Aiden admitted.
He hated Tiana Linden’s betrayal.
Hated how she shattered his life’s plan.
Yet, upon hearing that Tiana Linden got into trouble, he didn’t feel so well.
In fact, a sense of urgency rushed to the top of his head.
He hurriedly walked out of the laboratory.
The black Hongqi sedan quickly drove out of the research base’s parking lot.
A stretch Lincoln and the black Hongqi sedan passed by each other.
From the Lincoln, Jas Linden watched the quickly departing Hongqi sedan and couldn’t help but frown.
Jas Linden turned and asked, "Vivian, why is Aiden driving so fast? Wasn’t he supposed to be expediting the cancer drug research progress? Do you know where he’s going?"
Vivian Linden, sitting next to him, shook her head blankly, "Dad, don’t look at , I don’t know either."
Vivian’s leg injury from the dog bite hadn’t healed yet.
Her leg was wrapped in gauze, and she walked with a limp.
While her father, Jas Linden, was inspecting the progress of the cancer drug research, she made Aiden his favorite pear and pork soup.
They had agreed that when she arrived, they would have lunch together.
"Call him and ask."
Jas Linden feared that with the wedding approaching, Aiden might go to et Tiana again.
Vivian took out her phone.
The call went through, but no one answered.
And there was still no news from Tiana’s side.
It’s been more than five hours, and no one can contact her.
...
4:50 PM.
Eastre International Kindergarten.
Laura and Daisy, after school, obediently lined up with their classmates, waiting for their parents to pick them up.
Daisy’s household registration was moved to Leo Sutton’s household.
Leo naturally transferred Daisy to the sa school and class as his eldest daughter, Laura Sutton.
The sisters, only two or three months apart, were in the sa class, which made looking after each other easier.
Soon other classmates were picked up by their parents.
Only the two of them were left.
Daisy and Laura both showed worried little expressions.
Laura had just lost her mother, Kiera Chaucer, and hadn’t co out of the grief yet.
And Daisy was about to lose her mother.
The two little girls were very sensitive and concerned.
The first to speak was the worried little Daisy.
She raised her little head, looking at the teacher, "Teacher, do you think sothing happened to my mom?"
Her mom was never late.
Unless sothing unexpected happened to her mom.
Would her mom suddenly faint like last ti?
Her big eyes suddenly filled with tears.
The new teacher was aware of Daisy’s family situation.
This child was about to lose her mom soon.
The teacher was also a bit worried but gently patted Daisy’s little head.
"Mom and Dad might be stuck in traffic. I’ll wait with you a little longer."
...
5:15 PM.
Two cars stopped simultaneously at the kindergarten entrance.
One was Leo Sutton’s Humr.
The other was Aiden’s Hongqi sedan.
After getting out of their cars, they inevitably encountered each other.
Leo Sutton looked at Aiden, "What are you doing here?"
"Have you contacted Tiana?" Aiden asked back without answering.
This question left Leo Sutton at a loss.
His silence made Aiden’s chest tighten.
He started to bla Leo Sutton, "Leo Sutton, what kind of husband are you?"
Leo Sutton wasn’t Tiana’s real husband.
But he promised Kiera to take good care of Tiana in her final days.
He indeed felt guilty.
Aiden’s emotions were also in turmoil, "I’ll go see Daisy."
"Wait," Leo Sutton asked suspiciously, "how did you know Daisy transferred?"
Neither he nor Tiana had told anyone about Daisy transferring to Eastre International Kindergarten.
How did Aiden know?
In fact, Aiden knew on the very first day Daisy transferred.
Aiden didn’t know why either.
Even though Tiana had admitted that Daisy was Hector Chaucer’s daughter.
He still felt an unshakeable attachnt to Daisy.
He told Leo Sutton, "When you see Daisy later, don’t tell her about not being able to reach Tiana."
Of course, Leo Sutton didn’t need Aiden to teach him this.
He gave Aiden a warning look, "Aiden, I’m Daisy’s guardian now, rember that."
With that, Leo Sutton stepped past Aiden and walked inside.
Laura and Daisy finally saw their dad and ran toward him happily.
Leo Sutton squatted down and embraced both daughters at the sa ti.
Not wanting Daisy to worry, he explained first:
"Daisy, mom will be ho late today, so she couldn’t co to pick you up."
Leo Sutton forced a smile, "Mom went out with Grandma."
Grandma referred to Laura’s grandmother, Catherine Armstrong.
Now, she was also Daisy’s grandmother.
Daisy was still a bit worried, "Oh, when will mom be back?"
