Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance
Chapter 586

Naomi asked, "Our family has businesses all over, including Cedillo Inc. Why push the kids into that?"

Mia glanced at Leo, who was glued to his phone. "Let Leo handle the Cedillo Group. I just want my son to live comfortably."

If her son were to inherit the company, he'd end up like his dad caught up in strategies and constantly on guard, shouldering the rise and fall of the Cedillo Group. The higher you rise, the heavier the burden, the greater the responsibility, and the more intense the pressure. Mia simply wanted her son to have a life filled with health, happiness, a bit of wealth, some leisure, and simplicity.

Seeing Mia's motherly love, the Cedillo family began to see her in a new light. The once immature Mia was now viewed as noble, no longer greedy for wealth.

Hansen, overhearing, quipped with a smirk, "Well, isn't this a surprise? Mia not after money?"

Mia, glowing with maternal love, retorted, "What do you know, Dad? Is money more important than my son?"

Leo, having listened for quite a while, scoffed. "Keep dreaming."

Had he not known Mia since childhood, he might have believed her act. "How much is Henry's allowance? Let's say a million a year. In eighteen years, that's only 18 million. That's less than the cost of one of your bracelets." Ignoring inflation, Leo continued, "In eighteen years, if your son wants to start a business and asks you for a hundred million, would you give it to him? You're like someone who drops a sesame seed to catch a watermelon." Mia was at a loss for words.

Hansen suddenly realized, "Oh, Mia, you're setting things up for eighteen years from now!"

Mia protested, "No, no, that's not it. Dad, don't listen to Leo's nonsense. How could I be so forward-thinking? I just purely love my son."

Hansen believed his grandson more than Mia.

Naomi, affectionately tapping Mia on the head, said, "Oh, little Mia, if only I had known to raise Leo like that from the start."

In the evening, when Andre returned home, the family was still teasing Mia about her earlier comments.

Andre, with a smile and the day's fatigue left at the door, asked his lovely wife, "Cooking up schemes again?" Home was his sanctuary, filled with healthy family members, an adorable son, and a beautiful wife. People desire so much wealth, fame, love. Yet, they need so little-just a happy, healthy family.

"Honey, even you don't believe me?"

In the Cedillo family living room, Mia was undeterred by the previous day's events. Home was her fortress, her place of security.

Andre chuckled, "It's hard to believe you."

Mia started counting her son's gift money to prove he might have plenty, but she wasn't greedy, "Dad gave our son a $9,900 gift, Uncle Naomi gave him $6,600, and you gave your son $5,200... Honey!" As she spoke, she turned sour again. "You gave our son a gift, but you didn't give me anything this year!"

Andre: "..."

"Last year, you gave me a blank check to fill in however I wanted," Mia continued, "This year, it's all about your son, and I'm left out." Andre: "..."

The little guy, not wanting to be left out, chimed in with a babble, "Ah-goo!"

"Quiet, you!" Mia scolded her son playfully.

The little guy: "Goo!"

Mia gently swatted her son's padded behind, "You've stolen your dad's heart from me."

The little guy just giggled at his mom.

Naomi interjected, "You and Andre are a couple; there's no need for such formalities."

Mia pouted, "But he gave me one last year."

Andre, hugging his son who was immune to scolding, offered, "How about I give you two blank checks tomorrow to write as you please?"

Mia, pretending to be upset, replied, "I don't want it anymore."

The whole family joined in the fun, teasing in the living room, "I don't believe Mia can resist the sparkle of a blank check."

Naomi said, "A girl's 'I don't want it,' usually means 'I do.""

Anya exclaimed, "Wow, Aunt Mia, you're so rich!"

Leo joked, "Mia, you're the top dog in this house. No matter how cool your son is, he can't shake that. Mind sharing one of those checks with me tomorrow?" Bruce, the most composed, simply laughed along.

Mia, feisty as a little kitten, protested, "Just you wait-if he gives me a check to fob me off tomorrow, he's sleeping in the study."

That was it. The family's banter had backed Andre into a corner.

That night, Andre barely made it back to the bedroom, "Mia?"

"Still mad at you. What's with the cutesy act?" The miffed mother wasn't in the mood to cuddle her child either.

Andre knew to keep quiet for the sake of peace.

The little guy, not as wise, cried out and ended up getting a diaper change and a light spanking. Sure enough, a little discipline goes a long way, and he quieted down.

Of course, there were other ways to appease Mia. "Honey, why don't you come clean about why that guy was taking photos of us the other day?"

Andre later explained, "Someone paid him to spy on my family. I haven't found out why yet."

Mia, convinced her husband was brushing her off, didn't believe a word. "It must be Tom. You're hiding it from me because you know I'd lose my temper."

For the first time, Andre faced disbelief. "I'm telling the truth."

But Mia, convinced of her own cleverness, wouldn't have it. "You're not saying enough. It must be a lie."

She thought back to school days when a short apology letter meant a lack of sincerity.

Andre was at a loss for words; sometimes a woman's stubbornness was impenetrable.

The next day at the office, Andre instructed his assistant, "Go to the bank and withdraw $13,140, and get $52.10 in change."

Noah, puzzled, asked, "Boss, what's going on?"

"Just do it."

As Noah headed to the bank, he was full of confusion.

With the money in hand, Noah looked at the mix of bills and change, "Boss, the bank manager looked at me like I was crazy."

Andre had gone out and bought an oversized $100,000 envelope, neatly placed the money inside, and sealed it.

Assistant: "Boss, it's the missus again, isn't it?"

No one else in the world could get the CEO to rush like this, except for her.

"Who else could it be?"

"But why are you giving the missus a gift card?" Noah was puzzled. "You usually just do a bank transfer, and besides, this is the first time you've given her such a modest amount." Andre spoke with a mix of joy and resignation, "Ah, well, I had to make up for the Christmas bonus I missed."

The assistant was still confused. Why give his wife a gift card?

Andre chuckled with a hint of nostalgia, "What can I do when I've got two treasures at home? One is just over 70 days old, and the other is well over 7,000 days old."

Noah was silent, contemplating... So did that make him, what, a 10,000-plus-day-old treasure?