Forbidden Night with the CEO

Chapter Nine.

By six in the evening, Ava stood in front of her wardrobe, staring at her clothes.

She had changed twice already, but nothing felt right.

The business dinner was supposed to be simple, yet she couldn't stop thinking about spending the evening beside Damien.

And then her phone rang.

It was Karen.

"Are you ready?"

Ava sighed. "Not even close."

Karen laughed. "I knew it. Send me a picture of what you're wearing."

Ava took a quick picture and sent it.

A few seconds later, Karen called again.

"No. Absolutely not."

Ava laughed. "What's wrong with it?"

"Everything. You're going to a business dinner with your boss, not to the market."

"Karen!"

"I'm serious. Wear something simple and classy."

She searched through her wardrobe again and finally pulled out a dark, knee-length dress.

"This?"

"Much better."

Ava smiled and changed into it.

When she looked in the mirror, she barely recognized herself.

Karen's voice came through the phone.

"Now that's better."

Ava shook her head.

"I'm only going there for work."

"I know," Karen replied. "But you sound nervous."

"I am nervous."

"And then?"

Ava sighed.

"And then I have to stop thinking about it and just go."

Karen laughed softly.

"Exactly. Just remember why you're there."

Ava nodded.

She hoped she could remember that when she was standing beside Damien.

Damien arrived few minutes before seven, Ava heard a car stop outside her apartment.

She checked the time and quickly grabbed her handbag.

Her phone buzzed.

"I'm outside. " Damien said.

Ava took one last look at herself in the mirror and then walked out.

When she reached the entrance,

Damien was standing beside a black car, checking his phone.

He looked up when he heard her footsteps.

For a moment, his eyes stayed on her.

Ava noticed.

"Good evening," she said.

"Good evening."

Damien opened the car door for her.

"You look nice."

Ava smiled politely. "Thank you."

She got inside, and then Damien walked around to the other side and joined her.

The car pulled away from the building.

For the first few minutes, neither of them spoke.

Ava looked out the window, watching the streets pass by.

And then Damien broke the silence.

"Nervous?"

"A little."

"You don't need to be. It's just a dinner."

Ava turned toward him.

"Easy for you to say."

A small smile appeared on Damien's face.

"You'll do fine."

Ava looked away again.

"I hope so."

Damien studied her for a moment before looking ahead.

"You handled your first day well."

"Thank you."

"And then you caught that scheduling mistake. Most new employees wouldn't have noticed it."

Ava smiled.

"I just pay attention."

"I noticed."

The car continued through the busy evening traffic as they headed toward the dinner.

Some moments later, the car stopped in front of a large hotel with bright lights shining across the entrance.

Ava stepped out and looked around.

The place was filled with well-dressed guests arriving for the business dinner.

Damien came around the car and stood beside her.

"Ready?"

Ava nodded.

"I think so."

And then they walked inside.

A waiter greeted them and led them toward the private dining hall.

Several people were already seated around the tables. Ava recognized a few familiar faces from the business news, but she kept her expression calm.

Damien placed a hand lightly behind her back as they walked through the room.

"This is Ava Carter," he said when they reached a group of guests. "She's my new executive assistant."

Ava smiled politely.

"It's a pleasure to meet you."

One of the men smiled.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Carter. I've heard good things about Blackwood Group."

"Thank you."

Then, another guest began asking Damien about an upcoming project.

Ava stood quietly beside him, listening.

When the conversation moved to schedules and meetings, she added a few useful details.

Damien glanced at her.

She noticed and gave him a small smile.

Later, they moved toward their table.

"You handled yourself well," Damien said.

Ava looked at him.

"Really?"

"Yes."

And then he pulled out her chair.

"You're doing better than you think."

Ava sat down, surprised by his words.

The dinner continued, and Ava tried to stay focused on the conversation around her.

After a while, Damien leaned closer.

"Come with me for a minute."

Ava nodded and followed him away from the table.

They stepped into a quiet hallway outside the dining room.

Ava looked at him.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes. I just needed some air."

They stood near a large window overlooking the city.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

And then Damien turned toward her.

"How are you finding the job so far?"

Ava smiled faintly.

"It's been good. A little stressful, but

I'm getting used to it."

"That's good."

He looked at her for a moment.

"You seem different tonight."

Ava's smile faded slightly.

"Different how?"

"I don't know. More relaxed."

She gave a small laugh.

"Maybe because you're not sitting behind a desk looking serious."

Damien chuckled.

"Do I really look that serious?"

"Most of the time."

And then they both laughed.

The moment felt strangely easy.

Damien's expression softened.

"What do you want for yourself, Ava?"

She wasn't expecting the question.

"I just want a stable life."

"That's all?"

"For now."

He studied her face.

Ava quickly looked away.

She couldn't tell him that the future she wanted now included a child he didn't even know existed.

Damien noticed her sudden silence.

"Are you okay?"

Ava nodded.

"Yes. I'm fine."

And then they heard someone calling Damien from inside.

He looked toward the dining room.

"Looks like we're needed."

Ava smiled and followed him back inside.

When they returned the dining room.Ava took her seat beside Damien.

The conversation continued as everyone discussed business and future projects.

Ava listened quietly, occasionally taking notes.

And then a woman walked past their table.

Ava barely noticed her, but Damien suddenly went still.

A familiar perfume filled the air.

He frowned and looked toward the woman as she walked away.

Something about the scent pulled at a memory he couldn't quite reach.

Darkness.

A woman's soft voice.

A warm hand against his chest.

Damien blinked and shook his head slightly.

"Are you alright?" Ava asked.

He looked at her.

"Yes."

But he wasn't.

The memory had come so suddenly that his heart was beating faster.

And then he caught another familiar scent.

This time, it was coming from Ava.

Damien's eyes stayed on her.

Ava noticed his expression.

"What is it?"

He didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he leaned slightly closer.

That perfume.

He had smelled it before.

Not here.

Not at work.

Somewhere else.

Ava shifted uncomfortably.

"Mr. Blackwood?"

Damien finally looked away.

"Nothing."

But his mind refused to let it go.

He closed his eyes for a second, and another piece of the memory appeared.

A woman's voice whispered his name.

"Damien..."

His eyes suddenly opened.

He looked at Ava again.

She was staring back at him.

For some reason, his heart began pounding.

He knew that voice.

And then one frightening thought entered his mind.

What if Ava wasn't a stranger after all?

His attention kept drifting toward Ava.

She sat quietly beside him, listening to the conversation and taking notes.

She looked completely normal, but something about her had changed in his mind.

And then the scent hit him again.

That same perfume.

Damien frowned and looked at her.

"Miss Carter."

Ava turned toward him.

"Yes?"

"Have you ever been to this hotel before?"

She looked surprised by the question.

"No."

"Are you sure?"

Ava nodded.

"Yes, I'm sure."

Damien studied her face.

There was something familiar about her eyes, but he couldn't understand why.

"Have you ever attended any event where I was present?"

Ava hesitated for a second.

"No, Mr. Blackwood."

Damien leaned back in his chair.

"Alright."

Ava looked at him carefully.

"Why are you asking?"

He shook his head.

"Just curious."

And then he turned back to the people at the table.

Ava tried to focus on the discussion, but her heart was beating faster.

She knew exactly why Damien was asking those questions.

He was remembering.

Maybe not everything yet, but something.

Ava lowered her eyes and quietly took another note.

She had spent months trying to put that night behind her.

Now it seemed the past was slowly finding its way back to them.