Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance
Chapter 569

In the cozy bedroom of the Johnson household, Andy and his wife Mia sat on the edge of their bed, gazing affectionately at their son, who was lazily sprawled out on the plush comforter, his tiny face buried in the fabric. They watched the little guy intently. Normally, he'd pop his head up at the slightest curiosity, but today, he stubbornly refused to look at them, even after three solid minutes of being under their watchful eyes. "Come on, little buddy, can you look up for us? You'll get a pancake face lying there like that," Mia coaxed, squatting in front of her son, her voice as gentle as a summer breeze. She never imagined she could be this tender. But the little one wasn't having any of it. His temper flared, and soon he burst into tears, big droplets rolling down his cheeks.

Mia's heart melted, and she lifted him into her arms to wipe away the tears. "Honey, what do we do?" she asked her husband, her eyes filled with concern.

Andy, observing his son's dramatics, gestured towards the bed. "Just let him be; he'll sort himself out."

But as if sensing his parents' exasperation, the boy's cries grew even louder. Without hesitation, Mia unbuttoned her blouse and began to nurse him. Like magic, the crying ceased.

Andy watched as their son suckled contentedly, his own frustration dissipating. "Honey, the Byrnes are coming over the day after tomorrow. Should we agree to it?" Mia asked, tenderly wiping away a tear from their son's eyelash while she spoke to her husband. Andy, helping their son out of his tiny socks and grasping his little feet, replied, "Let's follow Dad's lead on this."

As they undressed the little one, Mia mused, "I bet Dad's going to put on a show of reluctance before he agrees. I know him too well."

Andy nodded. With his sister Molly's situation with Chad Byrne, there seemed to be only one way this could go.

"Just don't tell Molly that Dad might agree in the end," he cautioned Mia.

"I'm not foolish," she replied, sharing her strategy. "Dad will want to give the Byrnes a hard time, to test Chad. During this time, I'll stand by our family. I just hope Molly, being directly involved, can see through it all..." Suddenly, their tranquility was shattered by Molly's screams from outside, "Dad, I was lying! I swear, I'm not pregnant! It was a hypothetical situation!"

Their son, momentarily distracted from nursing, stiffened and listened to the commotion outside.

Exchanging a glance, Andy and Mia quickly adjusted their clothes and headed out to investigate.

Outside, Naomi and Bruce were already intercepting their father, Hansen, who was fuming at Molly, "You dare to be pregnant out of wedlock? I swear I'll..."

Molly, hiding behind her older brother Naomi, was now too scared to utter a word.

"What happened?" Naomi inquired.

Molly explained from the beginning, "I was trying to convince Dad to let me marry Chad. Dad was being stubborn, so I blurted out, 'What if one day I end up pregnant...' Before I could finish, Dad started chasing me." That evening, as the Johnsons were settling down for the night, another uproar ensued, this time caused by Jade, Andy's sister.

Andy couldn't fathom her reasoning. "You spend all day with Mia, and you haven't picked up a single bit of her smarts."

Mia, somewhat baffled by the compliment from her husband, wondered if that was actually praise.

Later, as the family gathered to discuss Molly's actions, only Mia and Leo, two of the same age, stood apart, whispering conspiratorially.

"Mia, want to make a bet?" Leo asked, his voice barely above a murmur.

Cradling her child, Mia whispered her wager, "I bet a hundred bucks that Molly's just trying to rile up Dad. That kind of low and infuriating tactic isn't her style."

Leo countered, "I'll raise you a thousand. Jade is deliberately aggravating the entire family to smooth the way for the Byrnes' visit!"

On the day of the Byrnes' visit, Grandma Aubree and Grandpa Elmer also arrived, signaling the importance of the occasion.

The Byrnes entered bearing generous gifts, with Chad presenting an extra special one for Anya to Leo. "This is for Anya, give it to her when she returns."

The term "uncle" wasn't used lightly; Chad had filled the envelope with two thousand dollars, carefully considering even Anya in his generous gesture. "How have you been feeling lately, Hansen?" Grandpa Byrne inquired politely.

Hansen replied with a wry sense of humor, "Apart from not being driven to an early grave by my daughter, I'm surviving."

Molly kept silent, her behavior flawless, but her mother Colleen knew better. She could tell by her daughter's expression that she hadn't been behaving at the Johnsons'. "Hansen, Chad has brought you some health supplements to help with stress," Colleen chimed in, ever the saleswoman.

Hansen glanced at the gift. "You can take it back and use it yourselves. Once my daughter marries into your family, you'll need it more than I will."

Colleen joked in return, "No worries, Chad's dad and I have already started stocking up."

Molly bit her lip, embarrassed.

Grandma Aubree and Grandpa Elmer admired the baby in Mia's arms, their eyes shining with affection, and reached out instinctively, wanting to hold the little one.

Mia stood gracefully, placing her son into Grandma Aubree's arms. But Henry, encountering a stranger's scent, immediately started to bawl.

"Gently now, Grandma Aubree," Mia soothed. "Henry always cries with strangers. Let his dad hold him for a bit, and he'll be fine."

Taking her son back, Mia handed him over to Andy's secure embrace.

The pleasantries soon gave way to the matter at hand. The Byrnes got straight to the point. "Hansen, Molly and Chad have been together long enough. It's time to settle things so we can all have one less worry." Hansen glanced at his daughter Molly, who had been silent throughout the meeting, and knew a decision was imminent.

Hank's heart simmered with a sourness akin to vinegar, for agreeing would mean that his daughter was about to leave him once more.

Hank was a father, and fathers love their children. Even when they seem hell-bent on driving you to an early grave, that love doesn't waver-it surpasses everything else in this world.

He realized later that night why his daughter had been pushing his buttons. She wanted to get married, and Hank could feel it.

His opposition wasn't because Chad wasn't a good man-on the contrary, he was a fine catch. It was just that his daughter had only been back for a year, and he hadn't had his fill of her company before she was ready to walk down the aisle.

A piece of advice from an old friend suddenly popped into Hank's head, "Hank, you've lived a life free of hardships, enjoying all the blessings of wealth and longevity. Your lineage will thrive and your descendants will be influential. But, you'll face three steep hills in your path: the fear of career upheavals, the dread of losing a loved one, and the concern of weak bonds with your children in your twilight years."

Back then, without a daughter or a business, Hank hadn't put much stock in those words.

Yet, life unfolded just as predicted: he left public service for the business world, he suffered the agony of losing his wife and the absence of his son, and it wasn't until his later years that his daughter finally returned to him.

Hank blinked hard, the weight of his emotions hidden from view.

"Next March, when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, would be a perfect date," he finally said.