" How could you not be happy ! " Bridgette simply couldn't understand her daughter's perspective . " Taking care of your child and your husband , isn't that the greatest happiness ! " Hearing this , Claudine looked at her mother and fell silent . She suddenly realized that her mother hadn't discovered her father's secret all these years , not because his acting was so superb or his lies so flawless , but because her mother was lost in her own world . Claudine stopped arguing with her mother . She wiped away her tears . " Mom , my marriage is my own business . I've already made up my mind . " Seeing her daughter's stubbornness , Bridgette issued a harsh ultimatum . " If you really dare to get divorced , I'll act as if I never had a daughter ! " With that , she opened the car door and left without looking back . Claudine watched her mother's figure recede into the distance , feeling that beneath those luxurious clothes was a soul wrapped in misery . Her mother could have been a world - renowned opera artist , but decades of marriage had made her forget the dazzling person she once was . Now , even her own happiness depended on others . What was even sadder was that her mother hoped she would live the same kind of life … Just as she was thinking this , her phone rang - it was Damian calling . Claudine assumed Damian wanted to discuss the divorce , so she pressed the answer button . " Come home tonight , I have something to talk to you about . " Damian's voice was as cold as ever , devoid of any emotion . She remembered the last two times she went back , both ending with her feeling furious . This time , Claudine didn't want to go . " If you have something to say , just say it over the phone . " On the other end , Damian was driving . He glanced at the call screen , clearly displeased with Claudine's attitude . 0.0 % 08:57 chapter47 # 288 Nouchers " Seven o'clock tonight , I'll be waiting for you at home ! " With that , Damian hung up . Claudine listened to the mechanical tone in the receiver , finding it laughable . They're about to get divorced , yet he still expects her to come at his beck and call ! Sometimes , she really wondered if Damian saw himself as some kind of lord ! She used to go along with everything he wanted , blinded by her desire for his love . But now , they're getting divorced ! He still wants to order her around ! Claudine turned her car around and left the hotel . She drove to the law firm . Since Damian had already started the process of dividing assets , she needed to prepare as well . She hadn't cared much about the assets before , but thinking of how Damian had frozen her cards and flaunted his new lover at the company before the divorce was even finalized , Claudine realized she couldn't let him bully her any longer . She could do without the man ! But for these five years of marriage , she was determined to take every penny she deserved ! Claudine parked her car outside the law firm , grabbed her handbag , and got out to head inside . After discussing the details with her lawyer , it was already dark when she came out . It had started raining again outside . The parking lot was open - air , but fortunately Claudine always carried an umbrel- la . As she walked out , she searched her bag for it . With a thud , she bumped into a wall of flesh , dropping her bag and scattering its contents all over the ground . " Sorry , sorry … " Claudine apologized as she bent down to pick up her things . " Claudine ? " Desmond hadn't expected to run into Claudine here . " What are you doing here ? " Claudine now wanted nothing to do with Damian or any of his friends . She picked up her things , said goodbye to the lawyer who had seen her out , ignored Desmond , and walked straight 39.0 % 08:57 out the door . Desmond flowned , lifting his chin slightly as he asked , " What did she come to your law firm for ? " 11 286 Zouchers Damian finished work early and returned to Belmont Villas . The root of all the things Claudine did was her jealous nature . Letting her keep making a fuss wasn't a solution ; it would only trouble Audrey and , if word got out , affect the Bar- nette family's reputation . Besides , Bridgette had come to Bronzevale today , probably at Claudine's request . As for the house at Willow Creek Villas , it was surely bought for her by the Hogan family ! She was the Hogan family's precious daughter . If they really got involved , he worried Audrey would get hurt . He didn't want to waste energy dealing with women's issues , but to avoid bigger trouble , he had to put in a little effort to placate her . He knew exactly what Claudine wanted . As long as he treated her a bit better , she'd become as docile as a kitten . He knew all this ; he had just been too lazy to bother before . 78.7.96