CHAPTER 32: CHAPTER 32: AIDEN GRANT’S DEEP GUILT TOWARD THE MOTHER AND DAUGHTER

Mr. Grant felt a bit guilty upon seeing Tiana Linden again.

In the morning, she had begged him to bail her out to take care of Daisy, who was injured in the hospital.

She had even knelt down.

But he didn’t believe her.

Yet, the truth was, Daisy was indeed injured and hospitalized.

The situation wasn’t looking optimistic.

"Daisy only has a mild concussion; after a few days of observation in the hospital, she can be discharged."

When he spoke, Aiden Grant’s tone wasn’t as cold, carrying perhaps a hint of comfort.

"I’ve arranged for someone to look after Daisy, don’t worry, she’s fine."

There was a possibility of delayed intracranial hemorrhage for Daisy, but Aiden didn’t tell Tiana.

Tiana breathed a sigh of relief.

As scalding tears fell, she rose and bowed deeply to Aiden.

"Thank you, Mr. Grant, thank you so much..."

Thank him, though he was unwilling to bail her out.

But he still called Ms. Hayes to understand Daisy’s condition and helped take care of Daisy.

The frail and weak person in front of him bowed deeply, leaving Aiden feeling uneasy.

Once, this woman loved to act coy in his arms the most.

Loved to wrap her arms around his neck, burying herself in his embrace to sleep.

Loved to call his name repeatedly, Aiden, Aiden... during every moment of their affection.

When did they become so distant, so unfamiliar, so near yet far?

Aiden looked at the woman in front of him with a wave of discomfort.

Those past memories, Tiana no longer cared about.

When she straightened up and met Aiden’s gaze, he quickly suppressed his emotions.

Tiana asked excitedly, "Mr. Grant, is Daisy really okay? Is her concussion serious?"

Although he said Daisy was fine.

She was still worried sick.

She pleaded again, "Mr. Grant, if possible, could you let me talk to Daisy on the phone?"

Aiden didn’t answer.

He sat down on the chair where Director Lewis had previously interrogated Tiana.

Looking at Tiana still standing in front of him, he spoke, "Sit down, let’s have a chat."

Tiana looked at his somber and icy expression, feeling uneasy.

As she sat down, she felt on edge, "Is it because something happened to Daisy..."

"Tiana," Aiden interrupted, "if you truly care about your daughter, then be honest and confess everything you know about Hector Chaucer."

Feeling powerless to refute, Tiana really didn’t know what to say.

They always assumed she had slept with Hector Chaucer.

Always believed she stole the research secrets of Linden-Grant Pharmaceuticals.

And always thought she was involved in Hector Chaucer’s jailbreak and harbored him.

Even jumping into The Ochreflow River couldn’t cleanse her!

She took a lengthy deep breath, then felt defeated, "I’ve already confessed all I can."

The atmosphere between the two suddenly became suffocating.

More suffocating was the tension in Aiden’s chest.

He suppressed his emotions, speaking coldly:

"Tiana, this is your last chance. If you don’t come clean, not even my most skilled legal team can help you."

Sitting in the chair, Tiana said nothing more.

Her silence made Aiden’s chest feel tight.

As he stared at her, he felt hatred, confusion, anger, disappointment, all finally subdued.

"Tiana, no matter what, Hector Chaucer is as good as dead."

"If he surrenders, at least he will die with some dignity."

"During the chase, he could be shot anytime. Don’t you want him to retain some dignity?"

Tiana wasn’t familiar with Hector Chaucer.

At the time when she was with Aiden, Hector Chaucer was always aloof and cold whenever they met, never uttering a word.

She wasn’t aware of other cases involving Hector Chaucer.

She had no say in them.

But she could speak the most on her alleged collusion with Hector Chaucer to steal the secrets of Linden-Grant Pharmaceuticals.

They had never done such a thing.

Perhaps, Hector Chaucer was even more unjustly accused than she was.

She looked at Aiden with disappointment.

This man, not only didn’t trust her, but also didn’t trust his life-and-death brother.

"Mr. Grant, for the last time, I have no contact with Hector Chaucer, I truly don’t know anything!"

Bang!

Aiden slammed a piece of paper onto the interrogation table.

It was a printed record of Tiana’s bank transactions.

Showing a mysterious deposit of three hundred thousand into her account.

"Tiana, after investigation, the police confirmed this deposit was made by someone instructed by Hector Chaucer."

"The person transferring the money confessed it was specifically instructed by Hector Chaucer to leave you this money."

Tiana knew nothing about this three hundred thousand deposit.

Aiden was thoroughly disappointed in her, "Tiana, wouldn’t it be better to live a decent and upright life? Why must you degrade yourself like this?"

