Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance

Milka nodded. "Things have been good. I feel free."

Jupiter just snorted and looked away, totally unimpressed.

Roberto gave his friend a nudge. "Come on, it's just us. She's doing fine overseas -you can finally stop worrying. Remember who used to fret about them freezing or starving out there? Who asked me to pull some strings and made sure they got money every month? You never kept a dime for yourself."

Milka stared at her dad, stunned.

The truth was, every month, some money showed up in her mom's account, even

now.

She'd called their lawyer back home to ask about it. After the divorce, he'd told her that since her mom was still considered immediate family, was older, and hadn't worked for years, she got a stipend. The explanation was so vague, Milka never really understood. Later, she pieced things together and asked, "So you mean Mom worked hard all these years, and after the divorce you guys just gave her a kind of retirement benefit?"

The lawyer had answered right away, "Exactly!"

So Milka and her mom had accepted it.

abroad weren't

coming from her dad's paycheck, quietly funneled to them the

ever

I don't have

watching Jupiter squirm, thinking to himself that men really do get each other. If Dad wanted to give money to his daughter, why not just send it

stubborn. If you'd swallowed your pride and said sorry back then, maybe the family would

just looked

their dad still took Mars's side. "Milka, are you dating

Milka shook her head.

he does. Every time I bring it up, he disappears for hours. You know, the place you two bought together is still there. Mars borrowed fifty grand from me and his brother for the down payment. He's

have to be extra nice to

conversation to go there and felt a little awkward. Back when they bought that place,

cheap where

he was

buy him a house or a car. He worked

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