CEO Ex-Husband, Don't Bother Me-Chapter 76 - 74: Rest Well 3

Held in his arms, Naomi Shaw slept soundly until dawn. She woke very early, but he was no longer by her side. ’He’s probably gone to the office to start his day,’ she thought. ’He’s always been such a workaholic.’

After quickly washing up, she managed to change into a decent set of clothes and left her hospital room. ’I’ll take advantage of the quiet morning to go to the temple and offer some incense,’ she thought. ’It’s not too far away. I should be able to get back before Mrs. Sommers arrives with Dylan.’

She hailed a taxi to her usual temple on the mountain, bought incense, and devoutly lit it. Then, following her routine, she knelt and prayed before the Buddha in each hall. Finally, she joined in chanting a sutra in the main hall before leaving to head back down the mountain.

After her prayers, she felt a sense of relief, and her spirits lifted. But just as she stepped out of the temple gates, several black cars came screeching toward her. Startled, she quickly dodged to the side of the road.

One of the cars screeched to a halt right in front of her. A furious Julian Donovan leaped out, stormed over, and unleashed a thunderous tirade.

"Naomi Shaw, what’s the point of having a phone if you’re not going to bring it with you? Are you brainless? Someone tried to kill you just yesterday, and today you dare to go out all by yourself? Do you have any idea how worried I was about you?!"

Naomi Shaw was stunned speechless by his tirade, and his last, furious sentence left her frozen in place.

’What did he say? That he was worried about me?’

She looked up, staring blankly at his face. He was furious, but beneath the anger, she could clearly see deep-seated worry in his eyes.

When Julian Donovan saw her standing there, frozen, he strode over, grabbed her, and shoved her into the back seat, roaring viciously,

"Get in!"

Naomi Shaw had no idea that her little trip had thrown the entire hospital into chaos.

Julian Donovan had gotten up early to check on Arnold in the ICU. When he returned to Naomi Shaw’s room, however, she was gone. He tried calling her, only to discover she hadn’t even taken her phone. His mind immediately flashed to yesterday’s shooting—the culprits still at large—and a terrible premonition washed over him. ’What if that gang ambushed her again, or tried to kill her...’

He didn’t dare to imagine the consequences. He rushed out of the room to find a nurse and ask about her whereabouts, dialing Ken on his way to order him to send men to find her at once. But it was too early; the hallways of the inpatient wing were practically deserted. He couldn’t find a single lead.

Julian Donovan didn’t know how to describe what he was feeling. Anxious, restless... and yes, panic. Panic was the perfect word for the feeling seizing his heart.

He called Mrs. Sommers, but she said Naomi hadn’t gone home. Julian Donovan was about to lose his mind. He was furious that she had left without a word and frantic with worry for her safety. ’Damn it, does that woman have no sense of self-preservation at all?’ he fumed. ’After someone tried to kill her yesterday, how could she go out today without a single bodyguard?’

He finally managed to get a small lead from the security guard at the hospital entrance, who said she had hailed a taxi and left about half an hour ago. He breathed a sigh of relief. At least she hadn’t been abducted. ’But where did she go in a taxi?’ he worried. ’What if that group spots her on the way?’

He told Ken to hurry up and send people to find her, while he himself began driving around the nearby area, searching block by block. Just then, Mrs. Sommers called again.

"Julian, you should check the temple on the nearby mountain. After what happened yesterday, don’t you think she might have gone there to pray?"

Mrs. Sommers’ words reminded him of Naomi’s Buddhist faith. He immediately started driving toward the mountain. Just then, Ken called again to report that his men had found her; she had gone to the mountain to pray. Julian floored the accelerator and raced up the mountain. And there she was, descending the path alone, looking refreshed and carefree.

He was so furious. If it weren’t for her injured hand, he felt like he could have hauled her up and given her a sound spanking to relieve his frustration. Of course, his extreme anger made him speak without thinking, and he inadvertently revealed his true feelings.

Naomi Shaw was beginning to understand what had happened. Seeing how furious he was, she couldn’t help but apologize in a small voice.

"Julian, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to leave my phone behind. Please don’t be angry!"

