Mia pulled Ashley closer as they stepped into her family home. The faint sound of laughter echoed through the halls, and one of the housekeepers stood ahead of them, bowing politely.

"Ms. Mia," the housekeeper greeted, "they're in the dining room waiting for you."

Mia nodded, offering a quick smile. "Thanks!" she said, tugging Ashley gently as they followed the housekeeper.

"Hello, everyone!" Mia called out cheerfully as they entered the dining area.

Ashley blinked, taking in the sight of four people seated around the table. She leaned down, whispering near Mia's ear, "Wait... who are your parents?"

Mia grinned mischievously. "They are," she said, gesturing toward all four of them.

Ashley frowned in confusion. "Huh? How's that—"

Before she could finish, the four adults jumped up, their voices overlapping.

"There's our little princess!" they chorused, swarming Mia in a whirlwind of hugs and playful kisses on her forehead.

"Guys!" Mia protested, her voice muffled as one woman cupped her cheeks. "Wait a second!" She raised her hands to stop them.

The group paused, noticing Ashley standing awkwardly to the side.

"Oh, you brought a guest," one woman said, tilting her head curiously as she looked between Mia and Ashley.

"You didn't tell us you were bringing someone over," another chimed in.

Mia sighed, taking a step back to pull Ashley closer. "Okay, everyone. Don't freak out," she said, raising a hand in a calming gesture.

"Why would we freak out—"

"Mom, Dad, Ma, Pa," Mia began, glancing at each of them in turn. "This is Ashley. My girlfriend."

The two men, who had just taken sips of their drinks, promptly spat them out, spraying each other in the process.

"Your what?!" the four exclaimed in unison, their eyes wide in disbelief.

Mia rolled her eyes, smacking her forehead. "I literally just told you not to freak out!" she groaned. "This is Ashley. My girlfriend," she repeated, her cheeks flushing.

"Wait a second." The blonde woman raised a hand, frowning. "Girlfriend? As in girlfriend-in-bed-and-everywhere girlfriend?"

"Mom!" Mia hissed, stomping her foot.

The brunette woman chimed in, crossing her arms. "Didn't you always say you were straight? And now you bring home a girlfriend?"

"Ma!" Mia groaned, burying her face in her hands.

The two men started to speak, but Mia cut them off with a sharp glare. "Nope! Don't even start, Dad. Pa!"

Both men mimed zipping their lips, nodding in exaggerated silence.

Mia let out a long sigh before addressing the room. "Look, I know this is a shock. Surprise! I'm not straight anymore," she said, laughing awkwardly.

Ashley stood frozen, clearly overwhelmed by the chaotic energy in the room.

"Right," Mia muttered, turning to Ashley. "I didn't tell you about my unique family setup, did I?"

Ashley shook her head slowly. "Nope," she mumbled, still processing.

Mia laughed nervously and began gesturing to each person. "Alright. This blonde woman right here," she said, pointing to the first woman, "is my biological mother, Lauren Carter. She's a model and actress."

She turned to the brunette. "And this is my mom's partner, Rachel Hayes. I call her 'Ma.' She's a pilot."

Mia then motioned toward the men. "Now, these two," she said, squinting at them, "are always acting like lovestruck teenagers. Can you please tone it down in front of my girlfriend?"

"Unfair!" one of the men exclaimed, pouting. "You gave them introductions, but not us!"

"Fine," Mia said, chuckling. "This one here," she pointed at him, "is my biological father, Quang Tran. Or Lucian, if you prefer his English name. He's a businessman."

She gestured to the other man. "And this is his partner, David Turner. He's also a businessman. I call him 'Pa.'"

Mia turned back to Ashley with a grin. "Got all that?"

Ashley blinked at her, wide-eyed. "Wow. I didn't know you had this kind of family setup," she mumbled, completely caught off guard.

Lauren tilted her head, smiling warmly. "Come here," she said, pulling Ashley toward her and Rachel. "We need to talk."

"Mom! Ma!" Mia protested as her fathers pulled her in the opposite direction.

"And we'll take the interview with Mia," Quang declared, slinging an arm around Mia's shoulder.

"Dad! Pa!" Mia groaned, struggling to escape their grasp. "You're all unbelievable!"

The room burst into laughter as Mia glared at her parents, while Ashley was whisked away into what she could only imagine would be a very thorough interrogation.



Ashley took a nervous gulp of her drink as the two women sat across from her, their eyes focused on her as they leaned forward. She cleared her throat and straightened her posture.

Mia's biological mother, Lauren, clasped her hands, smiling warmly. "Dear, you can relax. We can see how tense you are," she said with a soft laugh. "So, you're Mia's girlfriend?" she asked, her voice gentle.

Ashley nodded, nervously clutching the hem of her jacket. "Yes, Ma'am," she replied, her voice betraying her anxiety.

Lauren chuckled and shook her head. "We're not going to eat you alive. Come on, relax," she reassured her.

"When did you meet? How? Where?" Rachel, Mia's biological mother's partner, asked, studying Ashley closely.

