?Chapter 1684:


    Ellie noticed Sandra heading her way but didn’t pay much attention to her. The thought of Sandra trying to steal her client never crossed her mind.


    She just offered a polite smile to Sandra before turning back. “Of course, Ms. Briggs. Drop by the studio tomorrow so we can review the details and take your measurements.”


    The woman’s face brightened. “Perfect! Ellie, I adore your designs. They’re so refined and stylish. My mom and sister also love your designs. We always get a fresh set of outfits from your studio each year.”


    “Thank you so much for the continued support,” said Ellie with genuine warmth.


    The woman’spanion also spoke up, saying she wanted to have a custom piece made as well.


    The group lingered in cheerful conversation before going their separate ways. Sandra, standing nearby, had caught every word and was already scheming how to sway those clients to her side.


    When the two women left Ellie’s side, Sandra made her move.


    “Ms. Briggs, Ms. Gill, I now run a high-end boutique that offers custom-made clothes. My designs are very stylish. Would you be open to ordering something from me? I can provide a special discount.”


    One woman responded politely, “That’s very kind of you, but no thank you. We’ve been customers of Ms. Moore’s studio for years and couldn’t be happier. Perhaps there’ll be a chance for us to order from your studio in the future.”


    The polite refusal left Sandra disappointed. She hadn’t expected breaking into the industry to be so difficult.


    Did she truly have to rely on the Harper family to get her studio running?


    As the crowd thinned out, the lively chatter faded, and soon, even the Harper family had left, leaving Sandra to deal with the aftermath of the event.


    She stood quietly, scanning the tables. Only a small portion of the desserts and drinks had been touched.


    Stories live now on galnσ??????????o??


    Usually, the restaurant managed the cleanup and disposal.


    Sandra had discussed this arrangement with the restaurant before, yet now, seeing all the uneaten food and sealed bottles, she couldn’t help thinking it was wasteful to hand everything over to the restaurant. It seemed like throwing money away.


    Even so, the thought of asking the staff to pack it all up for her made her uneasy. She believed the staff would look down on her.


    She felt torn, not knowing what to do.


    Just then, Keira walked over, the restaurant’s event manager trailing reluctantly at her side.


    “Sandra, can you believe all this wine and cakes are still untouched?” Keira eximed. “I talked to the manager—some of these bottles cost thousands, even tens of thousands! And those cakes? They’d go for hundreds a slice at top bakeries. It’s ridiculous to throw them away or leave them to the restaurant. We should take them! You could use them for promotions at your store instead of letting the restaurant keep them.”


    Her words made the manager visibly annoyed. He’d already heard the whispers among guests—the talk that Sandra was Shepard’s illegitimate daughter from a modest upbringing. To him, her mother’s eagerness to take the leftovers only confirmed it.


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