Jonathan's POV
Rollings Designs - 3 A.M
The dawn was moments away as my staff began to arrive and settle in their places.
I had stayed overnight and had called my PA to call the legal team over.
My PA handed me a cup of coffee.
"Mr. Rollings, our legal team is ready for your order."
"Good," I said.
"We'll file today," I said.
"Mr. Rollings all of them or—"
I nodded.
"Every file we have," I said, continuing.
"Every contract, the forged documents, medical bills, payments, everything related to the three Harmon's."
I walked over to the window and gazed into the city skyline.
Everyone else was sleeping peacefully in their beds as I was about to stage a war.
"This time I won't show them any mercy."
"Yes."
My staff and legal team said in unison and began to implement my plan.
Meanwhile, I was still gazing out of the window.
"From now on everything I do is for Veronica and Janet. They will pay for every year they she'd. Every suffering they suffered. I will make them feel the same loneliness they felt."
Courtroom - Morning
I walked in with my legal team and walked over to my side.
Fredrick was seated across the aisle.
Cold and silent as ever.
Imelda was missing.
"Odd," my legal advisor said.
"Ms. Harmon seems to be missing."
"Should that be a concern?" I asked as I didn't think much of it.
"Well," he continued. "If she was in front of us, we would know what she's up to."
I let out a small laughter.
"Don't worry she's no longer the same Imelda."
Seeing my legal advisors confused look.
"Now I'm not beside her," I said.
"I was the confidence she was riding on,"
"Now that I'm gone, she won't have the guts."
Then the judge entered and the case began.
It was a hot brawl between my legal team and Fredrick's.
My team presented the evidence, they counter-attacked.
A point came where I saw Fredrick smile.
The smile of a man who knows he has won.
"Jonathan," he called out to me during lunch time.
"You've been around me for seven years," he continued.
"You should know by now. I will never lose."
"Yes," I said smiling back.
"But that was then,"
"Then when I didn't know what you Harmon's did to my wife and daughter."
"Now, it's pay time."
"We'll see who'll pay to whom then." Fredrick said as the judge came back.
"Mr. Rollings," my lawyer asked.
"On your say."
"No mercy." Was all I said.
The next moment my legal team began to bombard the courtroom with the files, USB drives, contracts, medical bills, transactions, about Clara Hayes and how they used Veronica.
Then my legal team presented the final blow.
Manipulating me by using Adrian's fake DNA report claiming he was my son forcing me to take responsibility for him.
Fredrick's legal team objected to every evidence that was presented.
Result…overruled.
They counter attacked only to fall face down.
Finally after three hours of arguing they gave up and kept quiet the reminder of the time as a furious Fredrick watched the case unfold before him.
"Mr. Rollings."
"Now." I knew what he wanted to ask consent for.
It was afternoon now and my legal team didn't waste anymore time.
"Your honor, we would like to question Sanders Harmon." My lawyer asked.
"Granted." The judge said much to Fredrick's disappointment.
Sanders looked down or rather broken.
Maybe he realized the support he gave Fredrick for the money wasn't worth the while after all.
"Mr. Sanders, did Mr. Fredrick Harmon order you to target Mrs. Veronica Rollings'?"
Sanders paused. He first looked at Fredrick then at me.
He saw my lawyer was holding the contract with the clauses.
"Yes." He replied.
Fredrick looked distorted but somehow was still composed.
"Did you stage the car accident and the kidnapping of Ms. Imelda and Mrs. Veronica that caused Mrs. Veronica to miscarry?"
"I did not!"
"I'll rephrase the question then," my lawyer said.
"Did you stage the car accident and kidnapping of Ms. Imelda and Mrs. Veronica?"
"Yes, but I had no involvement in her miscarriage,"
"I mean they didn't tell me she's pregnant."
"They," my lawyer emphasized.
"And who might they be?"
"Fredrick Harmon," Sanders said.
"He suggested the car accident," he continued.
"Imelda only told the kidnapping to show Veronica Jonathan whom he would favor. The intention was to make Veronica give up on Jonathan."
"And the beating from the kidnappers?"
"I did not!"
"Okay," my lawyer said.
"Then can you please tell the court what part you were involved with?"
"I only bought the driver and the kidnappers. I gave them the time and location. That's all."
"Location?" My lawyer questioned.
"As in you told where and what time the accident could take place, and the abandoned building. Is that it?"
"Yes."
Sanders' voice was so proud I practically wanted to walk over and punch him hard.
"From our evidence, you're the source of the accident and kidnapping," my lawyer said.
"Can you prove you were only involved with the staging and nothing else?"
"Yes," Sanders said. "I have my chat records with them, transactions."
"I can play right now if I can get my phone," Sanders said looking up at the judge.
"Granted." The judge said.
Sanders took his phone from the court clerk, and played two voice messages.
"Uncle, what if she dies? Do you think he'll leave us?"
"Sanders, that's why you're my nephew. He'll never know. Just do as I say and I'll deal with your hotel fighting case."
Then he played another conversation.
"Imelda are you out of your mind? Why'd you have to beat her?"
"I only vented out my anger. And she deserves that. I told her he's Adrian's father, I told her he'll marry me. She still said as long as he loves her she can stay."
"What about the late-night deliveries?" My lawyer asked.
"Those are entirely Imelda's doings. She was transferring the copyrights of Daniel's and Jonathan's designs to her name."
"Why in the middle of the night?"
"Obviously no one would know."
