Chapter 83
Imelda’s POV
Grand Del Hotel – Hall Set for Blue Heart Auction
The hall was set for the Blue Heart Auction.
The Blue Heart Auction was in the name of the Blue Heart and elite designers were invited to display and auction their designs.
The funds would go for charity donations.
As I was out on bail and no matter what Harmon Designs still held its place, allowing me to be invited as well.
I knew they thought after the fraud and the accusations,
After the video releases and the photos display, I would have ended.
But I was a Harmon and the Harmon legacy was still alive.
I walked head high into the Blue Heart Auction.
Though I didn’t expect anyone to notice me, the moment I entered, the cameras began to flash.
I smiled.
Not to the camera’s but to the fact, this meant I was important and they would know I still hold my base.
But as I took my seat, whispers followed.
Some pitying father for having a daughter like me.
Some bickering how I had the nerve to show up.
Some speculated I would be kicked out.
Good.
The more the merrier.
Let them look down on me.
Let them doubt my intentions.
Because doubt is the only thing that I know how to control.
My fingers were tapping away against the arm rest.
I sat in my place p>
Unshaken p>
Untouched.
“Day seven,” I murmured.
Today I would not defend myself.
Today I won’t let them do as they will.
Today I will take back everything that belongs to me.
The hall shimmered with the influence of the socialites around.
Every big name was here today.
Investor, press, billionaire and millionaire board members, designers p>
All with a common aim p>
Waiting in anticipation.
I got up and stepped towards the podium.
Yes, me p>
After all, Harmon Designs was one of the beginners in the jewelry designing business and still holds their place in the market, and as the daughter of CEO Fredrick Harmon, I have been the host of most of the elite auctions held here.
I walked composed with a perfect demeanor.
This has always been my stage.
And today it’s going to be the stage where perception will become true.
Where I will win as I always have.
I adjusted the microphone as a faint smile formed across my lips.
“Distinguished guests, and media,” I said.
“Thank you all for attending the Blue Heart Auction p>
Jonathan’s POV
Jonathan walked over and pushed me aside, taking over the microphone.
“Before she begins with her ranting p>
His voice cut through the hall.
Imelda stilled on seeing me and turned as I pushed her aside with fury.
She was surprised as I wasn’t alone.
Vance was beside me.
Vance was a reputed lawyer who dominated the courtroom.
The air changed suddenly as he took over the microphone.
The air now was no longer subtle as uncertainty hung in the air.
A heavy, deliberate and dangerous one.
“Vance??” a reporter said. “Why’s he here p>
“Did someone offend someone they shouldn’t have p>
Vance took the microphone calm and unimpressed by the chaos around him.
“Everyone, sorry to disappoint you but I will be taking over the Blue Heart Auction for a brief moment,” Vance said, opening his laptop and connecting it to the screen.
“The intention of the Blue Heart Auction is to give chance to designers to donate for the well-being of orphans p>
“But I am here for another matter,” he said. “Once I commence, the auction will begin p>
“So, please bear with me for a few moments p>
A ripple of whispers broke through the room.
The room fell into confusion and unease.
“The reason I’m here is because of Ms. Harmon p>
Imelda was holding onto her smile in desperation.
“On what grounds are you here for p>
Vance didn’t look at her and continued.
“For systemic fraud p>
A pause followed.
“For extortion p>
Another pause followed.
Falsifying legal documents p>
Silence fell across the hall.
Not out of curiosity p>
Not out of speculation p>
But out of something more heavier.
The screen behind us lit up as receipts of transactions and transfer records.
Any person with excelling accounts knowledge could see the accounts were layered into patterns that for a normal accountant would easily miss.
Vance pointed out every point, making them clear and traceable.
“Mr. Rollings has been investing funds to get the Blue Heart over a span of seven years,” he continued.
“As you all can see, the Blue Heart project funds were always redirected to a shell company owned by Fredrick Harmon. Sanders Harmon, the face of the project got only twenty percent of the funds p>
A murmur ripped through the hall.
