From Forgotten Wife To Fierce Queen - Chapter 42: Chapter 42

Dominick, feeling out of sorts, leaned against the balcony railing of the 3302 presidential suite, letting the wind cool his frustration. When Julian's call came in, he picked up with a curt. "What?"
On the other end, Julian immediately noticed Dominick's tone. After a brief pause, Julian continued, "The doctor had just checked Marissa again. It's nothing serious. She's going to be alright."
"Alright." Dominick's voice was impatient and dismissive, matching the frustration in his expression.
As if on cue, Paisley and Serena's laughter carried over from the neighboring open balcony window. Nathaniel's voice followed, mingling with the cheerful sounds and grating on Dominick's nerves.
Dominick's eyes darkened, and he thought irritably, 'Nathaniel's in Paisley's room, huh? Laughing and chatting away like he's having the time of his life. Paisley, your daughter has a father. And yet, here you are, letting another man stay in your room, laughing like nothing's wrong.'
On the other end of the line, Julian had no idea what Dominick was dealing with right now and brought up Marissa. "Dom, earlier today Marissa—"
But the noise from next door was getting under Dominick's skin, making it impossible for him to focus on Julian's words. Dominick immediately interrupted, "Anything else?"
Julian hesitated again. "No, that's it. Just don't forget about the opening gala tonight."
"Got it," Dominick replied. With that, he hung up abruptly, still visibly annoyed.
The laughter next door continued, grating on his nerves. He wanted nothing more than to storm over there, drag Nathaniel out by the collar, and warn Paisley to stop laughing with him.
But just as Dominick turned to do exactly that, he stopped in his tracks. He wondered, 'What right do I have to go over there? I'm not Paisley's husband anymore, and I'm not even Serena's father. I'm just her ex-husband, the man she once had a child with.'
At the same time, in the neighboring 3303 suite, Serena, wearing a princess dress, sat cheerfully in her little pink castle. She grinned and waved at Nathaniel. "Come on over, Prince Charming."
"Here comes the charming prince," Nathaniel said with a faint smile. Hearing Serena's call, he actually walked over, awkwardly folding his tall frame and sitting beside her in the tiny pink castle.
Paisley looked apologetic. "Rena, don't make things hard for him."
Serena's wide eyes sparkled mischievously. "I've defeated you, evil witch. You're not allowed to talk now."
Nathaniel chimed in enthusiastically, "Yeah. You can't talk right now, evil witch."
Paisley, cast as the defeated witch, obediently kept her mouth shut, wondering just how long this prince-and-princess game was going to last.
Just as Paisley was about to question when her evil witch character could "revive", her phone rang. It was Emery. Seizing the opportunity, Paisley asked, "Princess Rena, may the evil witch take a phone call?"
Serena thought about it for a moment before nodding decisively. "Yes, you are allowed to."
Paisley felt as if she'd been granted a pardon as she grabbed her phone and headed out to the balcony. The moment the call connected, Emery's commanding tone came through loud and clear. "Woman, tell me who I am."
Paisley couldn't help but feel exasperated, but she played along anyway. "Mm, you're my dearest sweetheart."
"Good girl," Emery chuckled cheekily. "Teddy and I have arrived. Lucy already showed us to our room. Should I come find you now, or shall we meet at the gala later?"
Paisley checked the time before replying, "Let's meet at the gala later."
"Sure," Emery replied enthusiastically, the happiness in her voice unmistakable. "See you at the gala then. Love you, babe."
Paisley responded, "Mm, love you too."
After hanging up, Paisley still wore the warm smile she always had when talking to Emery. But as Paisley turned, she caught sight of Dominick standing on the adjacent balcony, his gaze dark and unfathomable as he looked at her.
Paisley's smile instantly disappeared at the sight of him. With a neutral expression, she gave him a polite nod of acknowledgment before turning back into her room. On her way in, she even made sure to close the balcony door and windows behind her, shutting out everything from the outside.
Dominick let out a derisive chuckle, leaning back against the railing. He tilted his head to stare into the distance, but his eyes couldn't seem to focus.
He reflected bitterly, 'Do you really love him that much, Paisley? Then what were those four years we spent together? What did they even mean to you?'
Meanwhile, Nathaniel, who had been keeping Serena company, received a call from his assistant and had to leave. Before heading out, he reminded Paisley not to miss the evening's opening gala.
Thinking about potentially running into Dominick later at the event made Paisley feel reluctant. But since she'd already agreed to go, she had no choice but to push through. Worst case, she figured, she'd say hello, stay for a bit, and leave early.
Having made up her mind, she said, "Maria, bring me that gown, please."
When Paisley changed into the gown and stepped out, Maria's eyes lit up as she took in the sight. "I've got to say, Emery's craftsmanship is really something," Maria said, visibly impressed. "But no matter how great the gown is, it's the person wearing it that truly makes it shine."
The gown was made of sky-blue silk and featured intricate hand-embroidered flowers in shades of soft white that stretched from the neckline to the waist. The single thigh-high slit accentuated Paisley's curves while matching floral embroidery adorned the edges of the split.
Emery had said that she had embroidered every flower herself, each stitch representing her love for Paisley.
As Paisley fixed her hair in the mirror, she heard Maria's comment and replied matter-of-factly, "Emery said the reason she designed this gown was because it's one of the most versatile styles. It can be tailored to suit anyone, no matter their height or size.
