From Forgotten Wife To Fierce Queen - Chapter 368: Chapter 368

After leaving the restaurant, Paisley didn't head straight home by car. Instead, she walked along the roadside for a while. At that moment, she felt unusually good—her body and mind lighter than ever before.
Maybe it was because she'd finally finished a tough work project, and her labor of love was about to hit the screen once again. Or maybe it was because that day, she'd finally said a complete goodbye to the old, timid version of herself.
Four years earlier, on that lonely birthday, she sat at home by herself, staring at the cake as the candles burned down, and whispered "Happy birthday" to herself. It was from that "Happy birthday" that she decided to break free from her cage and live for herself from then on.
Fast forward to today, it was the same birthday. The difference was, she no longer put much stock in this day or needed anyone else's love to prove her worth. Still, she said that same "Happy birthday."
She was answering the version of herself from four years ago—the one ignored by her husband and son, the one who relied on others' love to feel valuable, the one who, in desperate waiting, decided to pull herself up.
She thought that today, she'd finally broken free from the strange cycle that had trapped her for years. That sense of clarity left her feeling refreshed and alive.
She thanked her grandfather, who taught her knowledge and left her wealth. That knowledge and wealth became her safety net, giving her enough time to see the world clearly.
She thanked her birth parents, especially her mother. Even though she never spent a single minute raised by her mother's side, she knew her mother loved her so deeply.
She thanked her daughter Rena, knowing many didn't understand why she'd had a child with Dominick and Sonny's blood after they hurt her so badly.
But no one knew how unbearable those early days after leaving Dominick had been. It wasn't the struggle of life itself but the pain in her heart.
If Serena hadn't come along, if she hadn't felt Serena's strong life force growing inside her, she might not have made it through.
Of course, she had to thank Dominick too. Her time with her grandfather was short—just ten years. In those ten years, he poured everything into teaching her, strict beyond measure.
During that decade, she had no freedom, no childhood, no playmates. It was just her grandfather and endless studying.
After he passed away, she lost her shield and had to face the adult world alone. That adult world taught her to hide her talents, stay low-key, and never show all her cards.
Living with the Sullivan family showed her what it was like for a child like Brittany, raised in love and care, someone who could be spoiled and reckless, who didn't have to fear losing anything.
So she didn't know what love was, how to give it, or what it felt like to be loved. It was Dominick who showed her what being loved felt like. Dominick had loved her—loved her so much that, for a time, no one else existed in his eyes.
But after they married, that love started to sour. She didn't understand why; she was still the same person.
Later, she slowly realized that while she'd craved love from others, she'd forgotten the one who should love her most was herself. But now, none of that mattered anymore—none of it.
Just like she'd said to Dominick earlier, "People always have to look forward, always have to grow, right?"
She might have grown slower than others, and there might still be a long road ahead to explore and feel. She might face more setbacks and blows from other corners of life. But that was okay. She was still alive.
As a kid, she thought being locked in a dark room for failing her grandfather's tasks was the end of the world. Looking back now, it was just a tiny thing.
Then her grandfather died, and it felt like her whole sky collapsed—she didn't know how to keep going. But looking back now, it still hurt, sure, but even without knowing the way, she still made it through.
So no matter what, she had to love herself and never give up on herself. What felt like the sky falling today might, years later, just be another stroke in the story of her life.
Two days later, inside the villa, Maria was bustling around, packing luggage in a whirlwind. Nathaniel and his mom Diana sat on the couch, watching a gleeful Maria, feeling a bit sour inside.
"Maria, I get that you're leaving, but do you have to be this happy about it?" Diana said to her, not exactly thrilled.
Maria grinned, not stopping her hands for a second. "Of course I'm happy! Finally leaving this place to go back to Brightmoor. Man, this stretch here wore me and Paisy out. Brightmoor's better—lots of people, lots of life."
It was a shame about those wild veggies in the garden, though. She'd said before that once they grew, she'd pick a bunch to eat. Now they were just sprouting, and she was already leaving.
But it was fine—Brightmoor had plenty of wild veggies. Paisley had a plot just for growing herbs, and every year, tons of wild greens popped up there.
The guy tending the garden wanted to weed them out like they were junk, but Maria put a hard stop to that. From then on, she took over weeding that patch herself.
"Not straight back to Brightmoor, though. I'm taking Rena abroad first to visit my friend, maybe wander around and unwind a bit." Paisley had promised Emery she'd visit once this busy spell was over.
Diana didn't want her to go and held onto Paisley's hand, unwilling to let go. She was grateful to Paisley—without her, Nathaniel wouldn't be so valued by Byron now.
"Paisy, don't you go and never come back. Remember, you've still got family here in Harrowfell," Diana said.
Paisley nodded. "Don't worry, I'll come back to see Uncle and you guys often."
Then she turned to Nathaniel. "You better step up and not waste all the effort I put into you."
"Paisley!" Nathaniel jumped up, annoyed. Sure, the family hierarchy was there, but he just couldn't stomach it.
"You little brat, no manners! Paisy's your elder," Diana snapped, smacking Nathaniel so hard he winced and gritted his teeth.
"Paisy." Diana turned back to her, hesitating. "You're leaving this time—aren't you going to tell the Vanderbilt family?"
Paisley saw the look on Diana's face and knew she had something to say. "What's on your mind?"
Honestly, Diana gave an awkward smile. "Not much. Just yesterday, Lauren from the Ladies' Association didn't show up. I asked around and heard Dominick's been holed up in his room for two days—not eating, not drinking, not going to work."
"What a drama queen," Nathaniel scoffed.
Paisley was his aunt now—there was no chance left for her and Dominick. If anyone should've been moping, it was him. If he were Dominick, he'd have kept chasing her shamelessly after being turned down. As long as Paisley didn't remarry, there was still a shot.
"The adults are talking—kids don't butt in. No manners at all." Diana shot him a glare before turning back to Paisley. "They say he came back like that the day before yesterday, no idea what set him off."
The Vanderbilt family had tried reaching Paisley those two days, but she didn't pick up. In the end, Dominick had to figure it out and walk out of it himself.