Jonathan's POV
Rollings Designs - Early morning
I was reviewing the reports when my secretary walked in holding a cup of coffee.
"Mr. Rollings," she said, placing the coffee beside me.
"Why don't you let me review them,"
"You've been up all night."
"It's alright," I said, taking a sip of the coffee.
"I slept a bit,"
"But can you get me the pay slips of Veronica."
"Mr. Rollings," she said looking down.
"I'm sorry, but Ms. Imelda took all Harmon related documents on Sunday."
"Sunday?"
"Yes," she continued.
"She used the key card you gave her, and came with her men."
"She took every last paper,"
"Only the files, USBs and the system records that were kept in the safe, are still there."
"Then the pay slips.."
"Those too." She continued. "Mrs. Rollings pay slips from Harmon Designs weren't separated yet."
"Okay," I said.
"Find a way to get them."
She nodded and walked out.
"Timing decides everything that's to happen. You used enough of your time, now it's mine."
"Mr. Rollings," my PA called me as I was heading out.
"You have a meeting with Ms. Imelda at—"
"Cancel it," I said walking out.
"From now on don't confirm unless I tell so."
She looked with wide shot eyes.
I knew she was surprised I said that for Imelda.
The before me, would have left all important works to go meet her.
The current me…she doesn't exist for me unless I need her to.
And the place I was heading off to, was now the most important place next to my apartment.
D. S. Studio.
D. S. Studio - Later in the morning
"What's gotten into you?" Daniel asked with pinched eyebrows.
"What?" I asked with a slightly tilted head.
"You've changed," he said.
"Your staff told me," he said continuing.
"They say, 'you've been giving short and precise instructions."
"You don't engage in any unnecessary conversations,"
"You told your staff to confirm with you anything related to Imelda?"
"Do you think I shouldn't?"
"Imelda is the master of manipulations,"
Daniel said, the voice was serious to the core.
"She thinks she owns the world and the people in it."
"Tell me about it,"
"Anyways, I'm going to begin the audit,"
"So, I want you to handle the customers."
"Don't worry," Daniel said in a calm voice.
"I've already made a team,"
"They'll begin working with your team from tomorrow onwards."
"Jonathan," he placed his hand on mine.
"Just focus on how to take them down,"
"And bring sister-in-law back."
Rollings Designs - An hour later
I opened the side drawer and unlocked a secret section.
I removed a small diary and placed it on the desk.
This was my seven years of hard work.
Talking, comparing, testing, calculating.
Finally I had a list of people who would be loyal to me and only me.
Not…
Imelda.
I began to contact the external auditors who were loyal to me.
I had them on a conference call.
"Yes," I said.
"I want you all to execute all sources,"
"I want every you to trace all of the finances,"
"Contracts, hidden channels,"
"Everything and anything that bypasses Harmon Designs."
"Mr. Rollings," my secretary said walking in.
"Ms. Imelda called, and said she's waiting for you at the Grand Del Hotel conference hall."
"What?"
"Mr. Rollings, didn't you say from now on both won't attend each other's meetings?" One of the auditors asked me.
"Mr. Rollings, I think you should go," The other one said.
"We must access all possibilities so we can know where we stand." the other one said, continuing.
"I think you're right,"
"Okay, everyone carry on with what I said. We'll continue when I come back."
Grand Del Hotel - Conference Hall an hour later
"Jonathan," Imelda said, coming over and was about to hug me, but I stopped her.
"Why'd you call me?"
"To brief you on the board meeting," Imelda said as if it was a natural thing to do.
I didn't reply.
"Oh, you mean about what you said," she continued.
"Don't worry, you'll always be part of Harmon Designs, even if you've made me a stranger to Rollings Designs."
"Imelda," I said in a steady voice.
"I meant what I said," I continued.
"You calling me like this–" But she stopped me from completing my words.
She tugged on my arm and pulled me into the hall.
I sat beside her.
Usually, I would give my suggestions,
But today…
I preferred to stay quiet today,
and observe.
I kept an eye on how she was leading the meeting.
Dominating, Controlling.
I tried to identify the influence pattern she was following.
Today I also noticed something,
there were board members who didn't agree with her,
but fearing she may blacklist them, so they didn't have any other option but to listen to her.
I noted down their names…
I knew they would come helpful in the future.
I didn't react to what was going on.
I chose to observe today,
As this may be the last time I come here.
Finally the meeting commenced, and everyone was leaving.
Likewise, I was also about to leave,
but Imelda held onto my arm.
That's when I noticed some of the main followers were still here.
A waiter came over, and put the lid on my assumptions.
"Ms. Imelda, the room is ready."
She was still holding me by my arm, leaving me with no other choice, but to follow.
I sighed as I saw the table was set.
She had planned to have dinner after the meeting.
"So predictable."
"So," a board member asked.
"When are the wedding bells ringing?"
"Soon," she said, placing her hand on mine.
"We both have some pending work,"
"As soon as it's completed, we'll fix a date,"
"Everyone must come," she raises her glass in a toast.
Everyone raises but I don't.
"Jonathan,"
The fury in her eyes once used to make me worry,
but now…
I had nothing left to lose.
"Why should I?"
"I never said I was marrying you,"
"Everyone, but now you all must be knowing I'm already married,"
"Veronica Smith, the server at our parties, is my wife Veronica Rollings, and Janet is my daughter,"
"Jonathan?" She yelled.
It was the first time I saw her losing her control in front of the board members.
"And now you also know Adrian isn't my son,"
I looked at the member seated beside me.
"You were right, he doesn't look like me because he's not mine."
"Excuse me, I have some work back at Rollings Designs, I'll take my leave."
The Apartment
It had been a week since I came back home.
