Chapter 55: When did you and your husband register?

"Ah!" Adelina screamed, instinctively trying to blow out the flame.

But the fire only grew as she blew.

At that moment, Langston quickly snatched a metal lid and slammed it down over the fire.

Darkness enveloped them once more as the fire went out.

"Don't worry, I'm not wearing glasses, so you're just a blur in front of me," he said, trying to reassure her but only adding to Adelina's embarrassment.

She had forgotten that they had both taken off their clothes?

With this in mind, she immediately felt for their clothes hanging on the rope.

But they were still damp.

"Wear mine, it's dry," Langston offered, as he pulled off his jacket, keeping his pants on, and handed her the jacket.

Her touch confirmed it was indeed dry!

No longer bare to each other, the fire was lit once more.

Adelina packed the dry items into her bag and then placed the sweet potatoes on the stove to roast.

Noticing Langston brought a small pot, she pondered for a moment before asking, "Mr. Moore, how about some soup? I saw some wild greens by the shore. I could pick some to make soup."

Langston glanced at her bare feet and offered, "I'll carry you there. You just point out what to pick."

Adelina didn't dare to bother him any further. "No need. Look, I have disposable shoe covers here. They're meant for rain, but walking barefoot in them is fine too. I almost forgot I brought them."

She slipped her feet into them while speaking and picked up her flashlight before heading toward the stream.

Langston rummaged through his bag and found a spare pair of glasses, then, flashlight in hand, crawled out of the cave and slowly walked towards Adelina.

"Mr. Moore, do you eat frog legs?"

Noticing his approach, Adelina suddenly asked, looking up.

At the mention of "frog legs," Langston's brow furrowed in displeasure.

Unable to see his face clearly, Adelina continued, "If you do, I could catch a couple, and then we'll have some grilled frog legs! I've got some seasoning from instant noodles in my bag—perfect for getting rid of the gamey taste."

Langston's brow relaxed, and he asked her, "You dare to catch them?"

Adelina raised an eyebrow proudly, "Why shouldn't I? Although I've lived a comfortable life, my dad always says I've got the spirit of a boy!"

So she handed him the wild vegetables she had picked, rolled up her sleeves, and started to look around the creekside with her flashlight.

Langston sat on the ground watching her.

His clothes were just long enough to cover her thighs when she stood straight, but because she was bending over, he could still catch glimpses of an alluring view in the moonlight. He immediately felt his mouth go dry and a surge of hormones rush through him.

"When did you and your husband register your marriage?" In an attempt to regain his composure, he brought up a topic he was reluctant to discuss.

Adelina, focused on hunting for the frogs, didn't have her guard up and casually replied, "It was the day before I started at Moore Corporation."

Langston's brows knit together again, "June 6th?"

After counting the days, Adelina realized it was indeed the case. She had forgotten about it herself.

At that moment, Langston was recalling the report from Vanessa about that man's whereabouts, "Garrett's exit record was June 7th, which means he left the country the day after you registered. If a man really loves you, would he be in such a rush to leave?"

Just then, Adelina caught a large frog, and in her excitement, she almost blurted out, "Love or not, he and I are just—"

She suddenly caught herself and quickly clamped her hand over her mouth.

That was close!

If she had gone on to reveal the real story behind her registry with Mr. Miller, it would have been like slapping her own face!

She had once expressed to Langston that she did love Mr. Miller!

That's why she had always observed the last line of propriety in their interactions.

"What do you mean 'just'?" Langston pressed, as she had stopped speaking.

Adelina's mind raced, and she quickly conjured up a lie. "He and I met during tough times. He knows my father has racked up a huge debt and wants to help me pay it off as soon as possible. That's why he went to that dangerous Southeast Asia to seek new business opportunities. I hope he doesn't run into the kind of scams you're talking about, I'm really worried about him!"

Langston didn't want to hear any more, he patted his pants and stood up. "Hurry up with that water. Move faster, I'm starving."

Relieved, Adelina shifted her focus back to the shore and continued her hunt for bullfrogs.

On the other side of the mountain, Katherine hugged her knees, crying incessantly.

Waite grew more irritated. "Sis, that's enough! The assistant said they would be here by tomorrow morning at the latest. Can't you just be quiet?"

"How can I be quiet?" Katherine complained. "It's night already, and all we can do is sit here and wait! It's cold, the wind is strong, and we must constantly be on the lookout for wild animals that might appear at any moment! I've had it! I want to go home!"

Waite tossed another log onto the fire. "I told you not to come, but you wouldn't listen!"

"How was I supposed to know it would actually be dangerous?"

"You have no idea how many things you can't predict!"

While the siblings continued to argue, suddenly they saw the light of a torch up ahead.

Waite immediately stood up and ran ahead with his flashlight.

"It's the assistant!"

This revelation perked Katherine up, and she also got to her feet, limping barefoot towards the light.

Soon after, Vanessa appeared with the geologist and two bodyguards.

"Mr. Watson, after I got your call, I sent a few people to search the possible locations. Mr. Moore's phone had a walkie-talkie system installed before he left, but I can't reach him either. If he hasn't lost his phone, then something serious must have happened. As for the vice president, we still can't reach him, but I've sent someone to the central camp. If all goes well, we should have news by dawn."

As she spoke, Vanessa passed a spare walkie-talkie to Waite. "Take this as a backup. You lead us to where Mr. Moore and Miss Howard disappeared today."

Waite nodded eagerly, "Okay! Follow me!"

Seeing this, Katherine quickly grabbed his arm. "What about me? I don't want to be here alone!"

Waite looked at Vanessa, troubled. "My sister got bitten by a poisonous snake, and it was Adelina who saved her. It will be difficult for her to move if she comes with us."

After thinking for a moment, Vanessa instructed one of the bodyguards, "You stay here to help Miss Watson set up a tent. Once you're done, stay nearby on guard and wait for our news."

Then he turned back to Waite, "I've arranged a helicopter. One will fly in early tomorrow morning to take Miss Watson to the Harano City hospital for a checkup."

"That'd be great, Assistant Vanessa," Waite said, feeling a weight lifted off his shoulders.

However, just as they were about to set off, Vanessa's walkie-talkie crackled with the voice of a bodyguard, "Boss, we found a woman's hiking shoe by a ditch."

Another voice piped up, "I've found another woman's hiking shoe over here! It must be Miss Howard's!"

A third chime in, "I've discovered a yellow skirt."

Katherine immediately said, "That's my skirt! The one that monkey snatched away from me today!"

Vanessa's expression grew serious, and she picked up the walkie-talkie and responded firmly, "Describe your current locations, stay put for tonight, and don't wander off!"