Chapter 148
Imelda’s POV
Small One Room Office – The next day
I thought yesterday was silent because Adrian left me here alone.
But today p>
It’s the same.
The room was quiet, and today p>
No clients, no phone calls, no visitors, was more hurting than before.
I picked up my phone and began to scroll the photos I had stored in my phone.
All were of me, father and Adrian, with some with Jonathan,
Just then one photo made me stop.
“I thought I had deleted all of them p>
It was a picture of Daniel.
I remember he was participating in the college debate, and I took the photo without him knowing.
“Even if it’s his side, he’s still so handsome p>
A smile escaped my lips.
I stared at the photo for a long time.
Finally p>
I typed a text and sent it.
For the first time I didn’t think, plan, or execute.
I just did it.
The reply came soon enough.
And simple as expected.
“Tomorrow at nine p>
The following evening I went to the cafe.
Cafe – Night Time
I arrived minutes before as I didn’t want to lose the chance.
I kept checking the entrance repeatedly as I was afraid he may not come.
Finally, I saw Daniel walking in and he looked exactly as he did back then when I fell in love with him.
Calm, composed, but this time he was a little different.
His eyes were different from before.
There was a quiet happiness around him that I never saw before.
I exhaled as I realized time really had moved way ahead then I realized.
Whatever we had left was all in the past.
Daniel walked over and sat across from me.
Neither one of us spoke, so p>
Eventually, I decided to break it.
“I think by now p>
“You must be knowing I got orders to stop using Harmon Designs as my work, and to change the name p>
“I registered my company under Imelda Designs, but no one wants to give me any orders p>
“And I can’t use the Harmon surname as well p>
“Yesterday, I called Adrian p>
Tears welled up in my eye naturally.
“He also left me p>
“My reputation,” I continued.
“Everyone who one stood beside me, all left p>
I lowered my face.
“I’ve…lost everything p>
For once, I didn’t want to pretend.
Now p>
I was no longer the strong Imelda Harmon.
I was just Imelda.
But I was happy he listened to me without judging me.
“I p>
I trailed off as my emotions were overwhelming me.
“I no longer know who I am p>
“Oh, I’m sorry p>
“I know saying all this now,” I continued.
“May sound unreasonable, but I have to p>
“I’m sorry p>
“I truly am p>
“For everything I did p>
“Not only for leaving you p>
“But p>
I paused.
“Every lie, every manipulation,
“Every decision I made that hurt you p>
“I admit I was biased on thinking you would always wait for me no matter what p>
“I took your loyalty for granted p>
“I know the apology was long overdue p>
“And no matter how much I repent p>
“I can never undo the harm and hurt I caused you p>
“Still p>
I paused for a moment so he could process everything.
“Can we begin afresh?” I said, quietly.
Daniel didn’t say a word until I stopped,
Something he always did…allowed me to speak before he reacted.
No matter how rude I was,
He would never be angry with me.
Even if he wasn’t at fault, he would apologize to me.
Finally he broke the silence that fell between us.
He smiled gently,
But there was trace of love,
Only kindness.
But he was still silent.
I couldn’t make out if his silence was hope or not for me.
Or maybe I should prepare to be disappointed.
Yet, deep down, I hoped his love for me was still there.
“Imelda,” Daniel finally spoke.
“I forgave you a long time back p>
“Long before I came back here p>
“Long before I created the Blue Heart p>
“If I held onto the anger, I would have only hurt myself p>
“I wouldn’t be able to live a life if I kept hating you p>
“For years p>
“I truly hoped you genuinely find peace p>
My smile faded away slowly.
He continued gently.
“But forgiving doesn’t erase the past we had, what you did p>
The little hope I had was slipping from my hands.
“There is no possibility of us starting over p>
“Now, I have Isabella p>
Daniel took her name without any hesitation.
“But, you’re only engaged p>
“And we have Adrian p>
“Our son!” I used Adrian as the last straw to save myself.
“Imelda,” he said.
“I met Isabella as a colleague, then we became partners, and soon lovers p>
“She stood by me in my low times, and high times p>
“She shared a dry bun with me, and a lavishing banquet p>
“She is my future p>
“The woman I want to grow old with p>
I saw a bright smile spread on his face as he spoke about her.
The same bright smile that once adorned his face when he used to talk about me.
I felt my heart break as I realized Daniel had truly moved on, and not alone, but with someone.
I lowered my head without another word.
“Imelda,” Daniel said in a soft voice.
“Don’t chase what you’ve lost p>
“Be it Harmon Designs p>
“The Harmon surname p>
“Jonathan, me, or Adrian p>
“Yes, Adrian too p>
“He’s eighteen and now an adult p>
“He has his own life p>
“It’s best to rebuild your life p>
“Forget about yesterday p>
“Think about your tomorrow p>
I quietly listened as I realized he didn’t reject me out of anger,
But was setting me free from a past that was no longer alive for him.
I forced myself to nod, even though I was hurting, genuinely hurting.
“Imelda,” Daniel got up.
“Goodbye,” with that he walked out.
His goodbye was the kindest one, and at times the kindest one is the most painful one.
I watched him disappear as I watched him walk away from the window.
For the first time in my life,
I was totally alone, and had nothing left to say to anyone.
Tears rolled down my cheeks as I realized the most important Chapter of my life closed forever.
The Chapter that should have been my most happiest future, I ruined with my own hands.
There was a time when Daniel, Charles, Jonathan, and Adrian stood by me.
One by one, they all left me.
And Fredrick,
The man who gave me my identity p>
Was nobody to me.
Today I sat here with no relationship left.
Everyone I betrayed,
With my own decisions.
A single tear fell on the table.
I quietly wiped my tears, and got up.
I slowly left the cafe and began to walk among the crowd hoping to get lost in them.
I stopped near a bridge and looked up at the evening sky.
Daniel’s words were still playing in my mind.
He forgave me, but how can I forgive myself?
Today he has Isabella.
Jonathan has Veronica.
Charles has his wife.
I p>
No one.
Not even my own born son.
“I lost everything all because of the person I am p>
“And the person who made me p>
“Will pay for using my life for his benefits p>