Chapter 4277

Chapter 4277

Elora fell silent for a moment before speaking. “Mom, I may not have dated anyone yet, but I’m not naive. When a guy is nice to a woman, there’s always a reason. From the start, Tatum wasn’t just good to me—no, he treated me like I was already his fiancée. His kindness wasn’t random; it had a purpose.”

They just hadn’t noticed it back then.

“What about the private chefs we had before…?”

Elora trailed off. She didn’t need to say more. The chefs she’d hired in the past were different from Tatum—older, married, with families of their own. They wouldn’t have dared cross any lines with her, the eldest daughter of the family.

“Elora, listen,” Mrs. Ormond said, her tone warm but firm. “Tatum’s a solid guy. Our whole family likes him—that’s just the truth. Even if you two don’t end up together, we’d still want him around. You were away on that business trip at FC Manor, and while you were gone, he didn’t cook. Your brothers struggled, and honestly, so did I. He’s only been here a few months, and we’re already hooked on his cooking.”

Mrs. Ormond let out a heavy sigh. “That’s not exactly a good thing. Maybe you should bring in some other chefs, mix it up a bit, so we’re not all so dependent on Tatum’s meals.”

The truth was, Tatum didn’t make anything extravagant—just the same dishes they’d always eaten. But somehow, his versions tasted better, with more variety and flavor.

Alonzo and Angelo were obsessed. When Tatum cooked for the kids, he went all out—far more effort than any chef before him. Top-quality ingredients were a given, but he also shaped them into little animals the boys adored. He even recreated characters from their favorite cartoons, capturing both the look and the taste perfectly. How could the kids not go crazy for that?

Tatum paid attention to the details.
Even off the clock, Tatum looked after the boys—taking them out to play or keeping them company while they did homework. Tutoring wasn’t really necessary; both kids were sharp as tacks. But they were still little rascals, always itching to run around instead of sitting still.

That’s where supervision came in.

Whenever the adults at home tried keeping them in line, it usually ended in frustration—heated exchanges that left everyone on edge. But Tatum? He had a way of keeping them focused. Whether it was homework, reading, drawing, or piano practice, he got them to buckle down effortlessly. And when it was time to play, he let them cut loose.

Mrs. Ormond couldn’t help but be impressed. Tatum was a rare find—skilled, adaptable, patient, and great with the kids.

She had even considered suggesting a raise to Elora or asking him to take on tutoring as a side gig. In her eyes, he was already outshining the one they’d hired.

But then, out of nowhere, Elora started catching feelings for him.

After a long pause, Elora spoke again. “Mom, Tatum said he trains the other chefs here. When he’s not around, they manage just fine. Didn’t you all eat their food the past two days? I’m just picky, that’s all. Don’t act like we’d starve without him. There’s no need to hire anyone else—I love his cooking, and I could eat it forever without getting bored. Let him cook for me for life. I bet he’d be thrilled to.”

Mrs. Ormond’s heart skipped a beat.

Was her daughter seriously hinting at marrying Tatum?