124 The Deb
Judge Ramirez trembled after he got the call from Mr. Phyllis Wayne. He was on their porch, browsing on his morning paper when he called him.
How could he approve a marriage dissolution for a couple whose marriage he himself had pronounced? Aside from that, he saw how they were strongly bound by true love and devotion. He saw it in their eyes. They had long lived together as a happy family and even had a child, how could his conscience allow him to break it?
Few months ago, her mother was diagnosed with a cervical cancer. Prior to that, he already spent a great portion of his savings when she fell from a stair, causing several fractures of her pelvis and shoulders. He had seven children whom he all sent to college. Some were taking up law, following his footsteps, and some took up architecture and medicine. He was not born into a wealthy family and business was his least priority. He was enjoying his profession and even voluntarily burned his midnight candles. What brought him to his position was his rare intelligence and dedication to his work.
Adding the cost of her mother's chemotherapy sessions to her previous hospital bills, was already causing him a great financial setback. It did not end there. During those treatment sessions, her condition worsened and she was no longer able to return home alive. She died with a good, old age but left him a terrifying hospital bill.
Having drained financially, he remembered that his distant relative got married to the owner of Catherine Fields Medical Center where his mother was admitted. After several efforts of summoning an inner courage, he, eventually, got the appointment to talk to him. As expected, he was asking for a promissory agreement to pay her mother's cumulative bill in a monthly basis. To his surprise when he processed the final bill, the billing personnel informed him that his mother's account was charged to Mr. Phyllis Wayne.
His dilemma was now causing him a migraine attack. Would he compromise the sacredness of his duty as a constitutionary authority to the Philippine Government? Just because of his gratitude?
With his power, he could make the process of the marriage annulment faster and could appoint a lawyer for them. But how could his conscience allow him? To think, Jim Wayne was literally his grandson by few degrees of affinity. He just could not allow his grandson's doom in his own hands.
Above all, how could he allow his reputation to get stained because of gratitude? It had been his pride in the eyes of God and the public he served that he had reached his pinnacle of success after many years with an unsullied honor and untarnished dignity.
Mr. Phyllis Wayne obviously cleared his bill because of this plan. So that he could not refuse. But he just got the wrong person to approach. He had sworn before God and man that he would die as a noble man. Someone his family and the younger generation could be proud of and could set as a role model in this world filled with iniquities and deception.
In his office later into the day, his secretary informed him that a guest wanted to see him. It was Dr. Jim.
"Judge, I am sure that you know ahead why I am here." Jim looked into his eyes with glints of sadness in his own.
Judge Ramirez did not reply for a while. He looked into his face, trying to fathom his sincerity in coming over to see him.
"Why Dr. Jim? Were you forced into the marriage? "
"Judge, you knew how happy I was. But I'm doing this for the life of my wife. "
He then told him everything including Jia's abduction and the failure of the search operation. He did not tell him, of course, that someone rescued her. There was no one else he could trust except kuya Nap and Anthon.
Judge Ramirez looked at him with an aching heart. "I'll turn you over to you Atty. Guevarra himself. We'll play along. "
He gazed at him with a confused look. Then, he understood.
After Jim left, Judge Ramirez called up Mr. Wayne. "You're son was here and I endorsed him to one of my trusted lawyers."
"How long would it take? " He impatiently asked.
"We still need to undergo the process. But I would arrange shorter gaps between court hearings to sped it up. "
"Phyllis, why do you have to do this? Can you afford to break your own son's home? "
"You do not understand. It's for his own good."
"You can tell me everything about it. I'll be with you all the way. After all, you are my cousin and I am indebted to you. " Judge Ramirez said.
Mr. Phyllis Wayne gave off a wicked smile. He realized that with so much wealth, once can do anything easier and possible.
After his talk with Judge Ramirez, he called up Mrs. Ybañez. He knew that in every steps and decision, Madamme Ybañez always had the final say.
