Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance

Andre gazed fondly at his son's little head and said with a playful tone, "I often find my boundaries shifting because of the little guy's mom."

Everyone knew exactly who made Conner bend his rules, even without saying a word.

"Holy cow! The kid can walk?!" Mars was the first to spot the incredible milestone.

Henry had been snug in his dad's arms for a good while, and with a surprised shout from his self-proclaimed godfather, he once again became the center of attention.

All four men turned their focus to the adorable little guy. "He walked there all by himself?" Asher pointed to the distance.

Teddy was caught off guard, staring at his friend in disbelief, "Andre?"

Andre beamed with pride, "I have no idea when he picked it up; nobody taught him. He just started walking last night. But his legs are still a bit shaky; he can't go far yet."

The gang was about to clamor for Henry's attention again. Sensing the impending chaos, Henry quickly latched onto his dad's collar, refusing to let go, clinging tightly as he hung from Andre. His little mouth uttering "ba ba" struck a chord right in Andre's heart. By noon, Andre tried calling his wife, Mia, but she wasn't picking up.

"Is Andre in the doghouse?" Conner teased with no mercy.

Andre chuckled and explained, "She's studying. It's just not a good time."

Meanwhile, at the mall's food court, Mia was treating Jamie and Denny to lunch.

"I came into some money today, so lunch is on me," Mia said, handing over the menu. "Order whatever you fancy."

Denny felt a bit embarrassed, taking the menu, "Really, it should be me treating you two lovely ladies."

Mia smiled, "Denny, after the exams, you can treat us. You've helped Jamie and me a lot, so this is my way of saying thanks. And don't be so formal; chances like this are rare."

Jamie asked, "Mia, what happened?" As they were about to order delivery, Mia suddenly suggested going out to eat and insisted on treating them.

Mia shrugged, "Someone ticked me off, apologized, and sent me some money."

"Who? Was it your boyfriend?" Jamie asked, curiosity piqued.

Young women often love a bit of romantic gossip, especially when it involves the most beautiful girl at their prep course.

Mia was widely acknowledged as the prettiest among them. The prep course wasn't like college; everyone was there with clear goals, having paid a hefty fee. Even those with a crush on Mia dared not lose focus.

Some classmates had tried offering Mia exotic imported fruits and others had tried to bribe Jamie to swap seats with her, all keen to be near Mia.

"Mia, we're just really curious. With you being so pretty, do you have a boyfriend?" Jamie asked shyly, knowing Mia was private and often brushed off personal questions with a laugh.

Denny chimed in, "Lots of guys in our class are curious about you. Some even messaged me for the scoop."

Jamie nodded, "Same here. People have even offered me money for info about you."

Mia grinned, "So, did you sell me out?"

Jamie shook her head, "I'm not the type to be swayed by money."

"You're a saint," Mia said, a bit thrown by her friend's earnestness. She and her pals were usually the ones to bend the rules for money, power, or gossip.

But both friends were watching Mia, clearly intrigued.

Mia, reflecting on how she still looked youthful and vibrant despite being a mom, decided not to complicate things. She told them, "If anyone asks, just tell them I have a boyfriend."

Jamie and Denny seemed

unsurprised figured as much.

That day at lunch when you took a call and stepped away, Denny and guessed it might be your partner. Someone as charming as Mia must've been snatched up ages ago."

As they waited for their food, Jamie asked, "Mia, what does your boyfriend do?"

Mia took a sip of her boba tea, chewing on a pearl, and casually replied, "Childcare." "Huh? A preschool teacher?!" Jamie exclaimed.

Mia paused. Andre, a preschool teacher? She thought about it, "Well... sort of."

Her husband did spend his days caring for their child, nurturing their son's potential...

Denny asked, "How much does a preschool teacher make? He's got a steady gig, right?"

Mia smirked, "That's just his side hustle."

Both friends were baffled. A side hustle?

Before long, Andre called again, and Mia continued to ignore it.

Their food arrived.

Meanwhile, at Crescent Park, four men stood with Andre, bemused by the silent Mrs. Cedillo. "Andre, having trouble at home, huh? Just now she was in class, what's your excuse this time?" Conner teased.

Andre stood up, holding his little boy, "You're one to talk. My son's already walking, and you can't even get a fiancée."

Andre was ready to leave.

Mars asked, "Where you headed?"

Andre replied, "Off to buy a gift for the kiddo's mom."

Andre had become quite adept at wooing his little wife with gifts.

Now, 90% of her jewelry box was filled with pieces from him, the supposedly clueless husband.

Andre left.

Teddy watched Conner, hands in pockets, and mused, "You could take a page from Andre's book. It's not just about throwing money; it's about choosing gifts yourself." Mars patted Conner's back, eyeing his neck wound, "Buddy, you've got a long road ahead."

Asher squinted and mused, "Aren't you all curious about what Andre did to get the cold shoulder?"

The group fell silent.

Then, in unison, they exclaimed, "Let's crash dinner at the Cedillo's tonight!"

iver

Back at the mall, after dinner, the trio descended the escalators, still engrossed in a conversation about the civil code. "When a couple divorces, if their child is under two, custody typically goes to the. mother. So, if a child is one year and eight months when they divorce and the husband delays it four months, what's the ruling, Brad?"

Mia perked up, "So, if we divorce now, and our child is under two, I'd get custody, right?"

Jamie confirmed, "Yep, that's right. Why do you ask, Mia?"

Mia was doing the math, realizing she only had a few months left to have the upper hand in any custody battle with her husband.