Chapter 4272

Chapter 4272

When Mrs. Ormond witnessed the two young people embracing moments ago, her heart nearly stopped. It felt as if the sky was collapsing around her, and she almost screamed.

However, she instinctively covered her mouth, forcing herself to remain silent.

As soon as the couple released each other, she turned and walked away, no longer watching from the stairs. She wanted to pretend she hadn’t seen anything and retreat to her room to process it quietly.

But she couldn’t.

She needed to speak with her daughter.

Just as she grappled with her emotions, Elora came upstairs. Now, here she was, sitting in her daughter’s room.

Elora studied her mother’s expression for a moment before saying, “Alright, Mom, stay here. I’m going to take a hot bath.”

Mrs. Ormond simply nodded.

As Elora disappeared into the bathroom, her mother let out a deep sigh.

Now that she had calmed down and reflected on the situation, she had to admit—damn it, Tatum and her daughter were a perfect match.

The realization unsettled her, making it difficult to sit still.

She rose and began pacing the room, her fingers absentmindedly brushing against objects on the shelves and desk, as if keeping her hands busy could soothe her restless thoughts.

Her gaze fell on the bedside table, where a large framed family photo stood.

This photo was taken during New Year’s, back when her parents—Elora’s grandparents—were still alive.

Feeling a tug in her chest, she walked over, picked up the frame, and sat down on the bed.

Elora’s face in the photo radiated pure joy.

At that time, the weight of the family legacy hadn’t yet fallen on her young shoulders. She had still been a carefree girl, untouched by responsibility.

But everything changed the moment she was thrust into the top position at such a young age.

Since then, that bright, unburdened smile…

had rarely appeared.

Mrs. Ormond often contemplated that if her firstborn had been a son, circumstances might have been different. A son would have taken on the family responsibilities, allowing Elora to continue living a carefree life.

All the affluent families in this city had sons to inherit their businesses. While their daughters might contribute, they were not burdened with the full weight of responsibility. They lived without the pressures that came with such duties.

They enjoyed the freedom to pursue their desires and fall in love with whomever they chose.

Elora never experienced that freedom.

No daughter of the Ormond family ever did.

Yes, there were two young boys in the next generation, but they were still too young to bear any responsibilities. Rather than being heirs, they were the ones being sheltered by their older sisters.

The more she reflected on it, the heavier the guilt weighed on her chest.

She felt like a failure.

She hadn’t given her daughter a brother to share the burden.

As parents, she and her husband had been unable to protect Elora from life’s storms.

“Mom.”

Elora’s voice jolted her from her thoughts.

She looked up to see her daughter standing in the doorway, freshly bathed.

Noticing the empty sofa, Elora immediately inferred that her mother had wandered into the bedroom.

Now, she found her sitting on the bed, holding a photo frame with tears in her eyes.

“You’re done.”

Mrs. Ormond quickly wiped her eyes and placed the frame back on the bedside table.

“When I saw this photo, it reminded me of happier times,” she said, forcing a small smile. “I suddenly missed your grandparents. My in-laws were wonderful people—they treated us daughters-in-law like their own. I just became overwhelmed thinking about them.”

She didn’t dare confess the truth.

That she was crying not just from nostalgia—
But because she felt

helpless.
She felt as though she had let her daughter down.