Jude
Jude Heartfilia, the man who exceeds at everything he sets his mind to. Whether it be personal or professional, there is nothing he can't do. Starting life in a poor family, day by day, slowly, meticulously, Jude worked his way to the top of the corporate ladder. During his journey, he married the most beautiful woman, and they had a beautiful baby girl. Then, only two weeks after his baby was born the love of his life, Layla died and left him alone with a small young infant. Being the dedicated man he was, Jude took to raising his young daughter into a lovely woman.
There isn't anyone in the corporate world who doesn't know this story. It's been used by their PR for years and does wonders for his reputation. However, if they knew the real Jude Heartfilia, then his company would be destroyed.
His faithful and devoted father image was a company crafted façade purely for publicity. He couldn't remember the last time he ate dinner with his daughter let alone had a conversation with her. He found it in her best interest not to have anything to do with him and vice versa. Especially not after what he put her through…
Coming and going from work he thought about all those things in his head over and over and over again. In time, began to resent everything; his humble beginnings that became the source of his insecurities, his company that kept him busy constantly, his daughter who reminded him of his guilt, his beloved Layla who left him too soon, his whole life for bestowing him with all this tragedy.
Still consumed with his morbid thoughts, he glanced at the clock.
8:55 am.
Jude finally decided it was time for him to be done with his work. Shutting down his work computer and putting away his files, he glanced at the photos on his desk. His pride and joy in the center. A tri-fold picture frame of his favorite memories. On the left was Layla when he first met her, clad in a baby blue dress, bathed in sunlight, surrounded by flowers. The right most picture was of him and Layla on their wedding day. Her beautiful white dress and veil giving his love an angelic appearance. The middle photo though, hands down, was his favorite picture. His Layla sat in a hospital bed, cradling their newborn and his pride, Lucy. Two of the most precious things in his life in one picture. Nothing could be better than that. It was the first and last picture that he got to take of them.
Gently stroking the photo, he sighed and picked up his phone. Hitting the hot button, he dialed straight for Carpicorn's private number.
9:12
He knew that it was time for him check in on the Manor.
After 3 consecutive rings, we received no response. Dialing the next number, he tried Loki and Aquarius, but still no answer.
He sighed in frustration "What could she have done now?"
The last time his guards ignored Jude's phone call, Lucy took it upon herself to sneak out onto the grounds for a "camping adventure".
Repeatedly, he dialed, but still there was no luck from his faithful guards. His last option was to call his daughter. He knew, with much guilt, that she would be wide awake and waiting for his phone call.
*ring ring*
*ring ring*
*ring ring*
No luck.
Please be safe
With his anxiety increasing, he shut his computer down, put away his documents and told his secretary to cancel the rest of his day.
Please be safe
Sprinting out of the building, he made his way to the parking garage and crashed into the driver's seat and peeled out of the parking lot.
Please be safe
Jude mashed his foot onto the gas pedal, breaking the speed limit by at least 10 mph, and made a beeline for his home.
Please be safe
As he pulled up to his mansion, nothing looked out of place at first glance. However, a sense of dread settled over him. He always felt anxious when he went home, but this time, he felt so much worse than usual.
Pulling up to the gate, Jude realized what bothered him. The patrol station he had made for the front of his house looked empty. At this time of day, Aries, one of the 10 guards he hired, would be standing in front of the door to the shack, greeting him. However, there was no sign of the shy young woman.
Please be safe
Punching in the access code, Jude rode up the driveway, noticing how quiet and horrifyingly dead his grounds were. No lights, no signs of life, nothing.
Please be safe
Arriving at the front entrance to the house, he jumped out of the car, and dashed to the front door. Fumbling with the keycode, he prayed over and over in his head.
Please be safe
Please be safe.
Finally getting the door open, he walked into his home astonished and terrified. The furniture had been thrown about like a tornado ran through the house. All of his goods were all lying around on the floor.
Running upstairs, he found that it resembled the first floor all too well. Going from room to room, the belongs and good that he amassed in the past few years were all either torn, shattered, strewn about, or just missing. But that was the least of his worries.
"Lucy!"
Running to her room, he ducked inside and found it empty. Just as ravaged as the rest of the house, but still empty. Turning on his heel, Jude made his way back downstairs and fled to the entertainment room. He knew that this was his daughter's favorite place to be. Looking around, he found that it was just as empty. Literally. The television, the DVDs, the games; everything that made it an 'entertainment room', was gone.
However, that was still the least pressing thought to him. Retreating to towards the back entrance, he saw that the door remained open. Grabbing anything solid that could be a weapon, he ran around the back portion of his grounds.
"Lucy! Lucy!"
Rushing to the back most guard station, Jude still found that there was no sign of anyone.
Staring in shock he stood in the middle of the grounds mind blank.
Please be safe
Still in a daze he stumbled back his house, blankly calling out "Lucy... Please be safe."
With the dread and sadness creeping in, he slowly walked back to his front door to go to the police. Just as he neared the front door he saw it. Neatly typed out and delicately left on the small table near the door was his only clue to finding his little girl. Picking up his cell, he dialed 911.
"911 Operator, do you need police, fire, or medical emergency?"
Blankly, he responded. "Police, I need to report a kidnapping."