Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance
Chapter 749

Behind them, Mars commented, "Andre, you're starting to talk nonsense lately, aren't you?" Though the friends didn't hang out often, they had heard bits and pieces about each other's lives. Conner chimed in, "We've all heard your wife is quite the fighter."

"You heard wrong."

"Then what's this about you being a victim of domestic violence by your wife?" Conner pressed on.

Andre sighed, "You wouldn't get it since you're not married."

Their relationship with Mia was always a bit distant. They knew of each other but rarely talked, and they weren't close. They'd only met a handful of times and never really got to know one another. So, when Mia showed up, there wasn't much conversation.

Teddy shifted the topic, "What's going on with Leo? You went through all this trouble to have me post a job listing just for him, without any requirements. Just looking for Leo."

Mars added, "Yeah, and wasn't it just a bit ago you were bragging about your nephew taking over your business? Even agreeing to become the executive assistant? But when we came to the office today, it was empty." Andre replied, "He got fired, and his family kicked him out."

"Asher asked, "Andre, really? You're practically like a father to Leo. How could you bear to do that?"

Andre took a deep breath, "It had to be done."

"If you really could bear it, you wouldn't have asked us to help him."

"But the help didn't work out."

Mars pondered, "Andre, why does Leo want to go into tech? He could just take over the family business and live the easy life. Why struggle in tech? Does he even know anything about it?" Andre nodded, "He knows."

Mars was puzzled, "That doesn't make sense. You raised Leo and taught him everything he knows. You don't know anything about tech, so how could he?"

Teddy then remembered, "Andre, the hacker who breached the dark web, was that Leo?"

The room fell silent.

Everyone turned to Andre, recalling how he once boasted of having a genius hacker in his corner. This hacker had penetrated networks that even top execs and international figures couldn't breach. Andre smiled, "I have no idea where the kid learned it."

Mars patted his friend's shoulder, "Andre, that's impressive. Do you want to keep your nephew, or can I have him? Leo, in his early twenties, has an unlimited future ahead. You already have a son; let me take Leo as my own nephew."

Conner remarked, "With skills like Leo's, he shouldn't worry about replaceing a job. Even taking private contracts could earn him a fortune. With his expertise, he could easily infiltrate not just my family's company but even Cedillo Inc. without leaving a trace." Andre's smile faded, "The dark web is after him."

Andre might not be as skilled as his nephew, but he was well-informed. The dark web, having been breached by an individual they couldn't catch, had its secrecy challenged. They wouldn't rest until they found him.

They were casting a wide net, searching everywhere for him.

Leo, being young and prominent, would be an easy target.

After Leo bought a car last time and helped a company quickly fix a data issue, Andre lost his temper. Since then, Leo had been cautious not to misuse his skills.

Leo knew well enough the kind of people and transactions that took place on the dark web.

"So, Leo is still job-hunting," Andre confirmed.

"Nowadays, replaceing a job shouldn't be that hard, right?" Mars asked. "Just the other day, my dad mentioned that the city's policy has been relaxed to retain talent. Leo, being a talent himself, should have no trouble replaceing a job." Andre had looked through the companies Leo applied to and, seeing his nephew's nonchalant attitude, guessed what Leo was thinking. With a slight smile, he said, "He's playing hard to get."

After chatting until the end of the workday, Andre and his group of friends headed back to his place.

Henry had changed into a new outfit, and Mars immediately pointed it out, "Look everyone! My son is wearing the clothes I bought for him!"

Henry turned his face away and hugged his mom, ignoring the men.

Conner teased, "Why the excitement? My son doesn't care for you either. Does that make him your son?"

Teddy approached and clapped his hands, "Let godfather have a hug."

Each of the friends called Henry "son," making his real dad feel somewhat redundant.

With so many people around, Henry, other than being in his parents' arms, would pout adorably whenever someone else tried to hold him. Oddly enough, these grown men found him even cuter when he cried.

"Mars, look, our son is crying again, and you can even see his little milk teeth," Mars said excitedly, holding the chubby Henry in his arms.

Mia reminded herself that with her husband's friends visiting, she needed to be dignified, generous, proper, and gentle. But one son shattered all her plans.

"Henry, Henry, I'm warning you, if you throw your bottle again, I will spank you," Mia warned sternly, pointing at Henry in his father's arms.

Mars, somewhat intimidated by her tone, said, "He's just a kid; what if you scare him by spanking him?"

Teddy added, "If he's hungry, let him eat. If Andre can't afford baby formula, we've got it covered. Our son can afford to be a little wasteful."

Asher chimed in, "Is a day's worth of formula money enough? Should we transfer it now?"

Conner grabbed Henry's hand, "Son, come with godfather to Springfield. With me, you'll be treated like royalty."

Henry lay in his father's lap, his chubby little face upturned and pouting, feeling wronged by his mother's scolding.

Mia, unable to keep her temper in check, took the bottle Henry had thrown and handed it to her husband, "Let him drink this." Her tone left no room for argument.

Andre took the bottle and then looked at his pitiful son.

After Mia walked away, she patted her chest, reminding herself to remain gentle.

However, when it came time to discipline Henry at dinner, Mia once again forgot to remind herself to be "gentle."

In the living room, the booster seat sat ignored, as the little one preferred to wriggle his legs into it like he was faster than someone swimming. Finally seated, Mia, with one hand holding a bowl, turned to grab a spoon from the table. In that brief moment, Henry managed to knock over the freshly prepared meal. The mashed potatoes splattered over Mia's hand and onto Henry's clothes.

"Think you can act all high and mighty just because you've got your dad's attention today, huh?"

After giving her son a light scolding, Mia scooped him up and headed upstairs to change his clothes.