Delayed Regrets: He Regretted Only After Her Death-Chapter 84: Aiden Grant Can’t Handle His Daughter
Aiden knew who was calling.
What must come, always comes in the end.
"Uncle Carter, take Daisy to her room first."
Uncle Carter nodded and led Daisy upstairs.
Only then did Aiden, standing before the floor-to-ceiling window, answer the call.
Outside, the gardeners were still transplanting Tiana’s favorite lisianthus.
Those flowers, Tiana would never see again.
Yet now, this garden full of lisianthus by the South Bank of the Pearl River would only ever belong to him, Tiana, and Daisy.
The three of them— they should have been together as a family.
He missed Tiana so much.
He thought of the way she used to softly call him Aiden, again and again.
The stabbing pain in his chest and the spasms twisting through his stomach made him cling to the wall for support.
Steadying himself, he finally slid his finger across the screen to pick up.
No surprise, an angry voice came from the other end.
"Grant, where the hell did you hide my daughter?"
"Give me back my daughter."
Immersed as he was in regret and longing, Aiden now felt his stomach cramp in agony.
Sweat beaded cold on his brow.
Tiana’s death had shattered him.
He’d coughed up blood when he’d been chased out during the funeral.
When he’d seen with his own eyes that Daisy’s genetic markers matched his perfectly, he’d vomited blood again.
His body felt stripped hollow.
Tiana’s death had taken more than half his life away as well.
Moments ago, he had nearly fainted in front of Daisy.
He’d forced himself to stay upright, not wanting to scare her.
Now he barely had the strength to respond to Leo Sutton.
Leaning against the wall, he slowly sank onto the sofa.
"Leo, my lawyer, Lowell, will send you the legal letter."
"If you have issues regarding Daisy’s custody, discuss it with my lawyer."
He was determined to win custody of Daisy.
She was the child of his and Tiana’s love.
When Daisy was born, Tiana had given her the name he’d chosen himself— Ginny Linden.
And when she had no way out, Tiana had come back to Veridia and entrusted Daisy to him.
All this was enough to show that Tiana had loved him, always, and trusted him, always.
He was just such a bastard.
He could never make it up to Tiana.
But he would take good care of their only daughter.
Leo Sutton’s anger was enough to curse the Grants for eighteen generations.
But as Leo cooled down, he said:
"Aiden, it seems you already know Daisy’s true identity."
"But while she was in your care, Daisy almost died twice."
"I have all the evidence, and there are police records, too."
"If this goes to court, you can’t win."
"And I’m best at fighting in court, you know that."
Aiden didn’t reply at once.
It wasn’t that he lacked a strategy.
It was just that the wrenching pain in his gut made it hard to breathe.
He paused for a moment.
On the other end, Leo Sutton was worried about Daisy.
His tone shifted, trying to negotiate, saying:
"Aiden, Daisy is hurting terribly right now."
"You’ve hurt her the most."
"Seeing you triggers her even more."
"Can’t you leave Daisy a way out?"
"If you really care about her, tell me where you’ve taken her. I’ll take her home now."
The word "home" sent another violent spasm through Aiden’s stomach.
Once, he and Tiana could have had a happy family together.
Before Tiana went to prison, he’d already prepared the engagement ring.
And at that time, Tiana was already pregnant with Daisy.
He was the one who’d torn their family apart with his own hands.
Clutching his chest, he managed weakly:
"Leo, thank you for loving Daisy because of Tiana."
He rested a moment.
Only then did he add:
"But, I am Daisy’s biological father."
"Blood will always be thicker than water."
With that, he ended the call.
Splurt!
Another mouthful of blood surged up his throat.
Uncle Carter, having settled Daisy, rushed over at once.
"Mr. Grant, you need to go to the hospital immediately."
When he went to bring Daisy home, he still hadn’t fully recovered.
Now, strained and grief-stricken, he was pushing his body past the edge.
He would collapse at this rate.
Uncle Carter looked at him, full of worry.
Aiden wiped away the blood at the corner of his mouth.
Looking at the sofa and carpet stained scarlet, he said weakly,
"Call Dr. Quinn to come here."
"And clean the sofa and the carpet. I don’t want Daisy to see it."
The sight of Tiana’s failed rescue was already brutal enough.
He would not let Daisy endure another shock.
Something like blood absolutely could not be seen by Daisy again.
Uncle Carter nodded and tried to persuade him, "Mr. Grant, let Carter drive you to the hospital first."
Carter was Uncle Carter’s son, who’d always driven for Aiden.
He was waiting outside now.
Aiden waved his hand, "No need."
He knew his own body best.
He wouldn’t die.
Wherever Daisy was, that’s where he would be.
He then instructed Uncle Carter:
"Tell the kitchen: Daisy doesn’t eat green onions or cilantro, and she’s allergic to peanuts— just like me."
"Please be careful."
"For dinner, prepare a few more dishes, and make something children like."
