Chapter 557

Anthony Castillo stared at the photograph.

The photo had yellowed with age.

Its edges were slightly curled.

Old Mr. Castillo sat across from him, speaking slowly.

His voice carried a distant nostalgia.

"This was my first love."

He paused.

His gaze rested on the photo.

"She left me suddenly after she became pregSterlingt."

"Vanished without a trace."

Old Mr. Castillo sighed.

"Later, she would send me photos from time to time."

"Through the photos, I knew she was in New York."

"Back then, I wanted to come find her."

"But I was held back by various matters."

"I could only send people to search for her."

"Unfortunately..."

His voice grew low.

"The place she lived was destroyed by a fire."

"People said she died."

"My daughter disappeared without a trace."

Old Mr. Castillo's jaw tightened.

"Later, I married."

"I had other children."

"But a first love is the hardest to forget."

"This daughter lost out there."

"Is my only concern in this life."

He looked at Anthony.

"Anthony, you are my most beloved grandson."

"Can you help me find her?"

Anthony stared at the photo.

"Grandfather, if your daughter is still alive."

"How old would she be now?"

Old Mr. Castillo frowned.

"She should be in her forties."

"At that age, she should be married already..."

Anthony asked again.

"Then what was your first love's name?"

Old Mr. Castillo shook his head.

"I don't know."

Anthony was stunned.

"How could you not know?"

Old Mr. Castillo's gaze drifted into the distance.

"We met at a masquerade ball."

"Everyone used pseudonyms back then."

"She and I spent a romantic night in France."

"For the next two weeks, we were together."

"We traveled all over France's beautiful landscapes."

"I fell deeply in love."

"She was utterly captivating."

"Her demeanor was exceptional."

"I wanted to marry her..."

His voice dropped.

"But she suddenly disappeared."

"Like a fairy who strayed into the mortal world."

"Evaporated from this earth."

"I searched for her everywhere."

"Found no trace."

"Later, I followed the family's arrangements."

"Got married..."

He paused.

"Three years after she disappeared."

"I suddenly received a photo from her."

"It was a photo of her and our daughter."

A tender expression appeared on the old man's face.

Anthony watched.

He sighed silently to himself.

He had grown up with his grandfather.

He knew his grandparents respected each other.

But they weren't deeply in love.

So his grandfather had someone else in his heart.

He felt a secret relief.

His grandmother had already passed away.

If she were still alive.

She would surely be hurt.

But...

Anthony looked at his grandfather.

"Grandfather, then what is her surname?"

"Do you know?"

Old Mr. Castillo shook his head again.

Anthony sighed.

"If we don't even know her surname."

"We can only search everywhere with this photo..."

He stared at the little girl in the photo.

Anthony had grown up abroad.

He was a bit face-blind to Chinese people.

Only Evelyn Ross's stunning looks.

Were particularly distinctive.

That's how he remembered her.

The girl in the photo in his hand.

Somewhat resembled the Mrs. Ashcroft he saw in San Francisco years ago.

But to his eyes, those people all looked somewhat similar.

He looked at Old Mr. Castillo.

"Grandfather, I can help you search for her."

"But can you promise me something."

"If I find her."

"I won't have to marry my cousin?"

Old Mr. Castillo was both amused and exasperated.

"That won't do."

Anthony didn't understand.

"Why not?"

"You accepted an arranged marriage back then."

"It led to an unhappy married life."

"You also know being with someone you love is happier..."

"Actually, my life has been quite happy."

Anthony was stunned.

"What?"

Old Mr. Castillo smiled.

"Do you all think your grandmother and I didn't love each other?"

"But we both knew."

Anthony was even more confused.

Old Mr. Castillo spoke slowly.

"We both had other people in our hearts."

"So we were very compatible together."

"You think her unhappiness was because of me?"

"No."

"She also had someone else in her heart..."

"But all these years."

"Our life together has been very harmonious."

He looked at Anthony.

His gaze was profound.

"Don't marry the woman you love most."

"Marriage is the grave of love."

"Marrying the person you love most."

"Is torture for people like us."

"Love fades with time."

"The person you once loved passionately."

"Will eventually become as plain as water."

"That disrespects love."

"My first love and I were both proud people."

"If we had been together."

"Married life would have added the mundane burdens."

"We might not have been happy."

He paused.

"On the contrary."

"Your grandmother and I had an arranged marriage."

"The marital relationship was more stable."

"We didn't love each other."

"So we could tolerate each other's flaws more."

"Could even be honest about the darkest parts of our hearts..."

"All these years."

"My married life has been very happy."

After Old Mr. Castillo finished speaking.

He looked meaningfully at Anthony.

"Miss Nicole Sterling is emotionally stable."

"Marrying her."

"Your future married life won't be bad."

Anthony couldn't help but retort.

"But Miss Evelyn Ross is also emotionally stable."

"Yet she gave up on you."

Old Mr. Castillo spoke slowly.

Then smiled.

"Moreover."

"Our family and the Sterling Family are destined to cooperate and ally through marriage."

He looked at Anthony.

"Your Miss Evelyn won't marry you."

"But Nicole Sterling is willing to marry you."

"That is Nicole's greatest advantage."

Anthony didn't understand.

"Our family doesn't rely on external alliances, right?"

"What does that Sterling Family have?"

Old Mr. Castillo lowered his eyes.

His old eyes were deep and inscrutable.

"The Sterling Family is a mysterious existence."

"For so many years before, I always wanted to connect with them."

"Now they are willing to join forces with our family."

"This is an opportunity for our family."

"As a member of the Castillo family."

"You must seize this opportunity."

"Between these two women."

"You must marry one!"

Anthony pressed.

"What does the Sterling Family have that makes this alliance necessary?"

"What they possess."

"Exceeds your imagination."

Old Mr. Castillo only said this vaguely.

Then spoke again.

"Anthony, don't resist anymore."

"Tomorrow is your engagement party with Nicole."

"Attend obediently."

"That is your greatest contribution to our family."

He stood up.

"You have enjoyed the privileged conditions provided by the Castillo family since childhood."

"Then you must shoulder the responsibilities owed to the Castillo family."

"Good child, go."

"Nicole is your cousin."

"And will become your excellent wife."

"Don't resist."

"Try to accept her."

After Old Mr. Castillo finished speaking.

He left directly.

Anthony sighed.

He looked down at the photo in his hand.

Just then.

His phone chimed.

He picked it up to look.

It was a message from Evelyn Ross.

[Are you definitely getting engaged tomorrow?]

Anthony replied.

[It seems so.]

[Today's arrangements are already prepared.]

Evelyn.

[Is there any way to stop it?]

Anthony.

[It seems not.]

[I don't want to marry Nicole either.]

[But it seems I have no choice.]

[This is Grandfather's demand of me.]

Evelyn.

[Can we try a different approach?]

[Does your grandfather have any unfulfilled wishes now?]

[Perhaps I can help him fulfill it.]

[Then try to persuade him.]

Seeing this sentence.

Anthony was stunned.

Grandfather's wish...

Only this photo in his hand remained...

He glanced at it.

Sent a message to Evelyn.

[Grandfather's only wish.]

[Is to find the daughter he lost outside.]

Evelyn replied quickly.

[What daughter?]

[Any clues?]

[If I find his daughter.]

[Can we delay the wedding?]

Anthony.

[It can't be delayed.]

He felt dejected.

Did Miss Evelyn really have no feelings for him at all?

He was pondering this.

Evelyn sent another message.

[I want to help him find his daughter.]

[Do you have any clues?]

Anthony.

[There's a photo.]

Evelyn.

[Send it over.]