From Forgotten Wife To Fierce Queen - Chapter 50: Chapter 50

The room fell into an awkward silence.
Maria couldn't hold it in anymore and burst out laughing. She shot Paisley a teasing look. "So that's why she looks like such a mess—from sleeping on the couch. And the way she was talking... Someone might think she spent the night..."
She trailed off, not wanting to say "sleeping with a man" in front of Serena and the kid.
Marissa had been trying to create some suggestive ambiguity in front of Paisley, but Grayson had shut that down right after she said that.
Her lips pressed into a thin line, her face burning with embarrassment. But if there was one thing about Marissa, it was her incredible resilience.
She bounced back quickly, taking Grayson's hand affectionately. "Your dad had a bit too much to drink last night. I stayed just in case he needed anything."
Paisley raised an eyebrow, doubting whether Marissa really needed to take care of Dominick at all.
Paisley had already given him hangover pills last night—enough to keep him sound asleep until morning, no special attention needed. But she kept that little detail to herself, not wanting to stir up trouble.
"Ms. Sutton." Marissa switched tactics, her gaze settling on Serena. "You must really love your daughter, carrying her everywhere you go."
Paisley didn't like the way Marissa was eyeing Serena—like a snake sizing up its prey.
"Of course I love her. She's my daughter." Paisley tightened her hold on Serena protectively.
She knew she probably spoiled Serena too much, but there were reasons behind it—reasons she couldn't bear to think about. The memories were still too raw, too painful.
Grayson stared at Paisley, his thin lips pressed together just like Dominick's. 'She loves her daughter...but what about me? Does she really not care about me at all anymore?' he thought. Tears started welling up in his eyes as the hurt settled in.
Marissa, oblivious to Grayson's inner turmoil, pulled him closer to her side. "Actually, even children make comparisons. They like to be close to those they like. I like Grayson, and Grayson likes me too, right?"
She crouched down, wrapping her arms around him with exaggerated affection. Her eyes were practically begging him to repeat those words from before, to ask her to be his mom right in front of Paisley.
But Grayson just stood there, lips pressed tight, staring at Paisley with tears threatening to spill. He looked like he was about to lose it.
"Right." Paisley's cool voice cut through the tension. "Must be nice, getting a ready-made kid without doing any of the work."
Marissa's heart dropped as she looked up to find Paisley watching her with barely concealed mockery.
As the elevator doors started to open, Paisley added casually, "Boys, girls, it doesn't really matter in the end. As long as they don't stab you in the back."
Just as Paisley finished speaking, the elevator doors slid open. She stepped in with Serena in her arms and Maria following close behind.
As the doors closed, Paisley seemed to hear Grayson's heart-wrenching sobs echoing down the hall.
Dominick, who'd just wrapped up some work, walked out at the sound of Grayson crying. "What's going on? Why's Grayson crying?"
Marissa hugged the crying boy close, gently wiping his tears. "We just ran into Ms. Sutton with her daughter heading out. I brought Grayson over to say hi. Even though he's closer to me, I always hoped they could build a better relationship. She is his birth mother, after all.
"But instead," Marissa let out a heavy sigh, holding Grayson tighter as his sobs grew harder, "she just started calling him ungrateful and going on about how her daughter's the only one she cares about."
She shook her head in disbelief. "They're both her children. How can she be so cold?"
Sure enough, Dominick's expression darkened at Marissa's words. 'Paisley, so only the daughter you had with another man counts as your child? What about the son you had with me? Am I supposed to believe he doesn't matter to you anymore?'
Dominick turned to Grayson, his voice gentle but firm. "Hey buddy, no more tears, okay? Let's not waste another thought on that woman."
After checking on Teddy with Serena, Paisley worked out their afternoon departure time from the club with Emery.
Just as they reached the hotel entrance, Paisley caught sight of Dominick's group leaving. Marissa was holding Grayson's hand, murmuring something softly to him as they walked.
Grayson's eyes were red and puffy from crying. His expression was listless, and he nodded every now and then with a distracted air, his attitude bordering on indifferent.
Then there was Dominick, walking around with a face like thunder, acting as if the entire universe owed him something. The guy couldn't even look at anyone without glaring.
David was practically falling over himself next to Dominick, playing the perfect yes-man as he kept apologizing for any inconvenience and begging them to come back soon.
But Dominick wasn't having any of it. He just kept walking with those massive strides, face dark as a storm cloud.
Dominick stopped in his tracks when he spotted Paisley at the door with Serena in her arms. His face was a mask of ice—the kind that wouldn't melt even in boiling water.
The moment they saw him, the smiles dropped from both Paisley and Serena's faces like they'd hit a switch. Serena straight-up turned her head away, refusing to even look at Dominick.
"Well, well. Ms. Sutton, waiting for me?" The voice came from behind Paisley before its owner appeared.
A moment later, Nathaniel—dressed to the nines like some strutting peacock—sidled up next to Paisley.
"Prince Charming." Serena's eyes lit up instantly at the sight of him, her little arms reaching out eagerly for a hug. Her reaction couldn't have been more different from how she'd just treated Dominick.
Dominick felt his chest tighten as he watched the blatant favoritism play out in front of him.
Nathaniel shot Dominick a smug look before scooping Serena up into his arms, letting Serena wrap her arms around his neck in a cuddle. "Hey princess, how come you haven't said hi to Dominick yet?"
Serena's lips curved into a pout. "Dominick is mean. I don't like him."
A charming smile crossed Nathaniel's face. "What about me then?"
"You're so handsome, Prince Charming," Serena beamed, her face lighting up with genuine adoration. "Not mean at all. I really like you!"
Dominick was speechless.
"You're right." Nathaniel nodded, clearly enjoying this. "He is pretty mean. I don't like him either."
'Like I care if you like me,' Dominick thought, fighting the urge to snap back.
Nathaniel and Paisley looked like they'd stepped off a magazine cover, and with Serena's adorable face completing the picture, the three of them could've been mistaken for the perfect family.
People couldn't help but whisper as they passed by. After last night's drama, everyone knew Paisley was Dominick's ex-wife. And now here she was, looking every bit the happy family with Nathaniel. It was like catnip for the gossips.
Nathaniel couldn't care less about the rumors. If anything, he was living for the chance to mess with Dominick, throwing a smug look his way.
Noticing Dominick's face getting darker by the second, Nathaniel leaned in close to Paisley. "Ms. Sutton, look at that scary man over there giving us the death glare."
Paisley turned to face Dominick's stone-cold expression. She figured he probably didn't remember his drunk visit to her room last night. It was funny how he'd seemed almost tolerable when he was tipsy. When he got back to normal, he was a total buzzkill.
"Just ignore him. Let's go," Paisley said, heading into the hotel without a second glance.
Nathaniel followed behind, making exaggerated faces at Dominick. He absolutely loved this.