Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance

Andre couldn't stand the idea of someone else taking Mia out. What if she actually got hurt? He just couldn't trust anyone else in the ring with her-if he didn't step up himself, he'd never feel at ease.

But Mia had been waiting years for this. She wanted a real fight, to finally let loose. If he knocked her out in the first round, how would that be any fun for her?noveldrama

"She's here for this-let Mia have her moment, let her enjoy it and go wild," he decided.

So Andre found someone else for Mia to face in the first round. He'd wait until she got her fill before stepping into the ring himself.

Noah hadn't seen this coming. "Sir, I thought you'd want to keep Mrs. Carter out of the fight completely, keep her away from any risk," he said, surprised.

Andre glanced at his wife's tense little face, his own emotions mixed. "I want to keep her safe, lock her away in the world I built for her. But if I do, I'm afraid that spark in her eyes will go out. I can't let her live with regret."

He was more scared of Mia losing her joy than of anything else. Guess his own heart would just have to toughen up, one more time.

"Well, if she gets taken out in the first round, you won't even have to fight," Noah offered.

Andre shook his head. "That's not likely. She's got skill-they can't outsmart her. The only real threat is 'the Elephant.' Against sheer strength, Mia's brains won't be enough."

Noah nodded. Family always knows best.

"Eleven minutes, fifty-two seconds. 'Elephant' wins," Noah read from the scoreboard.

Andre leaned back in his chair. "If Mia makes it to the end, she'll have to face him."

Noah understood exactly what his boss was worried about.

Then, another name lit up on the screen. Molly, who'd been buzzing with excitement before, suddenly fell silent. She grabbed Mia's arm and said, "Mia, remember-health first, competition second. We're both moms now, haven't thrown a punch in years. Whether we make it to the next round or not, it doesn't matter. We've got families, and kids waiting at home."

"No matter how much our little monsters drive us nuts, they're still our babies. Can you imagine Henry's face if he saw you with a black eye? He'd be heartbroken."

"And think about Andre. If anything happened to you, he'd probably burn this place to the ground. Your safety

isn'tust yours-it's about your

family, about the whole Silent Ring."

"Your dad, too. He's not getting any younger. Don't give him more to worry about."

"And Leo-if something happened to you, who would step in to keep Andre from losing it when he gets mad at him?"

"Your parents adore you. Cooper,

might tease, but no one loves you more. Big sis Naomi isn't young

anymore, either. We might be stubborn, but let's not give them any more to worry about."

"And hey, I count too! You're my one and only best friend, my sister-in-law and my soul sister. If anything happened to you, ten lives wouldn't be enough to pay it back."

Mia stopped and looked at her friend. "So, what are you actually saying?"

Jade swallowed. "If it's not going your way-just surrender, okay? I'm literally betting my life on you." She patted Mia's shoulder, dead serious.

Even Molly, who could be clueless at times, knew: if anything happened to Mia, she'd catch it from the whole family.

Mia stepped forward, facing her opponent across the ring. The room was buzzing with anticipation.

People who'd been sitting before were now on their feet, eager to watch.

Mia glanced around, took the bandages Molly handed her, and wrapped them around her fists-ready for the fight.