Chapter 122
Imelda’s POV
Small Apartment – Evening
I was reviewing a file when my phone buzzed.
“Ms. Imelda, how’s the set coming out?” My client asked on the phone.
“Oh, don’t worry,” I said. “We’ll have it ready by Sunday. The set is almost complete, only the bracelet is pending p>
“By Sunday?” my client said. “Could you make it a bit sooner p>
“Sorry, but we have other orders in the pipeline and we go according to that p>
I pretended to be busy.
“Okay, let me check the designers schedule p>
“Okay,” I continued. “We can arrange it by Friday, what do you say p>
“That would be great, thank you Ms. Imelda p>
“Your welcome, miss p>
The color drained from my face the moment the call got disconnected.
“Orders in the pipeline?” I scoffed to myself.
“I don’t even have a pipeline to begin with p>
“Designers? I’m the only staff p>
“I have to pretend I have other orders so they give me orders, or else I’d be out of work p>
Just as I leaned back, my phone buzzed again.
“Now what p>
“Who’s number is this?” I said seeing the number.
“Hello, Ms. Harmon,” the male voice said.
“I’m a former employee of Harmon Designs, and was still working for your father, but now things have changed p>
“What?” I said in shock. “With father p>
“Yes,” he said. “I was working with your father. He came out last year p>
“What??” I was shocked.
“The reason I called you was to let you know Charles has pleaded guilty in a federal court p>
I was at a loss for words.
I barely had processed that news, he added more to it.
“I read in the papers p>
“Charles married his long lost love p>
I froze on hearing that.
“Charles? Married p>
“Yes,” he said. “According to the news, he married his long-time love who testified against him just before the federals took him into their custody p>
“Later, he was moved to the federal jail for I think seven years term p>
“Okay,” I said. “Thanks p>
As the call disconnected, I was shocked.
My mind was blank as if it refused to understand what I just heard.
Sixteen years ago, when she proposed to Charles,
That woman chose to walk away.
Not only from him, but from Livelane.
Years ago,
She chose to leave him.
She chose to abandon him.
Yet p>
He still married her.
I got up and poured myself a drink, and brought the bottle back to the table.
I drank glass after glass.
“If you could marry the woman who left you p>
“Then why could you not marry me p>
“I stayed back in Livelane p>
“I told you I could abort the baby p>
“I sat quietly as you chatted on diners with father p>
“You knew I never stopped loving you p>
“Yet you never reacted p>
“I know you’ll say you never loved me, but you can marry the one who ignored you, then why not me p>
I knew he never loved me.
I knew he loved that woman and wanted to propose to her that day.
And maybe, deep down, he resented me for spoiling his chance.
But I still hoped one day he would see my love.
I scoffed.
Now I realize I was chasing a future that never could be mine.
“Why am I never enough for them p>
“No, it must be fake,” I said, shaking my head.
“I’ve been reading the newspaper, and I watch the news p>
“How come I didn’t come across this news?” I scoffed to myself.
“Charles Freeway got married and no picture in the papers p>
Just then I accidentally spilled my coffee so I got up to get an old newspaper to clean the mess.
I froze as I saw the news headline.
Charles Freeway Pleads Guilty!
Charles Freeway testifies Against Fredrick Harmon.
Charles Freeway Marries Long-time Lover.
I quickly grabbed the paper and read the news.
“Charles Freeway pleads guilty and testified against partner Fredrick Harmon. Charles Freeway was sentenced to ninety-six months in federal prison. Before being taken away, his lover requested she be allowed to marry Charles Freeway, who claimed he had always been waiting for this day. The court agreed and a simple wedding was held. The couple exchanged their vows, and kissed each other. Apart from the judge and officials, witnesses on behalf of the couple present were Jonathan Rollings, his wife Veronica Rollings, Daniel Staf and his fiancé Isabella Staf p>
The news had the court filing dates, and it also stated Charles and his wife registered their marriage in court.
I opened my laptop and checked other newspapers online.
All same.
Charles really married his love before being taken away for his prison sentence.
I kept refreshing the page hoping it would change, but it didn’t.
The news was the same.
I gripped tightly onto my phone until my knuckles turned white.
Charles rejected me sixteen years ago.
