Chapter 304
Jonathan’s POV
Rollings Designs
I can’t forget what I saw and what I know.
I replayed the days she came back home.
I reviewed her photographs from before and now.
There was no doubt her face is the same.
But her behavior had changed drastically, even the scar from the stab and C-section were no longer there.
The injury was real, delivering Joshua was real, and I clearly remembered seeing the scars before she was kidnapped.
And if she is Veronica, my wife, then why is she avoiding me from seeing her body?
My memory was giving a sharp pain, I just could not refuse.
I exhaled and took my leave.
Pearl River Hospital
“Doctor,” I said as I sat across from the doctor.
“You were the one who did the surgery on my wife, Veronica Rollings p>
“I want to know, it’s been nine years now, so can the scar from the C-section disappear p>
“As in completely, like it never existed p>
“Mr. Rollings, overall, the scar remains for life p>
“Although the appearance of the scar can and does fade away p>
“With treatment and time, the skin changes p>
“Your wife now has a silver, linear scar p>
“And silicone gel p>
“Silicone gel can improve the appearance, but again not a complete fade away p>
“Did you prescribe it to her p>
“Mr Rollings, why are you asking this p>
“She doesn’t have any scar, and she said it’s healed p>
“She doesn’t even feel pain anymore p>
“Mr Rollings, I examined your wife a week before p>
“The scar is very much there p>
“And I think you know your wife never considered the C-section a scar to erase p>
“And as for the pain, yes it has become milder, but not completely gone p>
“Now she feels a pin-like feeling p>
“And her stab scar p>
“That was deep as well, so it won’t fade away completely as well p>
“Can you check if she met another doctor to get silicone gel prescribed p>
“Sure p>
“No,” the doctor said after checking on his PC.
As I took my leave, I kept wondering about this in the car.
The doctor confirmed she never asked for a silicone gel prescription.
And I know it as a fact, she never was ashamed of the scars.
She also trusted me with her scars and her pain.
The doctor also confirmed a person can forget she had a child, or she felt pain in winters, but her body won’t and on seeing the scar she will question if she had a child.
I realized a reasonable explanation was hiding an unreasonable gap.
I quickly drove off to the office.
Rollings Designs
“John,” I said on the phone.
“I want you to find out if Veronica purchased silicone gel over the counter p>
“And make sure she doesn’t find out p>
I began to recall the repeated times she refused to be intimate with me or the way she would panic every time I would see her without clothes.
As I recalled each incident, I noticed a pattern forming.
Remaining patient was becoming an ordeal for me.
Rollings House
I took my leave and came back home.
“Veronica, do the scars still bother you?” I casually asked her as she was reading a novel, which she never did.
“Oh, the silicone gel has helped me a lot p>
“It’s just so embarrassing p>
“What if we go to the beach p>
“I won’t be able to wear my bikini p>
“They aren’t something to be ashamed of, especially the one from your delivery p>
“You always say that, thanks for making me feel good,” The next moment she went back to her reading.
“So, when did you begin? I mean the gel applying p>
“Ah, the doctor prescribed it himself p>
Knowing he didn’t, I still chose to let her think I believed her.
“It’s your body, and your choice p>
I got up to get myself a glass of water as now she didn’t do this work.
I turned around and noticed she was checking on her phone.
Something she has been doing since she came back, every time I leave the room.
As I came back, she abruptly disconnected a call.
“Just a work call,” her expression was saying elsewise.
I didn’t question who called as I had made a promise to myself I would listen to her before accusing her.
A careless confrontation could be harmful for me and if she really isn’t Veronica, then Nicky may be in trouble.
I was filled with fear as I realized my wife Veronica may be still missing.
I went to the garden as I got a call from John and I didn’t want her to know.
“Jonathan, for now this is what I gathered, and it’s totally legally obtained p>
“I traced the calls from Veronica’s last day to the time she’s been back p>
“Okay, but we won’t confront her until everything is verified p>
“And I want you to revisit the original search tracks for Veronica and Ann p>
“They were together, and she came back, Ann didn’t p>
“And she never mentioned her even once p>
“For that matter she may know where Veronica and Ann are p>
“I’m still searching for Ann,” John said.
After disconnecting the call, I went back inside.
“Nikcy?” I asked her.
“We still haven’t been able to find Ann yet p>
“Odd, you also never mentioned her p>
“She was kidnapped along with you p>
She looked up at me mentioning Ann as if she recognized her.
“You know I forgot everything p>
“So I don’t really remember her, and that incident is one thing I really am happy I don’t remember p>
Fact, she forgot, makes sense with her amnesia.
But to be totally uncensored, was not what Veronica would do.
Now I was more certain Ann’s disappearance was connected to her.
I also was worried Ann might be the person who knows the truth about who she really is.
“John,” I called him out of the blues.
“Find Ann p>
I was going through her photos again.
I carefully looked at her posture, her expressions and the way she graced the floor.
I knew these photographs alone cannot identify her, but they did prove…she had changed.
In fact this change wasn’t over time, it was after a few days since she got kidnapped.
The current Veronica? Her face was convincing, but her behavior…wasn’t.
Just then I got a call from John:
“I’m almost close, need a little more verification.” he said on the phone.
I was frustrated as I knew a false accusation could destroy my marriage.
“Okay, continue searching and make sure if anything happens, the kids are safe p>
Whatever and whoever she is, I won’t let Janet or Joshua come in the face of danger.
I also realized it was cause of them that I was being steady.
I exhaled as I was going to go for the last straw to confirm if she was my Veronica or not.
She did say she doesn’t remember, but it’s something she can’t forget.
“Veronica, you remember the night you were recovering at the hospital and he came to visit you p>
“He?” she asked, confused.
She remembers every one and if she remembers Fredrick and Daniel, she should remember Sanders.
“Oh, you mean Fredrick,” she said recalling.
“Yeah, I know p>
I didn’t react, as I knew genuine amnesia can make you forget what you don’t want to remember as in selective amnesia.
But she didn’t have selective amnesia, she forgot everything, yet remembers everyone.
Now she says she recalls Fredrick being there, but not Sanders.
Reality p>
Veronica didn’t know Fredrick was outside, whereas Sanders came inside to apologize to her.
My hope was fading, my reason wasn’t.
But now I was more certain Veronica was still being held somewhere.
I began to review the facts.
The scars are missing.
She keeps on looking at her phone.
She’s avoiding intimacy with me.
She doesn’t have any concern for Ann.
John was still investigating while I was keeping the atmosphere normal.
But one thing I was certain about, I will find out where Veronica is and bring her back…safely.