Pauper's Desire

by Kitt Lee

  ***

  Caleb came out of the room and leaned to a wall. He was really hurt by what had happened in the room. He was unable to breathe properly and his head was being tortured. His eyes were swollen but he couldn't stop crying.

  He was weak and needed a room to sleep in. There were many rooms but he needed a room which was not close to Preston'. He needed to give him time at least before he probably threw him out of the house. Caleb could feel that this misunderstanding would eventually lead to their break up but he was helpless. He didn't know what to do and he had no idea who was doing this to him.

  Caleb slowly rubbed his tears and took slow painful walks away from Preston' room. His mind and heart were in that room. He was just a walking zombie who was unable to think properly. All he wanted to do was rest his poor little head for many hours. Even his eyes could use a little shut eye.

  Caleb walked slowly going in the direction of the stairs when he suddenly saw something that took his mind. It was William and he was hurrying somewhere. Caleb didn't know where William was rushing but he found himself following him.

  He had no idea why he was following him but his heart was telling him to do so. He picked up his pace, rubbing his eyes softly. His heart was beating and his mind was determined to find out where William was headed at that hour. Caleb knew that something was up because William wouldn't be in a hurry at 11.pm when everyone else was sleeping.

  Caleb followed him till he reached...Victoria's room. He knocked and the door opened. Caleb hid and saw Janice looking around and then William entered. Okay, something was definitely not right. Why was Janice looking around as if she was hiding something?

  It was either they were up to no good or they were having an affair. That was the only thing that crossed Caleb's mind. But he needed to find out the reason or rather what they were doing when everyone else was sleeping.

  Caleb slowly walked towards the door. Janice's room was quite isolated from other rooms so whatever she did no one knew but Caleb was gonna find out what they were discussing.

  He reached the door and could hear voices coming from that room. He put his ears close to the door and he heard them a little bit.

  "Did anyone see you come here?" Janice asked.

  Seriously they were definitely hiding something, Caleb thought.

  "No," William said softly. "Everybody else is sleeping."

  "Good," Janice chuckled softly. "What I have to tell you is very important. You saw what happened today."

  "Yeah," William muttered. "I saw everything. Preston has drawn further from Caleb. He doesn't even want him in his life."

  Hearing that made Caleb to be filled with a lot of sad memories, he felt tears building in his eyes. So they had actually decided to meet in private just to discuss about him and Preston? Those two were really something.

  "Yeah," Janice laughed. "I'm glad they will break up. I'll finally have my son back."

  What Caleb was hearing was just hurting him. He didn't want to hear anymore because they were probably just gossiping. He was about to pull his ear from the door when suddenly something caught his attention.

  "Get ready to claim what's rightfully yours," Janice chuckled. "Now that our plans have been successful it is only a few hours before I throw Caleb out of this house. Tomorrow is the big day."

  William laughed softly. "I can't believe Preston will soon be mine. I knew your plans would work but I never thought they'd breed such results."He chuckled. "I must say you are a genius."

  "I wouldn't have done this without you and your family." Janice laughed. "Poor Caleb, he'll leave this house tomorrow."

  They both laughed.

  Caleb outside was surprised. His heart was pounding, his lips snarled and his fists were clenched. Of course, it now made sense. He had found the two culprits and he needed to show them that he knew what they had planned.

  Caleb touched the cold knob, furious swinging it from side and opening the door. He stood in the door way while the two inside the room looked at him in surprise and shock.

  Caleb couldn't still believe it. How could people stoop so low as to hurt another person in that way? He had been nothing but good and they did this to him. He was mad and he was ready to fight them but he was afraid it was too late.

  At first Janice was scared but now that she gathered her courage she was fine. She crossed her arms on her chest and smiled brightly at Caleb.

  "Welcome!" She chuckled. "Please, come in."

  Caleb slowly walked in and closed the door. He went near them as tears flooded his face again. The pain intensified and his poor heart was on fire.

  "It...it was you." Caleb gasped, clenching his fists.

  "You didn't know," Janice gasped, touching her chest in fake astonishment. "OMG you didn't? I thought you knew." She laughed teasingly. "Guess you are not as smart as we thought you were."

  "Why?" Caleb said.

  "Because we hate you," William said teasingly. "We hate you and we wanted the game to finally end. And guess who won, us!" William laughed. "Your game is over and you better start packing..."

  "What's there to pack?" Janice said with an evil grin on her face. "He came with nothing and will leave with nothing."

  "I'll finally take my rightful place beside my husband," William said, holding his cheeks in surprise. "Mr. William Preston Vermont, doesn't that ring a bell?"

  Caleb closed his eyes as he felt more tears leaving his eyes. He couldn't take what he had just found out. It was too much and they were absolutely right. He was gonna leave the house very soon. He could smell it from Preston' reaction.

