Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance

Jade left, clutching the shirt she had scavenged. Upstairs, Vivian peered through the window, her gaze venomous as she watched Molly walk away. A smug smile played at her lips. "Molly, you won't be smiling for long." Back at home, Jade, who had never dirtied her hands with chores, surprisingly took it upon herself to scrub the clothes clean.

As dusk fell, Chad walked in to find Coleen recounting the day's chaotic events. "She turned your room upside down; spent an hour and a half scrubbing your shirts; had a shouting match with Mia on the phone, tearing into Vivian; chatted with a sleeping Henry for a good while; then, when she was angry enough, she ordered a massive serving of Buffalo wings and devoured it all by herself; talked herself weary, ate herself full, and went upstairs to crash. Oh, and she nearly set the kitchen on fire around noon."

Chad raised an eyebrow. "Didn't study at all today?"

Coleen sighed. "Didn't even crack open a book."

Chad trudged upstairs, heading straight for Molly's room.

Soon enough, Molly's room echoed with her loud apologies. "Bro, I know I didn't study, but I... Ah! I'm wrong, I'll get up and hit the books now, please don't be mad."

Coleen shook her head. It always fell on her son to rein in Molly's wild temper.

In her bedroom, Molly sat in her pajamas, hair haphazardly tied up, grabbing a random book off the shelf. "I swear, I'll burn the midnight oil tonight."

Chad pulled up a chair next to her, tapping impatiently on her desk. "I'm watching you study tonight! You're an adult; can't you prioritize your responsibilities?"

Molly hadn't even scribbled a word when she turned to Chad, "Bro, today I..."

"Study!"

Biting her lip, Molly pressed down on Chad's hands, which looked ready to strike at any moment. "I went to find... Ah! Studying, studying." Molly flinched as Chad raised his hand, then quickly settled down to her haphazard revision. Chad sat beside her, a scene reminiscent of their childhood when he would supervise her homework after she'd been caught watching cartoons instead of studying.

Shortly after, Chad's phone rang.

Molly's eyes darted toward the pocket

glared at his

her books, mumbling, "Back to studying, not saying

to the window to take the call. "Yeah, talk to me. I'm not busy, just overseeing Molly's revision. Finals are coming, and she's still acting like a kid. If I'm

caller. "I'll send you Bob's number; he can help you guys

returned to his seat and

"Okay."

still hear him,

early in winter, and by seven, it was pitch

having dinner when two police officers suddenly appeared at

clueless, all except Molly, who kept eating as if it didn't concern

you looking

Molly to come

engrossed in her

mid-bite, accompanied Chad to the familiar

place caught fire?" Molly perked up

a look, and she

the investigation, while

it was arson. The fire spread in an old neighborhood with narrow streets, complicating the rescue. Three were injured; two are at the hospital, and one, the tenant Vivian, is being questioned." Chad asked, "Is

subordinate replied, "Unconscious. When she came to, she claimed the last person she saw was Molly. And someone confirmed Molly visited her in

with her brother outside, faced the questioning

interrogating officer coughed to remind her of the recording. "You can call me 'big bro' off

it. I never said those words. I was raised by the people's servant; would I break the law? Let her face me, and we'll sort it out." When Vivian saw Chad, she approached him tearfully. "Chad, I'm so scared, I