"Mhm. I’m not sad, because I still have the baby."
Julian withdrew his hand, his gaze falling to her slightly swollen abdon. A thousand emotions welled up inside him. Seeing that he couldn’t be of any help and that she was determined to keep him at arm’s length, he decided to take his leave.
"I’m going to head back and get so rest for my jet lag. Call if you need anything."
After he left, Naomi sank weakly into the chair by the bed and let out a long sigh. ’Not seeing him really is the best way to forget him,’ she thought. ’The mont I see him, my heart, which has been quiet for so long, starts to flutter again.’
Julian returned to the place they had once shared. Pushing the door open, he found the apartnt covered in a layer of dust. It was cold and empty, looking as if it hadn’t been lived in for a long ti. The only sign of life was a few books scattered on the balcony’s daybed. He walked over and picked them up. They were nursing books. ’She must have left these here,’ he thought.
He made his way up to the bedroom. It was just as cold and empty. With all of his things already gone, it felt even more barren. A wave of lancholy washed over him, and he suddenly didn’t want to stay. But after walking a lap around the room, he decided to remain. He took a shower and went to sleep, hoping to finally get over his jet lag.
In truth, Naomi had been living there all along. It was only because Ian Shaw had beco critically ill that she and Mrs. Somrs had moved into the hospital, where they took turns keeping watch and accompanying him through his final days.
The next morning, when Julian went to the hospital, he bought two breakfast sets on a whim—one for her and one for Mrs. Somrs. They were both a little surprised when he presented the food. Naomi took her portion and gave him a small smile.
Tyson and SARA also ca to visit Ian Shaw. When Tyson saw Julian was there, he shot him an irritated glare, as if to say, ’Look who finally decided to co back.’
After breakfast, the visitors gradually left. Mrs. Somrs said to Naomi,
"Naomi, I can watch over him for a while. You should go take a walk. You’re pregnant; you need to move around a bit."
Naomi nodded and walked out, ignoring Julian, who was still in the room. Frowning at her retreating back, Julian followed her out. Mrs. Somrs shook her head with a sigh, then sat by Ian Shaw’s bedside and began muttering to him,
"You can rest easy now. Look at Julian... he seems to be starting to care about Naomi."
Naomi walked slowly along a quiet, tree-lined path on the hospital grounds. The sound of steady footsteps followed, catching up to her. She didn’t have to turn around to know who it was. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. ’He seems a little different since he got back... but I can’t let my imagination run wild. He must just feel sorry for because I’m about to lose my father. That’s the only reason he’s being nice.’
When she opened her eyes, he was already walking beside her. He didn’t speak, and neither did she. They walked on in silence until finally, Julian broke the awkward quiet.
"How’s... the baby?"
She raised a hand to gently rest it on her swollen abdon, a contented smile gracing her lips.
"Yes, doing great."
She didn’t look at him as she spoke, and her voice held no trace of resentnt—just a quiet detachnt. To Julian, she seed like a stranger. Before he could say anything else, his phone rang, interrupting them.
He glanced at the unfamiliar number before answering. A wretched sob ca from the other end of the line.
"Julian, help !"
His expression shifted. He instinctively glanced at the serene woman beside him.
"Juliet? What’s wrong?"
The last ti he was in Port Sterling, he had given Juliet Jennings his number in Thailos, telling her to call if she ever needed anything. She was, after all, his first love—soone he had once cared for deeply. Even if they couldn’t go back to how things were, he still wanted to do what he could for her.
But Juliet hadn’t called him at all in the past month. He felt a mix of relief and disappointnt. He was relieved she hadn’t started clinging to him now that he was powerful, which proved she wasn’t just a gold digger. But he was disappointed that even with all his success, she still hadn’t co back to him. ’She really doesn’t love anymore,’ he thought.
He never expected to get a call from her now, much less such a desperate plea for help. He clutched the phone and stepped away. A flicker of pain crossed Naomi’s calm eyes. She glanced at Julian, who now had his back to her as he spoke softly into the phone, and made the decision to turn and walk away.
’I knew it,’ she thought bitterly. ’I’ll never have any place in his heart. I was so stupid to almost fall for that little bit of gentleness from him again.’
Julian hung up the phone. When he turned around, the gentle woman was gone. He frowned but ended up striding out of the hospital anyway. On the phone, Juliet had explained that ever since Wendy Lowe found out he was the one who’d helped her in Port Sterling, Wendy had started taking her resentnt out on her. For nearly half a year, Wendy Lowe had essentially blacklisted her. Aside from a few productions she was already contracted for, she couldn’t land a single new role. No one even dared to offer her an endorsent deal. With nowhere else to turn, she had called him for help.
"Juliet, I understand. I won’t let Wendy Lowe get away with this. But I’m a bit tied up right now. I’ll contact you later."
Julian said to Juliet as he drove toward the headquarters of The Shaw Dominion.
No matter how urgent Juliet’s situation was, he had to stay here and see to Ian Shaw’s affairs before he could leave.
The animosity between him and Wendy Lowe ran deep. It had started when he’d offended her by saving Ian Shaw. Then, he learned that Wendy was the one who had been Juliet’s sugar mama. Add to that the incident in Wincastle where Wendy tried to force herself on Naomi at the hotel, and his recent intervention for Juliet in Port Sterling.
Whether for Juliet’s sake or just to vent his own frustration, Julian was determined to bring Wendy Lowe down. It would be like pulling a poisonous thorn from the side of the entertainnt industry. Otherwise, who knew how many other newcors like Juliet would be ruined at her hands.
Naomi returned to the hospital room in a daze. Mrs. Somrs asked, puzzled,
"You’re back already? Why didn’t you talk with Julian a little longer?"
In truth, Mrs. Somrs had deliberately sent Naomi out to give the two of them so ti alone.
Naomi thought about the phone call he’d just taken. Lowering her eyes to hide her disappointnt, she said flatly,
"He’s busy."
Mrs. Somrs sighed, unable to press the matter.
Julian was busy all day. His long stay in ridia ant a pile of difficult matters had been waiting for him, and they kept him swamped. When he arrived at the hospital that evening, he saw her walking down the corridor with a doctor. They were chatting as they walked. The doctor must have said sothing comforting, because she looked up at him and offered a tired smile.
The smile vanished the instant she saw him standing by the door to the room. Anger flared within him. ’What, am I her mortal enemy or sothing?’ he fud inwardly. ’She can’t even crack a smile when she sees .’
The doctor greeted Julian before leaving. The two of them were left standing face to face outside Ian Shaw’s room. Julian noticed the faint, dark circles under her eyes and suppressed his rising anger.
"Have you had dinner? I’ll take you ho so you can rest."
Naomi swallowed the bitterness in her heart and coolly refused.
"There’s no need. I’m staying in the private lounge here at night."
"Taking care of your father is important, but you’re pregnant..."
He was getting annoyed with how she was running herself ragged, and with her cold tone toward him. He frowned, starting to lecture her, but before he could finish, she suddenly looked up and snapped,
"I said there’s no need!"
Her shout plunged them into silence. Naomi’s chest rose and fell as she struggled to suppress so powerful emotion, while the anger Julian had been holding back finally erupted at her cold rejection.
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