CEO Ex-Husband, Don't Bother Me-Chapter 113 - 111: Do I Have to Die for You to See (Part 3)

Chapter 113: Chapter 111: Do I Have to Die for You to See (Part 3)

"Yeah, I’ll find a chance to go back in a few days."

She would tell Sean when he returned, and then she’d make a trip to Thailos. The real headache was her fear that Julian would follow her.

Speak of the devil. Just as she was thinking of him, his call came through. She hesitated for a moment before answering.

"Lara’s there, right? I’ll treat you two to dinner tonight!"

She refused coolly.

"No, thank you. Lara likes my cooking."

"I like it too. Aren’t you going to invite me? After all, I was the one who told Lara to come."

"Even if you hadn’t told her, I would have contacted her myself!"

She gave him no credit whatsoever. He was clearly hurt and huffed,

"I’m bringing Dylan over tonight. He said he wants to see Lara!"

Then he hung up.

Naomi calmly put down her phone. Watching her, Lara’s heart ached. The depth of Naomi’s love for Julian back then was matched only by the finality of her rejection now.

That evening, when Julian arrived with Dylan, Naomi was busy in the kitchen. Lara answered the door. Seeing his eyes constantly searching the room for Naomi, she kindly offered,

"She’s in the kitchen. Do you want to go see her?"

She was no longer the Lara who would constantly provoke Julian to vent Naomi’s frustrations.

After being so hurt by her on the phone, Julian had planned to just drop Dylan off and leave. But not seeing her left him feeling unwilling to go. So, at Lara’s suggestion, he entered the house and walked to the kitchen. She was there, wearing an apron, busy cooking a spread of all of Lara’s favorite dishes. It made him intensely jealous. Since they’d met again, she had only cooked for him once—a spicy pickled fish dish. Not only was it so spicy he thought he would die, but he’d had to twist her arm just to get her to make it.

She glanced at him once before lowering her head and continuing with her work. Julian walked over and took the knife from her hand.

"Let me help."

Naomi wanted to refuse, but he already had the knife, so there was nothing she could do. She turned away to check on the soup simmering on the stove.

"Come back to Thailos with me sometime,"

he said in a low voice. Naomi didn’t look at him.

"I’ll go back on my own."

He didn’t seem to get angry. He just lowered his head, skillfully chopping vegetables as he spoke his mind.

"It took me so many years to realize my love for you. I’m sorry I was so foolish. But I’ve already missed so many years with you. How many more nine years do we have to waste? So, Naomi, please give me one more chance. Let me love you properly and make it up to you."

After repeated setbacks, he’d had a revelation. He decided this would be his new approach: run to see her whenever he wanted, say whatever sappy things came to mind, regardless of whether she responded.

His words made Naomi’s hand pause as she ladled the soup. A sting filled her eyes, and she nearly broke into tears. Julian glanced at her back, which remained turned to him, seemingly unmoved.

"Naomi Shaw, what will it take for you to forgive me? Do I have to die for you to see?"

’Does he really have to die for me to forgive him?’

Hearing him mention death, Naomi spun around in shock to face him.

"Julian Donovan, are you insane? Can you stop saying and doing such childish things?"

"Then you tell me, what’s a ’not-childish’ way to pursue you?"

His expression was calm as he looked at her, but his words were ruthless.

"If you drive me crazy, I really will die right in front of you."

As he spoke, he actually placed the knife he was holding against his own wrist. With a bit of pressure, the sharp blade cut a gash in his skin, and bright red blood immediately welled up.

Naomi was so furious she was trembling all over. Shocked and enraged, she lunged forward, snatched the knife from his hand, and pointed toward the door, her voice shaking as she screamed,

"Julian Donovan, you lunatic! Get out! Just get out! I don’t want to see you ever again!"

Outside, Lara heard the strange tone in Naomi’s voice and rushed in. She saw Julian’s hand dripping with blood while Naomi stood, pale and trembling, holding the knife. Lara quickly shut the door, blocking Dylan who was about to follow her in, and then quietly scolded the two of them.

