CEO Ex-Husband, Don't Bother Me-Chapter 165 - 142: Son and Daughter Join Hands (Part 2)

Seeing her like this broke Julian Donovan’s heart. He coaxed her gently, "You’ve been up all night, too. You should eat something. What would we do if you collapse before Joy wakes up?"

Only then did she take the food and force herself to eat. But after just a few bites, she started crying again. "You know that piece of metal was dirty and rusty. If Joy gets an infection, the consequences will be unthinkable..."

Even though Joy had been saved for now, the risk of infection was high. As long as Joy wasn’t definitively in the clear, Naomi’s heart couldn’t be at peace. ’How could I possibly have any appetite?’

When Julian Donovan saw she wasn’t eating, he didn’t press her. He took the food away, sat down beside her, and pulled her into his arms. "I’ll watch over her 24/7. The moment she shows any discomfort, I’ll treat her immediately. As long as an infection is treated promptly, it won’t be a problem!"

Naomi Shaw looked up and murmured, "24/7?"

’Is he not going to sleep at all?’

"That’s right, 24/7!"

Julian Donovan looked at her, his eyes full of apology. "Let this be... the first thing I’ve ever done for my daughter."

His precious daughter had been in this world for two years, and he had never done a single thing for her. Every time he thought of it, he was filled with regret. But then a new thought surfaced. ’It’s okay. I have a lifetime to be good to her. Until the moment I close my eyes, I will never stop loving the three of them.’

Naomi Shaw could hear the apology in his voice. She raised a hand to cover her mouth and turned her head away, crying silently. ’Actually, it’s not all his fault. I’m partly to blame, too. If I had told him about Joy sooner, he would have protected her so well. It was my selfishness, my cowardice in choosing to cut ties with him, that led to Joy suffering through all this.’

"It’s getting late. I’ll take you back to your room to rest."

Julian Donovan glanced at the time. She shook her head. "I’m not tired. I want to stay here with Joy..."

Julian Donovan knew she was worried about Joy, so he suggested, "Then get in bed and squeeze in with Joy. I’ll wake you if anything happens."

Naomi Shaw saw that he also looked exhausted. "No, you should rest for a while."

Julian Donovan simply lifted her from the chair, placed her on the bed, and tucked her under the covers. Then he smiled. "You’re cutest when you’re well-behaved!"

Naomi Shaw’s face flushed, and she let him have his way. She turned over and wrapped her arms tightly around little Joy. She hadn’t wanted to sleep; she only wanted to watch over Joy. But in the end, she still fell into a deep slumber.

And so, Julian Donovan watched over the mother and daughter all night. Whenever he became unbearably tired, he would go out for a coffee to wake himself up. Fortunately, Joy’s wound wasn’t a major issue, and she safely passed the window for infection. Cradled in her mother’s arms, she slept soundly through the night. He, however, eventually succumbed to the overwhelming exhaustion. In the early hours of the morning, he fell asleep, slumped over the side of the bed.

Having slept the whole night, Naomi Shaw woke up first. When she opened her eyes, she saw that Joy was already awake! She was lying there quietly, her bright, dark eyes open, tilting her head to look at her father slumped on one side, then tilting her head again to look at her mother sleeping on the other.

Surprised and overjoyed, Naomi Shaw moved to hug her. "Joy..."

The word had barely left her lips before she was choked with emotion—for Joy’s injury, and for her thoughtfulness. ’She must have seen how tired her daddy and I were, so she was being quiet and thoughtful so she wouldn’t wake us.’

Joy raised her little hand to wipe the tears from her mother’s face, comforting her. "Mommy, don’t cry. It doesn’t hurt!"

This only made Naomi Shaw’s tears fall faster. The commotion between mother and daughter woke Julian Donovan, who was always a light sleeper. Seeing Joy awake and safe, his haggard face was instantly filled with joyful surprise. He reached out, wanting to touch Joy, but his hand froze in mid-air as if he didn’t dare approach. His expression was helpless, a pained look flickering in his eyes.

It was Joy who turned her head, looked at him, and softly called out, "Daddy..."

That one soft "Daddy" made Julian Donovan scramble to his feet and rush out of the room. If he didn’t leave, he was afraid he would lose control like Naomi Shaw, holding Joy and crying. For a man, that was pretty embarrassing. He had already cried once yesterday... Joy looked at Naomi Shaw, confused. Naomi wiped the tears from her own face and explained to Joy with a smile, "Daddy is just so happy about reuniting with Joy that he got a little emotional..."

’This man is so childish. Is there really any need to get this emotional? Besides, so what if he cries tears of joy in front of us? Who would laugh at him?’

Joy nodded understandingly, then looked at her mother, her eyes curving into a smile as she murmured, "Daddy, Mommy, Brother..." 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Joy wasn’t the kind of child who showed extreme happiness or sadness, so just these three titles were enough for Naomi Shaw to feel the joy in her little heart. She kissed her on the forehead. "Mhm, from now on, Joy will have her daddy, mommy, and brother to love and dote on her!"

Julian Donovan rushed out into the courtyard and fiercely smoked a cigarette to calm his turbulent emotions. Finding out yesterday that Joy was his daughter and feeling ecstatic surprise was one thing; facing the little girl in person today was something else entirely.

In that moment, he admitted it: he was scared.

Even though Joy had already taken the initiative to call him "Daddy," he was still worried about whether his daughter liked him. He had absolutely no experience interacting with a little girl like her. Dylan was a boy; it didn’t matter if he was a bit harsh or strict with him. But Joy was a girl, and an extremely introverted one at that. He didn’t know how to act around her.

It was truly that feeling of holding something so precious you’re afraid it might melt in your mouth or shatter in your hands.

Felix Draper walked in from outside with Dylan. Julian Donovan had arranged for a car from Mercy Hospital to pick them up first thing in the morning. Of course, he wanted to give Joy the best medical care possible.

When Dylan saw him standing in the courtyard smoking, he couldn’t help but frown. "Dad, what are you doing out here? Where are Mom and Joy?"

Dylan had already learned about Joy’s parentage from Felix Draper. He had even been trying to figure out a way to get a paternity test for his dad and Joy. Now he didn’t have to worry about it; his mom had admitted it herself.

’This is great! Joy really is my full sister. That means I have to love her with all my heart from now on. The four of us are a real family now.’ Just thinking about it made him feel happy.