Delayed Regrets: He Regretted Only After Her Death-Chapter 97: Exposing Vivian Linden’s True Colors

Chapter 97: Chapter 97: Exposing Vivian Linden’s True Colors

The doorway.

The man stood in the thin morning light.

His figure was tall, handsome, and heroic.

Despite the radiant sunlight reflecting on his extraordinary appearance, there was an overwhelming sadness about him.

It was Aiden Grant who had rushed over upon hearing the news.

He knew Tiana Linden was still alive.

Yet, he dared not face her directly.

Today, he learned that she had stormed back to the Linden Family with Leo Sutton.

It was surely because of James Linden’s plan to marry Sharon Sullivan.

He feared she would be bullied at the Linden Family.

So he rushed over immediately.

At this very moment, Tiana was right in front of him.

Her eyes were filled with coldness and numbness, making them feel a world apart despite being in the same place.

He wanted to get closer to Tiana.

But his body felt bound by invisible cords, unable to move.

Nor could he tear his gaze away from Tiana.

His fingertips were icy, his gaze frozen.

He heard the erratic and powerful thumping of his heart.

Perhaps it was because he was too happy.

So happy that his head was spinning, his mind unable to think.

Tiana merely gave him a cold glance and then averted her gaze.

Then, she looked at Leo Sutton beside her.

"Leo, let’s go."

She brushed past Aiden Grant at the doorway.

Without sparing him another glance.

The man extended his long arm.

His broad hand landed on her slender, fair arm.

"Tiana!"

As his Adam’s apple bobbed, Aiden called out the name he had uttered in his dreams countless times.

He always dreamt of her standing alive before him.

At this moment, here was the living her, truly before him.

He could clearly feel Tiana’s arm struggling.

He held on tightly, refusing to let go, "Tiana, everything in the past was my fault. It’s only right for you to resent and hate me."

Tiana said nothing.

She insisted on pulling her arm free.

The Tiana of the past had long died.

Died when she was pregnant, and Aiden didn’t believe her, sending her to prison with the Linden father and son.

Died when he refused to give her a life-saving medicine.

If not for Hector Chaucer, she would have long been nothing but bones by now.

She had nothing more to say to Aiden Grant.

"Aiden, whatever needed to be said, I’ve already asked Hector Chaucer to tell you."

"You should be self-aware."

The words "self-aware" left Aiden’s outstretched hand frozen in mid-air.

Of course, he knew.

Tiana hated him to the core.

Hated him so much that even seeing him would fill her with disgust and loathing.

She only wanted to sever all ties with him completely.

Never to have any involvement again.

She hadn’t even planned to let him acknowledge Daisy.

Of course, he knew, taking a step closer would just rip open her wounds again.

Thus, the hand that longed to grab hold of Tiana could only fall pain-stricken and helplessly.

Leo Sutton passed by him, glancing at him, "You should know how much Tiana despises you. No matter what you say or do, it’s futile."

After saying that, he caught up with Tiana.

The two of them walked out of The Linden Villa.

Leo Sutton smiled, "Tiana, you now speak with such confidence and aura."

Gone was the sickly, voiceless Tiana of the past.

He wondered if Aiden and the Linden family were blind.

Back then, Tiana was gravely ill.

But they all acted as if they were blind.

Completely indifferent.

Leo Sutton felt that the now recovered Tiana walked with the wind beneath her feet.

Unlike before, easily blown over by the wind.

He walked beside her, arriving at the Hummer.

He opened the car door for her, "Tiana, I’m looking forward to seeing how much James Linden regrets when he finds out Vivian Linden isn’t his biological daughter, but you are."

Tiana got in the car, "I don’t need his repentance."

She said determinedly, "I just need to clear my mother’s name."

A woman with a risk of uterine prolapse, risking death, bore James Linden a son, was that not enough?

Because James liked daughters.

Mother really bore him a daughter.

Such a good mother, yet accused falsely by James Linden.

Her mother’s innocence meant everything.

Daniel Linden, as the mother’s son, didn’t seek justice for her.

As her daughter, she would definitely get justice for her.

To console her mother’s spirit in heaven.

...

Aiden Grant left the Linden Family and returned to the East Bank of the Pearl River.

This villa was originally intended for Daisy.

He also moved out of Star River Bay to live at the East Bank of the Pearl River.

The place was filled with lisianthus, Tiana’s favorite.

Now that Tiana was alive and back.

What a relief!

He instructed Uncle Carter, "Uncle Carter, please water the flowers and apply some fertilizer. When Tiana comes back, she’ll love it."

He had to do something for Tiana.

To slowly earn her forgiveness.

In the future, he, Tiana, and Daisy would surely restore what was lost.

