From Forgotten Wife To Fierce Queen - Chapter 35: Chapter 35

"What's wrong? Chickening out?" Paisley asked casually as she sat confidently atop her horse, gazing down at Marissa with a commanding presence.
Marissa bristled at Paisley's condescending attitude but kept her composure. To her, Paisley was still the same woman she had always dismissed—a homemaker who spent her life revolving around her husband and child. Deep down, she had always looked down on Paisley.
Hearing Paisley's provocative words now, Marissa was convinced she was just putting on a show, trying to grab Dominick's attention. Smiling faintly, Marissa replied, "You may not know this, but I'm professionally trained."
"Her coach is Mr. Larsen, the renowned equestrian athlete," Alexis chimed in, finally standing up from the ground. She glared at Paisley indignantly. "But talking to you is probably a waste of time—you don't even know who Yohan Larsen is, do you?"
Paisley raised an eyebrow and replied, "Oh, I know him. He's one of the people I've beaten."
"What did you just say?" Alexis burst into laughter, spinning around to address the group behind her. "Did you hear that? She said Yohan is someone she's beaten." The crowd erupted into mocking laughter as if Paisley had just told the most absurd joke.
Grayson's expression darkened further, his grip tightening on the pony's reins. All the respect he had started to develop for her vanished in an instant. He thought irritably, 'She's still the same clueless woman, saying such idiotic things. Beating Yohan? Ridiculous.'
Dominick's brows furrowed slightly. He knew Paisley wasn't the type to make baseless claims, but he couldn't recall ever seeing her ride a horse—after all, she had never ridden one in front of him.
Just earlier, he had seen Paisley holding her daughter as she rode a gentle, docile brown horse, moving slowly with an instructor walking beside them. He figured she must have only just started learning.
Dominick's brows furrowed deeply at the thought. Then, he wondered, 'Paisley, have you lost your mind, or are you just being foolish, trying to compete with Marissa in horseback riding?'
Paisley didn't care about anyone's thoughts at the moment. What mattered to her was protecting her daughter's dignity and confidence. She didn't want Serena to think her mother was weak or easily pushed around. Paisley needed to instill self-assurance and trust in her daughter.
And, of course, Paisley wouldn't take on this challenge unless she was absolutely sure of her own ability.
Lifting her chin, Paisley glanced at the horse Marissa had chosen and said, "Stop wasting time, Ms. Prescott. You've picked your horse, so get on. Let's settle this. Loser leaves." Her patience was wearing thin. "I'm curious to see just how impressive someone trained by Yohan really is."
Marissa pressed her lips together, pretending to hesitate. Inside, she was practically giddy, thinking, 'Paisley, since you're asking for this, then don't blame me for not holding back.'
"Well then, since you insist, I'll oblige." Marissa swung onto her horse with practiced ease, her movements swift and smooth, exuding effortless charm. "Don't worry. I'll go easy on you."
Paisley smiled faintly as she adjusted her reins, "How do you want to compete?"
Marissa's eyes gleamed with a sly light, though her expression remained one of concern as if she were looking out for Paisley. "You probably aren't skilled at much else, so let's just race and see who's faster," Marissa suggested.
Without hesitation, Paisley nodded in agreement. "Fine."
Dominick's tall figure suddenly appeared beside Paisley, his large hand gripping her reins tightly. "Are you crazy? You want to stay here? Fine, I'll let you stay here. But why are you picking a fight with Marissa?"
Paisley yanked the reins back with a sneer. "Oh? Mr. Vanderbilt, are you afraid I'll bully your childhood sweetheart?"
Paisley reflected, 'How many times has this happened? How many times have I been in this exact situation? Every time Marissa and I clashed, Dominick always spoke to me like this—like I was always the unreasonable one.'
Dominick's gaze deepened, his furrowed brows reflecting his growing frustration. He huffed inwardly, 'What nonsense are you spouting? Do you even know how skilled Marissa is at riding? What if you get hurt?' Through gritted teeth, he said, "Don't overestimate yourself. Get down now."