And that woman left Livelane,
He totally disconnected himself from any woman.
I knew the reason he kept his distance from me was because of father.
If you’re his partner, his daughter is off limits.
Yet, I still hoped maybe one day he would accept me.
Now, seeing he is married, I actually feel betrayed.
Not that he was ever mine,
But I saw him as mine.
A dream I lived on for sixteen years, now dead.
Just them I jolted.
“Wait a minute,” I said.
“That man said he’s been working with father, and father came out a year back p>
“If father came out a year back, then why didn’t he tell me p>
“Why didn’t he come for me p>
I quickly grabbed my car keys and ran out of my apartment and drove off.
As I was driving towards Harmon Mansion,
Questions raced through my mind.
If father was no longer in jail, why didn’t he come for me?
Why didn’t he call and tell me he was out?
Why didn’t he come for her or call her to come over?
Didn’t he know she was living in a shabby apartment?
Why was I struggling alone to keep Harmon Designs alive, while he was running his own business?
As my car came closer to the mansion, my heart began to race.
But as I stopped outside the gate, I expected to be greeted by the security guards.
I was greeted by an empty security office and a lock on the door.
I got out of the car and walked over to the gate.
I looked inside and couldn’t see any of the luxury cars parked in the parking lot.
No staff was moving about.
Just then a neighbor came over.
She smiled when she saw me.
“Imelda,” she said.
“You just missed the moving staff p>
“Fredrick came over last week and told he sold the place p>
“And said you’d come over at the new place p>
As she left, I stared through the empty gates and watched the place that once was my home.
Father didn’t come back.
He disappeared.
For the first time I felt a pang in my heart.
I looked around and walked to the other side of the wall.
There was a small door in the wall on the other side.
It was the entrance the staff used.
As expected it was unlocked.
I walked inside and went to the mansion.
I pushed open the door and walked inside.
The furniture was all gone.
Portraits all removed.
Wallpaper stripped.
Emptiness was echoing in every corner.
The kitchen was empty.
The servant’s quarter’s empty.
Father’s study was all cleared.
The only thing that remained was dust.
I slowly walked through the silent mansion that once was a lively home.
Every step I took reminded me of my childhood.
Every step I walked reminded me of the times I hoped father would approve of me.
The house was empty,
Not that it was not empty before, as he was barley there for me.
But this time it was really empty.
“He really left me?” I whispered.
I walked back out and closed the door behind me.
I removed my phone and dialed father’s number.
The ring went and got disconnected.
Twice, thrice p>
After calling a total ten times,
He didn’t take my call.
Every time my call went to voicemail.
I sent him messages,
Again no reply.
I drove from the mansion to go back.
Small Apartment – A few hours later
I even came back to the apartment, still no reply.
Finally, my phone rang.
Relief washed over me as I quickly answered the call.
“Father p>
I said immediately as the call connected.
Instead I heard a stranger’s voice.
“Ms. Harmon, I’m Mr. Harmon’s legal representative p>
Even though it wasn’t father, but his representative called meant,
He’s coming for me.
I gripped my phone tightly.
“ms. Imelda,” he continued. “Mr. Harmon has instructed me to let you know from now onwards Mr. Harmon will no longer be responsible for you as he is disowning you p>
He didn’t even let me speak and kept speaking.
“Mr. Harmon is no longer obligated towards your financial needs p>
“or your personal matters p>
Every word was colder than the last one.
I tried to interrupt but he wouldn’t let me say a word.
He continued to speak.
“And further communication you would require will be directed through me p>
“If Mr. Harmon wishes to speak to you, he will, or else he is not obligated to p>
With that the call ended,
Leaving me speechless.
Silence fell in the room.
Complete pin drop silence.
My father, the man I looked up to.
The man I tried my best to please p>
Abandoned me,
And he couldn’t even come face-to-face for this.
He had to hire someone else for this.
I let out a deep breath as I realized for the first time in my life p>
I was totally alone.
Outside
It had been days since I got the call, and was out in my car.
I stopped by a gas station and entered my premium card to pay.
“Sorry miss, it declined.” the worker told me.
“Try again p>
“I did miss,” he said. “Three times p>
“Check this one,” I said, handing him another card.
“Declined miss p>
“Check this one p>
“Declined miss p>
I exhaled as I removed my company card.
