The Secret Obsession of the CEO-Chapter 205: Fear

Rory observed Liam. He looked so calm; she couldn’t figure him out. She didn’t think that he wants this "break" for himself.

His insistence on me leaving the country...

Rory started thinking as he was not willing to give any explanation.

"Didn’t you want me to be the emperor? Should I give you a reason?" Liam asked after some time as she was in deep thought. "Shouldn’t my words be revered as a mandate, especially in MY home?"

Rory looked at him. He was donning a very serious expression and his lips were curved with a proud smirk. She squinted her eyes and pressed her lips. She did want him to be an emperor. But...

"I wanted to take my words to your heart, not your head, Fizzy," she twisted his ear.

"Ah... Ah...I’m sorry! I’m sorry, Cherry... Let... Ahhh!" Liam shouted as she twisted his ear.

Rory let go of his ear and he pouted. "You’re so mean, Cherry..." he rubbed his ear. Rory started laughing. He looked so pitiful.

Liam wetted his lips. He’s seeing her laugh so freely after a long time. This woman sitting on his lap leaning on his chest is his wife. His lower abdomen tightened again.

"I get it!" Rory got down from his lap. Liam didn’t stop her this time. He didn’t want to scare her once more.

"The trial!" Rory looked at him. "Have they filed the charge sheet?" she asked.

Liam took a deep breath. As always, his wife is smart to know what he thinks.

"He’s still keeping a lot of information hoping to extend his days alive on this earth. For now, the agents are keeping him entertained. The goal is to make him confess to as much as crimes as possible. But they already have a charge sheet ready. He will be sentenced to at least ten death sentences minimum..." he looked at her.

"And...?" she raised her brows.

"They are being pressured to start the trial in a month. The prosecution has a strong case with a lot of undeniable evidence. Usually, they will give time for the opposition to form a promising defense... something about everyone having a fair trial and all...But..."

"He doesn’t deserve a fair trial! He deserves a fair thrashing. I hope they bring back those medieval tortures for monsters like him. He should endure the same pain those poor women went through during their final moments. He should be tortured, healed, and then tortured again for every victim he took," Rory fisted her hands. "Even that won’t be enough for that..."

She let out a sigh seeing Liam.

"Wait..." she raised her brows. "He... he wants to talk to me again, doesn’t he?" she asked.

Liam said that the agents are entertaining him. But there should be more to it if they are stalling. And that should be the reason Liam wants her to go out of the country.

Otherwise...

"Does the prosecution want me to testify against him on the stand?" she asked.

She has dual citizenship, and they cannot subpoena her to attend court if she is not in the country.

"Both," Liam sighed. "Why are you this smart?" he mumbled.

"The prosecution has every evidence against him collected from Jake and Sidney. But that is only for the ones in the last six years. And that’s just six murders. But he confessed to killing at least two dozen women. They’ve only found the remains of sixteen. And the rest... They also think that his count would be in the high fifties at the least... That monster, he..."

Liam looked stressed. Rory walked to him and held his hand. "I am not meeting him again, Fizzy," she said.

She can see how worried that prospect is making him. She had no wish to meet him again either. The last time she talked to him, she ended up dangerously spiraling into darkness. She didn’t want to put herself through that again.

"And they won’t be able to subpoena me, right? Grandma would have made arrangements for that... I won’t be anywhere near that trial. And I won’t ever see him again. I am not going to give him what he wants," she said with absolute surety.

Liam let out a sigh and nodded. He thought that she would decide that way and he was right about her.

He does have the wish to meet him on the day he dies. He wanted to look Lennon right in the eyes with Rory and his daughter by his side and tell Lennon to f*ck off to hell. He wanted to tell him that he couldn’t break them apart. That they are happier than ever and now that he’d be gone, they will only be happier.

For that, she needs to be truly happy. He did think that a little time on her own will do her great. He needs some time to figure everything out too. And there is one other important thing he needed to tell her.

"I am planning on testifying against him, Cherry," he said.

Rory was astonished. She didn’t think that he would decide this way. She sat beside him to know more. He looked like he had thought about it.

"Not in front of him, but just in front of the judge in his chambers. They can arrange for it. You can testify like that too, Cherry. It’s just going to be some yes or no questions that would nail him on the charges of hurting you. He’ll probably get a life sentence at max for that... But..."

"Okay... I’ll think about it..." Rory said.

She didn’t want to face that monster again, but if her testimony would give him more sentences, she would gladly do it.

It would kill Lennon to learn that she testified against him without even facing him. She wanted him to writhe. She didn’t know if he would care that much, but if he did, she wanted him to hurt.

It would probably anger him that nothing is going as he wishes. That was enough for her.

"Your court testimony is not necessary. There is enough proof that he hurt you and..."

"I’ll think about it," she said. Maybe she can skip it. She didn’t know.

"And... about visiting your homeland?" he asked.

"I don’t know if Ellie can handle the coldness there, Fizzy. It’s winter already and it’s~"

"Oh, Ellie’s staying with me. You’re visiting there alone," Liam interjected her.

Rory had no words to spare. She had some, but she didn’t want to swear at her husband; whom she loves dearly. He made her so happy today and now he says something stupid like this.

Liam held her hand. She didn’t want to touch him, but she endured. However, when he saw his eyes misting, her heart started pounding.

"What is it, Fizzy? I know you love me. And this...visit or whatever... I don’t feel right. I can visit there. But why can’t I bring our daughter with me? Are you scared that I won’t look after her well?" she asked.

She was a little hurt.

"No... Cherry, no..." Liam leaned on her shoulder. "I will never think that you would neglect Ellie. It’s... I do think that we should stay apart, you know. After that incident, you were always in my presence and... I know you love me. But some distance between us for a short time would bring us close. Especially, if you wanted it, you see..." He looked at her holding her shoulders.

"When I asked for the divorce, you stayed away. Yet, you were holding on waiting for me to return. It hurt you, didn’t it? Your pride? You had to cry and beg me to take you back and..."

"I don’t think about it, you know... And my pride is nothing..." She took in a deep breath. She didn’t understand what he meant to say.

But then when he talked about having Ellie with him, she saw panic in his eyes.

He’s scared... scared to let me go with Ellie... Not because he is worried for Ellie, but because...

She took in a deep breath. The past four months had been very tough on her. She was so focused on her own hurt that she didn’t see or tried to understand Liam’s hurt. He is hurt too. And somehow, he managed to stay sane.

She had the option of spiraling down, but he had to hold the fort. He held their little family together with his persistence. He had to be strong allowing her to break down.

He needs to heal too. He might need some time alone too. And he wants Ellie with him because he wants her to return to him. He is scared she might stay there forever with Ellie, and he won’t be able to get her back.

He is scared to keep me near, and he is scared to let go of me.

Now Rory had a tough choice in front of her.

"Do you want a break, Fizzy?" she asked him point blank.

"No, it’s..." he buried his head in her shoulder. "I am scared I’ll lose you, Cherry... I want you to try everything and make us work... I think that some time apart will give you a new perspective... Think about it, please..."

Rory patted his head. Her heart hurt. She needs to work on herself. Maybe this break would be good for them.

"I’m sorry I was not there to share your pain, Fizzy... And I’ll think about the break."