Love at First Novel by Gu Lingfei

Time had slipped away before she even realized it.

It felt like just yesterday that she had taken over the family business. But in the blink of an eye, years had passed.

When she first stepped in, no one believed she could handle the weight of the Ormond empire. People underestimated her, waiting for her to fail. Many saw it as an opportunity to carve up the Ormond family's assets for themselves.

Her parents had been too weak. After her grandparents passed away, they struggled to keep control. Under their watch, the family business declined, bleeding money.

To make things worse, their so-called "relatives" from the extended family kept scheming, setting traps, exploiting her parents' naivety. Again and again, they were deceived.

As the eldest daughter and granddaughter, Elora had no choice but to step up.

In her teens, she built something of her own, carving out a reputation with sheer determination and force. Over time, she gained a foothold, stabilized the family's empire, and crushed every conspiracy her relatives tried to throw at her.

Now, those same relatives avoided her like the plague.

When they couldn't avoid her, they either scrambled to please her or faded into the background, hoping to go unnoticed.

But many of them were still her parents' siblings-her aunts and uncles. She couldn't cut them off entirely, even if she wanted to.

Her parents still insisted on maintaining ties.

Take her mother, for example. Despite everything, she still visited her family. Even though her own brother had been one of those eager to profit from their downfall, she never turned her back on him completely. Elora couldn't bring herself to sever that connection either.

she chose distance. She never visited her uncle's

And he understood.

never dared

in her family, and that was enough.

were now the most

watched Elora's every

her brothers'

and wiped out by opportunists circling

"Miss, have some fruit."

gentle voice pulled

blinked, suddenly aware that she had been standing at

exhale, she turned and walked back to her

of fresh fruit for her, complete

she never ate much fruit,

to handle a

Starting tomorrow, when you cook, make extra. We'll eat together, so you don't have to

three proper meals a day are important for a healthy stomach. You've taken such good care of mine-I can't

suffer."

into a

couldn't ask for more." His voice was warm. "Thank you

as he looked