Chapter 4283

“Alright, you get changed, and I’ll sort your stuff,” Angelo said.

It wasn’t his first time covering for his brother.

While Alonzo swapped outfits and freshened up, Angelo slipped into the study, gathering books from the desk and stuffing them into his brother’s schoolbag. A quick check confirmed Alonzo’s school ID was inside. Satisfied, he slung the bag over his shoulder and stepped out.

By then, Alonzo was fully dressed and almost ready.

“Bro, I’m heading downstairs. I’ll take your bag with me,” Angelo called.

“Cool, thanks,” Alonzo replied.

Angelo bounded downstairs, expecting to see his aunt in the living room, but she was nowhere in sight—probably stepped out. Shrugging, he dropped the schoolbag by the couch and followed the irresistible scent coming from the kitchen. Time to see if he could sneak a bite.

“Brother Tatum, it smells amazing! Can I eat yet? I think—oh, Auntie, you’re here!” Angelo blurted out as he entered, surprised to see Mrs. Ormond standing quietly behind Tatum, watching him cook.

Mrs. Ormond turned with a calm smile. “Is Alonzo up?”

“I yelled at him to get moving. He’s still washing up,” Angelo said, his big eyes brimming with curiosity. “Auntie, are you trying to pick up some cooking tips from Brother Tatum?”

Tatum’s cooking was next level, so Angelo figured it made sense. His own mom had once mentioned learning a few tricks from Tatum so she could make him breakfast at home—saving him the daily trek here. But that was just talk. Every time Angelo tried to wake her up for a lesson, she’d groan, mumble about sleep, and roll over.

Maternal love? Hit or miss, depending on the day.

“Yeah, I’d like to learn,” Mrs. Ormond said casually.
Angelo’s arrival cut her conversation with Tatum short. She gently ushered him out of the kitchen, letting the chef focus on his work.

“Where’s your big sister?” she asked, her voice soft.

“Didn’t I tell you? She’s out running,” Angelo replied, tilting his head up at her, his eyes brimming with curiosity. “Auntie, are you worried about something?”

Mrs. Ormond hesitated for a moment, then smiled and patted his head. “You caught that, huh? Yeah, I’ve got a few things on my mind. But what made you ask?”

Angelo didn’t miss a beat. “You never get up early, Auntie. But today you did, and you’ve got dark circles under your eyes. That means you didn’t sleep well. No sleep means you’re stressing.”

Sharp kid, she thought.

She ruffled his hair again. “You got me. I didn’t sleep much last night.”

Angelo perked up. “You should talk to my mom about it. Sis always says, ‘If something’s bothering you, talk it out—it’ll help.’ We’ve got a big family. If you tell Mom, someone will help.”

Mrs. Ormond chuckled. “That’s good advice, Angelo. I’ll stop by your mom’s later and chat.”

She and her sisters-in-law were close. If something was weighing on her, they’d help her figure it out. This was about Elora’s future—a big deal for the entire Ormond family. Getting their input made sense.

“Auntie, Mom won’t be up until after ten,” Angelo warned. “It’s still early. You could nap upstairs or go for a walk—fresh air might help. But bundle up—it’s freezing out there.”