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?"

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

that Mia learned Molly had been back for a while, only to be

ring was ready, and it was forced onto her

her hand and examined the ring on her middle finger. "Molly, we used to mock the marketing of this brand,

buying into their slogan

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

hand him over for feeding, paused

major shopping mall, Andre appeared, cuddling a well-wrapped little

jewelry counter. The crowd huddled around the display, but when he

shock. Was that Andre holding

in the rings, ignoring the stunned onlookers as he held his son

his mother and then taken out

caught the attention of

sir, who are you looking at rings for?"

for my wife," Andre

the little tyke in Andre's arms, a bit incredulous.

answered succinctly,

was astounded. This adorable little bundle was Andre's son? But it made sense; only a precious

the first time seeing someone pick out a ring for his wife while holding his son-and

guys really only sell one ring per

that's our

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

it for a moment, then lifted his son up to get his opinion. "Would this look good on

one

on a 70-point

one exclaimed

the ring under the light. "We'll take this for your mom,

little one cooed in agreement with

Andre pulled out his ID and bank card. "We'll go with

he was holding his son, Andre managed to sign his wife's information with one hand. A simple

guy ended up sprawling in his father's arms; after all, as someone's baby, he had

the Cedillo