Jonathan's POV
I didn't know today the doctor's words would make my world collapse.
Veronica suffered more than just a heavy bleeding.
The doctor was about to tell me about Veronica's condition, but stopped...
Because Imelda came in the middle forcing me to come out of Veronica's room. So, I waited outside for the doctor to come.
"Doctor," I said. "What's the matter? Is she alright?"
"Mr Rollings, I—"
"Doctor, please I beg you, tell!" I insisted.
The doctor nodded.
"Well," the doctor sighed. "Miss Veronica's case is a misfit for me." Seeing my confused look, he sighed.
"Actually, (showing CT scan) from this, I'd say she was in a car accident. The arm fracture also indicates she was hit by a force, again pointing to a car accident. But she also has cuts on her back, that are clearly from being hit by a stick. She has bruises on her stomach, which indicate she was hit by boots. And the stab, one inch more to the right, and it would have ruptured her kidney. And the baby, that's the biggest loss. Mrs Imelda said, 'her husband is dead. Do you know what it means for a wife to lose her child, the only symbol she would have of her husband? Thank god she has a daughter to live with."
"Child??" I said. "What do you mean?"
"Oh," the doctor said. "Miss Veronica was pregnant, about three weeks. But after the wounds on her stomach, it won't be easy for her to conceive again."
I stumbled a few steps back.
My mind went completely blank.
She was pregnant?
Veronica was carrying our second child…and I didn't even know.
A small pressure weighed in on my heart as memories flashed through my mind. The day I proposed to her after our graduation. The day we got married and I gave her a plain wedding ring, the promise I made to give her a diamond ring, the tiny apartment we lived in and the struggles.
She always wanted two children, and I also promised to have a big happy family with her. Yet, somewhere along the way, I lost track of where I lost her.
And, now I also lost the child before I could even know it existed. And, now we would never have a second child.
Back then, she would tell me every small thing that happened.
"I have to go on my rounds." The doctor said, "Do you want me to sign your wife's discharge papers?"
"No!" I blurted out. "I mean, I want her to rest for a few days."
I knew if Imelda wasn't in the hospital, it would be hard for me to stay back and take care of Veronica.
As the doctor left, I couldn't help myself from thinking, both were kidnapped, but only Veronica was badly hurt.
"When the call came, I instantly presumed it was Imelda, as who would kidnap Veronica especially when no one knows about us." I said in my mind.
Just then my phone vibrated.
Come and see—Imelda.
"Come and see?" I said.
"Imelda, what do you mean by this?" I said, showing her the message.
"Look." she said, handing me a folder.
As I was going through the papers, my eyes widened in shock.
"Jonathan, I know she's your wife," she said. "But serves her right."
Seeing I didn't reply, she continued.
"The nerve of that low tramp. She actually staged a kidnapping to make you choose between us. I'm sure she thought you would choose her over me, but who knew she fell into the hands of real kidnappers."
"But, you're not injured." I said. "You don't even have a scratch."
There was something wrong about this kidnapping that just didn't make any sense. If Veronica really staged the kidnapping, why would she beat herself so much and actually stab herself to the extent of almost dying. That too when she loves Janet more than anything and would never bear to leave her, as long as it was up to her.
Then I looked at Imelda lying in the bed-calm. Not a single scratch on her skin.
The more I thought about this, the more uneasy I felt.
Just then her office staff male came in.
"Miss Imelda," Imelda's staff man said. "We got a transaction record of Miss Veronica paying the kidnappers."
"Look!!" Imelda said shocked. "Now do you believe me?"
I saw a hundred thousand dollar transaction.
"Imelda, a hundred thousand?" I said. "You know she can't—"
"Jonathan, I pay her a hundred thousand weekly." she said. "That's four hundred thousand a month, and she's worked for two months already."
"A hundred thousand a month??" I was shocked.
"Yes," she said. "After all she's your wife. Now I wouldn't give her a few dollars, would I?"
I stormed out of her room and went straight to Veronica's.
"What is this?" I said throwing the folder.
"This is a lie!" she said.
