The Billionaire And His Son Want Me Back (Paisley)

In the car, Marissa had witnessed the whole thing. She watched and listened as Dominick made that call to the Beaumont family.

The reason behind that call was crystal clear.

'Paisley...' The name echoed in her thoughts as she wondered. 'What kind of hold do you have on Dominick? He's willing to risk pissing off the Beaumont family just to get rid of Nathaniel.'

Her train of thought was cut short by her buzzing phone. "Mr. Hansen," Marissa answered quickly, her tone switching to professional respect.

Once the call ended, Marissa turned to Dominick. "Dom, Mr. Hansen just arrived at Harrowfell Hospital." By the time they made it there, Paul had already been wheeled into the examination room.

The hospital corridor outside the examination room was packed with the Vanderbilt clan, family and friends alike. It was like a who's who of high society out there.

The medical staff practically tiptoed past, keeping their eyes glued to the floor as they hurried by. No one wanted to get caught in the crossfire of all that old money tension.

"Dad, how's Grandpa doing?" Dominick asked.

Reginald's face fell as he shook his head. "The doctors..." He let out a heavy sigh. "It's not looking good." "How did this happen so fast?" Marissa chimed in, anxiety written all over her face.

"Actually, it wasn't that sudden," Lauren explained, her voice gentle. "Paul's health has been declining for years. He's been in and out of the hospital, but he didn't want any of you kids worrying about him."

"Oh, Grandpa," Kayla whispered, her eyes welling up. The news of his sudden decline had really thrown her for a loop. "Why didn't he tell us anything?"

Marissa kept one hand linked with Kayla's and her other arm wrapped around Lauren while looking over at Reginald. "Try not to worry too much, guys. Mr. Hansen's already taking care of Grandpa Paul, remember? He will be fine."

Lauren squeezed Marissa's hand, her eyes glistening with tears. "You're such a sweetheart. Thank you so much."

"She's right," Reginald added, genuine gratitude in his voice. "Mr. Hansen's incredibly busy. You must have pulled many strings to get him here."

Marissa shook her head with a gentle smile. "Hey, Grandpa Paul practically raised me too. This is the least I could do."noveldrama

"Sweetie, don't worry about us anymore," Lauren said, frowning at the dark circles under Marissa's eyes. "You must be exhausted from the trip. Please, sit down and take a breather. Just look at those bags under your eyes. You haven't been sleeping well at all, have you?"

At the mention of her dark circles, Marissa's composure slipped for a moment. "I'm...fine," she said, quickly shifting her attention to the crowd in the hallway. "Let me check on everyone and see if they need anything."

Marissa handled herself like a pro among the big shots, working the room with effortless grace. It didn't take long for everyone to fall under her charm.

Seeing how close she was with the Vanderbilts, people naturally assumed she was Dominick's future wife. Suddenly, everyone's manners got extra polished when dealing with her.

Just then, the doors to the treatment room swung open.

Paul lay motionless on the hospital bed as they wheeled him out, his face an unhealthy shade of yellow. A team of medical staff trailed behind him.

Leading the group was Jonathan Walsh, the Harrowfell Hospital's director, and beside him walked an elderly gentleman-Charles Hansen, the specialist Marissa had moved heaven and earth to bring in. "How's my father?" Reginald rushed forward.

The crowd of family and friends pressed closer, everyone holding their breath.

"Let's talk in the hospital room," Jonathan said gravely.

He and Paul had been close friends despite their age difference. It seemed surreal. Just days ago, Paul had been sharing coffee in his office, and now here he was, lying in a hospital bed.

Once they were in the room, Jonathan didn't sugar-coat it. "You all know the situation. It's not looking good."

"Mr. Hansen, isn't there anything you can do?" Marissa turned to Charles, her voice filled with respect. Charles shook his head. "Even with the best treatment I can provide, we're looking at a few months at most."

The news hit the Vanderbilts like a ton of bricks. Everyone's hearts sank as they processed what they'd just heard.

Dominick's face was tight with emotion, his eyes glistening. Paul had been his hero, the one person he'd looked up to more than anyone.

Kayla collapsed into Marissa's arms, her sobs echoing through the room. "Grandpa..." She choked out between tears.

"If only..." Charles' strong voice cut through the silence, offering a glimmer of hope. "If my mentor were still here, he might be able to give Mr. Paul Vanderbilt a few more years."