CEO Ex-Husband, Don't Bother Me-Chapter 35: Waiting for You for Dinner

After her evening class, Naomi Shaw returned home with Lara Nash. Once dinner was over, she curled up on the sofa, watching TV while listening for any sounds from outside. But she waited until after midnight and still saw no sign of Julian Donovan. She remembered the woman he had brought home that one time and what Lara had said about him having other women. The disappointment and pain nearly consumed her.

In the middle of the night, Lara Nash got up to use the restroom. When she saw Naomi dozing on the sofa, she was instantly furious and yanked her to her feet.

"Naomi, it’s so late. I don’t think he’s coming back. Why are you even bothering to wait for him? It would be better if he never came back—then you’d finally be free!"

Naomi Shaw rubbed her tired eyes.

"Lara, you should go to bed. I’ll just wait a little longer. Maybe something came up..."

"What could’ve come up? He’s just out with..."

Lara had wanted to say he was out with another woman, but she was afraid it would hurt Naomi even more, so she bit her tongue. She stomped her foot and went to the bathroom.

In the end, Naomi Shaw couldn’t fight off her exhaustion and fell asleep right there on the sofa.

The next morning, Lara woke up to find Naomi still on the sofa. Her heart ached at the sight. She pulled the blanket up higher over her friend, then quietly went out to buy them breakfast. Just as she stepped outside, she saw Julian Donovan’s car returning. The moment he got out, she raised her voice and launched into a sarcastic tirade.

"Well, well, Mr. Donovan. Didn’t come home last night? Which woman were you fooling around with?"

Julian Donovan shot her an angry glare. He’d been up all night with several of his key associates from the gang, discussing whether to shut down their marijuana cultivation. Everyone knew the stuff was harmful, but it was how they made a living. If they stopped, many people would lose their only source of income.

Lara didn’t care. She continued her cold taunts.

"Weren’t you the one who told her to move in? Is this your way of showing her who’s boss, staying out all night on the very first day? She has no key, no phone number. She just sat there like a fool waiting for a *certain someone* to come get her, curled up on the sofa all night long!"

Lara’s words finally made Julian Donovan remember that he had told Naomi Shaw to move in with him. He’d been so busy yesterday he had completely forgotten. ’She really is a fool, though,’ he thought. ’If she couldn’t get ahold of me, she should have just gone to sleep instead of waiting on the sofa all night.’

Lara stood with her arms crossed, glaring at his indifferent expression as she continued her spiteful remarks.

"Our Naomi is just a fool. A complete fool. So foolish it breaks your heart!"

Julian Donovan raised an eyebrow at Lara, then turned and walked toward their apartment. Lara blocked his path with her arm, her gaze defiant.

"What do you think you’re doing?"

"Isn’t she waiting for me to come get her?"

With a light push, Julian Donovan moved Lara aside and strode into the apartment. Behind him, Lara smiled smugly. ’Hmph, Julian Donovan, so you do have a conscience after all.’

When Julian Donovan entered, he saw Naomi Shaw’s small form curled up on the sofa under a blanket, sleeping soundly. He had intended to wake her, but seeing her like that, he found himself walking over, bending down, and lifting her into his arms.

She was in such a deep sleep she didn’t even stir as he lifted her. Her long lashes rested against her eyelids, and her rosy lips were slightly parted. Even in sleep, she looked as quiet and gentle as she was in waking life. But her body was so thin it felt weightless in his arms, like holding a feather that a gust of wind could blow away.

Lara clearly hadn’t expected Julian Donovan to carry Naomi away. She stood there, mouth agape, staring as if she’d seen a ghost. It wasn’t until Julian had carried Naomi Shaw next door into his apartment that Lara finally snapped out of it with a little cry. ’Well, I’ll be damned,’ she thought. ’Julian Donovan isn’t so heartless after all. That was actually pretty sweet.’

