The Billionaire And His Son Want Me Back (Paisley)

'Not this again,' Paisley thought, fighting back a groan. "Why are you so hung up on love? We're not kids anymore," she said.

"So you don't love him, do you?" Dominick pressed for an answer.

Paisley didn't bother responding. She kept her eyes fixed on Paul, silently willing him to wake up so she could get out of there.

But Dominick wouldn't let her dodge the question. He stepped right in front of her, blocking her view of Paul. "Paisley, I know you never remarried. That you've been raising the kid on your own."

"What are you getting at?" Paisley felt a headache coming on from dealing with Dominick.

Dominick stared at Paisley intently, his eyes full of sincerity. His voice carried a mix of compromise, resignation, and desperate longing.

"I'll treat Rena like my own daughter and love her as if she were mine. Just marry me again, and I can pretend everything that happened before was just a bad dream," Dominick said softly.

Paisley let out a laugh of disbelief. "Why on earth would I want to marry you again?"

"We're both single, and we have Grayson. Isn't getting back together the obvious choice?" Dominick spoke like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Get back together?" Paisley met his eyes head-on, deciding to lay it all out. "What kind of marriage are we talking about here? The kind where you love me only when your schedule allows it?

"Or the kind where you drop everything the moment Marissa needs something? Or maybe the kind where your family still won't accept me after four whole years?

"Tell me, Dominick, what exactly would I get out of marrying you again? So this is what I get? A husband too busy to care about me, some woman standing between us, and a son who doesn't even want me as his mom?"

Each of Paisley's words made Dominick's frown deepen. "Listen, what's going on with Marissa and me—" "Save it," Paisley cut him off. "I don't care what's happening between you and Marissa. That's your business, not mine. The only reason I'm still here is for Paul. Nothing to do with you, or Grayson, or the whole Vanderbilt family."

"Paisley, just let me " Dominick still wanted to say something.

Suddenly, a fit of coughing from Paul interrupted their argument.

"Grandpa." Dominick's eyes lit up as he rushed to the bedside. His tense expression melted into relief when he saw Paul was really awake.

"Dom..." Paul called out to Dominick, and then his eyes searched the room until they found Paisley. A weak smile crossed his face. "Paisley, come here to me."

Paul's smile made Paisley's heart clench. She walked over with a lump in her throat. "Mr. Paul Vanderbilt, I'm glad you're awake." She still couldn't bring herself to call him Grandpa.

A flash of disappointment crossed Paul's face. "Thank you for saving me. I might have been unconscious, but I could hear everything. I know it was you who saved me."

"No need to thank me. It was my duty." Paisley checked his condition again and ran through another series of tests. Only after confirming everything was stable did the weight finally lift from her chest. She turned to Dominick in a businesslike manner. "Since Mr. Paul Vanderbilt is awake, it means he's pulled through this time. Charles and Jonathan will handle his ongoing treatment. My work here is done, so I'll be heading out."

"Mr. Paul Vanderbilt, focus on getting better. I'll take my leave." Paisley grabbed her bag from the couch and headed for the door.

"Paisley, wait." Dominick hurried after her.

From his hospital bed, Paul watched them and let out a heavy sigh.

The truth was, he'd been awake for a while, just pretending to sleep. He'd hoped his grandson might somehow patch things up with Paisley, maybe even get back together.

But Dominick was seriously clueless when it came to feelings. Each thing he said just made matters worse until Paisley was practically steaming.

If Paul hadn't "woken up" when he did, he had no idea what kind of mess that would've turned into. He hoped the interruption would give them both a chance to cool off and talk things through properly. "Paisley, hold on a second." Dominick caught her arm in the hallway. "I wasn't finished."

Paisley shrugged him off. "Yeah, well, I'm done listening." She took a deep breath to steady herself. "Look, Dominick, I was stupid before, buying into all that love stuff. But I'm over it now. From here on out, the only person I'm looking out for is myself."

Seeing her about to walk away again, Dominick blurted out desperately, "What about Grayson? Are you saying you only care about your daughter now? Grayson's your child, too."

Paisley's voice was completely calm now. "No. He's your child. I'm just his biological mother. Of course, I'll pay child support if that's what you want, whatever the law requires.

"Paisley, are you really going to hold something against Grayson that he said when he was three? He was just a toddler. How could he possibly understand anything?" Dominick argued desperately.

Paisley smiled, but there was no warmth in it, "Like I said, kids might not know better, but adults should. Too bad none of you adults got this."

As Paisley turned to leave, she caught sight of Grayson and Marissa standing at the entrance to the hallway. Marissa was carrying several elegant takeout boxes with the same logo as the empty containers in the trash by the hospital bed.

'So Marissa is the one Dominick mentioned bringing breakfast,' Paisley thought.

Marissa stood there, one hand holding Grayson's, the other carrying the takeout boxes. That ever- pleasant smile was still plastered on her face. "Good morning, Ms. Sutton. I brought Dom some breakfast. Why don't you join us for a bite?"

"No." It was all Paisley said. She strode away, not bothering to fake politeness for anyone.

Marissa acted completely oblivious to Paisley's cold shoulder, hugging Grayson close. "This little guy was missing his dad and great-grandfather so much. He begged me to bring him. What can I say? I just can't say no to him. He's always been such a mama's boy."

Paisley let out a scoff, not even dignifying Marissa's act with a response. She kept walking, brushing past Marissa and Grayson without a glance.

"Paisley."

"Mommy."

Two voices called out behind her at the same time. One was Dominick's. The other was Grayson's. Paisley's steps faltered, her heart skipping a beat despite herself.

Dominick turned to Grayson. After four long years, his child had finally called out "Mom" again.

Marissa's eyes filled with panic as she reached for Grayson. "Grayson, I'm right here..."

But Grayson pulled away from her grasp with tears streaming down his face. He ran forward a few steps

before stopping just short of Paisley. "Mom." His voice cracked. "Are you really going to leave me behind?"