The Secret Obsession of the CEO
Chapter 124: Barking Dog

Chapter 124: Barking Dog

After making sure that Ellie was asleep, Rory walked out of the room. She thought she heard Derick and Lennon talking in the hallways sometime ago, but there was no one in the hallways then.

She went downstairs.

Rory checked the news for any information about the two cases and learned that there is going to be a press meeting for the Allison Stewart case. Rory figured that this would be where they will announce that Allison was "r@ped" by Liam and she was pregnant with his baby which was the motivation for the murder.

She sat at the dining table with her hands supporting her head. She knew the moment they announce it to the press, the cops in this town will knock on their doors for an arrest.

It will be the middle of the night then.

She regretted not leaving for LA. At least then they could have spared this humiliation in their hometown. Everyone is going to laugh at them. And no one is going to pity them or support them.

As she was wondering, Liam came out of Frank’s room. He did not look good. He met with her eyes and his first instinct was to run out. He’s been doing it all his life.

But fisting his hands, he walked to her.

"He says he will support me, Cherry. And Claire too... She might be..." Liam paused.

"She’s pregnant," Rory said. She did not think that she needs to hide it from him anymore. He looked defeated.

"I should congratulate them, then," Liam said. His voice was bland and he appeared to not mind anything.

She remembered hearing from someone that humans always try to find reasons to be unhappy. When they have everything, sometimes, they find even the happy chirps of birds to be annoying and they would get mad about it. And when they are in truly deep sh*t, those simple problems that they thought might split their head would do nothing to faze them.

Maybe that was the case for Liam. He had everything, and he found reasons to be annoyed at Claire for no reason. But now when he is on the brink of losing everything, it was those who he hated who are offering support.

He probably couldn’t even feel guilty. He should be in so much terror. Rory did not know how she could offer him support and help him.

Dorothy walked out of the kitchen.

"Grandma, did you know that I am not your grandson by blood?" Liam asked point blank.

Rory gulped and looked at Dorothy. His voice was so calm and he looked very gentle. But the truth he said is not a simple issue. He could have told her the truth gently than throwing it on her face like a grenade.

"What..?" Dorothy was shocked, but then she started to chuckle. "Stop playing with me, Fitzwilliam. It’s either shouting or playing pranks for you..."

"I am telling you the truth, grandma," Liam insisted. "Grandpa took a test. I am not my father’s son."

Dorothy stumbled on the chair and Rory quickly helped her balance. "Liam, will you go take a look at Ellie for me, please?"

"I am heartless, aren’t I, Aurora? I never change, do I?" Liam with a wry smile looked at Rory. "Don’t you regret promising to be with me? Don’t you doubt if I am telling you the truth?"

"I don’t. Sorry," Rory shrugged.

"You’re" he glared at her. With his nose flaring, he wanted to make it appear as if he was angry at her.

"Stupid. I know that." Rory smiled. She could see that he is pretending to be angry with her. He still thinks that keeping her away from him is going to protect her. But he is wrong and she is not going to leave him.

She saw his eyes reddening gradually. Not because of anger, but because he was crying.

"They are going to arrest me tonight, Cherry. I got the call from the lawyer," he whispered. The tip of his nose reddened and his lips trembled. "It’s over...I’m over."

"No, no it’s not..." Rory hugged him.

He pressed his chin on her shoulder and pulled her closer. He started shaking.

"What is going on? Why is he going to get arrested?" Dorothy asked.

Rory looked at grandma Roberts. "I’ll explain it all to you, grandma..." she said.

"I’ll be in our room," Liam said wiping his face.

"Okay," Rory nodded.

With a gentle smile, Liam leaned to her face and wiped her eyes. Rory sniffed and took a step back. "I’m fine," she held his hand and kissed it.

She didn’t even realize that she was crying.

He placed a soft kiss on her lips and walked upstairs.

Rory’s heart fell to her gut. Bile rose from her stomach imagining all Liam might go through in the following days.

Claire walked into the dining room and Rory asked her to explain everything to grandma. She wanted to be with Liam.

She feared he might hurt himself.

She got to their room as fast as she could. And she saw Liam standing by the window with his hands folded over his chest.

Rory walked to him and hugged him. He didn’t protest and accepted her hug. She could feel his heart pounding.

Both of them stayed in silence.

Liam wrapped his hand around her waist and gently caressed her hair. Rory stayed in his embrace and slowly his heartbeat got normal.

Sometimes one doesn’t have to say anything to console the other. They just have to show that they are going to be there for them.

Sometimes simple gestures of love hold mighty power than a thousand spoken words.

"Let’s have dinner, honey," Liam said.

Rory opened her eyes and looked at him. She thought he would be speaking mockingly. But he looked like he was serious.

"Okay," she smiled.

When they got downstairs, everyone was already gathered there. Although they all tried to look normal, the grimness of the situation was showing on their faces like a little frown between their eyebrows and other simple gestures of stress.

Rory looked at Frank and he bowed his head. She guessed that he was the one who explained it all to the family. Penny was leaning on Leroy, Sidney looked a bit detached(that was not unusual) and Lennon looked despaired.

The kids were their usual selves.

"Everyone’s here! This is great!" Liam shouted raising his hands. "Let’s eat together!"

He ran and took his usual place at the kid’s table. Rory didn’t find it in her heart to smile, but she wanted Liam to have a good meal before he...

She smiled.

And everyone else followed her in acting happy for Liam.

The dinner was very nice considering their situation. Liam made Rory join him at the kid’s table. The kids were laughing and playing with Liam as usual as they didn’t even realize the change in Liam.

His hands were cold. But he didn’t let go of her hand. She didn’t want to either.

Leroy called for them after dinner. "Be strong, Rory," he first said to her. "And don’t think about anything else, young man!" He faces a string pat on Liam’s shoulder. "We all love you. I don’t know why my father did what he did, but you are..."

Leroy smiled goofily.

"You made my visits here a lot entertaining. The way you didn’t get out of your puberty period for a long time...storming off, destroying stuff, and shouting for no reason..." He chuckled. For your services as my personal jester, I decided to help you in any way I can."

Liam stood unmoving.

"You don’t think that he did it, uncle?" Rory asked.

He is being accused of r@ping and murdering women. His family all seems to be on his side and are showing their support.

Although she was happy, she did get a little jealous. She knew they all loved Liam, but she never thought their love could extend to this much.

She came from a family where her grandmother accused her of being a "sociopath" because she did something to her bully.

Well, she was in the wring, but still... All the stupid therapy sessions she had to attend after that...

She hated that experience. After those therapy sessions, her nightmares started to get more vivid.

"Have you heard of this old proverb, Rory, dear?" Leroy chuckled. "Barking dogs seldom bite."

"Uncle! Don’t call me a dog!" Liam pouted. Rory chuckled.

"There are anti-social behaviors, but Liam stayed in his teenager phase for a little longer than he should. He is not a murderer," Leroy said.

Liam did not want to stand there, but he was really happy to hear that his entire family believes him. He saw Lennon standing at the other end of the hallway and he walked toward him.

He didn’t know how he could repay Lennon after everything he has put him through.

Seeing Liam walking toward Lennon, Derick came other in a hurry.

The last thing Lennon asked him was whether he should divorce Sidney or allow her to elope like she wants to.

Derick knew what a cheating wife would do to a man. Not only emotionally, but financially, socially...there would be a lot

The gentleman’s way would be to divorce her. And a gentleman won’t reveal the real reason to protect her. And then he will be blamed for divorcing his pregnant wife.

If he lets her leave, he will become a laughing stock.

What could he do?