Forbidden Night with the CEO

Chapter Thirteen.

Ava stared at the photograph on

Damien's phone.

Her mind went blank for a moment.

"I was at the charity event," she finally said.

Damien's eyes remained on her.

"Why?"

"I was invited."

"By who?"

Ava hesitated.

"Someone I knew."

Damien frowned.

"Who?"

Ava looked away.

"It was a long time ago. I don't remember everything."

"And yet you remember that you were there."

Ava swallowed.

"Yes."

Damien took a step closer.

"You never mentioned it."

"You never asked."

"And then you started working for me."

Ava's heart raced.

"I didn't know I would be working for you when I attended the event."

Damien studied her carefully.

"That's not what I'm asking."

Ava looked at him.

"What are you asking?"

"I want to know why you acted like we'd never met."

Ava's chest tightened.

"Because I didn't think you remembered me."

The words slipped out before she could stop them.

Damien's expression changed.

"What did you just say?"

Ava froze.

She quickly shook her head.

"I mean... I didn't think you remembered seeing me at the event."

Damien stared at her.

And then he lowered his phone.

"So you knew I was there."

Ava nodded slowly.

"Yes."

His eyes narrowed.

"But you still told me we'd never met."

Ava couldn't find an answer.

She remained silent, unable to meet

Damien's eyes.

The room suddenly felt smaller.

Damien waited for her to say something, but when she didn't, he took a slow breath.

"What happened that night?"

Ava looked up.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" he repeated.

"Yes."

Damien shook his head.

"I remember being at that event, but everything after that is blurry."

Ava's heart began pounding.

He remembered.

Not everything, but enough to make her afraid.

"I had too much to drink," Damien continued. "I remember talking to someone."

Ava said nothing.

"And then I remember leaving the main hall."

Her fingers tightened around her bag.

Damien looked directly at her.

"Was it you?"

Ava swallowed.

"I don't know what you remember."

"And then I woke up the next morning with no idea what happened."

Ava looked away.

She could still remember that night clearly.

The music.

The conversation.

The way everything had changed between them.

Damien stepped closer.

"You know something."

Ava shook her head.

"I really don't think we should talk about this."

"Why?"

"Because it doesn't matter anymore."

Damien's expression hardened.

"It matters to me."

Ava looked at him, her eyes filled with worry.

And then Damien asked quietly,

"Did something happen between us that night?"

Her lips parted, but no words came out.

Damien waited.

She could see the questions in his eyes, and suddenly, the secret she'd been carrying felt heavier than ever.

"I don't remember everything," she said quietly.

Damien's expression tightened.

"But you remember something."

Ava looked down.

"I remember talking to you."

"Where?"

"At the event."

"And then?"

Ava hesitated.

"Things happened."

Damien stepped closer.

"What things?"

Ava shook her head.

"I can't."

"Why can't you?"

"Because it was complicated."

Damien stared at her.

"Was I with you that night?"

Ava's heart pounded.

She wanted to lie.

She wanted to tell him no and walk away.

But the words wouldn't come.

And then Damien noticed her silence.

"That's why you didn't want me to remember."

Ava looked at him.

"I didn't know what you would think."

"What should I think?"

She swallowed.

"I don't know."

Damien ran a hand through his hair.

"I've been trying to remember that night for months."

Ava's eyes widened.

Months.

He had been thinking about it too.

"I remember a woman," he continued.

"I remember her voice. I remember holding her hand."

Ava's eyes filled with tears.

She quickly looked away.

Damien noticed.

"Was that woman you?"

Ava closed her eyes.

And then, after a long silence, she whispered,

"Yes."

Damien stared at Ava, unable to hide his shock.

"It was you," he repeated.

Ava nodded slowly.

"I didn't want you to remember."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't know what would happen after that night."

Damien took a step closer.

"You should have told me."

"I was scared."

"Of me?"

Ava shook her head.

"Of everything."

And then she looked down, trying to hold back the tears in her eyes.

Damien's voice softened.

"Ava, what happened that night?"

She opened her mouth, but the words refused to come.

Her hand moved unconsciously toward her stomach.

She stopped herself.

She couldn't tell him yet.

Damien noticed her hesitation.

"There's something else, isn't there?"

Ava quickly looked up.

"No."

"You're lying."

"I'm not."

He stared at her for a long moment.

"Then look at me and tell me there's nothing you're hiding."

Ava couldn't do it.

She looked away instead.

Damien's expression changed.

"I knew it."

Ava swallowed hard.

"I just need some time."

"For what?"

She took a shaky breath.

"To figure out how to tell you."

Damien went silent.

And then he asked quietly,

"Tell me what?"

Ava's eyes filled with tears.

She wanted to say it,but fear stopped her.

"Not now," she whispered.

Then she turned and walked toward the door, but before she could open it,

Damien spoke.

"Ava."

She stopped.

For a moment, she stood with her back to him.

She didn't turn around.

"I won't force you to tell me anything,"

Damien said quietly. "But whatever it is, you should know that running away won't make it disappear."

Ava closed her eyes.

"I know."

"Then why are you hiding it?"

She slowly turned around.

"Because I'm afraid."

Damien looked at her.

"Afraid of what?"

Ava opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

And then she shook her head.

"I need to go."

She opened the door and walked out.

Damien remained where he was, watching her disappear.

Something was definitely wrong.

He could feel it.

Ava wasn't only hiding what happened that night.

She was hiding something that had happened afterward.

And Damien intended to find out what it was.

Some moments later,she returned to her desk and quickly picked up her handbag.

She needed to leave before she broke down in front of everyone.

As she walked toward the elevator, she placed a hand over her stomach.

Her eyes filled with tears.

"Just a little more time," she whispered.

The elevator doors opened.

She stepped inside.

And then her phone buzzed.

A message from the hospital appeared on her screen.

Your appointment has been confirmed for tomorrow at 10 a.m.

Ava stared at the message.

She suddenly realized something.

Tomorrow, she would have to make an important decision.