The Secret Obsession of the CEO
Chapter 38: Her Gross Thoughts

Chapter 38: Her Gross Thoughts

"Good. Now give way," the old lady said without a single change in her expression. Rory nodded and moved to the side.

That’s her grandmother! She doesn’t like to interact with her.

Agnes coughed a little and looked away. Rory observed her. . For a moment, it appeared as if the old lady couldn’t figure out how to move the walker forward.

Rory’s heart broke seeing her grandmother’s confused state. Rory knew this is how vascular dementia progresses. If she suffers one more stroke, her brain functions would deteriorate further. Thinking of it made a chill run through her spine.

It was tough for Agnes to decide which chair to sit on. Mrs. Delport helped Agnes. Liam placed Ellie on Agnes’ lap and she placed her hand on Ellie’s back.

"Meet your great-granddaughter, Agnes," Liam smiled.

Rory rolled her eyes seeing the smile on her grandmother’s face as she patted Liam’s cheek. She always had one or two words to spare for Liam but never for her.

Well, who cares? I don’t! Hmpf!

She was not sulking for long as she saw her grandmother softly caress Ellie’s cheek. Ellie smiled at Agnes showing her beautiful toothless mouth. Rory is proud of her daughter who would show her wonderful smile to everyone brightening up even stone faces.

Agnes was no exception. She fell for Ellie’s pretty smile and started laughing. That was the first time Rory heard her grandmother’s laugh. She was under the impression that her grandmother does not know how to laugh. But it is obviously not the case.

"She has Archie’s eyes, don’t you think, Lina?" Agnes looked at Mrs. Delport and she nodded. "And John’s smile..." Agnes’ smile reduced a bit as her fingers caressed Ellie’s cheek. "He had the same prettiest smile when he was a baby..." She mumbled.

Grandpa’s eyes and dad’s smile..? But she looks a lot like Liam’s mother!

Rory didn’t know what to say and she stood there with an awkward smile. Her father rarely talked about his mother. He did talk about how lonely his childhood was with an absentee mother and a workaholic father. Rory couldn’t imagine Agnes as a caring mother raising a baby. She knew she wasn’t. Her father was raised by a nanny.

Does she truly remember my father’s smile?

But then she felt guilty for thinking that way. She changed so much after Ellie’s birth. And it is possible that her grandmother loved her son very much and made tough decisions along the way.

She too is a mother, after all! I cannot judge her when I don’t know anything.

"I can see that!" Liam was the one who answered. "She does look like the Admiral, doesn’t she? And Rory’s father was the carbon copy of the Admiral! Agnes! You are very good at this!" He didn’t hold back his praises.

Rory then stood by the side and watched the interaction between Liam and Agnes as they talked about his business.

"Have you had dinner?" Mrs. Delport asked Rory and she wondered what she should answer. She had forgotten about her grandmother and ate her fill already.

What will Mrs. Delport think if I tell her that?

"I haven’t!" Liam stood up. "Rory has a fever and she already had soup in our home and took medications. Rory, why don’t you take a rest until I..." he passed Ellie to her.

"Fever?" Mrs. Delport panicked. She started to feel guilty for making her travel when she is sick. Rory tried to tell her that she caught the fever on the way, but Mrs. Deport was very worried and didn’t let her speak.

"She just needs some rest. It’s not serious," Liam said taking charge.

He got Ellie from her hands and her grandmother told her to rest in her room. Mrs. Delport led her to her room and the door closed behind her.

Rory did feel a little tired but she didn’t want to fall asleep now. Ellie might get hungry and need a change. Plus, she was scared that she’d be left here if she slept here.

She looked around. This simple room was just the way she had it when she lived here. The last time she spent a night here was the day before her wedding. From then on, even if she visits her grandparents, she’d stay in Liam’s home for the night.

The thick drape hanging on the window made her shudder. This room holds most of her nightmares. After her parents’ death and after she arrived in this home, she struggled to sleep alone in this room and had lots of nightmares.

But she didn’t even voice her fear as she was thankful that she had a roof over her head after she was orphaned out of nowhere. She didn’t want to be ungrateful and get thrown out. So she always hid her nightmares and insomnia.

That didn’t work well for her. She was spiraling down and hurting herself. Derick gave her a hand at the right time. And after she got closer to Liam, she could change herself. He was more troubled than she was and by looking after him, she could handle herself.

But she still does not like this room... Wait...

She walked to the reach-in closet and opened it. Her lips curved seeing the big box on the shelf. She pulled it out and carefully placed the box on the bed. The box was clean and she was happy it was well-maintained. She carefully opened the box.

That white off-shoulder lace wedding dress brought back memories.

She sat on the bed and her fingers caressed the soft lace of the dress. This was her mother’s wedding dress and she altered it for her wedding. It was not a sentimental decision on her part. She just didn’t want to waste money on a wedding that was not going to last.

When they told her that she is engaged with Liam, she threw up. Liam was her friend and his family treats her like family. She thinks of them as family too. She couldn’t accept that she is going to marry someone in the family.

That’s gross!

As always, she couldn’t be open with her grandmother. She tried talking to her grandfather but he was too excited about the wedding and was not willing to listen. And she showed her frustration to the one person she was comfortable with—Liam.

She knew he would feel the same as her. This is the guy who didn’t want to be seen with her because they all teased her as his wife. He only got used to it when they were in high school.

How will he accept this marriage?

She hadn’t seen him for days and when she met him in school on the first day after winter break, she didn’t know why, but everyone’s teasing made her feel different. She oddly got bothered by it when she never did before.

He was wearing her favorite denim shirt that day which brought out his eyes. He waved at her with a smile, but all she could do was stare at his lips. He looked more handsome than she’s ever seen him. She didn’t know why she couldn’t meet his eyes.

When he stood in front of her, his scent made her feel weird. He was tall and standing beside him, she did appear to be of a perfect height. When his shoulder grazed on hers, she became conscious of it. She remembered thinking that if they got married, they will have to kiss, and get naked on the bed and as his big hand caress her face, his soft lips would...

For a split second, she got turned on by imagining him on top of her. She was at that age when everything was sexual. She dreamed of having sex like any healthy eighteen-year-old.

But thinking of Liam that way grossed her out. She was ashamed of herself for thinking of a friend in a vulgar way. She didn’t want to gross out Liam by telling him about her garbage thoughts.

’We cannot marry. It’s gross!’ she said. He looked stunned for a second but he agreed with her. She was relieved Liam didn’t see her gross thoughts. She tried her best to suppress those thoughts.

But she felt a much more intense feeling that she couldn’t supress on their wedding day...