Delayed Regrets: He Regretted Only After Her Death-Chapter 80: Urgent! Aiden Grant Bursts Into the ICU for Tiana Linden (Must-Read Climax)
This question, Leo Sutton couldn’t answer for Daisy.
Tiana Linden had been unconscious the whole time.
How could she possibly hold Daisy again?
Maybe she would never open her eyes again.
The thought made Leo Sutton’s throat tighten.
In the end, he could only hold Daisy tightly, choking back tears, "Daisy, you can hug Mommy once more."
Holding Daisy close, Leo Sutton continued:
"Daddy will help you change your clothes."
"Then we’ll go to the hospital to see Mommy one last time."
In the hospital, Tiana Linden lay another night with tubes covering her entire body.
Daisy kept vigil at the bedside.
Catherine Armstrong brought lunch.
Leo Sutton took it.
"Daisy, eat a little something, be good!"
"Mommy wouldn’t want to see you so sad, not eating anything."
Daisy, slumped over the edge of the bed, struggled to sit up.
Her big eyes were so swollen from crying they looked like a frog’s.
She took the food from Leo Sutton’s hands, very politely saying, "Thank you, Leo."
The lunch was homemade by Catherine Armstrong.
It had Daisy’s favorite sweet and sour ribs.
And shrimp pancakes, stir-fried corn, and steamed egg with lean meat.
All very delicious food.
But when Daisy put it in her mouth, all she tasted was the bitterness of tears.
She ate and cried at the same time.
Wiping away tears, she quickly took another big bite.
Little Daisy, her mouth full of half-chewed rice, looked at her mother, and sobbed:
"Mommy, Daisy is very good, Daisy is eating well."
"Mommy, Daisy will always be good from now on."
"When you wake up, will you praise Daisy?"
Sob... sob... sob...
Her little mouth curled down.
Long eyelashes matted with tears.
Soaked with grievance.
Soaked with pain.
Soaked with endless despair.
Soaked with deep, helplessness...
"Mommy, when you wake up, will you hug Daisy?"
Catherine Armstrong and Gabriel Chaucer wiped away tears nearby.
Leo Sutton and Laura cried too.
Even the doctors and nurses were wiping tears.
The whole room reeked of the bitterness of tears.
And crying silently in that room was also Tiana Linden, lying quietly in bed.
Her eyelids were so heavy.
As if they’d been sealed with glue.
No matter how hard she tried to open her eyes, it was all in vain.
Tears streamed slowly down her pale cheeks.
Daisy’s crying tore painfully at her unmoving body and soul.
Her body felt locked in place by heavy chains.
The tube running straight into her lungs made her suffer, made her hurt.
She wanted so badly for it to end.
She longed for release.
But hearing Daisy’s voice, she was so deeply attached, so much longing, so unwilling to let go.
Her Daisy had just turned five years old.
If she left, Daisy would have no mother.
Tiana Linden’s tears kept flowing.
Daisy exclaimed excitedly:
"Mommy, you can hear me talking, right?"
"Mommy, open your eyes and look at Daisy, okay?"
"Mommy, I really want you to hold me again."
"Mommy, will you hold me?"
Daisy begged, desperate for her mother’s arms.
But Mommy was covered in all sorts of tubes.
She couldn’t reach her.
She was afraid touching her mother would cause more pain and suffering.
She could only helplessly hold onto her mom’s slender arm.
"Leo, Mommy heard me."
"Mommy is crying, but why isn’t Mommy opening her eyes to look at me?"
Leo Sutton wiped Daisy’s tears away.
The doctor called to him at the door, "Mr. Sutton, can I speak to you outside?"
Leo Sutton walked out.
The doctor said heavily, "We recommend removing the tube. The patient is suffering greatly like this."
Leo Sutton was adamant, "I don’t agree."
Of course he knew Tiana was suffering.
But removing the tube meant Tiana would lose the ability to breathe on her own, would die, would close her eyes forever.
She’d leave this world cruelly, just like Kiera Chaucer.
Tiana Linden was only twenty-nine years old.
In the prime of life.
In his memory, she was always so full of youth.
How did it suddenly come to this end?
Through the crack in the door, Leo Sutton looked at broken Daisy, powerless:
"Doctor, is there any way to help Tiana wake up, open her eyes to see her child, to talk to her, even if just for a moment?"
The doctor sighed regretfully, "Sadly, the hospital doesn’t have Linden-Grant Pharmaceuticals’ M901 anti-cancer drug."
Leo Sutton frowned, "What do you mean, are you saying that if we had the drug, Tiana could be saved?"