A low, uneasy one.
“That’s a lie,” Imelda replied smoothly.
“Father never needed such lame excuses p>
But her words didn’t echo.
Because the receipts and records were speaking louder than any word could.
And this time, everything was against her.
“This is what Fredrick Harmon did,” Vance said.
“Now let’s move onto Ms p>
He paused.
“I’ll skip the dignitaries as she’s the least one who deserves it p>
“Let’s move onto Imelda Harmon p>
Again the screen lit up.
This time files, transactions, documents covered the screen.
“These are forensic verified DNA reports of Imelda Harmon falsifying Adrian as Mr. Rollings son p>
“And,” Vance emphasized.
“This is the drug report,” he said. “Imelda Harmon used to drug Mr. Rollings so she could convince my client to defy her p>
“No Imelda’s voice cut in.
“This is all a lie p>
“Mr. Rollings,” a reporter stood up.
“If your engagement with Ms. Harmon is a lie, when did you get married and why did you really hide your marriage p>
I stepped forward.
The message was displayed on the screen.
“After that night, I got this message,” I exhaled.
“I instantly understood, whoever it was assumed she was my wife, and if that person knew it was Veronica, she might be in danger p>
“My wife Veronica was an orphan just like me,” I continued.
“I however found about my parents and also managed to get the ten thousand they left for me, allowing me to bid for my first office, and thanks to Veronica for funding my work, I was able to lay the foundation of Rollings Designs p>
“But Veronica, she had no backup, I was her only source p>
“I could not risk her at any cost p>
“Though I never recalled the night events with Imelda, when she offered me to be her fiance in public and Adrian’s father, I took the chance as it allowed me to keep Veronica hidden p>
“To make sure no one would investigate her, I made her tell her husband was dead and she was a single mother p>
“At the time I thought I did wrong and the least I can do is give Imelda two years as a fiancée, and Adrian a legal name p>
“But, year after year p>
“I didn’t realize until the day Veronica left me that I made her spend seven years in a secret marriage p>
“A marriage where she couldn’t call me husband in public, a marriage where my own biological daughter wasn’t allowed to call me ’Daddy’ in public p>
“Seven years?” a reporter said.
“If Ms. Harmon said for two years, why seven p>
“That’s pure control,” another reporter said. “Looks like she was using this as a hold on Mr. Rollings p>
Then audio’s between Imelda and Veronica were played.
Imelda’s voice was cold, precise and threatening.
While Veronica was pleading, trembling, terrified.
Imelda was laying out conditions that were impossible for Veronica to not accept.
The room air shifted as eyes turned.
Not in a curious way, but judging.
“Mrs. Rollings was confined from speaking to Mr. Rollings,” Vance said.
“Mrs. Rollings was restricted, and controlled p>
A voice from the crowd spoke.
“How could Imelda do this? Is this even legal p>
“The answer to that is quite simple p>
Vance trailed off a bit.
“Absolutely not p>
Suddenly the screen darkened as a car accident footage showed up.
Then some documents appeared.
The room stilled as the name seemed familiar.
“Marcus Vane,” Vance said.
“He was a top private investigator, most in this room are familiar with his work p>
“He was killed in a hit-and-run p>
The screen dimmed and lit again.
Financial transactions and chat records were displayed.
Names aligned p>
Fredrick p>
Sanders p>
Driver p>
Orders p>
Connections p>
Clear and unavoidable.
Then the moment p>
Everyone, including Imelda, understood.
This wasn’t only an exposure p>
It was the end of the Harmon Legacy.
Suddenly the hall doors opened.
Veronica stepped into the view of the reporters as the cameras began to flash in a frenzy.
Now she was no longer the hidden wife.
She was no longer the silent wife.
Now p>
She was seen.
The air in the room shifted again.
Because now p>
Everyone could see her,
The real Veronica Rollings.
Present and alive in front of everyone.
“You didn’t want to control me,” Veronica told Imelda as she got onto the stage.
“You wanted to erase me so you could have Jonathan all to yourself p>
Silence followed.