“Use this, this won’t decline p>
As the transaction passed, he handed it back.
“Thanks p>
I drove off frowning.
All cards I had from father, declined.
Only my company card worked, as now it was my money.
Now Harmon Designs was mine and I was the owner.
I exhaled for a brief moment as I realized the company money was all I had left.
And this money is earned by her.
I came back home.
Small Apartment – a few minutes later
I opened my laptop to check all the bank accounts we had.
All were closed overnight.
The safety I had of these accounts was taken away.
Now I really only had the company money to live on.
For the first time I realized the Harmon foundation that I was standing on was no longer mine.
I quietly looked at the signature on the account closure forms.
“Father…you really left me without a dime p>
Just then the doorbell rang so I got up to check who it was.
On opening the door, I saw it was the landlord.
He came to get the rent which was overdue by three months.
I noticed he even put a legal notice in the mailbox.
His lawyer also gave an ultimatum,
“Pay or leave the apartment p>
I realized I can’t go on like this any longer.
I can’t spend the rest of my life in this run-down apartment.
No servants, no staff, no family or any friends.
Nobody came to meet me and I had nobody to meet.
Tears rolled down my cheeks as I finally broke down.
I cried uncontrollably for the first time in my life.
Not for Charles,
I knew he was a selfish man and he never liked me.
I did hope he would one day accept me,
But it was a hope.
But father p>
He was my father and p>
The man I could rely on anytime any day.
Yet p>
Now p>
Everything I did for him felt like a lie to me.
“I left Daniel cause of him” I said in-between sobs.
“I chased Jonathan cause of him p>
“I lost Adrian cause of him p>
“And he’s the one who disowned me p>
I scoffed.
He didn’t leave me,
He escaped.
I never was his priority.
“It wasn’t even important for you to tell me in person p>
Night time had fallen in as I sat motionless on the sofa.
Hours passed,
It was midnight.
Eventually the tears had stopped.
Sadness also disappeared.
And something colder stepped over.
It was resentment.
“Fredrick abandoned me p>
Yes, from now on father would be Fredrick.
If Charles didn’t choose me.
Adrian doesn’t want to be with me.
Then I will lose everything.
“If no one can give me a chance p>
“I guess I’ll have to take that chance myself p>
“Now I have nothing to lose p>
“I refuse to disappear from the world p>
“If no one will give me a chance p>
I tilted my head.
“I will take one myself p>
Now grief was transforming into something dangerous inside of me.
My eyes drifted towards an old box I had kept on the shelf.
I opened the box and saw reminders of the past that was supposed to be a temporary future for me.
Inside the box was a forged certificate.
Forged seal.
To make the certificate,
I had practiced his signature for years.
I also had other legal documents that belonged to Fredrick.
I carefully placed the certificate and the seal on the desk.
I took a blank paper and practised the signature once again.
After comparing, I relaxed as it matched.
A slow smile spread across my lips.
I reached for a pen.
I exhaled.
“I once lost everything, now it’s time to take it back p>
I smiled as this was one skill I was perfect at p>
Manipulating others.
I wrote Jonathan’s and mine name.
Hours later, I smiled.
The forged document was a marriage certificate.
It read:
Husband Name: Jonathan Rollings
Wife Name: Imelda Harmon
Witness: Fredrick Harmon
“With this I and Jonathan are legal husband and wife p>
“I know Veronica will say, I have a certificate too p>
“But Veronica dear,” I laughed. “Mine is six months before yours p>
I had authentic looking signatures, official seals on them, witness information confirmed.
A hundred percent legal looking marriage certificate.
“As long as I can make others believe I’m his legal wife,
“Veronica and Jonathan believing or not, won’t matter p>
“At this age, Jonathan will definitely not want to go to jail, so he’ll comply with me p>
“With this,” I continued.
’I will have status, protection, and lifetime money p>
“A respected name, a home p>
I laughed out loud.
Veronica was the one who stole my happiness.
Now I would steal hers.
Tomorrow this marriage certificate will be the talk of the city.
Even if half of the city believed it, it would be enough for me.
One thing I never learnt was to lose.
One thing that I did learn was…deceit.
If no one wants me…I’ll make myself wanted.