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The dwelling of Old Master Lane was a single-story house in the front courtyard.

When William Lane arrived, the Old Master was feeding birds on the porch. Hearing footsteps, he turned his head to the back.

After seeing the exhausted and self-blaming expression in William’s eyes, he put down the spoon, placed his left hand behind him, and rubbed the longevity lock in his hand.

“Grandfather,” William called as he walked to the porch.

Old Master Lane was dressed in a Tang-style suit. Over eighty years old, his hair was completely white, but he stood tall and appeared quite spirited. He looked at William, his expression and voice calm and steady throughout, “When did you come back?”

“Arrived in the Imperial Capital last night.”

“Didn’t sleep a wink?” asked Old Master Lane.

“Mm.”

The old man glanced at him and walked toward the room. It seemed he deliberately avoided giving any bad news, so he specifically asked, “Did Olivia get into trouble again?”

William followed him, “Henry Clark returned to the Imperial Capital. Kidnapped Olivia.”

Old Master glanced back at him, and it seemed as if a hurricane had swept through his eyes, but they quickly returned to calm, “How’s Olivia?”

“She’s fine. Arthur’s girlfriend was recording a show at her school.” William said, “She rescued her just in time.”

Old Master Lane felt relieved, sat in the Spring and Autumn chair, and looked at William. “Arthur’s girlfriend? Does Arthur have a girlfriend now?”

“For almost a year now.”

Old Master Lane stroked the longevity lock in his hand for a long while without speaking. After a while, he sighed softly, “I always thought Arthur would be my grandson-in-law.”

William looked at the longevity lock without speaking.

“Charlotte… she liked Arthur so much.”

William fell into recollection, silent for a while, with the corners of his mouth turning up, “When she was one year old, the moment she got into Arthur’s arms, she kissed him with a face full of drool.”

Old Master Lane also smiled and said, “She really enjoyed spending time with Arthur. If she saw him and wasn’t embraced by him, she would cry endlessly.”

“Arthur took advantage of his good looks, despite hating children, he would carry her around all day.”

“Back then, you always guarded against Arthur stealing your sister. Just like guarding against a thief,” Old Master Lane said, “Later, when Charlotte grew older, you didn’t let Arthur see her.”

“The little girl kept calling him ‘Brother Arthur,’ which annoyed me. The more I asked her to call him Third Uncle, the more she wanted to call him brother.” William thought back to his overflowing jealousy, “I only had that one sister, and I couldn’t let my position as her brother be taken away.”

“I also really like Arthur,” Old Master Lane said, “Arthur, you, and Charlotte. I trained all of you as my own successors. But in the end, you three… You were not home, Arthur ruined his own reputation, and Charlotte…”

Back then, Old Master Lane held a high-ranking position, but later retired due to old age.

Because of the existence of the Doomsday Hotel, the old man rarely intervened in the Lane Family’s affairs. His younger brother managed it.

After William’s father grew older, Old Master’s younger brother handed over the Doomsday Hotel and the entire Lane Family business to William’s father and went on a world tour.

Now, no one knew where he was, but at least he still kept the family safe every month.

As a result, William’s father did not take over from the elderly Lane.

Old Master Lane skipped a generation to train them.

“Tell me, what’s the matter with coming over today?” The old man stroked his fingertips and asked.

William sat upright in a single chair beside him, hesitated, and said, “Grandfather, Olivia… not long ago, she had a dream of seeing Charlotte crying for a long time.”

Although Old Master Lane was getting old, his mind was still sharp. As soon as William spoke, the elderly man understood, “This child…”

“Grandfather, I feel that I am a very unqualified elder brother,” William said with a bowed head. “I couldn’t protect Charlotte, and I couldn’t take care of Olivia.”

Old Master Lane was silent for a long while before saying, “This child… I always thought we were spoiling her too much. It turned out that she has fooled all of us.”

“As a brother, I am unqualified.” said William, “I thought I knew her well enough, but it turned out that I didn’t know her at all.”

Any ordinary person who could deceive the entire Lane family…

“William, you bear too much burden,” said the old man. “It’s not your fault. Your parents and I bear the main responsibility.”

William shook his head, “I’m so sorry for her.”

Looking at his bowed head, Old Master Lane probably understood his purpose in coming. There were some things he couldn’t decide on, things he could never let go of.

So, after the two were silent for a while, Old Master Lane made the decision for him, “William, return to the Imperial Capital.”

With his bowed head, bent waist, and hands covering his eyes, William spoke.

“Ten years…” Old Master Lane held the longevity lock in his hand with trembling fingertips. “The best ten years, all wasted in F Continent. Let it go, and think about yourself for a change.”

William didn’t say a word.

“Olivia is also nineteen, and in a few years, she will be of marriageable age.” Old Master Lane said, “While she is still at home, spend more time with her.”

William returning to the Imperial Capital meant that people would remain in F Continent, still looking for Charlotte. But with William coming back, it was like announcing a piece of bad news to everyone.

Charlotte couldn’t be found.

She disappeared forever.

Perhaps she was no more…

“Grandfather, I’m sorry,” William said in a muffled voice.

Old Master Lane sighed softly, “Perhaps our fate as grandfather and granddaughter, father and daughter, mother and daughter, brother and sister, and sisters with Charlotte lasted only for those few years. There is nothing to be sorry for. In these ten years, while you were in F Continent, you still managed the family business. You’re the one who’s the most tired.”

“It’s me who lost Charlotte.”

“It’s not you,” said the Old Master. “No one expected the attack, it couldn’t be helped. It’s not your fault.”

William couldn’t let go of his two younger sisters. But, Charlotte had been missing for ten years without any news. Whereas, Olivia had been living in the shadows, immersed in guilt.

So, Old Master Lane made this decision for him.

After all… it had been ten years.

In that area of the sea… a person falling could simply vanish without a trace. It was entirely possible.

Not being able to find her for ten years, the chances of survival were slim.

William stayed with Old Master Lane until noon before leaving. While he was there, the old man seemed quite normal.

As soon as he left, the Old Master got up from the chair, feeling dizzy and unsteady on his feet, almost falling down.

Fortunately, the housekeeper was close by and supported him in time, “Old Master, are you feeling unwell?”

Old Master Lane sat back down in the chair, waved off the housekeeper with a gesture and said, “It’s fine, it’s fine. Just need a little rest, I’ll be alright.”

“This won’t do,” the housekeeper looked at the nearby servant, “Go to the backyard and call the doctor.”

Old Master Lane tightly clutched the longevity lock in his hand, closed his eyes, leaned back in the chair, and said in a deep voice, “It’s nothing, it’s nothing. Perhaps my blood pressure is a little high, but it’s not a big problem. I’ll just rest for a while.”

He hadn’t found his Charlotte yet, hadn’t found her yet.

He couldn’t let anything happen to him…