Chapter 257
Veronica’s POV
Pearl River Hospital
I arrived at the hospital and ran toward the OT, only to see them wheeling Jonathan to the critical care unit.
I followed behind and saw all sorts of tubes attached to him.
My body was trembling as my feet stumbled a few times.
As I stood by the window, I could see the doctors and nurses moving around him as quickly as they could.
“I’m Veronica Rollings, Jonathan’s wife p>
“What the hell happened? What’s going on p>
I demanded to know from the nurse as a doctor stepped out.
“Go on,” he told the nurse as he stepped forward.
“Mrs. Rollings,” he said, looking at the door and then back at me.
“Your husband, Jonathan Rollings, suffered from a very serious head injury p>
I tried to remain calm as I struggled to keep myself together.
“Is he going to make it?” I forced myself to ask the dreaded question.
The doctor let out a deep exhale.
“Mr. Rollings’s head injury is quite He trailed off for a moment.
“Serious. There’s some swelling inside his head, and we are monitoring the swelling and any neurological response p>
“The next twenty-four hours will determine how his condition will develop p>
I stumbled as I literally felt the ground beneath my feet disappear.
Fear overtook me.
Over the past eighteen years of marriage, we had been through a lot.
We separated…we united.
But never to the point where we might never meet again.
“I don’t want to alarm you, but the next twenty-four hours are crucial for Mr. Rollings p>
“If his condition gets worse, he could fall into an indefinite coma p>
My body struggled to process the words as everything seemed to fade around me.
The only thing I could think of was: when would he wake up?
Hope and terror were colliding inside me.
“Doctor! The patient is slipping p>
The doctor’s expression changed as Jonathan’s condition suddenly began to deteriorate.
He ran inside and began to tend to him while I watched with my hands on the window.
Those seven hours were the longest seven hours of my life.
The door opened, and the doctor walked out.
He removed his mask.
His exhale was the most terrifying I had ever heard.
“Sorry, Mrs. Rollings. Mr. Rollings has fallen into an indefinite coma p>
My knees gave way as I fell onto the ground.
A nurse came running over.
“Mrs. Rollings, get a hold of yourself p>
I was devastated when I heard this, as I felt my world slipping away from me.
“How long before he wakes up p>
I looked toward the doctor with hope in my eyes.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Rollings,” he said.
“I can’t give you a definite answer p>
“He may wake in a few days, or it could take months or years p>
He exhaled again as he looked inside the window, where Jonathan lay motionless on the operating table.
“Honestly, it all depends on his self-will p>
“I hope the love for his family can make him pull himself from his coma p>
“We’ll move him to the critical ICU in a while p>
I walked back to the window and stared at Jonathan through the glass.
Today was the first time I had wanted so badly to hear him call me Nicky.
I exhaled as helplessness overwhelmed me.
My phone buzzed, so I took it out and saw that it was from the office.
“Mrs. Rollings, sorry to call, but the contract needs your signature, and some financial files as well The employee trailed off for a moment.
“Do I bring the files over p>
“No, Jonathan is in the intensive care unit p>
One thing I knew now was that, with Jonathan in a coma, our business could not stop.
“That’s what our competitors want: to derail Jonathan and me from the business p>
“Veronica!” Isabella’s voice cracked the silence as I saw Daniel, Isabella, Vance, and John running over.
She hugged me the moment she came close.
“He had a car accident and is now in a coma.” I somehow managed to say it in a straight line.
“The kids…they I started to stutter.
“I…I have to go to Harmon Designs…I p>
“Adrian and Lona are with the kids,” Isabella said, assuring me.
“Head over,” Daniel said, placing his hand on my shoulder.
“We’ll take care of him and the kids p>
I felt torn apart as I tried to take steps away from the window.
The thought of leaving him here like this was killing me inside.
I was about to respond to him when my phone buzzed again.
I took the call.
“Mrs. Rollings,” Jonathan’s assistant said on the phone.
“We just saw the news about Mr. Rollings p>
“Mr. Rollings put you in charge in his absence p>
“You’ll have to come over to sign the orders that are ready for dispatch p>
“The rest will be issued a new delivery date p>
I looked at Jonathan through the window.
“Did you know something would happen?” I asked as everyone looked at me.
“You left your power of authority for Rollings Designs in my name p>
I realized that I not only had the responsibility of taking care of Jonathan, the kids, and Harmon Designs, but Rollings Designs as well.
I realized that, while the only thing I wanted was to be beside him, I had more matters that demanded my attention.
On one side was my husband, who was in a coma, and on the other side was the business he had founded on his own.
As I was processing all this, a face appeared before my eyes.
A face that I never wanted to see.
Imelda.
A bolt of tension ran through my nerves when I saw her.
“How’s he?” she demanded to know the moment she came forward.
I didn’t have the emotional strength to reply to or deal with her.
I was far too exhausted and irritated when I saw her.
Before I could answer, the doctor answered as he talked to the boys.
“He’s in an indefinite coma for now,” he said.
“What Imelda said, shocked as she realized the seriousness of the moment.
By now, jewelry house representatives, River representatives, and media personnel had already arrived.
I realized Jonathan’s condition didn’t only affect me and my family but others as well.
I looked through the glass as Jonathan was still inside.
I saw him lying unconscious while every part of my life demanded answers.
I was totally overwhelmed by the feelings inside me.
Just then, Jonathan’s assistant came over.
“Mrs. Rollings, you have to come to the office p>
“If the order is not dispatched, Rollings Designs will have to pay a penalty fee of ten billion dollars p>
“Go,” Daniel said warmly to me.
“I won’t let her near him,” John said, glaring at Imelda.
“Let’s go,” Isabella said, taking hold of my hand. “I’ll drop you, then head over to the kids p>
I felt guilty as I took every step away from Jonathan.
I should be here with him.
Yet I knew I could not ignore our businesses either.
All I knew was that choosing business over Jonathan was wrong, as I should be here as his wife. Likewise, choosing Jonathan over the business was wrong, as our business was not only about us; it was about the thousands working for us and the hundreds we served.
“How will I handle all of this, Jonathan?” I said as I reached an emotional breaking point.
“Let’s go,” Isabella said as she began pulling me along.
I had taken only a few steps away from Jonathan when my phone buzzed again.
It was a council member.
“Mrs. Rollings,” he said.
“I can understand your situation, but we request your presence here p>
“It’s regarding Mr. Rollings’ administrative duties p>
I stared back toward the window.
Even though I wasn’t standing before him, I could still see him before my eyes.
My feet froze, refusing to leave him.
“Mrs. Rollings, we request that you come over immediately,” he said on the phone.
I looked back one more time before I left the hospital with Isabella.
As we traveled, I didn’t know how long he would remain in a coma.
I didn’t know why the council was calling me.
All I knew was that I had to go because Jonathan could not.
I could feel the weight of reality fall on my shoulders as Isabella stopped in front of the Council office.