Leo Sutton braced himself and replied, "... After dark."
Tiana had mysteriously disappeared as if she vanished from the face of the earth while visiting Wanda Townsend at the cetery.
No one could contact her.
Despite a thousand worries and deep anxieties, Leo Sutton didn’t dare show any of them in front of the children.
He picked up both kids at once.
One on the left, one on the right.
After greeting the teacher, he left the school with them.
Aiden stood by his car, watching this heartwarming, happy scene, watching Daisy’s small arms wrap tightly around Leo Sutton’s neck.
Now, Leo Sutton was Daisy’s guardian, Hector Chaucer was Daisy’s biological father, and he was completely an outsider.
He didn’t know how to suppress the sour feeling in his heart as he forced a smile, "Daisy."
Daisy turned at the sound, seeing Aiden with a smiling face.
Daisy always knew he was her biological father.
Yet every ti she saw him, her little pink cheeks would puff up with anger.
She didn’t like seeing him.
She didn’t even want to respond and turned to Leo Sutton, "Dad, let’s go ho."
The call of "Dad" filled Aiden with jealousy.
Leo Sutton knew Daisy didn’t like Aiden; he didn’t want to force the child.
Soon, he got in the car with the two kids.
The Humr SUV turned around in front of Aiden and quickly drove onto the main road, leaving.
He called Leo Sutton, "Leo Sutton, don’t put on speaker; don’t let Daisy hear."
Leo Sutton: "Not on speaker, go ahead."
Aiden: "Take the kids ho, comfort Daisy, don’t let her know Tiana’s missing, I’ll go find Tiana."
...
Evening.
Tiana forced her eyes open.
The sight before her was an unfamiliar bedroom.
Gray-white walls, gray-white curtains, a gray bed—everything looked cold and minimalist.
Wasn’t she speaking to her mother Wanda Townsend’s tombstone?
She told her mom that it wouldn’t be long before she would join her.
How did she end up lying here?
"Awake?"
Looking towards the voice, Hector Chaucer was sitting by the bed, holding a thick stack of docunts.
Hector said again, "I happened to be at the cetery paying respects to a friend and saw you fainting at Aunt Townsend’s grave."
After speaking, he handed her his phone, "Call Leo Sutton and let him know you’re okay. Your phone is out of battery."
The sky outside the curtains had already darkened.
Tiana Linden quickly took the phone, and dialed Leo Sutton’s number.
"Leo, I’m with Hector Chaucer, and I’ll explain when I get ho. Have Daisy and Laura been taken ho?"
"..."
"Okay, I’m heading back now, no need to pick up. Don’t worry, I’m fine."
After speaking, she hung up the phone.
Throughout, Hector Chaucer looked at her calmly.
Taking the phone Tiana handed him, he asked, "Does Leo Sutton know Daisy’s true parentage? He wouldn’t mistakenly think she’s my child, would he?"
"No." Tiana replied, "He knows Daisy is Aiden Grant’s child."
Hector continued, "I just had the doctor check on you; your cancer cells have tastasized to the brain, haven’t they?"
He was referring to her stage IV lung cancer.
She nodded, "They tastasized to the brain a long ti ago."
Hector was silent for a mont: "No wonder you fainted. I’ll take you back, and I’ll explain to Leo Sutton later to prevent any misunderstanding."
As he spoke, Tiana rose from the bed, "No need...ah...
Before standing up, she fell back onto the bed, "My head is still a bit dizzy, it’s okay, I’ll rest a mont."
"Take this dicine." Hector handed her a pill and then a cup of warm water, "The doctor said if you still feel dizzy after waking up, taking it will help."
Tiana glanced at the pill, knowing it was the one she often took.
Taking it, she swallowed it in one gulp, then looked at Hector, "Thank you, Hector."
Hector took her cup, "Rest for a while longer."
About ten minutes later, Tiana’s dizziness had greatly reduced.
She was eager to go ho, to avoid worrying Daisy.
...
Downstairs, a black Hongqi ceremonial car was parked at the entrance.
Aiden Grant, who had gotten out of the car, was stopped by a servant at Hector’s house.
Aiden, with a dark face, forced his way in.
"President Grant, Mr. Chaucer ordered that you cannot enter."
Aiden’s face was somber, with an icy, biting expression, "Move aside."
The servant could not stop him.
He knew Hector’s ho layout very well.
He knew Hector’s room better than anyone.
Once, Hector’s ho was a place Aiden ca and went freely.
After heading upstairs, the door of the bedroom on the second floor was kicked open by him.
Tiana was lying on that gray-white big bed, which belonged to Hector.
