CEO Ex-Husband, Don't Bother Me-Chapter 18: An Unexpected Encounter

After Naomi Shaw finished cleaning, she took a large pile of trash out to the dumpster by the gate. On her way back, a car drove past her and stopped in front of the building next door. Her eyes widened in shock the moment she saw the person getting out.

"Julian? Y-You... what are you doing here?"

The person who stepped out of the car was none other than Julian Donovan, who had moved in a week ago. The moment he saw her, a look of intense annoyance flashed across his cold, severe face. His lips curled into a sneer.

"Naomi Shaw, I should be the one asking what you’re doing here, shouldn’t I?"

’He’d moved out specifically to avoid her, and now she’d followed him all the way here. She was impossible to shake off. And the worst part was, she still had the gall to act all innocent.’

"I live here with my classmate..."

Naomi didn’t understand why his words were so sharp and cruel. ’I haven’t done anything to him, have I?’

Her words only made Julian’s rage flare.

"Naomi Shaw, I thought I made myself perfectly clear. I can’t believe you’re still shamelessly pestering me, even following me all the way out here!"

Julian’s temper had grown volatile, irritable, and ruthless ever since he arrived in Thailos. He was also completely exhausted from trailing Ian Shaw and adapting to his new life. So, the moment he saw her living right next door, his reason was consumed by a blind rage, and he spoke without thinking.

"You live here too?"

Naomi was stunned. Suddenly, she understood the reason for his fury. He thought she had moved here just to keep hounding him. Not wanting him to have the wrong idea, she rushed to explain.

"It’s not like that! Julian, please, just listen to me..."

But Julian was in no mood to listen. He shot her a vicious glare, slammed his car door shut, and stormed into his house. The thunderous sound made Naomi flinch, and her heart trembled. A moment later, an overwhelming sense of injustice washed over her.

’Lara was the one who found this place; I had no idea. If I’d known he lived here, I never would have moved in. I want to move on from him. I don’t want to make things this hard for him, either. But who knew fate would be so cruel? The more I try to run, the more it seems to push us together.’

Thinking of the annoyance and mockery she had just seen on his face, tears instantly welled up in her eyes. ’So that’s what he thinks of me—just a shameless pest.’ She stood in the yard, overwhelmed with sadness, biting her lip so hard it hurt to stop the tears from falling.

Back in his house, Julian went to his second-floor bedroom to change. A glance out the window was all it took to see her standing in the adjacent yard, looking utterly dejected. Her face was etched with hurt, as if she was on the verge of tears. Annoyed, he threw his jacket to the floor and stalked into the bathroom. ’I hate how she hounds me like this, so why do I feel guilty seeing her look so pitiful?’

After going inside, Naomi finally couldn’t hold it in anymore and cried silently for what felt like an eternity. The moment Lara got back, she noticed Naomi’s red, swollen eyes.

"Naomi, why are you crying?"

Naomi wiped at her tears and turned her head away, but Lara anxiously turned her back to face her.

"What happened? Who bullied you?"

Naomi sniffled and began to speak in a low voice.