"Dear, take it one question at a time," Lauren said, gently nudging Rachel.

Ashley cleared her throat, trying to steady her nerves. "I... I met Mia by accident, during a case. A pickpocket bumped into Mia while running away," she explained, tapping her chin as she recalled the details. "She had a wound on her palm that day. I gave her antiseptic wipes and a bandage, then I saw her again at my friend's house—Nyx Pierce's house. I think it was around three or four months ago?" she said, glancing between the two women.

"Wait, you're friends with Nyx?" Lauren asked, raising an eyebrow. "Riley's eldest sister, right?"

Ashley nodded again. "Yes, Ma'am," she confirmed.

"If you're friends with Nyx..." Lauren paused, looking at Rachel, then back to Ashley. "How old are you?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

"I'm ten years older than Mia," Ashley said, her voice slightly trembling. "I'll be turning thirty-seven next month—"

"What?!" The two women exclaimed in unison, their reactions startling Ashley, who instinctively clutched the couch for support.

"W-what's wrong?" Ashley stammered, her heart racing as the two women stood up, their eyes fixed on her.

"Are you sure you're ten years older than Mia?" Rachel asked, narrowing her eyes as she scrutinized Ashley. "I saw Nyx nearly every day back then, and she doesn't look her age either. But you—" Rachel paused, studying Ashley's youthful appearance, "—you look so much younger."

Ashley's face flushed as Rachel cupped her cheeks. "M-Ma'am," she stammered, her nerves amplified by the sudden attention.

Lauren's eyes widened in surprise. "What's your secret? Are you using some miracle skincare or getting plastic surgery?" she asked, letting go of Ashley's face. "You look amazing, really. Right, dear?" she turned to Rachel.

"Absolutely!" Rachel agreed, nodding enthusiastically. "But, really, what do you do for a living?"

Ashley took a deep breath, composing herself. "I'm a private detective, I run my own firm. I also work as a police detective with the cantonal police. I own a coffee shop too—I bake cookies and cakes when I have time. And..." Ashley hesitated, glancing at the two women. "Well, I haven't mentioned this to Mia yet—not because I don't want to, just because I didn't think it was necessary..." She sighed before continuing, "I'm also an heiress to our family company. I was offered the position of president, but I'm not interested in taking it." She rubbed the back of her neck, feeling self-conscious.

Lauren and Rachel exchanged glances before smiling at her. "Dear, you didn't have to tell us that if you're feeling uncomfortable," Lauren said kindly. "Whatever your job is, as long as you make our princess happy, that's all that matters to us."

Rachel nodded in agreement. "Right, we wouldn't want our princess to be treated like trash, like her idiotic ex-husband did. Ugh!" Rachel groaned, visibly irritated. "I hated that Zachary... I had no choice but to accept their relationship because Mia was so head over heels for him."

Ashley looked at Lauren and Rachel, completely taken aback by their frankness.

Lauren and Rachel looked back at her, their expressions softening. "Welcome to the family!" they said in unison, their smiles warm.

"Don't be shy with us. Just call us Mom and Ma, just like Mia does," Rachel added, grinning at Lauren. "See? I told you, Mia isn't straight!" she teased, laughing lightly.

"Right?" Lauren agreed, shaking her head. "She's been reading all those books and insisting she's straight, but we all know better."

Rachel snickered. "Oh, I can smell her from a mile away, trying to wave her little straight flag." She laughed. "But, no matter what Mia's preferences are, we'll always support her."

"Of course, she's our princess!" Lauren declared, giving Ashley a serious look. "I hope you treat our princess well, Ash. That's our only request, nothing else."

Ashley smiled, her heart swelling with warmth as she nodded reassuringly. "You have my word," she said, her voice steady and sincere.

Lauren leaned back with a satisfied smile, exchanging a look with Rachel. "Well, Ashley, you're off to a good start," she said, her tone playful but warm. "You've got quite the résumé. Private detective, baker, and future president if you ever change your mind. Impressive."

Rachel nodded, smirking. "And you're not bad on the eyes either. No wonder Mia's smitten." She winked, making Ashley blush.

Ashley chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of her neck. "I appreciate the compliments, but honestly, I'm just... me. I just want to make Mia happy and be there for her."

Lauren's expression softened. "That's all that matters to us, dear. She deserves someone who will cherish her, especially after what she's been through. If Mia's happy, we're happy."

Rachel raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "But," she said, her tone teasing yet pointed, "if you ever hurt her, well... let's just say I know some people in the aviation industry who can make you disappear."

"Rachel!" Lauren scolded, though she couldn't help but laugh. "Don't scare her like that!"

Ashley laughed nervously but met Rachel's gaze head-on. "I understand," she said sincerely. "You won't have to worry about that. I'll do everything I can to make Mia feel loved and safe."

Rachel studied her for a moment before breaking into a grin. "Good answer," she said, leaning back. "Alright, you're officially part of the family now."

"Welcome to the chaos," Lauren chimed in with a wink. "And don't be afraid to speak up when things get overwhelming. Trust me, it happens."