Doctor: "It’s too late now. Even with the drug, there’s no time."
Leo Sutton: "..."
Doctor: "But if she’d taken it a few days earlier, there was hope to slowly clear the tumor."
Leo Sutton raged.
Hated Aiden Grant’s cold-bloodedness, his lack of compassion.
Hated his stupidity.
In his fury, the doctor continued:
"Our hospital has an M901 trial patient."
"Late-stage lung cancer as well, in bad shape."
"Six months ago, he registered for the M901 trial."
"Just half a month ago, Linden-Grant Pharmaceuticals’ M901 anti-cancer drug successfully entered clinical trials."
"This patient took the drug; in half a month, more than half of his cancerous tumors were gone."
In other words, if Tiana had taken M901 just a few days earlier...
The cancerous tumors in her body could have mostly been cleared away.
Tiana Linden actually had a chance to survive.
But Aiden and the Linden Family robbed her of her chance to live.
At that moment, Leo Sutton—a veteran lawyer—could barely resist the urge to strangle that bastard Aiden Grant with his own hands.
The doctor sighed, "Ah, it’s too late for anything now. Even with the drug, it’s no use."
He handed him a form.
"This is the consent form to end treatment. If you sign, we can remove the tube."
"Otherwise, the patient will keep suffering."
Leo Sutton ripped the consent form to shreds.
"I don’t agree."
"I believe in her. She can still open her eyes one more time."
She definitely can’t let go of such a sweet, good Daisy.
A moment later, Leo Sutton received a phone call.
It was Christopher Grant calling.
Christopher had been worried about Tiana Linden’s health for days.
The first thing he said, his voice full of concern:
"Mr. Sutton, has Tiana’s condition improved these last two days?"
Leo Sutton: "...What do you want?"
Christopher Grant answered in a low voice:
"Mr. Sutton, I’m truly sorry!"
"Even though I’m a shareholder in Linden-Grant Pharmaceuticals, without the other two shareholders’ fingerprint passwords, I can’t access the lab vault."
"I didn’t get the drug."
"But I’ll keep trying."
Any words now were pointless.
Leo Sutton didn’t want Aiden Grant or the Linden Family attending Tiana’s funeral.
He didn’t say anything else.
He didn’t tell Christopher that Tiana was near death.
"Thank you, but that won’t be necessary."
With that, Leo Sutton hung up.
...
Star River Bay, Harmony Villa.
Christopher Grant was growing uneasy inside.
The feeling getting stronger and stronger.
Jane Summers was packing suitcases.
Yesterday, Aiden Grant, Vivian Linden, and her father and brother from the Linden Family had already arrived at Seraphina Isle.
Today, a luxury double-decker charter plane would take their family and all the wedding guests.
Nearly eight hundred guests were heading to Seraphina Isle together for the wedding.
"Christopher, after Aiden and Vivian’s wedding, let’s spend some time there—you keep me company, okay?"
Christopher Grant was worried.
How could he get M901 to bring to Tiana?
He didn’t hear Jane Summers’ words.
Jane put down the half-folded clothes in her hands.
"Christopher, why are you spacing out?"
Christopher Grant sighed, "If we don’t get the M901 anti-cancer drug, Tiana will die."
"Christopher, are you falling into your old habits again?"
Jane, angry, snatched up a pillow and threw it at Christopher.
"Because of Tiana, you even beat up Aiden Grant."
"Now you still want to bring her medicine."
"Has she brainwashed you again?"
"No wonder you’ve been neglecting me lately."
At that moment, their son Joshua Grant walked in.
"Mom, don’t be like that. If Daisy loses her mom, she’ll be so pitiful."
Joshua went to his father Christopher Grant.
"Dad, why isn’t Uncle Aiden saving Daisy’s mom?"
"Because he’s stupid."
"You’re the stupid one." That voice was Jane’s.
She continued:
"Christopher, last time because of Tiana you almost divorced me."
"Can’t you just stop meddling in her business this time?"
"She’s a liar, a trashy woman."
"She’s been with one man after another—why do you help someone like her?"
Joshua glared at Jane Summers, "Mom, if you keep saying bad things about Daisy’s mom, I won’t talk to you anymore."
"Hey, Ginny Linden—what is that little girl to you?" Jane snapped at her son.
Christopher Grant: "Don’t fight in front of the kid."
If only that medical leak hadn’t happened years ago.
If only Tiana hadn’t gone to prison.
Daisy could have had both a mom and dad when she was born.
Maybe Joshua and Daisy could have played together every day.
Just like Aiden and Tiana did, growing up as childhood friends.
Christopher changed his clothes, "Joshua, come with Dad for a bit."
