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“Look, she really did bring a man on a date! Dami, you’re not going to do anything about this? That woman is so shameless! She even dares to find herself a pretty boy! 

“Dami, is she using your money to support that pretty boy?” 

Damian’s face darkened as he glanced at Desmond, who immediately shut up. 

Audrey said nothing, but watched Damian out of the corner of her eye, trying to gauge his reaction. 

Damian said. 

“I know that guy! She brought him here on purpose to get a rise out of me!” 

Everyone immediately looked as if they understood. 

“I knew it! How could Claudine possibly let you go? Turns out she just found someone to act and make you jealous.” 

“Exactly, everyone knows Claudine is like a piece of clingy plaster. She must have realized her old tricks weren’t working, so she’s trying something new!” 

Listening to everyone gossip about Claudine like this, Damian felt a bit displeased. 

“Enough, stop talking about it!” 

Desmond immediately chimed in. 

“Right, let’s not talk about those mood–killing things. We’re here today to celebrate our sister–in–law’s return to the country. Let’s have a toast!” 

With Desmond’s lead, the group became lively again. 

After dinner, Roberto drove Claudine home. 

As they neared Willow Creek Villas, Claudine received a phone call. 

Seeing the caller ID, Claudine looked a bit unhappy. 

Noticing Claudine’s mood, Roberto asked. 

“What’s wrong?” 

Claudine hung up and said. 

“It’s nothing. Lately, I’ve been getting calls from real estate agents asking if I want to sell this house. They even say someone is willing to offer a very high price.” 

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Roberto said, “Willow Creek Villas is one of the top locations in Bronzevale. It’s normal for people to be interested.” 

Claudine replied, “Yes, I chose this place because of its location. Now that I’m used to living here, I have no intention of selling. I don’t know who is so fixated on my house.” 

As the car stopped in the garage, Roberto said. 

“Anyone who wants to buy a house here must be rich or powerful. As a woman, it’s not easy for you to deal with them directly. Why don’t I handle it for you?” 

Claudine thought for a moment and felt that the suggestion was quite reasonable. 

If the other party really was an unreasonable person, it would indeed be dangerous for her, as a woman, to negotiate alone. 

“Then I’ll trouble you with this!” 

“There’s no need to be so polite between us.” 

When Roberto said this, his voice was extremely gentle, and there was a hint of tenderness in his eyes and expression. 

Claudine simply assumed Roberto was considering their friendship as classmates and didn’t notice any other meaning 

in his words. 

After getting out of the car, Claudine waved goodbye to Roberto. 

Roberto rolled down the window and said, “I’ll wait until I see you go upstairs before I leave.” 

Claudine found it hard to refuse, so she could only wave her hand. 

“Take care on your way, goodbye!” 

“Goodbye!” 

There was heating in the garage, so the cold air from outside couldn’t get in. Claudine simply draped her coat over her arm and walked toward the elevator. 

Roberto sat in the car, watching as Claudine gradually walked away. 

He thought of what Claudine had said tonight, that there was no one left in Reedport for her to miss. That sentence was like a pebble dropped into his heart, stirring up ripples. 

His heart could no longer find peace. 

Once again, he regretted ever leaving in the first place. 

During this period, while he was abroad handling his business, he had also thoroughly investigated Claudine’s lite 

back home. 

She had gotten married, and her husband even had a child with his ex–wife 

That man treated her very poorly. 

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Not long ago, she had even lost a child. 

When he learned all this, he wanted nothing more than to fly back immediately and give that ungrateful, heartless man a beating. 

But reason told him that doing so would only frighten Claudine. 

Besides, that man held a distinguished position, and with his current strength, he was not yet a match for him. 

But from the moment he decided to return home, he had already made up his mind: this time, no matter who tried to stop him, he would not leave again. He would stay by Claudine’s side and protect her well. 

At this moment, behind his car, the owner of the silver Bentley had already been watching them for quite some time. 

Damian lit a cigarette, resting one hand on the edge of the car window. His slender fingers tapped lightly and absent- mindedly on the window frame, and his expression, shrouded in a haze of smoke, became elusive and unreadable. 

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