rang in my ears, and the weight of Maxine’s plea lingered in the air like a thick fog.

I had to remind myself again… this was about justice.

This wasn’t about our past, our emotions. I was here to do my job, to represent the people.

But no matter how many times I told myself that, the truth kept gnawing at me, it's impossible to ignore.

My thoughts were interrupted when Clifford came up to me. He placed a hand on my shoulder, his expression serious but sympathetic.

“Don’t let this get to you, A’ishah.” He said, his voice low. “I know it’s hard, but you’ve got to stay focused. This isn’t about feelings.”

“Hey.” I smiled softly. “I didn't notice you were here. Saan ka naka-upo?”

“Bandang likuran mo, of course.” He chuckled. “Can I have a minute with you?”

“Sure.”

We went to the parking lot, the same parking lot where I offered Maxine an ice cream after she tore Clifford's calling card in tiny pieces because of her jealousy before.

Clifford led me to a quieter spot in the parking lot, away from the crowd that was slowly dispersing after the hearing. The hum of the cars' engines was the only sound between us, but it felt oddly comforting. Like a small, distant reminder that life still went on.

He took a deep breath before speaking. “So, Mara came to me quite a few times—”

“What did she say?”

“She wanted me to take this case. She begged me to be the judge of this case to ensure Maxine's conviction.”

My jaw literally dropped when I heard him say that. "She what?" I asked, incredulous. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Mara, after everything that had happened, would go to such lengths to make sure Maxine was convicted?

Clifford nodded, his eyes narrowing in concern. “Yeah. She was desperate. She doesn’t care about the consequences or the ethics of it. She wants Maxine to pay for what happened to Nicole, no matter what.”

I shook my head, feeling a mix of frustration and disbelief. “This is... insane. She can’t just manipulate the system like that. We’re supposed to be impartial, Clifford. This isn’t just about revenge. It’s about justice. About what’s right.”

“I know, A’ishah.” Clifford said, his voice softening. “But you need to be careful. Mara’s grief is consuming her. She doesn’t see things clearly right now. And with her emotions running high, she’s willing to do anything to see Maxine fall.”

I fell into deep silence after he spoke. He's right. But I also understand why Mara is acting this way. After all, who will blame her?

She's desperate because she lost everything after she lost Nicole. If I were in her shoes, I'd probably do the same. I'll be blinded, and all I would've wanted is to get justice by hook or by crook.

“Why didn't you accept it?” I asked, suddenly I was curious why. “Mara's offer. Bakit hindi mo tinanggap?”

“Maxine is my friend too.” He simply said. “I understand how painful it is for all of you to lose Nicole, but I can't bring myself to betray a friend like that.”

“And what if I ask you the same? Will you accept it?”

"No, A'ishah.” His voice filled with certainty. “You’re both my friends, and I care about you equally. I’m not here to pick sides or create tension between the two of you. I just want to support you both in the best way I can.”

I studied his expression, trying to find any hint of doubt, but all I saw was unwavering conviction.

“I appreciate that.” I smiled bitterly. “I'm glad you're not like the others.”

Clifford’s expression softened as he placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. “You’ve been carrying a lot, A’ishah. It’s okay to lean on people sometimes. You don’t have to face everything alone.”

I nodded, my throat tightening as emotions bubbled to the surface. His words, his calm presence, were like a balm to the storm that had been raging in my mind.

Before I could respond, Clifford stepped forward, his arms opening slightly. “Come here. You look like you need this.”

I hesitated for a second, but the weight of everything was too much. I allowed myself to step closer, letting him pull me into a warm, friendly hug. It wasn’t romantic or invasive, just comforting, like the kind of support you’d expect from someone who genuinely cared.

“Thanks, Clifford.” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “I appreciate you a lot.”

Before he could respond, a sharp voice cut through the air like a whip. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

I froze, my breath catching as I pulled back and turned toward the sound. Maxine stood a few feet away, her hands cuffed, John and Gwyneth are escorting her.

“Kaya naman pala gusto mo ng divorce, A'ishah.” She said in a low, bitter tone, her eyes dark with anger, betrayal, or maybe just exhaustion. "Mukhang may kapalit na agad."

