Forbidden Love

Chapter 2: A Mother's Worry

Fransesca awoke with an uneasy feeling, one that settled like a heavy weight in her chest. It was morning, but something was missing—something important. Every day, without fail, her precious Charles would greet her with that bright, affectionate smile, followed by a tender kiss on the lips. His small hands would find their way to her chest, or he would bury his face against her, inhaling her scent as if it were his only comfort. She would always allow him to do as he pleased, reveling in the warmth and closeness they shared.

But today, there was no greeting, no kiss, no soft touch. The absence of his presence by her side sent a cold shiver down her spine. Fransesca’s heart tightened with worry. Had something happened to Charles? Was he unwell? Or worse—had he started to grow distant, just like his older brother, Timothy? The mere thought of it made her breath catch in her throat.

Fransesca couldn’t bear the silence any longer. She rose quickly from her bed, her mind racing with anxious thoughts. She needed to find Charles, to reassure herself that everything was fine. She began searching the estate, calling out his name with increasing panic.

"Charles! Charles!" she shouted, her voice trembling as she moved from room to room. She went to his bedroom first, hoping to find him still sleeping peacefully. But the bed was empty, neatly made as if he hadn’t been there at all. Her heart pounded in her chest as she rushed through the halls, her panic rising with each passing moment.

Where could he be? Her mind raced with possibilities, each more terrifying than the last. She had to find him—she couldn’t lose him, not like she had with Timothy. The thought of Charles slipping away from her, growing cold and distant, was unbearable.

As she searched, her shouts echoed through the estate, drawing the attention of the servants. They watched her with concerned expressions, but none dared to approach her in her frantic state. Fransesca’s fear was palpable, a mother’s desperate worry for the child she loved more than anything in the world.

"Charles! Please, where are you?" she cried, her voice breaking as she continued her search. She couldn’t rest until she found him, until she knew he was safe, until she felt his warmth and affection once more.

In that moment, nothing else mattered. All she could think about was finding her son, holding him close, and ensuring that their bond remained unbroken.

Fransesca’s composure finally broke as the tears she had been holding back began to flow freely down her cheeks. She had tried so hard to remain calm, to convince herself that Charles was merely playing somewhere, perhaps hiding as part of a game. But as the minutes ticked by and there was still no sign of him, her worry became an all-consuming terror.

She continued her desperate search, her voice growing hoarse from calling out his name. “Charles, please! Where are you?” she cried, her tone filled with a mixture of fear and sorrow. She couldn’t lose him—not like this, not after everything.

Fransesca passed by another maid, her steps faltered. Her legs felt weak, barely able to support her as she grabbed the maid’s arm for support. “Please, help me find him,” Fransesca pleaded, her voice barely above a whisper.

The maid, seeing the raw emotion in her mistress’s eyes, quickly nodded and began searching with her. Other servants, hearing the commotion, also joined in, but even with the entire household looking, there was still no sign of Charles.

Fransesca’s thoughts spiraled as she wandered through the hallways, the walls of the grand estate closing in on her. Her husband, Auther, was never around to comfort her, and their once-intimate relationship had long since withered. Timothy, her firstborn, had grown distant as he aged, no longer seeking her company or warmth. She had been left alone, emotionally abandoned by the people she had once cherished most.