The Annulment

Chapter 8

I put down my glasses as I walked towards the airport's exit.

My eyes wandered, I'm really here. In my own country, in my home but now a strange place for me.

"Where are your destination, Ma'am?"

I looked at the taxi driver. Except for Lucett, no one knows that I'm coming back to Philippines, even my parents and of course my husband.

"Makati," I told the driver the address. The driver nodded and get my luggage into the car. I sat on the passenger's seat and waited for him to get in.

I'm here at Pasay City now, if I remember it right, I'll be in my destination after thirty to forty-five minutes. If we don't encounter any traffic.

"Aw, shucks," I cursed softly as I looked at the cars in our front. It's been fifteen minutes since we got out from the airport but we're still here at Libertad in Pasay City. The cars are endless, going back or came from the other direction.

"I'm sorry Ma'am," the driver said after a while. "I can't take another route. This is the best way that I know."

"It's alright," I said. I decided to just look at the view outside the car's window.

It's been five years but I still saw the old buildings here. The food courts, junk shops, bus station and fast food chains. Even the poor's houses or known as squatter area.

I shook my head in disbelief, never I imagined that nothing has change for the past five years. I don't see any hint of changes here except for the few commercial spaces filled with new establishments.

We passed through the Cash & Carry Mall in Makati. I saw the PNR train before we completely got out from the most traffic part of Buendia.

After being trapped in a traffic, I saw at last a few public vehicles on the road. But after a maybe five minutes, the high way is already crowded with jeepneys, taxis, busses and even the private vehicles and motorcycles.

I just sighed when the taxi I'm riding stopped. Many pedestrians walked and we waited for the traffic light to turn red.

I heard the driver hummed when he started the car again.

After a few more stops because there are so many stopovers here in Makati, I arrived at my destination.

"Keep the change, Sir," I said as I got out from the taxi.

The driver's eyes widened as he looked at the two thousand bill I gave him.

"This is too much, Ma'am!" the driver politely refused.

I smiled and tapped his shoulder. "Take that and buy your family a nice dinner. Thank you for the safe trip."

The driver thanked and helped me with my luggage.

He thanked me again before I turn my back on him.

I'm in Ayala and there's so many huge and tall buildings here. I walked for a few minutes before I find the place I'm looking for.

I went inside a seven-storey building and walked straight at the front desk.

"Good Morning, Ma'am! May I help you?" the front desk assistant asked me.

"Is Kiefer Buenaventura on his office?"

The lady dialed the telephone and talked to someone for a while.

She turned to me. "May I know your name, Ma'am?"

"Beatriz..." I paused then sighed, "Tell him that Beatriz Ledezma's here."

The receptionist nodded and talked on the phone again. After a minute she turned to me. "You can go straight on the first floor Ma’am."

I mouthed thank you to the receptionist before I turned to the direction of the elevator. I pushed the floor's button and waited for it.

The floor is wide and huge. There's a hallway after I came out from the elevator which serve as the space for non-employees like me.

There's a glass wall that serves as the division. I saw a Buenaventura's Law Firm sign on the right side of the double door.

I opened the door and saw some of the employees being busy with their work.

"Bea?" The man in a casual attire with a few papers on his hand and a folder on his other hand saw me.

I tilted my head as I looked at him. "So, this is your law firm."

Kiefer is really amazing. Back then, I'm only interested with Jazon that's why I don't have any idea about any other guys, even Kiefer who was my classmate in one of my major subject.

I only got to know his story when we met again in Paris. He came from a family of lawyers, prosecutors and judges that's why he followed their lead too. But he also loves fashion design and he don't want to sacrifice both of them.

He studied Fashion Design while taking Law. He's taking two courses at the same time.

Imagine, while he is busy memorizing laws and articles, he's also studying fashion and designs. He really amazes me.

Kiefer hugged me. " When did you arrive? You should have told me."

"Stop overreacting, Kiefer. Can we talk somewhere private? In your office, perhaps?" I said. I'm not comfortable with his employee's eyes. They are following our actions.

He took my luggage. "Sure." I followed him to his office.

"Here's a tea, this is your favorite." He put a cup of Jasmine tea on the table.

"Thanks."

He sat on the chair opposite to mine. "So, what's your plan? And how long you will stay here?"

Tired, I looked at my cup. "One month."

I saw him frowned. "One month? You're not staying here for good?"

"Of course not! I have a job and a business abroad."

Kiefer chuckled. "So, what are you doing here? Don't tell me, you're here for a vacation?"

"It's been five years..." I said, almost a whisper.

Kiefer's forehead creased. "Five years means your freedom. So, do you want me to accompany you for your celebration?"

My brow raised. "I want to file an annulment..."

Kiefer choked with his own saliva. He's coughing endlessly.

"And I want your law firm to handle my annulment case," I continued and drank my tea.

Kiefer coughed again. "Why me?"

I just looked at him. "We are friends and I want this annulment case to be not known in public. I want this to finish as soon as possible."

Kiefer wiped his mouth. "An annulment case can take six months or even longer, Beatriz."

"I'm just staying here for a month, so please do that in one month." I ignored his remarks.

He shook his head. "It's depend on the other party, Bea."

I frowned. "I know you can do that. You are Kiefer Buenaventura, after all."

He just chuckled.

I sat comfortably. "It will be an easier case. We are an estrange husband and wife for five years. We never contacted nor see each other for those years. Those are valid reason for voiding that freaking marriage."

"Did you talk to your husband regarding this, Beatriz?" he asked, emphasizing Jazon's title on my life.

"No, I don't have to. But we agreed with an annulment five years ago. Have you forgotten my story with that jerk?" I shook my head as I got a glimpse of my freaking wedding night five years ago.

"But we still need some grounds for this. Like lack of parental consent but if you both agreed to marry each other so this is not applicable. The other option is psychological incapacity, fraud, consent for marriage obtained by force, intimidation, or undue influence."

My head hurts from what Kiefer said.

He stared at me. "See? And we can't use any of that as a ground for your annulment."

I massaged my temple. "Is there any grounds that we can use?"

Kiefer sighed. "Impotence or physical incapability of consummating the marriage. We can use that."

My eyes broadened when I understand the ground he had said. "And what are the other requirements or what?"

Kiefer stood. "Witnesses and the property issues. But the most important is, you have to talk to your husband so we can void your marriage immediately."

I sighed. "Do I really need to talk to Jazon?"

Kiefer smirked. "The sooner, the better."