CEO Ex-Husband, Don't Bother Me-Chapter 98 - 96: The Cruelest 6

Dylan tried his best not to cry. He knew that if he cried, his mom would feel even worse. He raised his small hand to wipe the tears from Naomi Shaw’s face.

"Mom, I don’t blame you. Please don’t cry!"

At first, Naomi Shaw was still holding it in, but Dylan’s mature understanding made her emotions crumble. She pulled him into a tight hug and began to wail.

"Dylan, Dylan..."

Dylan finally couldn’t hold back either and, wrapping his arms around her neck, burst into tears.

"Mom, I missed you!"

Seeing this, Joy, who was standing to the side, also let out a WAHHH and started crying. The ever-dramatic Willow Summers had already been crying her heart out along with them. And so the four of them stood there crying, drawing stares from everyone who passed by.

Willow Summers still had some sense left in her. She stepped forward and helped Naomi Shaw up.

"Naomi, let’s go home first and talk there, okay?"

After a good cry, Naomi Shaw finally felt a little better. She gathered the two children, wiped their tears one by one, and put on a big smile.

"Come on, let’s go home with Mom!"

She carried Joy Donovan, while Dylan held onto the corner of her shirt, and the four of them went inside.

Both children were precious to her. Dylan was her firstborn, the one who had been with her during those years when Julian Donovan was gone. Leaving him with Julian Donovan back then had been a last resort.

Once inside, realizing the two children still hadn’t eaten dinner, Willow Summers offered to cook.

"Naomi, you and Dylan should catch up. I’ll take care of dinner!"

’That’s weird. Doesn’t Naomi have a husband? How come this house shows no signs of a man living here? Take my Walter Jennings, for example. Even when he was in the military and didn’t come home for long stretches, our house was still filled with strong traces of his presence.’

Naomi Shaw walked over and said gratefully,

"Thank you, Willow, but I want to cook a good meal for Dylan myself!"

Those words nearly brought the sentimental Willow Summers to tears again. She quickly fled the kitchen.

"Oh, okay! You cook then, I’ll go watch the kids for you!"

In the living room, little Joy was huddled in a corner of the sofa, clutching a toy and watching Dylan Donovan with wary eyes. Dylan Donovan was lying on his stomach in front of her, gazing intently at her chubby little face, and said in a gentle voice,

"Joy, I’m your big brother. My name is Dylan Donovan!"

The little girl was still scared, her lips pressed together in silence. Dylan gently reached out and took her small, soft hand.

"I won’t steal Mom away. I’ll protect you and Mom!"

’Even though this child was born to his mom and another man, he still liked her from the bottom of his heart. He wanted to dote on her and cherish her.’

Some of the defensiveness in Joy’s eyes faded. Dylan continued to coax her.

"Come on, say ’big brother’!"

Joy lowered her gaze, no longer looking at him, and just stared silently at the toy in her hands.

Dylan Donovan grew a little discouraged. Willow Summers sighed, pulled him aside, and told him in a low voice,

"Joy seems to be a bit withdrawn. Don’t rush her. You have to take it slow!"

"What does ’withdrawn’ mean?"

Dylan asked, blinking his eyes. Willow Summers replied irritably,

"That’s something you should ask your dad, the doctor!"

Dylan Donovan nodded. Just as he was about to go back and continue bonding with Joy, Willow Summers grabbed him again.

"Tell me, what’s the real story with your dad and your mom?"

’Emma, I always thought Julian Donovan was a man with a story, and it looks like I was right. Now I’ve got new material to write about.’

Dylan Donovan knew what she was thinking.

"It’s just that my mom loves my dad, but my dad doesn’t love my mom. He loves his first love, so my mom left heartbroken, that’s all!"

Willow Summers jumped to her feet.

"Your dad doesn’t love your mom? He doesn’t love a woman this wonderful? Emma, is he blind or what!"

Dylan Donovan glared at her angrily.

"Hey, can you keep your voice down? How sad would my mom be if she heard that!"

Willow Summers stuck her tongue out.

"The specifics? What specifically happened?"

Dylan instructed her like a little adult.

"I’ll tell you the specifics later. I’m going to go catch up with my mom now. Could you please help look after Joy? But you’d better not mention my dad in front of my mom. I don’t want her to relive those bad memories!"

