The Unwanted Daughter When Love Comes Too Late novel Chapter 81

Chapter 81 Pride

From Come

No one had imagined that a full–grown man would stand in the middle of the street and so proudly and cheerfully announce that he was being kept.

“You… You…” Liam’s voice faltered as he stared at him for a long mornent, unable to form a single coherent word.

When his voice finally returned, it was sharp and demanding. “What did you just call her?”

That name had always been his alone, from the time they were children until now.

Ronald answered as though the question were absurd.

“Of course I called her CeeCee. What’s wrong, did you go deaf this young? Poor guy.”

“You-” Heat flushed across Liam’s face, turning it a deep shade of red.

He shifted his glare toward Tracy. “Who is he, and what right does he have to call you that?”

“My affairs have nothing to do with you, Mr. Liam.”

Tracy’s tone remained cold as she turned toward Ronald, ready to walk away.

“Don’t you dare walk away from me!” Liam surged forward and grabbed her hand.

His eyes, reddened with emotion, caught the faint glimmer of unshed tears.

“Tell me who he is. Why does he get to call you CeeCee?”

His voice softened into something almost pleading. “You told me I was the only one who could call you that.”

The tone made a faint ache stir in Tracy’s chest, the kind she thought had faded long ago.

Since they were kids, whenever Liam had spoken her name in that gentle, coaxing way, she would do anything he wanted her to.

But now, she simply pulled her hand free with steady resolve.

“I suggest you don’t get so close to me,/Mr. Liam. We’re not that chummy. Speaking of chummy, your beloved sister is right there.”

Her eyes flicked toward Erin, who had been silent since stepping out of the car.

A short, humorless laugh escaped her. “If you need a reminder, I’ll give you one.

“You were the one who said I wasn’t your sister anymore. You called me malicious and said Erin was the only one you recognized as family. You told me to stop claiming I was part of the Jackman family because I embarrassed you.”

Her voice cut through the air, every word sharp and unyielding, and with each one, Liam’s face grew paler.

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09:18 Fri, 6 Sept

Chapter 81 Pride

It was clear the memory was clawing its way back to him.

Shame clouded his expression, and Erin’s chest tightened.

She stepped forward quickly, her eyes glistening as she looked at Tracy, “Please don’t get mad, Tracy. It’s my fault. Liam couldn’t stand to see me hurt, so he lost his temper and said those things. If you need someone to pin the blame on, it’s me.”

Tears rolled freely down her cheeks. “If I hadn’t come back, none of this would have happened. You wouldn’t have fought with the family or made those mistakes. I should never have returned.”

Her words seemed to jolt Liam back. He stepped protectively beside her.

“Erin, how could you possibly be at fault? You suffered for 18 years staying away from home. The Jackman life was yours by right. Someone else took your place and lived in comfort while you endured hardship

When his gaze returned to Tracy, his guilt had been swept away by a flare of anger. “Tracy, if you’re upset over what I said, then you’re the one in the wrong.

“If you hadn’t kept competing with Erin and trying to hurt her, I never would have said those things. This is entirely your fault.”

Tracy felt no surprise.

Perhaps it was because she had stopped expecting better from him long ago. Though there was a dull ache in her chest, it was faint and distant.

Before she could speak, Ronald’s voice cut in, calm but firm. “If you’re mad, CeeCee, just take it out on me. Don’t take it out on this… gentleman, however rude and barbaric he may have acted.”

Everyone turned toward him.

Ronald looked at Liam with wounded patience. “It’s all on me. If I hadn’t shown up in CeeCee’s life, this barbaric brute would never, in his painfully limited brain capacity, thought CeeCee was … whatever slur his addled mind worked overtime to come up with. He’d never have spewed venom at her like a mindles viper.

“Oh, the horror. How brutish must this imbecile be to harm CeeCee so much? He should be more like me. I would want nothing more than to care for her, feel for her.”

Tracy stared at him, caught between silence and disbelief.

Seeing him imitate Erin’s teary tone with such precision made the heaviness in her chest vanish.

Liam’s expression darkened. “Shut your mouth, you shameless leech. Stop stirring up trouble.”

Ronald’s look remained innocent/“Stirring up trouble? Oh my, really? And here I thought I was doing a very convincing imitation of your precious Erin.

“Are you really telling me that she’s registered her… brand of bitchiness as an exclusive? That no one else is allowed to say or act in a similar fashion?”

Liam glanced at Erin, catching the brief stiffness in her face and a trace of shadow in her eyes.

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Chapter 81 Pride

That couldn’t be right–Erin would never look like that.

He blinked, and in an instant, her expression softened into the familiar fragility and grievance that always made him want to defend her.

Relieved, he told himself Erin wasn’t like this smug young man.

She was gentle and good–hearted, which was why she took the blame for what Tracy had done.

He turned his glare back to Ronald.

“Not everyone is as spiteful as you. Erin’s pure–hearted–nothing like a shameless freeloader with a scheming mind.”

Ronald rolled his eyes. “My remarks about your noggin still stand. If I were you, I’d stay at home and spare everyone the embarrassment.”