Chapter 5
In the CEO’s office at Vanderbili Group, the atmosphere was thick, the air heavy with tension. The pressure hung like a storm cloud, threatening to burst at any moment.
Dominick, standing by his desk, slammed a thick stack of papers onto the floor with an almost violent force.
His secretary, visibly shrinking from the anger emanating from him, quickly bent to pick up the scattered papers, her hands trembling slightly as
she did so
Tl go speak to Mr. Parker right away and have his team redo it” she stammered, not daring to linger any longer. The moment she straightened. she bolted from the room, her footsteps hurried and frantic.
Julian Hale, Dominick’s assistant, closed the office door behind the secretary with a quiet click, his eyes lingering on the tall, imposing figure of Dominick standing near the floor–to–ceiling windows.
Dominick’s posture was rigid, his brow furrowed in annoyance, and the weight of his frustration seemed to settle in the room like a dense fog
Julian sighed, leaning against the doorframe, “Mr. Vanderbilt, he began with a knowing look, “this is the sixteenth proposal you’ve thrown away today. Sixteen. Not one of them has caught your eye!”
Dominick tugged irritably at his tic, his expression darkening, “What’s your
His voice was sharp, but Julian wasn’t intimidated. Julian’s eyes flickered briefly before he spoke again, his voice lowering slightly. “Is it her return that is affecting you?”
“Paisley has no effect on me Dominick snapped his tone a little too quick, too defensive,
Julian’s lips quirked slightly as he took a slow step forward, unfazed. “I didn’t say it was Paisley,” he murmured.
Dominick froze for a moment, his eyes
es narrowing as he caught the glint of amusement or perhaps something deeper–in Julian’s gaze
–
After a beat of silence, Dominick turned away, his frustration boiling over as he yanked the tie from around his neck and tossed it carelessly aside “You got something to say, or you just want to keep playing games?”
Julian straightened, his dememor becoming more businesslike “Actually, I do have something to say,” he said, his voice lower now, tinged with a certain level of authority. “I’ve followed your orders. I’ve applied pressure on the investors. Ms. Sullivan is officially the lead for that series
Dominick’s expression shifted, his usual icy demeanor slipping back into place. He gave a single, almost imperceptible nod, signaling his acceptance of the news.
“Okay,” he said flatly, sitting back down at his desk, the weight of the conversation easing as his attention turned back to the documents in front of him. His gaze, however, was distant, clouded with thoughts that no one could read,
Julian had already turned to leave, but after a brief pause, he couldn’t help himself. He turned back and spoke with a slightly more probing tone, “Dom, the way you’ve been looking our for the Sullivan family that’s because of Paisley, isn’t it?”
It wasn’t until recently that Julian had learned the Sullivans were Paisley’s real family–something he hadn’t realized before. But now, obvious.
it seemed
Dominick’s eyes narrowed, Iris expression hardening as he swiftly dismissed the notion. “You’re overthinking it,” he said, his voice cold and distant “Sullivan Group is a business partner of Vanderbilt Group”
Julian wasn’t so easily fooled. “Dom, no matter what your reasons are for going out of your way to look after the Sullivan family, one thing is clear- you and Paisley are divorced.
“She made her choice, walked away without a second thought, even abandoning your son. Now she’s back, and who knows what her game is?” Julian, who had been friends with Dominick since high school, knew him inside and out and had followed him every step of the way
The competition to inherit the Vanderbils family legacy had been fierce, and the standards were impossibly high. Dominick had risen above them
He’d started his first business in high school, expanding it rapidly throughout college, and by his sophomore year, he’d already taken his company
It was inevitabile that Dominick would inherit Vanderbilt Group and become the head of his family,
Julian, Joyal as ever, had entered the company alongside him, serving as his right–hand man. Over the years, their band had deepened,
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Chapter 5
transcending the typical employer–employee relationship. They were more like brothers–united by shared history, loyalty, and ambition.
Julum, ever the persistent one, continued. “And Marissa is a good girl. Over the years, she’s really-
Julun” Dominick’s voice cut through the air like a knife, sharper than usual. He turned abruptly, his eyes narrowing with a hint of annoyance. “Twe told you already. There’s nothing going on between me and Mariva see her ava sister, just like Kayla“.
With that, he used his phone toward Julian, the device skudiding arross the desk. On the screen, the latest tabloid headline splashed in bold letters about Dominick and Marissa’s relationship scandal
Dominick i expression darkeneil even further, his tone frigid. What is all this nonsense? Contact the PR department, and have them clean this up” His voice was thick with disdain, like he couldn’t even be bothered to engage with the garbage the press was feeding the public.
The first day of kindergarten was supposed to be a milestone, a step toward growing up. But for little Serena, it felt more like a punishment
She had spent her entire life in the safery of Paisley’s arms, and now, for the first time, she was expected to spend an entire day without her mother
Serena’s emotions were a tangled mess. She wanted to cry. The lump in her throat was hard to swallow, but Paisley’s words echoed in her mind, “You’re a big girl now, Serena, Big girls don’t cry. If you do, the other kids will laugh”
Serena tried to be strong and hold back the tears, just like Paisley had taught her. But it was so hard. The absence of her mother and Maria made everything feel cold and empty, and sie missed them.
The other kids seemed confident, laughing and playing while she just sat there, feeling our of place. She didn’t want to play. She didn’t want to do anything but g home and curl up next to her mom.
