Chapter 19 Better Effect
The only thing Tracy was really good at was painting.
She’d loved art ever since she was a kid. She even went to art school for it, though she never finished.
But now that she thought about it, it was probably the one thing she could use to actually make a living.
The problem was, painting wasn’t free. You needed materials. And there was no way she was going to use anything that came from the Jackmans. If she had any other choice, she wouldn’t have stayed in that house another day.
Luckily, she still had a set of art supplies that a friend had given her a while ago. She’d never used them. She kept them stored away like they were something special.
That friend had liked her for who she was, not because she was a Jackman. That gift had nothing to do with the family, and that made it feel even more meaningful.
To avoid running into anyone, Tracy left her room early the next morning.
Her old room had been turned into Erin’s fancy walk-in closet. Naturally, her stuff had been tossed into storage.
The Jackmans’ storage room was massive and cluttered with all sorts of junk. Tracy had to dig for a while. before she found thest bits of her belongings.
What used to fill a whole bedroom was now crammed into one small box that was barely two feet high. It held some old clothes and a couple of random items.
The housekeeper who brought her there looked ufortable. “Ms. Erin said your things reminded her of tough times, so Mrs. Jackman had most of them thrown out. This is all that’s left…
Tracy’s face didn’t change. She felt nothing.
Without even looking at the rest, she went straight for the art supplies she’d carefully hidden at the bottom.
The box had a damaged corner, but everything inside seemed okay.
Nothing else in there really mattered to her.
She paused, frowning.
She was sure she’d had a sketchbook.
It was something she’d been working on-a gift she meant to give the same friend who gave her the painting tools.
But before she could finish it, she was sent off to the Angelic Etiquette Academy.
Thinking it might’ve been ced somewhere else, she kept digging through the storage room. But after checking everything, it was clear it wasn’t there. The staff imed they didn’t know anything about it.
Her chest tightened a bit.
It had been two years since shest saw that friend. They might’ve already moved on and forgotten her.
The thought stung, but staying alive mattered more than memories right now.
She packed up her painting kit and went to visit Franklin in the hospital. After that, she immediately started looking for work.
She didn’t have ess to the inte and didn’t have any other useful skills. So, she spent the whole day walking around before finallynding a job in the back kitchen of a tiny restaurant.
They were paying her 3,600 a month, which was way less than what the old Tracy used to spend on breakfast. But still, she felt content.
She didn’t have a ce to stay, but the restaurant gave her three meals a day. At least she wouldn’t have to sneak around the Jackmans’ kitchen like a stray dog looking for leftovers.
Kitchen work was brutal. During rush hours, it was total chaos. She burned her hands a few times from hot oil. It hurt, but for once, she felt like she was actually living her own life.
It was the first time she felt like she’d truly escaped that nightmare.
From then on, Tracy got up early every morning and walked to work. If she got off early, she’d go to the hospital and sit with Franklin. She wouldn’t return to the Jackmans’ ce until everyone there was asleep.
Over two weeks passed like this. Eventually, the whole family just kind of forgot she was even there.
Until one day, Erin suddenly mentioned the wee dinner, and that’s when it hit everyone that Tracy was still living in the house.
They’d all been too caught up in their own stuff. Most of their attention was on Erin’s graduation ceremony. No one had time or energy to care about anything else.
Daphne, for once, asked with a touch of curiosity, “What’s Tracy been doingtely?”
Andrew answered first. “She’s been visiting Grandpa a lot.”
Ever since he became CEO of Jackman Enterprise, his days had been packed. He was barely home, always in and out from morning to night. Still, he’d run into Tracy at the hospital a few times.
Every time he saw her, she would lower her head and hurry off. Even when he called her name, she’d only reply with a cold, stiff “Mr. Jackman.”
Daphne didn’t like that. “She can visit him, fine, but she doesn’t have to go every single day. She doesn’t even show up for meals anymore. Is she too busy for that now?”
Talking about meals reminded Benjamin of what he saw in the kitchen that day, and his mood soured.
He mmed his utensils on the table. “Let her stay away until she learns how to act. Skipping meals like she’s above us? Throwing a spoiled brat tantrum? I took care of her for 18 years, and this is what I get?”
The friendly vibe at the table died instantly.
Liam frowned, annoyed.
Why do they always have to bring her up during dinner? Can’t we just eat in peace?
Erin watched everyone closely, reading the room. Then she spoke up, sounding unsure. “Was it wrong of me to mention the wee dinner?”
Liam was quick to reassure her. “It’s not your fault. You’re always trying to include Tracy. If she had even a bit of your kindness, people wouldn’t find her so hard to deal with.”
Erin looked relieved. She gave Liam a sweet, grateful look. “You’re the best, Liam.”
Then she softened her voice, adding with care, “How about you go tell her about the dinner? But don’t say anything right away. Wait until she gets to the hotel and surprise her. That way, she’ll really see how much I care.”
Liam wasn’t subtle. He was the type to speak his mind without thinking much. That made him perfect for this job. If he were ordered to deliver an altered message, it would achieve a “better effect.”