Chapter 3658

“Puh, puh, puh, don’t say such unlucky things,” Mrs. Ormond exclaimed, trying to stop her daughter from speaking negatively. “If it comes to that, I’d rather you marry far away. At least you’d have a home, a companion, and your own children.”

In her mind, Mrs. Ormond thought that even marrying far away was better than Elora not marrying at all. As long as the man was good, distance didn’t matter.

She added, “Elora, do you know any good men from other cities? Have you met any at social events? If you find someone promising, bring him home, and we’ll help you choose. We trust your judgment, but with our experience, we can guide you in making the best decision.”

Elora replied, “No, the men I meet at social events are all married, and some are old enough to be my grandfather. There aren’t many young, successful, single men around.”

There were a few, but none caught Elora’s interest. She felt her standards were high. “Mom, let’s change the subject. I’m feeling a bit hungry. Let’s go see if there are any snacks. I’ll have a bite to tide me over.”

Elora stood up, clearly wanting to avoid further discussion.

Mrs. Ormond said, “Tatum went on the business trip with you, didn’t he? The snacks here were made by the pastry chef, and you think they’re too sweet. You’ve never liked them.”

The family enjoyed the pastry chef’s treats, but Elora was picky and found them too sweet. She could tolerate the snacks Tatum made, though.

Tatum often said he wasn’t great at making snacks, but Mrs. Ormond found them less sweet and softer than the pastry chef’s, which might explain why Elora could eat them.

Elora walked into the kitchen.

When Tatum saw her, he glanced over, smiled, and continued his work. “Miss, are you hungry? The soup will be ready in about half an hour. You can have a bowl then.”

Tatum knew Elora was picky. She had only eaten the breakfast he made before returning, so it was no surprise she was hungry now.

The soup was almost done but needed another half hour to reach its best flavor. Since

Elora was particular about food, Tatum didn’t offer her any early, even though she might have wanted it. He didn’t want to compromise the high standards he had set in her mind.

“I am a bit hungry. I was thinking of having a few snacks, but I remembered you were on the trip with me, and I don’t like the ones here. I can eat the snacks you made, though,” Elora said.

As she watched him focus on cooking, she found him particularly attractive when he was serious about his work. In fact, she thought he was charming even when he wasn’t doing anything.

His features were strikingly handsome. Elora assumed his parents must have been very good-

looking to produce such a handsome son.

He was even more charming than the celebrity idols her younger sisters admired. If Tatum entered the entertainment industry, he would surely become a star.

“I’ll wait for half an hour. Don’t rush; make sure the food is as good as ever,” Elora said as she turned to leave.

Tatum responded, “Don’t worry, Miss. I take this seriously and won’t let my cooking fall below its usual standard.”