Jane asked, "Where are you going?"
Christopher Grant: "I’m going to see Tiana."
Jane was about to explode, "Christopher!"
Christopher Grant spoke gravely:
"Jane, I swear on my honor and life, I’m absolutely loyal to you and Joshua, to our family."
"Tiana really does have cancer, and it’s very bad."
"If she doesn’t get the medicine, she really will die."
"Don’t be so unreasonable, please?"
"You don’t want to see the friend you grew up with just die in front of you, right?"
Seeing how serious he was, Jane Summers calmed down, "Is Tiana really dying?"
Christopher Grant: "Let’s go to The Sovereign and see for ourselves."
At The Sovereign, Ms. Quinn greeted Christopher Grant and Jane Summers.
"Mr. Grant, Mrs. Grant!"
"Miss Linden is still in the hospital."
"We don’t know if she’ll make it through today."
"Ah, Laura and Penelope just lost their mom."
"Now Daisy is about to lose her mom too."
The heavy words tore at little Joshua’s heart.
He raised his head, "Dad, let’s hurry to the hospital to visit Daisy."
Beside him, Jane Summers was anxious, "Ms. Quinn, you must be lying. Tiana’s so young—how could she die?"
Ms. Quinn’s eyes reddened, "...You’ll know when you see her at the hospital."
Jane Summers thought, maybe she had really misunderstood Tiana all along.
Suddenly she felt terribly guilty, "Christopher, let’s go to the hospital now."
...
Hospital.
Oncology Department, inpatient ward.
Room 1104.
Tiana was still lying unconscious in bed.
When Jane Summers saw her so weak and covered in tubes, she was stunned.
Tears streamed down her face.
"How could this happen?"
"Christopher, how could Tiana possibly be this sick?"
Christopher Grant answered her with a heavy sigh.
And reddened eyes, tears brimming over.
Jane Summers threw herself to the bedside.
Gripped Tiana’s hand tightly.
"Tiana, I’m sorry, I wrongly accused you."
"Tiana, open your eyes and look at me, it’s Jane."
"I was wrong, I’m sorry!"
Slap, slap, slap!
Jane Summers slapped herself hard, over and over.
The whole ward echoed with the sound of her slaps and her remorse.
She squeezed Tiana’s hand, "Tiana, get up."
Nearby, Joshua Grant looked at sobbing Daisy.
He stepped closer, and took Daisy’s hand.
"Daisy, I’m sorry, big brother Joshua came too late."
"Daisy, Aunt Tiana will definitely wake up, don’t be sad."
Daisy choked, "Mommy won’t wake up."
Tiana heard Daisy’s voice.
She tried with all her strength to open her eyes, to move her fingers.
Finally, she lifted her eyelids.
So weak, she couldn’t speak.
But everyone saw she was awake.
"Mommy!"
"Tiana!"
"Aunt Tiana!"
Amid everyone’s excitement, Tiana beckoned to Daisy.
Jane Summers quickly made way, leading Daisy to her mother.
Daisy clung to her mother’s hand, sobbing and calling over and over for Mommy.
Slowly lifting her hand, Tiana wiped her daughter’s tears.
But Daisy’s tears were like an open faucet, impossible to dry.
She wanted to tell her daughter not to cry.
She wanted to hug her little girl.
But she couldn’t speak.
The tube in her lung made her wish she was dead.
Leo Sutton knew she had many things she wanted to say to Daisy.
He quickly got a writing board and put a pen in Tiana’s hand.
Tiana took the pen and wrote two sentences:
Daisy, don’t cry!
Mommy loves you!
Daisy bit her lip, sobbing, "Mommy, Daisy loves you too."
Tiana wrote again:
Daisy, do you remember what Mommy asked you to do?
Daisy nodded hard like a pecking chick, and answered quickly:
"Daisy must be strong."
"Must eat well."
"Must be kind, but also sharp."
"Must go see many beautiful places, walk many roads, and then tell Mommy all about it in her dreams..."
Tiana blinked with relief.
Then, she looked at every crying person in the room.
Again on the writing board, she wrote:
Please, everyone, help take care of Daisy...
The words trembled on the page.
Daisy’s name was left unfinished.
With a soft thud.
The pen dropped onto the floor.
A cold, gloomy wind blew in; Tiana closed her eyes slowly.
She was rushed to the emergency room again.
The doctors said there was no point in trying to save her.
But Leo Sutton and Christopher Grant just couldn’t bear to give up.
...
Seraphina Isle.
Under golden sunlight, Aiden Grant said to the wedding planner:
"Add one more touch to the wedding aisle—cover it with three centimeters of rose petals, the whole length."
