Chapter 418
Chapter 418
In Mia’s bedroom, the bed wasn’t as grand as the one in the Cedillo family mansion. It was just a cozy
little bed that would snugly fit two people. Mia, who was a pregnant woman with a big belly, took up
most of it.
Returning to her room for the night, Mia eyed the small bed and suggested, “Honey, why don’t you take
the guest room?”
Andre replied, “I could just sleep on the edge.” Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.
Whether he’d purposely tried to make himself sound pitiful, Mia didn’t know. All she could tell was that
her heart clenched at his words.
“No,” she said, “I like being in your arms at night. This bed is enough for us.”
She’d been the one to suggest he leave, but now she was the one asking him to stay.
Once she was wrapped in her husband’s arms, Mia turned to face him. “You purposely made yourself
sound pitiful to make me feel sorry for you, didn’t you?”
Andre, ever the strategist, shot back, “What are you feeling sorry for?”
Mia was taken aback. Had she been overthinking things?
Andre shifted closer. In the quiet of the night, his voice was a seductive whisper in her ear. “Tell me,
what are you feeling sorry for?”
“Nothing...”
Mia had the habit of sleeping face to face with her husband. As she lay in his arms, her thoughts
whirled.
Before she knew it, she’d thrown one leg over his, and was lulled to sleep in the comforting cradle of
his arms.
His pregnant wife was finally lulled to sleep. Andre allowed a sly smile to creep onto his face.
Staring at her sleeping form, her chubby cheeks resting against his arm, Andre felt his heart fill with
affection. He brushed a hand over her cheek. “So hard to soothe. I had to resort to trickery.”
Without his trick, he’d have been relegated to the guest room for the night.
Asleep, Mia was oblivious to her husband’s stolen kiss.
Meanwhile, at the Byrne family home, Chad had returned with Mr. & Mrs. Byrne’s precious daughter.
Grandma Aubree and Grandpa Elmer were already in bed. Coleen was just about to sleep when she
heard a car pull into the driveway. Surprised, she realized her son was back home. But before she
could hear him come in, she heard her daughter’s voice.
“Chad, don’t be mad. I was just asking. I didn’t cause any trouble. Look at you, all cold-faced. Chad, I’m
sorry, okay? You left me in your office and I got bored. I didn’t know that...”
Back home, Molly saw her mother still awake. It was almost ten o’clock. “Mom, why are you still up?”
Coleen looked at her daughter, equally surprised. “Weren’t you supposed to be at the Cedillo’s with
Andre?”
Molly forgot about the angry Chad and started explaining, “Oh, no. Andre and Mia had a fight, so Leo
sent me to Chad.”
Coleen looked at her son. His face was dark with anger. “What happened?”
Before Chad could answer, Molly quickly interjected, “Nothing, Mom. Chad’s just upset about some
work stuff. I’m sure he’ll feel better after I comfort him a bit.”
Chad just stared at her.
Coleen gave her a ‘do you really expect me to believe that?’ look. She’d heard her children arguing
when they came in. “What did you find in your brother’s office?”
Molly’s eyes flickered. “Mom, why are you bringing that up?”
Chad grabbed Molly’s arm and pushed her towards their mother. Then, in front of Molly, he said to their
mother, “Mom, I won’t be getting married before I turn 30. Don’t mention introducing me to your friends
anymore. Don’t even think about it. And tell Dad, and Grandma and Grandpa. My marriage is my
business, not someone else’s.”
Coleen was completely lost. She wasn’t just surprised about Chad’s declaration to remain single until
30, but curious about why he felt the need to say it in front of Molly.
After Chad finished speaking, he turned to Molly, who was avoiding his gaze. “Did you hear me?” he
asked in a determined attitude.
Molly didn’t answer, pretending like he wasn’t talking to her.
“I’m talking to you,” Chad said. His voice was filled with irritation.
Molly finally looked at him, realizing he was angry. Feeling a bit intimidated, she turned her back to him
and mumbled, “I didn’t introduce you to any girls.”
Coleen still didn’t understand. “Chad, why are you suddenly talking about this?”
Chad gave Molly a frustrated look, and then turned to their mother. “I just wanted to make it clear to you
and Dad that nobody needs to worry about my marital status.” He glanced again at Molly’s back. “And I
also wanted to make it clear to certain people that I will not be dating anyone before I turn 30.”
Molly kept telling herself, “He’s not talking about me.”
Coleen just couldn’t understand. She’d never thought her son’s words could be so cryptic.
Chad, still in his uniform, needed to go back to the station for a night shift. Coleen looked at him
sympathetically. “Chad, you’ve been working so hard lately. Why don’t you take a good night’s sleep at
home and go to the station early tomorrow?”
Chad looked at Molly’s back again. “Turn around.”
Molly knew he was talking to her, but she didn’t want to face him. She could feel his intense gaze on
her, which made her uncomfortable.
“Turn around,” Chad said again.
Molly quickly turned around. “Chad, don’t leave tonight. Listen to Mom.”
Coleen joined in, “See, even your sister cares about you. If work isn’t pressing, take a break. You can’t
ruin your health at such a young age.”
Molly nodded in agreement. “Yes. If your health fails, you won’t be able to find a wife. Nobody will want
to marry you, and you’ll have to find her inside...”
Chad cut her off before she could finish, not wanting her to say anything inappropriate in front of their
mother. “Every time I see you at home, I get angry.”
“Well, then you should leave. Goodbye. Take care. Goodnight. Be safe. Good luck.”
After Chad left, Coleen asked her daughter, “What were you going to say about ‘find her inside’?”
Molly feigned ignorance. “What do you mean, Mom? You must have heard wrong.”
Coleen was not convinced. “Stop pretending. I heard what you said.”
Molly’s eyes flickered, but she didn’t say anything more. Molly bit her lip. “I think you should wonder
why the brother who always spoils me is suddenly mad at me.”
“Oh right, why is Chad mad at you?” Coleen, a businesswoman who was always on guard, got
distracted by her daughter’s few words.
Molly bit her lip, blinked her eyes, and dodged the question. “Well, you know, um, anyway, goodnight
mom. I love you.”
After saying that, Molly darted away.
Coleen’s anger dissipated at her daughter’s “I love you”. She watched her daughter’s retreating figure,
asking herself curiously, “What on earth happened?”