CHAPTER 34: CHAPTER 34: TIANA LINDEN, I’M SORRY!

Aiden Grant once again looked at the painting that Daisy had drawn.

The image of Tiana Linden was so lifelike, it seemed like she would step right out of the painting, capturing the most beautiful memory of Tiana he held.

Many past events floated through his mind.

He looked again at Daisy sitting at the table, who looked exactly like Tiana Linden.

Big eyes, a perfect and adorable little face, exquisite and beautiful.

"Daisy is also your daughter, the last one we conceived."

"Tiana, we argued about this five years ago. Is there a need to argue again? I used protection that time; you couldn’t have conceived."

"But it was that time that led to the pregnancy."

"Daisy has the same fondness for grapefruits as you, the same peanut allergy, and she has the same sharp mind and photographic memory as you. You love painting, and she loves it too; she can already sketch. She detests eating onions and cilantro just like you do, she truly is your daughter."

"Mr. Grant, what would it take for you to agree to a paternity test? Do I have to kneel and beg you?"

Tiana’s pleading voice.

Tiana’s pitiful appearance.

They floated in Aiden Grant’s mind...

"Daisy, the portrait of your mom at twenty-nine, did you really draw it?"

At that moment, Daisy raised her eyes at the table, looking towards Aiden Grant.

She seemed to understand something, and questioned, "Uncle, was it you who tore that painting?"

"..." Aiden Grant found it impossible to respond to Daisy.

Even more difficult was facing the puzzled look in Daisy’s eyes.

He hung his head, guilty, "Daisy, I’m sorry!"

Daisy became even more convinced that he was the one who tore it apart.

Her mother said the painting was torn by their dog, clearly to deceive her.

Her mom must have wanted to spare her any heartbreak, so she lied.

Her most cherished portrait, torn apart by her dad?

She couldn’t understand why her dad would tear her painting.

She asked, "Why did you tear apart my painting that was a birthday gift for mom’s twenty-ninth birthday?"

"..." Aiden could not answer.

Daisy asked again, "Do you really hate me and mom that much?"

An attempt to piece together the fragments, no matter how hard, proved fruitless.

The pieces, when forced together, were crumpled, broken.

Just like the hearts of hers and her mom, shattered into pieces.

Painful and bitter tears rolled from Daisy’s big eyes, streaming down.

One after another, they fell on Daisy’s cheeks, nose, clothes.

And they fell on Aiden Grant’s heart.

Daisy looked at Aiden, both hurt and angry, "Dad... I hate you!"

What did Daisy just call him?

...

In the afternoon, Aiden Grant entrusted Daisy to Vivian Linden’s care.

He went alone to the city police department.

Tiana, initially in the interrogation room, had been transferred to the detention center.

In the small yet tidy room, Tiana curled up on the bed.

The quilt beside her was folded neatly.

Since the moment she entered the room, her mind had been occupied with Daisy; she hadn’t closed her eyes for an instant.

When the door was pushed open, she saw a ray of light.

Someone was coming in against the light.

In the play of shadow and light, the familiar, tall, slender figure made her think she might have fallen asleep and entered a dream.

In her dreams, she longed repeatedly for the man before her to save her from peril.

But in reality, the man before her kept pushing her into deeper despair.

"I’ve seen the portrait Daisy drew."

Standing in the light and shadow, Aiden Grant stepped closer and saw Tiana slowly rise.

At this moment, his gaze towards Tiana was intensely complex.

Although he hated her, seeing her confined in such a pitiful state in the detention center unsettled him.

His voice was much softer, "The portrait looked just like you."

That’s the Daisy’s depiction of her most gentle mom.

Moreover, he had ripped apart Daisy’s portrait of Tiana at twenty-nine into pieces.

Aiden Grant had reflected on his actions.

He parted his lips, "Tiana, I shouldn’t have shredded that painting, I’m sorry!"

Tiana, standing up from the bed, thought she had misheard.

Would Aiden Grant even say sorry?

But what did it matter, after all? The painting was already torn to shreds.

Upon seeing that torn painting, Daisy’s small heart also broke.

"You didn’t come here today just to say this, did you?" She knew there was no point in expecting him to release her; begging was futile.

Aiden Grant responded with silence and contemplation.

Tiana broke the silence:

"Mr. Grant, I don’t need your apology!"

"If you’re unwilling to believe Daisy is your daughter, then don’t keep appearing before me periodically."

"As you said, let’s not meet again."

"I don’t want to see you either."

Aiden Grant had more to say.

His phone inconveniently rang.

He hung up, but the call came again.

Hung up again, the call returned.

Only then did Aiden step outside to take the call.

On the line, Vivian Linden tearfully said to him, "Aiden Grant, come to the hospital right away, Daisy is in trouble, hurry."

