CEO Ex-Husband, Don't Bother Me-Chapter 97 - 95: The Most Cruel 5

She pursed her lips, her gaze falling. ’Isn’t that the truth?’ That shipwreck alone had been enough to kill her. During her pregnancy, she often woke up in the middle of the night, startled from nightmares about the disaster. If Sean Donovan hadn’t been by her side back then, ’I think I would have gone mad.’

Sighing inwardly, she pushed the unpleasant memories aside. She looked up at him and offered her sincere thanks.

"President Donovan, thank you so very much for diagnosing Joy!"

He leaned there nonchalantly, his dark, fiery eyes fixed on her.

"So how do you plan on thanking me?"

"How about I treat you to dinner?"

He narrowed his inky eyes, a smile playing on his lips as he watched her.

"That’s not very sincere, is it? A home-cooked meal is the only way to show true sincerity, don’t you agree? Especially something like fish with pickled greens. Even though I live in Thailos, I’m still quite fond of authentic Syanese cuisine!"

Seeing him act like this, Naomi Shaw was, frankly, quite annoyed. He was clearly making things difficult for her on purpose, just being unreasonable. ’Fish with pickled greens? He can’t handle even the slightest bit of spice, and he wants *that*?’

But this time, she was powerless to refuse. His diagnosis was too important for Joy, and she needed to show her gratitude.

But she resisted the idea of being alone with him. Seeing her continued reluctance, Julian Donovan leaned in closer.

"Oh, right. I forgot to mention... Joy is still so young. Who knows what other issues might come up in the future? So, you’d be wise to get on my good side. Be a little nicer to me. Otherwise, don’t blame me if I’m not around to help you next time."

Naomi Shaw stared angrily into his smiling eyes. ’When did he get so fond of forcing people’s hands? Still, what’s a little trouble like this?’ She composed herself, stood up, and agreed with a faint smile.

"President Donovan, I’ll invite you to my home some other day when you’re free. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going now. Goodbye."

After speaking, she gathered her things and turned to leave. Julian Donovan reached for her, but his hand closed on empty air. He sank back into his seat, downcast, and watched from the window as she walked away, step by step, against the wind, until she disappeared into Sean Donovan’s hospital.

’Naomi, if I sincerely apologized to you, if I tried to win you back... could you ever forgive me?’

’If I told you I loved you, that I want to spend the rest of my life—however long or short it may be—only with you... even if I don’t mind that you have Joy Donovan with Sean Donovan... would you... would you fall in love with me all over again?’

He longed to ask her these things, but he knew now was not the time.

She was deliberately pretending not to know him. If he appeared before her too often now, it would only make her more guarded and push him away.

’It’s alright. I’ll wait.’

Having calmed down from the initial shock of seeing her, all that mattered was knowing she was alive and well. That was enough.

’As for everything else... I’ll take it slow. There’s no rush.’

He would make her his again. ’As for Sean Donovan...’ He curled his lips into a cold smile. ’Perhaps I should get rid of him first. It’s time to settle the score between me and the Donovan Family.’

「A few days after Julian Donovan’s meeting with Naomi Shaw」

In the chic "Sutton" conference room, a meeting had just ended. The only ones left were Willow Summers, Sarah Sutton, and Sue North. Just as Willow was about to get up and leave, her phone rang. She sat back down to answer it. The very serious, adult-like voice of a certain little rascal came through the receiver.

"Willow Summers, get off work early today. You’re coming with me to meet someone."

She bristled.

"Dylan Donovan, can you stop using that commanding tone with me? Would it kill you to talk like a normal kid for once?"

"I’ll be waiting for you at the school gate."

The little rascal completely ignored her warning, coolly tossing out the line before hanging up. If it weren’t for the two elegant beauties still sitting there, she would have started swearing. Running a hand through her hair, she picked up her cup, took a sip of water, and complained dejectedly.

"That son of Julian Donovan’s... he’s so serious, he’s less like a six-year-old kid and more like a sixty-year-old man!"

As she said this, Sue North, who was sitting beside her, quickly gathered her things and stood up.

"Oh, speaking of kids, you’ve suddenly made me miss my sons. I’d better get home to see them. Bye!"

