?Chapter 1711:


    At that moment, Sandra appeared at the doorway, her expression dark.


    The cheerful air in the room shifted instantly.


    When she heard Brenna’s good news, she became more somber.


    Shepard immediately noticed Sandra’s strained expression. He exchanged worried nces with his wife and Brenna before speaking gently. “Sandra, what’s wrong? Did something happen?”


    Tears welled up in Sandra’s eyes before she could answer. Her voice broke as she confessed, “Dad, I’ve failed. The project Jordy and I invested in copsed. We lost everything. I feel so useless.”


    Giselle couldn’t help but feel a hint of satisfaction at Sandra’s admission. She raised her head, giving her a measured nce. “Forget the money you lost. Treat it as a valuable lesson. None of us expected you to make a profit anyway. Just focus on your boutiques and your clothing designs. When your father gives you an allowance, save it instead of trying your luck with business ventures. Not everyone’s suited for that.”


    As she spoke, pride flickered in her eyes. The more she thought about it, the more confident she felt in Brenna’s abilities. Though she never relied on her daughter financially, she took immense pride in what Brenna had achieved.


    Shepard shared her sentiment. “She’s right, Sandra. You’re not built for business. Stick to your stores and let go of those risky ideas. But don’t beat yourself up over the matter—losing money is part of investing. No one wins every time.”


    Sandra’s gaze drifted toward Brenna, her chest tightening with quiet envy. Regret stung as she thought about the time she had turned down Brenna’s invitation to invest in her cybersecurity project.


    “Brenna always manages to seed and profit from every business she starts. Why can’t I?” In her heart, she still refused to admit defeat.


    Shepard’s tone stayed calm but firm. “You and Brenna aren’t the same. She started running businesses at eighteen. She’s handled more projects than you can count, while you’ve only tried a handful. And don’t forget—she earned her master’s degree at eighteen. You can’tpare yourself to her.”


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    Sandra’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “You’re right, Dad. I’m not like her. I should just focus on my stores.”


    If her father gave her an allowance, she would just save it, giving up on her dreams of getting rich through investment. The life she had now was already far better than many others could dream of, after all.


    Brenna turned to Sandra with a gentle smile. “If you keep working on high-end custom clothing, you’ll do well. Your business is already growing, isn’t it?”


    Sandra brightened slightly. “Yes, I got two new orders this month. The profit isn’t big, but I finally have steady clients. If I keep improving, maybe one day, I’ll be like Ellie.”


    At that moment, Ernst entered the room, guiding Lilith by the arm as though she were made of porcin. The sight made Brenna roll her eyes in amusement.


    Even Lilith seemed embarrassed by his gesture. She gave Ernst a yful nudge. “I’m only four months pregnant, not bedridden. You don’t have to do this. Look at Brenna—she’sughing at us.”


    Unbothered by his family’s nces, Ernst said in a steady voice, “Forget Brenna and the others. This is our child, my treasure, and of course, I need to be very careful.”


    He helped Lilith sit down, finally breathing a sigh of relief.


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