CEO Ex-Husband, Don't Bother Me-Chapter 75 - 73: Rest Well 2

Julian Donovan said nothing. He simply walked in and sat down in the chair by the bed. Naomi Shaw glanced at him.

"You... have you eaten? If you haven’t, let’s eat together!"

"I rushed over as soon as I finished handling things for the organization."

Julian Donovan rubbed his forehead wearily. Mrs. Sommers quickly handed him a pair of chopsticks.

"Perfect, eat with us. After you’re done, take Dylan home to rest. I’ll stay here tonight to take care of Naomi!"

But to her surprise, Julian Donovan just lowered his head to eat and said flatly,

"No need. I’ll stay and take care of her." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"COUGH, COUGH..."

Naomi Shaw was so shocked by his words that she choked on her food and started coughing uncontrollably.

She hastily grabbed the water beside her and took a large gulp, which finally made her feel a little better.

"I don’t need anyone to stay with me. My mobility is limited, but I’m not helpless. You’ve all had a long day, so you should all go home and rest!"

’She was used to his indifference. His sudden kindness was making her extremely uncomfortable. Moreover, she could clearly feel the embers of her dormant heart starting to glow again.’

’If he had remained indifferent to her, she would have been fine. But if he treated her well, she was powerless to resist, because she loved him.’

’Because she loved him, even the slightest bit of kindness from him would fill her with joy.’

’But he didn’t love her, so after the joy, she would only have to endure double the pain and disappointment.’

’That was why she didn’t dare accept his kindness.’

"Uh... really, it’s not necessary..."

It was Dylan who saved her from the awkward situation.

"Mommy, you’re not behaving. You should let Daddy stay with you. Otherwise, you’ll be scared all by yourself at night!"

Dylan tilted his little face up and said this with the serious air of a little adult, which annoyed Naomi Shaw a little.

"Mommy hasn’t been scared all these years with no one by her side, and I won’t be scared tonight either!"

The moment she said it, Julian Donovan’s expression clearly stiffened. Only then did she realize her words sounded like a complaint about his absence all these years. She immediately pressed her lips together and said no more.

Mrs. Sommers tried to smooth things over between them.

"Alright, alright, hurry up and eat. No talking while you’re eating!"

Only then did the two of them lower their heads and eat in silence.

After dinner, Mrs. Sommers left with Dylan. Dylan was very reluctant to leave Naomi Shaw and Julian Donovan. His mommy and daddy were finally together, and he wanted to be with them too. But Naomi Shaw felt that a hospital was an unlucky place, so she had Dylan go back with Mrs. Sommers.

’Speaking of which, she had been having a real string of bad luck lately. First, Dylan was hospitalized, and now she and Arnold were injured, landing in the hospital one after another. She decided to go to the temple first thing tomorrow morning to pray. She would pray for Arnold to wake up soon, and for her own future to be safe and peaceful.’

Once Mrs. Sommers and Dylan left, Naomi Shaw and Julian Donovan were the only two remaining. Naomi Shaw felt uncomfortable all over, so she leaned back on the hospital bed and turned on the TV. When she saw Julian Donovan pick up the fruit to go wash it, she quickly got out of bed to stop him.

"Let me wash it!"

’Back when they were together, she had never let him do a single chore. She took care of everything at home; he was only responsible for building his career and providing for the family. How wonderful it would have been if their relationship had been like that old saying: He provides for the family, and she just has to be beautiful.’

’But they weren’t.’

He glanced at her injured hand.

"Do you think you can wash them?"

Only then did she remember the wound on her hand and feel a flush of embarrassment. He paid her no more mind and went to wash the fruit himself. Feeling very awkward, she got back into bed and continued watching TV.

On the TV, a reporter was asking Juliet Jennings about her love life. She just smiled faintly and answered confidently, "Time will prove everything," before refusing any more questions on the topic.

Naomi Shaw’s lips curved into a self-mocking smile. ’Time will prove everything? Prove what? That the one he loves, in the end, is his gorgeous first love? That this fool, hopelessly in love with him, will never even get a single glance back?’

Julian Donovan came out with the washed fruit. Seeing her self-mocking, dejected expression, he glanced at the TV, walked over, thrust the fruit bowl into her arms, took the remote from her hand, and immediately changed the channel to the business news.

