CHAPTER 139: CHAPTER 139: PREPARING TO ENSNARE HER STEP BY STEP

The warmth from his breath lingered on her cheek.

The moist, intimate air between them made Tiana Linden’s heart skip a beat.

The atmosphere hanging between them suddenly became delicate.

Tiana didn’t dare take a deep breath. "...No way, Hector Chaucer—you’ve never kissed anyone before?"

Hector didn’t directly answer her question. "Get the marriage certificate with me!"

If they did that, Aiden Grant would finally give up on her once and for all.

If he kept pursuing her after that, he’d just be a home-wrecking jerk trying to interfere in someone else’s marriage.

Of course, Tiana wasn’t about to give Aiden that chance.

Tiana understood now—this was exactly what Hector meant by a ’better way’ to make the man behind her completely lose hope.

Getting the marriage license directly was just a bit too abrupt.

She retreated to her seat. "Let’s talk about this back in the room tonight."

Detecting the resistance in her tone, Hector’s brows creased slightly.

His harsh, iron-clad expression was shrouded in shadow.

At that moment, Tiana knew Aiden was still watching them from behind.

She deliberately picked up a slice of fried bacon from her plate and held it to Hector’s lips.

"Hector, here, try it."

Several meters behind, Aiden’s fists clenched tightly again.

Suddenly, someone patted his shoulder. "Aiden... why are you soaked?"

The person who patted him was Christopher Grant.

Seeing his suit and dress pants completely drenched, Christopher frowned. "You’re supposed to head into the venue at ten o’clock. How did you end up looking like such a mess?"

Following the furious, jealous glare in Aiden’s eyes...

Christopher immediately pieced it together. "Tiana did this? Aiden, what did you say to upset her again?"

Beside them, Jane Summers nudged Christopher. "Stop always siding with Tiana. I know Aiden was way out of line before, but he knows he was wrong, and there’s nothing greater than making up for your mistakes. You have to give him a chance to fix things."

...

At the table, Tiana suddenly got a video call.

It was from Leo Sutton, all the way over in Veridia.

Today was the autumn family sports day at Daisy and Laura’s kindergarten.

Tiana had planned to stay in Veridia and go with Daisy to the event.

She’d promised Daisy before, too.

But this pharmaceutical research conference featured someone she really wanted to meet.

Her studies had been cut short during those two years in prison, and she’d been expelled from school.

Going back now was no longer an option.

She wanted to keep moving forward in medicine—that’s why she came to Kaneport with Hector.

Receiving Daisy’s call, she apologized to her, "Daisy, Mom can’t go to the sports day with you, but when I come back, I’ll definitely bring you a present."

Daisy wasn’t lonely; she had Laura, Leo, Mr. Chaucer, and Grandma Armstrong with her.

She wasn’t alone at all.

On-screen, Daisy’s smile was sweet as sugar. "Mom, it’s okay. I just wanted to see you and Dad."

Seeing her daughter, Tiana’s gloomy mood vanished, and her smile turned soft and gentle. "Missed Mom?"

"Mm-hmm." Daisy nodded. "Missed Dad, too!"

Ever since Tiana and Hector became a fake couple, Daisy assumed they’d end up married for real.

She’d already started treating Hector as her stepdad.

But she cared for him even more than her actual father.

The little girl genuinely missed Hector quite a lot.

She’d gotten used to his nightly bedtime stories.

Missing out on Hector’s bedtime story last night had left her seriously disappointed.

"Where’s Dad?"

Tiana handed the phone to Hector. "Your daughter misses you."

A few meters away, Jane Summers muttered angrily, "That Tiana really doesn’t know how to raise a child, brainwashing Daisy into ignoring her real father and treating two total outsiders as her dad instead."

Christopher Grant said, "Just pipe down. You clearly forgot who stuck by Tiana during her toughest days."

Meanwhile, Aiden overheard Daisy and Hector chatting away on the call.

Daisy kept calling him ’Dad’ with every sentence.

Sopping wet, Aiden’s fists clenched even tighter.

He couldn’t bear it anymore and turned to leave the dining room.

Jane Summers called out, "Aiden, where are you going?"

Aiden’s voice wavered with pain and frustration. "To change clothes."

Not long after, Jane and Christopher grabbed some food from the buffet and sat down across from Hector and Tiana.

As soon as she sat down, Jane started in on Tiana between bites:

"Tiana, I know you have the right to choose your own boyfriend, but Aiden is still Daisy’s biological father."

"You can’t just talk Daisy out of acknowledging Aiden."

"No matter how great a stepdad is, he’s still just a stepdad. No one loves their daughter more than her real father."

Tiana had been in a great mood after chatting with her daughter.

But Jane’s meddling immediately made her chest tighten with irritation.

Even with Christopher here today, Tiana wasn’t about to indulge Jane.

"If Aiden’s so great, why don’t you have Joshua Grant call him Dad?"

With that, she picked up her breakfast and stood up. "Hector, someone forgot to brush their teeth, it stinks here—let’s find a different table."

Watching the pair walk off with their plates, Jane looked at Christopher feeling wronged. "Christopher, did you hear what she said? I was only trying to help Daisy reconnect with her father, and hoping she could have his love. But now she treats my good intentions like garbage."

Christopher kept eating. "This time I’m siding with the facts, not family. You really are overstepping."

Jane: "Christopher!"

Christopher: "Alright, just eat breakfast. Here’s your favorite apple and snow fungus soup—try some!"

Jane: "You didn’t even back me up just now."

Christopher: "Tiana’s life used to be hard enough. If you really want her forgiveness, then sincerely bless her and support every choice she makes. Besides, Daisy’s refusal to acknowledge Aiden isn’t Tiana’s doing. With how many stupid things Aiden’s pulled in the past, Daisy never calling him Dad is perfectly understandable."

Jane: "You’re not wrong, but..."

Christopher: "Enough. Don’t butt into things between Tiana and Hector anymore."

Not far away, Hector watched Christopher and Jane together.

He didn’t know what they were saying, but it was clear Christopher was trying to appease Jane.

He couldn’t help but scoff a little.

Tiana noticed Hector’s odd expression and asked, "Why do you look so cranky?"

Hector continued his breakfast. "Christopher’s probably getting cheated on."

"No way?" Tiana gaped. "How can you tell?"

Hector put down his fork and dodged the question yet again. "Tiana, about my earlier proposal—think about it."

Tiana was still stuck on the previous topic.

She found it hard to believe—Jane and Christopher always seemed solid. How did Hector figure Jane would cheat on him?

She hadn’t caught the end of his sentence. "What did you say?"

Hector was ready to reel her in step by step. "Get a marriage certificate with me, and that guy won’t be able to do anything about you."

His gaze was calm and smooth, concealing his careful schemes. "Of course, it’s just a fake marriage—like what you did with Louis Sutton last time."