His words went unheard by Tiana.

At this moment, Tiana was pondering.

If she remained detained, she wouldn’t be able to find an adoptive family for Daisy.

The only glimmer of light in her eyes slowly dimmed.

Like a flickering flame about to go out.

After contemplating, she placed her last hope on Aiden.

Having reached such a desperate point, he was all she could rely on.

"Mr. Grant, if I suddenly die during detention, could you take care of Daisy?"

Such a pitiful plea made Aiden’s expression turn solemn.

"Tiana, did you get wind that Linden-Grant Pharmaceuticals’ special anti-cancer drug has passed the final hurdle and is soon to hit clinical trials?"

So, she hadn’t bothered to pretend before.

But now to garner his sympathy, to get the research secrets, she was putting on a show?

With her mind in turmoil, Tiana didn’t even catch what Aiden was saying.

She lowered her head, her previously straight back collapsing, painfully uttering:

"I don’t know anything, all I know is if I die, Daisy would be so pitiful..."

Daisy’s crying voice, her clinging act pleading her not to die, flashed in her mind.

The world seemed as if it was collapsing.

Her last shred of mental strength was about to collapse too.

Thinking about Daisy in the hospital, she regained some strength, looking up to ask, "Mr. Grant, who is taking care of Daisy at the hospital?"

"I’ve arranged for Vivian to look after her," Aiden replied.

Perhaps considering the child’s best interest, he added a comforting note, "Don’t worry, Vivian will take good care of Daisy."

This response worried Tiana.

Daisy didn’t like Vivian Linden at all.

Besides, there was a high possibility that Vivian was the reason stopping Daisy and Aiden from reuniting.

She had suspected, but Aiden had firmly denied it.

She quickly pleaded, "Mr. Grant, could you have someone else take care of Daisy? Vivian Linden, she..."

"Tiana!" Aiden interrupted coldly, "Vivian loves children; she has always been gentle and careful with them."

"But Daisy is not her daughter. She doesn’t want Daisy to have any contact with you at all."

"Tiana, don’t assume Vivian to be as despicable as you."

"I don’t care how you view me, despicable, shameless, it doesn’t matter."

She feared Vivian might do something harmful to Daisy.

Her stance became resolute, "I will not allow Vivian Linden to be in contact with Daisy."

"Tiana," Aiden frowned, "not everyone is like you."

When Vivian Linden was mentioned, Aiden Grant added a few words protectively.

"Vivian was working overnight in the lab yesterday."

"Today she hasn’t even slept for two hours and went to the hospital to help take care of the child."

"It’s fine if you’re not grateful, but you actually harbor malice towards Vivian."

Tiana Linden knew that nowadays Vivian Linden was Aiden’s beloved.

He would not tolerate a single bad word about her.

Yet Tiana had a strong premonition.

Vivian would surely be detrimental to Daisy.

"Mr. Grant, I don’t need Vivian Linden to take care of Daisy. Can you help me contact Ms. Hayes? I’ll arrange for her to help look after Daisy."

At least Ms. Hayes would be good to Daisy.

She was truly cautious about Vivian Linden.

This level of caution made Aiden completely puzzled; instead, he snorted coldly, "Tiana, don’t be so ungrateful."

After speaking, Aiden’s face turned increasingly sour.

After rising from his chair, he cooled his tone:

"Tiana, I was genuinely advising you to tell the police the truth, not to stubbornly make mistake after mistake."

"Since you’re being so obstinate, I have nothing more to say. You take care of yourself."

Tiana just stared at him, left the interrogation room without looking back after those cold words.

The fifth round of interrogation quickly took place.

They asked repeatedly.

Tiana answered the same answer repeatedly.

Tiana had only one answer, she really didn’t know Hector Chaucer’s whereabouts.

Three days later.

Tiana was still in custody.

Hector Chaucer, wanted by the police, remained missing.

Daisy, who was under observation in the hospital, smoothly got discharged after her brain MRI showed no issues.

Vivian Linden and Aiden Grant took Daisy back to Star River Bay.

Upon returning, the sullen Daisy did not say a word.

During dinner, Vivian Linden served her with many dishes, but she didn’t touch any.

"Daisy, do you not like the food Aunt Vivian got for you?" Vivian Linden asked with concern.

Daisy lowered her head and did not respond.

Afraid she might go hungry, Vivian peeled a shrimp and brought it to Daisy’s mouth, "Daisy, be good and eat something, you’ll be hungry if you don’t."

A silent Daisy pushed away Vivian’s hand and glared at her in anger.

Aiden, watching from the other side, thought about how she had just hurt her head and the doctor advised good care. He remained silent.