"What work was Mrs. Veronica to do during these deliveries?" My lawyer slowed down on the work word.t n
My body also froze on the fact that I would really know what she had to do and why.
"Simple." Sanders said as if it was nothing much.
"She was in charge of sorting the documents—"
"And this also means if she has to work overnight, she will?" My lawyer cut his words.
"Yes." Sanders replied.
"Continue." my lawyer said.
"After sorting them if there was, she would deliver the documents and bring back the signed or confirmed ones."
My lawyer exhaled.
"Anything else that Mrs. Veronica had to do without her consent?" My lawyer asked.
"Not during the delivery hours."
"What do you mean by that?" My lawyer asked.
"Imelda would invite the clients and officials to the Grand Del for entertainment and stuff."
"Was…" My lawyer trailed off a bit.
"Was Mrs. Veronica ever called to these parties?" He finally asked.
"Yes." Sanders continued as he understood the next question would be for what.
"Usually her job would be to just sit and wait. But at times some clients would ask her to drink with them."
At the time only I knew how I was sitting composed and not raging out at him.
"Did the clients and officials know who Mrs. Veronica was?" My lawyer asked.
"Imelda said she was her maid and had a sick child to take care of."
Now the main question came that I wanted to know from the day I found out she was doing the deliveries.
"Do you know how and why Mrs. Veronica did this work?"
"Of course I do," Sanders said as he leaned comfortably back in his chair.
My fingers curled into fists as he said that.
"Imelda knew Veronica was an orphan"
"She said if this was to leak out, Jonathan's reputation would be destroyed."
I gestured to my lawyer to come over and told him to ask one more thing.
My lawyer nodded and went back.
"Is that all?" My lawyer asked. "As if this was the only reason, it would not be such a big issue."
"So what if a businessman married an orphan?"
"There was more," Sanders said.
"Specify with name to be more clear." My lawyer said
"Imelda also said she had a video of Jonathan and Veronica. Imelda said if this was leaked when everyone believes Jonathan is engaged to her, I mean Imelda, that would destroy Jonathan's image more than the fact he's with an orphan."
"This video you are referring to," my lawyer asked. "Do you know about it?"
"Yes, Imelda showed it to me," Sanders said.
"The video was of them kissing. They were in the parking lot."
"Your honor we would like a recess please." Fredrick's lawyer said getting up.
"Denied," the judge ruled out.
The courtroom erupted in clapping to the rule out.
It was the first time the public reacted since the session began. Up till now they were only gasping, or whispering.
"Do both parties have any further witnesses, or debates left?" The judge asked.
"No." was all that Fredrick's lawyer said.
"No our honor, the prosecution rests the case."
"Five minute recess." The judge said and left to come to a verdict.
After five minutes he returned.
He took his seat and said.
"Frist of all, Mr. Jonathan, regarding Adrian, what is it that you want?" The judge finally asked the question and the main reason I obliged with Imelda over the past seven years.
"Your honor, I adopted him because I thought he was mine. Now that I know he isn't."
I exhaled as this wasn't easy for me.
After all, I practically raised him for seven years.
"I would like to revoke the adoption."
I knew that in itself would say everything I wanted to.
"The adoption rights of Mr. Jonathan towards Adrian are revoked as of this very moment. Adrian may use the Harmon surname."
Now for the main verdict…what I came here for.
"Defendant please rise," The judge said.
Fredrick and his lawyer got up.
The judge exhaled and read out the verdict.
"From the evidence and the witnesses provided by the prosecution team, I have come to the verdict."
"The court finds Fredrick Harmon guilty of fraud, sabotaging, conspiracy, and coercion."
"The court orders all Harmon designs to be fined twenty percent of their value. All assets are to be frozen, accounts seized."
"Imelda Harmon is to attend a virtue academy and learn to respect women. She has to beg Mrs. Rollings for forgiveness."
"And, if Mrs. Veronica intends to pursue this in court, the court grants Mrs. Veronica direct verdict. Her words will be the final verdict for Ms. Imelda."
Sanders was fined a heavy fine for being the accomplice and a year for assaulting Veronica.
Fredrick was immediately handcuffed and led away as his lawyer fell into his chair lost.
I thought I would feel satisfied, but all I felt was exhaustion.
As finally I was relieved of the bondage that kept me away from my family.
The camera's began to flash the moment we stepped out.
"Mr. Rollings, what does the verdict mean for Rollings Designs?" a reporter asked.
"Means we are free from Harmon Designs manipulations."
"And Imelda Harmon?" another reporter asked.
"She's been sent to a virtue academy and my wife Veronica holds her final judgement."
"When will Mrs. Rollings come back?"
That question literally made my heart bleed.
"No comment," I said and walked off as I myself didn't know the answer.
Seven months after the verdict
Rollings Designs - Morning
I had returned back to my office from the hall.
My PA walked in saying, "Harmon Designs is reduced to a shell company,"
"Do we shut them down—"
"No," I said.
"Let her struggle so she can also know how it feels to be powerless."
I walked over to the window.
"Would she be proud?"
"Lena told me to be the king. I am but my castle is empty."
Over the past months I have won design awards.
Got new customers.
No matter how happy I was, it never showed in my eyes.
In fact, I was totally drained.
Even though I was working, even though I was smiling in front of everyone…
Inside..
I was hollow.
No emotions.
No feelings.
I felt like I would fade away any moment.
"Veronica…."
I trailed off.
"Please come back, I won't be able to last long."