Do You Still Love Me When We Meet Again? (Aubrey and Damon) novel Chapter 85

Chapter 85

“Aubrey.” Damon said, his voice soft, tinged with surprise.

At the sound of his voice, everyone turned to look at him.

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He walked directly to Aubrey, his large hand wrapping around her slender waist. He tugged her gently against his side, pulling her away from Alex

His actions left everyone stunned. Aubrey herself was bewildered, and Alex’s face immediately darkened.

“What are you doing here?” Damon asked, his hand still on her waist. He looked down at her feet, his expression etched with concern “How’s your ankle doing?”

Aubrey quickly pushed his hand away, completely bewildered.

What ankle was he talking about? she thought.

Damon subtly tightened his arm around her, pulling her closer, making it impossible for her to pull away. Then, meeting the bewildered glances of those around them, he explained with a charming smile, “This is my ex–girlfriend. A few days ago, she slipped and twisted her ankle while showering at home.‘

Most of Alex’s friends were also acquainted with Damon.

With that revelation, an uncomfortable silence settled over the room. It was impossible to push Aubrey to define her relationship with Alex now, not with this level of drama.

Alex’s face soured even more. He reached for a nearby glass and took a slow, deliberate sip of wine.

Aubrey was utterly speechless. She hadn’t realized Damon could be so calculating.

He’d spun that lie without so much as a single blush.

She quickly pushed Damon away, unwilling to expose his blatant lie.“I’m fine now,” she said, her voice tight.

Damon’s sudden appearance had certainly gotten her out of one awkward situation, but it only catapulted her into a whole new one.

Just then, a friend who knew Damon chimed in playfully, “Damon, I heard you and your childhood sweetheart broke up ages ago. I never would’ve guessed it was Ms. Hayes!”

Damon’s smile was gentle, but his gaze burned into Aubrey.“It hasn’t been that many years,” he corrected smoothly. “Relationships have their ups and downs, on–again, off–again. Our last breakup was only about a year ago, right, Aubrey?”

Aubrey held a strained smile, her scalp prickling as she let out a soft breath.

It was clear Damon wasn’t giving Alex an ounce of respect.

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Everyone could see Alex was pursuing her, yet Damon had come to completely derail it, his words implying a messy, unresolved history between them.

Alex drained his glass, set it down, and forced a tight smile.“A breakup is a breakup,” he said, his voice clipped.“Does the length of time apart really

matter?”

The moment the words left his lips, a palpable tension descended, blanketing the entire ballroom.

Damon locked gazes with him. Beneath their calm exteriors, undercurrents of hostility surged, their powerful auras radiating through the room.

Everyone dimly sensed a silent battle was about to erupt, a war fought not with weapons, but with sheer will.

Panic seized Aubrey. On one side stood the ‘client‘ she couldn’t possibly alienate, and on the other, her ex, a man she still deeply cared for. If they started a scene because of her, it would be utterly humiliating.

And there’d be no good way to resolve it.

Damon, I’m a little hungry,” Aubrey blurted out, her soft, pleading eyes meeting his. Her voice was gentle, “Could you get me something to eat?”

Damon curved his lips into a faint smile, nodding in agreement.“Of course,” he replied, before walking towards the food area.

While it appeared she was simply sending Damon away, everyone present understood that he had utterly triumphed in this exchange.

In unfamiliar surroundings, people naturally turn to those they know and trust, especially when it’s Alex’s turf.

Aubrey hadn’t even thought to ask Alex for food, a clear sign that Damon’s place in her heart far outweighed Alex’s.

Naturally, Damon knew her preferences and, considering her usual portion size and tastes, returned with a small plate of food.

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“Thanks.” Aubrey took the plate with a polite thank you. Then she turned to Alex. “I’m going to grab a table over there and eat something”

Alex’s lips tightened into a smile as he nodded.

Aubrey carried her plate toward a nearby table and sat down.

Alex turned and walked to the bar, picking up a glass of fresh pomegranate juice, intending to take it to Aubrey.

“She doesn’t like pomegranate juice,” Damon said, his tone light and unconcerned.“You should get her a mango juice instead.”

Alex, who had just picked up the juice, set it back down, his face darkening.“Damon, let’s go somewhere and talk.”

“Fine,” Damon said, turning and walking toward the back exit of the ballroom. Alex followed.

Outside in the garden, the night was hazy.

They walked through a dense thicket of bushes, taking a detour, until they reached a gazebo bathed in cold white light.

The garden was alive with the chirping of insects, a melodic symphony playing out in the night.

A gentle breeze brushed their faces, carrying the faint scent of flowers from the garden.

Damon stood by the railing, gazing up at the faint stars in the sky. Alex leaned against one of the pavilion’s pillars, pulling out a cigarette pack and lighter from his pocket.

He offered one to Damon.

Damon didn’t take it.“I quit a long time ago.”

Alex ignored him, placing the cigarette between his lips. Head bowed, he flicked the lighter to ignite it. He took a drag, then tilted his head back, exhaling a plume of white smoke.

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“Damon, I know you two dated all through college and even got back together once. But I’m serious about her. Let’s make this a fair fight.”

Damon turned, meeting his gaze directly. A faint, bitter smile touched the corner of his lips.“A fair fight? That’s not something that exists between us.”

“Why?” Alex’s brows furrowed.

“She and I are one. You’d only ever be the third wheel.”

Alex scoffed, taking a deep drag from his cigarette.“You two broke up. The past is the past. In the future, I’ll be a better fit for her.”

“You can send her flowers every day, but I’ve been through thick and thin with her for over five years. I’ve seen her at her worst, her most vulnerable, and I loved her even when she was at her most disheveled. What Aubrey and I have isn’t something we had, it’s something we have. It’s never stopped.”

“As far as I know, her father’s in jail. The obstacles between you two are more insurmountable than the galaxy itself.” Alex, cigarette still between his fingers, walked over to Damon, standing shoulder to shoulder with him.“Ultimately, the choice is Aubrey’s, not yours.”

Damon sighed softly, his voice firm. “You can continue to pursue her; that’s your right. But know this: every step you take closer to her, you’ll encounter me. I am the insurmountable mountain blocking her path, one you’ll never be able to climb.”

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