Do You Still Love Me When We Meet Again? (Aubrey and Damon) novel Chapter 75

Chapter 75

Aubrey didn’t reply to Damon’s question.

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After all, his current actions had crossed a line.

Once she had washed up and changed, she took her medication on an empty stomach, then grabbed her briefcase and phone and hurried out the door.

It was already past ten in the morning by the time she got back to the firm.

The firm operated on a partnership model, with no clock–in or clock–out requirements. Each lawyer was a partner with the firm, splitting profits evenly, so no one really policed their work hours.

Aubrey had just walked in when she ran right into Garrett Miller.

At the front desk, he was chatting with an older woman, a takeout container in his hand.

Passing by them, Garrett called out to her. “Aubrey, you’re here so late today. Was your morning busy?”

Aubrey stopped, turning to him and forcing a polite smile. “It was, yes.”

The older woman followed Garrett’s gaze, looking at Aubrey. Her eyes widened in surprise. “Oh, aren’t you Aunt Layla’s daughter?”

Aubrey recognized the older woman too.

Her mother had been hospitalized before and shared a room with this woman. Back then, the woman had even tried to set Aubrey up with her 40–year–old son, who had kids.

She never would have guessed that the woman’s son was Garrett.

Aubrey offered an awkward smile and gave a polite nod in greeting.

Garrett looked dumbfounded. “Mom, you two know each other?”

Yes, we know each other. I shared a hospital room with Aubrey’s mom. Aubrey’s mom was always worried Aubrey was getting to the age where she should settle down. She even thought about setting you two up.” The older woman chuckled, a wide smile on her face, and walked over to Aubrey, aking her hand. “I can’t believe Aubrey and my son are so fortuitously matched! And you’re colleagues! You see each other every day, why don’t you give it a real shot?”

Garrett was surprised, a spark of delight igniting in his eyes, and a smile he couldn’t quite contain crept onto his lips.

Though he inwardly dismissed Aubrey’s professional capabilities, he’d been captivated by her beauty and figure from the moment he first saw her.

She was young and beautiful, graceful and serene, with an undeniable elegance. Her twenty–nine years lent her a mature composure that was just right.

He straightened his posture, adjusted his shirt collar, and offered a confident smile.

Aubrey’s face flushed with embarrassment, a flicker of revulsion stirring within her. She immediately pulled her hand away, taking a step back. Her voice was flat, “Sorry, this isn’t appropriate. We’re not happening.”

With that said, she strode inside and entered her office.

Garrett watched Aubrey’s retreating back, his face hardening.

The older woman hooked her arm through Garrett’s, whispering conspiratorially, “Honey, even though you’re eleven years older than her, a woman hearing thirty and still unmarried might be feeling the pressure. Her mother told me she’s been single all these years. You really should try to find a >eautiful stepmother for your child.”

She’s that beautiful and still single?” Garrett asked, a note of disbelief in his voice.

The older woman nodded. “Absolutely,” she affirmed. “Otherwise, her mother wouldn’t be in such a hurry to set her up.

Garrett Miller smiled and nodded, an intense desire for conquest flashing in his eyes..

Aubrey stepped into her office, pulled documents from her briefcase onto her desk, and organized her files. She then carried her empty mug to the breakroom to brew a cup of black coffee.

Leaning against the counter by the coffee machine, she slowly savored a sip of the rich, bitter brew, then picked up her phone to check her social media

Damon’s message remained unanswered.

She hesitated for a moment before slipping her phone into her pocket and carrying her coffee out.

23:04

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Claim 15 Coins By Check in Unbeknownst to her, the man who was still waiting for her reply spent the entire day in a daze, his mind miles away. He’d made several slip–ups at work and was now seething with frustration.

He kept pulling out his phone, opening their chat, and typing out long paragraphs–only to delete them. He’d then brainstorm a new approach, type it out, and delete that too.

It was a constant loop, a delicate dance of trying to find the perfect words while terrified of bothering her, of pushing her away. He was trapped, oscillating between surging impulse and rigid self–restraint.

Eventually, after waiting in vain for Aubrey’s reply, he didn’t reach out again.

Had Aubrey and Alex started dating?

The question, sharp as a thorn, dug into Damon’s heart.

Saturday night, with no work the next day, he asked Alex to go out for drinks.

The music bar was elegantly vintage, with a unique, culturally rich decor. It wasn’t crowded, and a guy on stage sang folk songs, his voice clear and resonant, filling the air with melodious tunes. The atmosphere was exceptionally comfortable.

After a few rounds of sake, Damon impatiently tugged open the top two buttons of his black shirt and couldn’t help but ask, “Are you pursuing Aubrey?”

Alex sat back lazily, an elbow propped on the back of his chair. He took a slow sip from his glass, his gaze fixed on the singer on stage. “Yeah,” he finally

said.

Damon took a steadying breath. “Are you dating?”

A slow smile played on Alex’s lips as he turned his attention to Damon. “Damon, you’re about to get married. Why are you still digging into your ex’s life?”

“I broke off the engagement.”

Alex’s brows furrowed, his expression tightening with tension. “Because of Aubrey?”

“It has nothing to do with her.”

Alex scoffed, draining his glass in one gulp. He slammed the glass down, a sharp thud echoing. “Who’s going to believe that?”

Damon picked up the sake bottle, pouring a glass for Alex and topping off his own before gently setting the bottle down. “It genuinely has nothing to do with her. It was my own decision.”

“Don’t delude yourself,” Alex’s tone grew serious. “Aubrey is never going to be with you.

“I know,” Damon said, then tilted his head back, downing the strong liquor in his glass, the taste as harsh as gall. He pressed his lips together, a frown creasing his brow, and let out a heavy sigh, but pressed on relentlessly, “So, how far have things gone between you two?”

A faint smile touched Alex’s lips. “We’re in the talking stage. About to make it official.”

“Almost. How much of a difference are we talking?”

“All it needs is one formal confession. A man with my money and looks–she’d have a hard time saying no to that, wouldn’t she?”

Damon just smiled, drinking quietly, glass after glass.

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