Do You Still Love Me When We Meet Again? (Aubrey and Damon) novel Chapter 170

Chapter 170

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Damon lowered her onto the bed with agonizing care and tucked the duvet around her.“It was calculated. The second the crash happened, he made a break for the airport. He had a pre–booked flight to Southeast Asia and vanished into thin air. It’s officially a criminal case now, and he’s been listed as a high–priority fugitive.”

Were your mom and Liv hurt?” Aubrey leaned back against the headboard, her eyes searching his, filled with anxiety. “The driver was coming for me, wasn’t he? I dragged them into this. Do they… do they blame me?”

Her words cut Damon like a knife. He felt a sharp, piercing pain in his chest as his brow furrowed, his gaze darkening with intensity.“Why on earth would you think this is your fault? Why are you so worried about whether they’ll blame you?”

Aubrey shifted uneasily, her voice barely a whisper.“I just…”

Damon snapped, a sudden surge of fury boiling over in a way it never had before.“Aubrey, stop taking the weight of the world on your shoulders. Even f that driver was after you, it’s his crime, not yours. You’re the victim here. You’re the one who has been hurt the most and the deepest. Whether it was hen or now, in your childhood or as an adult–you have always been the victim.”

Aubrey flinched, startled by the raw intensity of his anger, and nodded quickly.

A heavy, flat stillness settled over her. It wasn’t peace; it was a terrifying kind of numbness. Her emotions felt like a dead sea, without a single ripple or

park of life.

t felt as if nothing mattered anymore–not even Damon, not even the children.

She remembered how she’d felt in the bathroom just moments ago, terrified that she’d lost the baby, worried that she looked too haggard and that Damon would grow tired of her. She had been so desperate, so afraid of losing him.

But in the blink of an eye, her spirit had cratered, plummeting back into the abyss.

This void made everything feel insignificant. If nothing mattered, then nothing could hurt her.

Damon took a breath, forcing himself to calm down.“Are you hungry?” he asked softly.“Do you want to eat something?”

No.”

‘Are you tired? Do you want to rest for a while?”

No.”

Damon sat in the chair beside the bed, taking her slender, pale hand in his. He massaged her fingers gently and let out a long, weary sigh.“Starting oday,” he murmured, “we’re getting you back on your medication.”

What medication?” Aubrey asked, her voice laced with confusion.

For the depression. The doctor is going to adjust your prescription.”

Aubrey dismissed the idea with a small, indifferent shrug.“Why would I need medication? I feel fine, Damon. Honestly, I’m perfectly okay.” “We lost the baby, Aubrey. And you’re telling me you’re ‘perfectly okay‘?” Damon’s eyes were clouded with raw, visible anxiety.

“It’s gone, and that’s that. Maybe it was just meant to be. I’ve made peace with it, so stop worrying about me.”

Damon let out a hollow, bitter laugh, his eyes rimmed with red. He lowered his head, pressing a lingering, desperate kiss to the back of her hand

Bipolar disorder. It was a constant, violent oscillation between two emotional extremes.

One moment, she’d be in a manic high–euphoric, irritable, suddenly detached from every ounce of grief and pain as if it never exited

The next, she’d crash into a soul–crushing depressive void a dark, suffocating despair where the world lost all color and meaning

The risk of suicide was thirty times higher than the average person.

How could he not be terrified?

A soft knock at the door broke the heavy silence.

“Come in,” Damon called out, his voice thick.

The door swung open, and a small crowd filed into the room.

They had all rushed over the moment they heard the news that Aubrey was finally awake.

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Old Man Blackwood led the way, followed by Hannah Pierce, Victoria Stone, Tracy Blackwood, and Olivia Summers. Victoria placed a container of warm porridge on the table, while Tracy carried a large, vibrant bouquet of flowers. Olivia followed close behind, her hands full of fresh fruit baskets.

Seeing them all there touched Aubrey’s heart, but the moment her eyes landed on Hannah Pierce–who was the last to walk in–a wave of raw irritation surged through her.

The woman who had given her that radiation–tainted amulet actually had the nerve to show her face here.

Aubrey couldn’t help but wonder if Hannah was the one behind the car crash.

Even if it wasn’t her directly, it was just as likely to be her son or her niece, Veronica Pierce.

Old Man Blackwood walked to the edge of the bed, his expression kind and concerned.“Aubrey, dear, you’re finally awake. Are you in any pain? Is there anything bothering you?”

Aubrey replied politely, “I’m alright, Grandpa. Really, I’m fine.”

Victoria Stone set the porridge down, her eyes brimming with heartache.“Thank God you’re awake, Aubrey. Damon hasn’t left your side for a single second. He was practically running on fumes, but he refused to let anyone else take over. Seeing the two of you like that–one unable to move and the other refusing to leave–I just…”

Her voice trailed off as she wiped away a stray tear.

“Victoria, I’ll get better soon,” Aubrey said softly.“Please don’t be sad.”

Victoria nodded and opened the container.“I made you some savory porridge. Since you just woke up, it’s best to start with something light.”

Thank you.”

Just then, Olivia Summers stepped forward, her face etched with guilt.“I’m so sorry, Aubrey. This is all my fault. I’m the reason you got hurt.”

It wasn’t your fault. That driver hit us on purpose–he was driving against traffic.” Aubrey Hayes scanned Olivia’s face and body, her eyes searching for any signs of trauma.“Are you hurt?”

Just a few scrapes and bruises. They were gone in ten days.” Olivia Summers shook her head, her voice thick with gratitude.“I saw the security footage. You saved me, Aubrey. If it wasn’t for you and that man, I would have burned alive in that car.”

A sudden, crushing wave of sadness washed over Aubrey. Her eyes stung, and the world blurred as tears welled up. She’d been fine just a second ago, but now the weight of it all hit her like a physical blow.“I’m just glad you’re okay,” she managed to whisper.

She turned her gaze to Victoria Stone.“Victoria, are you alright?”

I’m fine, honey. I got off the easiest–just a concussion, not even a scratch on me.” Victoria moved closer with the bowl of porridge. “You’re the reason I’m still here, too. I can’t thank you enough.”

Aubrey offered a watery, heartfelt smile.

Damon Blackwood reached out, his hand hovering over the bowl.“Mom, let me. I’ll feed her.”

I’ve got it, I’ve got it!” Tracy Blackwood swiped the bowl before he could take it. She perched on the edge of Aubrey’s bed, her voice light and full of infectious optimism.“Aubrey, they say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. You’ve cleared the biggest hurdle; it’s all smooth sailing from here. Trust me, everything is going to be just fine.”

Aubrey pressed her lips together into a small smile and nodded firmly.

Tracy blew on a spoonful of porridge to cool it before holding it out. “Here, open up. Let me feed you”

“I’m fine, Tracy. I can feed myself,” Aubrey said, reaching for the bowl.

Tracy pulled it back, out of her reach “No way. You just woke up and you’re still so weak. You probably don’t even have the strength to hold a spoon. Just let me help.”

“Really, it’s okay.” Aubrey felt like a shell of a person–broken, empty, and lost. She couldn’t understand why they were all still surrounding her with so much warmth and affection. What had she done to deserve any of this?“I can do it.”

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