"So, the beauty of the gown isn't reserved for good-looking people; it's that anyone who wears it can look good."
Maria pressed her lips into a smile, thinking she might ask Emery to make her a gown sometime soon. She couldn't splurge on anything too extravagant, but a simpler, budget-friendly version seemed doable.
By the time Paisley had finished styling her hair and applying some light makeup, it was almost time to leave. She had planned to wait for Emery and Lucy, thinking they could meet up and head to the party together.
But Lucy ended up saying she couldn't handle that kind of event and decided not to go. As for Emery and Teddy, they were nowhere to be found, and they weren't answering their phones either.
As the party was about to start, Paisley had no choice but to head there on her own. Events like this weren't suitable for bringing Serena along, so Paisley left her with Maria.
Before Paisley left, Serena clung to her a little. "Come back early, okay, Mom? You're so dressed up. I'm worried about you going out alone." Paisley couldn't help but laugh and reassured her, promising she'd return soon.
The party was already in full swing by then, and Marissa, attending as Dominick's date, was unquestionably the center of attention.
Marissa had become the focus of the room, with every woman eager to strike up a conversation and get on her good side. Alexis trailed behind Marissa, basking in the compliments and feeling quite proud of herself.
Of course, Dominick hadn't brought Grayson to an event like this, which gave Marissa the perfect chance to have Dominick all to herself. If Grayson had been present, she would've had to play the role of the considerate guardian, taking care of him the whole time.
Marissa casually moved closer to Dominick and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Dom, I was too impulsive today. I didn't think I'd lose and let my emotions get the better of me.
"All I wanted was to win that race, but I overestimated my abilities. I couldn't handle the horse and ended up falling off it."
As Marissa spoke, she carefully watched Dominick's expression. When he showed no immediate reaction, her tone shifted, becoming even more pitiful as she said, "I wasn't trying to slander Ms. Sutton. I just couldn't handle losing and...did something stupid."
She then took a deep breath as if mustering great courage. "How about this—when I see Ms. Sutton later, I'll apologize to her in front of everyone. This was my fault from the start anyway."
Marissa knew there was no changing the outcome once a mistake had been made. So, instead of dwelling on it, she figured she might as well own up to her error, apologize to Paisley, and move forward. That way, she could continue to stay by Dominick's side openly.
At Marissa's words, Dominick's previously unreadable expression softened slightly. "You've always been so competitive," he said with a faint sigh. She lowered her head, feigning embarrassment. She knew his words meant he had forgiven her.
She replied, "Well, what can I do? With someone as outstanding as you by my side, how could I not want to do my best?" Her tone turned playful, her mood visibly lighter.
Marissa pondered, 'I knew it. With the bond I share with Dominick, there's no way he'd stay mad at me over something like this.
'Besides, I'm the one who got hurt today. He's probably upset because I lied. Now that I've admitted my mistake, he won't keep giving me the cold shoulder.'
With that settled, Marissa glanced around the venue again. The way people were looking at her had changed, becoming more intense and curious. And that was exactly the reaction she wanted.
Earlier, when Marissa had been talking to Dominick, she had deliberately leaned in closer. No one else knew what they had discussed, but her alternating expressions—shy and demure one moment, playful and laughing the next—left plenty of room for speculation.
Dominick, who had been keeping a straight face earlier, eventually broke into a resigned expression after hearing her words. To the onlookers, his exasperated look seemed tinged with affection.
With that in mind, everyone present became even more convinced of the rumors circulating online. They figured it wouldn't be long before the two of them tied the knot.
"Dom." Nathaniel raised his glass as he walked over to Dominick. He greeted Dominick with a friendly pat on the shoulder, acting like an old friend who hadn't seen him in ages. "What do you think? Pretty nice place I've got here, huh?"
Dominick glanced at the spot Nathaniel had just patted and indifferently replied, "It's alright."
Nathaniel grinned with a mischievous air. "Man, you're impossible to please." Dominick raised an eyebrow slightly but didn't deny it.
Back in school, Dominick and Nathaniel were like polar opposites. Dominick was the top achiever, a model student excelling in every area.
Dominick insisted on perfection in everything he did, leaving no room for error or failure. The only failure in his life, as far as he was concerned, was his marriage to Paisley.
Nathaniel, on the other hand, was the exact opposite. His grades were consistently among the worst, and he was infamous for his mischievous ways. With no goals or direction, he lived life on a whim, free-spirited and untamed.
He had never done anything with real effort—this club marked his first attempt at something serious.
Marissa smiled warmly and greeted Nathaniel. "It's been a while, Nathaniel."
Nathaniel barely spared her a glance, giving her a dismissive nod. "Yeah."
At his reaction, Marissa's smile froze, her face stiffening. She was painfully aware of all the eyes on them. With everyone watching, Nathaniel had just completely snubbed her, leaving her humiliated.
Nathaniel turned back to Dominick with a curious look. "I saw the news about you two. When are you guys going to get married?"
Nathaniel couldn't for the life of him understand how Dominick, of all people, could be into Marissa. After all, Nathaniel had written her off back in high school.
Dominick frowned and was about to explain that the news was fake when Nathaniel's attention suddenly shifted. Nathaniel's expression lit up like he'd just spotted a rare treasure. He broke into a wide grin, waving his arms enthusiastically. "Oh, that's my mentor. Over here, Ms. Sutton!"