Delayed Regrets: He Regretted Only After Her Death-Chapter 71: Want a Daughter!

"Tiana, don’t hang up yet."

"This is the last time I’ll call you."

After saying these two sentences, Aiden Grant clenched Christopher Grant’s phone tightly.

Standing in the early summer night breeze, countless memories of him and Tiana Linden flashed through his mind—their life together, from childhood until now.

Before that pharmaceutical confidentiality theft scandal, everything between him and Tiana had been fine.

He had no idea why it had ended up like this.

He was about to marry Vivian Linden.

Meanwhile, Tiana had married Leo Sutton, was two-timing, and even rekindled things with Hector Chaucer.

This kind of ending was something he never wanted to see.

He hated and despised all of Tiana’s actions, yet he restrained his anger, clinging to reason.

In the darkness, his voice took on a tone of exhortation:

"Tiana, for the sake of the past, consider this my last cordial advice."

"Since you’ve already married Leo Sutton, just live your life well with him."

"Stop seeing Hector Chaucer."

"Leo Sutton is a good man—don’t break his heart. Just settle down and live honestly."

"From now on, I’ll live my life with Vivian, and never interfere in your business again."

"Tiana, don’t ever look for me again either."

He had no right to get involved in Tiana’s affairs anymore.

Nor did he want to remain obsessed with the vain illusions of the past, sinking deeper into this pit.

He ought to be responsible toward Vivian.

Everything from the past, he should let go.

In response, all Tiana gave him was a scoff. "Aiden, for the sake of the past, let me offer you some advice too. Stop messing with pharmaceutical research and go get yourself a cranial MRI scan."

The implication being: go get your brain checked.

Only someone with a mental disorder could act this ridiculously.

Insulting her, humiliating and hurting her on one hand, while giving himself airs with supposedly well-meaning advice on the other.

She had absolutely no need for Aiden’s goodwill.

She hung up directly, then switched off her phone.

Her angry outburst woke Daisy, who had been sleeping soundly.

In the hazy moonlight, Daisy rubbed her eyes and dove into her mother’s arms.

"Mommy, what’s wrong?"

Tiana hugged Daisy tightly.

At least now, Daisy would never need to have anything more to do with Aiden Grant again.

Even if, someday, Aiden discovered Daisy was his daughter, and tried to fight Leo Sutton for custody, there was nothing for her to worry about anymore.

Relying on Leo Sutton’s legal standing, plus the fact that Aiden had twice nearly cost Daisy her life—even if he tried, he would lose.

Outside the gates of Harmony Villa.

Christopher Grant snatched back his phone.

He had heard Tiana’s angry words over the call too.

Frowning at Aiden’s pained face, he couldn’t help but curse him as well:

"Aiden, Tiana was right to scold you. You really should get your head checked. Something’s wrong with you, why do you always have to make Tiana look so bad? Had I known, I’d never have lent you my phone."

With that, Christopher turned and went back into the villa.

...

The next morning.

Leo Sutton and Tiana Linden received an invitation.

It had been sent by Hector Chaucer.

To celebrate his rebirth, Hector was throwing a grand banquet at Zenith Restaurant.

On this morning, Hector returned to The Chaucer Estate.

He hand-delivered the banquet invitation to Mr. Chaucer—Caleb Chaucer.

Mr. Chaucer was now nearing eighty-three.

Thirty-three years ago, a young maid at the Chaucer Estate drugged Mr. Chaucer and climbed into his bed.

The maid was only eighteen at that time.

She was Hector Chaucer’s biological mother.

The next year, the maid gave birth to Hector and sought out Mr. Chaucer.

Even with a paternity test, Mr. Chaucer refused to acknowledge Hector.

Not until Hector was three did Mr. Chaucer grudgingly recognize him as his illegitimate child.

After that, he stayed with The Chaucer, living a life neither as a true young master nor as a servant.

His mother, wanting to see his father, used him time after time.

She’d either push him down the stairs to crack his head open, or soak him in cold water for a whole day and night just to make him deathly ill.

That way, and only that way, would his mother get to see his father, albeit reluctantly.

But his father never did anything to stop his mother’s cruelty.

He even seemed to wish the mother would torture Hector to death.

His father looked down on his very existence.

There was no way he would ever pass the family headship to Hector.

And yet, all of Caleb Chaucer’s other women—and his sons and daughters—still wanted Hector dead.

