Chapter 555: Chapter 554

Scott Martin stared at the photo and old Mr. Martin slowly began to speak, seemingly lost in memories: “She was my first love, but she suddenly left me after getting pregnant, disappearing without a trace.”

Old Mr. Martin sighed, “At that time, she would occasionally send me a photo. It was through this photo that I knew she was in Clance. But back then, when I wanted to go there, various things held me back. I could only send someone to look for her. Unfortunately, I was told that the place she was staying at had burned down in a fire, she was dead, and my daughter was missing.”

Old Mr. Martin clenched his jaw: “Even though I got married later and had other children, you understand that a first love is the hardest to forget. And this daughter of mine, lost out there, is now my life’s only concern.”

Here, old Mr. Martin sighed, “Chen, you are my dearest grandson, so could you help me find her?”

Scott Martin looked at the photograph, “Grandpa, if your daughter is still alive, how old would she be now?”

Old Mr. Martin furrowed his brows, “She should be in her forties by now? At that age, she would likely be married…”

Scott Martin further inquired, “What was your first love’s name?”

Old Mr. Martin sighed, “I don’t know.”

Scott Martin was baffled, “How can you not know?”

Old Mr. Martin spoke fondly, “Back then, we met at a masquerade ball. We were both using aliases, and we spent an incredibly romantic night together in Country F. For the following half a month, we were inseparable, traveling throughout Country F’s rivers and mountains. I fell deeply in love. She was an intoxicatingly fascinating person with a special aura. I wanted to marry her… but then she just vanished.”

Old Mr. Martin sighed, “She was like a sprite who had mistakenly wandered into the mortal world, then evaporated from this earth. I searched for her everywhere without a trace. Later, I followed my family’s wishes and got married… But three years after she disappeared, I suddenly received her photo, showing her with our daughter.”

The old man said this, his face showing a trace of kindness.

Scott Martin looked on and couldn’t help but sigh.

He had actually grown up with old Mr. Martin and knew that his grandparents respected each other but didn’t deeply love each other.

It turns out it was because Grandpa had someone else in his heart.

He silently sighed.

It was fortunate that Grandma had passed away; if she were still alive, she would certainly have been saddened.

But…

Scott Martin still looked at old Mr. Martin, “Grandpa, do you know her surname at least?”

Old Mr. Martin shook his head again.

Scott Martin let out a sigh, “If we don’t even know her surname, we’ll just have to take the photo and search for her everywhere…”

He stared at the young girl in the photo.

Growing up abroad, Scott Martin found it hard to distinguish between foreigners’ faces, but he actually had a bit of face blindness when it came to Crerans.

It was only because Keira Olsen had a particularly stunning and distinctive appearance that he remembered her.

The girl in the photo, however, bore some resemblance to Mrs. Olsen, whom he had seen in Oceanion before, but in his eyes, those people all looked somewhat similar.

He turned to old Mr. Martin, “Grandpa, I can help you find this person, but in return, can you promise me that if I do, you won’t make me marry my cousin?”

Old Mr. Martin was at once amused and appalled: “That, I cannot do.”

Scott Martin was confused, “Why not? You accepted an arranged marriage back then, which led to an unhappy marriage. You know that being with someone you love will make you happier, you…”

“Actually, my life has been pretty happy.”

Scott Martin: ??

Old Mr. Martin laughed, “Do you think that your grandmother and I did not love each other? But we both understood each other.”

Scott Martin was stunned, “What?”

Old Mr. Martin smiled and said, “We both have someone else in our hearts, so our being together makes perfect sense. Do you think her unhappiness is because of me? No, no, she also has someone else in her heart… Yet, after all these years, our life together has been very harmonious. Do you know why? You shouldn’t marry the woman you love the most…

Marriage is the grave of love. Marrying the person you love most is torture for us. Love fades over time, the person you once loved passionately will eventually become as bland as water.

It’s disrespectful to love. My first love and I are both proud people, if we had been together, the addition of mundane life and chores wouldn’t necessarily bring happiness.

On the contrary, the marriage between your grandmother and me was an alliance between families, making our marital relationship more stable than others. We don’t love each other, so we can tolerate each other’s flaws more easily, and even confide in each other the darkest parts of our hearts… Hence, I have been very happy in my marriage all these years.”

After saying this, old Mr. Martin looked at Scott Martin with a meaningful expression and started speaking, “Miss Vera is a very stable person emotionally. Marrying her, your future marriage won’t be bad.”

Scott Martin couldn’t help but retort, “Miss Keira’s emotions are also very stable.”

“But she gave up on you!” old Mr. Martin slowly replied, then laughed, “Moreover, a cooperation and marriage alliance with the South Family are meant to be.”

He looked at Scott Martin, “Miss Olsen will not marry you. But Vera is willing to marry you, and that’s her biggest advantage.”

Scott Martin was perplexed, “Isn’t our family independent of external alliances? What does the South Family have?”

Old Mr. Martin lowered his eyes, a profound look in his elderly gaze, “The South Family is a mysterious existence. For many years, I’ve wanted to connect with them. Now that they are willing to join forces with us, it’s an opportunity for our family. As a member of the Martin family, you must seize the opportunity, you must marry one of them!”

Scott Martin inquired, “What does the South Family have that compels us to enter into an alliance?”

“They have something beyond your imagination,” old Mr. Martin said coolly, then continued, “Scott, don’t resist anymore. Tomorrow is your engagement party with Vera. Attend it obediently; it’s the greatest contribution you can offer our family.”

Old Mr. Martin stood up, “You’ve enjoyed the abundant benefits provided by the Martin family since you were young, now it’s time to shoulder the responsibilities for the Martin family. Good boy, go ahead. Vera is your cousin and will also become an excellent wife for you. Don’t resist, try to accept her.”

After finishing his words, old Mr. Martin left directly.

Scott Martin sighed, looking down at the photo in his hands.

At that moment, his phone rang. He picked it up and saw a message from Keira Olsen, “Are you really getting engaged tomorrow?”

Scott Martin replied to the message, “It seems so, the preparations for today are already in place.”

Keira replied, “Is there any way to stop it?”

Scott Martin, “It doesn’t seem like it. I don’t want to marry Vera, but it seems I have no choice; this is my grandfather’s request.”

Keira asked, “Could there be another way? Does your grandfather have any unfulfilled wishes? Maybe I can help him fulfill them and then convince him.”

Seeing this message, Scott Martin was dumbfounded.

His grandfather’s wish… that would just be the photo he was holding…

He glanced at it and messaged Keira: “My grandfather’s only wish is to find his daughter who was lost to the outside world.”

Keira’s reply came quickly: “What daughter? Are there any clues? If I find his daughter, can the wedding be postponed?”

Scott Martin, “It can’t be postponed.”

After saying this, he became disheartened; did Miss Olsen not have any feelings for him at all?

As he was pondering this, he saw another message from Keira, “I want to help him find his daughter, do you have any clues?”

Scott Martin replied, “I have a photo.”

Keira requested, “Send it to me.”