Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance

Leo: "Ms. Anya, you only accounted for what she bought from the Cedillo family, but not from the Byrne family."

Anya looked puzzled, "Why is Auntie so obsessed with buying clothes?"

"It's her husband; he's spoiling her on purpose. Letting her splurge so no one else would want her, then he can easily swoop in."

Familiar notification sounds for payments made had Chad shaking his head at the mess of his own making.

Leo took Anya out for dinner at a restaurant, only to bump into a couple just leaving. "With Christmas around the corner, I want to get a gift for my godson before heading back to Newtown. Care to join me in picking it out?" Annie: "Conner, this is the fifth time you've tricked me with the little tiger toy."

"And yet, every single time, you fall for it," Conner teased.

He grabbed Annie's wrist firmly, almost daring her to pull away. If she dared, she couldn't blame him for the circulation cut-off.

"Uncle, Auntie, you're here for dinner too?" Leo and Anya greeted the couple at the entrance.

Anya chimed in sweetly, "Hello Uncle, hello Auntie."

Conner sized up the young couple and their greetings, cursing internally: Damn, how did Andre manage to snag such a great pair!

These kids are just too charming!

"I'm not," Annie quickly denied.

Leo chuckled, "Auntie, what are you embarrassed about? Thanks for your help last time."

Conner, pulling his fiancée along, added, "Exactly, what are you blushing for? They're grown-ups." Pointing at Annie, he told the young couple, "Your auntie gets shy easily."

Leo nodded with a smile, "I know, it's typical when you're newly in love."

Annie tugged Conner to leave, eager to escape, "Let's go, aren't you supposed to buy that gift for the little tiger?"

"See you, Uncle, Auntie."

Anya waved, sweetly saying, "Bye Uncle, bye Auntie."

Conner turned back, pointing at Leo, "Leo, just say the word, and your uncle will stand up to Andre for you."

He pointed at Anya, "You, young lady, just wait! Good things are coming your way!"

Annie, utterly embarrassed, wanted nothing more than to vanish with Conner.

Anya felt a twinge of anxiety, "Those words, they sound kind of ominous."

"That's just how it is in this world," Leo said, holding Anya's hand as they walked into the restaurant.

Curious as ever, Anya asked, "Chad, how do you know so much?"

Leo replied, "What doesn't your Chad know?"

As their voices faded away, the straightforward guy was learning to be gentle and thoughtful.

Leo, who once just bought bottled water on dates, had turned into someone who'd stop at a bubble tea shop and ask the girl beside him, "Want some bubble tea?"

Henry wasn't allowed in the office anymore. If Andre used to carry him with one arm when he couldn't walk, now!

Andre barely glanced at his paperwork before looking up, "Henry, Henry! Where have you disappeared to now?"

Andre got up to search and found Henry hiding behind a plant stand, playing hide and seek in a corner.

The more Andre called, the quieter Henry got.

Andre, looking at the plant stand taller than his son and the little figure behind it, couldn't help but fume, "Henry, come out now!"

Henry scrunched his nose playfully, refusing to come out.

Andre reached to grab him, but the chubby little Henry had wedged himself in, and Andre couldn't pull him out.

Finally, Andre had to move the plant stand, scooping up his son and giving him a couple of swats on the backside. Henry pouted, whining in pain.

But as soon as Andre placed him in his toddler stroller, Henry found a gap and squeezed out.

All this happened under Andre's watchful eyes.

Frustrated, Andre took deep breaths to calm himself down.

And so, Andre resumed his days of working with his son in his arms.

As Andre worked, Henry "worked" too, fussing to press the keyboard, "Ah, ah, ah, daddy-"

Eventually causing enough trouble to earn another spanking.

Andre set him on the floor, rubbing his temples in frustration. Despite being a man, Andre felt the era's demands on women-juggling work, family, and kids, even as a boss, was overwhelming. If a woman faced all this, how could she not be flustered?

In a moment of distraction, his file cabinet was opened by his mischievous son again.

Henry tossed out the files, made space, and crawled in, happily testing his father's patience, "Ah, ah, daddy-"

Andre stood up, looking at the scattered files and the little rascal playing inside the cabinet.

A toddler who could barely walk, committing "crimes" one after another.

He walked over, bent down, and pulled Henry out by his little arm, "Henry, you're only one! Remember, if it wasn't for you calling me 'daddy', I'd have thrown you out by now." Soon, the secretary entered to help organize the files. Andre sat in his chair, trying to soothe his son to sleep. Once asleep, he'd be peaceful.

But the energetic Henry refused to sleep, leaving Andre no choice but to call his wife, who was shopping downtown, "Mia, have you finished your meeting with the teacher?"

"It ended a while ago. I'm shopping with Molly. Honey, what should we buy for our son this year?"

Andre: "Why don't you come to the office and take him away? I've got a meeting at four."

"Oh, has he been acting up again?" His mom guessed immediately.

"Yeah, spanked him three times already."

"Give me ten minutes, I'm on my way."

Ten minutes later, Henry was in his father's arms, no longer allowed to hold the milk bottle himself, as though he had been kidnapped. Andre, while hugging him, also held his two little hands, the other hand feeding him formula.

After being active for a while, Henry was hungry and cooperated quietly.

When his mother arrived, he started getting restless again.

Andre explained, "He always throws the milk bottle around, spilling formula everywhere."

Mia scooped up the little bundle and maneuvered him into the car, as Andre warned, "He'll squeeze through the tiny gap under the rail."

Before Andre finished speaking, Henry began his escape act.

Mia snorted defiantly, "I refuse to believe there's no way to outsmart him."

So, Henry ended up securely fastened in his car seat.

"Bye, honey."

Andre escorted his wife and son to the elevator, and only when the doors closed did Andre's world finally find some peace.

Noah clasped his hands together inThis belongs © NôvelDra/ma.Org.

a prayerful gesture, resting them against his forehead in gratitude that his wife had taken the mischievous Henry away. "Sir, the eco-park we invested in last year with a whopping 1.2 billion has started construction, and the

relevant departments have in net

no

you to attend; the resource development in the west, the Collins family from overseas has caught wind of it and wishes to meet with

you, they've been calling my phone; the 4 PM meeting, here are the reports from the various department managers for you to review; and tonight, Ms. Lopez would like to discuss the restructuring of the Lopez Group with you, to brief you on the work, and see when you might be available..."