Do You Still Love Me When We Meet Again? (Aubrey and Damon) novel Chapter 65

Chapter 65

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The next morning, a cool breeze carried the lingering heat of summer.

The fermented bean juice at the breakfast shop had a sour, fermented smell. Aubrey bought two breakfasts, and, on a strange impulse, also bought a cup of fermented bean juice.

Damon had once sweet–talked her into trying it, and she’d thrown up from it.

She simply couldn’t stand the smell, like fermented swill.

Yet, Damon loved to drink it. Perhaps it was a taste of home.

When she thought of him, even things remotely connected to him could capture all her attention.

On her way to the hospital, she clutched the fermented bean juice in one hand, her mother’s breakfast in the other.

The warm sun spilled over her, wrapping her in its heat.

She took a deep breath, steeling herself, and brought the cup to her lips. The thick, viscous swill overwhelmed her taste buds, making her stomach churn, but she clenched her jaw and forced it down.

A harsh gag tore through her.

She swallowed hard, took a deep breath to quell the rising bile, and took another large gulp.

The moment she swallowed, another wave of nausea crashed over her.

This peculiar scene unfolded on the street.

A pure, beautiful young woman, with her long hair flowing freely and a soft, airy dress, was a stunning sight in the morning light.

One hand gripped her mother’s breakfast, the other cradled the cup of fermented bean juice, as she walked, sipping, and gagging.

After each bout of gagging, she would straighten her back, take a deep, shuddering breath, then force herself to take another sip, only to gag again. This agonizing cycle repeated, sip by sip, until the entire cup of fermented bean juice was finally gone.

The sounds of her retching punctuated her walk home, a bizarrely beautiful and comical sight.

A content creator passing by snagged the footage, uploading it straight to TikTok

By the time Aubrey arrived at the hospital, Layla was already awake, engrossed in conversation with the new elderly woman in the bed beside hers.

The moment Aubrey stepped inside, Layla beamed at the older woman, proudly announcing, “This is my daughter.“.

The older woman scrutinized Aubrey from head to toe, a look of pure delight on her face.“Your daughter is absolutely stunning,” she declared, “doesn’t look a day over twenty–two. But she’s at that age, dear, it’s time for her to settle down and get married.”

Aubrey offered a tight nod to the older woman, then set the breakfast bag down on the bedside table, her heart sinking with a familiar, leaden weight.

One look at the older woman’s knowing gaze, and Aubrey knew instantly: her mother was back to matchmaking.

It was as if finding Aubrey a husband was a mission Layla needed to accomplish, even from her sickbed, a task she refused to forget.

The older woman said, “My son is divorced and has a daughter. He’s forty, but he looks much younger. He’s a lawyer, just like your daughter, and he even owns his own very successful firm. He’s quite famous; he’s often on TV.”

Layla chuckled, “A man a little older is better. They’re mature, stable, and they know how to treat a woman right.”

“How about I have him come by this afternoon to meet your daughter for dinner?”

Layla turned her head to look at Aubrey, her eyes glinting with a question. “Do you want to meet him?”

Aubrey retorted, her voice sharp with annoyance, “Forty years old, divorced with a kid–do I look that desperate?”

“That’s not what I meant, I-” Layla stumbled over her words, immediately flustered.

Rage tightened Aubrey’s chest. She slammed her breakfast down and stormed out of the hospital room.

To her mother, a woman of staunch traditional values, marriage was a woman’s ultimate destiny. If her children remained unmarried, she’d never truly rest in peace,

Aubrey had just stepped out of the hospital room and was making her way down the long corridor when she spotted a familiar Figure up

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ahead–Hannah Pierce, speaking with a nurse.

The nurse pointed in her direction, and Hannah turned her head, her gaze immediately locking with Aubrey’s.

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Hannah was impeccably dressed with an air of sophisticated luxury, her heels clicking softly as she strode towards Aubrey, a richly embroidered handbag swinging from her arm.

“Fancy meeting you here, Aunt Hannah,” Aubrey greeted her.

Hannah offered a faint smile.“Actually, it’s no coincidence. I came specifically to find you. I was hoping we could sit down somewhere and talk.”

Aubrey’s hands slowly curled into fists. She already knew exactly what Hannah was here for.

“No need to find a place,” Aubrey said, her voice tight.“We can talk right here. Just say what you came to say.”

