Chapter 1755:

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The following day, before Giselle even had the chance to relay Sandra’s reluctance, Brandon called first and proposed letting the two spend more time together.

Giselle passed the message along. Sandra turned it over in her mind for a full night and slowly came around to a different conclusion. Dominik wasn’t handsome, and he wasn’t wealthy enough to dazzle her—but he was, by any honest measure, a solid choice. A relationship built on mutual benefit, she reasoned, was actually one of the more stable foundations for marriage.

“I’ll give it a try,” she told Giselle the next morning.

What followed surprised her. Dominik proved to be a genuinely good man. Aside from his unremarkable looks, he had no real faults—no scandals, no complicated romantic history. He was gentle, thoughtful, and steadily loyal. By most standards, he was an ideal partner. And as for money, someone from a family like his was hardly struggling; he simply didn’t make a show of it.

Over the next six months, Sandra’s relationship with Dominik progressed far better than she had expected. The connection even earned her generous allowances from Shepard, who clearly approved of the direction things were heading.

Their engagement ceremony was extravagant—grander by far than the birthday celebration Sandra had thrown for herself three years ago. It was during that event that she finally grasped what she represented to both families. She wasn’t marrying for love, but she found herself making a quiet peace with the practical comfort the arrangement promised.

Dominik, for his part, felt he had landed exceptionally well. Marrying Sandra brought the Harper family’s influence within reach and gave him a natural connection to Ethan—advantages that would smooth his path considerably in the years ahead.

Nеw 𝘄𝗲e𝗸𝗅𝘺 c𝗁𝘢𝗽𝗍𝖾𝗿𝘴 𝘰ո 𝗴𝘢𝗅𝘯о𝗏𝘦l𝘴.𝗰𝗈𝘮

The engagement day turned out to be flawless—sunny skies, warm golden light, and a festive atmosphere that filled the entire venue with energy and warmth.

Friends and relatives of the Harper family arrived one by one, each offering their congratulations. Before the assembled guests, Shepard, Ernst, and Dalton each stepped forward to present their gifts to Sandra. Shepard handed her a check for one billion dollars, while Ernst and Dalton followed with five hundred million each. Shepard also transferred ownership of two companies into her name, and even Brenna contributed five hundred million dollars of her own.

Sandra felt the full reality of her new position settle over her. Watching the stunned expressions and barely concealed envy on the faces of the guests, she felt, for the first time, that she had truly arrived among the upper class.

Giselle added to the occasion with several luxury cars, a collection of properties, and two commercial buildings.

It was in that moment that Sandra understood, with complete clarity, the extent of the Harper family’s generosity. As long as she conducted herself with dignity and avoided unnecessary trouble, they were more than willing to treat her well. She was deeply grateful she had never followed Keira’s persistent advice to demand money from them outright.

She had kept a low profile all along—staying close to home, occasionally making breakfast for the family, pouring most of her energy into her fashion designs. From time to time, she had even made clothes for various family members. They rarely wore them, but they accepted the gifts graciously, and to Sandra, that alone had always been enough.

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