Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance

Molly slouched into her family's suburban home, her head hanging low. As soon as she stepped through the door, she locked eyes with her dad, Hansen. Father and daughter stared at each other, a heavy silence between them.

It was that damned fate - you always run into the person you least want to see.

"Dad, there's no such thing as a grudge that can't be mended between father and daughter, right?" Molly ventured.

"There is," Hansen replied curtly.

Jade was at a loss for words; why wasn't her dad following the script?

"Should I... go kneel in front of mom's portrait for a while?" Molly asked tentatively.

"Do that."

Jade: ""

She realized then, the whole 'like father, like daughter' thing was in full swing in the Cedillo household.

Defeated, Molly trudged upstairs and knelt before her late mother's photo.

So engrossed was she in her act of penance that her sisters didn't even notice she was home.

It wasn't until dinner when an extra plate appeared on the table that one of her sisters remarked, "Huh, when did you get back?" She had spent the whole afternoon in her room, video-calling her kids and Anya, oblivious to her best friend's return. Molly felt drained, too scared to speak up.

Andre had returned as well and was holding his mischievous son during dinner.

At the table, Molly didn't dare lift her head to meet her family's gaze.

However, the family didn't scold her again, and everyone dispersed after the meal.

Hansen had calmed down and had started to accept the situation.

Bruce, nagged by his wife, had also come around.

And Andre... had been forced to let it go.

Molly was uneasy. "Mia, do you think Dad and my brothers are just holding their breath, waiting to drop some big bombshell?"

he couldn't refuse. Your eldest brother has Naomi to keep him in check, and Andre just got over a spat with me and doesn't dare stir things up again. So, everyone's just going with it now." Molly regretted it. "I knelt this

been back for a while, only to be scared into accepting her

it was

middle finger. "Molly, we

custom ring, buying into their slogan about loving me for a lifetime. How could a cop fall

got a diamond ring. I still don't understand why Andre spent a fortune on a glass

carrying his now-awake son and preparing to hand him over

shopping mall, Andre appeared, cuddling a

counter. The crowd huddled around the display, but

in shock. Was that Andre holding

genuinely interested in the rings, ignoring the stunned onlookers as he held his son close and examined

festively by his mother and then taken out by his father, was a sight to

the

sir, who are you looking

buying for my wife," Andre

little tyke in Andre's arms, a bit incredulous. "And this would

succinctly,

manager was astounded. This adorable little bundle was Andre's son? But it made

their side. This was the first time seeing someone pick out a ring for his wife while holding his son-and that someone

guys really only sell one ring

that's our unique selling

was in the right place. He pointed to a ring, silently

Andre considered it for a moment, then lifted his son up to get his

little one

and son both settled on a 70-point round diamond ring they

little one exclaimed from

held the ring under the light. "We'll take this for

chance, the little one cooed in

their choice, Andre pulled out his ID

he was holding his son, Andre managed to sign his wife's information with one hand. A simple action that caused quite a stir

in his father's arms; after all, as someone's baby,

at the