From Forgotten Wife To Fierce Queen - Chapter 366: Chapter 366

The elegant restaurant was filled with a romantic atmosphere, but it lacked the usual lively crowd.
Dominick sat alone at his table, the floor-to-ceiling windows behind him showcasing the city's dazzling nightscape. His wine glass was empty once again. A server approached, holding a decanter, and refilled his glass.
"What time is it?" Dominick asked.
The server, caught off guard by Dominick breaking his silence after an entire evening, trembled slightly as he poured, but thankfully, not a drop of the deep red liquid spilled.
He glanced at the time and replied respectfully, "It's already ten-thirty, Mr. Vanderbilt."
Dominick's eyes flickered for a moment before he simply let out a muffled "Hmm."
Normally, by this time, the restaurant would have been preparing to close. But tonight, they couldn't.
After finishing the pour, the server looked at Dominick's somber expression and could only sigh silently in his heart. He wondered who exactly Dominick was waiting for so stubbornly. Judging by the flowers and gifts on the table, it was most likely a woman.
Having completed his task, the server stood back at a respectful distance, careful not to pry too much.
Tonight, this restaurant was reserved for Dominick alone. At first, all the staff had thought it would be an easy shift— No need to serve a full crowd, and they'd likely receive generous tips.
But to their surprise, from the restaurant's opening to its closing hours, Dominick had remained the only customer, sitting there the entire time. The staff had watched as Dominick walked in full of anticipation, only to now see him waiting with a desolate expression.
In the kitchen corner, a few chefs couldn't help but stretch their necks curiously, trying to catch a glimpse of him. From their angle, all they could see was his lonely silhouette.
"Who is Mr. Vanderbilt waiting for? Who could possibly be important enough to keep him waiting this long?"
"Must be a woman. Look at the flowers and the gifts."
"That woman has no sense at all. Imagine standing up Mr. Vanderbilt—she actually dares to make him wait?"
"Ah, women. Playing hard to get, obviously."
Just then, a female server walked by and overheard their conversation. She frowned and said, "Why don't you say it's the man's fault waiting for someone who doesn't like him? 'Playing hard to get'—you learn a phrase and just throw it around."
"Hey, what do you know? That's Mr. Vanderbilt we're talking about—he runs a business empire worth millions per minute. If a guy like that is willing to lower himself to pursue a woman, she should be throwing herself at him. If it were you, wouldn't you do the same?"
The female server found them utterly disgusting. "Sounds like you regret not being born a woman yourself, so you could throw yourself at him."
"You little brat, do you even know how to talk properly—"
"Oh, and you do?"
Their argument grew louder, their voices carrying through the restaurant. Before long, the commotion attracted the restaurant manager and the head chef.
"What are you all doing?" The manager's expression was stern, though his voice was kept low—he didn't want to disturb Dominick.
"It's them," the female server said, quickly explaining what had happened.
"Enough. Shut up, all of you. Mr. Vanderbilt is not someone you should be gossiping about," the manager said before turning to the head chef.
The head chef knew it was his subordinates who had run their mouths first. He gave each of them a kick. "Is the front hall where you're supposed to be? Get back to the kitchen!"
The junior chefs scurried back to the kitchen like frightened mice. After that, the head chef turned to the manager. "How long is Mr. Vanderbilt planning to stay? He's not going to spend the whole night here, is he?"
The manager gave a helpless smile. "Hard to say. Judging by Mr. Vanderbilt's stance, he won't leave unless the other party shows up."
"Let's just wait and see," the head chef sighed.
Dominick's long fingers rested at the base of his wine glass. His gaze remained fixed outside the window, filled with deep, unwavering anticipation. He hoped to see Paisley's car pull in. He longed to see Paisley. He wished she would soften her heart just this once.
Finally, as he waited with endless hope, a taxi slowly stopped in front of the restaurant. It was a taxi, not Paisley's car.
Dominick's expression darkened. Seeing this, the manager assumed it was a customer unaware that the restaurant was closed for a private event.
Worried that Dominick might be displeased, he quickly stepped outside, intending to turn the guest away. From inside the taxi, Paisley paid the fare and stepped out. Since she had drunk at the celebration banquet, she had chosen to take a cab.
Looking up at the familiar name above the restaurant, she felt as if a lifetime had passed. This was the place where she and Dominick had gone on their first date. It was also where they had officially gotten together.
Later, they had even spent their first wedding anniversary here. Back then, their marriage had been sweet. Yes, she and Dominick had shared many loving moments. But after that, they had never come back together again—not even for their anniversaries.
The manager reached the entrance and was momentarily stunned by the beautiful and radiant Paisley. He quickly composed himself and said, "Good evening, miss. The restaurant is fully booked tonight. May I ask who you—"
"I'm here to see Dominick," Paisley said with a smile, looking at the restaurant manager.
'How things have changed,' she thought. The man before her was no longer the same manager who used to beam at her and call her Mrs. Vanderbilt.
The manager's face flickered with panic, but before he could apologize, a familiar voice sounded from behind him.
"Paisy." Dominick strode down the steps in just two quick strides and swept Paisley into his arms like a gust of wind.
"I thought you really weren't coming. Thank you. Thank you for giving me this chance." He held her tightly, his voice muffled and choked with emotion.
Only God knew how agonizing this night had been for him. He had known there was a high chance Paisley wouldn't come, yet he stubbornly refused to leave, choosing to wait.
He thought, 'This must be my karma.' After all, back when they were still married, there had been countless nights when Paisley had waited for him like this.
The things he used to dismiss as her being unreasonable and clingy now played out in an ironic reversal. He finally understood the torment of waiting for someone, the kind of pain that seeped into one's very bones. Thankfully, Paisley had come. She had still come.
Feeling suffocated by Dominick's embrace, Paisley patted his shoulder after catching her breath. "Let's talk inside."
"Alright, let's go inside," Dominick said, repeatedly reminding himself not to get carried away or do anything that might upset Paisley.
The restaurant had clearly been carefully arranged. And maybe it was just her imagination, but Paisley felt like all the staff visibly relaxed when they saw her, their smiles brighter than ever.
The manager led the way, guiding Paisley and Dominick to their table. On the table sat a nearly empty decanter, evidence that Dominick had been drinking.
Dominick, ever the gentleman, personally pulled out a chair for Paisley. Once she was seated, he didn't return to his own seat. Instead, he picked up a large bouquet of pink roses from the table and handed them to her.
Paisley stared at the bouquet in a daze. Seeing her reaction, Dominick quickly explained, "Actually, those pink roses I brought when I went to pick up Sonny at your house—they were meant for you."
That time, he had mistakenly assumed Emery's boyfriend was Paisley's daughter's father. On top of that, Marissa had misunderstood and thought the flowers were for her, which led to the whole mix-up.
Now, he felt the need to clear up every misunderstanding. "Paisley, from the beginning until now, my first love, my only love—it has always been you."