"And this?" I said showing her the transaction.
"Jonathan," she said demandingly. "You very well know I don't have that kind of money."
"You would," I said snarling. "When you get a hundred thousand a week."
Rage surged through my body and before I realized my hand was around her throat.
"Honestly," I said snarling. "Why is it so hard for you to understand? I'm doing all for—"
Seeing her coughing from being choked, I released her and took her hand in my hand.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I said as I held her hand. "I didn't mean that."
She coughed. "You can check our bank, can't you?"
I quickly opened our joint account on the bank app, and saw she only received two hundred dollars from Harmon Designs in the last three months.
Which meant the salary Imelda claimed to pay, never reached Veronica. If so, then where did it go?
"What the hell is going on?" I said in my mind.
"Veronica," I said. "I really hope you have—"
"Jonathan," She said in a frank voice. "I hate Imelda and more…you. But I won't do anything that will take away the only parent my daughter has to depend on."
"Veronica," I said half-heartedly. "What do you mean by that? I'm her father. She has a father and a mother."
I let out a deep breath.
"Okay, rest." I said. "I'll check on you later."
"Veronica," the doctor said as he came in. "How are you feeling?"
"Fine." She said,
"Doctor," Imelda said as she came inside wheeled in by her assistant. "Can she be discharged?"
"Imelda!" I was shocked.
"She's an employee," she said. "If I pay her bills, what will the other employees say?"
"Besides, she failed to protect me."
I clenched my fist the same way as I did when I wanted to tell the doctor I was Veronica's husband, but Imelda stopped me.
"Well," the doctor said. "She can be discharged, but she will need at least two months of bed rest. We had to stitch the stab wound so.."
I wanted to take her home, but Imelda insisted meeting a client was more important so I had to let her assistant take Veronica home.
The next day at work, I decided to have lunch with her, but I ended up hurting her again.
"Jonathan," Imelda whispered to me. "Everyone's found out, she couldn't protect me. And they all say, you're favoring her. If father finds out…"
"What do you want me to do?" It sounded less of a question and more of a 'give the order'.
"I know you don't want to, but you have to punish her, or else they'll think she has connections with you." Imelda said.
Veronica had just come behind us, and waited for the elevator with the rest of the staff. As the door opened, Imelda and I walked in. Then Veronica and the others also were about to board, but I stopped them.
"Everyone except Veronica can enter." I didn't dare meet Veronica's gaze, and spoke. "You failed in protecting Imelda. Take the stairs, that's your punishment."
As the door closed, I could see the tears welled up in her eyes.
"Sorry, I swear I'll make it up to you."
Imelda leaned in onto my shoulder.
"Jonathan, that was too harsh."
I didn't react. As the door opened, I went straight to my office.
After pacing around for what seemed like ten minutes, I came out into the hall and began pacing again.
"Where is she? It's only the twenty-third floor." I said in my mind.
"Jonathan?" Imelda called me as she came over.
Before I could reply, a staff member came running up the stairs.
"Miss Veronica…she fainted in the stairs!" He said. "She's bleeding!"
"Oh, Jonathan!" Imelda spoke. "I hope her stitches didn't break!!"
I ran down the stairs, two steps at a time.
My heart was pounding violently against my rib-cage. The image of Veronica's pale face kept flashing before my eyes. The doctor's words kept echoing in my ears.
One inch more and the knife would have ruptured her kidney.
She was supposed to be resting…not climbing twenty-three floors.
A sudden sense of dread crept in my heart.
Irritated, I headed towards the staircase, and started sprinting down the stairs.
22…
21…
20…
Then…
15…
14…
I froze the moment I stepped on the side going down to the 13th floor.
I ran down to the thirteenth floor, and stopped with wide eyes.
Veronica was lying motionless on the middle stairs. A pool of blood was beneath her.
My breath hitched.
"Nicky…?"
I rushed down the remaining stairs as my heartbeat was erratic.
Her face was pale. So pale, I almost stumbled back.
"Nicky, get up," I said sharply.
My hands trembled as I reached out for her…
"Why aren't you moving?"