"What are you two doing? You’ll scare the children!"

’These two,’ she thought. ’Why couldn’t they just talk things out? How did it all get so messy in a matter of minutes?’

Julian didn’t even look at Lara. He just stared intently at Naomi, then turned and strode out. He ignored the injury on his hand, didn’t say goodbye to Dylan, and left her apartment. The knife fell from Naomi’s hand, clattering onto the smooth marble floor. Her whole body went limp, and she leaned weakly against the counter.

’He’s lost his mind. He’s truly gone insane, using death to threaten me.’

Dylan walked in. He glanced at the blood-stained knife on the floor, then at Naomi’s pale face, and asked with a frown,

"Mom, what happened?"

Lara turned off the still-running gas stove, helped Naomi to her feet, and said to Dylan,

"It was your father, causing trouble again! A grown man acting so impulsively!"

Dylan’s frown deepened. Without another word, he turned and walked out.

Lara helped Naomi to a chair at the dining table, poured her a glass of water to calm her nerves, and then sighed before speaking.

"I heard everything he said to you in there. I never thought Julian had such a silver tongue. With a personality as forceful as his, he probably hasn’t said a soft word in his life!"

Naomi lowered her eyes and took a sip of water as Lara continued,

"Naomi, honestly, based on what I knew of Julian all those years, I never would have expected the cold, unfeeling man I remember to do something like this... making such a scene about life and death. I think he’s being sincere. Why don’t you... give him a chance?"

Julian’s actions had completely overturned the image Lara had of him, which was why she couldn’t help but speak up for him.

Naomi shook her head.

"Lara, if this deeply affectionate version of him today is the result of all these years of separation, then I’d rather not have it."

She had to admit, her resolve was starting to waver. But she was still afraid.

Lara stood up.

"Alright, let’s not talk about this anymore. You rest. It looks like I’ll be in charge of dinner tonight!"

Naomi looked at her in surprise.

"You know how to cook?"

As far as she could remember, Lara had never so much as lifted a finger in the kitchen. Back in the day, she was always the one mooching meals off Naomi.

Lara shrugged helplessly.

"With that little rascal at home, do I have a choice?"

With that, Lara went into the kitchen. Naomi sat there, overwhelmed with a wave of emotions.

’People have to learn to grow up. People are always changing.’

’Some people change for the one they love, others change for their children. In the end, if the love is deep enough, you’ll do anything willingly.’

After leaving the kitchen, Dylan secretly used Naomi’s phone to call Julian.

"Julian Donovan, is your hand okay?"

"I won’t die!"

Julian’s tone was awful. He was speeding toward a bar, his wrist casually wrapped with a handkerchief he’d found.

Dylan’s frown deepened. He was silent for a moment before speaking.

"Do you truly regret what you did?"

"What do you think?"

Julian snapped back, annoyed at the thought that this little brat wasn’t even on his side.

Dylan’s tone was very serious.

"Julian Donovan, you’re my dad, so of course I want to help you. But I’m really scared you’ll hurt Mom again. However, I saw your sincerity tonight. Alright, I’ll help you from now on."

"About time you showed some conscience!"

Julian snorted coldly and hung up on Dylan. Then he called Felix Draper, asking him to go out for a drink. He and Felix were in the same boat now—both on the long, arduous road to winning back their women.

Lara prepared dinner, and Naomi was surprised by how good her cooking was. She couldn’t stop praising it, and both Dylan and Joy ate a lot. Dylan didn’t go home; he stayed the night. As he was getting ready for bed, he tossed and turned. When Naomi asked him what was wrong, he sighed.

"Mom, I wonder how Dad’s hand is doing."

’Dad is probably hoping for a call from Mom right now,’ he thought. But all evening, he hadn’t seen any sign that she intended to call him, so he decided he had to step in.

"Oh, I’m sure it’s fine."

Naomi answered evasively. She tucked him in and was about to leave. She had Dylan and Joy sleep in one bedroom while she and Lara took the other, worried they might talk late into the night and disturb the children.