"The plating should be delicate, cute, cartoony."
By evening, middle-aged Dr. Quinn arrived at the South Bank of the Pearl River.
He hooked Aiden to an IV infusion.
A needle remained embedded in the back of Aiden’s hand.
As Dr. Quinn packed up his medicine chest, he instructed:
"You’ll need an IV everyday. Keep the needle for three days, and eat more nutritious food."
"Rest. Don’t overexert yourself."
"Also, control your emotions, don’t let yourself get too emotional."
As Dr. Quinn spoke, Aiden was gazing out the window at the newly planted lisianthus fields.
Dr. Quinn had known Aiden for many years.
Since Aiden and Tiana were in high school, he’d always been the Grant family’s doctor.
He remembered the year Tiana took her college entrance exam and got into a good medical university.
Not long after, Aiden turned to him for help.
He said he and Tiana had secretly sampled the forbidden fruit.
Tiana might be pregnant.
He’d asked what harm a termination would do to Tiana’s body.
In the end, it was a false alarm.
It was from that point Dr. Quinn realized just how deeply Aiden cared for Tiana.
Over the years, Aiden had sent Tiana countless bouquets of lisianthus.
Closing the doctor’s kit, Dr. Quinn asked, "I heard Tiana died from late-stage lung cancer?"
"Mm."
That response was full of grief and remorse.
Hearing it, a dark cloud crossed Dr. Quinn’s face.
"You had M901 then— why didn’t you give it to Tiana?"
Now Tiana was gone.
Vivian Linden and Aiden’s wedding was interrupted halfway and became a joke for the whole Grant and Linden Families.
The whole city knew about it.
Of course Dr. Quinn knew that Aiden had never let Tiana go.
Back then, Tiana’s smile was radiant and bright as the sun.
She loved to call out to him— "Uncle Quinn"— with delight whenever she saw him.
How could such a joyful, birdlike Tiana just— be gone?
And the Linden-Grant Pharmaceuticals’ M901 could have saved her life.
The whole thing left Dr. Quinn simmering with anger.
He picked up his case, ready to leave.
But before he left, he said, bitter with disappointment:
"Aiden, if not for Tiana’s child being so young, even if you died here today, I wouldn’t have come."
Aiden looked over. "Even you too, Uncle Quinn, think I deserve to die for my sins."
Dr. Quinn let out a heavy sigh. "Tiana should never have died. That child was nothing like someone who’d steal medical secrets."
Back then, Tiana was Aiden’s beloved, the Linden family’s darling.
She lived such a dazzling, much-admired life.
But she died so miserably.
Sigh! The world of wealth— truly bloody and cruel.
Just look at the Chaucer family’s succession struggle, you’ll know how powerless it is to live among the rich.
"At least Tiana’s finally free..."
Evening.
Supper time arrived.
Daisy refused to leave her room.
No matter who tried to coax her, tried to call her, she wouldn’t come down.
Aiden had no choice but to carry dinner to Daisy’s room himself.
The plates were arranged with cartoonish, delicate food.
Even the sweet and sour ribs had been shaped into a candy bear.
Sweet and sour ribs— Daisy’s favorite.
Aiden brought them right to her.
"Daisy, try the ribs."
Seeing the ribs only made Daisy miss her mother more.
The sweet and sour ribs mom made were the best in the whole world.
But Daisy could never eat them again.
She looked up, eyes red, and glared at the man before her. "Give me back my mother!"
Aiden had no words to answer her.
He could only set the ribs on the little side table.
He sat down to stay by Daisy’s side.
"If Daisy doesn’t eat, Daddy won’t either."
"If Daisy skips a meal, Daddy will, too."
He sat on her right.
With the IV needle in his left hand, he covered the spot gently with his right.
He wouldn’t let Daisy see that he was sick, too.
Daisy sat curled on the floor, clutching her legs, head down.
"I hate you. I don’t want to see you."
Aiden answered with patience and tenderness:
"But Daddy likes you. Daddy loves you."
"...Daddy will spend the rest of his life making it up to you."
Daisy went on hunger strike for two days.
Aiden didn’t eat for two days either.
Father and daughter— each more stubborn than the other.
Neither took a single sip of water.
The whole time, Daisy refused to say another word to Aiden.
She cried herself to sleep.
When she woke up, she curled into the corner again, silent.
The only thing she said to Aiden was that she wanted to go back to Daddy Leo and Mr. Chaucer.
Aiden wanted so much to tell her— neither Leo Sutton nor Hector Chaucer was her real father.
But he had no right to say that.
His care for Daisy was nothing compared to Leo’s or Hector’s.
For these two days, Aiden turned off his phone.
He also forbade Uncle Carter, Carter, or Mrs. Walsh from contacting the outside world.
He just stayed by Daisy’s side.
He’d fainted several times. Starved alongside Daisy, his own illness only got worse.
Uncle Carter tried persuading him again and again.
"Mr. Grant, you should eat something, please."