The three of them, their family, will surely have joyful laughter in this villa filled with lisianthus on the East Bank of the Pearl River.

In the future, Daisy will have younger siblings.

He is the only person that Tiana Linden has ever wanted to marry.

They agreed that they would become each other’s crutches, growing old together.

Tiana will definitely forgive him.

As long as he compensates sincerely enough.

He locked himself in a room.

He took out a blackboard frame and began to sort through all his matters with Vivian Linden.

He strongly suspected that Vivian deliberately approached him and intentionally got close to James Linden and Daniel Linden.

But he had no substantial evidence.

Right.

The car accident!

It was because of that car accident six years ago.

When he was gravely injured in bed, Vivian meticulously took care of him.

Only then did he develop a fondness for Vivian.

He finally pieced together a clue.

Also.

Tiana, gravely ill, brought Daisy to find him.

He conducted two paternity tests with Daisy in total.

One Tiana knew about.

One Tiana didn’t know about.

Both paternity tests were tampered with.

The first paternity test, he didn’t let anyone know, he oversaw the entire process.

For the second paternity test, he had Christopher Grant take it to a different city, going to five different institutions.

Even being so cautious, it was still tampered with.

It was as if a pair of invisible eyes were watching him.

How did Vivian know he was going to do a paternity test?

Just as Aiden was feeling perplexed.

The peace charm hanging on his neck broke off its string and fell.

Peace charm?

This was what Vivian prayed for at Clear Spring Monastery, kneeling nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine steps when he was unconscious from the car accident.

Hah!

Those nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine steps were probably a sham too.

The peace charm must have issues.

Aiden took it apart to look.

It was just an ordinary peace charm.

No anomalies whatsoever.

Soon, he called Christopher to the East Bank of the Pearl River.

By this time, it was already late at night.

When Christopher arrived at the East Bank of the Pearl River, he complained:

"Aiden, can’t you stop calling in the middle of the night?"

"Jane and I were just getting into the mood, and your call interrupted us."

"It’s really disappointing."

Sitting at the bar, Aiden poured another glass of red wine.

"Be careful not to overindulge, you’ll face kidney failure at a young age."

"You’re the one with kidney failure." Christopher sat down next to Aiden, snorting.

The red wine on the bar, Aiden picked it up and handed it to Christopher.

"Help me get the peace charm from Vivian assessed, see if there’s a bug inside"

"Also, the accident I had six years ago, help me investigate it again."

The peace charm on his neck had long been taken off, placed elsewhere.

No wonder Christopher hadn’t seen him wearing the peace charm today.

Christopher took the wine and thought for a moment, "If it’s true that the peace charm is problematic, Vivian’s scheming runs deep."

...

Two days later.

East Bank of the Pearl River.

Aiden set up a new studio for himself.

All the portraits he had drawn of Tiana at the Star River Bay Studio were moved here.

The studio was full of portraits of Tiana.

But currently, Aiden was in the studio without painting.

On the desk were many tools.

When Christopher entered, he found Aiden holding a few broken ceramic pieces.

Faintly visible, they were fragments of a shattered ceramic doll.

Glancing at them, Christopher asked:

"Aiden, I seem to remember these ceramic dolls were ones you and Tiana made together in Klayburg?"

These ceramic dolls also had words personally carved by Aiden.

The girl doll was inscribed with: Bound by a red string.

The boy doll was inscribed with: Together forever.

Much of Tiana’s and Aiden’s childhood memories were recalled by Christopher.

Christopher remarked regretfully, "Aiden, how did these ceramic dolls get shattered like this, can they still be restored?"

In the molten gold furnace on the table was gold liquefied to a boiling point.

Aiden planned to use the liquid gold to repair the broken ceramics.

He didn’t pause his work, "They can definitely be restored."

Not just these ceramic dolls.

Even the cracked relationship between him and Tiana, he was determined to restore.

He spoke with firm resolve.

The implication was clear to Christopher. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"Aiden, what’s the point of restoring it?"

"Tiana will never forgive you."

Two days ago, Tiana returned to The Linden Family; Christopher knew too.

He hadn’t met Tiana yet.

But he knew she surely wouldn’t forgive Aiden.

Watching Aiden restore the ceramic dolls, Christopher added, "You were right, the peace charm from Vivian was indeed a surveillance device. Just technically superb, disguised as a real peace charm. All these years, you didn’t discover it."

At this point, Aiden finally stopped his work, "It’s time for Vivian to leave The Linden Family."

It’s time to do something for Tiana.

He had a way to reveal Vivian’s true colors, allowing Tiana to rightfully reclaim her title as The Linden Family’s daughter.