Half an hour later, Aiden arrived at the hospital.

Vivian Linden, upon seeing him, cried and rushed up to him.

"Aiden Grant, I’m sorry, I didn’t take care of Daisy properly."

"She ate nothing, but the doctor said she’s having a peanut allergy, she’s being resuscitated now."

In the emergency room, separated by layers of curtains.

There were patients here being resuscitated, some in mild condition, others serious.

The most critical was Daisy behind the curtains.

Her small figure surrounded by four or five doctors and nurses in white coats.

They raced against time.

"Second injection of 0.15mg epinephrine."

"Cardiac arrest."

"Defibrillator, administer antihistamines..."

Aiden Grant’s heart tightened.

The smell of antiseptic in the air was suffocating.

This scene was too familiar to Aiden.

He once almost went into shock due to a peanut allergy, and was eventually saved.

Behind the curtains, Daisy’s face was swollen from the allergy, bearing no resemblance to her adorable self.

Aiden didn’t know if Daisy could be saved.

How would he explain to Tiana?

Beside him, Vivian Linden kept crying, "Aiden Grant, I’m sorry, I didn’t take proper care, I’m really sorry..."

"Don’t worry, Daisy will be fine." Aiden tried to comfort her.

...

Detention center.

Tiana’s mind was restless.

Her thoughts were consumed by Daisy, with a constant sense of foreboding.

During her intense anxiety, a staff member opened the door, looked at her.

"Tiana, you can go home now."

That pale face, full of astonishment, "I can really leave?"

The interrogation in the morning had been quite severe.

They said if she did not disclose everything, the court would prosecute her.

If convicted of harboring the top death row fugitive, she could face several years imprisonment.

She would perish in prison, never seeing Daisy one last time.

But just let her leave like that?

The staff returned her bag and phone to her, "Tiana Linden, these are your belongings."

As soon as Tiana Linden left the detention center, she called Aiden Grant.

When Aiden Grant saw Tiana Linden’s call, his whole face was cast in shadow.

It seems Lawyer Lowell has already taken care of her bail procedures.

Even though it was a good thing, Aiden Grant didn’t know how to answer Tiana Linden’s call.

It wasn’t until she called him again that he slid to answer.

On the other end came Tiana Linden’s anxious and eager voice, "Mr. Grant, I’m out now, where’s Daisy? I want to see Daisy. Thank you for taking care of Daisy these past days, I will pick her up and take her home now."

Finally, she could take Daisy home!

But Aiden Grant was terrifyingly silent on the phone.

Tiana Linden, realizing something, felt her heart sink, "Did something happen to Daisy?"

...

At the hospital.

James Linden and Daniel Linden, who rushed over upon hearing the news, were waiting outside the emergency room.

Vivian Linden cried to them, "Dad, brother, it’s my fault for not taking good care of Daisy, it’s all my fault. I don’t even know how to explain to my sister? She will surely blame me."

"Don’t worry yet." Daniel Linden comforted her, "Maybe Daisy will be out of critical condition soon."

James Linden asked, "How’s Daisy doing?"

"They just issued a critical condition notice..." Vivian Linden was choked with sobs, "It’s all my fault, I’m a sinner."

After all, Daisy is James Linden’s granddaughter.

If she doesn’t make it because of a peanut allergy, James Linden would be heartbroken too.

He prayed silently for the child.

Daniel Linden was pacing anxiously, "How could this child be allergic to peanuts like Aiden Grant? She’s not even related by blood to him."

As her uncle, Daniel Linden cared deeply for this child.

But how could this child coincidentally have the same peanut allergy as Aiden Grant?

"Let’s hope for the best, let’s hope for the best..." Daniel Linden kept murmuring as he paced.

Vivian Linden sniffed, her voice thick with tears, "Could Aiden Grant blame me, and then, and then..."

And then not marry her.

Vivian Linden cried with tears streaming like raindrops on a pear blossom.

Her worries were known to both Daniel Linden and James Linden.

James Linden quickly comforted her, "Vivian, it’s not your fault. Aiden Grant won’t blame you."

Daniel Linden concurred, "Yes, Vivian, Aiden Grant won’t call off the wedding. Besides, Tiana Linden is detained and can’t come out to ruin your wedding."

Just then, they saw a slender figure rushing toward the emergency room.

It was Tiana Linden.

Daniel Linden and James Linden almost spoke at the same time.

"How did you get out?"

"Weren’t you detained?"

There seemed to be an undertone of reluctance in their voices about her release.

Tiana Linden didn’t bother with them.

She looked toward the emergency room.

When the door opened, she tried to go in but was stopped.

Soon, Aiden Grant walked out.

She quickly approached, "How is Daisy?"

"..." Aiden Grant’s silence chilled Tiana Linden’s heart.

