" What are you looking at ? I called you and you didn't even hear me . " Claudine withdrew her gaze . " It's nothing . Mom , why didn't you let me know you were coming ? I could have picked you up at the airport . " Bridgette linked arms with her daughter , her voice soft and gentle . With decades of opera training , her speech was melodious and graceful . " Mom missed you . You haven't come home to see me in so long . This time , your dad came here on a business trip , so I came along . Claudy , did you miss Mom ? " Bridgette blinked her bright , watery eyes , looking at her daughter . Although she was nearly fifty , she took great care of herself and had a superb figure from years of singing opera . Standing next to Claudine , they looked more like sisters than mother and daughter . Everyone who knew Bridgette always envied her for living such a happy and fulfilling life . Her father was a university professor , she herself was a famous opera singer in her youth , and after marrying , her hus- band was attentive and caring . She had two capable children . The only thing that ever worried her was her son , who was over thirty and still refused to get married . Claudine used to think the same way . In fact , when she married Damian and gave up her studies , it was because of her mother's influence . She believed that a woman's greatest happiness was to support her husband , raise children , and have a harmonious family . Until that time , when she discovered her father's secret … Seeing her daughter lost in thought again , Bridgette was a bit puzzled . " Claudy , do you have something on your mind ? Why are you always distracted ? " Claudine shook her head . " It's nothing , Mom . Let's go eat something first . " With that , Claudine led her mother out of the Barrette Group building . The two of them went to a private restaurant . After lunch , Bridgette noticed a nearby Fine Embroidery Museum and pulled Claudine inside to look around . 0.0 % 08:55 chapter42 288 iVouchers Bridgette had grown up in the south and had always loved embroidered evening dresses . As soon as she entered the museum , her eyes were drawn to an evening dress displayed in the main hall . Claudine followed her mother's gaze and saw that the evening dress was indeed beautiful . Even though she didn't know much about these things , just by looking at it , she could tell it was a masterpiece . Noticing their interest , a staff member approached to introduce the piece : " This is a work by embroidery master Conor Galvan . The branches of the crabapple flowers are stitched with ochre thread to mimic the famous brushwork of gold and stone , and the textured effect is achieved using the twisted needle technique . The petals use the ' waterway blank - leaving ' technique to create a gradient from pink to white , with fine silver thread rolled along the edges , giving off a cool glow under moonlight . " The real silk fabric drapes beautifully when worn , and the butterfly wings embroidered on the chest tremble slightly with each breath , appearing lifelike . The back waist is cut out in a teardrop shape to reveal the embroidered spine , with butterfly and flower patterns undulating along the curve of the spine , as if alive . " Claudine could tell her mother really liked the evening dress , so she spoke to the staff member . " Is this evening dress for sale ? " " Of course ! " The staff member replied . " All the items in our museum are available for purchase . " Just as Claudine was about to buy the evening dress , a voice suddenly sounded behind her . " Ms. Hogan , you're here too , what a coincidence ! " Audrey walked over , smiling as she greeted Claudine . Ever since Claudine learned about Audrey and her ex - husband , she had been deliberately keeping her distance , but she hadn't expected to run into her here . " Ms. Lavigne ! " She spoke with a polite but distant tone . Audrey pretended not to notice Claudine's coldness and remained as enthusiastic as ever . " And this is ? " She asked deliberately , even though she already knew it was Claudine's mother before coming . When she reached the top floor of the Barrette Group building and passed by the secretary's office , she overheard people chatting about someone at the front desk claiming to be Damian's mother - in - law . She thought , since Damian wasn't in the company , she might as well go and see the mother and daughter . 40.5 % 08:55 chapter42 Claudine made the introduction . " This is my mother . Mom , this is Ms. Lavigne . " 288 Vouchers Audrey said . " So you're Auntie ! I thought you were Claudine's friend . You look so well maintained , you seem even younger than me ! " Bridgette looked at the young woman in front of her and responded with a smile . Audrey realized that not only was Claudine's mother beautiful , but she also had an outstanding presence . Standing next to her , Audrey herself seemed to fade into the background .