CEO Ex-Husband, Don't Bother Me-Chapter 65: One More Look at Him

With that on his mind, he lost all appetite for breakfast. He might as well go back to bed and try to sleep off the jet lag.

Naomi Shaw waited downstairs for a long time, but when Julian Donovan didn’t appear, she told Mrs. Sommers to go ahead and eat with Dylan. Instead, she brought a bowl of ginger soup upstairs. He was already lying in bed with his eyes closed; she couldn’t tell if he was asleep.

She walked over, sat on the edge of his bed, and gently touched his forehead. He felt a little warm. Seeing the untouched medicine on the nightstand, she frowned and gave him a gentle push.

His dark eyes snapped open, their gaze fixed on her, filled with a complex storm of emotions that made her jump.

She looked away.

"You seem to have a fever. You should take your medicine. The kitchen also made some ginger soup for you. Why don’t you drink it and then go back to sleep?"

Julian Donovan rolled over, turning his back to her serene, makeup-free face.

"It’s just a slight cold. I can tough it out."

"Oh, well, get some rest then... But you should still drink the ginger soup. It’ll help you sweat it out."

Naomi Shaw didn’t press him. She said her piece and stood up to leave, but then his voice stopped her.

"Isn’t Dylan’s birthday in a few days? Let’s go buy him a gift together this afternoon when I get up."

Naomi Shaw was a little surprised.

"A birthday gift? But Dylan’s so young. What would we even get him? I’ve... I’ve never really celebrated his birthday before..."

’She didn’t want Dylan to develop a habit of extravagance at such a young age. She never did anything she felt was unnecessary.’

There was an edge of displeasure in his voice.

"I told you we’re going, so we’re going. Enough with the chatter!"

’He’d given Dylan so little fatherly love. For this one birthday, he wanted to be there for him.’

His tone was so harsh that Naomi Shaw simply closed the door and left. Julian Donovan glanced at the ginger soup on the nightstand, then got up, pinched his nose, and downed it in one gulp.

It was already afternoon when Julian Donovan woke up. His head still felt groggy and ached a little, but his fever seemed to have broken. That ginger soup had apparently done the trick.

Joyful laughter echoed from outside. He got up, threw on some clothes, and walked to the window, where he saw Arnold, Dylan, and her playing happily on the garden lawn. Dressed in a white dress with her dark hair draped over her shoulders, she didn’t look at all like the mother of a two-year-old.

She was laughing so happily that her eyes curved into crescents, making her look sweet and lovely. Watching her, looking so completely content with her son, he lowered his gaze. ’Maybe,’ he thought, ’my decision was the right one after all.’

He went downstairs, out into the yard, and walked toward them. Seeing him approach from a distance, she called out to Arnold and Dylan, and their playing stopped. Julian stepped forward and swept the filthy Dylan into his arms. She glanced at his neat attire.

"Are we heading out now? I’ll take Dylan to change his clothes first."

Just as she reached out to take Dylan, the boy clung to his father’s neck and said,

"Daddy, I don’t want a birthday present!"

Julian Donovan was confused.

’Honestly, he really did love his son. He’d never felt anything quite like it. If it weren’t for the fact that Naomi treated Dylan like her own life, he would seriously consider taking the boy back to Meridia to live with him.’

Dylan looked at Julian Donovan with a serious expression.

"I want Daddy to come back and see me often!"

Julian Donovan’s expression stiffened. Naomi, however, felt a pang of sorrow so sharp she nearly cried. She’d always known Dylan was mature for his age, but she’d never realized just how much.

When neither of them responded, Dylan blinked his big, innocent eyes and asked again, his voice full of hope,

"Daddy, can you?"

Julian Donovan found he couldn’t meet Dylan’s bright, clear eyes—so much like hers—and simply nodded.

Dylan beamed and, puckering his lips, gave his father a kiss on the cheek.

