All Chapters of Take This Withered Love: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

It wasn't until a full month after Elena's disappearance that Lucas finally noticed something was wrong.He'd assumed she was just playing hard to get, but when he realized he couldn't reach her no matter what he tried, he finally took it seriously, albeit only a little.He called the friends she used to keep in touch with, but every one of them said the same thing—they hadn't seen Elena.He ended the calls impatiently, went to his study, turned on his computer, and pulled up Elena's bank account information.The screen showed that the black card he'd given her had never been used. She'd left with nothing but her own savings and hadn't taken a single penny from the Fischer family."She's got guts," he sneered as he shut the computer down.He thought she was just trying to make them go after her, but such a childish tactic wasn't going to work.The next morning at breakfast, Benjamin and Charlotte chatted about school while Sabrina gently put food on their plates, lifting her hea

After that night, Lucas started using business trips as an excuse and came home less.With him gone most of the time, Sabrina was perfectly happy to have the place to herself. She spent her days at the spa or getting her hair done.With no one picking them up or dropping them off at school, Benjamin and Charlotte were left to their own devices.Previously, in order to win them over, Sabrina had often snuck them out of school and taken them out for some fun.The children followed her lead. Soon, they stopped going to class altogether, cutting school and spending their days hiding out around town.When Sabrina found out, she didn't take it seriously at all."Ms. Miller, Mr. Benjamin and Ms. Charlotte have been skipping school a lot lately. The teachers keep calling the manor. They're hoping you and Mr. Fischer will keep them in line," one of the maids reported."They don't listen to any of us," she continued. "Could you come home and talk to them? At least get them to agree to go

At the office, Lucas was going through some paperwork when his phone vibrated. It was a call from Martha."Mr. Fischer, Mr. Benjamin's running a fever. It's at 103 degrees Fahrenheit, and we're really worried about him…"Lucas' brows knit together. "Did you call the doctor?""We did, but Ms. Miller said there was no rush, so… she went out to a party.""What?"Lucas' face darkened in an instant, surprise lacing his voice. "I'm coming back right now. Have the family doctor check on him first."Sure enough, when he rushed home through the rain, the sight that greeted him was Benjamin's face, flushed bright red with fever. The boy was still shaking.The family doctor was setting up an IV drip, his expression grave."How did it get this bad?" Lucas asked."Mr. Fischer, his fever's been at this level for four hours," the doctor said, his expression grim. "If you'd waited any longer, it could've turned into pneumonia. His immune system's already weak. He really should've been treated

The maids moved fast, dragging Sabrina's luggage out piece by piece and throwing it out the door. Her designer handbags, jewelry, and high-end cosmetics were scattered across the ground like a pile of trash.At the doorway, Sabrina screamed hysterically, "You're going to regret this! Do you really think Elena will take you back? She got sick of you a long time ago!"The front doors slammed shut, cutting off every last filthy curse.The living room fell into a terrifying silence.Lucas slowly crouched down and pulled the children into his arms. Their bodies shook as they cried, their tears soaking into his suit."Dad… does Mom really not want us anymore?" Charlotte sobbed.Lucas' throat tightened.When he thought of how determined Elena had looked when she left and the divorce agreement he'd signed with his own hand, a dull ache began spreading through his chest."That's not true," he said softly, but it sounded more like he was trying to convince himself.His brow furrowed. "Y

Lucas' private jet landed in Yewton that same day.The sun blazed across the runway. He narrowed his eyes as the bodyguards carried the children down behind him."Dad, are we really going to see Mom?" Charlotte asked, tipping her face up toward him, her eyes flickering with a mix of hope and uncertainty."We are," Lucas replied, his tone steady as he straightened his clothes. "I'm sure she'll be happy to see you."Jason approached briskly and handed him a folder. "Mr. Fischer, we've confirmed Mrs. Fischer's location. She's at a pottery studio on the east side of the city. She's there with… those two."Inside the folder was a candid photo.Elena was crouched in front of a little girl, carefully wiping clay from the child's face. A tall, bespectacled man stood beside them, watching with a smile.Sunlight streamed through the glass, bathing the three of them in a glow so warm that it stung Lucas' eyes.His grip instinctively tightened on the edge of the photo until the paper was c