CEO Ex-Husband, Don't Bother Me

Chapter 216 - 171: Almost Got Kissed

Sean Donovan smiled gently. "If you like it, I can play for you every day!"

She could only try to change the subject. "The weather has been frigid lately. Has your leg condition flared up? Why don’t I take a look?"

Sean Donovan knew he had been too forward. But after so many days without her, she was finally back by his side, and he couldn’t control himself. Seeing her slight repulsion, he went along with the change of subject to ease the awkwardness. "Anna, you don’t need to be so dedicated. Let me show you to your room first."

"Mmm..."

Seeing that Sean Donovan was finally letting her off the hook, Naomi Shaw couldn’t wait to escape to the privacy of her room.

The main house had three floors, and Sean Donovan had arranged for Naomi Shaw’s room to be on the third. She could tell the third floor was his private domain. Other than his forwardness when she first arrived, his behavior had been normal. But she was still terrified. ’This is a demon, after all.’

There was no one else in the entire main house besides her and Sean Donovan. Servants would appear on schedule to clean or prepare their meals. She’d made some light inquiries and learned the servants lived in a separate building far from the main house. On her way in from the main gate, she had passed many other buildings, and she had no idea what their situation was. ’Are there just a few servants, or are they filled with Sean Donovan’s men?’

Sean Donovan stayed home all day. In the afternoon, he spent his time sunbathing in the downstairs living room, reading, or playing the piano. A sense of anxiety grew within her. ’If he just acts like a well-behaved homebody, how am I supposed to uncover his secrets?’

She was supposedly Sean Donovan’s private nurse, but in truth, he didn’t require much care. Her duties were limited to the occasional check-up on his leg and reminding him about necessary precautions. Still, with nothing to do, she couldn’t stay cooped up in her room, no matter how much she wanted to.

As she came downstairs, Sean Donovan was just sitting down at the piano. He saw her and offered a gentle smile. "Any requests?"

She smiled and shook her head. "I don’t know much about music. Please, play whatever you’d like."

Sean Donovan said no more, simply lowering his head to play. The moment the music began, her descent down the stairs faltered. She may not have known much about music, but this piece was all too familiar. Sean Donovan was playing... "At Least I Still Have You."

After everything that had happened recently, Julian singing that song to her was the only thing giving her the will to go on. Over the past few days, she had found herself foolishly replaying the memory of him singing it—his posture and expression had been so silly, except for the passionate fire deep in his eyes.

Her hand clenched the banister as she slowly forced herself down the stairs, one step at a time. Sean Donovan’s long, elegant fingers danced across the black and white keys, but in her eyes, they were like a demon’s hands tightening around her throat. She didn’t know if he was aware of her real reason for being by his side, but his own motive was becoming painfully clear—to torment both her and Julian Donovan.

But she could only pretend that everything was fine. Suppressing the emotional turmoil raging inside her, she continued downstairs, took a seat on the sofa, and quietly listened until Sean Donovan had finished the entire piece. Sometimes, when a person endures enough pain, they reach a limit and become numb, as if immune to any further poison. That was exactly how she felt at this moment.

So when Sean Donovan finished playing, she even managed to stand and applaud him. "That was beautiful!"

A hint of scrutiny entered Sean Donovan’s gaze as he looked at her. She offered a faint smile. "It just stopped snowing, and the view in the courtyard is so beautiful. I was thinking of going for a walk, if that’s all right?"

There had been a lot of snow this winter. It had been coming down steadily ever since she arrived at the estate that morning. Now that it had finally stopped, she felt as if she were suffocating in the house. More importantly, she wanted to get outside and scout the property.

Sean Donovan rose and walked over to her, gently adjusting her collar. "Shall I join you?"

"Don’t be ridiculous. Your leg can’t be exposed to the cold!"

She did her best to keep her expression natural. Sean Donovan’s voice was laced with regret. "What a shame. I can’t join you to admire such beautiful scenery..."

She offered a reassuring smile. "We can go out together when the weather warms up a bit. For now, you should just stay inside and play your piano!"

Sean Donovan didn’t press the issue and let her go.

Outside, the world was blanketed in white. She could finally breathe a little easier. She walked slowly along the path, pretending to casually observe her surroundings. But even after walking a considerable distance, she had discovered nothing. There were buildings on both sides, but not a single soul was in sight.