"I know, I know. I’ve got you figured out. You’ll only ever be good to four women in your life: your mom, your sister, and your future wife. Of course, if your wife gives you a daughter, you’ll have to add one more!"

Dylan was mature beyond his years, so Willow Summers didn’t bother with childish talk and jumped straight to marriage and kids. Dylan Donovan paid her no more mind and turned to walk into the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Naomi Shaw was busy, wearing an apron. Dylan went in and hugged her leg. Naomi Shaw looked down at him with a gentle expression, reaching out to ruffle the top of his head. He gave her a cute, childish smile—the kind he only ever showed to her.

"Mom, it smells so good! Are you making my favorite cola chicken wings?"

"Of course!"

While the wings simmered for the last few minutes, Naomi Shaw crouched down, hugged him, and replied with a smile. He greedily drank in his mother’s scent.

"Mom, I know Dad has seen you. I also know you refuse to acknowledge him!"

Naomi Shaw felt very apologetic.

"Dylan, I’m sorry. Mom just..."

Dylan shook his head, cutting her off.

"No, Mom, it’s okay. I’m not trying to force you two to be together. He doesn’t love you. You’d still be unhappy with him!"

Dylan’s understanding and thoughtfulness brought tears to Naomi Shaw’s eyes again. He raised his hand to wipe them away and said very seriously,

"Mom, if you don’t want to acknowledge him, then just keep pretending. I’m on your side. I was too little to understand before, but I’m grown up now. From now on, I’ll protect you and won’t let him bully you anymore!"

"Dylan, you’re only six. Don’t worry about these adult matters. Just focus on school, okay?"

Naomi Shaw felt very guilty. ’She often wondered if it was her own weakness that had caused Dylan to mature so quickly.’ 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Dylan snuggled into her arms, acting cute.

"Then, Mom, can we meet in secret from now on? Without letting Dad know?"

Naomi Shaw gave him a kiss. She had been worried that Julian Donovan would use Dylan, her weak spot, to threaten her. Now, she had no such worries, because Dylan was also firmly on her side.

Willow Summers had been about to enter the kitchen to ask if dinner was ready, but she accidentally overheard the mother and son’s conversation. She couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for Julian Donovan. ’TSK TSK, Julian Donovan, you really are a complete pariah, aren’t you? Even your own son isn’t on your side!’

After dinner, Willow Summers was responsible for taking Dylan Donovan home. Before he left, the mother and son had a long, reluctant goodbye at the door before finally separating. They then made plans for when Dylan would visit next.

On the way to take Dylan Donovan home, Dylan briefly told Willow Summers about his parents. It was enough to make Willow furious.

"Oh, that scumbag Julian Donovan! He deserves to be a complete pariah!"

Dylan shot her a look.

"Could you at least consider that I’m his son, okay?"

Willow Summers pouted, displeased. ’Naomi Shaw is actually being merciful to Julian Donovan,’ she thought. ’Just ignoring him and treating him like a stranger. If it were me, I’d have to chew him out completely. A vicious, brutal tirade.’

But then she had another thought. ’Don’t books always say that the best revenge isn’t screaming curses or inflicting all sorts of torture, but facing them with this kind of calm indifference? No longer giving them a place in your heart is the greatest punishment of all.’

When they arrived at Dylan Donovan’s home, Julian Donovan came out to get him. The moment Willow Summers saw Julian Donovan, she got angry. Without so much as a greeting, she handed Dylan over, let out a cold snort, and turned to leave. Julian Donovan frowned, displeased, staring at her inexplicable behavior.

"Willow Summers, is this how you treat the person who saved your life?"

Julian Donovan had cured Willow Summers’s heart condition, so he wasn’t wrong to say that. However, Writer Summers was currently bursting with opinions about him. A moment ago, seeing his listless expression when he came out to get Dylan, she hadn’t wanted to provoke him. But the second he spoke, Willow’s anger flared.

She spun around, stomped right up to Julian Donovan, and grabbed his right hand—the one wearing the Sandalwood Bracelet. She squinted, studying it closely.

"Well now, Julian Donovan, that’s a pretty bracelet you have there, isn’t it?"

"What are you doing?"

Julian Donovan unhappily slapped her hand away and pulled his own back, his left hand covering the Buddha Beads on his wrist, caressing them like a treasure.