  "Oh," Janice said with fake sympathy. "Poor Caleb has been defeated and he has lost his husband."

  Caleb couldn't stop crying. He felt bullied and there was so much pain. He couldn't take it anymore. He didn't want to hear their voices again because they were making him mad and he knew he couldn't do anything, nothing.

  "Why?" Caleb said as he clenched his fists. His lips snarled with rage as he quickly turned and began running out of the room.

  "Wait!"

  Victoria's voice made him freeze but he didn't turn. His face was too pitiful to show to anyone especially those good for nothing bitches. Yes, he said it. Foolish unethical bitches

  "One last thing," Janice chuckled. He heard her voice getting closer. "Please, don't forget. Tomorrow around mid-morning you'll be leaving this house."

  Caleb sobbed and he stormed out of the room. He ran about a distance and then leaned to a wall and cried softly.

  He had just found out the two villains in his love life. One was his stupid whore of a cousin and the other was an old foolish witch. He had found out and he knew he had to do something but what could he do. He was even warned that he'd leave the house by mid-morning. He knew that was surely gonna happen.

  He wondered if he should tell his husband what had happened. But no, that was a really bad idea. Preston would never believe him. There was nothing to do but be ready and get out of the house. His game was over just like they had told him.

  Caleb furiously rubbed his tears. He was surely gonna leave the house but before that he has to secure something. He can't just leave empty handed. He needed something important and he knew the person to help him.

  Caleb took a deep breath, rubbed his tears and headed for granny's room. He reached there and slowly knocked on the door. It was not long and heard her telling him to go inside. Caleb gathered himself and slowly entered the room, closing the door behind him.

  "Oh," Granny gasped as she got out of the bed.

  She slowly walked to Caleb and her heart broke. His eyes were swollen really badly and she couldn't bear to see him like that. It was breaking her heart.

  "I'm sorry," Caleb apologized, trying his best to keep the tears from coming out.

  "You know you can always come to me," She said as she held his hand. She brought him in and made him sit on the bed beside her. "I'm really sorry for this afternoon." She apologized. "I couldn't face you in that condition.
I really cried for you because I still believe you are innocent." She said with conviction.

  Caleb sighed as a tear fell down his cheek. "I really appreciate that," He smiled faintly, slowly rubbing the tear that had fallen to his cheek. "But it doesn't matter anymore."

  "Why?" Granny said, cupping his cheeks in her palms. "Don't you..."

  "I'm leaving tomorrow," Caleb said with a gloomy sigh. "I'll no longer be in this house. I'll leave by morning."

  Granny was sad. Her two grandsons' story had turned out to be a sad one. She really loved Caleb a lot and this was a lot to handle.

  "Do you have to leave?" Granny said softly. "Stay here with me. You'll live happily and I'll make sure that I reunite you with Preston." She wheedled.

  Caleb looked at her with a sad smile as a lot of tears flooded his face. He quickly looked away and rubbed them.

  "It's what's good for Preston and me too," Caleb whispered, suppressing a tear. "This will also benefit everyone. They'll live in peace and the family will go back to the way it was. It will even get better than that."

  Granny quickly held his hands and kissed them.

  "You are a good boy," She said as a tear escaped her eye. "You'll find a good man out there and he'll be the luckiest man on earth." She cried, breaking Caleb's heart. "I just wish I could do something to help you."

  Now they were getting somewhere.

  Caleb sighed. "You could."

  "What?" Granny raised her teary face.

  "I need money," Caleb muttered, feeling a pain in his chest. "I need money to start my life again. I have nothing on me and my husband..."

  "I'll give you," Granny said, slowly rubbing his cheeks. "I have money in my safe. I'll give you about 100 000 dollars. If you need anything else just call, okay,"

  Caleb smiled faintly and said, "Okay,"

  "Just tell me..."

  "Tonight," Caleb sniveled, biting his lips. "Right now if..."

  "I'll go and get it," Granny said softly.

  She gave him a hot hug and left for her safe. Caleb felt warm and he was able to breathe normally. He was going to have a lot of money. 100 000 dollars was surely a lot of money to start off with. With that money he was gonna start a new life.

  Caleb smiled faintly once the thought of having that money hit him. He was still feeling the pain but he was not gonna leave empty handed again.

  ****

  Caleb reached Janice's room and he took a quick breathe. His head was still hurting and his eyes were watery and swollen. He had cried himself to sleep yester night when he came from granny's room. It had been painful but he had a huge amount of money that would secure his life.

  He had woken up this morning, took a hot shower and went out. He had gone to a hotel in town with the money, paid for a hotel, left the bag there and was now back. He knew today was the last day or rather he only has a few hours in the house.

  But before he goes he has to get answers from the people that had set him up. He has a small bag with him which contains his only possession. It was 8.40 and he only had an hour and twenty minutes before he leaves. Now he is at Janice's room.