This detail put the wedding planner in a tough spot.
"Mr. Grant, the aisle is 999 meters long."
"To cover the whole thing with over three centimeters of rose petals, how many roses would that take?"
"The wedding is tomorrow."
"Even if we buy out every flower shop on Seraphina Isle, there still wouldn’t be enough rose petals."
Vivian Linden loves roses.
If the whole wedding aisle was paved in rose petals, she’d love it for sure.
Aiden Grant insisted, "Contact every flower supplier. If necessary, I’ll charter a plane."
This wedding spared no expense.
The planner had never seen anything like it.
"Mr. Grant, I’ll get on it right away."
"Wait..."
The wedding was tomorrow, yet Aiden Grant had checked every detail again and again.
So the wedding would be flawless, perfect in every way, he left nothing to chance.
But why was there still this uneasy feeling flooding his chest?
This sense of foreboding cast a shadow over his expression.
It had been haunting him for days.
"Mr. Grant, is there anything else you need?"
The reply was only Aiden’s frowning, thoughtful silence.
Is it just nerves—the first time as the groom?
Is that why he feels this way?
He didn’t dwell on it.
He curved his lips, answering, "..."
Then his phone rang.
It was Christopher Grant calling.
Aiden answered. "You’re my groomsman—when are you getting here?"
...On the other end, Christopher’s hands were shaking, heart pounding, his whole body trembling.
He wanted to speak, but the words stuck in his throat.
"Christopher, bad signal?" Aiden Grant frowned.
Christopher clenched his fist, "Aiden, what’s the password to the lab vault? Send it to me. I need the drug."
The lab vault at Linden-Grant Pharmaceuticals had three layers of password security.
To open it, all three passwords were needed: Aiden’s, Christopher’s, and James Linden’s.
No exceptions.
Aiden’s chest flared with anger instantly. "Christopher, are you losing your mind for Tiana now?"
"Password!"
Smack!
Aiden hung up on him.
Jane Summers grabbed Christopher’s phone, "Let me talk to Aiden..."
Beside them, Leo Sutton said helplessly, "It’s pointless. The doctor said, even if we have the drug now, it’s already too late..."
Sitting outside the ER, he added:
"If only we’d gotten the drug earlier, Tiana would still have a chance."
"Now, even a miracle worker couldn’t save her."
...
Seraphina Isle.
Aiden Grant, Daniel Linden, and James Linden all got a message at the same time: a video of Tiana Linden’s resuscitation.
Christopher Grant had sent it.
Aiden called him back.
"Christopher, will you ever stop?"
"Aiden, if you don’t come back now, you might not see Tiana one last time."
...Aiden didn’t answer.
Christopher’s voice rasped through the phone, low and hoarse, like a plunge into ice.
"Aiden, Tiana really can’t hold on anymore."
"Come back—see her one last time!"
He hung up.
The restlessness in Aiden’s chest these days grew even more intense.
Like being sealed in cement—he could barely breathe.
Is Tiana really dying?
He hung up and watched the video over and over.
No.
No way!
She didn’t have cancer.
This is all a show, orchestrated by her and Hector Chaucer.
But five hours later, Aiden’s chartered plane landed at Veridia Airport.
He rushed to the hospital.
At the elevator, he kept pressing up again and again.
The elevator did not move.
His tall, broad figure dashed for the stairs.
Holding his breath, Aiden stormed up to the ER on the 13th floor.
The stairwell door creaked open, forced by his hand.
His chest heaved as he strode out.
The sight: Leo Sutton, Christopher Grant, Jane Summers, Gabriel Chaucer and Catherine Armstrong, and several children—anxious, desperate.
In the corner, Daisy’s tiny form was curled up into herself.
Shattered Daisy, vacant-eyed.
Everyone looked at Aiden at once.
Daisy, meanwhile, was motionless, like a puppet with its strings cut.
Her small form cracked something in Aiden’s chest.
He walked over, "Daisy!"
Daisy didn’t look at him.
He hurried to the ER door, "Is Tiana in there?"
No one wanted to answer.
All eyes were hostile, glaring with hatred at him.
He banged desperately on the door, "Open up, I need to see Tiana—open up!"
"Aiden, stop losing it here."
Leo Sutton yanked Aiden back hard.
He nearly swung his clenched fist at Aiden.
But Leo reminded himself to stay rational.
Eyes red, teeth clenched, he spoke:
"Tiana’s received multiple critical alerts already."
"All thanks to you, Tiana is dying."
"Happy now?"
This ER door—a door Aiden forced his way through.
