Jonathan's POVRollings Designs - late at night
I didn't go home as my mind was in a mess.
The documents were enough as it is…
Now Daniel's here as well.
At around midnight, I finally managed to sort most of them out.
I also noticed the documents were made by the same lawyer…
One…whom I never met…or rather…
She never told me about it.
In the first three reviews, even I couldn't notice the loopholes.
How could Veronica?
But around the fourth time onwards, each time I reviewed them, each loophole just became clearer.
Finally, I could have leverage on Imelda.
The same way she had on Veronica.
Imelda used them to subdue her…
Now…
I'll use them to subdue her.
But there was something about Daniel that just wouldn't leave my mind.
"He wasn't here for no reason."
"From their conversation…I can tell he knew Imelda, and knows Veronica."
Then my gaze fell on the photo frame of Janet I had on my desk.
I picked it up and opened the frame.
I had placed a copy of our wedding photo at the back.
The only photo we took.
Immediately…
Adrian came into my mind.
It wasn't the first time I saw her photo after she left, but it was the first time Adrain came to my mind.
For that matter, today is the first time he came to my mind.
"Daniel…are you playing with my mind?"
I removed a file from my drawer.
It was a file that had Adrain's admission form and his schedule.
I recalled the time at the school…
The way Daniel looked at Adrian.
As if he was studying him.
Now he not only mentioned Adrian, but he knew he was my biological child, which no one knew.
"But why did Daniel mention Adrian?"
A paper was popping at the bottom of the file.
I reached for it.
It was the DNA report that Fredrick gave me.
…of the blood relation I shared with Adrian.
Now that I recall.
If it wasn't for this report, I would never believe what Fredrick or Imelda said.
As far as my memory went, I don't recall having spent the night with her…
such that she would become pregnant.
I accepted Adrain as my child on the basis of this one report.
I never questioned it.
"The report is from a hospital."
"It's clear."
I paused.
"Based on this…there never was a doubt."
"But I do have a vague memory…I thought I was with Veronica."
"Imelda confirmed. She said I took her name but she couldn't resist."
But—
Why don't I feel the same with Adrian as I do with Janet.
Even if I didn't have emotions for Imelda that night, I should have for Adrian.
But…
When he gets hurt…
I just react like a stranger who feels for a child.
But with Janet…
My heart aches when I see her crying, let alone get hurt.
Why don't I feel any attachment towards him?
I even feel for my nephew…then why not him?
The fact…
I've always felt Janet to be an emotional bond, whereas…
Adrian has only been a logical acceptance.
Rollings Designs - Morning
The sun rays fell on my face from the window.
I got up, washed my face, and got myself a cup of coffee.
The staff had almost come and were busy with their work.
I also went back to handling the work I had.
Today, I was focused.
I didn't make any mistakes. I didn't drift off.
I took small pauses to regain my focus.
But I did take a small pause before replying to any call or email.
My assistant had been quiet since morning.
Until now…
"Mr. Rollings?"
"Continue."
I said as I knew he wanted to ask something he was hesitant about.
"Do you want my help?"
I knew his gaze was on the file opened in front of me…
Adrian's file.
I let out a breath.
"Yes, you can," I said.
"I want his records."
I didn't take Adrain's name.
"School records, hospital."
"Mr. Rollings," my assistant said. "Should I arrange for every record?"
"Yes…and—"
"Mr. Rollings," he said, cutting me mid-way. "Ms. Imelda won't know."
"Good."
As he left, I sighed in relief.
Though he was hired by Imelda, ever since I helped his family, he's been loyal to me.
I didn't want Imelda to be suspicious as I myself don't know what I'm searching for.
Harmon Designs
Though I didn't want to come here, I had to.
I walked over to the reception.
"The stone stock file hasn't been delivered to the office. Who used to handle the before?"
The receptionist gave me a dazed look.
"Ms. Smith of course….Ms. Imelda's official and personal."
Still dazed.
"Personal?"
"Yes…like taking Adrian to the doctor when he was sick. Or as his care-taker during his picnic trips."
I paused for a brief moment.
Before barging into Imelda's office.
"Oh," she said looking up.
"You say we don't have any relation, yet you—"
"Who handles Adrian's documentation? Before and now?"
Imelda didn't react.
Her calm composure didn't crack.
"I did…of course."
I paused.
"All of them?"
She smiled.
"Of course, who else?"
It's odd, I didn't notice this before…
But now her behavior was clear…
She wasn't telling me the truth.
Rollings Design - Evening
My assistant brought me all the files he could get his hands on.
I had been reviewing his birth certificate and Kindergarten admission form.
The birth dates didn't align.
According to the admission form he was 6 years old, but according to the birth certificate he should have been 7 years old.
My assistant told me he couldn't find his vaccination records.
He said….it seems to have been deleted.
Signature inconsistency again.
"Now these should match…"
I checked the signature in Veronica's documents and Adrian's.
Now I was certain about what was revolving in my mind.
I always felt he looked older, but Imelda put it off saying, 'boys grow up faster.
Whereas…
He wasn't growing faster…
He was older.
But if he is older….
Then his birth…the night…somehow don't align.
With this, Veronica came back into my mind.
Her handling late night tasks.
Imelda has Veronica run all of her errands. Both official and personal.
But…
Then…
What was so special about them that she had Veronica handle them?
My eyes fell on the signature.
"And what's with the signature thing?" I said looking at the papers. "What was Imelda up to?"
I couldn't say now as Veronica had left.
And Adrian's documents had no relation with the office yet Imelda made Veronica handle them.
It has been months since Veronica left with Janet.
But now also if I closed my eyes I could hear Janet's laughter.
The way she would roll her omelet or the way she loved drinking juice from the spoon.
How she loved playing on the swings in the park.
She wouldn't go to sleep unless she drank her milk before going to bed.
And, unless I or Veronica tucked her in…she wouldn't go to sleep.
Then my mind drifted towards Adrian.
I closed my eyes.
Blank.
No memory. Or pull.
When I used to stay over at the mansion. I would often think about Janet. But never Adrian.
At the time I thought the reason was I was away from her.
But now…
With Janet…
I embraced fatherhood as an instinct.
With Adrian…
I accepted being his father as a responsibility.
With Janet…
I wanted to be a father.
With Adrian…
I only accepted him.
With Janet adopting meant…
So I could be with her as a father in the open.
With Adrian…
Giving my name was only to protect him.
Nothing else.
Not that I ever denied as the DNA report stated our relationship but their has always been an emotional gap between me and Adrian.
"Should I ask Imelda?"
I was considering going to meet Imelda but I couldn't make myself to get up.
I paused.
"If I ask now.. she'll get suspicious and I won't be able to find out the truth."
I let out a breath.
After all, over the past seven years all she's been doing is telling me what she wants to rather than what I wanted to know.
I kept looking at Adrian's file for a long time.
My finger lingered on top of his name.
As if trying to connect…but nothing.
Then I looked at his photo and then at Janet's.
The moment my eyes saw Janet's face, a smile spread across my face.
Every time I saw Janet's smiling face. I would naturally smile, but with Adrian, I never react unless someone is around.
Silence stretched longer than I anticipated.
"The DNA report is clear. After all, it's from a reputed hospital and it's verified."
I paused.
"Everything was verified then…"
My hand gripped tighter on the paper.
"Why…why do I feel so distant towards…"
I didn't finish my sentence.
Because I already knew…
And the answer…
I didn't need to.
I was scared to know as it would change the fact behind what I did for the past seven years.
But the question lingered in the room.
Longer.
Unfinished…
Unsettled.