CHAPTER 54: CHAPTER 54: FIGHTING FOR CUSTODY BEHIND HER BACK

Tiana and Daisy looked over simultaneously.

The man getting out of the car was Aiden Grant.

Today, Aiden was wearing a dark sports outfit.

As he walked towards them, this casual attire made him look like the most striking male model on a runway.

Tiana had to admit, this man looked good in anything he wore.

But her gaze didn’t linger on Aiden for long.

Just a glance, then Tiana withdrew her eyes and looked gently at Daisy, "Daisy, sit tight, we’re going home!"

The electric scooter was started.

A pair of large hands suddenly pressed down on the scooter’s handlebars.

Aiden stood blocking her way, looking at the mother and daughter, "Tiana, do you really not want to see me?"

Such a big guy standing right in front of her.

She got on the scooter, ready to leave.

Was she treating him like air or a dead person?

Aiden’s long neck tensed, and his chest grew heavy.

Tiana retorted irritably, "It’s you who’s not afraid of dying, insisting on crashing into me. Move aside..."

Aiden refused to move.

That large hand still gripped her scooter’s handlebars.

The little scooter tried to run over him but was firmly blocked.

The scooter wheels left a dirty line of mud on his dark sweatpants.

But he didn’t care at all, grasping Tiana’s scooter casually and speaking lightly, "Tiana, let’s talk."

Half an hour later, Aiden had taken the mother and daughter to a high-end Chinese restaurant.

Daisy didn’t eat scallions or cilantro, he remembered well.

When ordering, he instructed the waiter not to add scallions or cilantro to each dish.

He even specifically instructed, "And no peanut sauce. Anything related to peanuts, avoid. The child is allergic to peanuts."

The waiter nodded with a smile, "Certainly, sir."

After ordering for Daisy, Aiden looked at Tiana, "And you, what would you like?"

"I’m not here to eat. Whatever you want to talk about, get on with it." Tiana’s attitude was cold.

Aiden remembered many of their beautiful memories.

Back then, when dining, she liked to sit close to him.

While ordering, she would hold onto his arm, her nimble fingers pointing this and that on the menu.

After ordering, she always added a serving of ice cream.

Especially during her period, she would cling to his arm, tilt her head, pout her rosy lips, and coax him sweetly.

No matter how she pleaded, he would simply pat her head gently and say softly: "Good girl, after your period, I’ll buy you lots."

She’d feel disappointed but obediently agree: "Alright then, I’ll listen to you."

Back then, how sweet they were.

And now, Tiana wouldn’t even glance his way.

He felt a tightness in his chest as he flipped through the menu, "I’ll just order then."

Those dishes she liked, he remembered them all.

While waiting for the food, Tiana urged, "Go ahead, what is it?"

"Do you remember this restaurant? We used to come here often." Aiden said while pouring water for the mother and daughter, his reply irrelevant.

Tiana was blunt, "I don’t remember."

The hand pouring water paused for a moment.

He knew she actually remembered, so he continued, "Let’s talk business after we eat."

When all the food was served, Aiden handed Daisy some children’s utensils.

He placed the small spoon into Daisy’s hand, "Daisy must be hungry, go ahead and eat."

Daisy truly was hungry.

She glanced at her mom.

Mom helped her pick her favorite crystal shrimp, "Eat, since someone’s treating, it’s for free. No reason not to eat."

No need to let herself go hungry just because someone she disliked was sitting across from her.

After the meal, Daisy played in the children’s play area.

There was a dedicated waiter watching over her.

Aiden looked at Tiana, finally addressing the topic, "Tiana, if you’re set on sending Daisy away, then leave her for me to adopt."

Sitting opposite, Tiana responded, "I remember clearly that when I begged you to adopt Daisy, you refused. Why the change of heart now?"

Actually, Tiana knew the answer.

She asked rhetorically, "Because you still suspect that Daisy might actually be your biological daughter, right?"

Without giving Aiden a chance to speak, she continued, "Last night on the phone, I made it clear, you don’t have to verify anything further. Daisy is indeed the daughter I had with Hector Chaucer. I won’t give Daisy’s custody to you."

One peanut allergy incident had scared Tiana until now.

Daisy only had one life.

If she wasn’t around, she couldn’t protect Daisy.