"Mr. Chaucer, I couldn’t stop him." The servant explained to Hector.
Hector gave a reassuring look, then gestured.
The servant acknowledged and retreated.
Only the cold-faced Tiana, the irrational and angry Aiden, and the composed Hector were left in the bedroom.
The atmosphere dropped to freezing instantly.
The air suffocated.
Tiana was originally not dizzy anymore, ready to get up and leave.
Aiden was here, so she might as well let him misunderstand thoroughly.
She had no need to explain anything to him.
Looking at the two, Aiden let out a bitter laugh.
He didn’t know if he was mocking himself, or mocking Leo Sutton who had just recently married Tiana.
"Tiana, Hector just got released without charges, and you’re already eagerly rekindling old flas with him?"
"What, Leo Sutton can’t satisfy you, so you’re in a hurry to jump into bed with Hector?"
He couldn’t bear to see Tiana’s private life so chaotic.
Tiana was the childhood sweetheart he had watched grow up, and she had once been the most beautiful girl in his heart.
"Tiana, how did you beco such a shaless ss now?"
This bitter laugh carried Aiden’s profound disappointnt towards Tiana.
And his deep pain.
He laughed long and hard several tis, not knowing what he was mocking.
Hector looked at Aiden with disappointnt, about to speak, when Tiana imdiately got up, walked to his side, and took his arm.
Tiana interrupted Hector, "Yes, Leo Sutton can’t satisfy . You know I have specific tastes. When a woman is bad, a man loves her; I just like it this way, what’s it to you?"
She followed Aiden’s words, without offering any explanation.
Aiden bitterly smiled.
Yes, she does have specific tastes.
Back then they were young and vigorous.
They would do it several tis a night.
The next morning, she could still get up and make him breakfast.
Aiden’s gaze fell on Tiana, purposefully holding onto Hector’s arm, the muscles in his neck tightened harshly.
Simultaneously, the lines of his face tensed rigidly.
"Tiana, Leo Sutton is worried about you, searching for you everywhere."
"Yet you’re using visiting Aunt Townsend’s grave as an excuse to flagrantly have an affair at Hector’s ho."
"Since you’ve married Leo Sutton, why won’t you settle down and live peacefully?"
"Must you debase yourself this way?"
Holding onto Hector, Tiana intentionally said, "What’s it to you?"
Aiden was montarily speechless, "..."
He was just an ex-boyfriend.
Tiana didn’t even want to spare Aiden a glance, "Hector, please take ho."
After speaking, she released Hector and walked straight to the bedroom door.
In the bedroom, Hector looked at Aiden with utter disappointnt, "Aiden, the thing I regret most in my life is being brothers with you."
After speaking, Hector also headed towards the door.
Behind him, Aiden gazed at his back, "Why does it always have to be her?"
At the doorway, Hector paused his steps.
Turning slightly back, he asked instead of answering, "Aiden, haven’t you noticed Tiana has lost a lot of weight and looks very unwell?"
He asked again, "Aiden, must you wait until Tiana dies before you finally realize?"
Responding to Hector was Aiden’s sneering laugh.
He dismissed disdainfully, "What, are you two still thirsting for the developnt secrets of Linden-Grant Pharmaceuticals?"
He continued, "I get it, you’ve returned to the Chaucer family to ensure your first task is to capture the market share of anti-cancer drugs?"
Hector: "...Aiden, you’re utterly hopeless!"
Tiana’s condition is so bad, it’s one thing to not show sympathy.
But he’s also stubbornly slandering them both.
This lifeti, the thing Hector regrets most is being brothers with Aiden.
Even more regrettable is, during the dical dispute incident that year, when the family mbers charged with knives, he blocked a knife for Aiden.
Had he known, he would have let him be stabbed to death.
Outside the door, Tiana urged, "Hector, stop explaining to him, let’s go."
...
"Hector, I’m sorry, it’s my fault you’ve beco estranged from your brother."
"It’s not your fault, it’s better to not have this kind of brother."
At night, a maroon Hongqi sovereign car was driving on the highway.
This maroon Hongqi sovereign was the car Aiden originally gifted to Hector.
Aiden had picked three cars, ceremonial, sovereign, and grandeur.
He, Aiden, and Christopher Grant, the three brothers, one for each.
The car was still as new as ever.
But the brotherhood was shattered beyond repair.
Hector continued driving, "Back then, how dumb could you have been to fall for such a lousy man?"
Tiana in the passenger seat, frowning deeply, glared at Hector, "Back then, how dumb were you to be brothers with such a lousy man?"
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