Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance
Chapter 626

Wesley's eyes gleamed with a sly plan as he spun a tale to tug at the woman's heartstrings, hoping to win her over and get some information. "Here's the thing, ma'am," he said, playing the part of a victim. "I'm just a low-level employee at Cedillo Corp. My boss, the head of procurement, got caught taking kickbacks last week. When the company found out, he threw me under the bus to cover for himself. Now, they're about to fire me for something I didn't do. The CEO is a fair guy, and I just want to tell him my side of the story. Even if I get fired, we can't let someone like that ruin the company."

The maid felt a pang of sympathy for Wesley. She admired his determination. "Right, what goes around comes around."

Wesley hesitated, then added, "The thing is, last week at the office, the CEO was in a bad mood and didn't want to see any of us. Plus, I heard his son got kidnapped. Is that true?" His eyes searched hers for a clue.

The maid's demeanor turned cautious. "Who told you that?" Leo's kidnapping was a secret, with strict orders from the butler not to discuss it. How could Wesley know?

Wesley discreetly pulled out a thick wad of cash from his wallet and slipped it into the maid's pocket. "Look, a friend of mine works for Andre and hears things. He told me about it. Please help me out. If everything's fine, I can talk to Andre. But if his son is in trouble, I don't want to bother him now. Getting fired is one thing, but family is more important."

The maid quickly returned the money. "No, young man, I can't take this. Our household affairs are private."

Wesley insisted, "Please, just this once. Keep the money. I have more if you need it." He emptied his wallet into her hands. "This is a few months' worth of salary. Take it and make sure no one sees. I just need a bit of information."

Wesley noticed that the maid had arrived on foot while others had cars. He figured she must be newer or lower-paid.

Unbeknownst to Wesley, the maid was now on high alert.

She caught the slip in Wesley's story and her sympathy faded, replaced by caution. Holding the stack of cash, she said, "I'm just a regular worker like you, not privy to the main household's business. But I haven't seen Ms. Mia walking little Leo in the garden recently. Maybe I could sneak a peek for you?"

Wesley nodded gratefully. "I'd really appreciate that, ma'am."

The maid seemed reluctant to keep the money but finally said, "This cash, I..."

Wesley reassured her, "Please, keep it. I'll wait for your news."

"Okay, then."

She pocketed the money and hurried back the way she came.

At the security booth, she showed her ID, and the grand gates of the Cedillo estate swung open.

Once inside, she dashed towards the main house.

In the garden, Mia, wearing a soft yellow sweater and a beige chiffon skirt, her hair casually tied back, looked like a gentle mother. She was sunbathing with her son, who pouted adorably in her arms. Passing servants often took detours just to catch a glimpse of little Leo.

"Why the long face, kiddo? Mom's just taking you out for some sun. Look at you, anyone would think I'm your stepmom."

The day was unusually warm for spring, with temperatures soaring.

Una, the maid Wesley had spoken to, raced past the mother and son, causing Mia to look up in surprise. "Una, weren't you off today?"

Una stopped and turned to Mia and little Leo. "Ms. Mia, you might want to keep Leo indoors for a while. It's not safe outside."

Mia adjusted her hold on her son, curious. "What's going on?" Though she had no plans to venture out, the notion of danger intrigued her.

Una pulled out a handful of cash. "Ms. Mia, some guy outside tried to bribe me for information on whether Leo had been kidnapped." Mia's warmth vanished, replaced by a steely resolve. "Who dares?"

The kidnapping had been tightly controlled information, with even her own parents kept in the dark.

Una, frantic, replied, "I don't know, but I'll go report this to the butler right away."

In the Cedillo family, there was no hierarchy among the servants; they were all directly recruited and trained, loyal to the family from start to end.

Today wasn't a shopping day for Una but her day off, which explained her on-foot departure, a detail that Wesley had misinterpreted.

Mia, holding her son who was less than thrilled about sunbathing, led the way back inside. "The butler's in the living room. Come with me."

In the living room, Hansen greeted them, joking with Leo about how quickly they'd return from their outing. Mia cut to the chase, "Dad, someone's got their eye on your grandson." Hansen jumped at the chance to tease, "Stop making excuses for slacking off. You just didn't want to catch some sun and sneaked back in."

Feeling misunderstood, Mia was at a loss for words.

Then, out of nowhere, Una appeared, declaring, "Sir, there truly was someone."

In her hands, she clutched a wad of crisp dollar bills, presenting them as proof. "This isn't about the money for me. These bills are evidence."

"Our salaries are deposited directly into our bank accounts every month. I wouldn't just have this much cash on me without reason. Someone at the front door really did try to bribe me."