Her words hit harder than they should have. The weight of her gaze, sharp like a knife, made my stomach twist. I took a step back, but Clifford held firm, subtly keeping me steady.

"Maxine—" I started, my voice softer than I intended.

"Huwag na." She cut me off, shaking her head. "Hindi na kailangan ng paliwanag. Gets ko na."

John and Gwyneth exchanged wary glances but said nothing as they stood beside her. Maxine, despite being cuffed, carried herself with the same unshakable presence she always had. But there was something different this time… something broken.

I clenched my fists, trying to push down the lump in my throat. This wasn’t how I wanted her to see me. I wanted to be strong, to be the lawyer standing firm in her convictions, not the woman caught in an emotional whirlwind.

“Gets mo naman na pala eh. Bakit hindi mo pa pirmahan?” I challenged her.

Maxine let out a hollow chuckle, her jaw tightening as she looked at me. “Kasi gusto kong marinig mismo sayo.” She stepped forward, her cuffs rattling slightly as John and Gwyneth kept a close watch.

“Gusto kong marinig kung paano mo ko bibitawan, A’ishah. Kung paano mo ko tatapusin nang ganito kadali.”

My heart pounded against my ribs, but I forced myself to stand my ground. “It’s not easy.” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. “But this is the right thing to do.”

“You know what's your problem, attorney?”

Maxine took another step closer, her eyes never leaving mine. Kahit naka-posas siya, she still looked at me like she owned the world, like she still had the power to make or break me. And maybe she did.

The weight of her gaze felt like she was digging up everything I was trying to hide. I wanted to fight back, to show that I could handle this, but with her… with her, it was so hard to lie.

"You don’t trust me." Her voice was quiet, almost tired, but each word cut deep. "You never did."

I swallowed hard, pero wala akong masagot.

“You always make decisions alone, A’ishah. Lahat ng desisyon mo, hindi mo man lang ako kinonsidera.” She smiled, a sad smile that tore my heart in two. “Tapos ngayon, gusto mong tapusin to nang ganun lang?”

“You killed Nicole!” My voice wavered, but I held my ground. “You killed my best friend.”

“She's my best friend too, A'ishah!” She raised her voice in frustration. “Hindi ko siya pinatay.”

“Then tell me what happened that night.” She was taken aback upon hearing that.

What's there to hesitate, Maxine? Ano bang nangyari nung gabing yon?

Damn! Everything is so heavy.

“Max, we need to go.” John nudged her.

Maxine looked at me, and for a moment, I thought she'd tell me what really happened that night but she kept her mouth shut.

I watched as John and Gwyneth ushered her to get inside the car. She looked at me so softly, as if she's still the same Maxine I used to have.

I stood there as I watched them leave. But something's not right. I need to talk to her.

“Sorry about that, Clifford. Maxine is—”

“Possessive.” He cut me off with a smirk. “I know, A'ishah. It's fine.”

“Right. Okay, I have to go.” I hurriedly said. I didn't even wait for him to respond when I walked away.

I gripped the steering wheel tightly as I drove to the police station, my heart pounding so hard it echoed in my ears. The streetlights blurred past me, but my mind was stuck replaying Maxine’s face, the bitterness in her eyes, the exhaustion in her voice, and the way she looked at me like I had shattered something inside her.

"You don’t trust me. You never did."

Her words cut deep because she was right. I never trusted her enough.

I pulled up in front of the station, barely taking a breath before stepping out. The cold night air did nothing to cool the fire burning inside me. I didn’t know what I was expecting, but I needed to see her. I needed answers.

Sienna, who's alone at the front desk recognized me instantly. "Attorney Alvarez.” She greeted, her gaze wary. "What brings you here?"

"I'm here to see Maxine Blair De Luna." My voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.

“A'ishah, bawal kasi—”

“Please, Sienna. Kailangan ko siyang kausapin.” I said desperately.

She hesitated but eventually sighed. "She’s in the holding facility. You've got ten minutes."

I nodded, walking through the familiar corridors, each step feeling heavier than the last. The air inside the station felt suffocating, the fluorescent lights casting a harsh glow on everything. Then, finally, I saw her.

Maxine sat on the bench inside the holding cell, her posture relaxed, but her eyes… her eyes were anything but relaxed. They flickered with exhaustion, frustration, maybe even a hint of something I couldn’t name.

