Chapter 84
Jonathan’s POV
Apartment – Late at night
My chest was heaving as I lay on the bed staring at the ceiling.
I kept thinking about Imelda.
Tonight would be her first night in jail.
But more than this, I kept thinking about the message I got in the car.
The message just wouldn’t leave my mind.
The more I thought about it, the more it looked as if it was part of my memory, but what?
“Johnny, what’s the matter?” Veronica got up as she softly touched my face.
“Sorry, did I disturb you?” I asked worried as she had been through a lot during the seven-day challenge.
“No,” she said as she placed her head on my chest. “But you’re worried about something. Is it the message p>
“I can’t forget it I trailed off a bit.
“I accused her of what she didn’t p>
“She faked the DNA and she drugged me,” I said.
“She was responsible for what she made you do, and the accident, kidnapping p>
“Then what p>
“Johnny, as far as I know Fredrick and Imelda, they can be capable of a lot, as for the message, is there anything you can recall p>
“If there is anything that never made sense, ever since I knew about him, is who’s Adrian’s father p>
“Do you think she could have harmed him in a way that she should pay for p>
“I won’t deny that p>
I picked up a file in which I had kept some photos.
They were photos of Janet alone and with me and Veronica.
Some of Adrian.
I stared at Adrian’s for a few moments.
For the first time in fifteen years p>
I realized the fact was right before my eyes all along.
The more I looked at his photos, the more it was impossible for me to ignore the truth.
Adrian never looked even close to me.
Not when he was born, not when he was three, not when he was five, not when he was seven.
Never.
“Veronica,” I said quietly.
“I think the message is right and the hint is just what we need p>
“Johnny,” her voice trailed off.
“Nicky, I know our past life hasn’t been the life any couple would ask for, but I love you and I’m the same Jonathan you knew and fell in love in college p>
“Don’t get me wrong,” Veronica said, getting up. “I just was finding the right words as I don’t want to sound weird or hurt your feelings p>
“Nicky, nothing you say can hurt me, what’s the matter p>
“It’s about Adrian,” she said. “Not after you found out from the files he wasn’t your son, but the seven years you did think he was your son, did you ever doubt him p>
I exhaled.
“There were lots of times I used to think he didn’t look like me or his habits p>
“For years, people often told me Adrian didn’t resemble me,” I said in my mind.
“I always ignored then because every time Imelda would say he’s went on her family p>
“I also thought he was a growing kid, so he would eventually look like me p>
“But now, I think the reason I didn’t bother back then was…I didn’t want another trouble p>
I got up a bit.
“Like me and Janet, we never hurt animals or look down on people. We’re always mindful and careful of what others think. We never think ourselves above others or below others p>
“But Adrian, he thinks animals were created to be eaten or beaten. People, unless elite, they’re trash. He doesn’t care about anyone and thinks everyone is below him and he’s the king of the world p>
“I didn’t raise Janet, and I p>
“Jonathan,” Veronica always calls me by my name when she wants to bring me to reality.
“Even if you weren’t here for her, but she knew you loved her, she saw you, she understood you p>
“That’s why I want to know about Adrian,” she said. “So she never made you feel he might not be yours? After all, it was a lie, she must have faltered some time p>
“Nicky,” I said exhaling. “To be honest, if I hadn’t seen the real DNA, I’d never believe he wasn’t mine p>
“You know every time anyone would point out, she’d erase it off so beautifully, I actually used to feel guilty questioning her p>
“She was so quick and so effortless p>
“She’d change the subject so fast, I would forget the next second p>
At the time, it never bothered me, but now p>
I think there’s something really big behind this.
“Big?” Veronica said, surprised. “Of course there is, his real father p>
“No, Nicky,” I said. “I really mean it. It’s not just hiding a man’s name or existence. There’s more that maybe we or anyone could never think about p>
“What else Veronica trailed off a bit. “Don’t tell me he’s adopted p>
“No,” I said. “One thing I’m hundred percent sure of is that he’s her biological son. But his father, that’s a matter p>
“What about Daniel?” Veronica said. “She left him p>
Seeing her confused look, I exhaled.