At first, the onlookers were surprised that Dominick had stepped forward, taken hold of the foolish woman's reins, and even agreed to let her stay. But as they listened, it became clear that he simply thought she was being overly confident.
From the woman's words, it seemed she knew Dominick. But to the crowd, it didn't matter. Many people claimed to know Dominick, yet what truly mattered was whether he acknowledged her in return.
Marissa, worried that Paisley and Dominick's conversation might reveal too much about their connection, quickly rode closer. "Dom, don't worry," Marissa said gently. "I know what I'm doing. I won't let this lady get hurt. If she wants to compete, I'll grant her wish."
With Marissa's assurance of safety and Paisley's determined expression, Dominick finally relented. He thought, 'Fine, Paisley. If you want to compete, then compete. Maybe losing will teach you a lesson about your limits.' He stepped back, his face still cold, and glanced at Marissa. "Be careful."
Marissa gave him a sweet smile. "Dom, you don't need to worry about me." Then, she turned to Paisley, raising an eyebrow with a smug look in her eyes that only Paisley could understand. "Let's start here. One lap around the field. Whoever's faster wins. Sound good?"
Paisley met Marissa's gaze head-on. "Fine."
The two lined up at the starting point, ready to begin. Nearby, Serena, cradled in Maria's arms, watched her mother intently. Using all her strength, Serena shouted, "Go, Mommy! Mommy, you're the best. Mommy, I love you."
The sound of her daughter's cheers warmed Paisley's heart. Seeing this, Marissa turned expectantly toward Grayson.
Receiving Marissa's silent cue, Grayson glanced at Paisley. When he noticed Paisley didn't even spare him a look, irritation flared, and he shouted, "Go, Marissa! Marissa, you're the best. I love you, Marissa. I love you so much. I love you more than anything in the world."
Marissa's goal was achieved. She glanced at Paisley out of the corner of her eye, smug satisfaction evident in her expression. She thought mockingly, 'How does that feel, Paisley? It hurts, doesn't it? The child you gave everything to bring into this world only has eyes for me.'
The two kids seemed to be in a battle of their own. Hearing Grayson's louder cheers, Serena refused to be outdone and shouted even louder. And so, amid the fervent shouts of encouragement from the two children, the competition officially began.
Alexis stepped forward confidently, taking on the role of referee. She shot Paisley a disdainful glare before raising her hand high. "Ready... Go."
As Alexis' hand came down, the two horses bolted forward. Just as expected, Marissa took an early lead, galloping ahead and leaving Paisley far behind.
Alexis let out a mocking laugh. "Forget Marissa's riding skills for a second—just look at that horse of hers. It's leagues better than whatever that fool's riding."
Marissa's horse had been personally selected by Dominick. It was a high-quality steed in every sense, excelling in both speed and temperament. On the other hand, Paisley's horse was smaller in stature and frustratingly sluggish at the start.
While Marissa charged ahead at full speed, she couldn't resist glancing back at Paisley. Seeing her struggling to keep up on the small brown horse, Marissa burst out laughing inwardly, 'Paisley, you've got no one to blame but yourself for this.'
Ahead was Marissa's scornful provocation, and behind Paisley was the sneering laughter of the wealthy heirs and elites watching the race. Despite falling so far behind, Paisley didn't seem the least bit flustered.
Paisley held the reins in one hand and gently patted her horse's neck with the other. "Alright, little guy, it's your time to shine."
With a squeeze of her legs, the once-sluggish brown horse let out a sharp whinny and shot forward like an arrow fired from a bow.
Initially, Marissa hadn't taken the race seriously at all. The only reason she had agreed was to humiliate Paisley. But then something unexpected happened—the sound of hoofbeats grew louder and closer, breaking her composure. For a moment, she froze, realizing something wasn't right.
Frowning in confusion, Marissa glanced over her shoulder, only to be stunned by the sight of Paisley rapidly catching up. It didn't seem possible, and the realization sent a jolt of panic through Marissa. Before she could react, she watched helplessly as Paisley surged past her in a blur.