Chapter 39

A knot of unease twisted in Grayson’s gut. “Not hungry?” Paisley asked, her voice flat. She regarded him with cool indifference.

He wanted to snap, "No, and I wouldn't eat your food even if I were!" But a loud growl from his stomach betrayed him.

Paisley chuckled, taking his hand. “Wash up, then eat.” She didn’t try to be friendly; Dominick had assigned her this duty for two days, and that was that.

He let her lead him, a flicker of surprise at their joined hands easing the bitterness. He washed his hands without protest.

Paisley hadn't cooked a proper meal in ages. Maria had always done it. Her skills were rusty, but Serena, already digging into the food, didn’t seem to notice. “Slow down, sweetie,” Paisley smiled. “You’ll choke.”

Grayson hadn’t touched his food. “What’s wrong?” Paisley asked. “Don’t like it?”

He pressed his lips together.

“You’ll have to deal with it for two days,” Paisley sighed, her patience wearing thin. “Or call your dad and have him ask Marissa to pick you up.” Marissa adored Grayson; surely she wouldn't mind.

To Paisley’s surprise, Grayson started shoveling food into his mouth like Serena. What was with this kid? Two days. She wouldn’t complicate things.

Paisley noticed Serena only eating meat. “Rena, eat your veggies,” she said. “You need them to grow strong.”

Serena obediently added broccoli to her bowl. Paisley glanced up to see Grayson piling greens onto his plate. She raised an eyebrow, a small smile playing on her lips.

After dinner, Grayson sprawled on the coffee table with a book, while Serena played quietly. Paisley settled on the couch with her own book, enjoying the rare calmness.

Grayson finished quickly. He was a fast reader. He sat idle.

“Done with that?” Paisley asked.

“Yeah,” he mumbled, looking awkward.

“What do you usually do?”

“Play,” he replied curtly.

Paisley raised an eyebrow. He had a massive playroom at home, overflowing with toys. Serena's pink, girly toys were definitely not his style.

“Want to read another book?”

He sneered. “What kind of books do you even have?”

He glanced at her book, his eyes widening. It was French. “Wait… you read French?” He snatched the book.

He confirmed it was a French novel, dense with unfamiliar words. He’d only just started learning French.

Paisley calmly took it back. “Yes, I do.”

Serena piped up, eager to show off. “Mom speaks Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian too!”

Grayson’s jaw dropped. The quiet homemaker he’d assumed she was… vanished. Everything he thought he knew about her felt wrong.