The Billionaire And His Son Want Me Back by Juliette Vaughan

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

In the CEO's office at Vanderbilt 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.

"I'll 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 tie, his expression darkening. "What's your point?" 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 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 demeanor 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 out for the Sullivan family... that's because of Paisley, isn't it?"

Sullivans were Paisley's real family-something he hadn't realized before. But now,

"You're overthinking it," he

going out of your way to look after the Sullivan family, one thing is clear-you and Paisley

her choice, walked away without a second thought, even abandoning your son. Now she's back, and

been friends with Dominick since high school, knew him inside and out and had followed him every

had been fierce, and the standards were

in high school, expanding it rapidly throughout college, and

would inherit Vanderbilt Group and become the head of his family. Julian, loyal as ever, had entered the company alongside him, serving

a good girl. Over the years, she's really-" "Julian." Dominick's voice cut through the air like a knife, sharper than usual. He turned abruptly, his eyes narrowing with a hint of annoyance. "I've told you already. There's nothing going on between me and Marissa. I see her as a sister, just like

he tossed his phone toward Julian, the device skidding across the desk. On the screen, the latest tabloid headline splashed in bold letters about Dominick and Marissa's relationship scandal. Dominick's expression darkened even further, his tone frigid. "What is all this nonsense? Contact the PR department, and have them clean

*****

was supposed to be a milestone, a step toward

for the first time, she

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,

But it was so hard. The absence of her

there, feeling out of place. She didn't want to play. She didn't want to do anything but go 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

but filled with wonder and longing. She didn't have to think about it-her

*****

the first-grade PE class, Grayson was happily running around the playground, kicking the ball with carefree energy,

he saw made him pause.

voice was sharp, a little defensive. He wasn't one for playing

in front of him. Despite

Rena," Serena said, her voice bubbling with excitement as she looked at him like she had just met her

not your brother. You've got the wrong guy." He scratched his head, unsure

you are and what you look like. You're my brother. I'm sure

a young boy who looked exactly like him. She had asked Paisley who it was, and Paisley had told her that it was

a little older than the picture, but his features

brother," Serena said again,

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