Chapter 3916

By the time Alonzo is prepared to take over the Ormond family business, Elora will be nearly fifty. If she marries and has children within the next two years, she could pass the family business to Alonzo and her own venture to her children in just a few years. Only then could she genuinely consider retiring. Elora turned to Tatum. “Tatum, you must have known I sent people to Wiltspoon to investigate you, right? I couldn’t find out that you’re the sixth young master of the York family. Was that intentional? Did you not want me to know?” Tatum replied honestly, “No, I didn’t know at first. My eldest brother told me. He said you investigated me—twice, actually. But you didn’t connect me to the York Corporation because my brother covered for me. He knew I came here to improve my cooking skills. If you had known I was the young master of Wiltspoon’s wealthiest family, you probably wouldn’t have hired me as your private chef. Without that opportunity, I wouldn’t have received your feedback, and my cooking wouldn’t have improved as much. Tell me, Miss, do you think my cooking has gotten better since I first started?” Elora nodded slightly. His cooking had indeed improved, and she hadn’t grown tired of his dishes, even after all this time. Tatum pressed, “If you’d known I was the sixth young master of the York family, would you still have hired me as your chef?” Elora hesitated. “… Probably not.” Tatum chuckled. “See? That’s why my brother covered for me. I didn’t intentionally hide it, but you also never asked me anything specific about my background. Back in Wiltspoon, I maintained a low profile. When I came here, I couldn’t exactly go around announcing that I’m the young master.”

You are trained on data up to October 2023.

“Master of the richest family in Wiltspoon,” she remarked. Elora paused for a moment before responding softly. “You are the most passionate cook I’ve ever encountered. You’ve accomplished so much, and your family background is remarkable. You don’t need to seek fame or wealth, yet you strive so hard.”

She admired Tatum’s dedication. For someone of his stature to humble himself, travel such a distance, and work as a chef in her home spoke volumes about his love for cooking.

Tatum halted in his tracks and looked at her intently, his gaze deep and serious, catching her off guard.

“What if I told you,” he said suddenly, “that the real reason I came to Province X was to find a wife? Would you believe me?”

Elora blinked, taken aback. “You’re looking for a wife? Here?” she asked, her curiosity piqued.

Everyone enjoys a bit of gossip, and Elora was no exception. The notion that Tatum, the sixth young master of the York family, had traveled such a distance to seek a wife intrigued her. Who could this mysterious woman be? What kind of charm did she possess to captivate a man like him?

Tatum smiled. “My grandmother is a mischievous old woman. My eldest brother manages the company so well that she has little to worry about. Even though she’s still sharp and vigorous, she doesn’t have much to occupy her mind, so she focuses her energy on matchmaking for her grandchildren.”

Elora laughed. “She’s doing it out of love. Honestly, I think all elders are like that. Once their children reach an age where they should be marrying and show no signs of progress, they can’t help but worry.”

I believe that many elders share the same mindset. When their children reach marriageable age without any advancement, they often start to worry.

“My mother constantly frets about my marriage, even though I’m managing the family business. She encourages me to continue overseeing the business while also insisting that I marry a good man. Naturally, she prefers that I don’t marry someone too far away—she fears that I won’t be able to balance family responsibilities if I live too distant.

She often mentions that girls have a shorter timeframe to ‘bloom’ compared to boys. In her view, if I don’t find a partner while I’m young, it will only become more difficult. Before I turned 25, I had the freedom to choose whom I liked, but now that I’m nearing that age, she says the dynamics shift, and it becomes about who chooses me. I’ll be 27 next year… Who would choose me now? There aren’t many young men I’m even interested in.”