Do You Still Love Me When We Meet Again? (Aubrey and Damon) novel Chapter 31

After her tears finally dried, Aubrey lay weakly on the floor. The chill seeped through her clothes, burrowing into her flesh, and strangely, it seemed to

the heavy gloom in her heart.

chase

Minutes crawled by.

It took her the entire morning to calm her shattered emotions.

She finally pushed herself up from the floor, picked up the blanket, tossed it onto the bed, ran a hand through her tangled hair, and left the room.

When she walked into the living room, Ethan was still there, stretched out on the sofa, engrossed in his game.

She stood still, her gaze involuntarily drifting to Damon’s room, to the tightly closed door.

Ethan glanced up at her before his eyes flickered back to his phone screen, his fingers flying across the keys. He drawled, without looking up, Don’s bother looking. After Damon stormed out of your rooms, he went into his own, changed, and left right away. I asked him where he was going, but he aust ignored me. He looked pissed,”

Aubrey walked dejectedly to the single armchair and sat down.

“Did you two fight?” Ethan asked, looking up at her again. He saw her eyes were red and slightly swollen. He sat bolt upright, controller

orgotten. “Were you crying?”

Aubrey pulled a throw pillow into her embrace, hugging it as she leaned sideways, closing her eyes and murmuring, “No.”

Well, it sounds like you two really went at it,”

it.” Ethan said, extending a foot to gently nudge her call.“Send me Damon’s contact info. I’ll go try to

comfort him.”

Aubrey said weakly, Damon’s already left. Why are you still here?”

I’m waiting for him to come back.”

He’s not coming back.”

than temed. “He said that?”

Lubrey didn’t know when, or if, Damon would be back; she just wanted to get rid of Ethan. “Yeah,” she mumbled.

than stood up, turned off his game, and slipped his phone into his pocket. “Come on, I’ll take you out for lunch.”

I don’t want to eat,” Aubrey murmured, rolling over, pulling her legs up, and pressing the pillow against her cheek.

It’s past one.” Ethan pressed.“Aren’t you starving!”

Not hungry

kubory wasn’t hungry. Her mood hud soured, killing her appetite, and she had no desire to move, no interest in anything at all. All she craved was

olaude

Alright, I’m going You take care of yourself”

Mmm Audrey gave a soft lum, eyes still losed, face buried in the armrest

Shan’s footsteps receded, and then the dont clicked slu

nly the soft thud of her own heartbeat and the quart shythm of her breathing filled the soul.

junlight poured in from the balcony, painting a long, slanted rectangle of light across the thest. Dat moetes danced lazily in the warm, amber

slowly.

rectangle of ligla began its trav ous the thier, time seemed to slip away

The sunlight bled into a hazy red, and the sky outside began to dakan. He toom gross dont and induction E.

wening larreze stirred the delicate

Aubrey shifted her position on the couch, restless

She turned her head, her gaze fined blankly on the front door, usterly still

As night fell, Damon still hadn’t returned

Chapter 31

Aubrey hadn’t eaten all day, yet she felt no hunger

But she knew her lack of appetite was a symptom of her emotional state.

Her stomach, however, wouldn’t withstand such neglect.

She got up and steamed two BBQ pork buns, washing them down with cold water.

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Having replenished her body, she retreated to her rooms, pulling out the files and evidence concerning her father’s case. She meticulously re–examined and sorted through them, searching for a breakthrough.

For years, whenever she had a moment to herself, she would ceaselessly, obsessively, pure over her father’s case.

She wanted to save her father.

And she wanted to save herself,

From that day on, Damon never returned.

When she woke up for work in the mornings, she didn’t see Damon’s shoes, nor his car keys on the counter.

When she got home from work in the evenings, the house remained exactly as she’d left it.

Roughly three days later, she finally couldn’t hold back. She pushed open Damon’s bedroom door and stepped inside to look.

The bedding on the bed was neatly folded.

His toiletries remained, and the clothes in his closet were meticulously hung, sorted by color and type.

His room mirrored him perfectly: clean, organized, imbued with a subtle warmth, and carrying a faint, fresh scent.

Another handful of days slipped by, yet Damon remained conspicuously absent.

He’d appeared without warning, only to vanish just as abruptly,

An unsettling hollowness settled deep in Aubrey’s chest.

Damon was unequivocally not hers to claim.

Yet, the feeling of losing him again consumed her, leaving her disoriented and heavy–hearted throughout the day.

Only when she buried herself in work could she briefly push him from her thoughts.

But once she was home from work, the apartment felt like a tomb, devoid of any warmth.

The vegetables Damon had carefully placed in the fridge had begun to wilt. Unable to stomach the thought of waste, Aubrey pulled them out and tossed them into a pot of instant noodles.

She found herself habitually opening Damon’s social media profile, her finger hovering over the chat icon, but she could never quite muster the courage to ask him where he was, or if he intended to return

The agonizing silence stretched for nearly ten days, until the calendar flipped to rent day.

