CEO Ex-Husband, Don't Bother Me-Chapter 167 - 143: Both Domineering and Childish

He wailed inwardly. ’His kryptonite had finally appeared.’

Naomi Shaw was about to die laughing at Dylan. He truly never missed an opportunity to force Julian Donovan to quit smoking. Truthfully, no woman likes her man to smoke or drink, but she felt he relied on those things to de-stress, so she had never really nagged him about it. She would just prepare a hangover remedy for him when he got drunk and occasionally urge him to smoke one less when she saw him with a cigarette.

This was great. With two children keeping an eye on him, she wouldn’t have to worry about a thing.

Naomi Shaw glanced at Felix Draper, who was gloating over Julian Donovan’s predicament. She smiled and said, "Thank you, and Sarah too!"

Felix Draper immediately beamed. ’Naomi is so much kinder. All those years of brotherhood with Julian Donovan were for nothing; all he ever does is point out my flaws.’

Holding up the new clothes, Naomi Shaw said to Joy, "Come on, Joy. Mommy will change you into your new clothes!"

Julian Donovan pulled Dylan over. "I’m going to take care of the discharge paperwork. The car is already waiting outside. We’re heading straight back to Wincastle!"

"Okay..."

Naomi Shaw nodded, and the three of them—Julian Donovan, Felix Draper, and Dylan—walked out.

Naomi Shaw’s brand-new phone had been broken by the kidnappers last night, which pained her deeply. With Joy in her current state, she was in no mood for work. She considered borrowing someone’s phone to call Sean Donovan and ask for time off, but she hesitated. She remembered what the kidnappers had said last night—that they were abducted because of an acquisition deal. Even though she didn’t believe Sean had ordered it, a sense of distance had already grown between them.

Back in Wincastle, Joy was admitted directly to Mercy Hospital. Julian Donovan arranged the best private room for her and personally tended to her treatment. Naomi Shaw tried to reason with him, "Joy’s injuries just need to heal with regular dressing changes. There’s no need to make such a big fuss. Just get us a standard room; I can take care of her myself!"

Julian Donovan completely ignored her, continuing to arrange everything as he saw fit. "From now on, I make all the decisions when it comes to my daughter!"

She was furious. "You act like Joy is only your daughter! Isn’t she my daughter too? You’ve only just found out she’s yours. What gives you the right to be so domineering and decide everything for her?"

’This man is unbelievably bossy,’ she thought. ’It’s one thing to be like that with me, but he’s doing it with Joy too. Hmph! We’ll see how bossy he can be when Joy grows up and gets a boyfriend. I’m sure her boyfriend will have something to say about it.’

They were standing right outside Joy’s room when Julian Donovan suddenly pulled her into his arms and whispered affectionately, "Naomi, to be honest, a personality like yours is best suited for staying at home to take care of your husband and children. You’re not cut out for managing anything else!"

’In truth, it wasn’t that her personality was suited for that role,’ she mused. ’It was that his domineering, autocratic personality wanted her in that role.’

The hallway was bustling with people, and his public display of affection was drawing a lot of attention. Naomi Shaw, fuming, tried to push him away. "Julian Donovan, can’t you stop being so overbearing?"

Julian Donovan was about to release her, but his gaze suddenly turned icy when he saw who was approaching from the other end of the corridor.

Naomi Shaw’s face flushed with embarrassment, but she couldn’t break free. ’What on earth is wrong with him?’ she wondered, silently cursing Julian Donovan. Just then, a shocked and pained voice called out from behind them. "Anna..."

Startled, she quickly spun around to see Sean Donovan standing a short distance away, his face etched with pain as he looked at her. Feeling awkward, she tried to shrug off Julian Donovan, who was persistently trying to take her hand, as she asked Sean, "Sean, what are you doing here?"

She ultimately failed to break free from Julian Donovan’s entanglement, her hand held tightly in his. Having gotten what he wanted, Julian let out a cold snort and glared at Sean Donovan. "Sean Donovan, you still have the nerve to show up here?"

Sean Donovan ignored Julian’s taunt and stepped forward. The intimate scene he had just witnessed flashed through his mind, and the hands in his pockets clenched into tight fists. He stopped in front of them and apologized to Naomi Shaw, his face full of remorse. "Anna, I admit my men were responsible for what happened last night, but I wasn’t the one who gave the order..."

The moment Sean Donovan finished speaking, Julian Donovan let go of Naomi and swung a punch at him. "So what if you didn’t order it? Your subordinates did it, which means you’re an incompetent leader!"

’What Julian hated most was how Sean always played the pitiful, innocent card, using her kindness to sway her judgment. If that was the game, then he’d play it too. He’d be just as despicable. Even if Sean hadn’t ordered the attack, Julian would use his words to drive a wedge between him and Naomi.’

Sean Donovan was knocked to the floor by Julian’s punch, sprawling there in a disheveled heap. Naomi Shaw, who hadn’t expected Julian to actually get violent, was shocked and rushed forward to help Sean up, only to be yanked back by Julian. "Don’t you dare go near him!"

Julian commanded her in an icy tone. Naomi struggled, displeased. "Julian Donovan, you shouldn’t have hit him, no matter what!"

’Even if Sean was a poor leader, Julian shouldn’t have lost his cool and thrown a punch.’

Julian Donovan released her hand, his expression turning vicious. "Naomi Shaw, go on, help him if you’ve got the guts! His men are the ones who hurt Joy this badly. He’s lucky I haven’t killed him already!"

With that, Julian Donovan turned and strode into Joy’s room without a backward glance. ’She shouldn’t think that just because I’m usually gentle with her, I don’t have a temper. I have a huge one; I just hold it back for her.’

Naomi Shaw had intended to help Sean up, but after Julian’s outburst and his parting shot about Joy’s injuries, her feet froze. After everything she had been through recently, Sean was starting to feel more and more like a stranger to her.

She remained where she was, looking at Sean. "Sean, I know you would never order your men to hurt Joy and me. But with Joy like this, I can’t possibly come to work. I need to take a few days off to stay here and look after her."

Seeing her keep her distance, the despair in Sean’s heart finally overflowed. He scrambled to his feet. "Just come back to work after Joy has fully recovered."

After speaking, Sean gave her a bitter smile, then turned and walked away, his shoulders slumped. Naomi Shaw watched his retreating figure, feeling the distance between them growing wider and wider. ’How did it come to this?’ she wondered. ’How did the person I trusted completely suddenly become such a stranger?’