Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance

Chad had promised to be home for dinner with his wife tonight, but when he arrived, she was nowhere to be seen.

Coleen walked in and said, "Oh, you're home? So, where did Molly go looking for you?"

Officer Chad replied, "I told her I'd be back tonight."

They exchanged knowing glances.

Chad, familiar with his wife's antics, joked, "Off she went, playing Sherlock Holmes again!"

Sure enough, when Chad drove to the crime scene, there was Molly, about to grab a cab home.

When they met, Molly felt a bit awkward, "Uh... Chad, I didn't mean to end up here."

Chad just glanced over at her as she settled into the passenger seat, and they drove off.

Feeling a bit guilty for forgetting their dinner plans, Molly said, "Chad, it's been ages since we had a night out. How about we grab dinner somewhere nice?" Chad asked, "So, any leads from your investigation?"

Molly sighed, "Nope, not a single one."

The folks at home had already had dinner, so Chad decided they should dine out.

They headed to their favorite spot. Chad, familiar with the menu, ordered without even glancing at it.

Molly turned to Chad and said, "Guess who I ran into today."

Chad, not really in the mood for guessing games, just shrugged.

"Annie."

Hearing Annie's name made Officer Chad's heart skip a beat, fearing his wife might start stirring the pot without reason.

He was still in the proverbial doghouse at home.

He had been planning to set things right, but now, with Molly and Annie having crossed paths again, it seemed complicated.

Chad just murmured, "Did you talk?"

"Yeah, I even thought of inviting her to dinner."

Officer Chad looked at his wife with surprise.

His current wife thinking of inviting his ex-girlfriend to dinner? He wasn't sure if that was a sign of her not caring or just being open-minded. Molly continued, "I mainly wanted to find out about her and Conner. Do you know anything, Chad?"

Chad shook his head, and soon their food arrived. He handed her a fork.

"By the way, Chad, are you still on that case? It feels like it's been forever. Any updates?"

Officer Chad teased, "Let me back into our room tonight, and I'll spill."

Molly playfully dismissed him, "I don't want to hear it."

Chad chuckled softly.

Soon, Molly's curiosity got the better of her again, "Seriously, no progress? That doesn't add up, Chad. Why no progress?" Chad served her a piece of steak, steering the conversation away, "Let's chat about something else over dinner, not work." Molly nodded, "Alright, let's talk about shopping later."

Leo once called Mia a gold-digger and Jade materialistic, which earned him a playful smackdown from both big spenders. Neither of them appreciated Leo's bluntness!

But as it turned out, keeping the spender happy required more cash, and pleasing the materialist meant spending more. Officer Chad's bank balance was at risk.

And so was Andre's.

Truth-teller Leo learned to hold his tongue a bit more.

One evening after work, as Leo was getting ready to leave, Vincent showed up again, "Hey Leo, got a minute?"

Vincent had been popping up quite a bit lately. Leo felt he couldn't reject him a third time, so he nodded, "Sure, Vincent, what's up?"

"You didn't turn me down this time?" Vincent joked with a grin.

Leo laughed, "Well, after you came to me three times, even if I had an emergency, it would have to wait."

Leo was always smooth with his words.

Vincent wanted to convey his frustration about the previous rejections through a joke.

But Leo skillfully turned the tables, giving Vincent respect, suggesting that even a big issue would have to wait. Vincent appreciated that. "Alright, let's go for a drive."

Leo agreed, following Vincent out. In the elevator, he mentioned, "Vincent, let me call my girlfriend, so she knows where I am and doesn't worry." Vincent glanced at Leo's phone screen, "That's your girlfriend?"

"Yep." Leo dialed Anya. "Hey, got caught up with something tonight. Hang tight at home."

Anya, engrossed in her series on her laptop, turned the volume down quickly. While munching on chicken wings and sipping soda, she asked, "Where are you off to, Chad?" Leo explained, "Heading out with the boss. I'll check in when I get back."

Anya replied obediently.

"Don't just binge-watch. If your laptop struggles, don't come running to me. Once your exams are done, we'll watch together," Leo said.

Anya cheerfully replied, "Got it, Chad. I'll hit the books tonight. Bye!"

After hanging up, she stretched with a sigh of relief, "Finally, some peace."

She resumed her evening, eating, drinking, and watching her show. Life felt blissfully easy.

In the parking lot, Vincent handed Leo the keys, "Can you drive?"

Leo humbly replied, "I manage."

It was the same car he had been eyeing before.

As they settled in, Vincent directed Leo to a hotel, "We're meeting some big names tonight. Keep your eyes open and be ready to pour drinks."

Leo nodded, "Vincent, I'm curious, why bring me along to meet these folks?"

From the backseat, Vincent shared, "You're the youngest and sharpest in the company. I value talent. At your age, finding a mentor is rare. Young man, don't get lost in romance. Focus on big goals; love can wait. Remember, for a man, the future is key." Leo smiled but stayed silent, sensing Vincent's subtle disapproval.

Vincent continued, "Do you know how I made it?"

Leo shook his head, intrigued by Vincent's tale.

On the way to the hotel, Vincent recounted his early struggles and the disdain he faced.

Listening, Leo didn't feel particularly moved.

Upon arriving, Leo said, "Vincent, we're here. You go ahead, I'll park and join you."

Vincent nodded, "Take your time."

After stepping out, he watched Leo drive off, lost in thought.

Normally, anyone driving a new car would familiarize themselves first, but Leo drove off confidently. Vincent couldn't overlook this.

Unless someone was quite familiar with a car, they wouldn't just jump in and drive.

Vincent recalled hearing something about Leo owning a car worth over forty grand. Vincent wasn't sure, but he headed to the hotel lobby to wait for Leo.