Jonathan's POV
Apartment - Early morning
I woke up to the same ceiling. The paint was chipping.
Even though I started painting the entire building every year, I never got my apartment painted as I wanted it to be exactly the way she left it.
It's been seven years since Veronica left me.
I've been living here for more than a decade now.
Janet was around four when I rented this apartment.
After Veronica left, I had sold the mansion I made and never bought another posh house again.
Ever since then this has been my home. The place where Veronica left me is where I wait for her.
I got out of my bed and walked to the bathroom.
The door creaked.
"Looks like you need a repair."
My eyes glanced at the calendar and stopped at the year.
"Seven years have gone by," I said to myself.
I exhaled as I could not believe the time had passed by as I still felt like it was just yesterday I woke up to this empty apartment.
Time had passed on. I was still there…
Waiting for her.
I looked at myself in the mirror.
My hair had turned grey at the temples. I had lines on my face.
Most said it was because I didn't take care of my health and only focused on their return.
I won't deny that, but I am forty-two now.
I wondered how Veronica was.
She must be now thirty-seven.
I wonder if she ever thought of me in the past seven years.
I splashed water on my face and took a look at myself once again.'
"So, you're still waiting for her."
I said to myself.
"Keep waiting. Do you even deserve to wait for her?"
To be honest I no longer recognized the man in the mirror.
I even wondered if Veronica would pass by me as she would not recognize me.
Maybe that would be the best.
I walked to the kitchen and made myself a cup of coffee.
The same, one spoon, no sugar.
Before Veronica used to make it. She knew I didn't like sugar in my coffee.
For some odd reason, when she used to make it…
It never felt bitter.
My gaze fell on the cup handle.
I recalled her hands.
She had the prettiest hands I ever saw.
Even though they had calluses they were still the most beautiful hands ever.
I walked back to the table and placed the cup on the table.
Janet's old paintings were still in the fridge.
I used to wipe them daily to make sure they don't get spoiled.
They had faded now, especially the edges had turned yellow.
I never took them down as I hoped before the time comes they won't be able to stick there, new ones can take their place.
And now apart from these paintings, I had nothing left of my daughter.
After locking the door I walked towards my car.
The neighborhood hadn't changed over the years.
Except for the fact the neighbors began to call me and made me part of the community.
I stopped at the spot where I stood when I found out she left in a taxi.
This is also one of my habits.
It lets me remember what I lost and why.
At first I used to think about ways to find her and how to win her back.
But after Lena's letter, I'm only waiting for the day she's ready.
Though I'm not sure if she will still forgive me.
Over the years I've learned to live with this uncertainty.
I exhaled as I got into my car and drove off to my office.
Hope was the only thing that was keeping me alive.
All I knew over the years was wait for her to come.
Rollings Designs - Early morning
As I stopped my car, the gate boy came over to open the door.
I got out and gave him the keys to park the car as I walked inside.
The staff around me greeted me, as I greeted them back.
"Good morning, Mr. Rollings,"
"Good morning."
There were some new faces among my old staff.
There was a time during the court case, I was losing stocks, and reputation.
I did offer my staff a leave with three months pay if anyone wanted to leave.
No one ever left me.
They all stayed back as they believed in me.
The building was now bigger as I had built four floors above the twenty floors I already had.
Now I had more customers, more clients.
My revenue was in billions.
Success was like the back of my hand…never leaving.
But without Veronica and Janet all of this was useless.
I had built an empire and became the king, but my queen and princess weren't beside me.
I had even made two wills.
One would get executed the day I die in old age with Veronica and Janet beside me.
The other would get executed the day I find out she won't forgive me.
The first one was the typical one.
After my death in old age, everything I have belongs to Veronica and Janet.
The second in case she doesn't forgive me,
I would leave everything to them and disappear never to bother them again.
I sat behind my desk and glanced at the photo of Veronica and Janet.
I looked at Janet.
She was seven at the time.
I picked the frame and wiped it with my hand.
"You must have grown up now." I said voice breaking.
"You were only seven when you left. Now you must be a young woman."
"I wonder if you still paint?"
"Do you still laugh the same way as you used to when you were small?"
Tears rolled down my cheeks as I recalled everything I missed with Janet.
Her first day at school, because Imelda said it was Adrian's first day as well. Her first art show, because it was Adrian's sports day. Her every parent-teacher meeting because to the world I was dead.
