CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE

Justine escorted Sheila to the hospital, and he was surprised by their current location. Sheila promised him that she would introduce him to the new parent guardian ever since her sister passed away.

Is he a parent or a guardian? He couldn't help but ask himself, smirking in secret. He doesn't really know which parent or guardian this is referring to.

"We're here!" That's all he heard from Sheila. They are in a private room now, heavily guarded, but the guard just let them in.

"I'm with him," Sheila immediately said when she was about to be reprimanded for Justine joining her.

The guard only nodded and let them pass. A frail old man lying on a hospital bed immediately came into view; he had various attachments on his body.

"Daddy," Sheila said happily.

When did that man become her daddy? Justine could only ask himself. Anger welled up within him; it was inevitable that the hot blood of the Santiago clan would run through his Gonzalez veins. 

You need to be strong, Justine. You're here not because of your anger toward your family but to investigate what really happened. Calm down, just relax. He doesn't know you. You brought Madrigal today and not Gonzalez. He was restraining himself and calming his trembling muscles now. 

He took a deep breath first, still talking to the old man, and he just smiled at the strange things he was doing to Sheila; it was not the behavior of a father to touch a woman's body inappropriately.

Interesting. He just thought to himself. 

"Justine, come here." Sheila called out his name.

He nodded and approached the elderly Raymundo Santiago. 

"Good morning, sir." He demonstrated his respect toward the elderly. Sheila even helped him get back on his feet.

He didn't answer him and stared at him intently.

"He's a lawyer, right?" Raymundo asked the woman.

"Yes, Dad. We're taking care of the divorce papers for his wife, Martin and I." Sheila explained the situation to the man. "He is a great lawyer." Sheila said this while merely glancing at him.

"Oh, I see. Where's Martin? I don't see him anymore now." He then asked if Martin was still around.

"Oh, he's busy right now, Dad. But I'll invite him if you want to see him, Justine," Sheila assured the old man. "Sheila assured the old man, Justine only to listen to them and observe.

He doesn't even know me. Good thing Dad doesn't take me when they meet the Santiago family. He just thought to himself.

"I see, I see. Thank you for always helping my Sheila." Raymundo even patted her on the back. "I'm just making sure that no one will hurt her; that's how I am with my goddaughter. I'm very protective of her." He even expressed his protectiveness.

Protective, your ass; you did kill your daughter. He thought to himself. A mere smile was his response then; he needed to calm down, or he might react inappropriately.

"Yes, of course, if you want also, I can help you too." Justine offered it to Raymundo.

"Oh no, don't worry about me. I'm grateful that there are people helping this woman, and I'm fine with it. I'm old now, and I also need to rest."

"Oh, don't say that, Dad." Sheila was on the verge of tears.

"That's just how life is, Sheila. You need to fight. I know many people love you and will protect you." Martin will also love you." He even said it to Sheila.

The woman accompanying her just nodded. Justine is trying not to laugh right now. He needs to excuse himself.

"If I may, I would excuse myself for a while." Justine says to them.

Sheila looked at him; she was probably thinking that he would be hurt now.

Sorry, Sheila, I don't really care about it. I'm here not to marry you or pay attention to you; I'm here to find the flaw in your partner. His mind couldn't help but say it back then. 

He just tapped Sheila's shoulder. "Don't worry, I will come back here." He could only say...

The old man just nodded while staring at him, and he immediately headed to the door and went out right away. He walked away without anyone seeing him.

He took a cigarette from the pack he was carrying and lit it. Justine could only laugh and shake his head at what he had seen.

He wandered around, his gaze scanning the hospital; he saw Sharlene and her two companions. 

I also need to keep an eye on them. He just thought to himself. He finished a cigarette stick. He thought that while he was here at the hospital, he might as well visit Rosario.

I want to confirm something. He could only say it in his mind.

He turned the doorknob; the door wasn't locked. 

"What are you doing here?" asked a woman, while Sharlene quietly watched her.

"If you keep bothering me about the divorce paper you gave me and another complaint about that woman, I will accept it; I will always prove to you that I am innocent." Sharlene said firmly to him.

Justine just sighed. "Whoa, calm down, I'm not here for the divorce paper or the case my client mentioned." 

"Why are you here?" she asked again, thinking her name was Vivianne.

It would be better if he used what he knew now to pique her interest. He only just sighed.

"Sharlene Rosario—Francisco. Are you aware that the Rosario family has adopted you?# He asked bluntly.

"Why are you concerned about my sister's adoption?" Vivianne asked, her eyebrows raising. 

"I can help if you want to know your background— who your real parents are." 

Sharlene furrowed her brow at what he was saying now. "I don't need your help, and besides, I don't need to know where I came from anymore." Sharlene said he could see in her eyes that she already knew her whole being.

"Eh? I'm willing to help you." He couldn't help but say it.

"What will you gain from helping us? You should be taking care of Sheila, shouldn't you?" Vivianne even raised an eyebrow at him.

Justine found a strand of hair; he didn't know who owned the strand of hair that was in Sharlene's comb.

Let's see if my lucky charm will work for this. He could only think to himself back then.

"Well, if you need help, here's my contact number and such; let's discuss how I can assist you." He even gave her his contact number. 

He noticed that Vivianne secretly handed the comb to Sharlene and immediately hid it. 

He immediately went out and ran into Martin. 

"Hey." He called out to him and tapped him.

"What are you doing here? Is Sheila here?" Martin asked him calmly.

"I should be the one asking you, shouldn't I? Sharlene is ready to sign the divorce papers; why are you here?" Justine asked Martin promptly.

"Ashley needs me; I'm not here for Sharlene." Martin answered him. Justine knows Martin is annoyed now.

"Yeah, you said that." He walked away. 

He went straight to his car, where he placed the strand of hair he found earlier in a Ziploc and kept it. He needs to call the family doctor now.

He noticed that Sheila was also heading towards his car.

She immediately got in. "Hey, have you been waiting long?" Sheila asked him.

"No, I just got there. Have you finished talking to your dad?" Justine asked Sheila casually.

"Yeah, he is thrilled to meet you. I'm sorry you heard that." Sheila says to him apologetically.

"It's okay, don't worry about it." He only smiled at Sheila.

They even kissed inside the car; thereafter, they left the hospital. He also didn't mention that Martin was there.