“According to what she and Daniel told me, when they went to that town, he left the next morning as he got news of a job, when he came back a few days later, she was gone. According to Imelda, in the morning, her jewelry, money, documents…all were gone. She waited for him, but he didn’t come so she called her father and on coming back she found out she was pregnant, had Adrian p>
“And with you?” she said, a little tense. “How did that happen p>
“Fredrick once told me, ’he only accepted Adrian as his grandson because he’s mine and of noble blood, or else p>
“I think that’s the reason she used me as her shield to keep Adrian p>
“If he is her real son, then he has to have a father, and she has to have been with some man to have a child p>
“I agree on that,” I said. “But another thing I’m sure of, Daniel is the only one she loved and ever was with. But she only spent a night with him…one night and get pregnant p>
“And if Daniel was his real father, now he’s a millionaire, Fredrick would have accepted him.” I said.
“But whenever I saw Imelda and Daniel face-to-face, I never saw any emotion in her eyes p>
“Adrian can’t be his p>
“But I do feel odd about them, I mean Adrian does look like Daniel, but p>
For the first time, I began to question Adrian’s origins.
Even after finding out he wasn’t mine, I never bothered about him.
He was still adopted under my name and using Rollings as his surname, that was all.
But now p>
The sun was shining brightly through the curtains.
The apartment was quiet, the peaceful type.
For the first time in fifteen years, the fact that Imelda was nowhere out in the open, nowhere scheming p>
Gave an unexplainable sense of relief.
No one to threaten me.
No one to blackmail me and do things I would never do.
No one is manipulating me and my family.
But somewhere deep inside I was still feeling a little unsettled.
I decided to go and sit on the balcony to rethink what to do.
Just then Veronica came over with two cups of coffee.
“Jonathan, what are you really afraid of?” she asked. “It’s hundred percent clear, he’s not yours. Then why p>
She trailed off a bit.
I struggled to get words, but finally did.
“Nicky, I just feel there’s a mystery that’s larger than Imelda herself p>
“And that might just be the beginning of the movie she talked about p>
Silence fell between us.
Then I noticed Veronica was lost in her thoughts.
“What’s the matter p>
“You really never thought about who’s his real father p>
“Nicky,” I said exhaling.
“To be honest, during those seven years, I always thought he was mine p>
“Then when I found out from the files he wasn’t, then only finding where you were mattered p>
“Later on when Lena said you’d come when the time was right, I put my focus on dealing with Fredrick and getting the Blue Heart p>
“At the time saving our marriage, exposing them, and protecting Janet was all that mattered p>
“And, Imelda was his real mother so I never bothered about him after that p>
Veronica listened to me quietly.
“Jonathan,” she finally said. “What if what she did wrong or for what she hasn’t been accused, is related to Adrian’s father?
Again silence fell between us as an uncomfortable realization dawned upon me.
“Jonathan,” Veronica asked. “Could you tell me the times anyone told you about him not resembling you, and her reaction p>
“Well, if I recall I said trailing off.
“I remember, it was at Adrian’s fifth birthday p>
“Her grandmother said, ’his features don’t match me,” I continued.
“Imelda didn’t waste any time and said the same thing p>
“Same thing?” Veronica questioned me.
“Yes,” I said. “She often said girls resemble their fathers, while sons resemble their mothers, and he did so, I always believed that p>
“Every time she was calm. Never nervous, never defensive p>
“There was a time, at a party p>
Flashback:
“Mr. Rollings,” a client said. “You have a lovely son p>
He trailed off a bit.
“But somehow he doesn’t look like you p>
Just then Imelda put her arm around Adrian.
“He’s taken on my family side p>
“Well yes, that I can see, but my son his eyes are me even though he’s a replica of his maternal aunt p>
“Well, maybe he would have also, if I had siblings p>
We all laughed together as I admired her confidence.
Present
“What?” Veronica said, shocked.
“She actually said that p>
“That was her whenever she would dodge the fact he didn’t look like me or resemble me in behaviour p>
“Now that I think about this…it’s almost as if she had rehearsed how to control her face expressions while telling a lie p>
“And during those seven years, I never doubted her p>
“But now…somehow the memory of her confident answer doesn’t seem so innocent anymore p>
“There was another time p>
Flashback
We brought Adrian for his regular appointment.