Only by keeping Daisy away from Aiden, away from the malicious Vivian Linden, could Daisy grow up safe and sound.

The coldness and hatred in her eyes were replaced with plea:

"Aiden, at any rate, I was with you for some years."

"If you can’t help but interfere with my arrangements for Daisy, I would sincerely be grateful."

"After all, Daisy isn’t really your daughter, Daisy doesn’t like you, and she dislikes Vivian even more."

Having said this, she picked up her bag from the chair and stood up, "Thank you for today’s meal."

In the distance, seeing her mom stand up, Daisy ran back to the table.

Tiana took Daisy’s little hand, "Daisy, we had a meal at Uncle Grant’s expense today, say thank you to Uncle Grant."

Though Daisy didn’t like Aiden, she still politely said, "Uncle Grant, thank you for treating Mom and me to a meal."

Aiden stood, "No need to thank me, let Uncle drive you back."

"Not necessary, we’ll take a taxi ourselves." Before Tiana finished her words, she was already leading Daisy by the hand, turning and leaving.

Aiden just watched the big and small figures holding hands until they gradually walked away.

The next day was Saturday.

Daisy didn’t have to go to school.

Early in the morning, Kiera Chaucer came by to pick up Tiana and her daughter.

Seeing her big belly, Tiana felt a bit worried.

"Kiera, you don’t need to pick us up personally next time, I can take a taxi."

Kiera opened the car door for them, "Don’t underestimate me because I’m pregnant."

She drove steadily.

At Kiera’s house, the new member of Laura’s sister’s family—a cute little corgi pup completely captivated Daisy’s attention.

She and Laura’s sister played frisbee on the lawn, teasing the little corgi.

The two little people and the tiny puppy had a blast on the grass.

Tiana watched, captivated by the scene.

Perhaps Daisy meeting Laura, Leo Sutton, and Kiera’s family was truly her fortune.

If one day she wasn’t around.

Kiera’s family would be the only relatives Daisy had left.

In the living room.

The heavily pregnant Kiera Chaucer brought over the floral tea prepared by the servant and handed it to Tiana Linden.

"Tiana, two pieces of good news. First, there’s another reliable couple who very, very much want to adopt Daisy."

"They don’t mind Daisy’s deafness in her right ear, and they can’t have children. They have two pet dogs at home and are very compassionate."

People who love animals usually have a lot of compassion.

After understanding a bit, Tiana Linden gained some insight into the couple.

It turned out this couple, unable to have children, were her and Leo Sutton’s classmates in high school.

In the afternoon, Kiera arranged for the three families to meet.

The other party brought along their two pet babies, a red poodle, and a bichon frise.

Upon seeing the poodle and bichon, Daisy almost couldn’t move her feet.

She used to have a small dog named Dudu, but it was later hit by a car and died.

The children played with the dogs.

The adults sat down to chat.

The couple were known to Tiana Linden, both being her high school classmates.

One was named Julian Fletcher, the other Gloria Garrison.

The two were childhood sweethearts, just like back then with her and Aiden Grant, secretly dating behind the teacher’s and adults’ backs.

However, Julian and Gloria ended up together.

Whereas she and Aiden became a ruined relationship.

Gloria was a charming girl with an oval face and an engaging little beauty.

Her smile was like a spring breeze.

But chatting with Tiana held a hint of regret, "Tiana, back then you and Aiden were so good together. Is there some misunderstanding between you two? I feel Aiden hasn’t let you go."

Tiana gave a slight smile, "Today we’re here to discuss Daisy’s adoption, not Aiden."

Gloria smiled awkwardly, "Sorry!"

After talking, Tiana learned that the other party indeed struggled with infertility and wanted to adopt a lovely daughter.

Gloria looked at Daisy playing with the three dogs far away and smiled.

"Tiana, both Julian and I love daughters, and when we saw Daisy’s photo, we really wanted to adopt her."

"Attorney Chaucer told us a couple days ago that Daisy was already being adopted, and Julian and I felt disheartened for a while."

Shifting her gaze back, Gloria looked at Tiana, "Will you entrust Daisy to us? We’ll treat her as our own. I’m just curious why you cannot continue to care for Daisy?"

Kiera, with her belly big, was about to speak.

Tiana cut in firmly, "If you can adopt Daisy, the adoption procedures will be officially effective next month, and by then Kiera and Leo will tell you the reasons."

