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“Dami, you can’t imagine how desperate I was back then. I even thought, maybe I should just let go, so I wouldn’t have to endure that torment anymore.” 

As she spoke, she lifted her head, eyes brimming with tears as she looked at Damian, pleading. 

“Don’t leave me in the hospital. I know Ms. Hogan is your wife, and you two are the real couple. 

“But even so, I’m begging you, at least for now, don’t leave me alone in the hospital…” 

Audrey clung to Damian’s shirt, tears streaming down her cheeks, utterly fragile. 

In the end, Damian couldn’t bear it. 

He let out a deep sigh in his heart. 

“I promise you, I won’t leave. Get some rest, I’ll go call the nurse.” 

Only then did Audrey finally let go. 

She choked out her words. 

“Dami, thank you.” 

On her way to the Barrette Group, Claudine received a message from Damian. 

He sent her the hospital address, saying that Audrey had been seriously injured in a car accident and that he needed to stay at the hospital. He asked her to bring the project proposal to the hospital instead. 

Staring at the message, Claudine couldn’t quite describe what she was feeling inside. 

Even though she had expected this, it still left her momentarily dazed. 

It wasn’t until a car horn blared behind her that she realized the light had turned green. 

She turned the wheel and headed toward the hospital. 

Lindsay also received Damian’s message and brought the documents to the hospital room. 

The exclusive VIP ward on the top floor had Audrey’s bed in the inner room, while Damian was in the outer lounge handling work. 

When a knock sounded at the door, Lindsay assumed it was the doctor making rounds and got up to answer. 

To her surprise, it was Mrs. Barrette who arrived. 

To be honest, Lindsay considered herself quite experienced after working with Mr. Barrette, but in that instant, her 

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professional ethics and personal morals were at odds. 

She thought Mrs. Barrette was here to catch her husband in the act. 

Should she risk her job to help Mrs. Barrette confront the mistress, or should she flatter Mr. Barrette by blocking Mrs. Barrette’s way? 

Truly a high–level workhorse, Lindsay thought of a third option in a flash. 

She could take out her phone, start a livestream, and be the first to witness the drama–maybe even become a media personality in the future. 

Of course, all of this was just Lindsay’s imagination. 

Mrs. Barrette seemed to already know why Mr. Barrette was here, and who was lying in the hospital room. 

“Ms. Powell, it’s been a while.” 

Lindsay replied, “Mrs. Barrette, it’s been a while.” 

She invited Claudine into the lounge and poured her a cup of coffee. 

“Mrs. Barrette, please have some coffee.” 

“Thank you.” 

Claudine also took out the project proposal she had prepared in advance. 

“Mr. Barrette, this is the project proposal prepared by our Antique Restoration Research Institute. Prof. Hutchinson’s project this time will…” 

“Have you had breakfast?” 

Damian suddenly asked. 

Claudine did not answer. 

She handed the project proposal to Damian. 

“Mr. Barrette, Prof. Hutchinson’s project requires collaboration with the National Antique Museum. Once this project is completed, the database…” 

Seeing how serious Claudine was, Damian couldn’t help but adopt a professional attitude as well. 

He flipped through the project proposal, listening as Claudine explained the importance of the project. 

He had invested in countless projects, met excellent liaisons, and also encountered some who performed poorly. 

Unsurprisingly, Claudine was impeccable in every respect. 

This was their first time working together. 

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At the last Reedport Expo, Damian had already witnessed Claudine’s excellence. Now, he could feel even more the charm she exuded when working seriously. 

Damian looked up at her, momentarily distracted. 

In the past, he had only thought of his wife as gentle and beautiful, worthy of the title “Mrs. Barrette.” 

Only now did he realize that his “Mrs. Barrette,” with her hair tied up, was still dazzling and radiant in the workplace. 

“Mr. Barrette, do you have any questions about our project?” 

After introducing the basics of the project, Claudine asked. 

Damian, too, was serious when it came to work. 

Mitchell had already mentioned this project to him before. 

However, this project required a massive amount of research and preparation. The initial investment was huge, the preparation time long, and if anything happened to the antiques borrowed from the museum during the research, Barrette Group would bear all the losses. 

Such a project, with low returns and high risks, would not attract investment from any company. 

Damian was a shrewd businessman and naturally would not invest lightly. 

Even if his wife was the liaison for this project. 

Damian sat on the sofa. 

After finishing the proposal, he leaned back against the sofa. 

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