Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance

The man spoke up again, "Right now, our number one priority is keeping ourselves safe. The last person who tried breaking into the Dark Web hasn't been seen since. Doesn't that make your skin crawl?"

"Have you tried feeling out Andre's nephew?" asked the guy sitting at the head of the table.

Someone beside him nodded. "Swear to God, both Kon and Greg already checked. Nothing out of the ordinary."

On the Dark Web, the closer you sat to the front, the more power you had. And the guy in the very front? He was the founder himself.

"Maja's the one we need to find. We've put too much on the line here—she has to tell us where that shipment is."

No matter how much intel they had, the Dark Web could never really go toe-to-toe with an old-money dynasty. Maja's shipment? The Dark Web would do whatever it took to get it.

The next morning, sunlight slipped in through the blinds.

A new year. A new day.

Maja woke up curled in a corner, stiff from another night hiding out. She stretched, checked that everything was clear, and slipped away, moving quickly and quietly.

Newtown.

Maja watched as Conner talked wedding plans with her parents. She sucked on a lollipop and rolled her eyes. "Conner, don't make it so complicated. Just keep it simple, please."

"No way. I'm Mr. Nettleton, and I'm only getting married once. It's going to be the event of the year," he grinned.

Annie sighed, twirling her lollipop, her eyes drifting toward the phone, half- distracted.noveldrama

Finally, on the third night of the new year, the house phone rang in the middle of the night.

"Who's calling this late?" Louisa grumbled.

Annie launched herself at the phone. "Hello?"

There was a pause on the other end. "Happy New Year."

Annie's grip tightened on the cord. "Sis, you can't kill Conner."

Maja's voice was tense. She didn't have time for small talk. "Annie, keep Mom and Dad safe. Get cameras up around the house, keep your eyes open. If you think someone's following you, don't take chances. And-take care of what I gave you, okay? Promise me. I-"

"I said you can't kill Conner," Annie cut in, not budging.

"...That's not happening," Maja replied, stubborn as ever.

"I'm pregnant," Annie blurted out.

There was dead silence.

"With Conner's baby," she added.

The line went dead.

Annie set the phone down, finally having gotten the words out. She knew her sister had heard.

Maja slipped her phone away and disappeared into the night again.

"Annie, was that your sister?" Louisa asked.

Annie nodded. "I told her I'm pregnant."

Louisa's eyes widened in shock. "You-what did you say?!"

Worried her parents might let something slip while she was away, Maja had told them the same thing: "I'm pregnant."

Later that evening, Conner came home. "Annie, look what I brought you! You know Harry-can't sit still even during the holidays. Hardly any business, but he still took the food truck out. I got you some of his famous wontons. Sauce is in a separate bag."

Seeing Annie's strange expression, Conner handed the food to the Martin family's housekeeper and pulled Annie's hands into his. "What's wrong? Who made my girl unhappy?"

"My sister called."

...

On a private island, the sea stretched out forever under a wide blue sky.

A few seagulls drifted overhead. The four families had come together, beers nestled in the sand. Whatever Cooper had said that night, no one knew he'd really blacked out or was just playing it off. The next day, everyone acted like nothing had happened at all.