Jonathan's POV
Imelda had been pestering me for not looking after the work, so today I finally went.
On coming back home, I held my coat out and released it.
It fell to the ground.
A small painful laugh came out of my mouth.
Before, when I used to leave a message on the home phone Veronica would be standing here to take my coat.
I walked over and played the phone messenger.
Another laugh as the only message was of me to Veronica that I was coming home.
Then as I sat at the table and picked the jug to pour myself some water…the jug was empty. I looked at the night stand, Janet's school bag was missing.
"Damn you," I said, throwing the glass on the carpet.
"Nicky," I said as tears welled in my eyes. "So, you really left me?"
"In sickness, and health, rich or poor ... .what happened…"
Another laugh came out of my mouth…this time a pathetic one.
"Whether she was sick, or she needed money…she never said a word."
"One word, and I'd know she needed me…I would…."
I didn't even bother to make something to eat.
Eating was the least thing on my mind now.
When I fell asleep on the sofa, I don't know.
The next morning as I was getting ready, I needed to take along an important file.
But even after searching the home for an hour, I couldn't find it.
Flashback
"Jonathan…" Veronica said, smiling. "It's always in front of you, yet—"
"Yeah, yeah…" I said annoyed. "If I had to do all this, then what are you here for?"
Present
The next morning I woke up and went straight to the bathroom, and took a bath.
I held my hand out towards the towel rack…it was empty.
I came out dripping wet as I picked the towel from the bed, where it had been laying since yesterday.
Then my eyes drifted towards the bed.
No clothes.
She always arranged clothes according to the meeting, or routine I had.
Now…none.
Just then my phone buzzed.
"Mr. Rollings…" my secretary said, hesitating on the phone. "Thank god you answered. The board meeting…do I reschedule it?"
"Board meeting?"
Then I recalled that today I had called for a board meeting early in the morning at eight.
Usually it was Veronica who used to wake me up.
"Damn it," I cursed. "Nicky…damn it."
"Okay," I said on the phone. "Schedule it for this afternoon."
Rollings Designs
"Where's the quotation data?"
I said throwing the file over the table.
"Mr. Rollings…" My assistant said, as he was wiping sweat from his forehead. "Miss Harmon always decides the quotation rates."
"Yes," I said as I put my hand on the table. "Then the file arrives here. Now where is the damn file?"
"Ah…"
"SPEAK!"
"Mr. Rollings," he said. "Miss Harmon had the tendency to forget to send the files."
"Yes," I said, annoyed. "That's not the first time. Every time we need to bring the file ourselves."
I leaned back.
"Usually the Harmon staff calls for Miss Smith…"
I looked up at him with a cold glare.
"Mr. Rollings," he said. "Miss Smith had resigned. That's why I said last time, isn't it possible for you to hire another personal assistant. I mean…"
"Leave," I said. "Let me think."
"Personal assistant," A pathetic laugh came out. "The reason she did her work with such dedication was because she knew how to handle things better than others."
Today I realized another fact.
I actually made her go and fetch the files from Imelda.
"What the hell have I been doing?"
Later on in the day, I came out to check a file with an employee.
I overheard some of their whispers that made me more uneasy.
"Hey, where's the PA?"
"Ever since she left, the office has been chaotic."
"She left, didn't you know? She was hired by Miss Harmon. But she worked here and Harmon Designs. I heard she only got a hundred dollars a month. I'm surprised she worked here for so long."
"She was really helpful. Even if she didn't know, she'd learn."
The next day Imelda came to my office.
"Here," she said, she threw the quotation file on the table.
"I don't need it," I said, pushing it back. "I already made the list and gave it —"
"What?" Imelda said shocked. "Your own quotations? Since when did—"
"Imelda," I said without even looking at her. "This is Rollings Designs not Harmon Designs. From now on I'll prepare my own quotations."
As she sat, I saw she was fidgeting with her fingers.
A habit she has when she knows I'm not paying attention to her.
Not that I cared any more.
