Love at First Novel by Gu Lingfei

If she thought back far enough, it must have been in third grade. Her mother used to tell her that, as a child, she loved wearing princess dresses.

Being the firstborn-and a beautiful one at that her family dressed her like a little princess. Her closet had been filled with frilly gowns, gifts from her parents, aunts, uncles, and other relatives.

Then, at some point in fourth grade, she stopped wearing them. No matter how many new dresses she received, she always gave them away to her cousins. Eventually, everyone realized she wasn't interested, and the dresses stopped coming.

Her mother once asked why she no longer liked them. Elora had replied, "Skirts slow me down. I like to move fast."

Her mother had smiled and said she had always been decisive and strong-willed, which was why her grandparents had chosen her as the family's successor. And she hadn't let them down.

From a young age, she had shouldered the family's burdens. Under her leadership, the Ormond business hadn't just survived-it had thrived.

of her grandparents' old acquaintances were still around, and whenever they saw her, they praised her. They envied her grandparents for having such an exceptional granddaughter, especially since their

told anyone about the conversations

than once, her grandfather had sighed and lamented, "If only she were a

grandson of

always feared that one day she would marry, and her focus would shift

no choice but to entrust her

grandmother had passed, her two younger brothers hadn't been born yet. They had assumed there would be no male heirs in

her: "I gave birth to all sons, while yours can't even produce a grandson.” Shaking off those memories, Elora grabbed another suit and put it on. Standing before

circles under her eyes were impossible to

and carefully applied

she would be downstairs in half an hour, and she kept her word. By the time she reached the dining room, Tatum had