I found out after Veronica left, all of this was pre-planned by Imelda.
She paid the principals to make the date's collide with Janet's and purposely made me miss her important days.
And now over these seven years, again I missed her transformation from a little girl to a young woman.
Something I will never get to experience in my life.
"Mr. Rollings," my secretary said, opening the door.
"Mr. Staf is here."
Daniel walked in from behind her with a bright smile on his face.
Seven years back Daniel came forward as a foe, then an ally, then a friend.
To finally have a brother.
"What's the matter?" Daniel said.
"You don't look good."
"I'm fine," I said with a weak smile.
"You know I won't hide anything from you."
"Yes," Daniel said. "And I know you say this everytime,"
"But—"
I cut his words midway.
"Because it's the truth."
He didn't push any further.
He never did.
He knew I had a stubborn personality.
He also knew waiting for Veronica was the only thing keeping me alive.
With Daniel by my side over these years, I have been thankful to God for giving me a brother in his form.
Daniel actually came to sign a document that was for our upcoming auction.
He left after a little chit-chat.
As he left, I was once again alone in my office.
I opened the side drawer to remove the stamp and my gaze fell on the letters.
I tried so hard but I could never find Lena.
She was the one who sent the letter saying she will come back.
Whether she was playing with me, or she was serious about what she wrote,
I believed in her, and hoped what she said was genuine.
After all, she's the only reason I'm still sane enough to wait for her.
And the fact that Veronica and Janet were safe, healthy and living well off, was more than enough for me.
Lena was the one person I owe my gratitude to the woman I never met.
As she's the only one who's been keeping the hope alive for me.
Rollings Designs - Late afternoon
I was busy reviewing some files when my PA walked in holding an envelope.
"Mr. Rollings," he said, placing the envelope on the table.
"This just came in," he said.
"Same, no name, no address,"
I instantly picked the envelope.
With that he left as he knew who the letter came from and wanted to give me some time alone.
I stared at the envelope for a long time till I noticed my hand was trembling holding it.
Now I recognized the handwriting…it was Lena's.
This letter came after seven years.
Seven years of silence.
Why now?
I opened it slowly.
For me it was no less of a bomb.
It could explode at my face, or it could be a flower popping out.
I removed the small folded paper and unfolded it.
One line, the same as the last time.
I held my breath when I read the words.
The words were like someone was applying an ointment on my wound.
The time has come and she's ready to come back.
Tears rolled down my cheeks.
Seven years of waiting.
Seven years of enduring the pain of being alone.
But at the same time I was worried.
Seven years of what?
To forgive me?
Or to take revenge on me?
And in these seven years what if she met someone who truly deserves her?
Then?
One thing I was certain of…
She is coming back as Lena would never write unless it was true.
Reality, if anyone asked how I felt…
Thirty percent were happy she'd forgive me.
Seventy percent was afraid she's coming back to break up with me.
All of a sudden Lena came to my mind.
I would finally meet her.
Lena was the one who protected Veronica and Janet.
But she was also Marcus's assistant who went into hiding after Fredrick killed him in a hit-and-run.
She has been on the run ever since.
She was willing to trust me.
Or was she using them to get back at Fredrick?
Even so, I do own her for the hope she gave me.
And now I also knew I owe her as well.
Fredrick has one more debt to pay and I will make sure he does.
The day ended and I went back to my apartment.
Apartment - Later in the evening
I walked inside my apartment, and for the first time after the court case, I recalled the letter she left for me.
Once ours, now only Janet's mother.
Up till Lena's letter came, I thought I had lost her forever.
But Lena's words made me think otherwise.
After eating my dinner, I went to my bedroom.
I lifted the quilt from the side I slept on.
The other side still had the same bed sheet from seven years ago.
I didn't move it.
For me it still had her scent. Her warmth.
Whenever I missed her, I would roll over and feel like she was hugging me back.
I knew I didn't deserve her forgiveness, but the selfish me just wouldn't give up.
For the first time in seven years, I had a dream of Veronica.
Dream:
I heard a knock so I went over to open the door.
My eyes shot wide open as I saw Veronica standing before me.
"Jonathan, how could you think I'd ever leave you?"
Then she faded away.
I jolted upright on the bed with my arm held out as I called out, "Veronica!"
Then I calmed down a bit.
"I never did, but how can I not think you don't want me anymore."