Imelda's POV
Harmon Estate - Early Morning
After yesterday's press conference I couldn't sleep all night.
My head was pounding.
All I wanted was to drink a cup of tea.
The words 'Meet my wife Veronica Rollings' passed my ears.
"Turn that off."
"Ms. Imelda, Mr Harmon—"
I cut the maid's words midway.
"I said shut that thing down."
"Yes,"
The screen went black.
It was a routine to put the news every morning so we would know what's going on.
But today…
I didn't want to know.
"My wife…Mrs. Veronica Rollings."
My grip tightened on the handle of my cup.
"Wife."
A short laugh escaped my lips.
A sharp, unpleasant one.
"He didn't even hesitate."
A pause.
"Right from entering to leaving…he didn't look at me."
Another breath.
"He announced it without my consent."
The words settled.
The feeling I got was heavy…unwelcoming.
"Really interesting."
I fixed myself another cup of tea.
I was stirring the sugar, when I recalled the reporter.
"The questions were perfect."
My fingers curled around the handle of the cup.
"His wife serving at parties,"
My lips curved faintly,
"Her living in a run down apartment,"
"And the financial fraud,"
A smile spread across my face, as if I was receiving a trophy.
"The accusations were supposed to be the last nails of the coffin,"
"Then what happened?"
She spoke in a steady voice.
"They were supposed to make him feel guilty, disgusted by announcing her…"
"What went wrong?"
The room was silent.
But inside of me..
A thunder was roaring within me.
"Why did it backfire?"
"He was supposed to reconsider, to withdraw his decision…"
"And what was that about his wife being threatened,"
"The message had my name…."
Pause.
Brief moment silence.
Then I let out a pathetic laugh.
"All along I thought I was using him for my benefits,"
"All along I thought I had him where I wanted."
"The reality was…"
"He was using me to protect Veronica,"
"He had me where he wanted."
I exhaled.
"Fine,"
"You took the first move."
"In that case,"
I wasn't hesitant and I didn't have any doubt in my mind as well.
"Before I only wanted you to be mine,"
"I don't think wanting someone is wrong,"
"But now, I will have you."
"You planned, decided, declared,"
My gaze lowered slightly.
"I never knew you were so cunning and calculative,"
"You're more interesting than I thought."
"For now I was only after you for your name, but now it's for you."
"Though I preferred the older Jonathan as he never did anything without my consent,"
"But I should like every version of you, right?"
"Great," Father said as he walked in.
"Just sit here and enjoy your tea," Father said.
"While our stocks hit rock bottom."
"Do you know how badly you miscalculated?"
"I told you he seems different," Father said.
"I told you he may announce that woman,"
"But no," he continued.
"You just had to use your brains, which obviously you don't have."
"One move?"
"Was that all you planned?"
Silence fell in the room.
"Now he has exposed a threat that can take Harmon Designs down,"
"Do you know the meaning of allowing that woman to live in the world?"
"Things were already complicated with her gone, now…"
"Then simplify them," I finally spoke up.
A pause.
"Honestly," Father said.
"I never raised my hand on you, don't make me start now."
Another pause.
"Imelda since when did you allow things to become personal?"
"Is this what I taught you?"
Again a pause.
"And because of that, we'll lose him."
"We won't," I said.
"Now now, not ever,"
I walked out and drove off to my office.
Harmon Designs - Later in the morning.
The news was playing on the TV screen in front of me.
I leaned forward.
Placed my chin in between my hands.
"You must have gained a lot of public sympathy by now."
"Maybe even getting calls from people who last saw her,"
Then I made a quiet conclusion in my mind.
"So you want to give your name, your love, your money to Veronica."
"She's the victim,"
"Your wife, your family."
"Then we'll just adjust to what you are doing.
"By now you must be well aware of this fact…"
"Reputations are flexible,"
"You can bend them anyway you want."
"Perception….is only a temporary factor."
A faint smile escaped my lips.
"You think you're out of my control,"
"Reality,"
"I only delayed pressing the buttons."
"But what do I do?"
I got up the moment I saw father walk in.
Fredrick entered the office walking chest out, head held high, just like a king.
"Father," I quickly went around the desk and came towards the chair in front of the CEO chair, and gestured to my father to sit in the CEO chair.
"Pressure won't work on him anymore," father said as he sat.
"He will resist us from now on."
Father remained silent for a brief moment.
"Now, you'll have to change your perspective,"
"Pressure won't work now."
"He'll resist it."
"Pressuring him will only make matters worst,"
"Now you should remind him,"
"Remind him?" I asked with pinched eyebrows.