"If you collapse, who will take care of Daisy?"
That night, Uncle Carter joined Aiden in bringing food to Daisy.
Uncle Carter said softly, "Daisy, if you don’t eat, your dad won’t eat either. He’s already fainted..."
"Uncle Carter." Aiden interrupted him.
Uncle Carter fell silent.
Daisy sat hunched in the corner, stubbornly silent, "Even if he dies, I wouldn’t care."
One sentence, a sledgehammer to Aiden’s heart.
He reeled, grabbing the cabinet for support.
"Mr. Grant..."
"I’m fine."
This was what he deserved.
Slowly, he walked to Daisy and crouched down gently.
Daisy seemed like a brittle porcelain doll about to break.
Aiden’s heart was threatening to shatter, too.
"Daisy, if I could, I’d trade my life for your mother’s. I’d die in her place..."
Daisy’s tears trickled down in a calm, hopeless stream. "There’s no if."
Even a child her age understood that truth.
"There’s just no if."
Otherwise, she’d have traded with her mom already.
"I want to go back to my Daddy Leo."
Aiden brought over a bowl of mild millet porridge for Daisy.
"Daisy, please be good and eat something."
"Once you’re finished, Daddy will take you back to the Sutton family."
"Really?" Daisy asked tearfully, gazing at him.
He scooped up a spoonful, holding it to her mouth, answering softly, "Mm."
Even someone like Leo Sutton was more loved by Daisy than her own father.
It wasn’t that he couldn’t compete with Leo.
He just couldn’t bear to see Daisy ruin herself, starving like this.
She was still so small.
She’d just lost her mother.
He couldn’t force her anymore.
"Be good, finish your porridge, and I’ll take you home to the Sovereign."
His voice was feather-light, gentle with coaxing.
Daisy still didn’t believe him.
He added, "If you won’t eat, Daddy will keep starving with you."
Daisy: "I’ll eat!"
Daisy wouldn’t let him feed her.
She grabbed the bowl and gulped down the porridge.
Not because she was hungry.
But because she wanted so badly to leave this suffocating place.
She missed Daddy Leo, missed Laura, missed Mr. Chaucer, and Grandma Armstrong.
They had no blood ties to her.
But they were her family.
Aiden just sat quietly, watching Daisy eat her porridge.
If Daisy had chosen to keep starving, there was nothing he could do; he’d still have taken her home to the Sovereign.
Seeing that she’d eaten more than half the porridge, he finally felt a sliver of relief.
Soon, the bowl of sweet millet porridge was empty.
Daisy handed over the bowl. "You promised— take me back to Daddy Leo’s house."
Uncle Carter took the empty bowl. "Daisy, have some more? Steamed egg with pine nuts?"
Daisy shook her head, repeating, "I want to go back to Daddy Leo’s house."
Then she looked at Aiden, adding, "If you go back on your word, I’ll never eat again."
She really was Aiden’s daughter.
Stubborn as he was.
Aiden could only give in, "Come on, I’ll take you back."
Daisy jumped up immediately.
Aiden looked at her, "Daisy, before we go, can Daddy hug you?"
Not a hint of a smile on her face, Daisy answered firmly:
"No!"
Three short syllables, another heavy stone on Aiden’s chest.
Again, he could scarcely breathe.
He’d already held out his arms, but now they hung awkwardly in midair.
Daisy walked past him to gather her backpack, not giving him a glance as she headed to the door. "I want to go back to Daddy Leo’s."
Aiden got up and went to open the door himself.
If he didn’t keep his promise, Daisy would only hate him more.
All the way, he drove her to the Sovereign himself.
As they neared the neighborhood, Aiden called Leo Sutton.
"Daisy’s in my car. We’re almost downstairs at your place."
Daisy was straining at the bit to go home. Aiden could see it clearly in the rearview mirror.
She didn’t say a single word to him the whole ride.
The car was quietly silent.
So silent, it hurt.
When they reached Leo Sutton’s place, Aiden locked the car doors.
He turned, looking with gentle eyes at little Daisy balled up in the back seat.
He just wanted to look at Daisy a little longer.
But Daisy tugged the door hard. "Let me out."
She wouldn’t spend a moment more with him.
"Daisy, Daddy has something for you."
The car’s door handle clicked as Daisy released it.
Daisy gave him a look.
He took out a well-preserved, brand new picture frame and handed it to Daisy.
Inside was a photo of her mom and dad.
Anyone could see— her mom was young, glowing, beautiful, so beautiful!
Daisy took it.
Her mother’s smile made her tears spill over.
Staring at her mother’s lovely face, she asked without lifting her head, "Why do you have a photo of my mom?"
Thinking back to the love and happiness he’d shared with Tiana, Aiden’s throat tightened.
His chest ached with wave upon wave of suffocation.
He choked up, eyes red, and answered softly, "Back then, your mom and I loved each other very much..."
Just then, someone knocked on the car window.
