Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance
Chapter 554

If someone had told Chad that "pie in the sky" was a real thing, he would have laughed it off and probably had a whole speech ready to debunk the myth.

But after setting foot in the Cedillo household today, not only did Chad start to believe in those proverbial sky pies, he was downright convinced that the universe was raining down wife cakes! Chad sprinted to the Cedillo's place, not wasting even a half-second.

Upon arrival, he found the Cedillo family's living room buzzing with activity, a crowd encircling the near-explosive Hansen. Only his girl, Molly, stood apart, frantically waving her hands in denial, "No, no, it's not like that, I swear. I just thought the old folks looked so spry and happy doing their line dancing, getting the blood flowing and spirits high. I figured, why not sign up my dad for a class, let him have some fun too? I wanted to be the dutiful daughter, but I never meant to kickstart my dad's second spring. If I were trying to set him up with a stepmom, my mother would come back from her grave just to throttle me!" Molly's face was ashen as she tried to explain.

Bruce was fuming, and Andre's face was a thundercloud.

Mia, cradling a baby, gave her a covert thumbs-up, while Leo clapped silently in admiration. "Jade, you're a legend," he mouthed.

Chad suddenly got why Hansen was ready to blow a gasket.

When Hansen spotted Chad, he pointed at his daughter and barked, "Take her away! I disown her. Let her go pester the Byrnes, you hear me? I don't want to see her face again!"

Chad wasn't about to pass up this golden opportunity.

He stepped forward, gripping Molly's hand firmly, "Hansen, the dowry's on its way."

Seeing his sister about to send their father into orbit, Bruce also urged Chad, "Chad, please, just take Molly with you."

Molly, her arm still in Chad's grasp, kept gesturing wildly to her family, "Bro, I really didn't mean it, I'm not looking for a stepmom for us. I'll go kneel before mom's memorial tablet and apologize. I didn't push dad to betray mom!"

Chad was already on his phone, hastily contacting the Byrnes, "Mr. Mayor, where's the Cedillo family's household registration book?" A wedding license wouldn't be issued without it.

In the Cedillo's lively living room, nobody heard Chad's question.

Even baby Henry, who'd recently been "brawling" alongside his momma, could sense the excitement. Forsaking his nap, he was held upright by his mother, trying to twist his chubby face towards the source of the commotion, although he couldn't understand a thing. Still, he felt part of the action. Afraid of missing out, the babbling baby joined in the commotion with his own "goo goo gaas."

Mia, seeing her son craning towards the drama with sparkling eyes, patted his back. "What are you 'gah'ing about, you little gossip? Lay down in mommy's arms and sleep."

The moment she laid him down, he began to flail and turn red with frustration, on the verge of a big cry because he couldn't see. Quickly, Mia scooped up her fussy son, letting him continue his spectating.

Sure enough, once held up, he settled down.

Later, contentedly watching the drama, he was snatched up by his tall, handsome dad for an even better view. It seemed his mom was off comforting his grandfather.

With her arms now empty, Mia rushed to Hansen's side, trying to soothe his rage. "Dad, Molly was just being thoughtful."

"Thoughtful? Let her take her thoughtfulness to the Byrnes; the Cedillo house can't accommodate her anymore!"

Molly, terrified, hunched her shoulders, whispering, "Dad, when I said I'd find you a close confidante, I was just teasing you."

"You dare bring that up!" Hansen, overcome with anger, lunged towards his daughter.

Chad swiftly stepped in, shielding Molly with his own body. Mia and Naomi held Hansen back from either side, while Chad protected Molly, "Hansen, just cool off a bit. I'm taking Molly off your hands today so she won't bother you anymore." But Chad couldn't leave just yet. He had to make sure the deal to marry Molly was sealed!

The baby continued his gurgling commentary as Andre admired his son's curiosity that mirrored his mother's.

Chad's urgent call had the Byrnes mobilizing quickly. Coleen and Kendrick arrived without much fanfare but each carried a folder, and Coleen had also brought two big, fat envelopes.

Since they were here for a proposal, the younger members of the female family deserved red envelopes. Thus, a plump Byrne envelope found its way to Leo's pocket, and another nestled in baby Henry's onesie.

The little guy looked up at his dad, his chubby cheeks the very picture of cuteness. The soft, adorable little man was everyone's delight.

"Hansen, this is an emergency dowry list. Take it for now; the rest will be delivered by truck this afternoon," Kendrick said, handing over a red booklet that opened like a petition, filled with jewelry, precious metals, and gemstones, all meant for Molly.

Coleen presented her folder, "This is Molly's dowry I've been saving over the years. Now, it's part of the dowry too. A dozen prime storefronts downtown, an entire office building in the Baxter Tower, a dowry of a hundred million, three boxes of gold bars... shares in the company, it's all for Molly. Please, take it."

Andre tried to calm his father down, "Dad, go rest." Don't take it! Accepting meant consenting to the marriage!

Mia, quick-witted, chimed in, "Dad, don't you dare accept it. If you do, Molly won't be able to rile you up anymore at home."

Sure enough, Hansen quickly, decisively, and immediately fell for Mr. & Mrs. Byrne's gambit and took the list and folder they offered. He breathed heavily, in and out, with indignation.

Once he accepted, the Byrnes breathed a sigh of relief. A smile crept onto Chad's face. Getting a wife... was now a distinct possibility!

Andre furrowed his brow as he glanced at his feisty little wife who was deliberately singing off-key. If it weren't for her quick-witted comment, Hansen might not have been so impulsive as to claim ownership right then and there!

"Hansen, you just take it easy. We'll take our little troublemaker Molly and get out of your hair. We'll make sure she doesn't bother you anymore. Cool off; we're heading out."

Coleen, the shrewd businesswoman she was, didn't waste a moment. Fox-like cunning was part of her arsenal, especially today when the Cedillo household atmosphere was unusually tense.

They needed to get out while Hansen was still off-balance. It was time to make a swift exit.

Molly, none too pleased, was being led out by Chad on one side, holding her little hand, and her mother on the other, guiding her by the shoulder as they ushered her out of the Cedillo family living room.

As they left, Molly kept apologizing, "Sorry, Dad, just take a breather, I'll be back..."

Naomi stepped outside to see the Byrne family off, while Leo looked at the envelope in his arms with disbelief. In all his life, he never imagined he'd receive a gift envelope when his aunt was being courted. And here he was, the nephew, with a gift to boot.

In Andre's arms, the little bundle of joy was curiously looking around, squirming in his father's embrace. The bulky gift envelope, a symbol of good fortune and blessings, slipped from the restless movements and dropped to the floor.