Imelda's POV
I was so furious at what Jonathan had done, that my nails dug into my palms as I kept recalling what he did at the party. One careless move, and he would have destroyed it with that one announcement.
Thankfully I called father, and he also came at the right time and saved the day. Had Jonathan gotten his chance, he would have destroyed seven years of my hard work.
"Miss Imelda." our maid called through the door. "Sir is calling for you."
"Great, that's all that I need." I said. "Okay, tell father I'll be there."
"Yes miss." she said through the door.
As I stood in front of my father's room door, I took a deep breath.
Even after all these years, standing at his door made my heart race faster.
Father was never the man who forgave mistakes. For him his status was more important than family.
And no one knows this better than me.
Tonight, I had made a grave mistake that could have put the family's reputation at risk.
He was one man everyone wanted to avoid.
"May I enter?" I called through the door.
"Come in." Father called.
My father was a tall, well-built man. No one would say he's in his sixties.
"Father." I said in a low voice as he hates anyone speaking above his tone.
"If I hadn't been told," he said.
Though his voice was calm, I was still trembling as his calm voice was more frightening than his anger. He only used this tone when he was really disappointed.
"Today the Harmon name would have become a shame. Was it not enough Daniel made you see the face of jail, now you want me to be embarrassed in front of those people who dare not meet my eyes?"
"Father!" I tried to plead."
"Imelda," he said. "You said he was in your hands. What's going on? If I hadn't come in time, he would have blurted out that she's his wife. Do you know where that would put you, and that brat of yours?"
"Father," I said, a little annoyed. "She's my daughter as much as I—"
"Don't you dare compare that brat with you." he said in a loud voice. "You are born to a husband and a legally married wife. And, not like that brat to a run-away mother and a scum father, who wouldn't even accept she was his daughter." He scoffed. "He even had the nerve of telling you to prove she's his."
Father got up and walked towards me.
"Imelda," he said. "Remember how you had Adrian, and how I made it possible for him to have a father."
Of course I remembered.
Father's original plan was to be engaged for five years, get married for one year. Making Adrian a legal child.
But I changed that part as I had other plans…
It's been seven years since then.
It was our first real victory since we began.
"Yes father." I said.
As I came back to my room, I sat in my rocking chair and drifted into a flashback.
The faint creaking of the rock chair was filling the empty room. I slowly started drifting back to a past I had totally forgotten.
Flashback
I was in college when I met Daniel Staf. He was my professor and the fact we had a student-teacher relationship was enough to anger father. But being the persistent type, I didn't falter and ran away with Daniel, thinking I was going to live a dream life.
"Imelda," Daniel said as we were waiting to get on the bus. "Are you sure? Once we leave, there's no coming back. Can you really leave your father, and your wealthy life and live a commoner life with me?"
"Daniel," I said as I held onto his arm. "Look (I showed him my bank book, credit cards, and jewelry in my bag), this will help us build a new life."
"What??" he said as he took the bag away from me.
He went to the phone booth as we were in a small urban area.
"Hello, officer?" he said on the phone. "There's a suspicious bag here." And disconnected the call.
"Let's go!" he said, pulling me onto the bus.
As he made me sit down, I said with shocked eyes.
"Daniel, what did you do? My bag!" I said.
"Imelda," he said. "I may not be able to buy you a diamond ring, but I will buy you a wedding band with my own hard earned money."
From there we went to another small town and began a new life. We got married in front of a father, and soon I was expecting our baby.
Then one day, he went out to never come back.
The dream broke and I was left pregnant with Adrian.
At that time I thought my life was over.
The wealthy daughter of Harmon Designs returned back–pregnant. She was abandoned by the man she ran off with.
The humiliation spread through the city like a wildforest fire.
The police found me, seven months pregnant. They took me back home.
On coming back, I found out it was all planned. After leaving the bus-stand, his man came and took out the cash, and jewelry. The police only found the cards.
Since then they've been tracking his every move, and finally found the chance when he left me, to come and get me. As they were afraid, he might hurt me.
After coming home, I gave birth to Adrian, but till date father never acknowledged him as his grand-son. Even if he's called a Harmon, it's only in name, he can't use it officially.
To father, he's only a mistake that should have never been born.
That's why I agreed to my father's plan. At the time Jonathan was a rising businessman who had a bright future. Father carefully played the cards, and got Adrian to accept him as his son.
And now Janet was also going to be called a Rollings.
Back To Present
My phone vibrated.
It was from her school.
"Hello," I said on the phone. "Yes, miss?"
"Miss Imelda," the teacher said on the phone. "Please come over. Adrian is injured. He's being treated at the infirmary."
"What?" I was shocked.
My grip tightened on the steering wheel mixed with anger and panic, as I was driving towards his school.
Adrian rarely ever caused trouble at school. Ever since Joanthan stepped up as his father, he had changed for the better. Something serious must have happened to make the principal call me.
I quickly got into my car and drove as fast as I could.
"Adrian!!" I called as I entered the infirmary.
"Miss Imelda," the doctor said, smiling. "He's resting."
"Miss Imelda," the principal came along. "Let's head over to my office.
As I sat in the chair, the dean also sat in his chair and turned his laptop screen towards me.
I saw Adrian was playing in the park, his ball went towards the parking lot, so he went over to retrieve it.
A car stopped, and a man stepped out.
"DAD!!" He jumped to hug the man.
My breath got caught in my throat.
Adrian only saw him once, yet after so many years, he recognized him instantly.
This made me think how dangerous a child's instincts really can be.
My eyes were wide in shock as I recognized the man—Daniel.
"You're not mine, that's why I left your mother." He snarled as he pushed him away and walked off.
Adrian's elbow hit the pavement causing him to get hurt.
Adrian sat there for a few moments confused, and stunned clearly as to why the man whom he called father refused to acknowledge him, when it was the truth.
Watching him sit there like that made my fingers curl into a fist in anger.
I wasn't so shocked on seeing Daniel as much as the fact—he recognized Adrian.
"Mr Demello," I asked. "Why did he come here?"
"His fiance's daughter studies here," he said. "Today is the third time he came to pick her up, and the first time your son saw him."
"Mr DeMello," I said. "Please make sure he never comes close to him."
"Okay," DeMello said as I took leave.
As I got in the car and saw my son sleeping peacefully in the back, I sighed.
His small face looked calm as if he had forgotten about what happened a few moments back.
Children are strangely resilient in ways we cannot understand.
But I knew such wounds never truly disappear.
"Honestly, his heart is a rock, and once a rock is always a rock."
I barely came back home, a notification popped on my screen.
Claire's school sent the result sheet.
My blood boiled in fury.
Janet Rollings-95%.
other student name-93%.
other student name-90%.
other student name-80%.
Adrian Rollings-73%.
I gripped the steering wheel in anger.
"So, you think you can overshadow my son." I said with a tight jaw. "I'll make you see your rightful place just like I made your mother see. Janet Rollings, you might have taken the first place today. But she forgot something very important. In this world talent has no value without power."
And power…
It was something her mother didn't have.