Chapter 139
Jonathan’s POV
Harmon Designs – The next day
As I was driving to reach Harmon Designs, I never thought there would be a day I would be enthusiastic to reach.
There was a time this same place was a hell for me, especially the time Veronica worked here,
The time Imelda made her sit beside the trash cans.
If not for that message of someone wanting to hurt my wife, I would never let anyone think Imelda was the one and Veronica meant nothing to me.
Finally, we arrived.
Though Veronica was a confident woman, she still held onto my hand as we walked in.
Temporary President Office – a few moments later
I was busy reviewing the files as Adrian walked in carrying a notebook instead of his schoolbag.
I was smiling, as a moment ago the receptionist called to tell me he wished everyone, including the security staff.
I told her to give me every detail on him as I still was uncertain of my decision.
Before when I was working with Imelda, I had imagined this scene millions of times.
Back then p>
I thought he would one day inherit Harmon Designs from Fredrick or Imelda.
But p>
Life changed and so did this fact.
Today, if anyone is to inherit Harmon Designs, it will be from Veronica and they will be Janet and Joshua.
But seeing him ready to take his first steps in the business world, made me proud.
I realized some times dreams change, but some…only the direction changes, rest can be the same.
“Come on,” I said as I got up.
“Let’s go to my office p>
I walked out with Adrian and left Veronica to study some sketches so she could understand the basics of sketching.
Harmon Designs – Jonathan’s office – a few seconds later
As he sat across from me, I remembered the afternoons he would stop by before going home from school.
I would help him do his math homework, and play small investment games with him.
Teach him about negotiation,
And the most important part of Harmon Designs p>
Be able to sketch top-notch designs.
I never forced him and taught him only when he felt like it.
Seeing him sketch a necklace, I realized how much DNA matters.
Imelda never had a hand for designing.
Most of the top orders were my sketches.
Fredrick could design, but nothing like the designs Harmon Designs legacy was built on.
Only now do I know those designs were created by Veronica’s grandfather, and her mother.
Likewise, Veronica inherited her skills from her grandfather and mother, because she’s a famous painter.
Adrian is also good at sketching cause he’s Daniel’s son, who again is a great jewelry designer.
Janet, like her mother and father, me, is a great painter.
Joshua is eight and already his designs are being created into limited designs under Rollings Designs.
Nonetheless, I did think he would lead Harmon Designs one day.
But who knows the future.
But then again, the lessons weren’t wasted, as now he is sketching a design for an order for a Harmon Designs order.
“Uncle,” Adrian asked, pulling me out of my thoughts. “The sketch is ready, but why did you tell me to make it as per this customer’s request p>
I smiled as I realized I wasn’t raising an heir,
I raised a responsible man.
“Let me see,” I said, picking the sketch.
“Okay,” I said. “These lines need refining, like this, and this gem will always be in brackets, so you need to know if the place is good as brackets can hurt the neck or hand while touching the necklace, rest all is good p>
I called the office messenger.
“Take this to the production studio, order five-o-seven p>
“It has to be ready by eight p>
As the boy left, Adrian stood up.
“Uncle?” He said, shocked. “You didn’t just send that to be made, did you p>
“Of course I did,” I said. “The design is ready, now the studio will prepare a three d for it, and the creative team will create it p>
“But p>
“Adrian,” I cut him midway. “As a trainee, not only will you design for the customers, you will also look over the designing team p>
“Before you can, you need to prove your designing skills p>
“Uncle,” he said, emotional voice. “Thanks for teaching me. You know, even Dad said, he’s surprised I knew so much considering mother had no brain for designing p>
“When I told him, you taught me, he was so happy p>
Suddenly he went quiet.
Then he spoke slowly.
“Uncle,” his head was low. “Why did you let me come over here after all that has happened with you, mother and Aunt Veronica p>
He trailed off a bit.
“And Janet p>
I exhaled.
“Because I know what you did on your own, and what you did cause Imelda told you p>
“I know if it was you p>
“You would never have given her that pastry p>
“Adrian,” I said exhaling.
“I raised you p>
“I know you’re a responsible person p>
“You did apologize for giving Janet that pastry p>
“I know after that you stopped eating pastries p>
“Over the past seven years, you’ve changed for the better p>
“You listen before you speak or act p>
“Harmon Designs doesn’t just need a capable team p>
“Harmon Designs needs people who are loyal to Harmon Designs and to Veronica p>
“I trust you are loyal and will protect Veronica p>
I hoped he understood this had nothing to do with the fact he was a son,
But rather of the man he became.
I smiled as he quietly nodded.
Just then Veronica walked in.
She placed a badge on the desk that read:
Name: Adrian Staf
Designation: Managing Trainee
“Adrian” Veronica said, smiling warmly.
“I know you don’t want any special treatment or any shortcuts p>
“I’m sure you’ll earn the vice-president post in Harmon Designs and your place as in our family yourself p>
“The what, where?” He asked, shocked.
“Adrian,” she said. “Regardless of the DNA report, I and Jonathan have seen you as our son p>
“Janet and Joshua have Rollings Designs and Rollings Arts p>
“You and Jenny have Staf Studios p>
“But Harmon Designs has no one p>
“We want you to be the one p>
“The future of Harmon Designs p>
Adrian lowered his head as he was unable to hide his emotions.
I knew why.
First it was Isabella who chose him without asking anything back, now it was Veronica.
“Mom, Dad,” he said with an emotional voice. “I won’t let you both down, I promise p>
Later on in the day, the department managers showed him around the works.
Apart from designing,
They showed him the manufacturing, quality controlling, approval of designs, sales, and even how the finance is handled.
Everyone knew my intention, so everyone was pitching in any way they could.
Adrian also wasn’t rushing through, instead he was listening carefully and noting every detail down.
He even took permission from the managers to study the old designs to understand the legacy.
He studied the old sketches so he could draw close enough.
Over the next few days, he continued to improve.
He attended meetings, sorted reports, created new designs, and observed others at work.
The employees also became friendly with him.
No one saw him the future of Harmon Designs, instead saw him as a colleague, and began calling him by his name.
As I dropped Adrian off at his home, and came back home with Veronica, my mind was not at ease.
Apartment – Late at night
Even though I raised Adrian, he always did what Imelad told him to.
He even gave Janet the mango pastry in her words.
He never questioned his mother and simply obeyed her words.
He was an only child, and believed the world was beneath him.
But the last seven years have been hell for him.
A boy with no surname.
A grandfather on the run.
A mother who went from riches to rags.
Now he knows Daniel is his father.
He knows I and Veronica look up to him as our son.
But I still worry p>
The little boy who obeyed his mother’s every command,
Is that little boy still inside of him?
Soon enough, I knew Imelda would find out Adrian is officially part of Harmon Designs.
And if he continues, he will be the Vice-President.
Being Daniel’s son, he would one day inherit half of Staf Studios.
Imelda, in the position she is in now,
Would and could manipulate Adrian once again.
I walked over to the balcony and looked out into the city.
Blood gave him a mother and a father.
Fate gave him a father and two other mothers.
He saw Imelda’s manipulations,
Now he sees Daniel’s honesty.
At the end of the day he is Daniel and Imelda’s biological son.
Would his mother’s genes speak or his father’s?
For the first time I wasn’t worried for Harmon Designs,
But for Adrian.
One path could destroy him, the other could be his salvage.
Now,
The future of Harmon Designs is no longer on if he can become the president,
Rather on p>
Which parent’s genes does he want to live his life on?