My Adorable Daughter Can't Be A Villainess

When was the last time Aiden Blackwood had seen his son?

It had been over a year.

Not only because he was always buried in work and meetings, but also because Eric himself rarely had time to spare.

After leaving home following his academy graduation, Aiden could not even remember if Eric had stayed with them for a full week.

That much was understandable. Eric had chosen this path. He chose to pursue knowledge, and for it, he was willing to sacrifice everything else.

Yet a constant fear gnawed at Aiden. His son’s growing detachment from love, family, and responsibility.

Eric might have been a brilliant researcher and a renowned professor, but Aiden wanted him to experience the other joys life had to offer as well.

Still, he could not force his grown son to live the way he wished. And with time, the older Blackwood had begun to lose hope of ever seeing a daughter in law or grandchildren.

But today, as he looked at Eric, he noticed something different in his eyes.

It was a passion for something entirely unrelated to research.

For the first time, Eric had not listened to what his mother wanted. He had done something for himself.

“I… apologize,” Aiden muttered, surprising Eric. “I shouldn’t have assumed things on my own.”

His gaze lowered as he continued, “When I heard that you had a child you only discovered recently, I was furious. But then your mother told me that you didn’t even know about her.”

Eric sighed. “Yes… I wasn’t aware that my negligence would cost Chloe and Charlotte so many years of abandonment.”

Aiden asked quietly, “What about Chloe’s family?”

Eric’s fist clenched as he replied, “She was cast out after it was revealed she was pregnant.”

Aiden frowned. “Then why didn’t she try reaching me? I could have helped her. I could have even pulled you back from wherever you were hiding.”

Eric sighed again. “That’s the point, Dad. She didn’t want people talking about me. That’s why she hid the fact that she was carrying my child from everyone.”

His gaze sharpened. “But I believe she did tell Mom.”

Aiden’s eyes widened. “Eric… are you sure?”

Eric shook his head. “Chloe won’t tell me what kind of conversation she had with Mother fourteen years ago. But I believe she would have told her.”

Aiden slowly shook his head. “Angela wouldn’t do something like this, Eric. You know her as well as I do. She may be strict about social standing and cautious about your marriage, but she would never discard someone carrying your child.”

Eric said nothing.

He kept his head lowered, fingers stiff. He didn’t know. He couldn’t bring himself to trust her after what he had heard the last time she visited.

Regardless of whatever his mother may have done, it did nothing to lessen the guilt weighing heavily on his chest.

After a brief pause, Chloe returned to the reception hall, carrying a tray with two cups resting on it.

As she entered, Aiden saw her in a different light.

He asked gently, “Would you mind sitting here for a bit?”

Chloe glanced at Eric and noticed the faint frown on his face.

She gave a small nod and chose to sit beside him.

The subtle movement pulled Eric out of his daze, and he turned to look at the silver-haired woman.

Chloe met his gaze and silently asked, What happened?

Eric didn’t know how to answer, but her willingness to sit beside him eased his heart.

Aiden took a moment before speaking, carefully choosing his words. “We can’t redo what has already happened, child,” he said softly. “But Chloe, for everything you went through, I would like to apologize.”

“Lord Blackwood?!” Chloe exclaimed when the older man suddenly stood and bowed his head.

Panicked, she turned to Eric, silently asking for help.

Eric sighed. “Father… she doesn’t want you to bow.”

“T-That’s right, Sir Blackwood. It was never your fault, so please…”

Aiden slowly straightened and looked at Chloe with warm eyes. “I wasn’t wrong about you, child. You have a very kind heart.”

Chloe didn’t know how to respond. She could only stand there in silence.

Aiden sat back down, and Eric gestured for Chloe to sit as well.

Once they did, Aiden continued, “I want to thank you for giving my idiot son a second chance, Chloe.” He smiled faintly. “I truly never thought he would find a life partner.”

Those words made Chloe glance at Eric, only to find him already looking at her.

At that moment, Eric decided it was better to reveal the truth. The assumption his father had formed was something Chloe would surely not appreciate.

However, just as he parted his lips, Chloe held his hand and said, “I… actually didn’t think I would give this relationship a second chance either.”

Eric was stunned.

For a moment, he couldn’t believe he had heard those words from Chloe, the same woman who had refused to see him just a month ago.

He was so caught off guard that he didn’t hear what Chloe and his father talked about for a while.

Then, Aiden called out, “Eric.”

No response.

“Eric?”

Still nothing.

Chloe turned toward him and glared, snapping him out of his daze. Eric hurriedly looked at his father. “Ah, yes. Were you saying something?”

Aiden chuckled, clearly pleased by what he had witnessed. “I was saying… are you not going to introduce me to my granddaughter?”