"Daddy, you’re the best! So we don’t have to buy a gift. Can we go to the amusement park instead?"

Naomi Shaw quickly interjected.

"It’s too late now, the amusement park is already closed. Mommy will take you another day, okay?"

Dylan, who was usually so obedient, suddenly grew stubborn.

"I don’t want to! I want Daddy to take me!"

Of course, Julian Donovan couldn’t bear to see his son unhappy, so he agreed.

"Okay, Daddy will take you. But it’s too late today. Can we go tomorrow instead?"

A smile returned to Dylan’s little face.

Dylan was just a child, after all, and he was exhausted after playing so hard. He grew drowsy in Julian Donovan’s arms. Naomi took him to put him to bed. Julian remained where he stood, watching her petite form carrying their son into the distance. He felt an indescribable sensation in his chest, something that could only be called... heartache.

He told Arnold to bring the car around, then drove directly to The Shaw Dominion.

Julian Donovan still hadn’t returned by the time Naomi and Dylan were ready for bed. Naomi put Dylan to sleep with her in a downstairs guest room. Mrs. Sommers started to say something, but a single resolute look from Naomi silenced her.

Julian Donovan was at The Shaw Dominion until late. When he returned, he went to her bedroom and found it, just as he’d expected, empty. The light in his eyes dimmed. Remembering he had to take Dylan to the amusement park the next day, he set an early alarm, undressed, and got into bed.

But when he woke early the next morning, he found that she and his son were gone. Annoyed, he questioned Mrs. Sommers, who, for once, did not offer her usual pleasant demeanor. Instead, she let out a cold laugh.

"The news just reported that Superstar Juliet Jennings arrived in Thailos this morning. So, the Miss figured you’d probably be busy with Miss Jennings today and wouldn’t have time for your son. She decided to take Dylan to the amusement park herself."

Julian Donovan frowned. Juliet hadn’t told him she was coming to Thailos. ’No wonder she called last night and said she had a surprise for me.’

"You can see for yourself on the news. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do."

Mrs. Sommers delivered the line coldly and turned to leave.

When the news had shown a sunglass-clad Juliet Jennings arriving at Qindale Airport, Naomi Shaw’s face had turned frighteningly pale. It went ashen when Juliet announced that she was in Qindale for a vacation. The memory of it made Mrs. Sommers’s heart ache with worry.

’The other woman has shown up right on their doorstep. What is my gentle, unassertive Miss going to do?’

But to her surprise, after snapping out of it, Naomi had simply coaxed Dylan into finishing his breakfast, then called Arnold to drive them. Mrs. Sommers had followed, trying to stop her.

"Didn’t you and Julian agree to take Dylan to the amusement park together today?"

Naomi turned and gave her a self-mocking smile.

"Do you really think he’ll be able to make it to the amusement park today?"

Then she left with Dylan.

Naomi Shaw’s spirits hit rock bottom as she headed to the amusement park with Dylan. Juliet Jennings was here. Even though Juliet hadn’t done a thing yet, Naomi was already miserable to the core.

’A vacation? More like she came for him. And yet he had so solemnly promised his son they would go to the amusement park together.’

Dylan, sitting beside her, tugged reluctantly at the corner of her shirt and asked carefully,

"Mommy, why didn’t we wait for Daddy to wake up so we could go together?"

The little boy was clever enough to sense her bad mood, which was why he only ventured that single question about her taking him out alone.

Naomi Shaw stared out the window, her gaze vacant.

"We can’t wait for Daddy, so it’s better if we just don’t wait."

The little boy nodded gravely, though it was impossible to know if he understood what she meant. Watching him, Naomi felt her chest tighten with an acidic sorrow.

Lara Nash’s call came in. She must have seen the news about Juliet Jennings, because the moment Naomi answered, Lara launched into a tirade.

"Holy shit, Naomi Shaw! The other woman has practically moved in. What are you going to do?"

"Lara, the real ’other woman’... is probably me."