Chapter 4278

Chapter 4278

Mrs. Ormond hesitated, her voice tight with emotion. “Elora, we don’t want you marrying someone from so far away. Tatum’s great, don’t get me wrong, but he’s from way out there. You know how much our family relies on you now.”

“Mom, I understand,” Elora replied, steady and confident. “I’m marrying Tatum, but I’m not leaving Annenburg. The family company is mine—I’m not stepping away from it. I’ll even keep living here at home. You don’t have to worry about me checking out once I tie the knot.”

Mrs. Ormond’s eyes widened. “Wait, Elora—have you and Tatum already talked about what happens after the wedding? Is he really okay with being our live-in son-in-law?”

If Tatum was on board, she could support this marriage.

A spark of excitement flickered in Mrs. Ormond’s chest. Her daughter had landed a top-tier guy from the York family—what a win. If Tatum joined their household, he could lighten Elora’s load and have her back. Plus, with the York family’s influence, no one would dare challenge the Ormonds. Both families were wealthy, but the Yorks had the numbers—the kind of deep support the Ormonds lacked.

“He’s fine with it,” Elora said plainly. “I checked with Grandma York, and she’s good with whatever Tatum decides. But honestly, with my little brother around, I don’t need Tatum moving in permanently.”

“He’s already our chef, right? His job is here. Once we’re married, he’ll have to come to work anyway. He’ll be living here most of the time—so what’s the difference between that and being a live-in son-in-law? During the holidays, I’ll make time to visit his family, keep the in-laws happy, show some respect. But day-to-day, we’re here. It won’t interfere with my work or our family.”

Mrs. Ormond nodded slowly. “Just keep doing your thing, living life your way.”

Elora smiled.
“When Alonzo is old enough to take over, I’ll step back, retire, and travel the world with Tatum. As for his business, he can check in from time to time. He’s got a solid team he trusts, and his brothers back home won’t let it fall apart if anything goes wrong.

I saw how it works when I was at FC Manor. The fifth Johnson brother, Remy, runs their company’s Wiltspoon branch. He’s based there most of the time—practically a son-in-law to the Stone family. But his wife, Elisa Stone, says she doesn’t need him moving in. In reality, though, Remy’s life isn’t much different from if he had. He bought a house right next to her family, making them neighbors. Elisa still has her parents’ home just a stone’s throw away after marriage. I figure Tatum and I could do something similar.

In a few days, I’ll bring it up with him—suggest he buy a place nearby, something that’s truly his. A real home, somewhere he can settle, so he doesn’t feel like just the guy who married into our family. Right now, with things heating up between us, he’s fine with the setup. But down the line, if the spark fades, living under our roof might start to feel like a hit to his pride. That would suck. If he has his own space, he won’t dwell on it. And if we do get married, I can move in with him—start something of our own, just the two of us.”