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.

visited her uncle's house during

And he understood.

dared

had her place in her family, and that was enough. It kept

the day, the Ormonds were now the most powerful force in Annenburg's

Elora's every

her mother cut ties completely, her brothers' businesses would

wiped out by opportunists circling like

"Miss, have some fruit."

gentle voice pulled Elora

been standing

she turned and walked back

set a plate of fresh fruit

she never ate much fruit, just a little of

I need to handle

when you cook, make extra. We'll eat together, so

meals a day are important for a healthy stomach. You've

suffer."

curved into

His voice was warm. "Thank you for your concern. It means a

softened as he