"What do I remind him?"
"What he chose seven years ago,"
"What he needed then,"
"But father," I spoke up.
"He has the Blue Heart,"
"Now why will he cooperate with us?"
"He still doesn't have the main thing,"
"Use it to your benefit."
"His main thing?"
"Of course," I said, recalling.
"Father, don't worry we won't lose Jonathan."
As my father left, I called my secretary to call Jonathan over.
I was a little anxious, but it faded the moment I saw him walking into my office.
"Jonathan," I said, getting up.
"I knew you would come."
"You're secretary told she had a file related to Veronica, otherwise—"
I cut his words midway.
"Then how was I supposed to get you to come?"
"Anyways," I softened my tone.
"I'm really sorry, I didn't know you got a threat back then,"
A trail line followed.
Soft, measured one.
"Because of me Veronica had to suffer for seven years,"
"She had to live like a widow, and in that poor apartment,"
"If only I had known…"
I purposely trailed off.
"All I wanted was to get the Blue Heart back for you,"
I shed a few tears.
"And only wanted my son to be called a legit child,"
"Was I wrong in wanting that?"
"All the while, I thought I was helping you,"
"You were protecting me."
My eyes were full of hope.
"Just fall for my hope."
"I never knew someone would use me to harm Veronica."
I adjusted my body composure.
I made sure my eyes were soft and my voice was full of love enough to convince him.
I stepped forward.
"Jonathan…"
He stepped a few steps back.
"Why did you call me here?"
I exhaled as he was not only direct with me, but cold.
"I wanted to talk to you,"
"Is that a problem?"
"We have nothing to talk about."
A pause.
"Jonathan, this isn't you,"
"The before Jonathan would—"
He cut my words midway.
"The before Jonathan would talk to you about work, and everything that's going on at Rollings Designs,"
"Well," he said. "The Jonathan standing in front of you is the real Jonathan."
"Jonathan?" I said feigning being hurt by his words.
"How could you say that?"
"I stood by you for seven years,"
"Does that not count for anything?"
"I protected you from the business vultures,"
"I gave you allies to work with,"
"Is this what I get in return?"
I stilled.
"You stood cause you created situations that allowed you to,"
"Had you gone as planned,"
"I and Veronica would have been together five years ago."
"Business vultures?" he said with a crooked smile.
"I was the one protecting you,"
"Remember all the parties?" he said.
"The one's where I drank until I vomited blood…just so you wouldn't have to drink?"
"Jonathan," I said, holding my hand out.
"You're wrong,"
"I didn't."
He still didn't falter.
He didn't hesitate to speak his mind.
He didn't soften on hearing my voice.
"Jonathan," I spoke. "You've changed."
"No," he said.
"I haven't," he continued.
"I just never was myself in front of you, that's all."
A pause followed.
"The only difference is now I'm the one choosing,"
Another silence followed.
"For the first time in the past seven years, I'm choosing Veronica above everything else,"
"Something I should have done five, no, seven years ago."
I stepped a few steps back.
As…
His words were clear, final.
With those as his last words, he walked towards the door.
He suddenly stopped.
"He's repenting?"
"Another thing," he said as he held the door knob.
"Don't ever use even her name from now on, or else."
He walked out, shutting the door behind him.
Flashback of a few incidents
Veronica was burning with fever.
He was trapped in the traffic jam with me in the car.
And then…
The door opened,
He ran out in the rain leaving me behind.
He didn't hesitate even for a second to leave me.
He stayed with her for three days and three nights.
Not one call from him.
Another time;
She was serving at a party.
A client's hand touched her waist.
Then a loud sound echoed through the hall.
Blood everywhere.
The man was half-dead.
Jonathan had to spend two days in jail.
"Don't let Veronica know, I don't want her to worry."
Present
"What about me?"
"What about the worry I had for you?"
I let out a slow breath.
"Fine, since you want to choose her,"
"Then we'll play it your way."
I picked my phone and dialed a number.
"Find Veronica for me,"
"Ms. Imelda," the voice said.
"We don't know—"
I cut his words.
"The find out,"
"And I want everything about her,"
"Where she's living, what she's doing, her movements, connections, everything."
"Yes, Ms. Imelda."
The voice said and disconnected the call.
A faint cold smile slipped on my lips.
"If you want to make Veronica your strength,"
"Then I'll just have to make her fall again,"
"This time she'll regret the day she married you."
"By then the only choice you'll have is to come back to me."
"And if you don't, you can go down with her."
"Veronica, we'll soon meet again."