When Vivian tried to feed Daisy a second time and she slapped the chopsticks from her hand, Aiden couldn’t hold back.

"Don’t be ungrateful like your mom."

After shouting at Daisy, Aiden felt a bit regretful.

She just got discharged; he shouldn’t have yelled at her.

But this child was just like Tiana, so troubling.

Seeing him shout at Daisy, Vivian Linden glared at him, "Aiden, how could you talk to a child like that? She’s just a child."

With a smile, Vivian turned to Daisy saying, "Daisy, don’t be angry, let’s eat properly, okay?"

Daisy still did not look directly at Vivian; she fixed her gaze on Aiden and asked, "Where is my mom?"

Aiden continued eating nonchalantly, "She has some things to handle these days and can’t take care of you, but Aunt Vivian and I will look after you well."

"Is she dead?" Daisy’s eyes were filled with tears, though she refused to cry in front of Aiden.

She bit her lip, holding back tears.

Seeing the child so pitiful, Aiden’s heart ached.

Suddenly losing appetite, he put down his chopsticks and patiently comforted Daisy, "Your mom is healthy, she won’t die."

The image of her mom coughing blood remained embedded in Daisy’s mind.

Finally unable to hold back, the tears spilled.

"Where’s my mom? I want my mom!"

The heart-wrenching cry seemed to tear apart Aiden’s heart.

He didn’t want Daisy’s young heart to suffer such harm.

Sensing her despair, he got up, held her on his lap, gently stroking her forehead, "Your mom is really fine, she’ll come back in a few days when she’s done."

"You’re lying!" Daisy’s tears flowed down, "Mom must be in trouble."

Tears rolled down Daisy’s cheeks and nose, falling both on Aiden’s heart.

This good child, being used and deceived by Tiana.

Tiana was truly unfit to be a mother!

Vivian Linden sighed at the side, complaining, "How could my sister even deceive a child? Poor child."

"You’re not allowed to talk about my mom." The tearful Daisy glared at Vivian Linden in anger.

This angry shout made Aiden’s face darken, "No rudeness. Didn’t your mom teach you to be polite to elders?"

Vivian nudged Aiden’s arm lightly: "Aiden, stop chastising Daisy, she’s already upset. It’s my fault, I won’t say any more."

The dining room suddenly fell into silence.

The bitter, painful Daisy repeatedly held back her tears, which flowed again and again for not seeing her mom.

The small body seemed about to break.

Aiden felt distressed, "Daisy, I’m sorry, Uncle shouldn’t have been harsh with you."

"I want to see mom!" Daisy pleaded, "Take me to see mom, please?"

Aiden: "You can’t see her now."

The small hands grasped one of Aiden’s fingers, pleading desperately.

"Uncle Grant, please, take me to see my mom. If mom is really gone..."

Small Daisy dared not imagine.

If mom really died, would it be like her dog that also died, spitting a lot of blood, crying with tears, eyes closing forever, never waking again?

If that really happened, Daisy wished to hug her mom.

Even if her mom never woke again, she wanted to hold her tightly.

Feeling torn between pity for Daisy and anger at Tiana’s deceit, Aiden couldn’t bear it.

To get Linden-Grant Pharmaceuticals’ research secrets, Tiana would even deceive Daisy.

Truly unfit for motherhood!

...

Daisy went on a hunger strike.

She fasted until noon the next day.

Aiden, unable to rest assured about Daisy, did not leave Star River Bay.

Watching the small silent figure in the corner, Aiden made a call to Director Lewis.

"Director Lewis, can the daughter of Tiana see her?"

"Meeting is difficult."

"Even a phone call between them would do. The child is fasting for not seeing her mom, Director Lewis, please do me a favor."

"Alright."

After hanging up, Aiden approached Daisy, sat down next to her, "Daisy, Uncle will let you call your mom, but you must agree to one condition."

The lowered head suddenly lifted.

Light flickered in Daisy’s eyes, "I can really call mom?"

"Yes." Aiden gently stroked Daisy’s small head, "But you must promise Uncle that you’ll eat something, anything is fine."

Daisy nodded, "Okay!"

"What do you want, eat and then call mom." Aiden asked patiently.

Without a second thought, Daisy answered, "I want to eat beef noodles."

After more than ten minutes, the housekeeper, Mrs. Walsh, brought a steaming bowl of beef noodles.

Daisy sat at the dining table, picked up chopsticks, and carefully removed the scallions and cilantro from the bowl.

Until completely removed.

Aiden watched Daisy like this.

He didn’t like eating scallions and cilantro either.

He remembered clearly that Tiana said, Daisy’s taste matched his most, hating cilantro and scallions the most.

Daisy was indeed just like him.

Could Daisy really be his daughter?