novelraw Chapter 218 - 172: A Bit of a Lead
Chapter 218 - 172: A Bit of a Lead
Caleb Rhodes pulled a chair over and sat by the bed. "I can understand the pain you’re feeling right now, because I’ve been hurt by that same kind of pain before."
Julian Donovan was well aware of Caleb Rhodes’s past with Lillian Huxley. He pressed his lips together and remained silent. Caleb continued, "Honestly, I still can’t believe she did all this to you. That’s why I’m thinking... could there be some kind of misunderstanding between you two?"
Julian Donovan roared, "There’s no misunderstanding! She’s moved in with Sean Donovan! The only explanation is that she truly hates me!"
Felix Draper, who had been leaning lazily against the foot of the bed, shot up in anger at Julian’s words and yelled, "What? She moved in with Sean Donovan? Does she have any idea what that means?"
Caleb Rhodes shot Felix Draper a harsh glare. His words had clearly provoked Julian Donovan. ’This must be why he’s punishing himself like this.’ Realizing his slip of the tongue, Felix Draper just huffed and fell silent.
Caleb Rhodes was also shocked by the news that Naomi Shaw had moved in with Sean Donovan. After a moment of contemplation, he frowned and said, "But don’t you think something so outrageous is out of character for her? Doesn’t it feel a little strange?"
As the saying goes, it’s easy to see clearly when you’re not involved. Julian Donovan was so caught up in the pain Naomi Shaw’s departure had caused him that he hadn’t paid much attention to her strange behavior.
Caleb Rhodes’s words were a wake-up call. Julian Donovan sat there, running everything through his mind from beginning to end, his eyes gradually turning cold. Caleb stood up. "Regardless, you can’t keep abusing your body like this. Calm down and think about it. We’re going to head out. And don’t worry about the two kids. Lillian is taking great care of them for you."
With that, Caleb Rhodes stood and dragged Felix Draper out with him. Julian Donovan snatched his phone and sternly ordered his men to keep investigating the events of that day, telling them not to let a single clue slip by.
After Dylan’s phone call that night, Naomi Shaw couldn’t get back to sleep. The next day, when Sean Donovan saw her, her eyes were dark-ringed and she looked exhausted. "Anna, what’s wrong?" he asked with concern. "Didn’t you sleep well last night?"
She forced a smile and brushed it off. "Oh, I have trouble sleeping in new beds..."
’I don’t think I have the strength to take much more of this. I thought coming here and not seeing Julian Donovan would make me feel better, but I never expected Sean Donovan to provoke me so subtly, and now Julian has gone and done something like this.’
Sean Donovan sat at the dining table and extended a hand toward her. "Come have breakfast first. You can go back and sleep for a while after you eat. I had the kitchen make this soup especially for you. Anna, you’re too thin!"
"Thank you."
Sean Donovan’s words were filled with concern for her, but she felt like she was walking on thin ice. She walked over and sat down. Faced with a table laden with a sumptuous meal, she had no appetite at all. She ate only a small amount before returning to her room.
’My heart was in knots. I was worried something might have happened to him after his fever got so high last night, and I had no idea how the two children were doing. But I didn’t dare to call, afraid of arousing Sean Donovan’s suspicion. All I could do was suppress all the pain.’
That evening, Sean Donovan was out for dinner and returned late. Naomi happened to be coming out of her bedroom for a glass of water just as he walked in. He wore a broad smile, looking as if something very pleasant had occurred. However, she was in no mood to ask. She simply said, "You’re back," and turned to go back to her room, water glass in hand.
Leaning against the staircase, Sean Donovan watched her retreating back and smiled. "I saw Julian Donovan tonight. He’s the one who asked to see me!"
Her body stiffened. Then she turned back, forcing a casual smile. "Oh?"
Sean Donovan looked down, fiddling with the cufflink on his wrist. "He told me to let you go. What’s that about? Did I force you to come here?"
She forced a scornful smile. "I never would have thought he was so narcissistic. Who does he think he is?"
Sean Donovan looked up at her, his expression a mix of smugness and mockery. "I didn’t expect him to stoop so low either. You know what? I told him if he wanted me to let you go, he’d have to trade all of his family assets for you. That includes the Donovan Group, The Shaw Dominion in Thailos, and even... all his shares in the mysterious SEVEN. And he actually agreed!"
In that instant, Naomi Shaw’s mind went blank. ’He’s going to trade all his assets for me? Has he gone mad? Was hurting him so badly still not enough to make him give up on me? Doesn’t he realize that giving up everything means all his years of fighting Sean Donovan and the Donovan Group will have been for nothing?’