The Unwanted Daughter: When Love Comes Too Late Chapter 233: I Know I Was Wrong

Erin continued, "If Tracy's holding a grudge, I can go apologize to her, but she shouldn't have let you come back just to take it out on the family. Isn't that just trying to stir up conflict between us?"

The Jackmans finally seemed to catch on, and the way they looked at Liam got even angrier.

Liam's eyes went wide. He shook his head fast, denying it. "Tracy's not trying to cause trouble. This has nothing to do with her. It was me ...

"I found out the person who saved me back on Suncord Mountain wasn't Erin—it was Tracy. She's a liar. She fooled every single one of us!"

Erin's eyes stayed watery and pitiful. "If Tracy says she saved you, then I'll pretend that's true. As long as you're okay, Liam, I don't care about who gets the credit.

"It's just ... Tracy knows you're the most impulsive and that you've always cared about what happened on Suncord Mountain. After all these years, for her to suddenly bring it up—she's clearly trying to drive a wedge between us.

"If Tracy doesn't like me, she can just say it. Why make the whole family fall apart? Sob ... "

Daphne wrapped her arms around her, rubbing her back. "My poor Erin. You've been through so much out there, and now you come back only to be bullied. It breaks my heart."

She turned to Liam with fury blazing in her eyes. "I thought you might be impulsive, but at least you had some sense. I never imagined you'd be this stupid, letting Tracy turn you against us with just a few words. How could I have an idiot like you for a son?

"Liam, I'm so disappointed in you!"

Andrew's face couldn't hide the disappointment either, but he still wanted to give his little brother one last chance. "Liam, apologize to Erin right now."

Liam stood there pale-faced, the words stabbing into him with an eerie familiarity.

Before him, the person they were disappointed in and demanding an apology from was always Tracy.

In that moment, Liam felt like these people who shared his blood were terrifying strangers.

"Y-you all ... "

His lips shook, and after a long struggle, he forced out one sentence. "You're all insane. Erin's bewitched you!"

Still acting like he'd done nothing wrong, Liam made Andrew completely lose hope. "Liam, Erin is your sister, yet you choose to believe Tracy, that evil witch? You've really lost it.

"If you don't apologize to Erin today and get her forgiveness, then get out of Jackman Villa!"

If this had been before, Liam would've been scared speechless by those words. But now, all he felt was bitter amusement and anger.

"You think I want to stay?" Liam gave a sharp, mocking laugh. "Living with people like you—people who don't care about what's right or wrong—it terrifies me."

His disappointed gaze swept over each of them before he turned on his heel without hesitation, his footsteps quick, like he needed to escape.

Seeing him leave so easily made Andrew's temper explode.

"If you dare take one step out of this house, don't you ever call yourself a Jackman again. And don't blame me for cutting off your card!"

Liam froze mid-step.

That tiny pause made Andrew relax a little, convinced he'd hit Liam's weak spot.

He was about to throw him a bone when Liam spoke first. "So that's how you cut off Tracy's card back then?"

And to think he used to believe punishing Tracy that way was reasonable. He never stopped to imagine what it was like for her—no income, eating a single meal at home, only to be scolded by everyone.

Liam's chest ached like it was being squeezed tight. Without a second thought, he stepped forward and walked out.

From start to finish, he never once looked back.

Leaving the Jackmans' house, Liam felt like his soul had been sucked out. When he finally came back to himself, he realized he was already standing in the old neighborhood where Tracy rented her apartment.

Every time he was holding something inside, he'd come to find her. He thought he'd kicked that habit ...

Suddenly, Liam's nose stung, and he sped up, heading for the dark, damp little place at the bottom of the stairs.

At the door, he stood for a long moment, taking deep breaths, rehearsing a dozen ways to say what he needed to say. Finally, he gathered his courage and knocked.

Knock, knock, knock!

With every knock, his heart squeezed tighter.

But the longer he waited, the more that tightness started to loosen, until he completely calmed down.

He knew Tracy didn't want to see him. But now, he understood he'd been wrong. He wanted to make it right.

"Tracy, please open the door. I ... I just want to talk.

"I know I was wrong. I was blind before, fooled by Erin. I never meant to treat you that way.

"I really do know I was wrong. Tracy, just give me one chance to make it up to you. I'm begging you ... "

Liam kept knocking, again and again, stubborn like he wouldn't stop until he saw Tracy face to face.