"What is this worthless junk you’re watching!"

Naomi Shaw finally snapped out of her daze from Juliet Jennings’s words. She glanced at him, who had changed the channel on his own and was now engrossed in the business news. She lifted the covers, intending to lie down and sleep.

He suddenly turned his head and asked her,

"Do you want to take a shower before you sleep?"

Her movement to lie down froze. After a long moment, she said awkwardly,

"N-No, that’s okay!"

’Him helping her change her clothes was already mortifying enough. If he helped her shower, she would definitely pass out.’

He didn’t press the issue and turned back to the TV. Just as Naomi Shaw lay down, his phone rang. He didn’t seem to be trying to hide the call from her, simply taking it over by the window.

The call was from Caleb Rhodes. His tone was very grave.

"I heard your wife and son ran into trouble. Do you need any help from our end?"

"Not at the moment."

’It wasn’t yet time to mobilize SEVEN. When they first founded SEVEN, they had agreed to keep the organization as low-profile and mysterious as possible, not revealing its existence unless it was absolutely necessary.’

Felix Draper’s furious voice came through the phone.

"Found out who did it yet? Fuck, I’ll kill him!"

"Still investigating."

Julian Donovan’s tone was ruthless. Then he added,

"Also, I won’t be coming back to Meridia for a while. You guys handle things with SEVEN for now."

Felix Draper’s punchable voice rang out.

"Got it, got it. You just stay there and be a good husband and father. It’s fine if you don’t come back for a year or two!"

Julian Donovan hung up the phone.

After hanging up, Julian Donovan went straight into the bathroom. Lying in bed, Naomi Shaw could no longer remain calm. His words about not returning to Meridia for a while made her heart pound wildly. She knew she shouldn’t get her hopes up, but she couldn’t control it.

’She had wanted to fall asleep quickly to escape the awkwardness of being with him, but now she was wide awake, without a hint of sleepiness.’

While she was lost in thought, Julian Donovan finished his shower and came out of the bathroom. He walked over and bent down to look at her. She kept her eyes shut, pretending to be asleep. She could feel his breath ghosting over her ear, the warmth drawing closer and closer, about to touch her cheek. Left with no choice, she opened her eyes, only to see his face inches from hers.

Seeing that she had opened her eyes, a hint of a smile flashed in his.

"Sleeping so early?"

He was too close. As he spoke, his lips seemed to brush against hers. She looked at him uneasily and murmured a reply,

"Yeah, I’m a little tired..."

He straightened up, pulling her up with him in one smooth motion.

"You should get up and eat some fruit first. Oh, right, where do you think I should sleep tonight? In the lounge in there? Or out here?"

With a single, casual sentence, he tossed the awkward question to her. Then he sat down in the nearby chair, leisurely watching her and waiting for her answer.

Her face flushed red as she blurted out,

"You can sleep in the lounge!"

’Sleeping out here would mean sleeping with him, wouldn’t it?’

He agreed so readily that it made Naomi Shaw a little uneasy.

After agreeing, Julian Donovan said nothing more. He just sat there, looking down at his phone as he started to receive and handle emails. ’Hmm, from his perspective as a doctor, after a scare like the one she had today, she’s bound to have bloody nightmares for the next few days.’

When they finally went to sleep late at night, it was just as she’d said: one was outside, and the other was in the lounge inside.

In the middle of the night, Naomi Shaw woke up from a nightmare with a scream, drenched in a cold sweat. The moment she closed her eyes, all she could see was blood. The scenes in her dream were filled with nothing but gore and the people around her being in mortal danger. The oppressive dream was so heavy it almost suffocated her.

Finally, she got out of bed, hugged her pillow, and stood outside the lounge door, her voice still shaken as she spoke,

"Julian, can I come in and sleep with you? I had a nightmare... I’m really scared..."

He answered from inside. She pushed the door open, walked in, and lay down beside him. The bed in the lounge was as narrow as ever. Afraid of falling off, she could only curl up tightly in his arms and fall into a deep, exhausted sleep.

Julian Donovan had woken up the moment she screamed. He knew perfectly well that the bed in the lounge was narrow, yet he still waited for her to come find him, simply because it was the only way he could hold her a little tighter.