"Jim has already started his annulment process. Can we meet within this week for the engagement dinner? " He said triumphantly.
"Got it. This coming Sunday. White Rose Restaurant." As she said this, she silently wished that may this day would never come.
Never a day came, eversince he talked to Dr. Jim, that she was not haunted with her guilt. She had experience the same pain in the past and the scar was still fresh, why would she tolerate this? Everyday, she got closer to a decision to cancel the agreement. But she was afraid of what Mr. Wayne could do against them. He was even able to hurt and destroy the home of his own son, even to the horrible extent of abducting his wife, how much more to an unreliable people like them?
___
"Gracie, come over on Sunday for your engagement dinner. " The voice of her mother on the other line scared her.
"So soon? "She asked.
"Jim has already filed a marriage annulment and with his connections, it will come around in no time. Are you happy now? "
"Mom, doesn't it feel odd? How come we plan the engagement when Dr. Jim has never even told me about it?"
"Gracie, did you remember that you asked us to help you with Dr. Jim? It so happened that we are linked to his dad through business engagements so we are trying to arrange it for both of you." Madamme explained.
"It's never possible with Dr. Jim. You saw it yourself. " Grace reminded her of that meeting in El Nido.
"I thought so but Dr. Jim personally asked me to set up the dinner engagement as soon as possible.
___
While Jia was reading a book about pregnancy, as Jim was really anticipating the formation of a Little Jiana in her womb, a message notification sounded.
"A total amount of.... with a reference number.... was transferred to you by Mr. Anthon Rodriquez..."
The same message was also sent to Jim. Jia was confused why Anthon returned her money. It was her payment of the house.
"Why are you sending it back?" She asked him through a text message.
"It has been paid. "
"Ha? But you sent it back just now! "
She argued.
"Yes, because it has been paid
already." Anthon replied.
"I don't understand. Who else paid
it? " She already got impatient.
"It's been paid, I said..."
"There you are again! " Jia scolded him.
"Want it clearer? Loving you has paid it all..."
How could he approve a marriage dissolution for a couple whose marriage he himself had pronounced? Aside from that, he saw how they were strongly bound by true love and devotion. He saw it in their eyes. They had long lived together as a happy family and even had a child, how could his conscience allow him to break it?
Few months ago, her mother was diagnosed with a cervical cancer. Prior to that, he already spent a great portion of his savings when she fell from a stair, causing several fractures of her pelvis and shoulders. He had seven children whom he all sent to college. Some were taking up law, following his footsteps, and some took up architecture and medicine. He was not born into a wealthy family and business was his least priority. He was enjoying his profession and even voluntarily burned his midnight candles. What brought him to his position was his rare intelligence and dedication to his work.
Adding the cost of her mother's chemotherapy sessions to her previous hospital bills, was already causing him a great financial setback. It did not end there. During those treatment sessions, her condition worsened and she was no longer able to return home alive. She died with a good, old age but left him a terrifying hospital bill.
Having drained financially, he remembered that his distant relative got married to the owner of Catherine Fields Medical Center where his mother was admitted. After several efforts of summoning an inner courage, he, eventually, got the appointment to talk to him. As expected, he was asking for a promissory agreement to pay her mother's cumulative bill in a monthly basis. To his surprise when he processed the final bill, the billing personnel informed him that his mother's account was charged to Mr. Phyllis Wayne.
His dilemma was now causing him a migraine attack. Would he compromise the sacredness of his duty as a constitutionary authority to the Philippine Government? Just because of his gratitude?
With his power, he could make the process of the marriage annulment faster and could appoint a lawyer for them. But how could his conscience allow him? To think, Jim Wayne was literally his grandson by few degrees of affinity. He just could not allow his grandson's doom in his own hands.
Above all, how could he allow his reputation to get stained because of gratitude? It had been his pride in the eyes of God and the public he served that he had reached his pinnacle of success after many years with an unsullied honor and untarnished dignity.
