"Why won't you accept my love?" Xander asked.
He seemed quite upset.
Lucy was in bed, with bags under her eyes. She looked tired, almost as if she hadn't slept in days. She couldn't remember the last time she saw her children.
Three days? Maybe four?
She wanted to see them. Her little Mateo and her little Isla.
She wanted to see her remaining family.
"Where are my children?" she asked.
"How many times do I have to tell you?" Xander yelled. "They can't come to visit you because of your cold. Mother said…"
"I don't care what your mother said. I want to see my children," said Lucy.
Xander clenched his jaw. "You should give me an answer while I'm still being nice."
"I already gave you an answer. I said no," Lucy replied. "I'll never marry you."
Xander's expression darkened. "Is it because of my wife? I told you we're going through the divorce proceedings. You have nothing to worry about."
"I want my children," Lucy whispered.
She was weak, she was bedridden, she had no control over anything.
Odette had not moved in with Xander and Eleanor. She stayed back in Xander's house. While Lucy had known that the two's relationship was strained, she had thought that it was as a result of their childlessness. She hadn't expected that Xander just didn't like his wife.
Xander's voice dropped. "You'll see them when you get better."
Lucy didn't say anything. She only continued to look at Xander who was seated at the edge of the bed.
They told her she had a cold, they told her it was contagious, and they prescribed 'medicine' for her. However, Lucy did not believe a word of it. The doctor had been brought in by Eleanor, and it was under her watchful eyes that Lucy was diagnosed and prescribed medication.
Lucy thought of the worst, Eleanor didn't share Xander's sentiments. Eleanor wouldn't hesitate to get rid of Lucy, and Lucy knew it.
She never took any medication that was brought to her, she didn't eat anything that was prepared, and she didn't drink anything either.
However, those actions made her condition even worse, to the point where she was completely bedridden.
Members of the public, and many of Damien's friends and co workers had tried to visit once they heard what was going on, but Eleanor denied them entry.
Zayn especially tried to seek an audience with Lucy numerous times, but every time, he wasn't allowed to see her.
At first, it was Lucy herself that was refusing to see him, but as time went on, Eleanor took it upon herself to chase away any visitor that came for Lucy.
He wanted to see her, and the children. He was worried.
He couldn't understand how such a strong woman had collapsed and given up so easily. He called Mr. William Roth to speak to him and try to turn the tables back in Lucy's favor.
But Mr. William Roth's response shocked him.
"Mr. Zayn Adler, while I appreciate your concern over my patient, I would like you to stay out of this. When Mr. Damien Whitmore died, dear Lucy was so devastated, but she wasn't even allowed the time to grieve. She had to be strong for the little ones that looked up to her. And she was strong, she fought so endearingly and she almost won. Until that document was delivered, and she broke down. I believe that she's feeling all of the emotions that she wasn't allowed to feel when she received the news of her husband's passing. I am pleading with you to let it go. She is not stable at the moment and we both know that Mrs. Eleanor Whitmore will not hesitate to use Lucy's current condition as a weapon. I plead with you to stop trying to reach out."
Zayn hung up immediately.
Let it go?
He had known William Roth for a long while, he had respected his judgment but this was different. Zayn sat on his office chair and stared at nothing.
Lucy was alone and isolated.
And Eleanor was tightening her hold on Damien's properties.
The board already loved her. Zayn had no idea where Eleanor got studies on business but she was so good in it that the boards couldn't help but support her.
The children however, they stopped going to school. No one heard from them, it was almost like they never existed.
Teachers, principals, parents and friends called and tried to visit, but like always, they were always turned away. Eleanor made sure no one had contact with the outside world.
Rumors started to swirl that maybe Eleanor had hired private tutors for the kids but no one could confirm anything, simply because no one had seen them.
Their nanny that was hired to care for them, was now nothing more than a chef. Even she wasn't allowed to see the children.
Their meals were always taken to them by Eleanor.
Meanwhile, Lucy lay in her bed like a prisoner. Except, she was a prisoner. The curtains were drawn and the air was stale. Someone opened the door and she could see a shadow standing in the door crack, just watching her.
"You'll make yourself even sicker if you don't eat."
Lucy recognized the voice as Xander's.
"I told you," she said hoarsely. "I'm not eating anything you bring me."
Xander sighed and stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. "You make things hard, you know."
Lucy didn't speak, she only watched Xander.
"There's talk of sending them abroad, the children," Xander said as a smile played on his lips.
Lucy's heart dropped. Talk? She knew what he meant, Xander and Eleanor want to send the children away.
They want to separate her from her babies.
"You wouldn't…"
"We would," Xander interrupted. "You know, my mother only wants what's best for the children, and I only want what's best for you."
Lucy groaned.
"I could change mother's mind, you know. If you agree to marry me."