Lia Aiken looked at Nico Aiken in shock.
Ivan Horne and his brother exchanged glances, having long suspected that Lia Aiken was actually Tom Aiken's daughter, and now it was confirmed.
Nico Aiken remorsefully explained, "Brother, Lia is really your daughter. Out of resentment towards you after her death, it turned to hatred, so I've secretly been watching you. When you took Lia for a paternity test, I spent a lot of money to tamper with the results, hoping to see you torture your own daughter, maybe even strangle her. That way, when you learned the truth, you'd be in pain for a lifetime, especially since you always treated Lia like a treasure."
Tom Aiken: ...
He couldn't believe what he was hearing, as dramatic as a TV show.
"Brother, Lia, I'm sorry."
Nico Aiken apologized sincerely.
Tom Aiken stood up and slapped him hard, Nico was already in a sorry state, with a swollen face, but he accepted the slap willingly.
Then Lia still stared blankly at the Aiken brothers until Tom Aiken slapped his brother a second time, and she finally regained her senses.
She stood up woodenly, silently walked away.
"Lia…"
Tom Aiken called out in pain.
This daughter was his treasure before she was six. Because he deeply loved his ex-wife, after his daughter was born, he cherished her especially, feeling she was the crystallization of his love with his ex-wife, a continuation of life.
After his ex-wife died, he took Lia for a paternity test, when the results came, he almost went insane, the pain of which no one could understand.
He neglected Lia, abused Lia, watched as Celine Taylor and her two children bullied Lia, in truth, his heart was also full of pain, after all, he once considered Lia his treasure.
"Lia…"
Tom Aiken called out to Lia, chasing after her.
In his own words, the person he felt most sorry for was Lia, his child.
His biological daughter!
Lia didn't look back, nor did she stop.
Tom Aiken chased her out of the room, but she had already entered the elevator and quickly pressed the button to close the door, as Tom Aiken was about to pursue further, Ivan Horne stopped him.
"Mr. Aiken, let me go. Don't worry, Lia will come around."
Tom Aiken grabbed Ivan Horne's hand like a lifeline, pleading, "Mr. Horne, please help me apologize to Lia. I, I'm sorry. I didn't know she was really my daughter. In the past, I… I should have listened to you. The last time you accompanied her to find me, I should have listened, should have done a new test with her. I'm damned. The way I treated my daughter, I'm damned!"
Tom Aiken nearly slapped himself, but Ivan stopped him.
"Mr. Aiken, don't blame yourself for now, I'll go after Lia." Now that everything was clear, Ivan felt that Tom Aiken was also misled. If it weren't for Nico Aiken, Tom surely wouldn't have treated Lia that way.
"Okay, okay, quickly go after Lia. These past few days have been too much, I'm afraid Lia can't handle it." Tom Aiken released Ivan Horne, urging him to quickly go after Lia.
Ivan Horne soon left.
Jimmy Horne leisurely wandered out. Seeing Tom Aiken, he asked, "How are you handling your brother? Are you doing it yourself or do you want us to help? I'm quite free recently and happy to help."
In the future, the families would be in-laws. Well, this is also considered helping relatives.
As long as his brother marries and has children, he'll do whatever, finally able to relax, no longer worried his brother might take Camila, nor guilty that he caused his brother to be single.
Well, later he'll go back and share the good news with Camila, he dares to say, it won't be long before his brother and Lia hold their wedding. After all, his brother is getting on in years; his mother is eager to have grandchildren.
"Thank you, Mr. Jimmy, I'll handle it myself."
Jimmy Horne showed a bit of regret. Unable to unleash his energy, bored again, he'll just go home and coax his wife, maybe even consider having another child, though having another would be over the limit!
"Okay, you handle it yourself, but if you ever need help, feel free to ask me. I'm very willing to help, even if it's to beat someone up, I can do a better job than you." Tom Aiken was older, with weaker fighting spirit.
The corners of Tom Aiken's mouth twitched.
"Thank you, if needed, I won't hesitate to ask for your help."
Jimmy Horne hmm-ed again and walked past Tom Aiken. Stopping, he reminded him, "Mr. Aiken, you should start preparing your daughter's dowry. My brother and Lia have been sharing a room for a few nights, no worries, my brother is very responsible."
The corners of Tom Aiken's mouth twitched again.
Jimmy Horne didn't wait for a reply, leisurely walked away.
Once he reached the hotel lobby, he naturally didn't see his brother with Lia. Not knowing where they went for some intimate time, Jimmy kindly refrained from calling Ivan, instead leaving alone, heading for his own home.
Reaching home, he found no one there. His wife and kids had gone to the Horne Family's place.
Jimmy Horne felt like his wife and kids practically made themselves at home in the Horne Family. He overlooked that he too loved dropping by without occasion, after all, he had lived there for many years, once bearing the Horne name, still addressed as Jimmy Horne in T City. (Even by the author)
Thus, Jimmy Horne headed to the Horne Family.
Once inside, Julia Bluen asked him, "Jimmy, didn't your brother come back? Weren't you two together?"
His darling daughter spotted him, reaching out her chubby arms to be held.
Jimmy approached, first taking his darling daughter from his wife's hands, then sat next to Camila Ruiz, smiling and answering Julia Bluen, "My brother went after my future sister-in-law. Aunt, there's been a plot twist. My future sister-in-law is Tom Aiken's biological daughter; that paternity test from back then was tampered with."
Then, he explained the truth to everyone.
Julia Bluen listened, deeply sighing, her heart aching for Lia.
That child is good, once her son marries Lia, she'll make sure to cherish Lia dearly.
Lia is blessed, receiving her future mother-in-law's affection even before entering the door.
"Tom's brother really is a scumbag."
Glades Horne cursed.
Jimmy kissed his daughter's tender cheek, saying, "Whether he's a scumbag or not, it's really just a misunderstanding. Nico has always misunderstood his parents' favoritism, resenting his brother for inheriting the family business, yet unaware of their good intentions. He harmed his sister-in-law, his niece, thinking everyone owed him, not realizing he owed others the most. I doubt he'll have an easy time for the rest of his life."
Jimmy Horne had a darling daughter, cherishing her deeply. Thinking if the one held dear wasn't his own flesh and blood, he too would collapse, unable to accept it, and he understood Tom Aiken's actions.
But still, Lia, too pitiful.