  Caleb opened a zip on his small bag and adjusted his stuff, making sure it was in perfect shape. He couldn't afford making a mistake because it could make him lose his future and his life. After making sure that it was perfect, he slightly zipped the bag almost all the way up.

  He didn't need to knock because he knew that Janice and William were in there so he just held the knob and allowed himself in. As suspected the two of them were standing near the window whispering something to each other.

  "What are you doing here?" Janice said, losing the smile on her face.

  Caleb went straight inside, put his bag carefully on the bed and looked at her with a sad face.

  "Oh," Janice said, crossing her arms on her chest with a smile. "Did you come to say goodbye?"

  Caleb felt tears building in his eyes and he breathed softly.

  "No," He muttered, feeling a warm tear running down his face. "I didn't sleep last night. I kept on wondering and crying. I have been defeated and..." He cried. "...It just hurts a lot. I thought I was..."

  "Winning," Janice sneered, coming near. "We just played a better game, sweetie."

  Caleb's eyes watered more.

  "How did you do it?" Caleb said, looking straight at Janice. "I never even suspected you for once. I know I only have little time left but it just bothers me..."

  "What is bothering you?" William snapped, rushing towards him. "Is it too hard to accept that you've been defeated?"

  Caleb looked at William and his hear broke. That guy was supposed to be his brother and not his enemy.

  "The greatest defeat is when your husband doesn't trust you at all." Caleb sobbed, trying to rub his tears off. "I just came here to tell you that you've won. I'm defeated....I tried to tell my husband the truth but...he just...oh my God," Caleb sobbed, trying to bring himself under control. "He just brushed me and dismissed me like I was nothing. What could be more painful than hearing someone you love say that he made the biggest mistake of his life marrying you?"

  Victoria sighed, pretending to care. She came closer to Caleb and had her arms on her chest.

  "You know what?" She chortled, swinging her hand in the air. "I simply don't care how it feels. I have never been there before because my husband loved me till his very last breath."

  "Why can't you let your son do the same?" Caleb sighed, covering his mouth. "He was happy with me. I gave him everything a man could ever want. Please..."

  "Are you here to beg or what?" William laughed, coming closer to his face.

  Caleb put his hands together as more tears poured on his face. The pain was intensifying and his headache got worse. The only thing he wanted to do was beg her if she had a heart at all.

  "I'm begging you," Caleb begged as more tears flowed. "Don't separate me from my husband." He cried. "I'm willing to forgive you for everything. Just clear this..."

  "Never," Janice snarled, getting closer to his face. "I had done all these things so that I could..." She moved her hand up and down Caleb. "...I would never do such a thing."

  "But your son is hurting," Caleb said softly. "Can't you do...."

  "I did this all for him," Janice snarled as she held on to William's shoulder. "William here will be able to make him feel better. It was all for my son and I don't regret anything."

  "Even putting your life at stake just to achieve that?" Caleb lamented, dropping his gaze to his feet. "I can't believe..."

  "Who told you I had put my life at risk?" Janice said, with an evil grin. "I thought you knew me better than that."

  "Oh mother," William chuckled, rubbing his hands in total satisfaction. "He is too stupid to know anything. He thought getting married to Preston made him immune."

  "What?" Caleb said softly in a surprised tone. "You were rushed..."

  "Of course," Janice said softly, putting her finger on her chin. "I was rushed. But guess it's time to tell you a little something. Call it a goodbye gift or even better..." Janice rolled her eyes and then gave out a soft chuckle. "...call it a goodbye ritual from me."

  "I don't understand." Caleb said as he slowly rubbed his eyes.

  "Since you insist, I'll tell you." Janice chuckled, moving from side to side. "All of you might have thought that I had been poisoned but I would never be as stupid as to poison myself. It was all planned. It took months of planning but the results..." She smiled and squeezed Caleb's shoulder softly. "...they were...boom!" She flushed her hands in the hair.

  Caleb still couldn't understand a thing. He saw Janice bleeding that night. How come she was not poisoned or anything but she was bleeding?

  "I saw..."

  "Let me tell you something," Janice smiled. "That night my plan fell flat and my son yelled at me, my hatred for you increased. I hated you so much that I was determined to get you out of this house. After a lot of careful thinking I apologized to my son and to you under pretense." She sighed. "T
hat got me angrier and I decide to lie low for a while. Two months, two fucking months," Janice yelled but her voice was not loud. "For two months I planned without any action or did I mean to say we planned?"

  Caleb couldn't believe what he was hearing. This bitch was really deadly and he had to be careful. He had never seen it coming.

  "Only one thing was delaying the plan." Janice chuckled. "Johnny!"

  "Johnny!" Caleb gasped, touching his chest which was suddenly hurting really badly.

  "Yes!" William chuckled. "Johnny was the key to our plans."