Chapter 059 She Must Marry into the Moore Family!

Overnight, the news of Moore Corporation's Mr. Langston and an intern's brush with danger in the remote mountains spread throughout the entire business community.

Online discussions were boiling over with speculation. Some lamented the loss of such promising talent, while others blamed it on a femme fatale disaster. What was more unexpected was the sudden rise of a mysterious pseudo-scientific theory dominating the trending topics.

"They say many lost souls wander Mount El, knowing their territory is about to be bought, so they keep the people most likely to acquire it," one theory suggested.

"I heard the last time Moore Corporation sent a team there, the members also met with an accident. The person in charge of the project had a car crash and fell off a cliff. The police searched for a month but couldn't find any remains."

"This incident is similar to the last one; no remains found, but personal items like cell phones, shoes, watches were recovered."

"That area has large dead zones with no signal, almost like a barrier. It's as if some mysterious force is at play."

"As a kid, I went there with the adults from my village. They said the mountain spirit is malevolent, demanding several living sacrifices each year."

"I heard that another senior executive from Moore Corporation who went along almost didn't make it but was saved by their bodyguard. Otherwise, it would have been another life lost!"

"I know the heiress of the Watson family also went, but soon after arriving, she was attacked by a venomous snake and nearly lost her life! She didn't dare continue and took a helicopter back the next day."

Meanwhile, at the Moore Corporation headquarters, all senior executives were gathered in the conference room on the 88th floor. Sitting squarely in the center was Alan, with Vanessa at his side.

"The conclusion the police have reached so far is that Mr. Moore and the intern named Adelina accidentally fell into an underground cavern, were swept by the current into a pool's silt, and drowned," Alan stated with evident grief. "But due to the conditions, the recovery of their bodies wasn't possible."

Vanessa listened silently throughout without a word.

A voice questioned, "Deputy Director Moore, where were you at the time? Since you all started out together, why did Mr. Moore meet with tragedy while you and assistant Ward came away unscathed?"

Alan responded gravely, "At the time, I was walking ahead with Ward. Mr. Moore was taking photos with Miss Watson, Adelina, and others, so they were lagging. This matter has already been explained to the police by the Watson siblings. After reaching camp, Ward and I even went out to look for them, but we got lost in the woods due to a mistake in direction, and I nearly..."

Someone then turned their attention to Vanessa, "Vanessa, you had seven bodyguards with you, why didn't you leave one with Mr. Moore?"

Before Vanessa could respond, Alan interjected, "Director Ren, our helicopter has five seats, but we had a lot of luggage this time. One seat had to be used for the luggage, so besides the pilot, we could only fit three people. Bringing an extra bodyguard would have overloaded the helicopter, increasing the risk of a crash. This personnel arrangement was made by Langston himself, and it had nothing to do with Ms. Vanessa! Don't stir up trouble and jump to conspiracies. What's critical now is to choose someone to step into Langston's role to decide whether we continue bidding on this project!"

Director Ren ceased his questioning, though his expression soured.

Alan scanned the room, about to offer himself for the role, when suddenly the conference room door was thrust open. An elegant matron swept in, pointing directly at Alan. "Alan, Langston is merely missing, and here you are, so eager to replace him! What are your intentions?"

Everyone turned to see that it was Langston's mother, Ileana, entering, which surprised them all.

Ileana hailed from the esteemed Ilestan family and was the sole daughter of the Washburn Group, so even after marrying into the Moore Corporation, her words carried significant weight.

With the early death of Langston's father, the affairs of the Moore household were almost entirely in the hands of this lady.

Alan had always been a fixture at the Moore Corporation, but in terms of status, he didn't hold a candle to Ileana. As she walked in, the other senior executives stood up, greeting her with the respect due to her station before sitting back down. Alan, however, remained firmly in his seat, an obvious scowl marring his features.

Ileana marched straight to the center of the long conference table, and Vanessa promptly stood up to offer her a seat, then silently took her place standing behind her.

"My son will not be replaced until we find his body, the hole left by his absence remains unfilled," Ileana proclaimed, her voice laced with determination. "I'll insist the police continue the search, even if it means dredging the silt from the riverbed. I won't let anyone with ulterior motives take advantage of the situation!" As she said this, her gaze slid pointedly toward Alan. "Won't you agree, Alan?"

Alan forced a polite smile. "You're absolutely right, Ileana," he said smoothly.

"So, while we're in this interim period, I'll be overseeing company operations. Regarding the Mount El Wind Scenic Area project in Harano City—it was of great importance to Langston, so we cannot let it go! After this meeting, I want everyone to submit their proposals to me again, and I also need to be updated on the bidding process. Vanessa, stay behind afterward. I want a detailed report on the specific status and progress of this project."

With the authority of someone who had once managed household affairs, Ileana commanded the room, and nobody dared argue.

"Yes," Vanessa finally spoke, nodding her acknowledgment.

Meanwhile, Katherine was fraught with anxiety. Her father, Abner, eager to maintain the matrimonial alliance with the Moore family, was even considering pushing her to marry Alan's older son, Mack—a man two years her junior, known for his indolence, debauchery, and playboy tendencies.

The gossip that Mack had recently impregnated a model only to have her whisked away for a secret abortion in a matter of days had spread like wildfire. It was such a sullied reputation that Katherine couldn't fathom marrying into the Moore household.

"Dad! I can't believe Langston is just...gone. Can't we wait a little longer? Maybe there's still hope," she pleaded after returning from Harano City, now confined to her room by her father.

Abner was a businessman to the core, his every decision calculated for profit, and he wasn't one to take risks.

"Wait? How long do you think we have? Until someone else beats you to it?" Abner incredulously asked. "Do you have any idea that Madam Moore never even favored you in the first place? She had her sights set on the Suarez family!" He was adamant about proceeding with the arranged marriage. "There are plenty of heiresses eyeing the Moore family fortune. If you won't marry, a queue of women awaits that opportunity."

"I don't care! I refuse to marry Mack. I've heard he doesn't even distinguish between genders in his pursuits! Are you really willing to sacrifice your daughter's happiness for the sake of profit?" Katherine's voice was a blend of defiance and desperation.

With a sharp slap, Katherine's face instantly bore the fiery imprint of a raised hand.

"I don't care! Unless you are not my daughter, you will marry into the Moore family!"

With those final words, Abner spun on his heel, slamming the door as he left the room.