Julian Donovan snorted coldly. Before he could say another word, his phone rang. He answered it.

The call was from an unknown number. He answered, and the person on the other end gave a sinister chuckle.

"Well, Julian. Say hello to your little lady and your son for me!"

It was Wendy Lowe’s voice. Julian Donovan instantly understood the implication. In a low, cold voice, he asked,

"Was this your doing?"

Wendy Lowe just laughed.

"Heh, consider this just a little lesson. Julian Donovan, if you dare to keep opposing me, I’m afraid I won’t be so merciful next time. Your little lady is quite a looker... I bet she tastes good, too, heheh..."

Wendy Lowe’s words were utterly vile. Julian Donovan gripped his phone, his voice turning lethally grim.

"Wendy Lowe, with this, I am officially declaring war on you. If you’ve got the guts, bring it on. I’ll see this through to the very end! You think you have no weaknesses just because you have no wife or children? Fine. I will make you pay tenfold for everything you’ve done today!"

Wendy Lowe only laughed more smugly.

"Heh, actually, my success this time is all thanks to a very helpful partner!"

Of course, Wendy Lowe wasn’t about to tell Julian Donovan that his so-called partner was Juliet Jennings. He would wait and watch. It would be best to tell Julian everything Juliet Jennings had done only after he and Juliet finally got together. Julian would surely lose his mind then. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Watching Julian suffer from a brutal betrayal by the woman he loved—that was what would bring Wendy Lowe the most joy.

Wendy Lowe’s words made Julian Donovan frown. He had no desire to waste any more time on him and hung up. After ending the call, an image of someone flashed through his mind, but he immediately shook his head to dismiss it. ’How could it be her? No, it’s definitely not her. It’s impossible.’

After hanging up on Wendy Lowe, Julian Donovan called Ken. He told him to call off the massive search, as he now knew who was behind it. He only instructed Ken to make sure that Naomi and their son’s security was airtight from now on. The purpose of Wendy Lowe’s call had been perfectly clear: it was both a warning and a declaration of war.

When he hung up, Naomi Shaw saw his expression was still dark and called out to him timidly.

"Julian, please don’t be angry, okay? I’ll be much more careful about my safety from now on!"

’Oh, what should I do?’ she worried. ’It seems I really made him angry this time.’

’The consequences of angering Donovan are severe... Am I going to have to pay him back with my body?’

Julian Donovan’s face was like ice. He didn’t say a word, just drove in silence. Seeing him like this, Naomi Shaw didn’t dare say anything more. With a sigh, she turned her head to look out the window, hoping the passing scenery would alleviate the suffocating atmosphere in the car.

When they arrived back at the hospital, Mrs. Sommers was waiting with Dylan in her arms. A whole contingent of staff—from the hospital director and attending physician down to the junior nurse assigned to Naomi Shaw—was lined up at her door. Dylan, who almost never cried or fussed, burst into tears the moment he saw her and threw himself into her arms.

"Mommy, where did you go? Dylan was so scared!"

Only then, seeing this scene, did Naomi Shaw realize the scale of the trouble she had caused. She felt both innocent and helpless; she had only gone to offer some incense and pray, but it seemed everyone assumed the worst had happened to her again.

While comforting Dylan, she glanced uneasily at Julian Donovan, who still looked thoroughly displeased. The hospital director stepped forward apologetically to placate him.

"Mr. Donovan, I am terribly sorry. This incident was a result of our hospital’s services not being meticulous enough. In the future, we will..."

Before the director could finish his assurances, Julian Donovan cut him off coldly.

"Process her discharge papers immediately!"

In truth, the injury on Naomi Shaw’s wrist wasn’t very serious. She had only decided to stay hospitalized because the facilities were more convenient for recovery; all she really needed was quiet rest. But from Julian Donovan’s perspective, given her complete lack of awareness of danger, it was far better to have her stay obediently right under his nose.

With Julian Donovan having spoken, no one dared to defy his order. Naomi Shaw certainly wasn’t about to raise any objections; she hadn’t wanted to stay in the hospital in the first place. As for the director, he could only nod repeatedly in agreement.