CEO Ex-Husband, Don't Bother Me-Chapter 128 - 123: How Can You Misinterpret My Meaning?

The photos Naomi had seen on Lara’s phone were all of her daughter making funny faces. But looking at her closely now, she realized that when the girl wasn’t smiling, the area around her eyes and brows was the spitting image of Ronan Joyce.

Naomi’s heart ached for her friend. ’How does Lara manage, seeing that face every single day?’ she wondered. ’Thank goodness Joy looks so much like me. You can only see a hint of Julian Donovan in her if you look very closely.’

Cheryl Nash looked up at her, her little face full of hope. "Naomi, do you know where my daddy is?"

Naomi was completely taken aback by the question. A sharp pain shot through her heart, and she froze, unsure how to respond. The little girl’s face scrunched up. "All the other kids have daddies, but I don’t. I asked my mommy, and she won’t tell me. Please, Naomi, you tell me!"

"Oh... I don’t know either..."

She answered apologetically. In truth, she had no idea what Ronan Joyce was up to. She barely knew how she’d survived the last three years herself; she certainly hadn’t had the energy to keep tabs on him. All she’d heard was that he had gone to Meridia to work in a well-known physics lab. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Cheryl Nash’s little face fell in disappointment. She turned and scampered out of the room. As Naomi watched her small figure disappear from sight, she mused aloud, "I wonder how Ronan Joyce would react if he knew he had a daughter."

Just then, Julian Donovan walked in carrying a glass of water and her medicine. He shot her a complicated look. "What other reaction would there be? He’d be over the moon."

His words made Naomi’s heart clench. The raw envy in his tone made it impossible for her to meet his gaze. She quickly looked down, taking the water and medicine from his hands, trying her best to appear unfazed.

"Thanks..."

She took the glass and pills from him, tilted her head back, and swallowed them with the water.

Julian sat on the edge of the bed, watching her. "Naomi," he said softly, "have a daughter with me. I don’t care if she’s naughty or quiet—I’ll love her no matter what."

A growing sense of unease washed over Naomi. Ignoring him, she threw back the blanket and tried to get out of bed. But with a single motion of his hand, he pushed her back down onto the mattress. He leaned in close, his nose almost touching hers. She struggled against him. "What do you think you’re doing?"

’What is wrong with this man?’ she thought, exasperated. ’He’s always so handsy—first forcing me to hold his hand, and then everything he did that night I was drunk... I haven’t even called him out on any of it, and he’s only gotten more audacious.’

Julian wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer and inhaling her sweet scent. "You still haven’t answered me," he insisted.

He was so close that their breaths mingled in the air between them. Naomi turned her head away. "Hey, stop it. I have a cold..."

He chuckled softly in her ear. "So what you’re saying is... once you’re over your cold, you’ll have a daughter for me?"

Naomi glared at him. "How can you twist my words like that? I meant I have a cold, so don’t get so close to me!"

He paid no attention to her protests. Holding her head in place, he began to press soft, lingering kisses to her lips. "What’s there to be afraid of? It’d be for the best if I caught it from you. Then we could just lie in bed and get better together!"

His words made Naomi blush furiously. She shoved him hard. "Julian Donovan, we’re not on the same wavelength at all! Get off me. Lara and the others are here, I need to go downstairs!"

Only then did he release her. She sat up, straightened her clothes, and hurried out of the room. Julian followed behind her, making his way downstairs at a leisurely pace.

Tyson and SARA had arrived, along with Arnold. The whole group had gathered, and Mrs. Sommers had prepared a lavish welcome-home dinner for her.

During dinner, Lara said to Naomi, "Oh, it’s such a shame! I was planning for us to go on a road trip tomorrow, but now you’ve caught a cold. I met a really nice guy on a blind date, and I was going to invite him so you could help me check him out!"

In reality, Julian had asked her to suggest the trip to create an opportunity for him and Naomi to grow closer. He just hadn’t counted on Naomi getting sick the moment she got back. Now the whole plan was shot.

Hearing this, Naomi quickly replied, "Let’s just go tomorrow, then! A cold is no big deal. If I go to bed early tonight and get some rest, I’ll be fine. It’s not a serious illness!"

’If it’s to help Lara vet this guy, I have to go, no matter how sick I feel.’ Besides, judging by Lara’s tone, she seemed to want to get serious with this man. Remembering Cheryl’s question from earlier, Naomi agreed that it would be good for Lara to find a father for her daughter as soon as possible.

Still, deep down, she truly hoped that Lara and Ronan Joyce could get back together. She had seen every bit of their happiness during the years they were a couple. Their love was something she had once admired and aspired to. Lara’s boisterous, carefree nature was a perfect match for a calm, rational man of science like Ronan, while his somewhat reserved personality was a perfect fit for a bright, cheerful girl like Lara.