Jonathan's POV
Rollings Designs - Late evening
The hall was a little chaotic as my staff was gathering their things for the day, and leaving one by one. But I decided to stay back for the night.
The letter from yesterday was still in the drawer where I kept it yesterday. I hadn't touched it since. Not because I couldn't, but because there was no need to.
My soul had already absorbed the words.
She will come back.
I leaned back into my chair and gazed at the ceiling.
My phone buzzed, pulling me out of my thoughts.
The screen read: Daniel
I received the call.
"Hello," my voice was low.
"Jonathan," he said without any greeting. "I just found something you have to see."
"Sure, where—"
He didn't even let me complete my sentence.
"D. S. Studios. Right now."
The call got disconnected.
I didn't hesitate and quickly grabbed my coat from the chair, picked my keys and drove off through the empty streets.
Even though the streets were quiet, my mind was full of voices.
As I stopped my car at the entrance, I saw Daniel was already waiting for me. His face was pale. He looked disoriented but not scared. More like someone just found out the ground beneath them had been pulled away.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Is there a problem?"
"Follow me."
Again no greeting, just walked back inside with me following him.
On entering his office I noticed it was a mess, not the type I usually see as he always has sketches, drafts, and color pencils scattered around his desk.
Today was more of a destruction mess. The chair was overturned. His daughter Jenny's photo frame lay on the floor as his fiancée's lay broken on the desk.
"Daniel…" I asked in a worried tone.
He stopped behind his desk and pointed to a file that sat on the desk.
A brown, unmarked file with worn-out edges.
"The security just called me after seeing this mess," he said.
"As you can see someone came here," he continued. "I quickly checked the safe and found this. You remember the safe I have behind the painting. Seems like the person thought of checking the photo frames, but not the painting."
"What is it?" I asked him as I picked the file up.
Since I met him, today was the first time I saw him with empty eyes.
"It's the truth we didn't know about."
I opened the file to see the content.
Inside the file
Daniel,
If you're reading this, it means you still live here and you did not betray me. But now it's too late for us as now I have a son Adrian and a fiancé Jonathan.
Though I had no intention of telling you this as you betrayed me, I think you should know.
I left you because father was right, you were after my money. But still the time I was with you, I really loved you. And my father gave me two choices. One to leave you and give him your designs. Two he'll destroy you.
He has proof of your betrayal. Photos with your girl, documents you made to get my sign to transfer Harmon shares to your name. Witnesses who claim you paid them to make sure I can't contact my father. All this is enough to put you in jail.
Whatever you did, I loved you. I can't see you in jail.
Initially I thought father wanted to save me and use the designs as leverage to protect me, but he only wanted your designs.
However, you betrayed me, I stole your designs, we're equal.
Imelda.
My hands froze as I held the letter.
"She wrote this?" I said.
"Yes, after Adrian was born," Daniel nodded. "Before she became what she is now,"
"The Blue Heart design was in those designs. And this is also the reason I resented you." Daniel added as his voice was tight with lingering resentment.
I exhaled as I flipped the letter.
The next page was a contract.
The contract was between Fredrick Harmon and Sanders Harmon
Date: 12.06.2020
The language used was cold, but legal and the meaning of every word was crystal clear.
Clause 1: The contract stated Sanders would pretend to be a reckless violent cousin.
Clause 2: He would create public incidents that could trace back to Imelda as instigator.
Clause 3: He will take blame whenever Fredrick needs him to.
Clause 4: He will target Veronica Rollings whenever Fredrick tells to.
Clause 5: In return, Fredrick will fund his lifestyle and protect him from any prosecution.
Signed by Sanders Harmon and Fredrick Harmon.
Clause four and five are where my blood practically froze.
I read them again in so I could understand them clearly.
Sanders Harmon agreed to act as the public coercion against Veronica under Fredrick's instructions. All actions will be disavowed by Fredrick, but will be rewarded in private.
I read them again.
And again.
"Sanders didn't attack Veronica because he was after her," Daniel said, "He did everything because Fredrick made him do it."
I looked up at Daniel.
"But why?" I asked. "Why did Fredrick target her?"
Daniel pulled out a photo from the back of the file I was holding.
The photo was old, faded and creased. I saw a young woman who was standing in front of the university I studied at.
