The Secret Obsession of the CEO-Chapter 236: Facing Her Fear(2)

After the short briefing was over, they were led to the courtroom. Liam sat by her side in the first row of the gallery until he was summoned. One side of the gallery was filled with the victims’ families who attended the trial, and the other side was filled with reporters.

The entire room was silent. The reporters jotted down a lot seeing her. Rory didn’t mind them. In a few moments, Lennon would be brought out.

Rory held her breath to compose herself. Liam winced. Only then she realized that she was clutching Liam’s hand to the extent that his fingerprint merged with hers.

"Sorry," she whispered in his ear.

"It’s okay," he patted her hand. "I will get there in after the judge arrives," he pointed at the witness stand.

Rory nodded. "It’s fine. Everything will be fine," she said.

She suddenly remembered something. She tried to call Mia to check if Ellie had her mid-day snacks. Ellie loves strawberries. She hoped Mia didn’t forget. Only after seeing the picture of Ellie eating strawberries that Mia sent did Rory calm down.

Patting her chest, she made sure that her phone is on silent. She can text Mia if the need arises. And Mia will text her if there is an emergency. She can concentrate on the trial.

*Click*

She looked up hearing a door opening. And that was followed by the sound of chains clinking. Rory’s hands holding Liam tightened. Through the little gap between the officers bringing him, she saw a part of his face.

She bowed her head and closed her eyes. She didn’t want to look at him. But the courtroom was silent and she heard the clinking of chains. With just the sound, she can imagine that Lennon was chained everywhere, even in his legs.

The clinking stopped.

Although Rory was not looking, she knew Lennon had recognized her. And that he was currently looking at her.

"Move!" One of the officers said. Although his voice was low, it echoed in the courtroom as it was silent.

"Come on!" the officer spoke in a louder voice this time.

She heard a slight clink, but Lennon was not moving forward. Closing her eyes, Rory took in a deep breath.

There was a reason she didn’t shoot him in the face like she wanted to. She wanted everyone to see Lennon in chains, just like Liam was kept in chains like a dog.

Maybe I should see him in chains!

She turned to look at Liam first. He was sitting straight. He was still wearing his sunglasses, but his eyes were in the direction Lennon was. Sensing her eyes on him, he turned and looked at her.

Liam smiled.

His smile was filled with contentment. He looked blissful and not at all nervous.

Rory smiled back.

She knew what her smile does for him. She is here for him, after all. She didn’t know when she crunched but she corrected her posture and took in a deep breath. She turned and looked at Lennon.

White.

He was wearing white overalls. He might be in segregation, or they are preparing him for being on death row already.

White, didn’t suit him at all.

There were chains. Around his wrists, waist, legs... And his mouth was covered with a plastic mouthguard--like the one Hannibal Lecter wears. Maybe it was the same mask.

Did he try to bite off someone?

His hair was shaved off. Although only his eyes were out, she couldn’t recognize those eyes. They were grey and lifeless.

The caged monster lost his vigor, huh? Now he is like a dog wearing its cone of shame. Heh!

Rory smirked. He looked pathetic and pitiful. Even she was surprised that meeting him again would make her react this way.

She sighed and turned to look at Liam not minding that Lennon was still looking at her. Liam smiled. This time he was mocking him.

Both of them turned to look at Lennon as he was shouting something. He was asking the officers to remove his mouthguard. But the officers pushed him forward to his seat. Lennon was still looking in their direction as he was dragged there. The officers stuffed him in his chair and stood behind him so that he won’t have a view of the back.

Rory only then looked around for Sidney. She would have thought that Sidney wouldn’t miss this trial as she would want to hear what Liam has to say.

Just as she expected, like thunder, Sidney made her entrance. She banged her purse on the door, then almost stumbled and fell on one of the stairs turning everyone’s attention to her. Rory followed her with her eyes.

Sidney noticed Rory only after she took her seat. By how twisted her smile was, Rory could see that Sidney is very mad at her. She hoped Sidney does not let her personal feelings screw up the trial.

The judge’s arrival was announced, and everyone stood up. After the formalities, Liam was called to the stand. Rory patted his hand and nodded at him to tell her that she is going to be right there supporting him.

Liam smiled and got her handkerchief from her purse and walked to the witness stand stuffing it into his front pocket. Rory watched him walk with a slight smile on her face.

The questioning started and Rory’s face turned serious. She didn’t look at Lennon. Her eyes were only on Liam. He was nervous at first.

But the initial questions were from the prosecutors, and they started with simple questions. When it talked about his childhood and his mother’s suicide, Liam got a bit stressed. Rory wanted to run to him to wipe his sweat, but she knew she cannot do that. She sat with her hands clenched.

She could see from her peripheral vision that Sidney was taking glances at her. But she couldn’t care less about Sidney as she was looking at Liam.

The questioning mostly revolved around Liam’s observation of Lennon. Rory’s heart clenched when he said that Lennon was like a father figure to him. His eyes were filled with sorrow, and she could only imagine how he is truly feeling.

Before the defense questioning, they gave a break. Liam came running to her. She rubbed his arms to make him comfortable and got him a cup of coffee.

"You have some nerve to be here..."

Rory rolled her eyes hearing the grating voice of Sidney. What should she do to not hear her voice anymore?

"Shameless!" Sidney shouted as Rory walked away holding Liam’s hands.

He was about to start a fight. Rory noticed some reporters around and she knew the last thing they need is drama in the court corridor.

The next session started, and the defense started their questioning. And they did not go easy on him.

They tried to pry on Liam’s childhood trauma more. But the prosecution raised an objection that the judge sustained. His childhood is irrelevant to the case.

And so, the defense went to question Liam’s business dealings with Lennon and how well Liam knew Lennon. They tried to question if Liam had involvement in Lennon’s murders. The defense’s strategy seemed to be getting as many people involved with Lennon so that he won’t get severe punishment.

But Liam cannot be lumped with Lennon. The prosecution submitted sure evidence that proved that Liam was not involved in anything.

As the trial was going on, Rory had an important question.

Where is Jake? Isn’t he an important witness too?

And judging by the defense’s plan, they will try to rope in Sidney in Lennon’s dealings. But how good will be Sidney’s responses? She did know what her husband did and kept it from everyone. She too was a victim and that was the reason she was spared any charges.

But will it change?

The defense asked about his relationship with Allison. Liam answered everything truthfully. He told them that he hired Allison because she threatened him with the fact that he almost went to her house to sleep with her. That although he had applied for divorce at that time, he didn’t want Rory to find out about that.

Rory didn’t look away. He was confessing to his wrongs that cannot be tried in a criminal court. But she didn’t have any judgment for him. She loved him.

"What did you feel about your father who r@ped your mother, r@ping your "girlfriend" and framed her murder on you? He even made everyone believe that you were the one who r@ped her?" The defense lawyers asked.

"It sucked," Liam smiled.

But he looked at Rory and rubbed his chest. His face turned serious.

"He and I may share blood, but I don’t consider him my father. And Allison never was my girlfriend. Although I was shocked as everyone and felt sorry for her death, I knew I was not the one who did it. And my..." he choked.

"My wife... through everything, she trusted me. She didn’t doubt me a bit... Even when I was wrongly imprisoned, her trust in me gave me courage."

Liam met eyes with Lennon. He was still struggling to get his mouthguard off.