CEO Ex-Husband, Don't Bother Me-Chapter 71: A Bad Feeling (2)

Fine, she’d leave! But she had to make Julian Donovan believe she was only leaving because she understood his predicament.

Back in her room, she called Julian Donovan. It was noisy on his end, and she could tell he was at a business function. ’Good,’ she thought. ’As long as it’s for work. Anything but being with that woman and his son.’

Of course, she wasn’t going to tell Julian Donovan that Lara Nash had just threatened her. Instead, she deliberately made her voice sound pitiful.

"Julian, I was wrong earlier today. I shouldn’t have said those things to badmouth her. I’ll leave first thing tomorrow morning. I’ll go back to Meridia and wait for you. From now on, I won’t ask about you and her anymore, okay?"

Julian Donovan was silent on the other end of the line. Juliet Jennings felt a flicker of panic, and her next words were tinged with tears.

"Julian, I really know I was wrong. Please don’t treat me this way, okay?"

"Travel safe. I’ve got a business dinner to get back to, so I’m hanging up!"

That was Julian Donovan’s final reply, and she hastily called out to stop him, pleading,

"Julian, can you take me to the airport tomorrow?"

Julian Donovan agreed before ending the call. Juliet Jennings sank onto the bed in a daze. In the blink of an eye, it felt like he was a world away.

Julian Donovan had visited the hospital that afternoon. Dylan was asleep, and Naomi Shaw was leaning against the bed, reading. She was drowsy herself but had to force herself to stay awake to watch Dylan. When Julian Donovan entered, that was the sight that greeted him: her, propping her head up with her hand as she dozed off. He couldn’t help but soften his voice.

"Where’s Mrs. Sommers?"

Naomi Shaw rubbed her eyes.

"She went back to make dinner."

He was silent for a moment before suddenly saying,

"I’m having dinner with Lara Nash’s brothers tonight, so I’ll be late."

Naomi Shaw blinked her large, sleepy eyes. He never told her his schedule. In the past, when they were together, it was always Ken who would call to let her know what kind of business function he had, what time he’d be home, and whether she needed to prepare sobering-up soup.

Her dazed, innocent expression made Julian Donovan want to kiss her. He took a step forward, but she snapped back to her senses and recoiled, forcing a strained smile.

"If you finish late, don’t worry about coming over. We’re being discharged first thing in the morning anyway!"

He was annoyed by her reaction but stayed where he was, not taking another step. With nothing left to say, silence fell between them. Naomi Shaw didn’t look at him, keeping her eyes fixed on Dylan in the bed. The ensuing silence was incredibly awkward.

After a long moment, Julian Donovan glanced at his watch and said,

"I have an hour. I’ll watch him for a while. You go get some rest."

Naomi Shaw started to refuse, but she was utterly exhausted, so she put down her book and went into the adjoining rest room. The moment she hit the bed, she was fast asleep.

When it was time to leave, Julian Donovan woke her up the way he wanted to. He braced his hands on either side of her head and lowered his to kiss her slightly parted lips. ’When they were apart, he didn’t feel it as much. But the moment he saw her, he was overwhelmed by the desire to kiss her, to hold her, to have her.’ Naomi Shaw was so lost in his lingering kiss that she could barely breathe. When she finally opened her eyes, she was met with his face, inches from her own. Furious and shocked, she shoved him away and sat up abruptly.

’Why did he always ignore what she said? She had told him to stay far, far away from her and their son. She wouldn’t mind if he loved his son and treated him well, but why did he have to kiss her and entangle himself with her? He knew her heart couldn’t take this game!’

"My time’s up. I’m leaving now!"

With that, Julian Donovan turned and left. He felt like he was fleeing in disgrace. He was terrified she would either burst into tears or say something to humiliate him. ’When had she become so cruel with her words?’

It was late by the time Julian Donovan’s business dinner with Lara Nash’s brothers ended. Arnold had been about to drive him straight back to the Shaw Residence, but Julian ultimately told him to go to the hospital instead. He’d had a lot to drink, and his head was spinning. He actually wasn’t a heavy drinker, but he always had to force himself to keep up for these business functions.

When he arrived at the hospital room, Naomi Shaw was just removing the last of Dylan’s IV drip. She turned to see him walking in, bringing the reek of alcohol with him. Julian Donovan walked over and glanced at Dylan, who was fast asleep in the bed.