?Chapter 1631:


    Dalton sighed inwardly. He had expected this might happen and had prepared stacks of autographed photos the night before. He handed Sandra a box of them. “Give these to the cashiers. I’m leaving before things get worse.”


    If his agency caught wind of this, he’d be in deep trouble.


    Brenna and Ernst pushed their way through the sea of fans, grabbed Dalton by the arm, and rushed him toward the exit.


    It took every ounce of grit Brenna and Ernst possessed to pry Dalton free from the sea of fans swarming around him. Even when they got him into the car, fans clung to the doors like ivy, pleading for photos. Dalton, ever the charmer, indulged them with a fewst smiles and photos before his bodyguards finally shut the door and whisked him away in a blur of shing cameras.


    No sooner had Dalton disappeared down the street than another stampede of fans poured into the store. They tore through the racks like a pack of hungry wolves, snatching up clothes in armloads. The checkout line snaked across the floor, every customer determined to spend at least five thousand just to snag one of Dalton’s autographs.


    Sandra could hardly contain her joy.


    “Keep those racks full!” she said to her overwhelmed staff, who darted about like bees in a hive.


    To her astonishment, all five hundred signed photos were gone within an hour. By 11:30, the frenzy began to fade, and the store finally exhaled. The manager rushed over to Sandra, breathless. “Boss, half our inventory is gone!”


    Sandra grinned, not the least bit fazed. “Then keep iting—restock whatever’s left!”


    Just as she turned, she saw Keira. Sandra blinked, startled. Between the madness of the grand opening and the endless foot traffic, she hadn’t visited her mom in days. Keira’s bandages were gone now, her left wrist hidden in her sleeve where her missing hand would have been.


    “Mom? What are you doing here?” Sandra asked, still juggling her focus between her mother and the mayhem around her.


    Even the Harpers—minus Dalton—had rolled up their sleeves to help restock, their bodyguards lending muscle to the task.


    Keira’s eyes sparkled with pride and excitement. “I heard about your big day and brought some of my friends! I might’ve, um… promised them an eighty percent discount. That’s all right with you, right?”


    Sandra didn’t hesitate. Family came first. “Of course, Mom! I’ll let the cashiers know. You and your buddies can get the discount when you pay.”


    She strode to the checkout and said to the two cashiers, “This is my mom, and she’s with some friends. Give them an eighty percent discount on everything they purchase.”


    “Got it, boss!” the cashiers replied in unison.


    By noon, the madness had simmered down, giving the Harper family a chance to breathe. Shepard walked over to Sandra. “Sandra, we’re heading home. If things get out of hand again, I can send over some of the household staff to help.”


    Sandra, riding high on the day’s sess, shed a grateful smile. “Thanks, Dad—and everyone. You were lifesavers today. Don’t worry; I’ve got it handled now. Things should calm down this afternoon.”


    The Harpers departed soon after. And just as Sandra had predicted, the afternoon rush was steady but mercifully manageable—a far cry from the morning’s beautiful chaos.


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