“I lived where you made me,” she said.
“Jonathan had made his mansion,” she said.
“But because I was his secret wife, he couldn’t take me there p>
“So, I had to live in a rented apartment with our daughter p>
“I survived enough that you allowed p>
“From the beginning, you managed my accounts and only gave me a hundred dollars every alternate month p>
A pause followed.
“You knew if I had no money, I would have to take any work I got, even if it was being a server at your parties p>
“But look, I’m still here and now I have my own money as well p>
Veronica’s gaze didn’t leave Imelda’s.
She was no longer angry.
She was no longer the broken woman.
She was her to end it all.
“You never did, and never can define me,” Veronica said.
“Jonathan is the only one who ever defined me p>
Simple, clean and final.
“And, no matter what you did, if Jonathan and I had spoken about that night of yours, we wouldn’t have lost those seven years, as I know my Jonathan p>
A video was played from back then.
Video:
“Veronica?? Are you denying the video?” Imelda said, showing Veronica the video on her phone.
“Can’t you see, your husband is on top of me p>
“What did you do?” Veronica said. “Your men were there, weren’t they. Drunk also, he’d never, and the video doesn’t have a voice, but I can see he’s calling out to me. Even if he spent the night, he thought it was me p>
“No matter what you did or do, Jonathan was, is and always will be mine p>
Veronica didn’t raise her voice.
She wasn’t being dramatic.
She just stated facts with truth p>
And that was all that mattered.
“NO!” Imelda said sharply.
“This…it’s all a manipulation,” she said.
“They’re framing me p>
But even she knew it p>
Her voice was hollow.
Vance nodded as the officer stepped forward.
“Imelda Harmon, you’re under arrest for fraud, extortion, falsifying records and being involved in conspiracies linked to the death of Marcus Vane p>
The words echoed in the public like a final verdict.
“This time you won’t be able to come out on bail p>
Camera flashes went on wildly.
They captured every moment and displayed the truth as it was…bare.
Silence fell around Imelda.
Her fall p>
Her defeat p>
Both stood in front of her.
As the officer was escorting Imelda, her gaze shifted once towards me, then towards Veronica who was now standing beside me.
I instinctively held my arm in front of Veronica to protect her from Imelda.
I eased as I saw the look in Imelda’s eyes.
She was seeing how the once couple she separated for seven years, stood unshaken, and untouchable.
Then p>
A slow breath left her as a faint smile formed across her lips.
A cold, knowing one.
I stilled.
“Don’t think it’s over, Jonathan,” she said walking away.
“As they say, this was only the trailer, the movie is yet to begin p>
The officer pushed her away as she left laughing hysterically.
“The Blue Heart Auction officially begins now p>
With that the Auction commenced.
I left with Veronica and we got into our car.
Inside the car – a few minutes later
My phone vibrated.
I saw p>
A message notification from an unknown number.
I glanced as the number was not a known one.
The message was short, precise, and unmistakable.
You accused Imelda of what she didn’t. What she really did, you didn’t. Find Adrian’s real father, you will find what she really should be accused and sentenced for.
Silence stretched as I saw the message, and hesitated before Veronica pulled my hand to see what shocked me.
The air in the car shifted.
It was heavier and sharper.
My expression changed.
Not anger p>
Or out of control.
But an uncertainty engulfed me.
I knew Adrian wasn’t mine from day one, but I never thought about finding his real father.
Normally, I should just ask Imelda p>
But after what she did, I dare say anything true could come out of her mouth.
But no matter what, Adrian did grow up in front of me.
And over the years, he never had a true parent around him.
What if his father would take him?
But, I was uncertain as I barely got my family back, and now p>
“Jonathan,” Veronica said placing her hand on my thigh as she leaned into my neck.
“Janet already considers Adrian as her brother,” she said as her warm breath touched my chest.
“And he also deserves real parents, we should find his father p>
My confidence got fueled by her words.
“Okay,” I said, holding her in my arms.
“Then let’s find Adrian’s father p>