Chapter 82
Marrying
Chapter 82
Sporting Charles trying to hold back a laugh, Manhewâs expression darkened. Knowing his grandma must have something else on her mind, he set down the spoon and sighed. âGrandma, you didnât come all the way here just to chat about this, did you?â
Hearing Sophia want to swing by the Anderson family. Matthew quickly caught on. Unlike the Santos family, the Anderson family wasnât really in their business circle. Theyâd been tight pals for ages, especially Sophia and Mrs. Anderson.
It was tragic that 20 years ago, William Anderson, the family head, along with his 4âyearâold daughter, drowned during a family vacation. His wife, Chloe Anderson, wasnât present and suffered a mental breakdown after the incident. Williamâs father passed away shortly after from shock, while his mother, Olivia Anderson, was left to deal with the aftermath for her husband and son.
No funeral for the little girl because only Williamâs body was found by the rescue team. But in the vast ocean the odds of such a young child surviving were close to none. Olivia, though, stubbornly held onto the belief that as long as her granddaughterâs body wasnât found, she wasnât dead. That was what kept her going all this time.
As Olivia got older and sicker, sheâd been stuck in bed for nearly half a year. Sheâd told her second son, Owen Anderson, to keep looking for her missing granddaughter. But itâd been 20 years already. If they could find her, they wouldâve by now, How was it possible there was still no word!
âYou know, Olivia used to teach you painting back then. Canât have that grumpy face when you s see her later, Sophia reminded.
Matthew replied, âGot itâ
The A
Anderson familyâs butler swung open the bedroom door. Inside, Olivia lay in bed, mustering a faint smile as Sophia entered. âHey. Sophiaâ
Sophia grinned. âHey, I Brought Matthew to visit you
âMrs. Anderson. Matthew greeted respectfully.
Olivia glanced at Mathew. âYou look familiar. Youâre Matthew, right? Wow, youâve grown up so much since I last saw you as a little tyke. But some things never change you never did smile much as a kid.â
Sophia rolled her eyes. âThatâs just how he is, Olivia. Youâll have to deal with it.â
âI donât mind. You know, if Sarah had grown up, sheâd probably be Matthewâs age now, Sophia, donât fault the kid. For us, as long as they care for us, thatâs all that mattersâ Olivia had unwittingly reopened old wounds.
Sophia sighed. âYouâre right, But you need to take care of yourself. Owen is still helping look for that mixing kid from way back when. Maybe theyâll track her down someday, and youâll see her again.
Olivia perked
up
and shot the breeze for a bit with them. Not wanting to disturb Oliviaâs rest, Sophia and Matthew left after half an hour.
On their way back, Matthew couldnât shake Oliviaâs sad look. He remembered her vibrant youth when her painting was celebrated throughout the city and couldnât believe how tragedy had changed her. Despite his usual pragmatism, he still hoped for a miracle- that the Anderson family might find the missing child someday.
Sophia broke the silence, turning to Matthew, âAnything on your mind after seeing Olivia?
Matthewâs response was sincere. âGrandma, Iâll be more attentive and spend more time with youâ
Oliviaâs biggest regret was not having her granddaughter by her side for twenty long years. Matthew was determined never to let his own grandma experience such a thing. But before he could finish, Sophia excitedly cut him off
Sophia exclaimed, âWho said I need you to keep me company! I want you to get married and have kids soon, so I donât die without seeing my greatâgrandchildren. And donât you dare have just two â have five, no, six kidsââ
Marthew was lost for words.
At that moment, Valerie suddenly felt a chill down her spine at Arcton