CEO Ex-Husband, Don't Bother Me-Chapter 105 - 103: You’re Always Like This (5)

"Is there something you need? It’s late, I’m going to bed!"

Just as she was about to hang up, his voice, laced with pain, reached her ear.

"I love you!"

Her heart stopped beating for a moment. She stood frozen, clutching her phone.

His voice continued, urgent and yet a little insecure.

"I love you, Naomi. It’s only now that I’ve finally seen my own heart. I know I’ve realized it too late, but please, give me another chance, okay?"

"You’re drunk!"

That was all she could say before she hung up the phone with a trembling hand.

Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes again. She had never dared to hope for those words, never dared to hope that he loved her. But if winning his heart came at such a heavy price, then she would rather do without it. She would rather believe it was all because he was drunk.

She got up and went to the bathroom to wash her face. Then, she got into bed, held Joy close, and quietly fell asleep.

’This is for the best. Maybe everything that happened today was just a nightmare. When I wake up tomorrow morning, it will be as if none of it ever happened.’

But she never expected that the nightmare would continue the next morning.

She got up, made breakfast, and fed Joy. After cleaning up, she got them both ready and left with Joy, planning to drop her off at kindergarten before going to work. But as soon as she stepped out of the building, she saw a man in black leaning against his car, smoking. He looked haggard. His usually cold, stern eyes now seemed to hold a trace of sorrow. A single button on his suit was fastened carelessly. In truth, he hadn’t changed much in three years—except for the way he looked at her.

She hadn’t expected him to find her here. Clutching Joy, she lowered her head and walked forward, intending to ignore his presence. When he saw her, he stubbed out his cigarette and strode over, his tall frame blocking her path. His tone was apologetic.

"I’m sorry about last night. I drank too much. I must have disturbed your rest, calling so late, right?"

she said coolly,

"It’s fine. Just please don’t do it again."

His gaze was fixed on her.

"I may have been drunk, but everything I said was true!"

"If it was all just drunk talk, then let’s just forget it. I’m sorry, I’m going to be late. I have to go."

After she spoke, she clutched Joy and hurried past him, walking quickly away. ’Whether it was true or not, I don’t want to get entangled with him anymore. Otherwise, I’ll be the only one who gets hurt in the end. I’m not that foolish. I won’t stumble in the same place twice, and I won’t let the same person hurt me twice.’

Julian Donovan felt utterly defeated. Last night, seeing her kiss Sean Donovan had driven him straight to a bar. He’d dragged Felix Draper out for drinks. After a few rounds, the alcohol went to his head, and a profound bitterness filled his heart. The infuriating scene replayed endlessly in his mind.

The more he drank, the more he insisted on calling her. Fueled by the alcohol, he wanted to confess his deep regret and beg for her forgiveness. That’s why Felix Draper had made that call to her.

Watching her hurry away with her daughter, he finally strode forward and grabbed her arm.

"I’ll give you a ride!"

"No, thank you!"

She pushed his hand away coolly and kept walking. But without another word, he grabbed her, dragged her back, and forcefully pushed her into his car. Furious and annoyed, she held Joy and tried to get out, but with a CLICK, he locked the doors from the driver’s seat.

"Let us out!"

She glared at him, clearly displeased. But he ignored her question, sitting there with his head tilted, a relaxed expression on his face as he watched her.

"Why hasn’t Sean Donovan gotten you a car or a driver?"

She turned her head away, refusing to look at him. Her tone was self-deprecating, laced with a hint of bitterness.

"Julian Donovan, don’t be like this. I’m really not used to it. If you’re going to give us a ride, then let’s go. Otherwise, let us out so we can get a taxi!"

’His attitude toward me has done a complete 180, and I can’t handle it. Three years have passed; maybe his feelings for me have changed. But my impression of him is still frozen on that image of a cold, ruthless man. I can’t accept this sudden gentleness and consideration.’

After suffering so much, sometimes when sweetness arrived, it felt unreal. It even made her more afraid. ’I’m afraid this is just an illusion, and when the dream ends, I’ll be the one abandoned all over again.’

