Chapter 102 Hide in It


    Of course, Liam didn’t see it that way.


    s


    No one had ever insulted him like that before. He froze for a moment, his face twisting with


    anger.


    “You…”


    The rest of his words caught in his throat. He was so furious that he just swung at Ronald.


    But Ronald caught his fist effortlessly.


    His face looked younger than Liam’s, and there was even azy, easy smile on it. Yet the strength in his grip made Liam feel like he couldn’t breathe.


    Shocked, Liam stared at him, a knot tightening in his chest.


    Ronald let go, then asked casually, “You act like everything you do is for CeeCee’s good. But how much do you know about her?”


    The question didn’tnd at first. Liam just stared, confused.


    Ronald smirked and tilted his head toward the back of the apartment. “Come on.”


    He led Liam into the only bedroom–Tracy’s room.


    What do you see?”


    “This is where CeeCee stays. What do


    The room was small. Aside from a bed and a short nightstand, there wasn’t even a closet. A single rack in the corner held a few clothes. The space felt bare, almost empty.


    Something about it made Liam’s chest feel hollow, too. But he still didn’t understand Ronald’s point. He kept his face cold. “What are you getting at?”


    Ronald’s smile faded, reced by a sharp, mocking look. “This room’s so small you can see everything the second you walk in. There’s not even space under the bed to hide a person. What do you think I’m saying?”


    Liam’s gut tightened.


    He didn’t know exactly where Ronald was going with this, but he could feel it was something


    he didn’t want to hear.


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    Chapter 102 Hide in It


    Ronald didn’t care what he wanted to hear.


    ::.


    58


    s


    “This ce isn’t the Jackman Vi, but I’d never let CeeCee go without. She deserves the best. But no matter what furniture I buy–nice or cheap–she refuses it. She says if there’s <i>too </i>much in the room, someone might hide in it.”


    Might hide in it.


    The words were like a p.


    Normal people don’t sit in their own homes worrying about strangers hiding inside.


    Something stabbed at Liam’s chest.


    He’d grown up surrounded by luxury, spoiled by the Jackmans his whole life. He couldn’t even imagine what it felt like to be afraid of your own home.


    And the Tracy he thought he knew would never be afraid of something like that.


    Ronald saw the dazed look on his face and gave a faint smirk. Maybe Liam wasn’tpletely hopeless.


    Leaning against the doorway, arms crossed, Ronald asked suddenly, “Do you know how CeeCee and I met?”


    Liam’s heart skipped. He didn’t dare look back at him and didn’t dare ask.


    Ronald went on anyway. “We were kidnapped by the same gang. They weren’t bluffing. They were killers. If it hadn’t been for CeeCee, my body would’ve been rotting in some ditch, and no one would even know.”


    Liam stumbled back against the doorframe.


    He remembered the time Tracy had been kidnapped. He remembered telling someone to make sure the body was dumped far away, because he didn’t want the bad luck.


    “I … I didn’t know… I swear I didn’t know…”


    His face went pale. He grabbed Ronald’s hand, shaking all over.


    “I thought it was fake. That’s why I said what I said. I didn’t know…”


    It sounded like he was desperate to convince both Ronald and himself that he wasn’t a


    monster.


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    Chapter 102 Hide in It


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    s


    Ronald smiled, but his eyes were ice. “Of course you didn’t know. Because you never believed her. All you had for her was suspicion, dislike, and hate.


    “You say you misunderstood CeeCee. Then tell me, when Erin was kidnapped, why didn’t you doubt her? Why didn’t you ask why she sent her bodyguard away? Why was she in the old district? Why did the kidnappers just happen to let her overhear the mastermind’s voice? Did you ever think about that?”


    His voice was calm, but every word dripped with scorn. “Next time you leave your house, try using your brain.”


    If anyone else had ever talked to Liam like that before, he would’ve exploded.


    But now, all he felt was guilt.


    Yeah. Same <i>kidnapping</i><i>. </i><i>Why </i><i>had </i><i>I </i><i>never </i><i>once </i><i>suspected </i><i>Erin</i><i>? </i>


    A dull ringing filled his head. By the time Ronald shoved him out, he was in a daze.


    He couldn’t believe that his feelings for Tracy had been reduced to nothing but suspicion and


    resentment.


    She was the one he had trusted most. As kids, no matter what happened, Tracy was always the first to stand in front of him.