?Chapter 1716:


    That night, when he took Sandra home from dinner, he noticed Ethaning out of the Harper family’s residence.


    Envy gnawed at him. Ethan had not only earned the Harper family’s approval but had also built a thriving empire. In just two years, several of his ventures had seeded beyond expectation, expanding hispany into a global force.


    For instance, the Mitchell Group’s drone line had taken over the international market. Even the jade mine Ethan had discovered two years ago had turned out to yield the finest stones, and with elite jewelry designers under his wing, his brand was selling at remarkable rates.


    Brenna, too, had built her own sess. When Jordy had once offered to fund her cybersecurity venture, she had turned him down and chosen to work with Gerardo instead. That decision had paid off—her firewall system now imed nearly seventy percent of the premium market.


    The advanced mechanical prosthetics she designed had also earned her several prestigious technology awards.


    Sandra often mentioned that Brenna’s room was filled with trophies and framed certificates.


    Sandra’s boutiques had started improving, too—though not exactly thriving, they brought in a consistent ie.


    But Jordy? His recent investments were disasters. Almost every project ended in loss, dragging the Barton family down from a second-tier to a third, perhaps even fourth-tier standing. He could feel Sandra’s growing indifference toward him.


    At the gate, Ethan spoke to Brenna in a soft voice. “I’lle by tomorrow morning to pick you up. We’ll head out for the trip together.”


    Brenna’s smile was light and easy. “Alright. Did you manage to settle everything at work?”


    Ethan nodded before brushing a quick kiss against her cheek. “Everything’s taken care of. I made sure nothing would get in the way of our time together.”


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    Seeing their closeness made envy rise in Sandra’s chest. If Jordy had even a fraction of Ethan’s ability, she would have gotten engaged to him long ago.


    But he didn’t. After one disastrous investment after another, most of Jordy’s wealth had already vanished.


    Watching the scene, Jordy felt a sharp sting of regret. Why had he ended things with Brenna back when she was cast out of the Barrett family?


    If he’d stayed by her side back then, would he have be a member of the Harper family now?


    But remorse couldn’t turn back time. The chance was gone, and nothing could change that.


    “Get some rest tonight,” Ethan said to Brenna. He then looked over at Jordy, gave a short nod, and left in his car.


    Jordy walked over to Brenna. “Congrattions in advance on your wedding.”


    Brenna remained aloof toward him. “Thank you.”


    She turned to head inside, unwilling to continue the exchange. They had once been together, and she knew perfectly well what sort of man he was. To her, Jordy’s interest in Sandra had nothing to do with love and everything to do with the Harper family’s status.


    A weekter, Ethan and Brenna returned, sun-kissed and rxed from their vacation, and made a beeline for Emmett’s home.


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