First he took some tests.
“Over all,” he said. “Everything is fine, but he’s a little anaemic. Transfusing around two hundred ML will be sufficient p>
“I have Ms. Harmon’s blood group, I’d like Mr. Rollings yours p>
“Oh sorry, but I never noticed it p>
“No problem, we can take a test now p>
During the wait, the doctor began to talk about inherited traits.
“A lot of things are inherited between a parent and child,” he said.
“Its not only related to blood, or looks, but much more like natural instincts like blinking while lying, or clenching fists when anxious or p>
Overall the conversation was harmless, but Imelda kept steering him from the conversation.
“Doctor, I was wondering, would it be good to send him to a boarding school p>
“Well,” he said. “That’s your decision, and that has nothing to do with a doctor. After all, Adrian is a healthy boy. Just the anaemic…for that once Mr. Rollings blood test p>
“So there’s no problem in sending him then p>
Present
“She kept on changing topics that day,” I said, recalling the time.
“She made sure the attention remained on us, instead of me and Adrian p>
“Now I recall, even the doctor felt it odd, but I also didn’t say anything and let it go p>
But now even though I didn’t want to think she was manipulating everyone around me, a pattern had begun to form.
Suddenly I went silent.
“What’s the matter p>
“Most people have the tendency to show cracks when caught p>
I trailed off a bit.
“Showing signs of fear, anxiety or panicking p>
“However, Imelda was always constrained p>
“Not only about Adrian, but she never let me know she even had a boyfriend p>
“It wasn’t until Daniel came here that I found out they had a past p>
“Now it seems she always thought no one would expose her or tell Who Adrian’s real father was?” Veronica said.
“Nicky,” I exhaled.
“I don’t think she was only protecting a lie p>
“I think she was protecting or hiding something much bigger than anyone would expect p>
“I won’t disagree with you on that now,” Veronica said, sighing.
Today, for the first time I suspected hiding Adrian’s father was more than just an identity.
Could it be a person whom Fredrick would never accept as his son-in-law?
But who?
Just then my phone buzzed.
“What??” I was shocked on seeing the contact.
“What’s the matter?” Veronica said.
“It’s from Adrian’s school, but p>
“Here,” Veronica said, taking my phone. “Let me p>
“Hello, Mrs. Rollings here p>
“Oh, don’t worry, this is his home as well p>
As she disconnected the call.
“It was the dean,” she said, handing me the phone back.
“The dorm is closed for the summer holidays. Imelda was to take him, but now…Adrian had no option but to call you p>
The rest of the day went about documents so I could bring Adrian back home.
Apartment – The Next morning
Veronica was going to make breakfast so she asked what they would like to eat.
It wasn’t long Adrian and Janet began fighting over pancakes and waffles.
Neither willing to back-off.
Overall, I should have felt frustrated or uneasy seeing Adrian home with Janet,
but somehow it was like p>
Normal to see them quarreling over breakfast.
And a bit comfortable.
I watched them quietly as the message popped in my mind.
That’s when a smile crept on my lips.
No matter what happened back then p>
None of it was Adrian’s fault.
The boy was innocent.
Even if he did harm Janet, he did it on his mother’s allowance.
I will find Adrian’s father and give him a real home.
After breakfast, the kids got busy setting up a place for Adrian, while we both got busy with our work.
Just then I noticed Veronica was looking at the screen of my phone.
“Something on your mind p>
“I don’t know how to say she trailed off a bit.
“But before you and Imelda met p>
Again she trailed off.
“Did you know her or where she was p>
“Imelda?” I froze after that.
“To be honest, I met her only two days before that night p>
“And let alone her, I didn’t even know about Fredrick. I only knew about Harmon Designs p>
That got me thinking that I was investigating the wrong place.
Just then Adrian sneezed and the first person to come to my mind was Daniel.
“He reacts the same way,” I said in my mind. “Come to think of it, Adrian’s eyes, nose and lips are exactly the same as Daniel’s p>
He knew Imelda before me p>
Matter of fact long before me.
Yet even then and even after I found out he wasn’t mine, I never questioned this fact.
The reason behind this was they only spent one night together.