That evening, riding the subway home, she pulled out her phone and, with a lingering hesitation, sem. Damon two thousand dollars.

Shr wared

No reply followed

transaction details on her Whatsapp, then watched as the transfer was accepted

A latter sigh escaped her as she pressed her lips together, leaning hen brad against the subway pole

Just then, her phone rang

She glanced at the Whatsapp notification, sering Sierra’s name flash on the screen

She pulled out her earbuds, putting them in “Hey, Siesta, what’s up?” she mummoned

“Aubrey, come out and hang‘

“No, Fm really tired,” Aubrey replied “I just want to go lume and rest”

“Come on, please! They’re finally back! Let’s have dinner, a few drinks, and celebrate properly!”

“Who’s back?” Aubrey asked, a flicker of confusion.

< Chapter 31

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“My husband and Damon, of course! Didn’t you know? They’ve been on a business trip for ten days. Apparently, there was an issue with some satellite data, so a few excellent engineers were sent from Crestview City to Gold City for maintenance. I’m not really sure about the work details, but my husband said it went pretty smoothly, so it’s definitely worth celebrating!”

“I didn’t know,” Aubrey admitted. The massive boulder that had been weighing down her heart instantly rolled away, leaving her feeling unbelievably lighter.

Damon was just on a business trip, she realized.

He wasn’t leaving. He hadn’t left htt

“You’re just roommates, it’s normal you wouldn’t know,” Sierra chuckled softly. “Il send you the location. Just take a car over. Ethan will be there too.

The heavy weight that had just settled in her chest shot back up, lodging in her throat.

“Okay,” Aubrey replied.

After hanging up, she tapped open the

address Sierra had sent.

She quickly stood up and walked to the subway doors, ready to exir.

The address Sierra had sent was for the Country Inn Retrest, which wasn’t accessible by subway. She’d need to transfer to a bus or take a rideshare.

Early December.

The nights in Crestview City were already getting cold.

The Country Inn Retreat was located in an incredibly remote area, hidden deep within the mountain woods. The roads were terrible, and she sat in her rideshare, twisting and turning along the winding mountain paths, only arriving at her destination by eight o’clock that evening.

As locals, Sierra and Ryan had a particular fondness for these hidden–gem country inns tucked away in mountain valleys.

Aubrey liked them too, of course.

The Country Inn Retreat boasted a charming rastic decor, surrounded by tranquil bamboo groves. It was brightly lit and bustling with activity.

Aubrey found the private room Sierra had sent her, pushing the door open and stepping inside.

The room

wasn’t huge, but it had a distinct local charm retro, elegant, and chic.

Four people sat at the round table.

Ryan, Sierra, Ethan Sterling, and Damon.

Every eye in the room snapped to her the instant she walked through the door,

Sierra happily stood “Bree, come on over and sit. We’re all starving walking for you

up

Aubrey’s gaze instinctively found Damon.

The moment their eyes locked

Her gaze was hesitant, quickly skittering away, a stark contrast to Damon’s open ease and calm composure.

Aubrey shifted uncomfortably. I told you on the Whatsapp not to wait for me. You all should have gone ahead and eaten.”

Sierra pulled her into a seat.“We’re all family here. Trold them not to wall, too, hut Damon insisted we hold off on the food and everyone was here.”

The instant Aubrey sat down, she heard the words, and a jolt of flustered anxiety shut through her, her eyes involuntarily flicking back to Damon

Damon sa between Fahan Sterling and Ryan, with Ryan and Sierra separming her from him.

The small round table placed her directly across from him.

Every time she looked up, bet gaze would inevitably anag on his

Ten days had passed since tharir last hitter parting

She, on the other hand, had been utterly miserable, each day a struggle.

Unaware Damon had been away on a business trip, she’d spent her days lost in anxious thoughts, her mond heavy and joyless

Now, it felt as though an entire galaxy stretched between her and Damon–a galaxy she herself had created.

Ethan waved down a server. “Excuse me, could we get our food now!”

< Chapter 31

The server acknowledged and disappeared into the kitchen.

Sierra slid a small plate of cold wood ear mushroom salad in front of Aubrey

Starving, aren’t you? Grab a bite to hold you over.”

Aubrey picked up her fork, reaching for a piece

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Serra added, “Damon ordered that. None of us really care for wood car mushrooms, but it’s your favorite cold salad, isn’t it? So, it’s all yours.”

Aubrey’s hand paused, freezing for several seconds. Beneath her calm exterior, ripples spread across her heart. She picked up a piece of black fungus, sut it in her mouth. It was slightly spicy, crisp, and refreshing, with a clear, earthy aroma.

I was delicious.

The kinder Damon was to her, the more guilt gnawed at her.

lyan spoke, a note of surprise in his voice. “Aubrey, Ethan Sterling mentioned that you and Damon knew each other in college. You’ve known each ither for a long time.”