On a closer look, I was shocked…
It was Veronica smiling who was seeing me off as I was walking with my back towards the photo.
"Fredrick knew about you and Veronica long before she came in front as your wife," Daniel said. "He knew you were going to make a big name in designing, he knew she was your girlfriend, he knew you would marry her, he/ knew she had no family, no protection. He knew if he could control her, he could control you."
My chest tightened.
"The forced late-night deliveries," I whispered. "The kidnapping, the miscarriage, the beatings, forcing her to work. The casino night."
"Every single one of them," Daniel said. "Was orchestrated, executed and denied by Fredrick."
I slammed the file on the desk.
I took a step forward as I said, "I'm going to kill him."
"NO," Daniel said, grabbing my arm. "You will destroy him but in a different way."
He picked another file and opened it. The file contained signed documents and bank transfers.
"Fredrick didn't only use Sanders," Daniel said. "He documented everything. Right from every order to every payment."
"Of course somewhere along the way Sanders rose and made his own wealth, enough to even fund Fredrick when needed." Daniel said.
"But why keep these proofs?" I asked.
"Because Fredrick is one person who doesn't trust anyone. For that matter he doesn't even trust himself. Imelda told me he always keeps files on everyone. In case they turn against him one day, he needs something he can use to bury them."
"And this…" I held the file up.
"This is going to be his grave," Daniel said. "That's if we use it the right way. And that's definitely not by killing him."
I flipped the rest of the pages.
More names.
More payments.
Some I recognized.
They were businessmen, lawyers and even judges. Fredrick had built his web over decades. That's why now I realized that Veronica was never a target, she was only a thread he used to pull me towards him.
"She wasn't a random choice," I said softly.
"Obviously not," Daniel agreed. "The reason she was chosen was cause she loved you. And Fredrick knew it's easy to control a man if you have control over his woman."
I stumbled backwards until my back hit the desk stopping me.
Seven years as a secret wife.
Seven years of my life saw Veronica suffering, of watching Janet grow up without a father who could not acknowledge her in the public.
All of this was one person's web.
I looked around.
"What's the matter?" Daniel said worried.
"I need to sit," I said.
I fell in the chair as Daniel pulled it towards me.
"Relax," Daniel said. "We will end this, but not with violence, with truth and facts."
I looked up at him as my arms rested on my lap.
"How?"
He picked the file up.
"We will release everything that's in this file. Not in one go. Bit by bit. This way Fredrick won't know what hit him. We won't give him the chance to prepare."
"And Imelda?" I asked as I wasn't certain if he still loved her or not.
Daniel was quiet for a long moment and almost made me think he still loves her.
"She wrote the letter herself," he finally said. "She knew about her father. She knew but still went along. If she trusted me, she should have confronted me instead of believing a photo. In my books, she may not be the mastermind, but she's no less of an accomplice and is definitely not innocent."
"She hurt me, you, Veronica," he said.
"Hurting Janet is one thing," he continued. "But Adrian? He's her own son. She kept him from his father, and made you take the responsibility."
"Jonathan," he said. "She'll have to answer for this. But first we have to take the ring master down."
I nodded in acceptance.
"Then let's get working."
Imelda's POV
Harmon Estate - same time
I sat alone in my room in the dark.
The TV was off. My phone was on silent. The servants had also retired to their quarters for the day.
Father hadn't spoken to me the whole day. He locked himself in his study. He didn't even look at me.
Because I lost my control over Jonathan.
Because Veronica's work all went to waste.
And Daniel who left me now came back big.
I let out a small hollow laugh.
"So you both think you've won," I whispered to myself. "You think by exposing me, you'll get your way."
My phone screen flashed with a notification.
A message:
He knows about Sanders
I froze for a brief moment.
I typed back:
Who knows what?
The reply came fast:
Everything.
My phone fell from my hands.
For the first time in my life I didn't know who was behind it.
If Jonathan had the original file, then father would lose more than just his business.
And I would as well.
I got up and began to pace the room. My shadow was following me like a ghost I couldn't escape from. I stopped by the mirror. My reflection stared back at me. All I could see was a hollow, tired and unfamiliar person.
"When did I become like this?
