The Billionaire And His Son Want Me Back (Paisley) novel Chapter 78

Marissa caught a glimpse of Dominick's increasingly grim expression from the corner of her eye and felt secretly delighted. On the surface, however, she maintained a soft demeanor and said to Alexis, "Maybe Nathaniel genuinely wants to learn horseback riding?"

Alexis snorted, "What are you even talking about? Who are we kidding? We only do this stuff to pass the time and socialize. Just dabbling in it is enough. Nathaniel, that troublemaker? He's been messing around his whole life. Since when does he suddenly care about horseback riding?"

She paused, her gaze growing even more disdainful as it landed on Paisley. "Who's to say that woman isn't just trying to latch onto someone rich, all while pretending to play hard-to-get?"

Marissa quickly covered her mouth, feigning shock, and chimed in, "You can't just go around saying things like that." Though her words were aimed at Alexis, her eyes remained fixed on Dominick.

Alexis, being the kind of person who doubled down when questioned, retorted, "Oh, come on now. I may not know that equestrian champion well, but I sure as hell know Nathaniel."

And, of course, the others standing around knew Nathaniel as well. They'd all been high school classmates, after all. Back then, aside from Marissa, Nathaniel had flirted with just about every campus queen. With his long history of questionable behavior, Alexis' claim held some weight.

Marissa blinked her large, clear eyes and looked at Dominick with an expression of innocent confusion. "Is that really true?"

"It absolutely is," Alexis declared confidently. She pointed toward a spot in the distance and said, "Don't believe me? Look over there. Just look at how close their faces are when they're talking."

From Marissa and Dominick's vantage point, Paisley seemed to be leaning forward, her head slightly lowered while looking up to speak with Nathaniel. From this angle, it did appear as though the two were standing very close.

To make matters worse, Nathaniel was acting cutesy, his usual charm on full display.

The sound of a wine glass slamming heavily onto the marble counter then broke the moment. "I need some air," Dominick said coldly to Julian. Without waiting for a response, Dominick turned and exited the ballroom through another door.

"Dom." Marissa made a move to follow him, but Julian stopped her.

"Let him be for a while," Julian said softly.

Marissa bit her lip lightly. She didn't want to let this opportunity to be alone with Dominick—or to further sow discord between him and Paisley—slip away.

However, since Julian had said as much, Marissa knew it wouldn't look good if she insisted. So, instead, she nodded with a worried expression and said, "Alright... I'm just worried about him."

Alexis and the others exchanged confused looks. Alexis then couldn't resist asking, "Marissa, what's wrong with Dominick?"

Without realizing it, he touched his face and turned toward the fountain's pool. But the dim lighting made it impossible to see his reflection—all he could make out were the ripples spreading out where the water fell.

With a sneer, Dominick muttered, "This is ridiculous. What am I doing?" He thought bitterly, 'Paisley has already moved on with someone else. What does that have to do with me? If anyone should be angry, it's that pretty boy.'

Suddenly, a woman's voice snapped him out of his simmering rage. "Hey, stop that. It tickles."

Dominick's expression froze immediately. He hadn't expected anyone else to be there. Judging by the voices, it sounded like a couple getting intimate. He had no intention of eavesdropping and was about to leave when the man's voice made him freeze in place.

The man said, "Then give me a kiss, and I'll stop."

Upon hearing that, Dominick narrowed his eyes. He had only met the guy twice, but that was enough to recognize his voice. It wasn't anyone else—it was Paisley's pretty boy.

Dominick glanced toward the ballroom, confirming that Paisley was still inside and hadn't come out. That left him wondering, 'If she's in there, then who is the woman currently with that pretty boy?'