Do You Still Love Me When We Meet Again? (Aubrey and Damon) novel Chapter 236

Chapter 236: Ryan’s Karma

Sierra walked over to Damon and took a seat one chair away from him. “Long time no see, Damon.”

Damon glanced at her, looking a bit surprised. “Long time. Did you fly all the way from Crestview just to watch this?”

A smirk played on Sierra’s lips, her tone light. “If he were successful and happy, I wouldn’t bother showing up. But since his life is a total train wreck? I had to see it for myself.”

Damon gave a small smile. He realized that anyone who was Bree’s best friend couldn’t be a pushover.

How about you?” Sierra asked. “Are you here to support Ryan?”

“No.” Damon’s eyes locked onto Aubrey. “I’m off today. I came to watch Bree handle the case.”

Sierra sighed, sounding impressed. “Men these days aren’t usually this obsessed with their girl.”

Damon’s lips thinned into a bitter line. He didn’t say a word.

The judge walked in. The gavel banged, and the entire courtroom went silent.

Under the judge’s supervision, Aubrey stood up, she read the complaint and stated their legal demands.

Lily Moore’s lawyer then stood to begin the defense.

Both sides presented their evidence and cross–examined witnesses. The courtroom debate quickly turned white–hot.

Ryan looked at Lily across from him, then shifted his gaze to Sierra in the gallery. Regret hit him like a physical blow.

He had picked up a pile of shit thinking it was a piece of chocolate, and in the process, he’d tossed away the good life he already had. The shit didn’t feed him; it just left him covered in a foul stench. Swallowing it was nauseating, and getting rid of it was going to

cost him a fortune.

This was his reality now.

Against Aubrey’s overwhelming evidence, the opposing lawyer struggled to mount a defense. He looked completely powerless. It was obvious the judge and jury were leaning toward the plaintiff.

When it was her turn to speak, Lily sounded defiant. “He spent that money on me willingly!” she snapped. “I slept with him for it. It wasn’t like he got it for free. He was the one with a wife and a kid, yet he was the one constantly chasing me, trying to get into my bed. Why should he get his money back just because he’s done playing with me?”

Aubrey narrowed her eyes. She knew exactly what Lily was doing–going for broke. Lily was intentionally painting Ryan as a john and herself as a hooker. If the court saw the money as payment for sex, it would be classified as illegal gains and seized by the state, meaning Sierra wouldn’t get a dime back.

Ryan’s blood boiled. Seeing Lily’s true, ugly face made him sick to his stomach. Regret hit him like a physical blow–he had been such a fool.

Aubrey didn’t give the defense a second to breathe. She presented a stack of evidence: wedding invitations, the engagement ring receipt, hotel bookings, and plans for their new home. “My client’s intention from the very beginning was to reconcile and build a life with the defendant. Every dollar spent, every gift given, and every bit of financial support was provided under the assumption of marriage. The defendant’s infidelity didn’t just break my client’s trust; it crossed a line that can’t be uncrossed.”

As Lily realized she was about to be forced to cough up every cent, she finally snapped. She lost it right there in the middle of the courtroom, pointing a shaking finger at Ryan. “I’m not giving you a single cent! You’re the pathetic loser who threw away your wife and kid to chase after me. You spent that money because you wanted to. I let you sleep with me, didn’t I? You paid for my time, and that’s just how it works. You don’t get a refund now!”

Ryan stared at her, stunned. He couldn’t believe this was the woman he had been so obsessed with. The nostalgia of a “first love” had acted like a cheap filter, blurring her features and making him see a beauty that didn’t exist. He thought it was true love. He thought she was the one who got away.

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It was pathetic. It was a joke. And the joke was on him.

In the gallery, Sierra watched the meltdown.

She let out a laugh, but it sounded hollow. There was no joy in seeing how much of a mess her ex–husband had made of his life.

The judge didn’t waste any time. When the verdict was read, Lily was ordered to pay Ryan back $750,000 within thirty days.

The final judgment was for $50,000 more than the initial mediation offer. Lily knew she was beat, so she didn’t even bother appealing.

The four of them met outside the courthouse.

Time had changed everything, and they weren’t the same people they used to be. Ryan broke the silence. “Aubrey helped me win the case. Dinner’s on me.”

His eyes were mostly on Sierra.

But Sierra was busy on her phone.

Aubrey didn’t answer right away. She looked at Sierra instead.

Sierra finally hung up and walked over. “What’s up?”

Ryan’s treating us to dinner,” Aubrey said. “You want to go?”

Sierra shrugged, looking perfectly casual. “Sure. Let’s go.”

Damon drove while Ryan took the passenger seat. Aubrey and Sierra sat in the back, chatting.

Aubrey noticed Sierra’s phone buzzing constantly with notifications from the Grid. “Who’s blowing up your phone like that?” she

asked, curious.

“My boyfriend,” Sierra said, a sweet smile playing on her lips. “He’s nineteen. Young guys are just so clingy.”

Aubrey stared at her, her jaw dropping. “You’re ten years older than him?”

Sierra nodded, looking pretty damn proud of herself.

In the front seat, Ryan’s expression soured. His eyes darkened, but he knew he didn’t have the right to care anymore.

‘Why go for someone so young?” Aubrey asked, genuinely curious.

Sierra gave her a knowing look and lowered her voice. “Younger guys have the body, the looks, and the energy. They’re loyal, and most importantly, they have crazy stamina. Plus, dating a younger guy means no talk of marriage. Zero pressure.”

Aubrey just smiled, staying quiet.

The car was a tight, enclosed space. Even their whispers were clear. Damon glanced up at the rearview mirror, his eyes locking onto Aubrey’s for a second. A flicker of worry crossed his face.

Enough about me,” Sierra said. “What about you? Any memories coming back? How are things going with Damon?”

The smile faded from Aubrey’s face. She shook her head and stared at the back of Damon’s head. Her gaze was deep and heavy.

Her memory was showing signs of returning, but her relationship with Damon was only getting more strained.

The doctor had told her that the amnesia from the ECT treatment was reversible. Most people remembered recent events pretty quickly.

Jsually, everything came back within three to six months. Deeper memories might take a year or two, but permanent memory loss

was rare.

They reached the restaurant and headed to a private room.

tyan ordered the food. While they waited, he sat down next to Sierra, his face full of guilt. “Sierra, I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I

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