She lifted her gaze when she saw me, but her expression didn’t change. "Wow.” She muttered, leaning back against the wall. "Wasn’t expecting a conjugal visit this soon.”

I ignored the sharp sting of her words and stepped closer. "I need to talk to you."

She raised a brow. "About what, A’ishah? How fast you moved on? Oh, wait. You already made that pretty clear kanina pa lang."

I clenched my fists. "This isn’t about that."

"Then what? You want me to sign the papers? Hindi na ba makapaghintay yung judge mo, A'ishah?”

A flicker of guilt and pain crossed her face before she masked it with indifference. She leaned forward, resting her forearms on her knees.

"Why now? After everything, ngayon mo lang ako gustong marinig?"

"I wanted to hear it that night, Maxine. But you never told me." My voice broke slightly, but I pushed forward. "You just shut me out."

She let out a dry chuckle. "Right. I was shocked. But I asked you to trust me, hindi mo ginawa.”

"Then tell me now." I pressed, stepping closer. "No more lies. No more avoiding it. Just tell me the truth.”

“Why would I trust someone like you?” She glared at me. “You want me to rot in prison!”

“Because you killed her!”

“I didn't kill her!”

“Of course.” I scoffed. “Sino nga ba namang kriminal ang aamin sa krimeng ginawa niya?”

Hindi na dapat ako pumunta pa rito. I am so disappointed.

“Kriminal.” She echoed, her voice barely above a whisper. Then she let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "So that's really how it is, huh? In your eyes, I'm only a criminal.”

"Maxine—"

"Do you know what hurts the most, A'ishah?" Her voice was eerily calm, but her eyes, her eyes were burning. "It's not that you had me charged. It's not that you don't believe me. Also not that you left.” She scoffed.

“It's that you chose to believe everything, everyone, except me.”

Her voice dropped, barely above a whisper, but it hit me harder than if she had screamed.

"The most painful thing is that you were the first one to condemn me.”

I felt something shatter inside me, but I forced myself to keep my composure. "I had to believe the evidence, Maxine. Hindi ko pwedeng ipikit na lang ang mata ko."

"Right. Evidence." Tumango siya, her lips curling into a bitter smirk.

I swallowed hard. "Nicole was my best friend. She—"

"She was my best friend too!" Maxine snapped, her voice breaking for the first time. "She was my family, A'ishah! At kung iniisip mong wala akong nararamdaman sa pagkawala niya, then maybe you never really knew me."

A heavy silence hung between us. My chest ached, my mind warring with emotions I couldn’t quite name.

“Maybe you're right.” I looked her in the eye. “Maybe I never really knew you.”

She opened her mouth in disbelief as I turned my back on her. “Because the Maxine I knew, the Maxine I loved, would never be capable of something like this."

I walked away, forcing my feet to keep moving even though my heart screamed at me to turn back. But I couldn’t. Not when every fiber of my being was telling me that if I stayed any longer, I would break.

Maxine's voice cut through the silence just as I reached the door. "Would it be easy for you?"

I froze.

"If I pleaded guilty. Would it be easy?"

Maxine's voice, quiet yet laced with something sharp, cut through the air between us like a blade.

I turned slowly, my heart pounding against my ribs.

Her gaze was distant, almost hollow, like she was asking me something more than just an answer. Her voice had lost the edge it had before, replaced by a weariness that seemed to drain her even further.

"Would it make everything easier for you, A'ishah, if I just admitted it? If I said I killed her?" Maxine’s words were slow, deliberate, as if testing the weight of each one.

I thought about Nicole. I know she'll be happy to get her justice. Her parents will feel at least content if not better. And Mara, she'll probably find peace.

Everyone wanted it. I want it too. For my best friend.

“Yes.” I said without a blink.

“Then I'm guilty, A'ishah.” She let out a humorless laugh. “But not for killing Nicole.”

I furrowed my eyebrows. “What other crimes did you do?”

“The only crime I did is to love you.”

My breath hitched as I stared at Maxine, unable to find the right words to respond. She just sat there, her gaze locked onto mine, but there was no anger in her eyes anymore, just a kind of raw, almost unbearable vulnerability.

“I’m pleading guilty for that love.”

~~~

Thank you for reading! 💛