Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance

"Annie, don't worry, I've got your back like a true guardian angel. Maja's my guiding light now!"

Annie picked up a bowl, ready to splash it at the man, but Conner just stood up and laughed his way out of the room. Left on her own, Annie glanced at the chicken soup the man had painstakingly prepared for her, a gentle smile playing on her lips. She took a sip, and it tasted pretty good.

The Smith household.

The peaceful quiet of the Smith family home was once again shattered by the cries of a little toddler. Mia, using both hands, pulled her son out of the tumble dryer. Henry, barefoot and sulking from his mom's scolding, stomped his tiny feet, shedding tears of frustration.

Seeing her son's puffy little cheeks, Mia couldn't bring herself to spank him, but she was exasperated. "Andre! Come check out what your son has gotten into this time!" she hollered from the living room.

Andre, hearing her call, quickly left his study and dashed down the stairs, only to find his son with a pouty face and teary eyes once more. "What's the drama this time?" It felt like every half hour or so, he was summoned to witness another of his son's escapades.

The first incident, "Honey, get over here, your son has scattered all of Grandpa's tea leaves!" The couple scrambled around, trying to scoop the leaves back into the teapot, hoping Grandpa wouldn't notice. But Henry, seeing his parents picking up the tea leaves, cheerfully grabbed another tin of Grandpa's Earl Grey...

The second time, "Honey!! Help, he's climbed up onto the storage cabinet, and I can't reach him." A couple of stools lay scattered on the floor, Henry's makeshift "ladder." He had quietly scaled up like a little rock climber, perching himself on top, hiding in a corner and giggling while his mom couldn't reach him, turning it into a game of hide and seek.

After handing him over to the maid not long ago, Mia was livid, not even bothering to call for her husband anymore, just a sharp, "Andre!"

She pointed at their son, her other hand clenched in frustration, "He slipped away from the maid, went to play in the laundry room, opened the washing machine, and climbed inside. We spent ten minutes searching for him."

Andre scooped up his son, bending down; usually, Grandpa kept an eye on him, so the couple had it easier, but not today. "Where's Grandpa?"

Mia replied, "Our son's antics have driven Grandpa to claim 'work-related stress,' saying he needs a break to clear his mind. Otherwise, he jokes he'll be the first grandpa with depression."

Henry, with his little mouth wrapped in a pout, looked up innocently at his parents, banking on the sympathy from his bruised face, knowing they wouldn't have the heart to spank him.

"You head back to work, I'm almost done here. I'll take Henry to the study."

Mia, still in her pajamas, headed to the conference room to dive into her work. Andre, shaking his head at his mischievous son, carried him off to the study, too.noveldrama

Meanwhile, in the dense brush, a man lay like a mouse hiding from sight, too afraid to show himself, his heart pounding wildly. His wound had become infected, leaving him pale and weak as he cautiously scanned his surroundings.

Kon lay on the ground, taking a brief rest. The memory of his team, all lost here, fueled his deep-seated hatred for Andre, his jaw clenched not just from the pain of his injuries but from his burning resentment.

Kon recalled that woman, seemingly fragile and helpless, who played on his sympathies with her innocent and friendly demeanor. She had used Vulture to lure him into investigating, stalling him... Vulture?