Chad: "Let's just drop it."
At breakfast, the Byrne family stared at the empty chair. Every gaze landed squarely on Chad. With a sigh of resignation, Chad set down his fork, stood up, and made his way to what used to be his old bedroom, now transformed into the marital suite.
A mere three minutes later, Jade's heart-wrenching sobs echoed downstairs. Coleen, with a nod of satisfaction, remarked, "Alright, let's dig in. She's started crying."
Five minutes later, Molly stormed into the dining room, visibly upset. She dragged her chair to wedge herself between her parents, pointedly avoiding sitting next to Chad. Officer Chad merely cast her a calm glance before continuing his meal.
The misunderstanding cleared up, and the next day at the station, Annie was already waiting for Chad at the entrance. Seeing him, she rushed over, urgency overriding any desire for discretion. "Chad, did you clear things up with Molly? If not, she's set on divorcing you!"
Chad blinked in confusion, "Divorce?"
Annie smacked her forehead. "She came to divorce you yesterday."
Officer Chad: "..."
Somehow, the grapevine twisted Molly's intent to simply talk into her wanting a divorce. By midday, Chad was at her office, confronting her with, "I heard you want to divorce me?"
Molly looked baffled, "What?" She paused, then demanded, "Who told you that?"
Chad replied, "Whoever you told, passed it on to me."
"...It must've been Mia!" Jade spilled the beans immediately.
Officer Chad glanced down at his wife, while Molly felt a sting of betrayal from her sister. She quickly dialed Andre, "Andre, your wife wants separate beds. She’s also been gossiping about your childhood playmate, saying your first love wasn’t her, just trying to cause trouble."
At that moment, Andre was multitasking, cradling a baby in one arm and answering the phone with the other, his arm looped by a small hand, and his sweet wife by his side. He gave little Mia a sidelong look.
Little Mia, confused, gazed up at her husband, blinking innocently, "Honey, what's up?"
"Got it," Andre replied coolly to the tattling sister over the phone. His steely gaze never left his wife's face, while Mia remained clueless about the unfolding drama.
Henry, too, glanced between his parents, yawning before nestling into his father’s shoulder for a nap.
In Havenbrook, Molly exhaled a breath of relief, but before she could savor it, Officer Chad broke the news, "It wasn’t Mia who said it."
Silence descended in the car. Molly’s phone felt like a hot potato in her hand. "Why didn’t you tell me sooner?"
"I didn’t expect you to tell Mia too."
"Didn’t you know us sisters often vent about you guys?"
Silence reigned once more in the car.
That afternoon, apart from receiving a bewildering apology call from her sister, Mia shrugged it off and went on with her vacation. But by evening, the tables turned.
"I’ve been easy on you because of your arm injury, but tonight, we’re catching up."
Henry had already been sent away by his father, sparing no mercy. Mia knew there was always a catch to her husband’s daytime pampering.
"Mia, we don’t have neighbors, no childhood sweetheart next door, no playing house. I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed."
Hearing the familiar words and recalling Molly’s apology call from the afternoon, she gritted her teeth, "Molly!"
Consequently, Officer Chad also received a complaint from Mia.
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