Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance
Chapter 724

Mia smiled and said, "They're all busy. Let me introduce you. This is Leo's girlfriend, Anya."

The slightly plump innkeeper looked at Anya, her eyes crinkling with a smile. "From the Byrne family, huh? Leo's got good taste!"

Anya blushed slightly. "No, we've just started seeing each other." Her shyness was palpable.

"Auntie, where's my uncle?" Mia asked casually.

The innkeeper pointed towards the kitchen. "His apprentice is sick, so your uncle's taking over the cooking."

Mia nodded, then said with a grin, "Auntie, it's just us two today. No need to order anything specific; just make whatever you think is best." "Alright, I'll whip up two servings of beef noodles. Leo loves pasta. Anya, you're not picky, are you?"

Mia answered, "We're not picky at all. Anything you make will be great."

"Okay, I'll get to it then."

A short while later, the innkeeper brought over two drinks and two small dishes of salad. "If you need anything else, just call me."

Mia handed Anya a fork. "Go ahead, it's really good."

Anya asked, "Auntie, how did you guys replace this place?"

Mia replied, "You wouldn't guess, but this place opened when we were in middle school. They were handing out flyers, and your aunt wanted to try their food. I did too, but Leo didn't want to join us. Eventually, your aunt and I tricked Leo into coming here and even made him pay for the meal.

After coming here, we found that the food was much better than where we'd eaten before. Since then, we've often come here to hang out, sometimes bringing our homework to work on while we eat."

Anya laughed, "Auntie, you three seem so happy together."

"Indeed we are, though Leo might not agree."

"That's not true. Chad must feel happy having you two around as well," Anya confidently stated.

Mia laughed, "He never would've imagined back then that the girl who nagged him about homework would become his aunt, and the other his godmother."

Soon, two servings of beef noodles were served.

Mia said, "Try this, chef. Leo's favorite dish here. The sauce is a secret recipe."

Hearing it was Leo's favorite, Anya eagerly took a bite, blowing on it lightly first. Regardless of the taste, knowing Leo loved it made her irrationally fond of it as well.

Mia mentioned, "I've always wanted to bring your uncle here to try it, but I'm afraid he might intimidate the owner."

Anya laughed, "Auntie, are you worried about his sternness or his reputation?"

"Definitely his reputation. He's not stern outside."

Mia then noticed Anya's expression turn sad.

Anya was thinking about how her uncle was only stern with Chad, stirring her noodles. She asked Mia, "Auntie, am I causing trouble for Chad again?"

"It's trouble, but the good kind. Because if you hadn't spoken up, Leo would have kept his thoughts to himself. If he didn't speak up, the family wouldn't know how he felt. Leo should be thanking you. If it weren't for you, he'd still lack the courage to face your uncle. You're not wrong, nor is your uncle entirely right. It's like my son wanting to eat spicy food, and I don't let him because I know it'll make him cry. Your uncle lets him because he wants to. Ultimately, it's all for his sake."

After a night of soothing her husband and now comforting Anya, Mia was caught in the middle.

Anya sipped the broth from her noodles and suddenly stopped fretting over whether she'd done the right or wrong thing. She'd made her choice, and she was at peace with it. "If Chad chooses to work for the Cedillo Group, I'll support him. If he chooses to leave, I'll support him too."

Mia smiled, "Exactly, so stop worrying. We just need to support them."

After the meal, Mia left school early and took a taxi home.

As soon as she entered, she heard Henry wailing tearlessly, sitting on his grandfather's lap, locking gazes with him.

Hansen joked, "My little grandson, are you made of water?"

"Ah woah woah"

Mia asked, "Crying again?"

"You shouldn't ask 'again'; you should ask 'which act is this now'." Hansen quickly tried to calm his grandson, exhausted from the childcare.

The housekeeper wanted to hold him, but he wouldn't let go.

Seeing Mia, Henry became excited, laughing in her arms. "Mama ah ah ah ya"

Mia told Hansen, "Dad, I'll take Henry back to our place in a bit."

"Back to Maplewood Estates?" Hansen looked reluctantly at his chubby grandson. "Don't go back." He didn't want to part with him.

Mia had her reasons. She placed Henry on the couch and went to pack.

Hansen was left to watch over the child. "Grandson, what are your father and brother arguing about, making you want to leave?"

Seeing his mother, the little bundle of joy couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Soon, Mia had packed a bag of her son's clothes. "Mia, wait for Andre to come back."

"I'm doing this precisely because of him!"

After calling her husband home the previous night to no avail, Mia resorted to her own methods, taking her son back to their place, waiting to see if he'd be restless about them staying at Maplewood Estates alone and if he could handle the loneliness of the bedroom by himself.

Hansen, knowing his daughter-in-law intended to coax the sternest member of the family out, reluctantly bade farewell to his grandson. "Grandson, make sure to visit grandpa often. I'll miss you."

Henry pressed against the window, looking at his grandfather, happily agreeing.

Mia, sitting in the car holding her son's chubby hand, taught him to wave goodbye. "Say bye to grandpa."

"Ah ah."

"Dad, go back inside."

Holding her plump little one, she closed the window and instructed the driver to take them back to Maplewood Estates.

As expected, when Andre returned home that evening, his demeanor was stern.

His son's usual cries of welcome were absent.

Instead, he found his father and brother-in-law sitting in the living room, a bit surprised since they usually vied to hold his son. "Where are Mia and Henry?" he asked about his wife and child first thing. Hansen replied, "Your wife took your kid back to Maplewood Estates this afternoon."

Andre was silent.

Was this the consequence of his refusal last night, that his little wife had laid down for him today?

Maplewood Estates.

The sky was dusky, and Mia looked outside, wandering around the room with her son in her arms. "Hey, buddy, let's make a bet. Do you think your dad will come back?" "Ah-goo gah!"

Mia patted her son's little bottom gently. "He's definitely coming back. Your dad can't stay away from us, right?"

Henry looked at Mia, engaging in a high-level baby babble comprehension challenge.

Before long, the familiar sound of a car parking in the front yard could be heard. Mia, holding her son, smiled brightly.