Mia spilled the beans to her best friend. “Anya’s roommate’s boyfriend wanted to break up with her, but her paranoid roommate accused Anya of meddling in their relationship. The thing is, Anya barely knows the guy.”
“Last night, after the break-up, she insisted on checking Anya’s phone and ended up snatching it. Anya tried to get it back, and a fight broke out in the dormitory. Anya’s dad couldn’t make it, so he asked Andre to help sort it out.”
At this, Molly’s temper flared up. “That girl is nuts! Snatching someone’s phone without the consent and invading the privacy, she lacks manners and upbringing.”
Leo felt relieved, “I wondered why my uncle would come to pick up a problematic girl. That clears it up.”
Mia, having vented her frustration in the morning, was less angry now. She asked, “How did you guys find out where Andre was last night?”
Molly replied, “The rumor mill at university is working overtime. Andre picked up a college girl in the middle of the night.”
“Boring.” Mia responded, “That girl is Andre’s niece.”
It turned out, it was a misunderstanding almost leading to a misplaced blame.
Molly and Mia ended their conversation as she had to get to class.
A few days after Chad’s birthday, it was Leo’s birthday.
In the evening, Andre came home. With nothing better to do, Mia asked, “Honey, has Anya been staying at a hotel these past few days?”
Andre replied, “Yeah.”
While ironing Andre’s coat by the window, with the window half-open for ventilation, Mia casually said, “It’s Leo’s birthday tomorrow. Why don’t you invite that girl home for dinner? She’s all alone in Havenbrook, dealing with the unfairness and loneliness. It must be hard on Mr. Calder too. Plus, Molly and Leo will be home tomorrow. We can get to know her, so she’ll have some support at university.”
Andre hadn’t thought of that, and was reminded by his thoughtful wife. “Okay.”
After ironing his coat, Mia hung it up, and then walked over to the couch, turning her back to Andre. “Honey, my back is aching again.”
Andre started to rub her back gently.
“I think Chad will be coming over tomorrow.” Mia speculated, “Molly always talks about Leo at the Byrne’s. She must’ve mentioned Leo’s birthday, so someone from the Byrne family will surely come to celebrate. It wouldn’t be appropriate for an elder to come. Chad knows Leo well, so he’ll probably be the one.”
Andre cuddled with his wife and teased, “You’re always scheming something. Even if your body is at rest, your mind isn’t.”
Mia giggled.
The next day, as Mia predicted, Chad came over.
At home, Molly casually mentioned this, so Coleen had sent her son to celebrate Leo’s birthday for them.
On the couch, Molly sat next to Chad, offering him fruits from the table. “Do you want an orange? I’ll peel it for you.” Back at her own home, Molly was quite relaxed.
Chad took the orange from Molly and started peeling it for her.
While everyone was having a casual chat on the couch, the birthday boy sat alone on the steps, feeling gloomy.
“If I say I didn’t want to celebrate my birthday at all, would anyone believe me?” Leo secretly felt frustrated.
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The readers' comments on the novel: Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance
Please edit seems like a nice novel but not readable...
the novel status is showing as completed but it is not and what About the left over chapters...