Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance

Andre glanced at the main culprit. "Sent him to his grandma's."

Leo, realizing he was being dodged, plopped down in front of Andre. "Uncle, I apologize. Can you please give me back my McLaren?"

Leaning back in his chair, Andre eyed his suddenly remorseful nephew. "No way. You've made my son cry a few times. You're banned from touching any car in the garage for months."

Leo had somehow forgotten how crafty his uncle could be when it came to discipline; he'd even dared to scare his little cousin.

"Uncle, I'm sorry. Can we switch the punishment? That car is just too flashy. Even Anya wouldn't get in it this morning," Leo pleaded.

Andre replied, "That's the lesson for not thinking about the consequences. You won't get the car. Either you go without, or you drive that pink one."

"Uncle... I'm your blood nephew."

"If you weren't, you wouldn't even be here now."

Failing to get his car back, Leo left, half-heartedly focusing on his work while figuring out how to solve his transportation issues. He could buy a new car, but his uncle could just as easily restrict access to those too. Unless he used his own money, his uncle wouldn't interfere.

Sitting back, Leo lamented, "Should've achieved financial independence sooner."

At lunch, Anya and Mia sat opposite each other, usually spending an hour over their meals, chatting and eating. Today, each was absorbed in their phones, Anya chatting with her dad and Mia discussing photo samples with a photographer. Once they finished, both put down their phones.

Mia told Anya, "Warn Leo for me tonight. If he makes my son cry again, he'll answer to me. Also, remind him. He'll have a son one day! He should think about his future son. I won't be lenient just because of you."

Anya puffed her cheeks, "Okay." She too thought Chad was overdoing it; how could he make such a cute baby cry?

Then she asked, "Aunt Mia, what did you mean by the last part?"

Mia simply said, "Leo will understand."

Confused, Anya returned to her classes.

That afternoon, Leo picked up Anya in a taxi. Once inside, Anya directed the driver, "To the car exhibition center, please."

Leo frowned, "Why there?"

Anya giggled, "I'm buying a car."

"You don't even have a license, and you're buying a car? It'll end up being me driving it anyway." After saying that, Leo fell silent, turning to Anya with a smile. He swallowed hard, "Don't buy me a car." Anya pouted, "It's for me, in my name. But you'll have to drive it for me."

Knowing Leo wouldn't accept a car as a gift, she concocted a reason to have it in her name, secretly asking her dad for a few million to go pick up a car.

Leo tapped the driver's seat. "We're not going to the car exhibition center..."

"Yes, we are, Leo. I want a car."

"You'll have one when I buy it for you," Leo said, raising his voice slightly, then corrected the route with the driver.

Anya frowned, knowing how inconvenient daily commutes were without a car. But that car was clearly a punishment from his uncle for Leo.

Seeing Anya wanting to buy him a car, Leo felt a mix of emotions. As a man, he couldn't let a woman, especially not his girlfriend, take care of him financially.

"I'm telling you, no amount of sweet talk will work on me," Leo warned Anya ahead.

The driver, having listened for a while, chimed in, "Young man, your girlfriend is just trying to be considerate. She hates to see you struggling with cabs every day."

Leo didn't correct the driver's assumption, simply replying, "What kind of man would I be if I let my woman buy me a car?"

The driver conceded, "You've got a point. But you gotta understand how she feels about you."

Turning to Anya, their eyes met. She hadn't said a word, but her longing and care were evident, making Leo finally understand. He took the textbooks from Anya's lap and gently held her wrist. "Alright, no need to be upset. I'll earn what I want." Later, Anya decided against buying the car, following Leo's advice. In the car, she relayed Mia's words to Leo verbatim.

"Leo, do you know what she meant by the last part? Aunt Mia said you would."

Leo's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed, silent for a moment before replying, "I... don't know."

The chatty driver quickly offered, "I do."

Both passengers turned to the driver, one curious, the other annoyed.

"Your aunt means that your boyfriend's future kids are also your kids. She won't be lenient if someone bullies your child, not even for your sake."

Anya had an epiphany, her mouth agape as she turned to Leo. But Leo remained calm, as if he'd known all along. "We're not boyfriend and girlfriend."

Surprised, the driver glanced at them through the rearview mirror, "Oh? Not a couple?"

Anya, her cheeks flushed, whispered, "No."

Embarrassed by the mix-up, the driver stayed silent for the rest of the journey.

Back at the Cedillo household, Leo handed Anya her books before retreating to his room.

Molly had returned home and immediately spotted the eye-catching pink car in the yard, laughing, "Dad, Naomi, whose fabulous pink car is that? Ahaha, it's adorable! Whose great taste?"

Learning it was Leo's, part of Andre's discipline, Molly was both impressed and relentless in her teasing. She knocked on Leo's door, "Leo, let your aunt take a spin in your fabulous pink car, will you?" "Get lost."

"Aww, come on, my dear nephew, how about driving your aunt to her wedding in your pink chariot? Be my chauffeur for the day."

"Have you lost your mind?"

"Seriously, the pink car suits you so well, it's quite the match."

Eventually, Leo, frustrated, opened the door to confront his already married cousin, "Molly, where's your husband?"

"Downstairs," she replied, as Chad often accompanied her on visits home.

Chad, leaning on the banister downstairs, yelled up, "Hey, Chad! Time to take your wife off my hands."

"Call me what, uncle?" Molly looked at her downtrodden nephew with a mix of exasperation and amusement.

Leo, trying to maintain his cool, shot back, "Uncle my foot."

Without missing a beat, Molly landed a punch on Leo's back, who took it without a word, though clearly not pleased.

Downstairs, Chad and Hansen Cedillo were deep in conversation about wedding arrangements. "Dad, Molly isn't exactly up to speed on how many kids we have in the family. How many gift envelopes should I prepare for the kids on the wedding day?" Hearing the commotion upstairs, Hansen pointed upwards and said with a sigh, "Chad, would you mind checking if your sister is bullying Leo again?"

The scene is a blend of familial chaos and preparations for a joyous occasion, with the cultural nuances gently westernized. The playful banter and slight tension among family members are universal, easily relatable across cultures.