"Where's the energetic girl who ran away with Daniel? When did I become…this?
The TV screen turned on. It was connected to the CCTV in Adrian's room and would turn on every ten minutes in the night.
Not to make sure he's asleep, but in case some burglar came to rob.
Seeing him sleeping peacefully, made me think.
He's unaware of the world that's about to collapse around him. And he never asked for any of this.
As his mother, I used him as a pawn for my own benefits.
Just like father used me.
This realization hit me harder than I expected.
I let out a pathetic laugh.
"I truly am my father's daughter."
I picked up my phone and dialed his number.
He didn't receive it.
I dialed again.
Again nothing.
I walked over to the study. On trying to open the door, I found out it was locked.
"Father!"
No voice.
"Father, I need to talk!"
I heard movement from inside.
Then his cold distant voice.
"Go back to your room Imelda."
"I need to talk to—"
I stood outside of the door for a long time with my hand resting on the steel cold door knob. On the other side of this door was the man who raised me, shaped me and made me into the weapon I was today.
And now the creator wants nothing to do with me.
I walked back to my dark room.
The whole night I couldn't sleep.
How could I?
Out there somewhere Jonathan was gearing up to attack me.
And maybe Daniel would be on his side.
And if this really happens…
There'll be nothing left for me.
Jonathan's POV
Rollings Designs - Around 3 AM
I was seated in my chair as I couldn't sleep.
The papers from the file were scattered before me on my desk. I made copies of them to go through them as Daniel took the file to a safer location.
I picked my phone up and dialed my PA's number.
"Mr. Rollings," my PA said, yawning.
"Is everything alright?"
"Get the legal team to come over. Now."
"Mr. Rollings, it's three—"
"Now."
"Okay,"
Then my gaze fell on the photo I received in my mail at the apartment.
It was a photo.
A recent one, at most a month old.
Veronica and Janet were in some park. Janet was holding a paintbrush seated with a canvas of a landscape before her as Veronica was smiling at her.
Again no sender name or address.
But now I knew they were safe, alive and most of all…
Happy.
In the corner of the photograph's dark corner, was a barely visible handwritten note.
She doesn't know yet you know. I haven't told her. Not until she's ready.
There were some words at the back too.
Same handwriting.
You never betrayed her. You were also used the same way she was. Now if you want her back, be the king who deserves the queen.
I read the line over and over again.
Until I finally replaced it with the previous letter in the drawer.
"This person knows we both were used by them."
"She…no doubt is the queen."
"But me?"
I was questioning myself.
"Can I really be her king?"
Two different notes, same handwriting.
One promise.
I leaned back into my chair as I exhaled.
The legal team arrived within an hour.
The real work had begun the moment I called for them.
I wasn't only going to expose Fredrick and Imelda…but dismantle them piece by piece. The way he dismantled my and Veronica's marriage.
They way they made my daughter miss a complete family's love.
They took seven years but I would take only seven months.
I picked up my phone and dialled Daniel.
"The team has come."
"Good," he said. "I'm coming over as I found something else while I was clearing the locker. I think it's the biggest find we can get on them."
"What?"
Daniel disconnected the call saying he won't tell on the phone.
Daniel didn't waste even a second and spoke the moment he entered the hall.
"I have a name. The person is definitely the one who sent the first letter and the photo," he said continuing.
"She's probably the one who's been watching over them and keeping them safe."
"Who?" I instantly got up.
"Relax," Daniel said, placing his hands on my shoulder making me sit back.
Daniel paused for a brief moment.
"Lena Cross."
I sat upright as soon as I heard her name.
"Marcus Vane's assistant?" I was shocked as she was the last person I would think could help anyone, let alone Veronica.
"Everyone thought she disappeared, but she only went into hiding to protect Veronica."
"You mean to say—"
"Yes, the same person who got Marcus killed."
Silence fell in the hall.
"Fredrick."
"You bet," Daniel confirmed.
"Then we need to get in contact with her," I said leaning forward.
"We have to know Veronica's whereabouts before they find out,"
"I know," Daniel said. "I'm already on it."
The sun was beginning to rise outside the window. Orange light crept through the blinds.
We both exhaled as we knew this was a new day.
A new battle.
But this time we won't be fighting alone.
We had our allies.