CHAPTER 3: CHAPTER 3: AIDEN GRANT TAKES THE INITIATIVE TO MEET HIS DAUGHTER

Daisy had seen photos of Aiden Grant.

Sometimes, her mom would stare at that photo and be lost in thought for a long time.

But that uncle not only had other women around him; he was also very fierce.

"Mom, are you going to abandon me?"

The little head looked up at her, tears about to spill over.

If she hadn’t sensed that her mom was going to hand her over to the uncle in the photo, Daisy wouldn’t have felt such panic and fear.

She immediately clung to her mom’s leg, raising her head, pleading with cries:

"Mom, please don’t leave me, okay?"

"I won’t bother you for cake and chocolate anymore, I won’t linger in bed in the mornings, and I won’t dawdle anymore."

"Mom, please don’t leave me."

The childish, fearful pleas tore at Tiana Linden’s heart.

Kneeling down to hold her daughter tightly, she felt utterly helpless.

The mother and daughter embraced and wept.

After a while, Tiana finally had the strength to wipe her daughter’s tears.

But after she’s gone, no one will be there to wipe her daughter’s tears.

She forced herself to make her choked voice calm and gentle, "Mom won’t leave you, how could mom bear to leave you, mom loves Daisy the most."

But this time... she’s going to break her promise.

She had never broken a promise to her daughter before.

And now, the first time she does, it’s to leave this cold world, leaving her lonely and without support.

The next day, Daisy transferred to a new school.

In her kindergarten class, she had long since passed the separation anxiety phase.

Previously when changing schools, Daisy could adapt quickly.

But this time, after finishing the paperwork, when the teacher was about to take Daisy to class, Daisy kept looking back every few steps.

Finally, she stopped, looking back with eyes full of worry.

"Mom, will you come to pick me up in the afternoon?"

At that moment, Tiana’s nose tingled, her throat tightened, and she felt too distressed to breathe.

Daisy was still afraid that she would leave her.

She nodded vigorously.

"I will, I’ll be the first one to come."

"Mom also promises you that as long as mom is alive in this world, mom will stay with you and never be separated from you."

She just didn’t know how long she could hold on.

Daisy immediately smiled as if she had found a sense of security.

"Mom, you’re so gentle and kind, you will definitely live to be a hundred, and I can be with you forever."

Even though she had warned herself not to shed a tear in front of her daughter in her remaining days.

Upon hearing her daughter’s words about "living to a hundred," Tiana suddenly teared up.

The whole day, Daisy’s performance in school was excellent and very happy.

Until just before school ended, Daisy was brought outside the classroom and saw a tall, slender, and imposing figure. Her smile froze instantly, becoming cautious and uneasy...

Didn’t mom say she would be the first to come to pick her up today?

Why was it the uncle in the photo?

Oh... no, he’s dad.

Someone she had long wanted to see in her dreams, but whose first meeting had caused mom so much sadness.

She didn’t like him.

But she still politely called out, "Hello, Uncle!"

As Aiden Grant crouched down to approach Daisy, the sense of oppression his tall figure brought was noticeably less intense.

Yet Daisy still stepped back, her entire face full of guardedness as she stared at him.

"Uncle, is there something you want with me?"

Aiden withdrew his hand slightly after seeing how tense Daisy was, deciding not to hug her.

He gently asked, "Would you like to play in the playground outside the classroom for a bit?"

"..." Daisy watched Aiden guardedly, her little mind racing.

This uncle... oh no, dad, doesn’t want to take her away, does he?

Seemingly noticing her concern, Aiden added, "Don’t worry, we’ll just play for a little while. I’ll leave once your mom comes to pick you up from school."

"Okay." Daisy reluctantly agreed.

So, a big hand took her small one, and they started walking outside.

The little hand in his larger one seemed tense, gripping tightly.

When they reached the slide, Aiden made his voice as gentle as possible to avoid scaring the child, "Go ahead and play, Uncle will watch you."

In fact, he just wanted to come and see Daisy.

Playing was a child’s nature.

Soon, Daisy was completely absorbed in play.

When she went to climb the rope, Daisy’s foot slipped from about a meter high, and she fell down.

"Careful!"

Aiden instinctively reached out to catch her.

But the small figure nimbly got back up.

It was then Aiden realized he had been so startled that his heartbeat became erratic.

The little girl in front of him brushed off the sand and looked at him with a bright smile, "Uncle, I’m fine. Mom said that if you get up after falling, you’re fine."

Aiden couldn’t imagine how Tiana had managed on her own all these years with the child.

Under Tiana’s care, the child had grown strong and brave.

She was as delicate as Tiana had been at her age.

Although the little girl’s clothes were somewhat old, they were washed very clean.

Aiden’s heart immediately ached with sadness.

If Daisy really was his daughter, had he wronged Tiana five years ago?

Seeing the hearing aid on Daisy’s ear, Aiden was taken aback: "What happened to your ear?"

Daisy pointed to her right ear, "This one can’t hear. Uncle can talk into my left ear!"

Immediately, a nameless anger rose in his heart.

"How has Tiana been as a mother?"

In his anger, Aiden raised his voice unintentionally.

This louder voice startled Daisy and made every part of her tense.

Realizing this, Aiden felt guilty, and his voice softened considerably, "Sorry, Uncle will speak softer."

Daisy wasn’t happy, "It wasn’t my mom’s fault. At the time, both mom and I were in prison. I had a fever that damaged my hearing because we couldn’t go to the hospital in time. You can’t blame my mom."

No one was allowed to blame mom.

Her mom was the best mom in the world.

"Why are you here?"

When Aiden turned around, Daisy had already dashed to her mom, Tiana.

"Mom, you finally came to pick me up from school. I’ve been waiting for you for so long."

"Sorry, mom was held up."

Behind them, Aiden spoke to Tiana, "Tiana, let’s find a place to talk."

Tiana replied, "Let’s do it here; it’s convenient."

Aiden nodded, "Alright!"

So, Tiana let Daisy go play on the slide again.

Both watched Daisy run off to play again, their gazes fixed on her little figure.

Then they fell into a long silence.

Aiden said nothing, nor did Tiana.

They once had endless things to say, could talk forever, just being together made them smile with happiness even when sick.

But five years apart had changed everything.

It was Aiden who broke the silence, "Is Daisy really my daughter?"

Withdrawing his gaze from Daisy, he looked at Tiana:

"Tiana, tell me truthfully, are you tricking me again this time?"

For the past couple of days, he had been reflecting.

Tiana dared to entrust Daisy to him and confidently gave him her hair for a paternity test.

Could it be that five years ago, he had wronged her?

If that was the case, his sarcastic and bitter words to her the other night in his moment of irrational pain were completely out of line.

He owed her an apology.

The lives of him, her, Vivian Linden, and Daisy could all be rewritten.

This concerned everyone’s fate.

He only wanted her to tell him the truth.

Tiana didn’t answer directly but instead stood in the sunlight and asked him, "Well, Mr. Grant, did you go for a paternity test?"

The title "Mr. Grant" caused a fleeting look of pain on Aiden’s refined and handsome face.

"Tiana, I only want the truth from you. If what you say is true, I will overlook your past deeds and make it up to you about the child, but if you dare trick me again..."

Tiana interrupted, cutting off Aiden before he could finish his sentence:

"Mr. Grant should go ahead with the paternity test and wait for the results before making any decisions."