The Secret Obsession of the CEO
Chapter 77: Lost Loathing

Chapter 77: Lost Loathing

If Frank believed her... If he took a paternity test just to appease her... If his mother was given the benefit of the doubt and was given the impression that her words mattered to Frank...

Would everything be different?

Rory wondered.

Or if his mother just moved on... If she just ignored such a thing that happened to her as a dream—just like Frank wanted her to... If she had the fortitude to love her child...

Uh, no! How could she ignore it? Frank should have believed her.

In the end, Rory sympathized more with his mother than Frank.

And whatever happened between the adults, the one who suffered the most was... Liam.

"I was a constant reminder of that horrible nightmare for her, Cherry... She couldn’t move on because of me...If only I didn’t exist... She’d have... Moved on..."

Liam’s hands shook.

"I shouldn’t have existed..."

"No..." Rory’s voice trembled and hugged the frail man in front of her. She’d rather have him talk to her with his sharp tongue rather than degrading himself like this. Her head started hurting and she gritted her teeth to bear it.

"Don’t say that Fizzy," she rubbed his back. "What about me? What will I do without you? If you didn’t exist, I would have died too..."

Liam held her cheek. "Why are you..." He traced his thumb over her lip and she closed her eyes. She felt like the whole world is shifting from her feet. She bit her tongue and forced herself to stay awake.

"Do you mean it?" He asked. She nodded.

Liam pressed his forehead to hers. His heart was hurting so much. But her gentleness was a soothing balm for his wounded heart.

"You are very important to me," Rory said cupping his cheeks. "So never think that you are expendable... You are my everything."

"I am?" His eyes watered. And in those reddened eyes, Rory saw confidence returning.

"You are... You have no idea how important you are to me, Fizzy... I have no words... You are my world...along with Ellie..."

"I know..." He nodded. She never used words to tell him what he means to her. But time and time again she has proved to him how important he is to her by her actions.

What more proof does he need? Even after everything he has done, she is still here, talking to him!

"And it’s not your fault... Whatever went on between the adults... The only innocent person in this debacle is you!" She poked his chest. "You didn’t bring yourself here. It was they who brought you here. There is nothing that you would have done differently that would have changed the outcome. You were a child! A child is not responsible for the adults’ decisions and actions. That’s the one good thing about being a child."

Liam smiled and his eyes filled with tears. "Why do you make so much sense, Cherry?"

"Because," Rory smirked wiping his tears. "I’m smart!" She chuckled and kissed his forehead.

"I don’t know why Frank refused to take a paternity test after watching her..." Rory wondered out loud.

She saw Liam’s smile vanishing and she regretted speaking against Frank. She didn’t want Liam to hate Frank.

"He said... He regretted it. He said he was scared. He had lost his wife to sickness and he didn’t want to lose his son too... I mean...it is understandable if he worried his love for me would change once he knows the truth, right?" Liam looked at her.

"But it didn’t," Rory said.

She didn’t understand Frank’s fear. He didn’t want to know the truth fearing his love might change. He saw his wife disintegrate and he still cared for his fear more? And what was he even afraid of? Even after knowing the truth, he still loves Liam the same. There was no need for him to doubt his heart, right?

He could have saved his wife!

Liam opened his mouth to say something but he stayed silent not saying anything. He could see that Rory cannot understand his father.

But he did. A little.

He wouldn’t have understood had he not met his daughter. But now...

If there was even a small chance that the child might not be his... He wouldn’t want to know either.

"Hey, silly," he poked her nose. She was in deep thoughts. He didn’t know why he didn’t think of telling her everything right from the start.

He does not hate himself anymore. Isn’t she amazing?

He was very happy.

"Am I very important to you?" He asked lying on her lap. He wanted to hear her say it a thousand more times.

"Yes," Rory said patting his chest.

"But you never told me what’s in your heart ever... You told Derick everything..." He asked brushing off the hair that covered her eyes.

Rory’s face paled a little. There is only one secret she kept from Liam that Derick knows. And it is a very devastating secret that she hoped that Liam never finds out about her.

"Did Derick tell you about..." She asked. She was filled with disappointment, anger, and self-loathing.

"Hey," Liam stood up and hugged her seeing her reaction. She was holding back tears. "Come on... I’m not... Hey, Cherry... Look at me..." He cupped her cheeks. "It’s not important."

Rory looked at him and tears the size of pearls dripped from her eyes. "I hate Derick... I hate him... He promised..." She gritted her teeth. She was angry and she cried.

"I am glad he found you when he did, Cherry... If I didn’t meet you..." He hugged her.

Derick told him that when he first met Rory, she was hiding from everyone and was cutting herself.

He was surprised when he learned that Cherry had such a vulnerable side to her. As far as he knew, Rory was a perfect human.

’Did you think losing both her parents on a single night wouldn’t have screwed her up?’ Derick asked and he was ashamed of himself.

He never thought about her. He always thought about himself. She thought about him too. And in the end, it was only Derick who cared for her. He is forever grateful for Derick.

Rory didn’t want to look at Liam. She didn’t want him to know that awful and imperfect side of her.

"Is that why you wanted to divorce me? I am not doing that anymore, you know. And~"

" Idiot!" Liam kissed her forehead. "If I thought that you are still doing that how will I let you have my daughter? I know you are better now."

Rory gulped. He looked like he means what he said.

"I didn’t want you to know all that..." She mumbled. "I wanted you to think that I’m perfect."

"Why?" He cupped her cheeks and made her look at him. "Tell me why..."

"I already told you why... You never listened..." She pouted.

"Because you love me?" He smiled. "Hey, look at me... Cherry..."

Rory bowed her head to hide her blush.

I thought he didn’t hear me. But he did, didn’t he? Idiot!