He hid his talents, kept a low profile, endured and waited.

He listened and carried out orders with care and caution.

For over ten years.

Finally, when he turned twenty-two, he gained Mr. Chaucer’s heavy trust, taking over most of the conglomerate’s business.

He thought it was because his father valued his talent.

But Caleb Chaucer just needed a scapegoat.

The charges that had gotten him sentenced to death before were all crimes he took on behalf of Caleb and his older brothers.

When the invitation was offered to Caleb, he trembled with rage.

In a fit of violent coughing, he hurled the invitation to the floor.

It was a while before Caleb found the strength to glare at him and snap, "Hector, was it you who killed your second and fourth brothers?"

Hector had only been acquitted and released for three days, yet the Chaucer Family had already suffered two freak incidents in a row.

The Second Chaucer died in a car accident.

The Fourth Chaucer was struck by a falling utility pole in the street and died instantly.

Caleb, still coughing, glared at Hector: "Even if you wanted to fight for family headship, you didn’t have to wipe them out so ruthlessly. They’re your own brothers... *cough cough cough...*"

Hector didn’t respond.

He waited for Mr. Chaucer’s coughing fit to subside, then took a seat opposite, lazily crossing his legs.

"When I was sentenced to death, didn’t you think the same way—I’m your own son too."

"You..." Caleb started coughing again. "You’re taking revenge on me now?"

Hector rose coldly and replied, "Sir, accusations require evidence. Without evidence, you’re just slandering."

He picked up the invitation from the ground and stuffed it back into Caleb’s trembling hands.

"You must attend tomorrow’s banquet."

"I’ll send someone to pick you up."

"You’ll get to see a good show."

...

Evening.

Zenith Grand Restaurant.

All the guests had arrived.

Among those invited by Hector tonight were Leo Sutton and Tiana Linden, as well as Christopher Grant and Jane Summers.

The only one missing was Aiden Grant.

With everyone assembled, the host, Hector Chaucer, still hadn’t shown up.

At 6:30 p.m.

On Veridia’s elevated expressway—

Bang, bang bang bang!

A black Rolls Royce was rammed head-on by a giant truck.

The Rolls Royce was sent flying for dozens of meters, flipping several times before crashing off the bridge.

Chaos erupted on the scene.

Traffic immediately became gridlocked.

Even the opposite lanes were jammed, owing to the destroyed guardrail.

Inside a white van,

Hector Chaucer sat beside Mr. Chaucer.

Watching Mr. Chaucer’s Rolls Royce crash off the overpass, Hector’s face remained calm.

As if he’d known this would happen all along.

"Sir, did you see that? Someone in the family wants to kill you and frame me for it."

Mr. Chaucer did not believe his other sons would try to assassinate him.

That was, in fact, his car.

He was originally supposed to be riding in that car to Zenith Restaurant tonight.

But Hector had personally sent an inconspicuous van under the pretense of delivering goods to the estate, quietly ushering Mr. Chaucer away.

"Hector, is all of this your own setup?"

Hector only shut his eyes to rest and offered no explanation.

Behind them, Gordon Lowell took out his phone to show a video just taken by his men.

"Third Brother, the old man is done for this time, then we’ll pin it on that bastard."

"Bastard" was the name long used to demean Hector since age three by his elder siblings at The Chaucer Family.

The word made Hector’s face go taut and cold.

He felt not one drop of family affection for The Chaucer—only endless framing and harm.

He’d show his siblings no mercy. "Gordon, send this evidence to the court."

...

Zenith Restaurant.

Hector, late to appear, was quickly surrounded by the elite of society.

Everyone knew that though Hector was an illegitimate son, he wielded iron-fisted tactics.

In overturning his conviction, he’d been acquitted on all counts in open court.

Such a legendary, phoenix-like rebirth only made the wealthy circles more in awe of Hector.

Not to mention the bloody internal strife in The Chaucer Family.

Hector had just been freed; now the Second and Fourth Chaucer had died in quick succession.

In the circles of the elite, the rumor was that Hector had returned and wiped them out.

It was widely believed that, now the family had changed hands, Hector would soon become Patriarch Chaucer.

They surrounded this living legend, knowing how ruthless he could be—none dared cross him.

Their flattering praise and sycophancy were endless.

As he drank and chatted, an unmistakable aura of dominance and awe radiated from him.

"Excuse me a moment!"

