?Chapter 1496:


    That realization hardened her heart. Why bother feeling grateful or yearning for their approval when they were this cold to her?


    So be it—she would take full advantage of the Harper fortune without losing a wink of sleep.


    Still, at least this way, no one in the family would know she had been duped by Andres, and no one wouldugh at her.


    When Sandra returned to her room, Cecily appeared with a ss of warm milk.


    Sandra asked casually, “Did anything happen at home today?”


    Cecily’s chin tilted ever so slightly, her demeanor tinged with arrogance. Even though she was just a servant, she still looked down on Sandra. “A Mr. Stewart stopped by to see you around seven, a bouquet of roses in hand.”


    Sandra’s heart skipped, anxiety bubbling up. A dozen scenarios shed through her mind. Had the Harper family uncovered the truth? “What was he doing here?” she asked.


    “He said he had arranged dinner with you tonight, came to fetch you,” Cecily replied icily, her eyes sharp with judgment. To her, Sandra was making a fool of herself by being involved with the wrong sort of man.


    “So what did you tell him? And why on earth didn’t anyone think to call me and inform me of that?” Sandra bristled. She might not like Andres anymore, but this matter still involved her. The Harper family should have told her.


    But they hadn’t bothered to call her. They clearly didn’t care about her at all.


    Cecily’s voice turned sharper. “Your brother happened to be home at that time. He drove Mr. Stewart away and told him never toe back.”


    Sandra’s temper red hotter. Andres hade to see her, and without even asking her about it, the Harper family had driven him away. “Who gave him the right to chase Andres away without asking me?” she snapped at Cecily.


    Cecily was clearly displeased. “Miss Harper, your brother said Mr. Stewart is trouble. A Harper family member like you shouldn’t associate with him.”


    Although Sandra had already decided to cut ties with Andres, the Harper family’s high-handed move of dismissing him without consulting her still left her simmering with annoyance.


    Cecily continued tly, “If that is all, I’ll take my leave.”


    Once alone, Sandra pulled Andres off her cklist, only to be greeted by a flood of messages from earlier that afternoon—sharine words mixed with money transfers, all designed to win her back.


    Her anger spiked. Did he really take her for some lovesick fool?


    Without a second thought, she fired off a curt reply. “We should break up.”


    Then, with finality, she tossed Andres right back onto the cklist.


    It wasn’t even ten in the evening yet, so she made her way to Brenna’s room.


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