Chapter 2019

Charlie Wade hadn't expected Elaine Ma's assessment of Loreen to be so accurate. He'd suspected Loreen's motives when she first arrived at the Emgrand Group. The Thomas family, having learned that the Wade family had settled an heir in Aurous Hill and gifted them the Emgrand Group, likely saw an opportunity to place Loreen there.

Initially, Charlie planned to prevent Loreen from contacting him, hoping she'd leave Aurous Hill before uncovering his true identity. Unexpectedly, she fell for him. From her confession, he knew this relationship wouldn't be easily dismissed.

Meanwhile, Claire Wilson overheard her mother discussing Loreen's ulterior motives and chuckled. "Mom, you're overthinking it. She's just here for a job; what other plans could she have?"

Elaine Ma smiled. "Then let me ask you, if your family had a hundred billion dollars, would you take a job paying several million a year?"

Claire considered this. "Maybe she wants independence, to work in a corporate environment, or perhaps it's sentimental."

"Sentimental?!" Elaine scoffed. "Daughter, you don't understand! Poor people might be sentimental, but the rich definitely aren't! They're all about profit. They wouldn't waste time in a small place unless they had a reason."

Elaine continued, "The only explanation is that she's interested in something here in Aurous Hill – something valuable!"

Claire sighed. "Mom, it's much simpler than you're making it out to be"

Elaine insisted, "Don't be so quick to dismiss it! I heard from my grandmother that their old home was secluded in the mountains. Few outsiders visited, let alone wealthy people. But one year, wealthy individuals started donating to build temples, claiming the local gods were exceptionally powerful."

"The villagers were puzzled. They were poor; if they had such powerful gods, why were they so impoverished? It didn't make sense."

Claire nodded. "That is strange."

Elaine explained, "This continued for years. Dozens of temples were built, yet poverty persisted. Then, a detective from Eastcliff investigated, revealing the wealthy donors were actually tomb raiders targeting a Ming Dynasty tomb!"

"Tomb raiding?" Claire exclaimed. "Mom, you read too many novels! Those are fictional grave robbers!"

Elaine insisted, "There are far more real-life grave robbers than fiction portrays! That tomb is under the mountain behind your grandmother's house, and the villagers never knew. Over the years, these robbers used temple construction as a cover to tunnel under the mountain!"