So p>
But if Imelda used that one night to convince me we had Adrian, then why couldn’t she be pregnant with Daniel’s child?
I exhaled as now I think I have a direction to follow.
“Janet, why don’t you and Adrian go to the park p>
“Sure, Daddy!” Janet said, taking hold of his hand.
“Adrian,” I called out. “Take care of your sister p>
“I will Dad p>
As they left, I smiled.
But as I turned around and saw Veronica’s expression, I stilled.
“Nicky,” I said worriedly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean in any wrong way. I know Adrian hurt p>
“Johnny,” she said smiling. “I was actually shocked to see him behave so naturally around Janet. Honestly, since yesterday, I noticed he’s more relaxed here than I’ve seen him around Imelda p>
“But why did you send them out like that p>
“What if he really is Daniel’s son?” I said without wasting any moment.
Then we both sat down as Veronica drew a timeline map.
I gave her the dates.
Events and the people I knew related to this.
Suddenly her expression changed.
“What’s the matter?” I asked.
“Johnny, according to the dates you gave of them living in that town, Adrian’s birth date doesn’t align p>
“What do you mean p>
“Johnny,” she said. “It takes ten to fourteen days after intercourse to get pregnant p>
“According to the dates, she got pregnant with Adrian after three weeks from Daniel’s leave, it’s impossible for him to be Daniel’s p>
“Things are not aligning here p>
“Vance also said legally it doesn’t make sense, but I ignored him p>
“Now it looks like Adrian’s father’s secret lies in those days p>
“Jonathan,” Veronica said.
“The message didn’t tell us about Adrian’s father p>
“It told us we didn’t accuse her of what she really did p>
“And if we find Adrian’s real father, we’ll know what we really have to accuse her for p>
“Maybe his father is the only one who knows the truth p>
I exhaled as I was understanding what she wanted to imply.
Meant…there was something bigger we didn’t know about.
Then I picked my phone as I got a message from Vance.
I can’t find any local records of Adrian’s birth. She probably had him in a small town or village where the records were recorded on paper.
I immediately dialed his number.
“Vance,” I said on the phone.
“Jonathan,” he said himself as he already knew what I wanted to ask.
“I’m looking into the matter. I just texted you,” he continued.
“I also went through her college times p>
“She did live at her college dorm, and once with a friend p>
“She never worked anywhere except for Harmon Designs p>
“Her school and college documents are all clean p>
“Oh yes,” he said. “She stayed for some months at a small motel before Adrian’s birth p>
“Where p>
“I’ve sent you the address, oh and the motel was signed under Mr. and Mrs. Staf’s name p>
“Daniel?” I was surprised.
“Yes.” Vance said.
“Looks like things are falling in place already p>
“Jonathan,” Veronica said with a frown.
“Do you have to go alone p>
“Nicky,” I said.
“We can’t leave Janet alone, as for Adrian, I’ll arrange p>
“It’s okay,” she said. “They get along fine, and he’s nice to me. Don’t worry about the kids, I just…going alone p>
“Nicky,” I said, holding her shoulders softly.
“Fredrick and Imelda are in jail p>
“I have to find out p>
“No matter what, Adrian deserves a normal home p>
I knew finding his father wouldn’t be easy, but I had to.
And now I know where to begin p>
The forgotten town where his mother got married and spent a day and night with Daniel.
“Jonathan,” Vance said online.
“There’s one more thing p>
I stopped so he could continue.
A pause followed.
“In that town, there’s an old woman who still remembers Imelda, why I don’t know, but she knows her well p>
“Who p>
“And old woman, she’s a local resident of the town,” Vance said.
“Will she talk to me? After all, I’m an outsider and unknown p>
“She will and I think she’s the best to answer as she was the one who helped deliver Adrian p>
“What??” I practically fell out of my chair.
“Yes, so I think she should have the answers we want p>
“Okay,” I said. “Now I have all the more reasons to go there p>
“Vance,” I said. “I’ll be going alone. I’ve told John and the staff, you as well p>
“Veronica is here with Janet and Adrian, take care of them p>
“Don’t worry,” he said. “Just focus on what you’re going for p>
And that was exactly what I intended to do.