Do You Still Love Me When We Meet Again? (Aubrey and Damon) novel Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Aubrey never imagined she would see Damon again.

Especially not at her best friend's dinner party.

He was her ex—boyfriend five years ago.

The room was lively, filled with people.

But her world instantly lost all color.

Damon Blackwood was sitting there.

He was dressed in a white shirt and black trousers, sharp and powerfully built, radiating a noble but aloof elegance.

Five years later, he was still breathtakingly stunning.

But the vibrant, warm boy who used to yearn for her touch was gone.

Now, he just sat there, looking down at his phone, completely unbothered.

"Aubrey... You've just arrived, and you're already leaving?" Ryan Carter called out, cutting through the noise.

Aubrey gripped the door handle, trembling.

The urge to flee fought against the sudden silence of the room.

Four years of being inseparable, five years of grieving him, and it came down to this.

They were worse than strangers.

"Come on in, Sierra will be here any second," Ryan urged.

Sierra Vance was her oldest, absolute best friend.

She and Ryan had met on a blind date just last month. It was love at first sight.

The romance had swept them away, and the wedding was already set for next month.

Tonight wasn't just a dinner. It was for the bridesmaids and groomsmen to bond and discuss the wedding entertainment.

Sierra wanted a dance performance and a love song.

Only friends with an insane bond would willingly embarrass themselves like that.

Aubrey had to steel herself.

She took a deep breath, turned around, and walked over.

Ryan politely gestured her toward an empty seat among the women.

But no sooner had she sat down than she froze.

Sitting right next to Damon was Skylar Evans.

His childhood friend, who had always despised her.

Skylar didn't waste a second. Her gaze was overtly hostile.

"Seriously, Ryan," she scoffed, loud enough for everyone to hear."Are you just letting trash like her be a bridesmaid now?"

A stunned silence fell over the room.

Ryan looked dumbfounded.

In a casual gathering of friends, no one expected such harsh, hateful words.

"Who are you talking about?" a girl asked, annoyed.

Skylar's attitude was brazen."Aubrey knows exactly who I'm talking about."

Everyone's gaze swiveled to Aubrey.

Aubrey was a public interest lawyer.

Her beauty was understated, like a rare bellflower in a secluded valley.

With her dark, silky hair pulled back, she looked gentle, pure, and serene.

But those who knew her knew her personality was a stark contrast to her demure facade.

Everyone was curious. What kind of deep—seated animosity existed for Skylar to call her trash immediately?

Being called trash, Aubrey should have been furious.

She should have lashed out.

I don't know her.

The pain throbbed in her chest, drowning her in a crushing wave of disappointment.

Her eyes burned with a sudden urge to cry.

She fought it back with all her might, trembling, and quickly dropped her head.

It was unbearable. She just wanted to leave.

Ryan sensed the heavy tension. He had to fix this.

"I gathered us all to get along," he said loudly."To speed that up, how about we play a game before dinner?"

He grabbed a liquor bottle and placed it in the center of the table.

"Truth or Dare."

He gave it a hard spin.

Except for Aubrey, almost every girl hoped the bottle would land on Damon.

The bottle slowed. It came to a halt.

"It's Damon!" the room erupted."Truth or Dare?"

Damon remained perfectly calm.

"Dare."

Ryan pulled out a slip of paper and read it aloud, surprised.

"Kiss one of the ladies here for two minutes."

Damon's brows furrowed. His handsome face darkened.

Aubrey gripped her pants, her knuckles white.

She felt insane for staying to endure this torment. The urge to flee peaked.

But before anyone could react, Skylar puckered her lips provocatively and leaned sideways toward him.

"You guys are out of luck. Damon's definitely going to kiss me."