Her expression pained Julian Donovan to see. He didn’t say anything more and simply started the car and drove off. He could tell she had her guard up completely. ’If I want to win her heart, it’s going to be a long road, but I won’t give up.’

On the way, aside from her telling him the address of Joy’s kindergarten, the two of them didn’t speak another word.

Joy, cradled in Naomi Shaw’s arms, was blinking her big, dark eyes as she stared at Julian Donovan. Julian’s heart suddenly softened. While waiting at a red light, he turned his head and reached out to playfully tease Joy.

"Joy, come on, say ’Uncle’—"

’Logically, she’s Sean Donovan’s daughter, so I should despise her. Why is it that when I see Joy, I don’t feel that way at all? Instead, I find myself wanting to hold her and kiss her. It must be because I’m so desperate to have a daughter with Naomi, too.’

His use of the word "Uncle" made Naomi Shaw’s heart ache sharply. Her expression soured as she turned Joy’s face toward the window, no longer letting her face Julian Donovan.

Seeing her reaction, Julian Donovan assumed she didn’t like him teasing her daughter, so he changed the subject.

"Isn’t Joy only one year and ten months old? Why send her to kindergarten so young? Is this how Sean Donovan takes care of you two?"

Kindergartens here in Syan usually only take children who are at least two. ’Joy isn’t even two yet, how could she bear to send her? Besides, Joy has trouble expressing herself. If something happened at kindergarten, would she even know how to find a teacher?’ The more he thought about it, the more his heart ached for the little girl.

Naomi Shaw just pressed her lips together and stared out the window, not saying a word in reply. ’Of course I can’t tell him Joy’s real age. And besides, even though Joy has trouble expressing herself, Sean Donovan has already made arrangements and paid extra at the kindergarten, so she’s treated very well and won’t be mistreated in the slightest. But I don’t want to tell him any of this. Not a single word. Even though Joy is his daughter.’

’In my eyes, other than providing the sperm, he had nothing to do with Joy. He wasn’t there when I was pregnant with Joy and would wake up from nightmares in the middle of the night, a side effect of the shipwreck. He wasn’t there when Joy was born. He wasn’t there when Joy was sick. He wasn’t there when Joy was diagnosed with autism...’

’It wasn’t just Joy; it had been the same with Dylan back then. From the time I was pregnant with Dylan until I finally left, he was far away in Meridia for four years, aside from a few occasional trips back to Syan...’

As she thought about it, her chest tightened and her eyes grew moist. She quickly pushed the thoughts away. ’I can’t keep thinking about this, or I’m going to cry.’

Her silence left Julian Donovan at a loss, so he could only focus on driving. When the car stopped in front of Joy’s kindergarten, she just said a "thank you" and was about to get out, but he grabbed her arm, his eyes sincere.

"I have a friend, the one who called you last night. His family specializes in running schools, everything from kindergarten to university. Why not transfer Joy there?"

"Thank you for the kind offer, but Joy is doing just fine at her current kindergarten."

A sarcastic curve touched Naomi Shaw’s lips as she got out of the car with Joy. Julian Donovan retracted his hand, looking a little hurt. ’Felix Draper’s family’s schools are among the best in Wincastle. They’re definitely better than this no-name kindergarten.’

After handing Joy over to her teacher, Naomi Shaw turned and started walking toward the hospital. She had deliberately chosen a kindergarten near the hospital to make pickups and drop-offs more convenient.

She glanced up and saw that his car was still parked there. The window was rolled down, and he was watching her, his face hidden behind sunglasses. She couldn’t see his expression, not that she wanted to. Ignoring him, she kept her head down and hurried past his car.

Julian Donovan pursed his lips, watching her slender figure recede in the rearview mirror. His hand on the steering wheel tightened fiercely. ’Naomi, what am I going to do with you?’

He drove away, feeling extremely agitated. So when Juliet Jennings’s call came through, he was in no mood to be pleasant. Juliet asked cautiously from the other end,