Afterward, Kiera asked Tiana, "Tiana, why didn’t you let Julian and Lily know about your late-stage lung cancer?"

Tiana was cautious, "Julian and Aiden have a good relationship. I don’t want Aiden to know about my cancer; I don’t want to have any more entanglements with him."

The matters of Daisy’s background and her Stage VI lung cancer had exhausted her too much.

Aiden believed nothing.

Facts proved that this man wasn’t worth her entrusting Daisy to him.

Keeping distance and drawing clear boundaries were the best choices.

Kiera frowned, "But when you..."

Those two words were ones Kiera was reluctant to utter.

In this rejuvenating April day, Tiana was nearing her end.

Kiera felt horrible; she didn’t want to mention it.

Yet she had to, "...Tiana, after you pass away... Aiden will find out sooner or later."

Tiana frowned contemplatively, "Kiera, if Aiden does try to fight Julian and his wife for custody, I’m hoping you and Leo can step in. In my hand, I have evidence of Aiden’s negligence that nearly killed Daisy from a peanut allergy. He has no right to be Daisy’s father; I don’t want Daisy to have anything to do with Aiden anymore."

Mentioning Aiden brought back many memories.

All the sweetness was gone.

All that remained was pain and hurt.

The suffocation in her chest made her change the topic, "Kiera, didn’t you say there was another piece of good news?"

Kiera’s lips curved upwards, "Yesterday, Leo met an old Chinese doctor who claims to treat cancer. Even if it can’t cure, it has a regulatory effect making life last a bit longer."

Tiana had visited various kinds of Chinese doctors before.

She didn’t hold much hope.

But she still wanted to see, "I’ll go take a look tomorrow."

Kiera, "Of course, let Leo take you to the doctor, otherwise how could I be at ease with you going alone?"

Tiana felt touched, "Kiera, do you trust Leo and me that much?"

Kiera, "You and Leo are upright, what can’t I trust?"

A warm current flowed through Tiana’s heart.

So favored by Heaven, allowing her to meet such a straightforward and kind woman like Kiera in her final days.

Tiana, "Kiera, in our next lives, I still want to be sisters with you."

Kiera’s eyes turned sour, "We haven’t even been sisters enough in this life; don’t talk about the next life so soon."

Tiana’s eyes also grew sour, "Alright, in this life we’ll be good sisters, and in the next life too."

...

The next day.

St. Peter’s Kindergarten.

At around four in the afternoon, Daisy saw Aunt Kiera, her adoptive father, and her adoptive mother, lined up together, eagerly and nervously awaiting her dismissal.

With a tilt of her small head, she looked expectantly behind them.

She didn’t see her mom’s figure.

Her small eyes grew melancholic.

Even knowing that Uncle Leo took Mom next door to Kaneport for treatment.

Not seeing Mom was still very sad.

On the way home, Daisy sat in the back with Kiera.

The spacious car compartment also had two dogs.

A Teddy and a Bichon Frise.

Today, however, Daisy was not in the mood to play with the dogs.

She hung her head throughout the short journey.

What if something happened to mom... She sat still when the dog pawed her little hand, her thoughts filled with longing for her mom.

Her small face was full of worry and unresponsive.

Her adoptive father Julian Fletcher and adoptive mother Lily Roland’s home was at Imperial Gardens.

At ten p.m.

A black Hongqi limousine slowly drove into a villa.

The person who got out of the car was Aiden Grant.

Julian Fletcher and Lily Roland hadn’t gone to bed; they’d been waiting in the living room for quite a while.

When Aiden entered, Julian looked over at him.

"Aiden, you said you wanted to adopt Daisy, why didn’t you directly speak to Tiana? You and Tiana are so familiar, why go through Lily and me?"

Julian stood up, and continued, "The child is so unhappy, if she finds out we deceived her, she will be even more upset."

Lily stood up in agreement, "Yes, Aiden, we’re helping you adopt the child secretly, but Tiana will find out sooner or later. What’s going on between you two? Adopting a child shouldn’t be so sneaky."

Aiden’s reply was completely off topic, "I’m going to send Daisy abroad for training."

"Aiden." Julian asked suspiciously, "Is Daisy really Hector Chaucer’s daughter, or is she yours?"