Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance
Chapter 627

money on the table.

In no time, the butler and Naomi showed up. The Cedillo family naturally trusted their own, and Una had been with them for over a decade. Everyone knew her well. "Bianca, can you explain what's going on?" the elderly butler asked, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the Una took a deep breath and recounted her encounter with Wesley from start to finish. "At first, I felt bad for the guy, but then something just didn't add up. If his friend was really in Mr. Andre's inner circle, why wouldn't he ask for help directly? And then he said the money was 'exchanged,' which is weird. We usually say 'withdrawn' unless it's foreign currency." Being a maid for the Cedillos wasn't a job for the unrefined or the clueless. The selection process was stringent; no one was just a pretty face.

Una was deep into her analysis. "I knew something was off, so I lied and told him I was just a lowly servant, not worthy of meeting the master, Leo. I asked him to wait while I 'went to inform Leo,' but instead, I came back to spy on him and report back."

Meanwhile, Wesley was still in the car, waiting for an update from the maid. He called his father to check in. "Dad, did you get in?"

Old Walker, replaceing himself alone with Andre in a spacious dining room, hesitated. "Andre, it's my son calling; I'll step out to take this."

Given Andre's intimidating presence, Old Walker didn't dare offend him.

The man across the table looked almost the same as their last meeting, except for a less menacing aura, which paradoxically made Old Walker even more uneasy.

"Take it here," Andre said casually, but his tone left no room for argument.

Wesley received the update. "Dad, I've got someone inside the Cedillo household gathering info. We should hear something soon. As long as his son is missing, he'll need us. We must secure the mining rights in the Gulf of Sythia that the Cedillo Group discovered." Under Andre's intense gaze, Old Walker could barely respond before hanging up.

"Andre, what brings you all this way suddenly?"

Andre poured two cups of tea, placing one in front of Old Walker with a flick of the dining table's lazy Susan. The tea cup arrived full to the brim, a gesture not of respect but of challenge.

Old Walker, reading the gesture as an affront, confronted Andre, "What are you implying?"

Andre's gaze was dark, his voice low and tinged with a cold laugh. "As a father, shouldn't I react?"

...

Back in Havenbrook, Wesley checked his watch. Ten minutes had passed, and the maid hadn't returned. He waited patiently.

At the Cedillo household, after Una finished her story, Mia, bearing a striking resemblance to her husband's decisiveness, interrogated, "How tall was he? What's his build? Do you know his age?" Una estimated, "About six feet, average build, looked to be in his thirties. That's all I know."

Hansen leaned heavily on his cane, his previously playful demeanor gone.

Leo stood up, the only young man among two elders, two women, and an infant who could only cry. "Stay here. I'm going out. Una, wait for my signal."

"Stop!" Mia halted her nephew. "Why go out? He wouldn't dare come here alone."

Leo explained, "Anya's school is letting out. I don't feel right not checking. I'll drive by him on the way to pick up Anya. Like you said, it's safe here, so no one else go out."

Mia frowned. "Get Molly and Chad to pick up Anya. Don't bring her straight home."

She turned to Naomi. "We should call the police."

Mia immediately objected. "No, this involves international players. It might connect to Henry's kidnapping. We can't involve the police; it might blow Henry's incident wide open." Andre's son being kidnapped was a delicate matter, likely to stir up elite circles. If one incident came to light, others might follow.

Mia decided, "We'll handle this privately."

Hansen, reasserting his authority, commanded, "Butler, gather everyone Andre left here. Leo, call your uncle. Naomi, get in touch with Bruce; we need him back."

Leo, however, looked towards Mia, knowing her better than anyone after years of friendship.

Mia announced, "I'll go out."

The family, including the infant in Mia's arms, all turned to her in surprise.

Only Leo, ever calm, wasn't shocked by Mia's declaration.

"Dad, Mark's got his hands full today. He mentioned it first thing in the morning that he'd be busy this afternoon and asked me not to call unless it was something urgent," Mia said, cutting off any attempt from Hansen to argue. "It's not like we're solely dependent on my husband for everything. We can't just run to him with every little thing that comes up. He's got a lot on his plate, too.

Even if we did get in touch with Mark, he wouldn't be able to make it back from the capital until tomorrow. My brother's no spring chicken either-he's in his forties. Having him rush back would just add to everyone's worries." Mia spoke with a gentle firmness, managing her tone perfectly to avoid upsetting her family while still making her point clear.

Leo got straight to the point: "What's your plan then?"

"We'll keep the security detail on high alert, but if we're going to catch this guy, having a bodyguard step in will only make him hit the gas and flee. We need to draw him out without raising suspicion, and that means we need the right bait." And she knew she was that bait.