Hannah frowned, glancing around the sterile hallway with a flicker of disdain.

Talk in a hospital corridor?

For someone of her standing, having a conversation in a place like this was simply… undignified. It cheapened her.

Aubrey’s blatant disrespect made Hannah drop her polite facade.“Fine,” she clipped, her voice sharp.“Here then. I’ll get straight to the point and make this quick.”

Aubrey remained silent, her gaze unwavering on Hannah.

Hannah’s hands were clasped primly at her waist, an aura of dignified power radiating from her. Her gaze was soft, yet every word was a warning:“Aubrey, I already spoke to you about this, subtly, six years ago. I thought you were sensible enough to know how to let go for Damon’s future and career. But I was wrong about you. The year Damon transferred to Crestview City, you actually latched onto him again.”

Aubrey pursed her lips bitterly. It must have been Skylar complaining again. She didn’t deny it, nor did she admit it.

Hannah’s face hardened, and her tone grew sharper. “The Blackwoods are a prominent, well–respected family. Not just any woman can marry into it. And what’s more, your father’s imprisonment is a mark of shame on our entire family, a disgrace that will cling to us for generations. There’s no way I’ll allow a woman of your background to be with Damon.”

“Damon already has a fiancée. She’s an executive at a large corporation, her parents are both university professors, and she comes from a highly educated family. I hope you have some self–awareness. Your father is a criminal, your mother is barely literate, and you’re just a small–time lawyer.”

“To put it plainly, you’re not good enough for Damon, and your family is no match for the Blackwoods. From now on, please stay away from Damon and stop resorting to your petty schemes.”

Aubrey’s fists clenched hard, her nails digging deep into her palms, aching faintly. It felt like a rope was tightening around her chest, stealing her breath.

She knew her place, but hearing these hurtful words, she still couldn’t help but feel hurt and indignant.

Just as she was about to retort, her mother’s furious shouts erupted from behind her.

“Who the hell is Damon? And who the hell do you think you are?”

At the sound, Aubrey quickly spun around.

Hannah’s face abruptly darkened as she looked at Layla, who was storming toward them.

Layla’s body might have been frail, but her fighting spirit was not to be underestimated.

She might scold or reprimand her own daughter, but she absolutely wouldn’t tolerate anyone else bullying her

Though uneducated, she was always unyielding when it came to protecting her child.

Layla walked over, hands on her hips, her eyes blazing with fury as she yelled. “My daughter is beautiful, has a great job, and plenty of men are lining up for her! She doesn’t need to marry into some self–important, snobbish family like yours that looks down on everyone. You say my daughter isn’t good enough for you?” She spat. “What, did your ancestors descend directly from kings? Or were they just din players a few generations back, like everyone else? You think your bloodline is nobler than anyone else’s, or is your family name superior?”

Patient rooms lined both sides of the hallway, and doors began to creak open as patients and their families puked their heads o

“Mon “Aubrey quickly clutched her arm, fearing her anger would consume her and she would collapse. “Don’t say anything else Let’s get you back to

test.”

Layla ripped her hand away, jaw clenched, and glared at Hannah “It’s all clear to me now. So you’re the ones responsible for any daugher’s thess. Tell Damon not to imagow that a house and some cash give him permission to toy with people’s emotion. My daughter would wener mare a se dog

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than marry into your family. We don’t need your charity. Go back to your privileged lives and your ivory tower. And don’t you dare stoop to visit commoners like us again. Get out.”

Hannah’s face turned livid. “Crude,” she snapped contemptuously.

With that, she shot Aubrey a glare and strode away.

Aubrey held onto Layla, her own head bowed as she let out a shaky breath. A heavy ache settled in her chest.

Layla looked at Aubrey, demanding furiously, “Is that woman Damon’s mother? Were you and Damon together when you were in college here? Did she force you two to break up? Is that why you’ve been so depressed?”

“She’s Damon’s aunt.”

“His great–aunt? Does she live by the ocean? She’s got a lot of nerve to meddle so much!” Layla’s chest heaved with rage, her breath coming in deep, ragged gasps, her trembling fists clenched. “I’m furious! I thought Damon was a decent, good man. Turns out he’s a worthless piece of trash. He’s been toying with your feelings since college, then he listened to his great–aunt and dumped you twice. Does he really think a little money can make up for all the pain he’s caused you?”

