The Secret Obsession of the CEO
Chapter 190: Considering The Future

Chapter 190: Considering The Future

Mrs. Brown started speaking but Rory did not say anything. Although her face was blank, she could see that she wants to change how she is right now.

"I can see that you are suffering. It is obvious. And it is not wrong to feel that way. A lot went on and it is hard. But, you are not planning on locking yourself inside this room forever, do you?" She asked.

"I..." Rory did not know what to say. She’s been staying here in the hospital, and everyone wants her gone. She is not happy she is here either. But the pain... When it hurts, she doesn’t know what to do. What will she do when she has no one?

"You are closing yourself and surrounding yourself with darkness. I know, I might appear to be blaming you when you are in so much pain. But trust me when I say this, sugar... There are people around you who can help you. All you have to say is that you need help. If you keep on pushing everyone away, I get it. You are hurting and no one understands your pain. I know. That’s how I felt when my Laura disappeared too. But you see, a smart and lovely girl like you... Don’t you think you’ve touched at least the heart of one person who would do anything for you? For me it was my brother and for you..." She smiled.

"Today I insisted I meet you. But I came here almost every day this week. And every time, he was there... Sometimes with your baby, sometimes alone, leaning on the wall and staring at the floor thinking deeply... And his family. They are around too. They just want to give you space. Aurora," Mrs. Brown walked to Rory and held her hand.

"I might sound harsh, but I have lived longer than you. So, I know about certain things more than you do. I know life better. Hear me out, alright. It might be tough but..." she took in a deep breath,

Rory felt tired already as she looked at the sun at the horizon. Even thinking a bit had tired her so much. But something in her heart told her that Mrs. Brown was going to say something important. She did make her feel like she was somewhat special. She said she was courageous and smart. She liked to believe that.

"Your daughter... She is such a sweetheart. She is five months now, right? Your husband told me. Time will fly. One moment they are just so small and before you blink your eyes, they’ll stand in front of you with their graduation hat on. Oh, I know you are feeling terrible already. I don’t want to add to your burdens but, don’t you think she will need you as she grows up?" She asked.

Her face was so kind. And although Rory did not want to think, she thought about her daughter.

"I think the way I am now... She’d be better without me around. She’s safe with the others and..." she couldn’t speak more as a lump formed in her throat.

She was afraid to face her baby after everything. She was afraid of herself. What if she hurts her baby by being near her? She knew what she was doing to Liam by being the way she is. That little thing does not have to go through that.

Isn’t she safe now?

"Safe..." Mrs. Brown muttered. "I see you are doing the greatest sacrifice by keeping your daughter away when you are not up to caring for her. I applaud you. Sometimes staying away would be good. But... for how long?" she asked.

"I..." Rory searched for an answer. How long? That is a good question. When will she feel confident enough to be near her daughter again?

No matter who the father is, she still is her daughter. She cannot stay like...like she is now forever.

"Take the first step, Aurora," Mrs. Brown held her hand. "The stages of growth of your baby... Sitting without support, crawling, walking... Do you want to miss it all? Your husband told me that you had to raise her as a single mother until a month ago. And now..." She said and Rory looked at her with her eyes wide.

She didn’t know what to say. Mrs. Brown is right! She does not want to not be there when Ellie ticks the boxes one by one. She needed to be there to fill her baby book. She needs to add more pictures to the album. She wants to be a good mother for Ellie, someone Ellie can depend on.

"I’ll talk to someone, Mrs. Brown," Rory said. She looked out and it was dark already. She didn’t know that she had thought for such a long time. And for some reason, Mrs. Brown was still waiting.

"Thank you for spending time with me," she spoke from her heart. "You didn’t have to and yet..."

"Oh, it’s fine... It was hard for me to sit and stare at the tv for long. I wanted to take a walk and thank you. That’s why I..." she hugged Rory. "Don’t lose hope, sugar. You’re just 23 and you haven’t even lived a quarter of your life yet. So, stay strong. I know you have the courage to face anything. Face your shadow and overcome your fears. Have a blessed life, sugar. I’ll be praying for you," she said.

Rory smiled as she left the room. A genuine smile from the heart. It had been a while since she smiled like that.

-----

Mrs. Brown closed the door behind her. She turned to look at Liam standing by the door leaning on the wall.

"She will get better. Just...one suggestion. Maybe change her location... It might help. Take her to a place close to her heart and... It’s just a~"

"No, it’s fine," Liam hugged her. "Thank you for being so insistent and talking to her. I think she listened to you."

"I... She needs a lot of help," Mrs, Brown patted his arm. "Just get her a good therapist. They know what to do."

"I will," Liam nodded.

Mrs. Brown tucked the book inside her purse. "She is loved... that girl," she mumbled. "Her grandmother called me and asked me to talk to her. She even put words in my mouth and your wife liked what I said... Grandmothers, right?" she chuckled. "You’ll think that growing old will numb your senses, but you only fall in love the more you age..."

Mumbling something else, she walked away. Liam was frozen. Agnes asked Mrs. Brwon to talk to Rory.

He sighed.

He looked inside the room. Rory was fiddling with her fingers. And she was smiling. It almost made him cry seeing her smile after a very long time.

There is hope.

-----

Rory stood up and stretched herself. Only then she realized that she is stinking so badly. She walked to the bathroom and took a shower.

As the warm water ran through her skin and as the bubbly soap washed her filth, she felt so fresh and her pain reduced a bit.

That night, Liam brought her food. She looked at him as she was feeling a bit better. But she still couldn’t look into his eyes.

But she finished the food.

They weighed her and she realized that she had lost almost ten pounds in two weeks. That was not good. She had already reached her pre-pregnancy weight and she now weighed the same as she did when she was fourteen.

Liam asked if he could bring the baby. She wanted to. But she didn’t know why she threw up. Liam got scared and told her that she can get better first.

She hated herself. It was hard to love herself when she could not see her own daughter. But she could not control herself.

Liam’s family came to talk to her, and she could hold a conversation with them when Liam left the room. She didn’t feel guilty anymore to face them. Although they all looked uncomfortable, Frank was mad. Claire awkwardly told her that Frank and Leroy sneaked inside Lennon’s room, and he had to be apprehended and brought to the police station.

Rory sincerely asked them not to do anything stupid.

Frank has a young son he has to take care of and another baby on the way. He has a business to run and an old mother to look after. He cannot let his emotions run wild and get arrested.

And Leroy is in a very reputed post. He too cannot let his emotions get him.

But she was a little happy deep in her heart. They love her. And they do not blame her for flirting with Lennon for getting him. They never brought it up. And so, she was happy.

She was told to talk about her feelings to a therapist. Although she had nothing to say to her therapist. She knew everything. She knew it is not good for her to feel the way she feels. But she cannot do anything she wants to even if she tried to.

What more could she do?

Whenever she saw Liam, she had a prickly pain in her heart. She apologized to him. He said that she had no need to apologize.

But she does!

She just didn’t know how to bring up the truth to him.