Chapter 17 She remembered what Audrey had said earlier . The fireworks must be for Audrey . " Lucky woman , " Claudine muttered . There was a time she used to dream about moments like that with Damian . But five years had passed , and he'd never cared about her . Thankfully , it didn't matter to her anymore . She shut the windows , warmed up some milk , took her meds , and went to bed . After a good night's sleep , she woke up feeling lighter . Claudine had picked this apartment because the balcony gave her a view of the earliest sunrise in Bronzevale . Sun- light spilled across the river , glinting off the distant mountains and sparkling on the water below . It gave her a sense that the day could go well . She brewed a coffee and settled into the rocking chair outside , enjoying the quiet . The rich aroma mixed with the damp , chilly air . The cold helped wake her up and clear her head . After breakfast , she changed into a crisp white suit and threw on a lapel coat . She was headed to an antique exhibition hosted by Keith Legare , a well - known collector . It was technically a preview before the auction . Keith had spent a lifetime collecting priceless pieces . Next month , on his 80th birthday , he would auction them all for charity , hoping the good deed might bring him a longer life . Claudine would be the auctioneer , and this trip was part of her prep . By the time she stepped onto the auction stage , most of the work would already be done . Today was about walking guests through the preview to make sure logistics and curation ran smoothly afterward . She stepped out of the elevator and headed to her car - a limited - edition Porsche , her wedding gift . She bought it after hitting 200 million dollars in auction sales . Slipping on her sunglasses , she placed a hand on the wheel and pulled out of the garage . Damian spotted the car and recognized it instantly . His brows drew together as he watched it disappear . 0.0 % 03:51 Chapter 17 " Claudine's really out of line lately , " he muttered . 设备 288 Vouchers Ever since their last fight , things had gotten worse . She ignored Darlene , pulled his mother into it , and even threat- ened divorce . And now she was following him around . He had no idea how far she was planning to take this . " Dami ! Have you been waiting long ? " a cheerful voice called out . The passenger door opened , and Audrey got in . Damian snapped out of it and handed her the takeout . " I remembered you liked breakfast from this place . " Audrey opened the box , and her face lit up . It was all her favorites . " Wow , you still remember ! " His eyes darkened for a second , but he covered it before she noticed . " Of course . Eat before it gets cold . " *** When Claudine arrived at the venue , the hall was mostly empty . She got straight to work , rearranging the exhibits , fine - tuning the lighting , and making sure each one looked its best . As more guests arrived , most of them potential buyers , she moved through the room with practiced ease . She chatted and quietly gauged their interest and spending power . From the second floor , Keith watched her with a pleased expression . Then he turned to the woman beside him . " Adriana , your student's impressive . " " She's just getting warmed up , " Adriana said , her pride barely contained . " If you'd met her five years ago , you'd get why I'm still holding a PhD slot for her , even though I'm ready to retire . " Claudine felt eyes on her and looked up , meeting theirs . Thanks to Adriana , she had the job . The fact that Adriana had put aside old grudges and welcomed her back made her feel genuinely grateful . After finishing her tasks , Claudine headed upstairs to greet them . " Hi , Professor Nixon , Mr. Legare . " Keith smiled , " We were just talking about you . I don't think I've ever heard Adriana speak that highly of a student . " " She gave me the chance , " Claudine replied . 49.8 % 03.51 Chapter 17 " You earned it . I never regretted it , " Adriana said . 98.6 %