Have you ever regretted knowing too much? Maybe the wording is not that relatable. However, have you ever wished not to know the truth? To stay unaware of things that hurt you.
Perhaps people out there have experienced it once in their lives. Like how their partner used to date anyone she sees. Like how your friends used to view you in an offensive manner. Like how your co-workers treat you well while talking about you behind your back. Or maybe things like how your parents sold your dog while saying he suddenly just got lost.
We have all experienced something like this once in our lives. For those who haven't, maybe in the future you will experience it. For those who are currently experiencing it, keep fighting. It won't get better no matter how hard you try. But you will get stronger every time you manage to survive it..
Father's (Marcus) POV
I was shocked at that time, so I tried to hide and leave the spot immediately. I went back to the working station only to meet my other group members asking me if I saw where they were.
I hesitated for a second, not knowing how to respond to them.
"No, I didn't."
Feeling down, I just sat in the corner, waiting for time to resolve the situation.
A few minutes later everyone returned. The late arrivals apologized to the other members of the group and to me. However, they were lucky that the bosses were not present.
From that moment onward, I excluded myself from them even though I was still part of the same group. This included Jonathan.
I was not mad because I knew everyone was just trying to make a living. No matter how they did it, even if it was wrong.
Days passed since I started excluding myself from them. Jonathan and the others felt it, clearly confused by my actions. I just couldn't associate myself with all of them anymore.
They started talking badly about me behind my back. This reached our boss, the managers, and the supervisor how uncooperative I was. I was cornered from all directions: the boss, the manager, the supervisor, and even my own group.
I remained silent, clearly not interested in whatever they were doing.
This continued until a huge incident broke out.
Police arrived at the scene and multiple investigators entered the establishment.
Everyone started to worry, however some of my groupmates began to worry even more. Especially the five groupmates I saw earlier. They were sweating a lot.
Everyone was confused.
I was not.
Jonathan noticed it, for he was one of the people with great observation skills in our group. He saw how calm I was.
A few hours later
The boss then called our group to the lounge. I started walking toward the lounge without any worry. I saw the other five lagging behind, talking among themselves.
As I looked at them without pity, someone came near me.
"You know something?" he whispered as we both looked at the five groupmates together.
It was Jonathan.
He did not belong to the group that I saw in the storage area. He was clearly just as confused as the other three group members.
I looked at him without showing any emotion on my face.
"I know nothing."
We walked to the lounge and the police started arresting everyone in the group, including me.
However, the boss, manager, and the higher-ups vouched for me, so I was excluded from the arrest.
Jonathan was handcuffed. He didn't know anything about what had happened. He was clearly innocent, however when it comes to illegal drugs everyone is considered an accomplice.
I was lucky because the owner had a friend in the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency who vouched for me. It managed to save my skin.
He clearly remembered how those nine members talked behind my back. So I couldn't be grouped together with them.
The investigators later found that the members were stuffing drugs inside metal tubes during delivery. They used the company's trucks to deliver the goods to many places.
It was a perfect cover and a perfect plan.
This issue reached the ears of the owner's friend in the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, who warned him that his business was under investigation for manufacturing illegal drugs.
The owner then started his own investigation and found that our group was the one suspected. However, he didn't investigate who exactly in the group was responsible.
He simply assumed that everyone was an accomplice.
He then reported this to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to save his business from taking the blame.
It was a rushed report and clearly just meant to eliminate all potential suspects
.
As the agents began reading the Miranda Rights, everyone started crying.
"You are under arrest for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. Before we ask you any questions, you must understand your rights."
"You have the right to remain silent."
I saw someone shouting that they were innocent, crying as if they were pouring out all the tears they had.
"Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law."
Some simply cried on the side, unmoving. Maybe thinking about their families, their parents, wives, or sons.
"You have the right to a competent and independent lawyer."
I saw our team leader, who was also innocent. He had no expression on his face. Everything was clearly shocking, and he was not prepared for this.
He was probably thinking about his newborn son and his daughter who would enter school this year.
"If you cannot afford a lawyer, the government will provide one for you."
The five real dealers were not doing anything. I had worked with them for years. I never truly knew them.
I knew they had families to support. One of them had a daughter with a hole in her heart. He never asked for pity. He worked harder than anyone else.
We always admired him for being strong.
But now?
Seeing people affected by their wrongdoing while they just stood there as if it didn't concern them.
I really wanted to chop his head off right now.
"Do you understand these rights as I have explained them to you?"
The innocent reacted the most. This included Jonathan and the other innocent group members who had been arrested.
I watched them crying without any expression on my face.
Deep down I was troubled.
I could say that Jonathan and the others were innocent. I could raise my hand and tell everyone that there were only five people responsible.
"No… I can't risk it. My parents need me. My wife needs me. I am the only provider for the family. I can't stress my wife and risk a miscarriage. I can't go to jail with my friends. My son will soon be born. I have to save myself for the sake of my family."
I held down the hand that wanted to raise itself.
Jonathan noticed it.
Our eyes met.
He stopped crying.
Confusion, anger, and madness started appearing in his eyes one by one.
I don't know why he was mad at me. I was not the cause of it.
"My heart hurts… I can't breathe. Someone out there please tell me what to do!"
I started praying to every god I knew, asking for an answer.
The reading stopped.
Jonathan also stopped crying. His eyes had lost the brightness that was usually present in his everyday life.
Only despair remained.
On their way outside someone asked me,
"Do you have any knowledge about this case?"
Everyone stopped walking. Jonathan stopped as well and looked at me. His eyes gained a little hope.
But when he saw my face, he just bowed his head again, losing all his strength and hopes.
"Nothing."
"I know nothing."