The Secret Obsession of the CEO
Chapter 75: Lost Hope

Chapter 75: Lost Hope

Rory stopped, hearing what Liam said. She wondered if his father was very angry about the divorce and said such hurtful words to him.

Or it could be that Liam made it up!

This won’t be the first time he blurts out whatever comes to his mind.

She decided not to give any credence to his words. His words mean nothing. He never proved himself to be someone with credibility.

The rain was just drizzling then and the ground was mushy. The dried leaves and twigs were all mushed up together in the soil.

She knew it won’t be easy to find the ring.

But she has to try.

Liam let out a sigh seeing Rory leaving. He looked around and it was wet everywhere. He didn’t see anything odd around them and he stepped down from the truck.

So... My mother’s ring is gone... I lost everything...

He looked up. The trees looked like they were bending down and looking down at him, and mocking him.

Everything has changed. His every belief... His anger... He couldn’t figure out the truth. He was still confused.

He remembered that he came here wanting to end himself.

He let out a scoff seeing the tightly clenched knife in his hand. At the first sight of something "dangerous" his survival instinct kicked in and he is trying to defend himself.

Do I want to die? I still have a chance...

He closed his eyes and he remembered the feeling of Rory in his arms. With no motion, she was lying all bloodied and...

No... I am holding the knife to protect her and not myself.

He followed Rory. She was almost on her knees, looking through every inch of that muddy ground. Her wry smile replayed in his memory.

How hurt must she be to don such an expression...

"I am sorry for hurting you, Cherry," he stopped beside her. "I...swear I won’t do that again."

Rory said nothing. He apologizes now but he will hurt her again. She winced and stood straight seeing him getting close to her.

Her eyes ended up at his hand. She didn’t know why he is holding that knife still.

"This... I..." Liam placed the knife in his pocket fearing that it is scaring her. After all, he did hurt her with the same knife.

He cut her hair.

"I didn’t mean to..." He said.

"I’m not scared of that knife, Liam... I’m scared of something much sharper. It can hack right into my soul..." Rory looked at him. "Your tongue..."

She pointed at his mouth.

He covered his mouth with his hand. He didn’t know what to say. He noticed her wincing holding her chest. He figured her head must be hurting now and she might be lightheaded after losing some blood.

"You must have left the ring at home. Come on, let’s start walking..." He held out his hand to help her up.

"I was wearing the ring. I remember it well," Rory said without looking at him.

"Rory, get up," Liam said with a serious tone. "It’s just a ring. Don’t get hurt for that."

Just a ring?

Rory didn’t mind him. She thought she saw something glittering two feet beside her and she walked there. She hoped it was the ring.

She let out a sigh as it was not the ring. She stood straight and stretched herself. Bending for a long time made her back hurt a lot.

"Did you mean it?" Liam asked standing beside her. She avoided looking him in the eyes. "Do I still have a chance? If I agree to raise our child together, will you stay with me?"

"What changed your mind now?" She asked.

"When I saw you fainted on the ground... I..." Liam paused.

Rory saw his lips trembling and his eyes reddened. She knew this would be all. He won’t give any more explanations.

"I’ll be careful in the future. So you don’t have to change your decision."

Sucking in a deep breath, she decided to resume her search for the ring.

Liam saw her reaching her dirty hands to the ground now. She looked detached. But he wanted to talk to her.

She does not want him back. No one wants him. It would be better if he disappears...right?

"Have I told you this before..? That I was the one who found my mother in the tub that day?"

Rory’s hand that reached for the ground paused. She looked at him with her eyes wide.

"She had..." He made slashing movements on his wrists and Rory stood straight.

So his mother killed herself?

"I returned from school and I found her..." He choked up.

Rory’s heart squeezed in pain. He found his mother in such a state... He was just returning from school and...

"And today my dad told me that one of the cops believed that I killed my mother..."

"I’m sorry, Fizzy, " she ran to him and hugged him. She didn’t quite understand what he said.

How could someone blame a 12-year-old for killing his mother and framing it as a suicide? What would make someone even doubt that?

"That cop was wrong. Your dad was wrong to tell you this..." She said what she felt.

Liam hugged her back and let out a snort.

"You’re always like this, Cherry... You always take my side... Only you..."

"Because you are..." She didn’t know what to say. Should she say that he is pitiful? Isn’t he the one who hurt her the most? How is he pitiful?

Liam kissed her head. He could feel her squeezing him and he felt alive. "My dad...if I can still call him that..."

"What..." Rory looked at him. Why can’t he call Frank "dad"? Is he not his father? Is that what Frank told him today?

Wait...so he was not lying then?

"Cherry, will you listen to me?" Liam asked holding her cheeks. Tears streamed down his face and he couldn’t even stand straight. He leaned on her.

"Here, drink some water first..." Rory made him drink water. He took only one small sip saying that they need to ration water.

She brought him and helped him sit on the root of a tree.

"Fizzy..." Rory pointed at her lap. "Lie down..."

Liam shook his head. "I want to look at your face, Aurora. I want to look at your face until I..."

Rory’s lips trembled. She sensed something wrong in him.

She let out a sigh and hugged him. "I’m here, Fizzy... I’m here..."

"No one likes me, Cherry... No one..." He started to sob. Rory was lost for words and he continued.

"My dad... Frank...he said that my mother was depressed for more than a decade... Ever since she learned that she was pregnant with me..."