From Forgotten Wife To Fierce Queen - Chapter 74: Chapter 74

Paisley smiled, "Why should I tell you?"
"You..." Kayla toughed it out. "I want more of your paintings."
Paisley thought there was a common trait among all members of the Vanderbilt family. That was shameless. "I don't have it."
As if anticipating Paisley's response, Kayla quickly added, "Then how about you teach me how to paint?"
Paisley scoffed, mocking, "Didn't you just tell me to stay away from your family?"
Kayla recalled her earlier harsh words to Paisley, her face flushing. "I..."
Kayla wanted to say more, but Paisley didn't give her the chance. She walked around Kayla and headed straight for her car, about to get in and leave.
Kayla panicked and shouted, "Paisy, wait a minute."
With one foot already in the car, Paisley paused, her expression instantly freezing. She straightened up and looked back at Kayla.
Paisley's gaze was cold and distant, her tone filled with warning. "Ms. Vanderbilt, watch your words. We're not that familiar."
Her eyes fell on Marissa, who stood behind Kayla, pale-faced. Paisley proudly lifted her chin in that direction. "You should be trying to please her."
Following Paisley's gaze, Kayla saw Marissa's ashen face. Her heart sank as she stammered, "Marissa..."
By the time Kayla processed what was happening, Paisley had already gotten into her car and left, leaving only the fading taillights behind.
Behind Kayla, a faint sobbing sound emerged. Kayla froze, stiffly turning around to look apologetically at Marissa. "Marissa..."
Marissa lowered her eyes, her slender fingers gently wiping away her tears. "Kayla, do you want Ms. Sutton to remarry Dom?"
Kayla panicked. "I don't. I just...I lost my mind and instinctively..."
Marissa sniffed, her eyes red and looking innocent yet wronged. "I understand. After all, you've admired Nion for so long. Now that you know your idol is her, you naturally..."
As she spoke, Marissa lowered her head again. "It's just a pity that I have no talent for painting. I can only do my best to help you get what you want. If you want Ms. Sutton to remarry Dom, I can step aside...
"You know, Ms. Sutton doesn't like me. Otherwise, she wouldn't have treated me that way four years ago..." Marissa's voice grew softer, her crying becoming more sorrowful.
Marissa's words reminded Kayla of how Paisley had nearly ruined Marissa's life four years ago. "Marissa, what are you talking about? Only you deserve to be Dom's wife. In my heart, no one can compare to you."
Kayla grasped Marissa's hand, urgently declaring, "I really just got confused and acted too friendly with her. I'm sorry, Marissa. I made you sad. I'm sorry."
"I'm fine..." Marissa forced a smile, her voice still gentle. "I know you didn't mean it. Let's go home."
"Okay. Let's go home," Kayla replied with a smile.
Kayla and Marissa held hands like sisters as they got into the car, and Diana saw it.
"So Nion is Dominick's ex-wife," Diana murmured, her beautiful eyes glinting with mischief. She chuckled, "The Vanderbilts are really foolish. Ms. Sutton is such a good girl, and they don't cherish her, instead mistaking Marissa, the clown, for a pearl."
Diana pouted and continued, "If my son could marry an outstanding woman like Ms. Sutton, I would laugh in my dreams."
Evelyn, who was nearby, felt a little upset upon hearing Diana's words.
Lauren was organizing the unused rooms in Vanderbilt Manor with the butler and servants, as Paul would soon be discharged from the hospital and return home to recuperate.
At that time, two family doctors would be living there long-term, and the famous doctor, Charles Hansen, would also come to Vanderbilt Manor periodically to check on Paul.
As they busily worked inside and outside the house, Lauren saw Kayla's car drive in through the open gate and park.
Before long, Kayla and Marissa got out of the car one after the other. Kayla was holding a painting, which she handed to the servant who came to greet her.
"What happened? Why do you both look gloomy?" Once Kayla and Marissa approached, Lauren noticed the unusual expressions on their faces, especially Marissa, who looked like she had just been crying.
"Didn't you go to meet your idol? Why do you look unhappy?" Lauren asked, thinking, 'They seemed so happy when they left. Why do they look so down now?'
Marissa remained as gentle as ever. "Nothing. We're just tired."
Kayla didn't speak, silently walking into the house, clearly preoccupied.
At that moment, the servant had already opened the outer packaging of the painting, as Lauren had requested.
When Lauren saw the painting, her eyes lit up. "It really is beautiful. No wonder you were so obsessed with it," she exclaimed to Kayla, then instructed the butler to hang the painting in the most prominent position.
Even Reginald, who was used to seeing various famous paintings, had to admit that this one was indeed stunning. He thought, 'No wonder Kayla admires its creator so much. Now I want to meet Nion, too.'
Before the butler could act, Kayla, who had been silent, finally spoke up, "Do you know who Nion is?"
Kayla's voice was muffled, and Lauren and Reginald keenly noticed the change in how Kayla referred to her idol. Previously, she always called Nion "Mr. Vaire", but now she simply referred to her as Nion.
"Who is it?" Lauren asked.
Kayla became excited. Even now, she had to control herself when mentioning it. "It's Paisley."
"What did you say?" Lauren's voice suddenly rose, as she thought she must have misheard. "Paisley?"
"Yes, that's right. It's her." Kayla nodded emphatically, her voice firm. "I saw her at the auction. She was invited by Crown&Culture."
Lauren thought, 'Since she was invited by Crown&Culture, it must be right.' She was greatly shocked, standing there in a daze for a long time.
Reginald, who was drinking water, almost choked.
"What's wrong with Paisley? She knows medicine and is also a painter. How many more identities has she hidden from us?" Lauren said, agitated.
Hearing this, Reginald became serious. "Yeah, these skills need years of training."
Lauren thought, 'Exactly, just take painting, for example. Kayla started learning to paint at thirteen, and after more than ten years, her level is just average.'
For a moment, Lauren and Reginald's feelings became exceptionally complicated.
Lauren frowned, "Why didn't she tell us about her talents before?" After saying this, she felt awkward.
Lauren thought, 'But even if she had told us, what would have changed? Would we treat Paisley better because of it?' She didn't know, as she had always believed that Marissa was the perfect choice in her heart.
"Maybe..." Marissa's gentle voice spoke up. "It's because Ms. Sutton never regarded this place as her home and never saw you all as her family. Otherwise, why wouldn't she tell her own family?"
Lauren felt that Marissa's words made a lot of sense and said angrily, "It's okay if she didn't want to tell us, but why did she even hide it from Dom?"
Marissa looked at her with pity. "Maybe she doesn't love Dom that much."
'Right, if she truly loves Dom, how could there be secrets between them?' Lauren thought, and looking at the painting again, she lost the desire to hang it up. "Put it away," she instructed the butler.
Kayla watched as the painting was rewrapped and put away. She wanted to take it back, but every time she met Marissa's eyes, she couldn't say anything and could only watch helplessly as the painting was taken away.
Outside the door, Dominick listened to all their conversations clearly. Filled with sarcasm, he thought, 'Paisley, have you never truly loved me?'