The moment Sue North stood up, Willow Summers, who had just taken a sip of water, did a perfect spit take. Sarah Sutton, having anticipated this reaction, had already calmly raised a folder to shield herself. The look on Willow’s face couldn’t simply be described as "horrified."

"Editor North, you... you have sons?"

’Emma, what in the world is going on? I always thought the cool, elegant Sue North was single, but she has kids? How have I never heard anything about her getting married?’

"Yep!"

Seeing Willow’s disbelief, Sue North simply pulled out her phone and found a picture of her sons to show her.

"Here’s a picture of them!"

Willow Summers looked at the two adorable, healthy-looking little boys in the photo and nearly did another spit take.

"Pfft— there are two of them?"

Of course, Writer Summers, still stunned, had no idea she was also pregnant with twins. Sue North put her phone away and consoled her.

"Honey, calm down. Remember, you’re pregnant now too. Try not to get so worked up!"

Nearby, Sarah Sutton also gathered her things to leave, looking at Willow with a smile.

"Willow, what would you say if I told you I have a daughter, too?"

Willow was convinced Sarah Sutton was just teasing her.

"Please, Miss Sutton, don’t torment me anymore! I can’t take any more shocks!"

She said this as she clutched her things and rushed out the door, muttering to herself.

"Unbelievable, just unbelievable! You’re both crazy!"

Sarah Sutton and Sue North exchanged a smile and walked out arm in arm.

That evening after work, Naomi Shaw picked Joy up from daycare. Sean Donovan had other plans and wouldn’t be coming for dinner, so she wasn’t in a rush. On a whim, she took Joy to a salon for a haircut. Ever since Julian Donovan had explained Joy’s condition to her, her spirits had lifted considerably. Getting Joy’s hair cut was a way to give her a fresh start.

Joy’s new hairstyle made her look even more like a sweet, adorable porcelain doll. Her neat bangs framed her large, luminous eyes, which shone as clear and dark as black grapes. Naomi Shaw held her little hand, strolling down the path in their neighborhood and talking to her. Ever since Julian Donovan had advised her to communicate more with Joy, she had been spending every free moment with her, patiently and tirelessly teaching her to pronounce words.

As they approached their apartment building, she saw a little boy in the distance holding Willow Summers’s hand, and she stopped dead in her tracks. Tears instantly welled up, blurring her vision. She stood frozen, not daring to move, terrified that the scene before her was just a hallucination.

Then, she suddenly crumpled to the ground, covering her face and beginning to sob in anguish.

’Dylan... Dylan.’ Her son, who had appeared in her dreams every night for three years, was standing before her in the flesh. She had once longed desperately to see him again, but now that he was here, she felt she couldn’t face him. ’I abandoned him for three years. How did he, so small, survive these past three years?’

’I thought he would show up with Julian Donovan. I never expected him to come find me on his own.’

Joy glanced uneasily at the two people in the distance, then wrapped her arms tightly around the weeping Naomi Shaw.

Meanwhile, Willow Summers had been dragged here by Dylan Donovan and had been waiting miserably for half an hour. When she asked the little rascal who they were waiting for, he wouldn’t say. He just stood there, a serious expression on his little face, his gaze fixed on the path leading to the building.

Just as she was about to lose her mind, she saw Jane, a fellow caregiver from the orphanage, approaching with her daughter. Willow was about to step forward and say hello, but Dylan gripped her hand tightly, holding her back. Puzzled, she stood and watched the scene unfold.

Seeing Jane crumpled on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably, and recalling the bracelet on her wrist, and then thinking about everything Dylan had done... it all clicked into place. Willow instantly understood what was happening.

The moment Naomi Shaw had crumpled to the ground crying, Dylan had let go of Willow Summers’s hand and run to her. He stood before her and, just like Joy, wrapped his arms tightly around her from the other side.

"Mama, don’t cry!"

At his words, Naomi Shaw’s tears burst forth like a river breaking through a dam, completely uncontrollable. She lifted her tear-streaked face, pulled Dylan into her arms, and covered him with kisses.

"Dylan, I’m so sorry, so sorry... Mama is so sorry..."