The sound of Julian Donovan opening his door startled Naomi Shaw awake. She groggily opened her eyes to see his handsome face directly above her. She was bewildered, unable to figure out where she was. ’Why is the ceiling moving?’ she wondered.

As Julian carried her toward the second floor, she finally realized she was in his arms. With a small yelp, she tried to wriggle free, but he simply tightened his grip, holding her fast, and tossed a few words down at her.

"Go back to sleep."

Naomi Shaw blushed. ’How could she possibly go back to sleep while he was holding her like this?’

Julian Donovan carried her into the bedroom and set her down on the large bed. Seeing the exhaustion on his face, Naomi Shaw quickly sat up.

"Julian, I’ve had enough sleep. You should rest. I’ll go out so I won’t bother you!"

Although Julian Donovan had told her not to call him "Julian" with such affection, she was already used to it. He didn’t correct her. He didn’t want the sound of his name on her lips to stir those feelings in his heart again.

He reached out, pulling her back just as she was about to leave. Wrapping an arm around her, he pulled her down onto the large bed with him and said wearily,

"Stay and sleep for a while."

"Oh."

Naomi Shaw obediently let him hold her. He didn’t smell of another woman’s perfume, only of smoke. ’He must not have been with a woman last night,’ she thought.

Just as she was thinking this, his weary voice sounded from above her.

"I had a meeting with the gang last night. I was so busy, I completely forgot you were supposed to move in."

"It’s okay..."

Hearing his explanation, a wide smile spread across Naomi Shaw’s face. She snuggled contentedly in his arms and drifted off to sleep. ’So he really was busy,’ she thought happily. ’He wasn’t spending the night with another woman after all.’

Naomi Shaw woke up after a short while. She carefully lifted the large hand wrapped around her waist, sat up, and simply watched the man’s sleeping face. With his eyes closed, the usual coldness and hostility were gone, revealing a handsome, gentle countenance. The lines of his face were so smooth they looked as if they had been meticulously carved, profound and captivating. She couldn’t resist the urge to reach out and touch him, but in the end, she pulled her hand back. She didn’t ask for much. Just being able to watch him like this was enough to fill her with a sweet sense of happiness.

She quietly slipped out of bed and began cleaning his messy apartment. When Julian Donovan came downstairs later, feeling refreshed and invigorated, he was greeted by a space that was now spotless and looked brand new. On the balcony, his clothes were hanging out to dry, and their fresh scent drifted into his nostrils on the breeze. His heart suddenly softened.

He remembered a brief time when he was very young, when his father lived together with him and his mother. Those days had been peaceful and serene, with his mother spending her time washing clothes, cooking, and doting on her husband and son. In his young mind, that was the very definition of happiness, because his mother’s face was always wreathed in smiles.

But happy times are always fleeting. Later, Charles Donovan sent men to drag his father away. After that, father and son were separated forever by death. A flash of pain crossed his eyes at the memory, quickly hardening into a deep-seated hatred. He swore he would repay the pain Charles Donovan had inflicted upon him tenfold.

Naomi Shaw peeked out from behind a row of shirts on the balcony. Seeing him dressed in a formal suit with a pained expression on his face, she asked cautiously,

"Julian, are you heading out?"

"I have a meeting this afternoon."

Julian Donovan snapped back to the present, buttoning his suit jacket as he headed for the door. She smiled at him, a sweet and gentle expression that made her eyes curve.

"Julian, I’ll wait for you for dinner tonight!"

Julian Donovan stopped in his tracks. He glanced at her smiling, expectant face, thought of her delicious cooking, and then of how awful the food outside was. He finally gave a quiet assent, then strode out the door.

Naomi Shaw happily finished hanging the laundry, then went to the supermarket to buy ingredients. After her evening class, she returned and cooked up a feast, inviting Lara Nash and Ronan Joyce from next door to join them.

Ronan Joyce stopped Lara Nash as she was about to head over for the meal.

"Babe, I think we’d better not go. With Julian Donovan’s temper, I doubt we’ll be welcome."