Desire

(39) Jessica

Florence and Kimberly were in Kim's bedroom, it was late at night — around 10pm — and they were watching movies in bed. Robert was out somewhere, he met up with a few friends and still wasn't back yet, while Caiden was in his own room half asleep.

Kimberly had one thing on her mind. She realised she still didn't really know what happened between Robert and his ex wife, she wanted to know, not out of jealousy but curiosity. She couldn't ask Robert, that just wouldn't seem right. So she asked Florence. "I just wanna know."

Florence sighed. "Okay fine. It was around five years into the start of Robert's company and things weren't going so smooth. Robert had always tried to give Jessica everything he could, but once the business started up most of his money was going into that meaning he couldn't spend as much money on his wife. She didn't like that. She slowly began turning sour, Robert was still like a love sick puppy and she was just treating him like a mutt."

Kimberly listened intently. She then realised she didn't even know the woman's name until now. "So he left her?"

"Not quite." Florence shook her head. "Caiden was around three years old and Jessica still hadn't grown close to her son, and due to Robert working constantly neither had he. I was hired once they knew Jessica was pregnant so that she wouldn't have to do any cleaning and I of course stuck around ever since. You could just see Robert trying his hardest while Jessica just continued to push him away. Then one night I walked past the living room of their old home, and heard Robert sobbing, begging Jessica to stay."

Kim was shocked. "He was crying?"

Florence nodded. "He used to be a man with many emotions. She told Robert that she'd stay and they could keep trying, but once he woke up that morning she was gone, she didn't even take her son which just showed how little she cared for him. He tried to contact her but she had changed her number and left no trace of where she went. After a year of Robert trying to find out if she was at least safe he slowly began to change. It was as if he finally snapped. He cut off his emotions, keeping them behind his dull eyes, he started sleeping with multiple women, it was as if he was doing it to show himself that he was good enough for women to want him."

"What happened with Caiden?"

"Caiden grew up and they still weren't close. He would cry to me about how his mother left him and it was awful, but soon enough he was a heartless child, he couldn't understand boundaries and how some things just shouldn't be done. He would do anything to get what he wanted. Then when Robert's business skyrocketed two years later, Caiden grew up with this sense of empowerment, like he owned everyone and everything because of his father, he would proudly tell everyone in school that his father was Robert Mitchell and have people do things for him. Even did his homework. He was only seven." Florence disliked how the two treated each other. Of course it was Robert's fault to begin with, he should have tried more, but then as Caiden grew everything became a competition, and of course Robert could never say no, especially when he knew he'd win. It was hard to tell if they even had any love for one another.

"She left Robert because he couldn't buy her as many things as he used to?" Kim couldn't believe it. There's actually people like that?

"It seems that way. I imagine if she left because of something Robert had actually done wrong then maybe it wouldn't have hit him so hard, he wouldn't have turned into complete womaniser and maybe him and his son would have had a better relationship. But it wasn't his fault. And I know people say 'behind closed doors' but I was behind those doors, and I can truthfully say that man did no wrong when it came to her." Florence spoke no word of a lie. God knows she would be very blunt when it came to Robert being in the wrong.

Kimberly was silent for a moment. She wasn't expecting it to be so bad. She was expecting a little fight and they both decided to part ways, not for it to be the main impact on why Robert and Caiden practically despised each other.

Florence checked the bedside clock. "Actually, where is Robert? He said he'd be back by ten, it's almost eleven now."

"Maybe he just got caught up with friends?" Kim questioned.

Flora hummed. "I doubt it, he very rarely does. I'll give him a call."

And so she did, but there was no answer. She called once more but once again — no answer. She decided she'd wait until midnight to raise alarm and go searching for him. Robert wasn't the type to get caught up drinking with friends. If he aid he was going to be home, then he'd be home. He was a man of schedule.

Kimberly of course felt nervous, why wasn't he home when he said? But Florence made sure she stayed calm. They watched another movie but all Kim could focus on was flora's phone and if it would ring.

Midnight came the quickest it ever had before, and still no sign of Robert. "Right. That's it."
Florence angrily got out of bed. "That man infuriates me, he knows not to put the shits up me and now he's making me get out of my pyjamas to go search for him in the cold!"

Kim couldn't help but giggle a little. "I'll go tell Caiden." She hopped out of bed and scurried along the hallway before knocking on Caiden's door.

She had to knock three times before it finally opened in front of her. A groggy looking Caiden stood behind it. "What up, buttercup?"

"Robert still isn't home and he's not answering the phone so I think we're gonna go look for him." Kimberly was tired herself but she wanted to make sure Robert was okay and where on earth he had been.

For the first time genuine concern flashed through Caiden face, it only appeared for a split second but it was undeniable. "Uh, yeah okay. I'll get dressed."

All three began to get dressed and Florence let some of the help that lived in the estate know what was happening and where they were heading, and to give her a call if he arrived home.

Now the three sat in the kitchen with some of the help also joining to hear the plan. "Caiden you go look around the pub's your father enjoys, Kimberly and I will check around the office."

"Okay, I'll drive over there." Caiden stands up.

"No. Walk. He may be walking home and you may miss him so go on foot, we will too." Florence was in full dictator mode. She cared about Robert, of course she did. She wanted him home safe and had no problem in shouting at people to make sure that happened.

"Are you crazy?" Theodore spoke up. "You two cannot walk alone at this time of night. I'll come with you."

Kim looked clueless. "Why not?"

"Because at night girls get-"

"Don't." Florence was quick to cut Theodore off. She turned to look at Kimberly, grabbed her chin in her hand and squeezed her cheeks. "It's just not so safe."

"Are we going or what?" Caiden huffed. "We need to find my father." And once again there was that concern.

They headed out, splitting up and going separate ways to attempt to find the man. It was pitch black outside and barely any cars drove down the streets. Streetlights illuminated the road as best as they could, but patches of the pavement were still as dark as ever. Side alleys seemed terrifying at that time of night, who knew what was lurking in the shadows.

Kimberly broke the silence of the three. "I've never been out this late before."

"And you never will again." Florence was still very on edge, the way she snapped at everyone made that clear.

"Florence, you're being controlling." Theodore butted in.

"She's my daughter, I don't care." Snapped again. Kimberly raised her eyebrows in surprise, while flora didn't even realise what she had said. Kim smiled. Florence did treat Kim like her daughter, it was nice, very comforting and she didn't mind one bit if Florence saw her that way.

"But she's a grown girl. You-"

"Oh my god." Kim gasped. "Robert!"