Chapter 81

Emery glared at Teddy’s bruised face. "You're a piece of work," she snapped at Dominick, her eyes blazing. "What gives you the right to hit him?"

Dominick jabbed a finger between them, then spun to Paisley. "She just admitted he's her man! You had a child with him? Are you insane?" His voice dripped with venom. The thought of Paisley with someone like Teddy, so soon after their divorce, enraged him. He’d lost her, lost everything, and now this?

He seethed, the sting of Paisley's slap still fresh on his cheek. Finally, he spat, "Paisley, you're heartless."

Paisley, stunned by his unexpected vulnerability, was speechless. This pathetic, wounded Dominick was a stranger. What’s gotten into this jerk? she wondered.

Before she could react, Emery stepped in, pulling Paisley behind her. "You've got some nerve!" Emery spat. "You're the heartless bastard! You didn't cherish Paisley when she was your wife, and now you're like a damn leech! So what if she had a child with someone else? Your mistress practically bullied her! You get to have your old flame, but she can't have a child? Why don't you run for president, Mr. High and Mighty?"

"And," she continued, pointing at Teddy, "this man is my boyfriend. Paisley and I are close friends." She turned to Marissa. "Paisley would never stoop to being someone's mistress."

Silence descended. Dominick's chest heaved. Emery and Paisley were friends, and Teddy was her boyfriend.

He frowned. "So, her precious darling is…"

"That's me," Emery retorted, hands on hips. "Got a problem?"

Dominick turned to Paisley. "But…didn't your daughter call him Daddy?"

Paisley sighed. "His name is Teddy. Serena can't pronounce it yet." It wasn't about clearing up the misunderstanding; it was about Serena's father deserving respect.

Dominick's eyes widened. He’d been wrong about Teddy. But a new question slammed into him. "Then who is Serena's father?"