Stay With Me Forever

Chapter 14

The next morning, Liam burst into my room just as I was getting ready to go down for breakfast.

He looked at me, thoroughly examining each part that was visible to him, checking for all the injuries.

Once he was finished, he said, " I hate him." Through tight lips, before running to me and hugging me. He clung onto me like he used to when he was a little boy, and he was scared.

I let him hug me for as long as he wanted, rubbing his shoulder and smoothing his hair, giving him all the comfort he needed to feel better after seeing his mom this way.

I knew I looked a sight. My cheeks had become purple by now, and my swollen lips had become twice its size. I can only imagine what he must be feeling right now.

"I'm fine, sweetheart." I whispered to him gently, still rubbing his back, just as Mr. Carlton came in, standing by the door. His face looked pained again, seeing Liam so upset.

It was weird, actually. Here was a man who had no relation to Liam, who was feeling bad because he felt he had let Liam down by letting me get hurt while under his watch.

And then there was his own father, who didn't think twice about how much it would hurt Liam, and he is the one who causes all my pain and suffering.

"I want to hurt him, mom. Just like he hurt you. I want to kill him." He told me, looking up at me with a fierce expression on his face.

"No, sweetheart." I told him lovingly, gently palming his face, brushing my thumb across his cheeks. "If you do, then you become no better than him. That's what he wants from you, Liam. To be a monster just like him. We will fight him the right way. He is in jail now, and we will make sure he stays there for a long, long time."

"Hopefully forever." Mr. Carlton spoke in a bitter tone, and we both looked up to see him still standing by the door. He still looked pretty upset.

"Hey, Oliver." Liam spoke as he got up from his crouching position next to me. "Thank you for saving my mom." He said simply, making me feel proud of him. I knew he wouldn't blame Mr. Carlton for anything.

But Mr. Carlton looked surprised as he stared at Liam, then back at me. I gave him a smile, which he returned with a great full look of his own. I shook my head at him, indicating that I had done nothing.

"You're very welcome, Liam, but I wish I had done more. I don't like seeing your mom hurt." He said, pulling a face at me, trying to keep it light while still wanting the reassurance that Liam was fine. It's amazing how much Liam's approval meant to Mr. Carlton.

"Yeah, her face looks pretty bad, doesn't it. Mom, I'm afraid you're gonna have to hide in your room for a while. You might scare the staff in this house. You look like Godzilla." He kidded.

I gasped, totally insulted by his joke. I looked back at the mirror, pulling a face, seeing my purple cheek. I heard then both chuckle.

"I don't like you both. And I'm definitely not going to step out of this room now." That sobered them up immediately.

"Hey, I'm not the one who called you a Godzilla!" Mr. Carlton exclaimed.

"Hey!" Liam exclaimed as Mr. Carlton immediately threw him under the bus. "I'm just kidding, mom." He said, glaring at Mr. Carlton, who just smirked back at him.

"And you look beautiful, Ashley. I'm starving. Let's go have breakfast. And no one is locking themselves in the bedroom. We eat in the dining room. Now come on!" Mr. Carlton said in his usual bossy tone, totally ignorant to the fact that my heart had skipped a beat at hearing him say I was beautiful.

Stop it, Ashley! He just meant you looked fine. He wasn't actually calling you beautiful, and for the last time, HE IS NOT INTERESTED! So get a grip. You're going to end up humiliating yourself if you are going to melt at every random thing he says. You're seriously becoming desperate. I lectured myself.

"Mom." Liam spoke, interrupting my thoughts. "Let's go. I'm starving, too." He said, pulling me to my feet and dragging me with him.

.......

I remained at home for three more days until the swelling came down. Mr. Carlton didn't want me stepping out of the house anyway. The media was going crazy after the most respected mayor's son, the town's golden boy and the most prospective candidate for mayor in the next year's election, got arrested.

Of course, I became the villain. David's parents came on television in every possible show and news telling people about what an awful woman I was. But after the media showed all the people, including children who got kidnapped for human trafficking, being rescued after everyone of the people involved got arrested, things got more wild as the public saw the truth.

Mr. Carlton had built up a case so solid that there was no room for doubts in the public eye, and David's lawyer's couldn't provide any reasonable doubt to plead his case.

So David's appeal for bail had been denied. The reason being that he had already attacked someone with witnesses to prove the case. In fact, someone had actually videoed him while getting arrested and leaked it all over social media. It showed clearly him saying he would kill me and also showed my face with all the bruises. I had a feeling Mr. Carlton had something to do with that, too.

David's parents and the public had gone quiet after that, giving me the peace and freedom to go back to work. I hoped that pretty soon, all of this could be over so that I could return home and things can get back to normal...

_________________________________________

Things are moving forward. I hope you like it!

Please vote and comment on your views.