Chapter 216


    The lights of the Cedillo household were on; the whole family was in high spirits. On Jade’s first night


    back to the Cedillo family, Naomi nned to keep herpany. She said to her husband, “It’s Molly’s


    first day back, she might need some time to adjust. I wanna go hang out with her, chat about what’s


    been going on these years.”


    As she approached Jade’s room, she knocked, “Molly, can Ie in?”


    Jade responded, “Sure, Naomi.”


    Leo muttered under his breath, “You didn’t show this much courtesy when you entered my room.”


    Naomi pushed the door open, “Mia, Leo, what are you guys doing here?”


    Mia and Leo were both in their pajamas, sitting on the bed with Jade. Leo was perched on a stool. “We


    were worried Jade might find it hard to adjust, so we decided to keep herpany.” Mia exined.


    Seeing them, Naomi knew she was no longer needed. “Since you guys are here, I’ll head back. I just


    came to check on Molly.”


    She pointed at her son, “You, get out and go to bed.”


    Leo said, “Mom, I need time to take all this in too.”


    Naomi didn’t get it, why did her son need time to take it all in?


    Leo looked at who he’d been calling Jade for nearly a decade, now his actual aunt. The shock was


    nothing short of when he knew Mia married Andre. What pissed him off was that they kept calling him


    nephew.


    Jade said, “I thought you were my friend. Turns out, you’re my nephew.”


    Leo was speechless. So, he needed time to digest.


    Mia told Naomi to leave, as Leo still had his uses. He needed to fill Jade in on what had happened in


    the Cedillo family over the years.


    Naomi nodded and took her leave.


    Back in the bedroom, Bruce asked, “Why are you back?”


    “Mia and Leo are with Molly, my being there would only make them ufortable. Better let them have


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    some alone time.” Naomi said.


    That night, Leo told Jade everything he remembered about after Molly left.


    Mia told Jade, “Andre went through a lot to find you. Hisst business trip was actually trying to find


    you.”


    Leo chimed in, “Andre sacrificed his marriage to find you.”


    “What?” Mia turned to Leo, “Exin. How did he sacrifice his marriage?”


    Leo was surprised, “Didn’t Andre tell you?” He was unsure, worried he might get scolded by Andre for


    revealing too much.


    Mia said, “Spill it, what happened to his marriage?”


    Jade also wanted to know, “Why did he do it for me?”


    Leo hesitated, swallowed hard. Pressed by the two of them, he had no choice but to tell the truth, “My


    grandpa used your information as leverage to force Andre to marry. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t give Andre


    the info. Before marrying Mia, the only one who could stir any feelings in Andre was Molly. So, they got


    married.”


    “Mia, so it’s because of me that you two ended up together?” Jade said with self-derision.


    Mia responded, “I can’t believe you just said that. I was once so jealous of you. If my husband hadn’t


    told me in time that ‘Molly’ was his lost sister. I, with my fiery temper, would have torn him apart if I’d


    mistaken him for having an ex.”


    Jade responded, “Good thing Andre rified things with you.”


    Suddenly, the room fell silent. Mia looked at her two friends, her eyes filled with excitement.


    “Have you guys realized something?” The excitement was apparent in her eyes.


    Jade and Leo asked simultaneously, “What?”


    Mia said triumphantly, “I’m your elder!”


    Mia realized how wonderful it was to be married to Andre! Because of him, her status had elevated two


    levels.


    “I should go kiss my husband.” Mia said.


    Jade replied, “Are you sure you’lle back here tonight after kissing your husband?”


    The married one suddenly got the unmarried friend’s meaning. They looked at each other, then Mia


    said, “Jade, we worry about whether your future husband can handle you.”


    Innocent Leo said, “Two female hooligans, I’m out.”


    Left alone, Jade and Mia stopped joking around. Jadey on the bed, staring at the ceiling in a daze,


    “Mia, if I choose to be Molly, would I be unfair to my parents?”


    Hearing this, Mia understood her worries. She was willing to be Molly, but was worried that the parents


    of the Byrne family, who had raised her for fifteen years, would think she was ungrateful. They had


    brought her up for 15 years and seeing her real parents, she just went and recognized them.


    Mia said, “If it were me, I’d be worried too that the parents who’d raised me for fifteen years would be


    heartbroken. I’d also worry that having received the love from the Cedillo family, the affection from the


    Byrne family would gradually fade away. But, Jade, as an outsider, I don’t think the people of the Byrne


    family would think this way. They love you. Tonight, they didn’t want you to be sad and willingly let you


    return to the Cedillo family. That shows how much they treasure you. Yesterday, Coleen knelt in front of


    my husband, willing to give up everything for you. That moment, I was moved. You guys aren’t even


    blood-rted, yet she’s willing to give up everything for you. And your dad and brother, they’ve


    privately seen my husband many times, repeatedly asking him to give you time, not to rush and snatch


    you away. They all love you. Parental love is selfless, and they just want you to be happy. Even if you


    be Molly, to them, you’ll always be their daughter.”


    Mia continued, “You’re not the ungrateful type. When you knew you were Molly, you couldn’t ept it


    and started to run away. You knew the Cedillo family held great power in Eldoria. I was forced into


    marriage and dared not refuse, but you didn’t care. You weren’t attracted by the power, and you chose


    to reject. Your love for them is off the charts, and they can feel it too, so you don''t need to sweat about


    stuff you''re imagining."


    Jade took a deep breath, "Has this year been a total dumpster fire for us or what?"


    One forced into marriage, the other''s identity exposed.


    Mia said, "I don''t think it''s all bad. Look at me, been single till now, if I had to find love myself, I''d


    probably be waiting till my next life. But then, I got hitched and found a great hubby, even got to


    experience love. It''s like hitting two birds with one stone." Of course, there might be a few bumps in the


    bed at night. She added, “And you, suddenly have this big family, there''s some luck in that. And don''t


    you think, being Leo''s aunt is kinda cool?"


    "Don''t you feel sorry for him?" Jade asked her friend.


    Mia shook her head, "I think as his aunt, bossing him around at home could be fun."


    "Won''t his other family members get mad at you for doing this?" Jade asked.


    Mia shook her head again, "You probably don''t know Leo''s standing in the family. Live here for a day,


    just one day, and you''ll get why he''s always itching to move out."