With gentle music playing, he made his way steadily toward Christopher Grant and his family.

"Seen Tiana and her daughter?"

Jane, holding Christopher’s arm, couldn’t help but remind, "Hector, Tiana is married to Leo Sutton now. You should let her go."

Christopher: "Enough out of you."

Glacial moonlight bathed Hector’s figure.

Beneath his hard brow, dark shadows pooled.

At this moment, Tiana emerged with Daisy and Laura, carrying plates of cake.

All three wore the same lilac gowns—one adult, two children.

They brought an ethereal charm to the luxurious soirée.

Back when Tiana was heiress of The Linden Family, she was infamous among the wealthy as a beauty.

Even now, much thinner than before, her beauty remained undeniable.

She was simply too thin.

Hector left Christopher and Jane and headed for Tiana, Daisy, and Laura.

He knew Leo Sutton had a daughter called Laura.

His eyes swept over Daisy and Laura; it didn’t take much guesswork—the wide-eyed one was Daisy.

"This must be Daisy, and Laura?"

Tiana smiled faintly. "You’ve got a good eye."

It was obvious—Daisy bore at least seventy percent resemblance to Tiana.

Both mother and daughter had those sweet, unforgettable first-love faces.

There’s no way Hector wouldn’t recognize them.

Daisy’s adorable, chubby cheeks made Hector smile as well. "Daisy really takes after you."

For a split second, as he gazed at Daisy, his expression changed.

Such a sweet little girl—Aiden Grant didn’t deserve her.

"What a cutie!" Hector squatted down, praising Daisy.

Tiana crouched beside him too, hugging both Daisy and Laura. "Both my daughters are adorable. Laura, Daisy—say hello to Uncle."

The two little girls chimed in unison: "Uncle."

"Good girls!" Hector kindly patted Daisy and Laura’s heads.

Tiana had known Hector since childhood.

Ever since he returned to The Chaucer at age three, he’d suffered all kinds of familial exploitation, calculation, and harm.

His much older siblings bullied him at will.

He was spat on by his own kin—called "bastard" to his face.

His own mother nearly killed him.

Neither father nor mother loved him; even his very survival was a bargaining chip.

He’d been forced to bury his fear behind apathetic eyes.

Pushed to meet the malice of the world with silence.

Tiana had never seen a flicker of warmth in Hector’s eyes.

Even in those years when he and Aiden and Christopher were sworn brothers, there was never any extra warmth in his gaze.

But now, watching the two adorable little girls, especially Daisy, there was a gentle smile in Hector’s eyes.

If he ever had a daughter, chances were he’d be crazy for her.

Tiana teased, "Hector, if you love kids so much, go get a wife and have one of your own."

He answered gravely, "Isn’t my daughter right here?"

After all, he’d been Daisy’s dad for six years.

Back when Daisy was still in Tiana’s belly, everyone had assumed she was his child.

"Huh?"

For a moment, Tiana didn’t know how to react.

"Isn’t she?" Hector smiled. "Everyone thought I was Daisy’s father."

He looked at Tiana and, once again in a serious tone, said,

"Tiana, let Daisy be my goddaughter."

"That way, I can always look out for her."

Tiana seemed to want to refuse, but Hector was adamant. "I was Daisy’s father for six years. You won’t let her change how she calls me?"

How was she supposed to change that?

Tiana was at a loss.

Then she looked at her soft little girl.

Daisy seemed to take an instant liking to Hector.

She beamed up at her new uncle.

Uncle was tall, handsome, and had a warm smile.

When he smiled, he looked way more charming than Leo, Uncle Christopher—or that person.

That person was Aiden Grant, her biological father.

But Daisy found that "that person" never made her feel as warm as this uncle did.

Daisy was never shy. She said sweetly, "Uncle, can I call you Daddy Hector from now on?"

"Of course you can." Hector was pleased with that title.

He lifted Daisy into his arms, taking Laura up with his other hand as well.

Just then, Leo Sutton came over.

Tiana explained Hector’s request to make Daisy his goddaughter.

Leo found it a great idea.

Sometime in the future, when Tiana passes on, the more people there are in Daisy’s life to love her, the better.

While the group chatted, Gordon Lowell came over to Hector’s side and spoke in a low voice, "Mr. Chaucer, someone’s causing trouble at the banquet."

The troublemaker was none other than the uninvited Aiden Grant.