But just as the tears began to well up again, something shifted in Serena’s gaze. Her big doe eyes suddenly locked onto a spot where the older children from the elementary section were playing.
“My brother_“Serena whispered, her voice barely audible but filled with wonder and longing. She didn’t have to think about it–her heart just
In the first–grade PE class, Grayson was happily running around the playground, kicking the ball with carefree energy, when suddenly he felt someone fug at the back of his shirt
He turned sharply, irritated, ready to snap at whoever dared disturb him. But what he saw made him pause. A little girl, her eyes wide and shimmering with innocent excitement, stood there, beaming up at him.
Who are you! What are you doing grabbing my shirt?” Crayson’s voice was sharp, a little defensive. He wasn’t one for playing with girls, and the only exception was Maria’s niece, Stella–but that was only because he’d promised Marissa he’d look out for her.
But there was something strange about this cheeky little girl in front of him. Despite his usual dislike for distractions, she didn’t bother him that
Tm your linde sitter, Kenia” Serena said, her voice bubbling with excitement as she looked at him like she had just met her long–lost hero “Muster“. Grayson’s Tattw furrowed, confusion flooding his thoughts. To not your brother. You’ve got the wrong guy?” He scratched his head, unsure
Serena want fared. I know where y
-yini ate and what you look like. You’re my brother. Ein sure of it, she smiled, the same bright, unwavering smile that seemed to shine thuigh even her nervountiest.
Serena remembered the portrait in Paisley’s art stadio–the one that showed a young lany who looked exactly like him. She had asked Paisley who it
Parsley hart told her that at Serena’s big brother. She remembered in clearly.
Sure, Corzystn looked a little older than the porture, but his features hadn’t changed. She could tell, without a doubt, this was him
You are my bestier, Serena sail again, lier voice full of confidence.
Grayson studied her alusely las gaer softening as
to make sense of this strange little girl who seemed so certain. There was no doubt that
Before he could say anything more, a voice interrupted them, “my, what are you doing? stella approached them, her eyes narrowing in suspacioni as she sale trayson talking to a lile girl from the kindergarten.
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Chapter 3
“Sonny” Who is this kid? Do you know her?” Stella asked in a voice of inexplicable fear. Looking at Serena, she couldn’t help but step closer to Grayson, her small hand instinctively reaching for his..
Grayson shook his head, his brows drawn together in confusion and irritation. “I don’t know her. She says I’m her brother, but I have no idea who
she is
Stella, who had been watching the scene unfold with a growing sense of territorial protectiveness, stepped forward. Her voice was loud enough for everyone nearby to hear “You can’t just go around calling random people your brother. Im Sonny’s best friend and you’re just a nobody
Serena, her checks flushed with the heat of frustration, glared at Stella. Her little chest heaved as she stomped her foot and shouted, “But I’m his
She was stubborn and wouldn’t back down. She also wanted to hold hands with Grayson and reached her tiny hand toward him, her fingers trembling slightly, her eyes locked onto his as if she wanted him to believe her. “Hold my hand”
And then, something inexplicable happened. Grayson, for reasons he couldn’t explain, found himself reaching out to her, unable to say no to her. His hand closed around hers without hesitation, as if something in him softened at the sight of her innocent determination.
But the moment was short–lived. With a sharp smack, Stella slapped Serena’s outstretched hand away, her face twisted with irritation. “Go away, you bad liule girl, trying to call him your brother,”
Serena winced, her hand recoiling, stinging with the force of Stella’s slap. She let out a small cry, holding the back of her hand to her chest, the hurt from both the slap and the harsh words sinking deep.
Stella huffed, her tone dripping with disdain, “Sonny, let’s go back to the classroom. Don’t pay attention to this brat, Aunt Marissa always says there are bad kids at school who try to get close to us for no good reason.
“She just came here, calling you her brother right away! She has ulterior motives, for sure.
Grayson’s heart sank. It wasn’t the first time something like this had happened. He knew firsthand how some families, especially wealthy ones, tried to attach themselves to the Vanderbilt name.
If they couldn’t reach Dominick, they’d try to get to Grayson, seeing him as the next best thing. The most common method they employed was sending their kids to the same school, hoping to get close to him and, through him, to Dominick.
And, more often than not, it was the girls who were pushed forward. The idea of childhood sweethearts–romanticized, idealized–made it a common strategy to build alliances.
At first, Grayson believed these kids genuinely wanted to be his friends, but over time, he saw through the facade. He realized they were only there because their parents pushed them to be.
The more this happened, the more Grayson grew disillusioned. He hated all the fake smiles and forced kindness, especially from girls who thought that being around him would bring them closer to his family’s wealth and power.
After Stella’s warning, Grayson turned back to Serena, his expression hardening. His eyes, once neutral, now held an unmistakable coldness— guarded, suspicious, even a little disgusted..
“I’m not your brother. Don’t come near me again” The words were sharp and final, leaving no room for argument.
Without another glance, he turned and grabbed Stella’s hand, leading her back toward the classroom, his back
Serena stood frozen, her small body trembling with shock and hurt. Her eyes were wide, the sting of rejection raw and bitter in her chest. She
back straight and unyielding. blinked rapidly, but it was too late–her tears were already spilling over, the weight of his words sinking in
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