Married at First Sight (Serenity and Zachary) novel Chapter 3916

Chapter 3916 
         
By the time Alonzo is ready to take over the Ormond family business, Elora will be nearly fifty. If she marries and has children within the next two years, she could pass the family business to Alonzo and her own venture to her children within a few years. 
Only then could she truly consider retiring. 
Elora turned to Tatum. “Tatum, you must’ve known I sent people to Wiltspoon to investigate you, right? I couldn’t find out that you’re the sixth young master of the York family. Was that intentional? Did you not want me to know?” 
Tatum replied honestly, “No, I didn’t know at first. My eldest brother told me. He said you investigated me—twice, actually. But you didn’t connect me to the York Corporation because my brother covered for me. 
“He knew I came here to improve my cooking skills. If you had known I was the young master of Wiltspoon’s wealthiest family, you probably wouldn’t have hired me as your private chef. Without that opportunity, I wouldn’t have gotten your feedback, and my cooking wouldn’t have improved as much. Tell me, Miss—do you think my cooking has gotten better since I first started?” 
Elora nodded slightly. His cooking had indeed improved. She hadn’t gotten tired of his dishes, even after all this time. 
Tatum pressed, “If you’d known I was the sixth young master of the York family, would you have still hired me as your chef?” 
Elora hesitated. “…Probably not.” 
Tatum chuckled. “See? That’s why my brother covered for me. I didn’t intentionally hide it, but you also never asked me anything specific about my background. Back in Wiltspoon, I kept a low profile. When I came here, I couldn’t exactly go around announcing that I’m the young master of the richest family in Wiltspoon.” 
Elora was silent for a moment before speaking softly. “You’re the most passionate person about cooking I’ve ever met. You’ve already achieved so much, and your family background is extraordinary. You don’t need to work for fame or fortune, yet you push yourself so hard.” 
She admired Tatum’s dedication. For someone with his status to humble himself, travel so far, and work as a chef in her household spoke volumes about his love for cooking. 
Tatum stopped walking and looked at her intently. His gaze was so deep and serious that it caught her off guard. 
“What if I told you,” he said suddenly, “that the real reason I came to Province X was to find a wife? Would you believe me?” Elora blinked, startled. 
“You’re looking for a wife? Here?” she asked, her curiosity piqued. 
Everyone loves a bit of gossip, and Elora was no exception. The idea that Tatum, the sixth young master of the York family, had traveled such a distance to find a wife intrigued her. Who could this mysterious woman be? What kind of charm did she have to captivate a man like him? 
Tatum smiled. “My grandmother is a mischievous old woman. My eldest brother manages the company so well that she has little to worry about. Even though she’s still strong and sharp, she doesn’t have much to occupy her mind, so she channels her energy into matchmaking for us grandchildren.” 
Elora laughed. “She’s doing it out of love. Honestly, I think all elders are like that. Once their children reach marriageable age and show no progress, they can’t help but worry. 
“Even though I’m running the family business, my mother constantly frets over my marriage. She wants me to keep managing the business but also insists I marry a good man. And, of course, she doesn’t want me to marry far away—she’s afraid I wouldn’t be able to juggle my family responsibilities if I lived too far. 
“She always says that girls have a shorter window to ‘bloom’ compared to boys. According to her, if I don’t find a partner while I’m young, it’ll only get harder. Before 25, I had the freedom to choose who I liked, but after 25, she says the tables turn, and it’s about who chooses me. I’ll be 27 next year… Who’s going to choose me now? There aren’t many young men I’m even interested in.”