I was eating my dinner, when my phone buzzed.
"Hello,"
"Mr. Rollings," the voice said on the phone.
"It's done."
"Good," I said.
"Imelda?" I questioned him.
"She won't know before the weekend," he said.
"By that time, she won't be able to do anything."
"And the other stone client?"
"That should be done by the end of the week."
"Okay," I said.
"Make sure she doesn't find out,"
"By the time she does, it'll be too late."
I disconnected the call and walked over to the window.
I gazed at the moon in the sky.
"Veronica,"
This was a habit that I began after she left.
I began talking as if I was talking to her in person.
Only she never replied.
"Today I've taken another client away from Harmon Designs,"
"A client who thought was collaborating with Rollings."
"For now there are small changes, that she won't notice soon,"
"But I'll soon catch the big fish."
As I went back, I got an email notification.
The subject was:
open vpn or go incognito
"What the hell?" I said reading the subject line.
"Why should I?"
"But then…"
I logged into my vpn account and activated a location.
Then I opened the email.
"We are being tracked. Every decision is being mirrored, monitored. The leaks we scheduled are being delayed. Stay on alert. Check every corner of the office home."
I simply replied 'Okay' and turned the vpn off.
I leaned back into the sofa chair.
Now I understood why my plans were being delayed.
She was keeping tabs on me.
"Imelda tonight is the last you'll ever have any control over me."
I got and checked every corner of the apartment.
True to the email, there were hidden cameras.
On finding there were no cameras in the bathroom or the toilet,
I wondered, should I thank Imelda for that?
"So, this is how you've always been a step ahead of me."
I picked my phone and dialed a number.
Then I went to sleep as tomorrow was going to be a hectic day.
Rollings Designs - Early morning at Eight
The staff was whispering why I called them so early.
"Everyone," I placed the cameras on the table.
Search every corner of the office.
Find them, and do not talk about any office matters until the place is clean.
"Yes Mr Rollings,"
"Ans send a team over to the the mansion,"
"Once all of the cameras have been removed,"
"Sell it, any price." "Mr. Rollings," a staff member asked. "When Mrs. Rollings come back—"
I cut her words midway.
"I'll buy a new mansion,"
"One that she likes."
"John," I said as I saw him coming in.
"Where'd these come from?" he said on seeing the cameras.
"They were all over the apartment,"
"The office is going to be checked, and I've sent a team to check the mansion,"
"That's the reason I called for you,"
"Don't worry," John said.
"I'll get cracking on them."
It took two days to remove every camera.
After all, the office and the mansion were bigger than the apartment.
And the footage and cloud storage were shocking.
The cloud storage belonged to Imelda.
The office and mansion was obvious.
Everything we did here, she had to know.
But why the apartment?
The footage shocked me.
I found out Imelda visited Veronica more than I did.
After seeing the footage, I was shocked.
"She actually went to meet her regarding the delivery work,"
"Behind my back?"
"So that's why she made sure I stayed at the mansion,"
"So she could come and talk to Veronica,"
"And Veronica never told me she came by,"
"Not even once."
I banged my hand on the desk, making everyone startle.
"I want you all to reach out to every pre-Harmon network,"
"Link them into Rollings Designs,"
"Re-build our alliances,"
"Make sure they are loyal to us and have nothing to do with Harmon Designs."
"Mr. Rollings," a staff member said.
"Are you really sure,"
"I mean once we begin—"
I cut his words midway.
"Won't this take down Harmon Designs?"
"That's exactly what I want."
"If that's the case Mr. Rollings,"
"Then rest assured,"
"We won't fail you."
It had been a month since I began taking over her clients.
I had made sure the information was locked down.
Even Imelda had limited access to the Rollings data.
She would call every now and then complaining she couldn't access this file or that.
I'd give her some reason or another.
"What are you up to?"
Imelda once asked me, but I didn't answer her.
In reality…I did.
I was controlling the flow.
So I could control the outcome of the plan I was executing.
"Mr. Rollings," a staff member said walking inside my office.
"The stones clients have signed with us,"
"And, they signed the confidential agreement as well."
"Good," I said, leaning back.
I leaned back and waited for her reaction.
But when it came…
It wasn't the expected one.
"Jonathan," she said on the phone.
"Do you think taking a few clients away from me will do you any good?"
She laughed on the phone.
"The only thing you're doing is…betraying me."
I laughed on hearing the word 'betraying'.
"When were we in any sort of a relation, that I could betray you?"
"If I betrayed anyone,"
Venom laced my voice as I spoke.
"It's Veronica whom I betrayed."
"And I will repent."
I disconnected her call, even as she was going to say something.
"So you're still keeping tabs on me,"
"This is the last you will,"
"From tomorrow onwards, you won't be able to."
My phone buzzed as I was in my thoughts.
"Mr. Rollings," the voice said.
"The project is ready,"
"It's on your say."
"Pull the brake for now,"
"What?" he said, surprised.
"I know," I continued.
"But we can't act in haste,"
"For now she's still keeping tabs on what we're doing,"
"Let her settle in,"
"Once she does,"
"Execute and no need to ask me,"
"We've wasted enough time already cause of her,"
"Can't waste anymore."
"Yes Mr. Rollings."
The sun had settled down.
The staff had almost gone for the day.
I walked over to the window and looked out into the city skyline.
Before I never felt anything.
Today, my life would finally be back in my hands, where it belongs.
I stood alone at the window.
Today I was more composed than I'd ever been in my life.
My mind was focused.
I knew what I had to do and what I had to save.
I knew who was with me, and who was against me.
"Imelda, you still think I'm part of your game, your puppet…you'll soon lose control not only of this puppet, but you'll lose the game, and this time for good."