The Billionaire And His Son Want Me Back (Paisley) novel Chapter 48

Soon after, everyone went to the dining room and had already taken their seats. But Dominick was nowhere to be seen. So, Lauren asked, "Where's Dom?"

The butler replied, "Mr. Dominick is in the study."

Kayla pulled a face and said, "What's up with Dom anyway? He came back and immediately locked himself in the study, won't talk to anyone, and won't come out." She turned to Marissa and asked, "You came back with him, right? Did something happen earlier?"

Marissa forced a somewhat awkward smile as she replied, "I'm not sure. Probably something to do with work." But she knew the real reason for Dominick's behavior—Paisley.

Dominick had seen Paisley with another man, and on top of that, she had a daughter. Today, he had even bought Paisley pink roses, symbolizing first love.

Marissa couldn't stop herself from wondering what might have happened if she hadn't been there or if Paisley's daughter's father hadn't appeared at just the right moment.

Deep down, Marissa didn't want to face the possibility that Dominick still harbored feelings for Paisley. Marissa couldn't bring herself to accept it, nor did she dare dwell on it for too long.

Marissa couldn't deny that Paisley's words today had deeply unsettled her. Marissa mused, 'Four years. It's been four years since they divorced. Paisley has already moved on, found someone new, and even had a daughter. So why won't Dominick accept me?

'Have I not made myself clear enough? He's always been so good to me, treating me differently from any other woman. I thought I was the one who stood out, the one who was special.'

Still, Marissa refused to believe or accept that Dominick only saw her as a sister. She didn't want to be his sister—she wanted to be his wife, the future matriarch of the Vanderbilt family.

Lauren then instructed the butler, "Go call Dom downstairs for dinner."

"I'll go." Marissa stood up, volunteering to fetch Dominick.

Kayla and Lauren exchanged a glance, and a knowing smile spread across both their faces. Kayla teased, "Yeah. Let Marissa go. She can comfort Dom's tired body and soul."

Lauren tapped her daughter on the head. "Sonny and Stella are sitting right here. Watch what you say."

Kayla giggled. "I didn't say anything wrong. They'll all be family sooner or later anyway." For a moment, the atmosphere around the table was light and cheerful.

All she could do was keep piling food onto Grayson's plate, making sure he got to eat what Paisley could never provide for him.

When Lauren reached out again with her fork to drop another piece of meat onto Grayson's plate, he pulled it away, stopping her. She froze for a moment before asking, "What's wrong, Sonny? Don't you like this anymore?"

Grayson shook his head in response. Then, right in front of all the adults, he picked up a forkful of greens—his least favorite—and put it in his mouth, chewing it in big bites. Lauren was stunned to see that.

This was the same Grayson who was famously picky about food, especially vegetables. It used to take all kinds of coaxing and bargaining to get him to eat even a bite.

And when the little guy got stubborn, he wouldn't budge no matter what they tried. In the end, the adults would always cave in. After all, he was their precious treasure, and they'd do anything to make him happy.

Nutrition? Well, they figured it didn't have to come from vegetables. Families like theirs had plenty of ways to ensure a healthy diet. Lauren had even hired a top-tier nutritionist for Grayson at an exorbitant price.

That was why, despite his picky eating habits, Grayson had always been in excellent shape. But now, watching him voluntarily take such a big bite of greens, all those fancy nutrition plans and expert advice suddenly didn't matter.