Mr. Phyllis Wayne obviously cleared his bill because of this plan. So that he could not refuse. But he just got the wrong person to approach. He had sworn before God and man that he would die as a noble man. Someone his family and the younger generation could be proud of and could set as a role model in this world filled with iniquities and deception.
In his office later into the day, his secretary informed him that a guest wanted to see him. It was Dr. Jim.
"Judge, I am sure that you know ahead why I am here." Jim looked into his eyes with glints of sadness in his own.
Judge Ramirez did not reply for a while. He looked into his face, trying to fathom his sincerity in coming over to see him.
"Why Dr. Jim? Were you forced into the marriage? "
"Judge, you knew how happy I was. But I'm doing this for the life of my wife. "
He then told him everything including Jia's abduction and the failure of the search operation. He did not tell him, of course, that someone rescued her. There was no one else he could trust except kuya Nap and Anthon.
Judge Ramirez looked at him with an aching heart. "I'll turn you over to you Atty. Guevarra himself. We'll play along. "
He gazed at him with a confused look. Then, he understood.
After Jim left, Judge Ramirez called up Mr. Wayne. "You're son was here and I endorsed him to one of my trusted lawyers."
"How long would it take? " He impatiently asked.
"We still need to undergo the process. But I would arrange shorter gaps between court hearings to sped it up. "
"Phyllis, why do you have to do this? Can you afford to break your own son's home? "
"You do not understand. It's for his own good."
"You can tell me everything about it. I'll be with you all the way. After all, you are my cousin and I am indebted to you. " Judge Ramirez said.
Mr. Phyllis Wayne gave off a wicked smile. He realized that with so much wealth, once can do anything easier and possible.
After his talk with Judge Ramirez, he called up Mrs. Ybañez. He knew that in every steps and decision, Madamme Ybañez always had the final say.
"Jim has already started his annulment process. Can we meet within this week for the engagement dinner? " He said triumphantly.
"Got it. This coming Sunday. White Rose Restaurant." As she said this, she silently wished that may this day would never come.
Never a day came, eversince he talked to Dr. Jim, that she was not haunted with her guilt. She had experience the same pain in the past and the scar was still fresh, why would she tolerate this? Everyday, she got closer to a decision to cancel the agreement. But she was afraid of what Mr. Wayne could do against them. He was even able to hurt and destroy the home of his own son, even to the horrible extent of abducting his wife, how much more to an unreliable people like them?
___
"Gracie, come over on Sunday for your engagement dinner. " The voice of her mother on the other line scared her.
"So soon? "She asked.
"Jim has already filed a marriage annulment and with his connections, it will come around in no time. Are you happy now? "
"Mom, doesn't it feel odd? How come we plan the engagement when Dr. Jim has never even told me about it?"
"Gracie, did you remember that you asked us to help you with Dr. Jim? It so happened that we are linked to his dad through business engagements so we are trying to arrange it for both of you." Madamme explained.
"It's never possible with Dr. Jim. You saw it yourself. " Grace reminded her of that meeting in El Nido.
"I thought so but Dr. Jim personally asked me to set up the dinner engagement as soon as possible.
___
While Jia was reading a book about pregnancy, as Jim was really anticipating the formation of a Little Jiana in her womb, a message notification sounded.
"A total amount of.... with a reference number.... was transferred to you by Mr. Anthon Rodriquez..."
The same message was also sent to Jim. Jia was confused why Anthon returned her money. It was her payment of the house.
"Why are you sending it back?" She asked him through a text message.
"It has been paid. "
"Ha? But you sent it back just now! "
She argued.
"Yes, because it has been paid
already." Anthon replied.
"I don't understand. Who else paid
it? " She already got impatient.
"It's been paid, I said..."
"There you are again! " Jia scolded him.
"Want it clearer? Loving you has paid it all..."
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