Not 17

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. 

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Chapter 17 

“Claudine’s really out of line lately,” he muttered. 

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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. 

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“You earned it. I never regretted it,” Adriana said. 

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