The Billionaire And His Son Want Me Back (Paisley)

By the time Paisley returned with her chosen horse, there were already a few people across the riding field. Fortunately, the place was vast and divided into different sections. Thanks to Nathaniel's special arrangements, she had access to the VIP area for her ride.

The riding coach waiting nearby spotted Paisley leading out a horse like that and immediately figured she didn't know much about riding. Or maybe she could ride, but only just barely.

To coaches like this, people like her were the perfect target-easy to persuade and quick to fall for a sales pitch about lessons.

While Paisley was adjusting the saddle, a man dressed as a coach approached her. He had sun-kissed skin, well-defined muscles, and a dazzling smile that revealed perfect white teeth. "Need some help, miss?" he asked warmly.

Paisley thought, 'Wow, no wonder this is a high-end club-even the riding coaches are eye-catching. Not like those rugged, intimidating types back at the stables at Brightmoor who'd scare kids into tears with just one glare.'

She, however, politely declined. "No, thank you."

The coach wasn't ready to give up. He stepped forward and started adjusting the saddle for her. "You need to tighten it a bit more like this."

Paisley stepped back, letting him finish. Once he was done and was about to say more, she took the reins and said firmly, "Thank you."

Without waiting for a response, she swung herself up onto the horse. With a flick of the reins, the little brown horse took off, kicking up dust that settled right on the coach's face.

Ignoring him, Paisley rode a lap around the track, letting herself get a feel for the horse before returning to where she'd started.

Meanwhile, Serena in Maria's arms was practically bouncing with excitement, eager to ride a big horse. Paisley leaned slightly forward and gently took Serena from Maria's arms, settling the child in front of her on the saddle.

Afterward, with one arm holding Serena securely and the other on the reins, Paisley guided the horse forward.

Mindful of Serena's safety, Paisley kept the pace slow, letting the horse walk in circles. Even at that gentle speed, Serena was overjoyed. Her tiny hands gripped the handle tightly, and her proud little expression was like that of a triumphant general.

Every time they completed a circle, Serena would excitedly wave at Maria, who played along by cheering with exaggerated enthusiasm. The antics of the two had Paisley caught between amusement and exasperation.

Still, seeing them so happy, Paisley didn't mind indulging them. But the joy didn't last long.noveldrama

As Paisley and Serena finished another lap and returned to the starting point, a group of people approached their area.

At a glance, Paisley spotted Dominick in the middle of the crowd. He was impossible to miss-somehow, he always had this ability to stand out no matter where he was.

Paisley's brows furrowed as she tightened her grip on the reins, bringing the horse to a stop. If she had known Dominick would be here, she would never have let Lucy accept Axion Enterprises' invitation to this

event.

But leaving wasn't an option now-Paisley couldn't bring herself to break the agreement. For now, she just had to grit her teeth and endure until the opening gala that evening was over.

"Mom, why did we stop?" Serena asked, still full of excitement. She wasn't ready to stop yet-she wanted to keep riding the pony.

"Do you want to keep playing?" Paisley asked, looking at her daughter.

Serena nodded eagerly. "Yes. Mom, make the pony go again."

Paisley nodded back, loosening the reins slightly. The little brown horse started walking slowly again. She figured that since her daughter wanted to play, they might as well keep going. It wasn't worth worrying about who might show up.

For today, Marissa had gone out of her way to prepare. After all, chances to spend time alone with Dominick were few and far between. He was genuinely busy-so busy that even Grayson could only see him on weekends.

So she treasured any moment they could share, even if Grayson had tagged along.

But Marissa never saw Grayson as a third wheel. Quite the opposite his fondness for her gave her more opportunities to connect with Dominick. Just like earlier, Dominick had no interest in coming horseback riding, but since Grayson wanted to, Dominick came along as well.

Still, Marissa couldn't hide her disappointment. She had dressed up meticulously, yet she hadn't seen the look of amazement she'd hoped for in Dominick's eyes.

"You look stunning in that riding outfit, Marissa," Alexis said as she walked beside her, genuine admiration in her gaze.

Alexis' comment had a touch of flattery, but it was also sincere. Marissa did look incredible-her outfit was the perfect mix of allure and elegance, with a hint of boldness.

Marissa's long, wavy hair danced in the breeze, and her radiant smile made her look like a model straight out of a magazine. Éven their classmates around them couldn't help but steal glances at her.

"You look great too. Everyone's looking sharp today," Marissa replied warmly, her tone modest and approachable.

She had heard compliments like this her entire life, so they didn't affect her much anymore. They certainly didn't feed her vanity. Of course, if Dominick were the one to say something like that, it'd be a different story.