Chapter 184
Veronica’s POV
Rollings Designs – The next day
I woke up to an unfamiliar ceiling and was going to ask where I was, until I heard him.
“Awake?” Jonathan’s calm voice melted like honey in my ears.
“You dozed off when we were reading the treaty archives p>
I remembered today I came along with Jonathan after yesterday’s events.
After yesterday’s revelation Jonathan is from the River bloodline, several major jewelry houses have contacted him regarding the vault.
We did have a small celebration yesterday night as now we were the River family as well, and I wanted to keep Jonathan optimistic about this,
But the celebration didn’t last long.
I abruptly got up as Vance walked in.
“Jonathan,” he said, no formalities, only smiled towards me.
“We can challenge the crest Alex claims to have p>
“But the original treaty still exists p>
“Meaning, who authors it, still exists p>
I walked over and sat across them.
“So, you’re saying even if we expose the crest he has is fake, this matter will still exist p>
He nodded.
“Yes,” he said.
“The thing is,” Vance explained.
“The treaty was created by Senior River’s father p>
“Followed down by his son, Senior River, Jonathan’s grandfather, his mother’s father p>
“And legally, his mother would continue, later on Jonathan would p>
“The base of the creation behind the treaty was to protect the historical jewelry and gemstones p>
“The crest is the symbol of the River family, and belongs to the head of the River family, the one who executes and governs the treaty p>
“The head holding the crest, means he has the authority to enforce the rules regarding the treaty p>
“Alex may have a fake crest, but the treaty was never broken, it only disappeared with the family p>
“It will invoke once the real authoritative person appears p>
Just then I got a message from my office, as many jewelry representatives know Jonathan is often there.
The message read:
Several representatives are calling to ask when the vault will reopen. They want to know about their ancestral wealth’s well-being. And some are saying they gathered their valuables for the vault for Alex, but now they want to hand it over to Mr. Rollings.
After reading this, I realized Jonathan might have another problem on hand soon.
“Jonathan,” I tried to keep my voice as calm as possible.
“What’s the matter?” As always, he sensed.
“Relax,” I said, showing him the message.
“Honestly,” he said, handing the phone to Vance so he could read as well.
“I have no interest in keeping p>
“Once I know where the vault is, I’ll hand it back to everyone p>
“Anyways, it’s their property p>
“But, Jonathan,” Vance said.
“The others want to know when they can hand it over to you p>
I realized now the problem is no longer related to Alex, now it’s the Jewelry houses who want answers.
I picked the archive treaty and read it.
Even if we found the real treaty and destroyed it, it would not solve the problem.
As p>
The jewelry houses like the idea of safe keeping.
And, then there would be no agreed system to protect their historical jewelry.
The solution was not in destroying the treaty,
But who authors it?
I wondered if Alex knew he was taking advantage of a system that could have someone to claim authority over.
“We can’t just pretend the treaty doesn’t exist.” I looked towards Jonathan.
“I have no intention to claim being the security guard over others valuables,” he immediately said, rejecting the idea to the core.
I smiled as he looked like a child not wanting to become the monitor of the class.
I knew he never wanted authority over anyone’s valuables.
He loved to design jewelry and loved it when others wore it, the reason he built Rollings Designs.
He never had any intention to inherit any bloodline.
Now everyone was looking at him because he had the blood of not one, but probably two prominent jewelry houses.
“I never wanted to become an heir to any family p>
I didn’t argue with him as this was about his feelings.
I understood why he didn’t want to take over the responsibility.
After all, he had already faced so much in life, this is the least he wants.
“But, Jonathan avoiding the matter, won’t make the matter disappear p>
“If you walk away,” I said.
“With everyone wanting the treaty to be invoked p>
“The council will make someone claim the authority p>
“And Alex is the most viable candidate p>
I didn’t want him to become someone he didn’t want to.
But I did want him to decide what he wants to do now that his identity as a River member is known to all.
“You won’t be called Mr. Rivers,” I said in a little teasing voice.
“You just have to realize what this new identity means to you p>
Jonathan’s expression changed as he became unusually quiet.
I knew his thoughts had taken him far away.
He looked down at the treaty and then at the old photographs that laid before him.
I realized his gaze was fixed on his mother’s photo.
He was looking at the photo of the woman who was his mother.
The woman who chose an ordinary life over letting him know she was a River and heir to immense wealth.
He didn’t say a word.
But I could clearly see the weight of those questions on his face.
I didn’t interrupt him.
I knew even no matter what he decides regarding the River legacy, a part of him will always wonder what his mother wanted.
After all, she did hide all this from him.
I reached out for his hand and softly pressed it.
“Whatever reason she chose back then, was to keep you alive p>
“Now, you have to make yours p>
Just then Daniel and Isabella entered the office.
“Sorry for overhearing,” Daniel said as they walked in.
“But as the CEO of Staf Studio, I understand the consequences it will have on the jewelry houses p>
“I also agree the treaty cannot be destroyed p>
“But one thing I’m certain of p>
“Alex can no way be in control over the treaty p>
“The choice is yours, but I do say p>
“If you don’t want to, at least make sure he can’t as well p>
“Jonathan,” Isabella said as she agreed with Daniel.
“You’ve always protected others without even realizing it p>
“You began by protecting Veronica, and Janet p>
“You protected Adrian p>
“You protected Raymond, and Daniel p>
“You protected Rollings Designs, and Harmon Designs p>
“Therefore, the question now is do you want to protect something larger p>
I saw Isabella’s words made him think.
I knew he wasn’t afraid of responsibility.
He was afraid of a life he may never be able to escape from.
“What next?” Jonathan finally asked.
“Well,” Vance said, explaining.
“The international jewelry council will have to determine if you are the legal River heir, whether you can invoke the treaty again or not, if the treaty is invoked, who has authority over it p>
“With the treaty and crest in hand, the vault is back as well p>
“In that case, the authoritative decides what to do with the vault items p>
“And whether the vault should exist or not based on a vote p>
I knew he now finally understood why Alex was so eager in wanting authority over the treaty.
I knew the decision was not an easy one.
It involves his identity,
His mother,
His maternal family’s history.
And the responsibility that comes with it.
He was about to speak, but his phone buzzed.
He took the call.
As he disconnected the call, his expression was clearly of worry.
He exhaled.
“It was from the international jewelry council p>
“They have reviewed the evidence John gave and others gave p>
“They want to meet me personally p>
“As the only surviving River member p>
I looked at him as now he realized he’s already being seen as the surviving River member.