Aubrey froze.

ilerra’s eyes widened in realization. “Oh, right, Bree! You and Damon knew each other from college. So why did you two act like strangers the first time ou met? And hack then, you guys…”

Aubrey shot a nervous glance at Sierra.

terra’s voice trailed off.

ihe looked at Damon again. He was calm, his gaze deep and steady, as if he was waiting for her reaction.

f she wanted to speak, she would..

f she wanted to keep it a secret, she would.

Jamon was leaving it entirely up to her.

ustas Aubrey was at a loss, Ethan flashed a roguish grin.“Sierra, I’ve got something even more explosive to tell you. Aubrey’s first love in college, the ne she dated for four years, was Damon,”

it his words, Ryan and Sierra were stunned speechless, their jaws dropped in shock and utter bewilderment.

erra stood up furiously, pointing a finger at Aubrey.“Damn it, Aubrey, I’m done with you!”

With that, Sierra stormed away from the table.“This time, our sisterhood is over. Do you see me as an outsider or something? Your ex boyfriend from

The for ollege, the one you dared for four years, was Damon? You actually kept this from me! Da you

عليا

Gerra continued to rant she headed for the exit.

subirey panicked, rushing after her. “Sierra, please listen to me!”

The three men in the room watched their retreating figures, remarkably calng, making no move to intervene.

After all, Serra and Aubrey’s two decade long friendship could be smoothed over with just a few words.

la long as it wasn’t treason of drug related, dlay’d never fall apart.

tyan asked curiously, Damon, did you really date Aubry for four years?”

Janson’s lips thinned into a batter line,

single syllable

a

You really kept that under wraps Ryan said, making list and lightly slapping Doen n the shoulder

Ryan asked, “So, why’d you break up

Damon remained silent

Eshan clamed in “Aulary fall for and dumped him “

Ryan was even more shocked “No wonder Skylar called Aulorny a jerk at that party before my wedding

Damon turned his head to look at Ethan, his gaze or cold, his voice farmd with annoyance“Are you enjoyi

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Ethan shrugged nonchalantly. I don’t even like Aubrey. What’s there to gloat about? I like Sierra better.”

The words hit Ryan like a lightning bolt. His face burned crimson, a mix of fury and Fear washing over him, leaving him tense and utterly bewildered. He pointed a trembling finger at Ethan. “You… you and my wife are childhood friends, practically siblings. How could you possibly be interested in her?”

“Just kidding.” Ethan said with a casual shrug, a playful grin on his face. “Look how flustered you got. Relax, man. I only see her as a sister. I wouldn’t try to take her from you

Ryan deflated, a massive sigh of relief escaping him.

Ethan, with his perfectly sculpted features, was clean–cut and incredibly handsome. Most importantly, his family was rolling in money. If he truly wanted to compete, Ryan knew he’d be no match for Ethan.

Ethan leaned closer to Damon, whispering in his ear, “We’re not rivals, you know. Can’t you be a little less hostile?”

Aubrey entered arm in arm with Sierra, just in time to catch the scene

Her heart leaped into her throat, and her eyes narrowed coldly as she watched the two men across from her.

Sierra didn’t pay much attention to Damon and Ethan. She just walked in and took a seat.

Damon felt Erhan was too close, his breath warm against his ear, stirring up a wave of revulsion.

He raised an elbow, elbowed him sharply in the side impatiently. “Get away from me

A waiter came in carrying the dishes.

They were the most

famous local delicacies, light, fresh, and bursting with natural flavors.

The ingredients included reservoir fish, river shrimp, free–range chicken, squab, fresh winter bamboo shoots, organic vegetables, and more.

There were also various sizzling clay por dishes, savory preserved meat rice, and other regional specialties.

As a Northerner, Damon had often learned to cook southern Chinese dishes when he was dating Aubrey, just to accommodare her tastes.

He had grown accustomed to the light, delicate Southern Chinese cuisine, and now his palate had completely changed. Whatever Aubrey liked, he liked

During the meal, Ethan kept trying to make conversation with Damon.

Damon barely acknowledged him.

Sierra suddenly remembered something. She turned her head to Aubrey and said in a slow, deliberate tone, “Bree, your mom called me again. She called my number and told me to tell you..

Aubrey immediately cut her off.”Sierra, let’s discuss this in private.”

Sierra finally registered what Aubrey was saying “Oh, right.”

Damon’s movements faltered. He fruze for a few seconds, then looked up at Aubrey, his hand clutching his fork, unmoving

Aubrey kept her gaze lowered, focused on her food.

Even though she was acutely aware of Damon’s gaze, she refused to meet

Exlaan looked from Thamon to Aubry, a piece of local chicken still his mouth. As he chewed, an idea began to form

The

cat an opening a potential way to finally get Damon’s contact on his Whatsapp

relational”

Aubitry never ta

Cand whispered, “Add me on your Whatsapps, and Ellspill the texon Aubrey and her mother”

he kurss absolutely nothing

them

then at down his fook and pulled out

Ethan practically viberated warforscitromot, unable to suppowni phone, opened the (2) code, and platil it in front ul

Damon scanned the code and

( playing on his lips. He presend them tog

Ethan quickly accepted, then happily put his phone away