Chapter 140
Imelda’s POV
Small Apartment – The Next day
I was taking a small nap, when the door knocking woke me up.
I went over and found a legal document was delivered.
I signed on his board as I took the sealed document folder.
As I removed the stack out,
The first page caught my attention.
COURT ORDER
I read it:
Miss Imelda,
This is to inform you,
You cannot use the Harmon name for any gains or personal use as now you are stripped of the rights that come along with the name.
You can use Harmon as a plain surname or choose to change as you wish.
You are to immediately stop using Harmon Designs name, logo as on receiving these orders.
Any misuse and continuation use of Harmon Designs as self company name would and will constitute trademark infringement and misrepresentation of the legal ownership under the courts protection.
Signed,
Federal Court of Law
There were attached legal copies of Veronica taking over as the President of Harmon Designs.
My hands trembled as the stack of papers fell from my hands.
“President of Harmon Designs p>
“Why?” I stomped my feet.
“Why p>
“She’s the one whom I kept under my feet p>
“Why is she the one on my head p>
“I was the one raised as a Harmon p>
“How come I’m the one thrown away p>
I fell on the sofa as my body lost its senses.
For the first time since I began living in this small apartment,
I realized they weren’t only taking my company away from me,
But my surname, my identity as well.
“No matter what?” I whispered.
“I’m still a damn Harmon p>
I picked my phone up and called my lawyer.
“Hello,” I said.
“I just sent you scanned copies of the paper stack I just got p>
I didn’t give him time to talk.
“I want you to file for emergency injunction orders against Veronica Rollings p>
“And I don’t care about the few weeks back DNA report stating she’s Father’s biological daughter p>
“I have been a Harmon since I was born, and have been managing Harmon Designs since I was twenty p>
“The employees know me p>
“The clients know me p>
“Every supplier knows me, and most were brought in by me p>
“I am the face of Harmon Designs p>
“Public recognition should hold weight p>
I exhaled allowing him to talk.
“Ms. Harmon,” he said.
“You have points, but you should know the DNA fact is an unlikely fact to beat p>
“Whatever you claim,” he said.
“Fall short to the facts, Fredrick switched you and Mrs. Veronica at birth p>
“You grew up at Harmon Mansions, she grew up at an orphanage p>
“More likely,” he said.
“If you claim to remain a Harmon, with Fredrick away, you’ll be liable to pay back p>
“I don’t care,” I said.
“I won’t go down without a fight p>
To the world I may seem like I’m fighting for ownership,
But I was fighting for what was stolen from me.
My lawyer filed the papers by the afternoon,
I began by calling the longtime shareholders and the business partners of Harmon Designs.
I reminded them of the time I managed Harmon Designs for years and brought success.
How many contracts I successfully negotiated.
Meeting international clients.
I represented the company at every design award.
Most remained polite,
Until one managed to speak.
“Ms. Harmon p>
“You were a good managing director p>
“But without Jonathan Rollings beside you, none of us would have had the confidence to work with you p>
“He was the one who stood beside you then p>
“And today p>
“He’s standing beside Mrs. Veronica Rollings p>
“He’s the Managing Director of Harmon Designs p>
“So naturally we have confidence in him p>
With that the call ended.
I lowered my voice in silence as the call disconnected.
I realized people aren’t the same, or I didn’t know how to read them.
The team I trusted, left the moment Harmon Designs faced legal action,
And came back the moment Veronica stepped forward.
Every call I made to any Harmon Designs known name, disconnected the call.
I got up and walked over to the shelf.
Old company photographs.
Receiving awards, attending board meetings, attending international exhibitions.
Every picture reminded me of the years I devoted to a company that I thought was my mine.
“No matter what it was before p>
“Since I took over p>
“I built that company p>
“I gave two decades to that business p>
“I worked day and night,” I quietly whispered.
“All of this can’t disappear all cause a of a hidden truth surfacing p>
I couldn’t accept this.
All I knew,
Was p>
Blood may determine inheritance,
But it cannot rewrite memories.
“Why didn’t I think of him before?” I said as I recalled.
“Hi, honey,” I said on the phone as I dialed Adrian’s number.
I somehow managed to make him come over to meet me.
As he entered, I quickly got up and went over to get his favorite pie.
As he began to eat, I took the chance.
“Adrian,” I said. “You know Veronica is taking away the only home we ever had p>
“You have to stand up,” I said. “You grew up as a Harmon p>
“I hope being a Staf, you haven’t forgotten about that p>
He didn’t say a word.
I took that as a cue.
“Adrian, if you stand beside me p>
“People’s affection will be with us p>
I reached out for his hand.
For the first time since he was born,
I genuinely hoped he would choose me.
I almost froze as he pulled his hand away, and quietly looked at me before he spoke.
“When I was seven p>
He trailed off a bit.
“I believed Jonathan was my father p>
“And I was a proud Rollings p>
“He always was there for me p>
“He always protected me p>
“He taught me how to sketch p>
“Since I met Dad, I know he’s there for me p>
“Since I met Mom, yeah, I mean Isabella p>
“For the first time I knew what a mother really is p>
He paused for a brief moment.
“You p>
“You never were a mother p>
“You just gave birth p>
“You used me as a weapon and blackmailed Uncle Jonathan p>
“You also made me give Janet mango when she’s deadly allergic to it p>
“All I ever wanted was a family p>
“Now I have a family, a loving family p>
Without another word, he got up and walked out of the door, closing it softly behind.
That’s when I realized I not only lost my name, I lost my son, the only one whom I thought would stand beside me.
Silence fell in the room.
I walked over to the shelf once again.
I realized it was something I never wanted to admit.
I didn’t only lose a company,
I lost an identity I lived with for years,
Harmon was more than just a name for me.
Now to live without it p>
I no longer knew who I was.
I realized me chasing wealth was wrong, I should have chased my son, my love…Daniel.
Just then my phone buzzed.
My lawyer forwarded a newly filed corporate document.
I froze as I read the words.
I thought it was another document claiming Veronica is a Harmon.
But this shocked me.
Jonathan Rollings is the Managing Director of Harmon Designs.
“With Jonathan as the Managing Director,” my lawyer said on the phone.
“Harmon Designs is a millionaire business, Rollings Designs is a billionaire business p>
“You can make the rest p>
“Now all Harmon Designers followers will follow Jonathan, not you p>
My grip tightened around my phone.
“I don’t care,” I spat on the phone.
“I’m still a Harmon p>
“And I will still run Harmon Designs p>
“If the court won’t recognize me as a Harmon…I’ll make them p>