Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance
Chapter 510

After a restful half-hour, the Cedillo household began to stir as dinner time approached. The housekeepers gently roused the family members from their naps. Before dinner, the youngest member of the family, who was still on a milk-only diet, needed to be fed until he was plump and content.

Hansen glanced around the table, noting the absence of one of the young ones. "When's Anya getting back?" he asked.

Leo replied, "I think Mrs. Calder wants to stick around Havenbrook with Anya. I'll ask her when I pick Anya up for her tutorial tomorrow."

Hansen nodded in understanding.

Naomi chimed in, "It's not convenient for them to stay in Havenbrook, and it's tough to be a full-time chaperone. Anya's in college now; she needs space to grow."

Leo suggested, "You're telling me, but that won't do much. You should talk to Anya's mom."

Naomi nodded, realizing she indeed needed to have a chat with Mrs. Calder.

After dinner, the family spent some time playing with the little one who had woken up from his nap, before retiring for the night.

Molly's heart was torn between her own home and the Byrne family where she was staying.

"Bro, you better not let Vivian sleep over at our place," she warned Chad.

Fresh out of the shower with his hair still dripping, Chad was video chatting with Molly while drying his hair in front of the mirror. "She left before I got back, didn't even see her."

Jade, who had a bit of a crush on Chad, replied eagerly, "Uh-huh, bro, stop blow-drying your hair, just towel it off."

Chad looked at Molly, who was practically swooning over him, and a smile he couldn't suppress curled at his lips.

In another bedroom, Mia was cradling her limp son in her arms. The little guy was wide awake, curiously observing the world around him after a day full of sleep.

With one hand, Mia unlaced the tiny tiger shoes from her son's feet and slipped them off. She began unbuttoning his clothes and asked her husband, "With all the people who came today, do you think anyone could've snuck in?"

Andre approached, helping his wife unravel the buttons at their son's neck. "No, we had a single entrance today. Guards at the door, security by the elevators, and all greetings were handled by us. Tom and Holly couldn't have slipped through."

Their son, thinking his parents were speaking with him, excitedly joined the conversation with his little coos and gurgles.

As Mia undressed him, he started to cry, not keen on being stripped of his cozy tiger outfit.

"There, there, it's alright, no more crying. Mommy won't take off your clothes," Mia cooed, patting the little one's back to soothe his tears.

Andre said firmly, "Don't indulge him. Just strip him down and put him to bed. He's a hefty little thing, holding him is giving me an armache."

Mia looked at the bundle of joy in her arms and fell silent. Soon after, her son was wailing as his clothes were peeled away. He flailed his little arms in protest, but his cries went unheeded.

Once Henry was settled in bed, the couple spoke softly to each other. "Do you think Tom showed up today?" Mia asked her husband.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Andre grasped their son's tiny hand and assured her, "We'll only know if he did by checking the surveillance. Even if he did show up, he wouldn't dare make himself known."

"Sigh, he's so good at evading capture, it's difficult to catch him. Holly must have given birth by now, and I bet Finley, being so obsessed with lineage, would have Tom pass messages to him in prison somehow. Should we have the prison guards keep a closer watch on Finley?" "Don't worry, Chad's got it all arranged," Andre replied.

Their son, thinking they were still including him in the conversation, ceased crying and began to babble along with his parents.

Mia lay beside him on the bed, gently holding his hand and watching as he responded to them. "Look, honey, we've tricked him into thinking he's part of the conversation!" she exclaimed with delight. Andre couldn't help but laugh.

Their child was still so young that even a kiss seemed too rough, but Mia yearned to shower him with affection. She restrained herself, settling for a gentle peck on his forehead.

After a two-day stay with the Cedillo family, Mia returned to Maplewood Estates with her child. Naomi eventually persuaded Mrs. Calder to leave, and Anya once again settled in with the Cedillos.

Meanwhile, Molly began to buckle down for her final exams. Though she had been playful during classes, she managed to grasp some of the material. Now, between absences and leaves, her textbooks seemed paler than her face. Anya occasionally took notes for her, but Molly found them enigmatic. Resorting to online video tutorials to catch up, Molly also had to accompany her mother to the company every few days. The hustle left Molly in a sour mood.

And what's the solution to a bad mood? A trip to the police station!

Officer Chad, seeing the familiar figure with a backpack approaching, took a deep breath to contain his annoyance.

Vivian knew of Chad's fondness for Molly, and she noticed that Grandma Aubree and Grandpa Elmer's opinions of her had improved significantly.

So, she set her plan in motion, deciding to cook for Chad. Confident in her culinary skills, she was frustrated that Chad never gave her the opportunity to taste her cooking. What if she anonymously sent meals to Chad? Would he eat them? If he found the flavor appealing, would his detective instincts lead him to her, unveiling her affection for him? Vivian looked at the lunch she'd prepared with care, imagining a scenario where Chad seeks her out, touched by her gesture, the image of him being won over played in her mind. She sealed the lunch container and took it to the police station. At the entrance, she left the meal at the duty booth wearing a mask, then quickly ran off.

By the time the duty officer gave chase, she had disappeared.

The officer returned to the station and noticed the name written on the container: Chad.

He understood immediately; this was Officer Chad's lunch. Just then, he saw Donnie returning from a call.

"Hey, Donnie, come here a sec," the officer called out from the window.

Donnie sprinted over. "What's up, Uncle?"

The officer handed him Chad's special lunch. "Some girl dropped this off and left in a hurry. It's for Officer Chad. Could you take it to him?"

Donnie eyed the box, suspecting it was from an admirer. He accepted the task, "Sure, I'll take it to him."

Donnie strolled back into the precinct, a care package of food cradled in his arms. The moment his colleagues caught sight of it, the teasing began in earnest. "Hey Donnie, what's up? Did Stephania suddenly decide to play housewife and whip you up some grub? You must have been on your knees begging with that 'please forgive me' face of yours. Come on, spill the beans!"

He plunked the meal down on the table with a dismissive wave. "Nah, my better half's lunch is still in the hands of the delivery guys. This culinary masterpiece belongs to our very own Officer Chad. Impressive, huh?"

Chad emerged from his office, his face a mask of severity as he noted that all his subordinates had returned. "Grab a bite, everyone. We'll have a debrief as soon as you're done."

"Boss, seems like you've got an admirer. Check out the love-infused lunch they sent over," Donnie said, nodding toward the food on the table.

Chad glanced at the box with a frown, his voice ice-cold. "Toss it."

"You know who sent this, boss?" Donnie asked, picking up on the undercurrent in Chad's tone.

"Do you?" Chad shot back.

Donnie shook his head; it was clear his boss was as clueless as he was about the sender's identity.

One of the officers piped up, "Hey chief, could it be a surprise from Molly?"

Chad didn't mince words, "She wouldn't know a paring knife if it came with instructions."

The room fell silent.

One thing was for sure: there was no way Molly had a hand in that meal.