Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance

Leo settled back into bed, tossing the blanket open and patting the space next to him, "C'mon, Anya, hop in and catch some Z's with me."

Anya didn't bother with the covers. Instead, she sprawled diagonally atop the blanket, her feet dangling off the edge so her shoes wouldn't mess up the bedding. Conveniently, she ended up right over Leo's chest. Propping herself up on her elbow, she gave Leo a nudge, "Chad. I came over to have breakfast with you."

Leo caught her hand mid-push, eyes still shut, his long lashes resting on his cheeks. Anya tilted her head, gazing at her handsome boyfriend, utterly smitten.

"You didn't grab breakfast at home this morning?"

Anya shook her head, "Nope, I was worried you'd feel lonely and sad having breakfast by yourself, so I got up early to keep you company."

Leo turned, giving her a puzzled look, "Why would eating alone make me feel lonely and sad?"

"Well, you might think I don't care about you, like I'm just using you. You drove nearly five hours yesterday to get me home, and if I left you alone in the hotel today, you'd feel really put out." Anya explained, showing her commitment to balancing time with both her parents and Chad. "I've got it all figured out. I'll have half a breakfast with you, then head home for breakfast with my folks and finish my meal there. This way, I'll keep everyone happy."

Amused by her well-thought-out plan, Leo flipped over, pulling her under the blanket in one swift motion, wrapping her snugly in his arms, "I think you're still half-asleep. Stay and catch some more shut-eye with me."

"Oh, Chad, I'm not wearing slippers."Belongs to (N)ôvel/Drama.Org.

"Just kick them off and snuggle in."

After a bit of flailing, Anya kicked off her boots and obediently slipped under the covers, "Chad,"

"Sleep," he mumbled.

"Chad,"

Barely able to keep his eyes open, Leo threatened playfully, "If you don't sleep now, I'm gonna kiss you. I didn't brush my teeth last night or this morning, you want that?"

Immediately, Anya clamped her hands over her mouth under the blanket, "I'm too hot, I don't want to be under the blanket."

With the room heated and Anya bundled in a thick coat under the covers with Leo, she was starting to sweat and feel uncomfortable. Meanwhile, Chad was perfectly comfy in his lightweight pajamas.

Leo tugged the blanket aside, eyeing her attire, "Take off your coat."

Anya: "..." Something felt a bit off about this!

Leo: "Well? Want me to help you?"

Anya unzipped and shrugged off her cream-colored coat, revealing a snug gray cashmere sweater underneath. "I'm not taking off my pants," she asserted. "I'm just wearing leggings."

Leo: "..." That sounded a bit odd.

Glancing at her leggings, he said, "Come on up and sleep."

Anya had already forgotten why she came in the first place. Once she was cozily lying next to her boyfriend, Leo wrapped the blanket around them again and turned to his side, lazily draping a leg over her, encircling her with his warmth. Supposed to be there for breakfast, she ended up snoozing in his arms for half an hour.

She peeked up, her face half-hidden beneath the blanket, her breathing steady, looking adorably peaceful.

Having been disturbed and now unable to fall back asleep, Leo opened his eyes to see the girl nestled against him. After watching her for a bit, amused by something only he knew, he chuckled softly, carefully got up, and headed to the bathroom to freshen up. Half an hour later, all dressed and ready, Leo glanced at the still-sleeping Anya, tugged the blanket off her face, leaned down, and kissed her soft lips, deepening the kiss gradually. "Mmm."

As soon as Anya opened her mouth, he playfully took advantage.

When the kiss ended, Anya, looking at the breathless man, innocently asked, "Chad, why'd you kiss me?"

Leo: "I called you a bunch of times,

but you didn't wake up. Thought d try kissing to see if that'd do the trick. It worked pretty well, so ve decided, from now on, if I can't wake you up, I'll just kiss you."

He got up from the bed, handing Anya her coat, "Put this on, I'll drive you back home."

After an early morning visit and a quick nap, she was back at the

Calder family home just as her

parents were waking up. Seeing their daughter return from an outing

"Honey, are you off so the

"Mom, Dad, I've already been out and back."

Havenbrook, Maplewood Estates.

Mia's intensive course had kicked off, signaling the end of her studies was near.

One student, determined to ace her post-graduate exams, had bravely shaved her head, becoming the talk of the class.

Mia and Jamie, staring at this bold move, were in disbelief. Jamie exclaimed, "How awkward is that gonna be when visiting family during the holidays?"

Mia frowned, "Who cares about looks? Isn't she gonna freeze her scalp in this cold? My kid's growing his hair out, and I can't even bring myself to trim those little tufts." Jamie glanced at Mia, "There you go talking about your son again."

Spending so much time together, they were not just meal buddies but study partners too. Mia often blurted out "my son" or "my husband" without a second thought.

Before Mia could reply, Denny, studying diligently in the back, chimed in, "Mia, exams are in December, and here you two are chatting like you're not the ones taking them."

Prompted by the reminder, they quickly returned to their books.

Some were hitting the books in classrooms; others were reviewing at hotels.

Free from study woes, Jade was enjoying a leisurely weekend on the Byrne family sofa.

And even more at ease was the little darling of the Cedillo family.

Henry was enjoying a lazy sleep-in nestled in his father's arms, while his grandfather took a nap in the bedroom, enjoying the warmth of being held.

"Sir, want us to hold Henry for a bit?" a servant from Maplewood Estates offered.

Andre, looking down at the little bundle in his arms, chuckled, "He's got a sharp nose. He'll fuss if he catches a whiff of someone he doesn't recognize."

In the afternoon, Naomi and Bruce came to pick up the little one.

"Andre, the house feels too empty without him. Let us take Henry back with us."

When Hansen woke up, he insisted on leaving his second son's house. "Naomi, come get me, let's get out of here. This place isn't fit for humans," Hansen declared, waving his cane and making a brisk exit.

Andre set his son down, and Henry toddled over to his grandfather, clinging to his cane and refusing to let go.

"My boy, you don't want grandpa to leave, do you?" Hansen said, full of mysterious confidence.

Just when Hansen was feeling touched, thinking that the Cedillo family finally showed some filial piety, Andre quipped, "He's just eyeing your cane."

Hansen was incredulous, "No way, my grandson just can't bear to part with me."