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With time, he would wear down her temperament, so that her world would be left with only him. 

So that she would never again say such cruel, knife–like words! 

But in the end, he didn’t do it! 

Perhaps it was because the woman’s stubborn, unyielding gaze was too intense, or maybe the crimson at the corner her eyes was simply too striking. 

Damian slowly let go of his hand. 

In the end, he just sighed and spoke softly. 

“I’m not going anywhere. Don’t say things like that again. Go to sleep.” 

He turned around, his back facing Claudine, and closed his eyes. 

Claudine’s wrist still ached a little. 

She thought Damian would be angry because of what she said earlier, thought he would lay hands on her again. 

She hadn’t expected Damian to raise his hand high, only to put it down gently. 

The room was so quiet it was almost suffocating. The man beside her made no sound, but Claudine could no longer 

focus on her work. 

She lowered her eyes and went to the bathroom to wash up. 

In the room, Damian opened his eyes in the darkness. 

He stared at the pitch–black night outside the window, thinking about the things Claudine had just said. 

He couldn’t explain why he became so agitated when he heard Claudine tell him to go find Audrey. 

Was it pride, or something else? 

Soon, Claudine came out of the bathroom. 

She glanced at the man lying on the bed, who seemed to be asleep. 

Claudine sat in front of the vanity, applying skincare products. 

At that moment, the man behind her opened his eyes. 

He watched her quietly. 

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Under the dim light, her skin glowed with a soft, radiant sheen. 

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Suddenly, he remembered that in the past, after Claudine showered, she would sit there just like this, applying her skincare. 

Back then, they had only recently married, and he wasn’t as cold to her as he was later. 

She would act spoiled, asking him to come over and apply body lotion for her. As he did, they would end up tumbling onto the bed together. 

Thinking about it now, they did have their sweet, honeyed moments. 

But now, there’s no going back. 

When Claudine stood up, Damian closed his eyes again. 

He couldn’t even explain it to himself–perhaps he just didn’t want to see Claudine’s look of disgust toward h 

more. 

Damian could feel the spot beside him sink slightly, and a faint, elegant fragrance wafted to his nose. 

He could even sense that Claudine was sleeping far away from him, so far that he couldn’t even feel her body heat. 

They both knew perfectly well that neither of them was asleep, yet neither spoke a word. 

They lay with their backs to each other, eyes open, staring into the darkness before them. 

No one knew how much time had passed when Claudine heard a ringing sound, followed by the rustling of a man get- ting out of bed. 

Soon, Damian’s voice came from the bathroom. 

“Don’t be afraid, I’ll be right there!” 

The bathroom door opened again, and Damian had already changed his clothes. 

Before leaving, he glanced at the woman on the bed–just for a moment–then turned and prepared to go. 

At that moment, the bedroom light was switched on. 

Behind Damian, a woman’s voice sounded–calm, yet it tugged at the heart. 

“If I asked you not to go, would you stay?” 

Damian turned around and saw Claudine sitting up straight. 

She looked at him calmly, yet it made Damian’s heart ache. 

He gripped his phone tightly and spoke. 

“Audrey’s car had an accident on the highway. She doesn’t have anyone else here…” 

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Claudine interrupted Damian. 

“I’m just asking if you would stay.” 

Damian said, “I’ll go check on her. If it’s nothing serious, I’ll come back. You should sleep.” 

Before Damian could finish his sentence, Claudine had already lain down, turning her back to him. 

The woman’s voice sounded muffled. 

“Damian, you’ve lied to me again.” 

Damian looked at the slender figure on the bed, left behind a “Rest well,” and turned to leave. 

The door opened and closed again, and the scent of cedar in the room gradually faded away. 

Soon, the sound of a car came from downstairs. The headlights swept across the second floor, the bedroom li moment, then quickly fell back into darkness. 

Claudine slowly sat up from the bed and walked to the window. 

She stood on the balcony, watching the car drive away, disappearing at the end of the road. 

She stood there in a daze until a cold wind blew, making her shiver. 

The sky was no longer pitch black; a pale light was already appearing in the distance. 

Claudine turned back to the bedroom and dialed a phone number. 

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chapter173 

chapter 173