“It’s not like that, Mom, please don’t just assume things,” Aubrey said, her voice heavy with exhaustion. She gently guided her mother toward the hospital room. “Please, don’t concern yourself with my business right now. Just focus on your recovery. The doctor said you need quiet rest and absolutely shouldn’t get upset.”

Layla pushed Aubrey’s hand away, turning to leave.“No! I won’t stand for this. I’m going to demand justice from the Blackwoods.”

Aubrey, a wave of desperation washing over her, grabbed her mother’s arm.“I broke up with Damon, Mom! I was the one who ended it both times. What justice are you looking for?”

“Who are you kidding?” Layla scoffed, her conviction unyielding.“Damon obviously did something terrible to you, otherwise he wouldn’t be trying to pay you off. He played you, then just walked away after throwing some cash at you, leaving you to deal with two crippling bouts of depression, crying every single day, constantly taking medication until your body completely gave out. You’re the victim here! And his great–aunt has the gall to come to our hospital room and say those disgusting things? Does she actually think we’re pushovers?”

Aubrey was utterly drained. She tilted her head back, letting out a long, stifled breath before looking at her mother, her voice firm.“Mom, I’m telling you again, I broke up with Damon. That’s the truth. Don’t you dare go looking for him. If you even think about going near him, we’re going straight back to Crestview City right this second, no more doctors, we’re leaving immediately.”

Layla was momentarily cowed by Aubrey’s vehemence. Her anger seemed to deflate slightly as she said softly,“Alright, I’ll do as you say. I won’t go near them.”

Layla turned and headed back to her hospital room, but the bitter taste of it lingered in her mouth. She couldn’t bring herself to just let it go.

A plan began to form in her mind: she had to find an opportunity to sneak out of the hospital. She absolutely had to make the Blackwoods understand that Layla’s daughter was a decent, respectable girl, not Damon’s plaything, and definitely not someone his great–aunt could casually walk all over.

A video of Aubrey gagging while trying to drink fermented bean juice went viral across social media.

Though filmed from the back and to the side, and her full face wasn’t visible, only a glimpse of her profile, Tracy knew who it was immediately.

That weekend, in the Blackwoods‘ living room.

Damon, Tracy, and their mother, Victoria, were casually gathered at home.

“Who filmed this? So cute,” Tracy chuckled, watching a short video. She leaned closer to Victoria “Mom, look at this.”

Victoria leaned her head toward Tracy, her eyes fixed on her daughter’s phone screen.

The video had been edited, set to music, with crude animations added to each gagging moment, making it incredibly funny.

“This girl looks a little familiar,” Victoria mused, a touch of curiosity in her voice. “What is she drinking? If it’s so nasty, why is she still forcing herself to

drink it?”

“It’s Aubrey,” Tracy replied.

“Aubrey?” Victoria exclaimed, surprised, immediately taking the phone to watch the video again.

The moment Aubrey’s name left Tracy’s lips, Damon, who had been sitting silently beside them, paused. His gaze lifted

Tracy caught Damon’s reaction. “Want to see, bro?”

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Damon remained silent, his gaze retreating. He turned, leaning against the wall with his back to them, and resumed scrolling on his phone.

It took Victoria a few moments, and several glances, for the realization to dawn.“Aubrey’s drinking fermented bean juice, isn’t she?”

Damon stiffened slightly. He turned off his phone screen, slipped it into his pocket, then pressed a hand to his forehead, closing his eyes, trying to compose himself.

Tracy giggled. “It was probably that drink. She was gagging as she drank it, but still forcing herself to keep going. She’s already so pretty, and that whole scene was just too entertaining. It went viral online instantly and actually popularized our local drink. Now a lot of female influencers online are trying to recreate that drinking scene.”

“Will this video cause Aubrey any trouble?” Victoria fretted.

“No, videos like this, the hype usually dies down fast. Unless Aubrey wants to capitalize on the moment and, while it’s still trending, confirm online that she’s the girl in the video. She’s so gorgeous, she could totally become an an influencer and make a career out of her online presence.”

“But if she became a beauty influencer, most of her followers would be men just looking for eye candy. That doesn’t seem right, does it?”

“Mom, times are different now. If you want to make money, online influence is the fastest and easiest way to monetize.”

Victoria didn’t really get it, shrugging.

Abruptly, Damon stood and left.

Tracy watched his brooding, distant back. A helpless sigh escaped her.