Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance
Chapter 671

Leo's question threw Anya for a loop. She stared at him, puzzled, feeling like she might have guessed what he was hinting at, but doubting her own intuition. "Chad..."

Leo cut her off, "It's getting late, and we have classes tomorrow. Better hit the sack."

Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away, leaving her standing there.

Anya slowly climbed the stairs, lost in thought. Back in her bedroom, sleep eluded her. She sat by the window, resting her face in her hands, gazing at the bright moonlight outside.

A warm breeze drifted through, carrying the sweet scent of blooming lilacs from the yard. The night was ink-black, wrapped in a cloak of tranquility and ease. Apart from a few lights glowing in the yard, her room was swathed in dimness. It was the perfect season for a good night's sleep.

Yet, Leo lay in his bed, wide awake. He remembered that day vividly. He hadn't really fought with his uncle, just had an unpleasant encounter.

Initially, Uncle Andre had been slowly turning up the heat, assigning Leo a fixed amount of work daily to get him used to the job while observing him from the shadows. After a while, Leo's work met every standard. Andre planned to increase the pressure, intending to entrust his nephew with more significant responsibilities, grooming him for the role of Secretary-General and personally mentoring him.

Unexpectedly, Uncle Andre's first attempt to push Leo into the role failed. The "frog" he'd been slowly boiling was still very much alive and kicking.

"Uncle, I don't want to take over as Secretary-General. I don't think I'm cut out for it."

Andre frowned. "This is a company directive. You must comply."

"Then I resign."

Andre's cold gaze bore down on his nephew, "Say that again." He knew Leo's courage better than Leo's own parents did.

Leo, intimidated by his uncle's aura, swallowed the words he was about to say, still unsure of himself.

"Be a man and take your responsibilities seriously." Andre had no patience for irresponsibility, "Spending all your time with Mia and Molly, have you forgotten you're a man? Do you think you're the same as them? Mia has me, Molly has her parents, and do you really expect the Cedillo family to support you forever?"

Leo remained unfazed. "Then I'll continue with this job."

"What about Anya?" Andre countered.

At the mention of Anya's name, Leo fell silent.

"Anya is the only child of the Gordon family. You know her better than anyone." She had been too well protected, too naive and gentle for the complexities of Calder Corporation. "Anya has two choices: to marry a capable man who comes knocking, or to replace a strong tree to shelter her from the storms."

Leo's breathing became uneven; his uncle's words hit close to home. Despite his low status in the family, as the eldest grandson of the Cedillo family, it meant he could never be just a son-in-law.

If he was to become a strong tree able to provide shelter, he would have to accept the life path his uncle laid out for him. Taking over as Secretary-General, familiarizing himself with all Cedillo Group's operations in preparation for eventually taking over Cedillo Inc., was the only way he could become that dependable "tree."

"Uncle, that's just your assumption."

Andre replied, "Mr. Calder himself told me this."

He never resorted to lies, Leo knew. If it came from his uncle, it was the truth.

"Think it over. I want an answer in three days."

"I can't give you one."

After that, the relationship between uncle and nephew became strained. It wasn't until Mia intervened, sensing something was wrong, that she quickly pulled their uncle aside.

That night, as Leo closed his eyes, his mind was a tangled mess, knotted tightly, impossible to unravel.

The next day, Leo got up early, skipped breakfast, and went out alone. When Anya woke and went to knock on Leo's door, Naomi told her, "That kid took off early this morning."

"Ah?" Anya felt disappointed. Her aunt had married and moved away, her uncle had returned to his family, and even the baby wasn't home. Now, even Chad was missing. The Cedillo family was down to just Anya.

Hansen finally caught someone to keep him company, "Come on, my girl, let's play a game."

Anya, lips pursed, walked over and sat beside Hansen, distracted. "Grandpa, do you know where Chad went?"

Hansen replied, "Why bother with him? As long as he's not lost, it's fine."

"What if Chad is lost?"

Hansen, unconcerned, "So what if he is? Worst comes to worst, we'll have your uncle look for him. Let's just play our game."

Anya held her phone, which had no games installed. She waited for a game to download, but then she couldn't figure out how to play it.

"Grandpa, how do I do this?"

"Grandpa, what does this button do?"

"Grandpa, this..."

Looking at her, more clueless than he was, Hansen asked, "You don't know how to play games?"

Anya nodded honestly, "I've never played them."

"Huh, and Leo didn't even bother to teach you?"

A lightbulb went off for Anya, "He will! Grandpa, I'll go replace Chad to teach me. I'll come back and play with you in the evening."

With that, she grabbed her bag and ran off. Hansen, watching the last bit of company leave, put down his phone with a sigh. With no one left at home to keep him company, he felt utterly bored.

That's when he remembered his dutiful daughter. So, Jade, who could only walk if Chad guided her by the hand, got a call. "Huh? Chad, why's my dad calling me? I didn't steal his grandson, nor did I go home to annoy him!" After picking up, she learned her father missed her and wanted her to come home.

Knowing her dad all too well, Molly scoffed, "Ha, I don't have a daughter yet, and I'm not worthy of stepping into the Cedillo family's door."

After hanging up, she vented to Chad, "He must be out of people to annoy at home, so now he remembers he has this daughter to bother." "Spot on, as always," Chad complimented, his tone light and easy.

Molly just gave him a look, saying nothing.

Meanwhile, Hansen was feeling a bit down. Finally, he gave the order, "Get the car ready. We're heading to Maplewood Estates. I miss my little grandson."

Maplewood Estates.

Mia didn't wake up until 10 AM, still in her pajamas and barely able to open her eyes, she yawned and stretched, then bent over the bed to change her chubby son's diaper.

"If your grandpa wasn't bored out of his mind, he probably wouldn't bother coming over," she mumbled, half to herself and half to her son.

The little guy, holding a squishy teething toy, was just babbling away, drooling as he played.

"Ah, ah, ah," he seemed to be trying to strike up a conversation with his mom.