"Jonathan," Imelda said in a little soft voice. "It's just that you're not used to handling these matters. So, don't bother and…"
She paused as I still wasn't looking at her.
"About Veronica…she was just a helper…what's the big reaction?"
"I know she was your PA, but a PA's presence should be temporary. It's not as if this office can't run without her."
She paused again.
"I'm right, ain't I…"
I didn't argue with her…
Not because I agreed…
Because I didn't.
I was the reason everyone thought of Nicky as such.
So, who am I to complain?
The Apartment
I ate the takeaway I bought and as I threw the box in the trash, my phone buzzed.
I ran to get it.
A number.
"Hello, Nicky!!"
"Jonathan," Nicky's friend said on the phone. "It's me, Sandy. She called me. Though I don't want to, I've sent her number to you."
Before I could thank her, she disconnected.
I quickly dialed the number.
First…
Switched off.
Second…
Ring went…
I disconnected.
"I could say I wanted to talk about work…"
I paused as I kept the phone back.
"She called Sandy, not me." I said in a low voice.
The next day my driver was driving me to work.
"Sir, today is the fifteenth," he said. "I called one of her classmates, and got her schedule. Should I bring Janet over?"
Silence.
Janet was my own daughter and every fifteenth I used to tell my driver to bring her over so she could play with Adrian, which most of the time…either she would get hurt or end up crying.
My driver had to call Janet's classmate to get her schedule as that's what I told him.
I never knew her schedule nor her teachers.
"Forget it," I said looking out of the window. "She's gone with her mother."
I recalled the last line of the letter.
"Once yours, now only Janet's mother."
Later that night as I stood in front of the window, my eyes fell on the image of the fridge from the kitchen.
I went over and saw Janet's paintings on the fridge.
Janet would run over to show them, but I never bothered.
Then my eyes fell on a particular one.
My fingers instinctively traced the lines.
"Nicky…you drew this."
"You used to draw a lot before…"
Another week passed by.
Tonight Sanders held a party regarding the Blue Heart Project so I had to attend it.
Though I was drinking, chatting, and smiling…
My heart wasn't in the party.
Every time I looked at a female server, I would recall Veronica.
Meanwhile, Imelda, she kept talking about her and our future.
I couldn't believe she wasn't only talking about the engagement, but even our wedding.
"Did she really think I'd marry her?" I said in my mind. "No wonder her five years turned into seven…"
Just then Imelda called out.
"Adrian, come over."
As Adrian came over, she pushed him slightly towards me.
Thankfully I caught him or else he would have fallen on the floor.
"Didn't you miss your dad? Well, go on."
"Dad!" Adrian said as I held his arm. "I missed you."
Usually, I would have picked him up the moment he came over.
But tonight, I felt like he wasn't mine and I began to look around hoping maybe Janet was watching from the corner, the way she used to.
If I could see her now, I'd run over and pick her up.
"Jonathan??" Imelda tugged at my arm. "Your son is in front of you. What's wrong with you?"
A laugh slipped out of my mouth as I saw the difference between them.
Imelda…always controlling how I should be.
Veronica….always gave me the space to be me…the space I misused.
Then I stumbled across a shocking reveal.
Ever since Veronica left, I had been going through things related to her so I could fix them.
I was going through some documents…
And I noticed….
None of the documents had Veronica's signature.
"Mr. Rollings…" my assistant said. "Miss Harmon said she would handle these matters. So, I never knew about them."
I gestured to him to leave.
That's strange…
How come I never noticed?
The reality hit me like a lightening bolt.
Veronica never received the money from any of these.
I held my hand on my chest as I felt uneasy.
My heart was cringing just on seeing the documents.
"Imelda…what else are you hiding from me?"
Apartment
I was back home, and laying in bed.
I picked my phone from the side table.
I opened the number Sandy gave.
I stared at it for a long time.
I almost dialed it…
But stopped.
"Veronica…where did you go?"
"Do you really not even want to speak to me?"