"Did Daisy collapse? Aiden Grant, speak up."

At this moment, Tiana Linden finally stopped calling him Aiden Grant, which made Aiden Grant feel even worse.

Tiana Linden’s face turned pale.

"How did she get a peanut allergy?"

"Who gave her food that contained peanuts?"

At the Hibiscus Pavilion suite in the Zenith Hotel, she clearly informed everyone of Daisy’s peanut allergy.

A look of suspicion fell on the tear-streaked face of Vivian Linden.

"Was it you?"

Tiana Linden had a strong intuition.

It must have been Vivian Linden who caused Daisy’s peanut allergy.

This woman not only stopped Daisy from recognizing Aiden Grant but also wanted Daisy dead.

Daisy is just a little over four years old.

"Vivian Linden, how could you do this to a four-year-old child?"

"Do you have a conscience?"

The agitated Tiana Linden pressed closer to Vivian Linden, causing her to retreat step by step.

"Sister, I didn’t do it. I remembered you said Daisy was allergic to peanuts, and I passed it down, even specifically reminding Noelle."

"I don’t know how Daisy ended up with a peanut allergy either."

"Sister, it really wasn’t me."

No one can harm her Daisy.

She only knows that Daisy went into anaphylactic shock due to a peanut allergy while under Vivian Linden’s care.

It must have been Vivian Linden.

Tiana Linden grabbed Vivian Linden’s long hair and slammed her head against the wall.

Bam! Bam bam!

"Vivian Linden, I’ll fight you!"

Behind them, three men, two grabbed Tiana Linden, and one protected Vivian Linden.

The one protecting Vivian Linden was Aiden Grant, whose face was cold.

Aiden Grant scolded, "Tiana Linden, you’re crazy! Things haven’t been fully investigated, don’t make baseless accusations, Vivian cares for Daisy too much to do something like this to her."

Vivian Linden, in a disheveled state, leaned into Aiden Grant’s arms and cried, "Aiden, don’t blame Sister. It really is my fault for not taking good care of Daisy, but I didn’t give her food containing peanuts."

At this moment, Tiana Linden held strands of hair pulled from Vivian Linden’s head.

Those strands were not only a few hairs but also a sharp blade stabbing into the hearts of James and Daniel Linden.

"Tiana Linden, look at what you’ve done to Vivian, you’ve pulled out so much of her hair, you’re simply a shrew."

Daniel Linden even clenched his fist, wanting to teach Tiana Linden a lesson.

But with his niece in critical condition, he held back from acting.

Daniel Linden gritted his teeth, "Tiana Linden, apologize to Vivian!"

"I will not apologize!" Tiana Linden declared firmly, "If anything happens to Daisy, I will fight Vivian Linden to the end."

Vivian Linden cried and apologized, "Sister, I’m sorry, really sorry, but I didn’t harm Daisy; she’s so adorable, how could I possibly harm her?"

After several hours of emergency treatment, Daisy finally made it through the critical phase.

Severely allergic to peanuts, her face and throat were significantly swollen and swollen.

Unrecognizable from her original appearance.

She also had temporary voice loss due to swollen vocal cords.

Fortunately, she was finally out of danger.

Tiana Linden stayed by the hospital bed.

Daisy’s eyes were swollen like frog’s eyes due to the peanut allergy.

And Tiana Linden cried until her eyes also looked like a frog’s eyes.

She is still alive now and yet couldn’t protect Daisy properly, making her suffer such a great ordeal.

If after her death, how much more suffering would Daisy have to endure?

"Daisy, I’m sorry, it’s all Mom’s fault, Mom didn’t take good care of you."

She held Daisy’s swollen, shiny little hand, feeling her heart and soul shatter.

"Daisy, you need to get better soon."

"Knock knock!"

A knock sounded behind the door.

Tiana Linden wiped her tears, turned around, and saw it was Aiden Grant.

When Aiden Grant came in and saw her swollen eyes from crying, looking like frog’s eyes.

Daisy’s swelling hadn’t subsided either.

He didn’t feel well.

Concerned, he asked, "How is Daisy?"

Tiana Linden, holding Daisy’s hand, spoke coldly, "Why are you here? You’re not welcome here."

This angry voice made Aiden Grant a bit aggravated too.

"Tiana Linden, if you hadn’t gotten involved in Hector Chaucer’s affairs, you wouldn’t have been detained. Daisy wouldn’t have been neglected and had a peanut allergy. Vivian and I are responsible, but you should also reflect on whether you’ve lived up to your responsibilities as a mother."

Forget it, he shouldn’t say this at the moment.

Ultimately, it was his failure to adequately take care of Daisy.

Aiden Grant felt a wave of guilt, "The reason for Daisy’s peanut allergy has been found, I owe you an apology!"