"No, no, you've misheard," Harvey quickly denied, knowing the if he were to piss Nicole off trying to be playful, he would be digging his own grave."Miss Riddle, we should board the flight now." Kelly, who was keeping watch of the time, reminded Nicole."Let's go." The trio then made their way to the entrance.Jared sent a text message to Nicole but got no reply, so he figured that Nicole was already on the plane. 'I would've sent her off if grandpa isn't in the hospital.'Now, all Jared could do was think about how much he missed her in his office.On the plane, Nicole proceeded to put on her headphones to watch a movie, as she had nothing better to do. She had chosen to spend her time on a comedy film.Harvey, who was sitting next to Nicole, took a glance at the movie that she was watching. "I've watched this before. Something funny is going to happen. Wait for it."Nicole rolled her eyes at him and continued watching."Something is going to appear... Right here! Hahaha...!"
"If everyone shared your pragmatic approach, there wouldn't be any problems." Ike waved, still feeling defeated.Harvey and Kelly did not really understand what they were saying, so they did not know how to join the conversation. They just maintained their silence, with the atmosphere in the car gradually becoming quieter with each passing second.Then, after the car had pulled up in front of the hotel, Ike took a look and said, "I think this is your hotel.""Thanks for picking us up from the airport. We'll be heading up now, so I'll be seeing you at the lab tomorrow," Nicole thanked Ike."Don't mention it. Go and catch some rest. I'll see you tomorrow." Ike smiled at them, got into the car, and left."Let's head inside." Nicole looked at Harvey and walked into the hotel.A porter went over to them and helped them with their luggage as Nicole walked up to the concierge and presented them her ID. Then, a staff guided them to the room that they had booked."Miss Riddle, this is yo
Harvey hesitated as he thought, 'Nicole would definitely be suspicious if I return to her too soon, right?'Thus, he walked in."Do you want anything to drink?" Kelly asked."It's okay, I'm just looking around," Harvey replied."What are you going to do after you're done?" Harvey asked."Eh, I'll probably meet up with Miss Riddle." Kelly sat next to Harvey and looked at him. "I wonder if she has anything for me to do."When he heard that she was going to look for Nicole, his plan was ruined. All he could do now was invite Kelly."Well, I've heard that there's an entertainment lounge upstairs. Would you like to check it out together?" Harvey looked into her eyes and asked.Kelly was suddenly flustered as she thought, 'Is Harvey asking me out?'Harvey seemed to know what she was thinking, and so, he quickly added, "Nicole and I are planning to head over there later. So, I came over to ask you if you'd like to join us."He breathed a sigh of relief as he waited for her answer.
Nicole halted in her tracks and kept mum. The call went silent, and after some time, Jared said, "Well, you're safe now and that's all that matters. Take care."Then, he hung up. Nicole placed her phone down slowly and stood still as she had suddenly lost her interest in the entertainment facilities.After a while, Harvey realized that she was no longer following them, prompting him to turn around and say, "Why are you standing there? Let's go!"Nicole looked at him. "I suddenly remembered that I have something I need to do. You should go ahead, I'll catch up with you later."Without waiting for Harvey to respond, Nicole left the area, leaving him stupefied as he watched her leave. 'She became an entirely different person after she answered the call? Did something happen?'"Kelly, has anything happened before you came here with Nicole?" Harvey looked at Kelly and asked.Kelly thought about it as she furrowed her brows, before responding, "No, I don't think anything happened today
"Nicole?" Jared shook his phone. "Is the call dropping?"Nicole laughed at him. "No, Kelly is here with us too."'He probably won't be sleeping tonight if I don't tell him about this,' she thought."Who's Kelly?" Jared asked, confused as he did not seem to know that person."My new assistant. That lady who used to be Chloe's assistant in the studio," Nicole explained."Oh." Jared uttered, and ceased worrying as he began to recall who that was."Has Miss Fisher seen you today?" Nicole asked, bringing Fiorella up as a topic of conversation on purpose."No, why did you suddenly think of her?" Jared looked at Nicole with his brows raised."If you can ask me about Harvey, why can't I ask you about Fiorella?" Nicole retorted, upset."Of course you can, you can ask me about anybody." Jared knew what Nicole was trying to say, so he quickly relented.She knew that Jared was giving her a half-hearted response, so she rolled her eyes. "Do you have anything else to say? If not, I'll hang
"Nah, I'll teach you the trick," Nicole said.Harvey watched as they played, but he was only standing there as an observer.All of a sudden, Nicole looked at him. "Do you want to give it a go?""Me?" Harvey looked at Nicole, surprised as he had never tried his hands on a claw machine before."Sure, but I've never done this before," he said."It's easy. I'll teach both of you," Nicole said, after which she demonstrated the steps to the both of them again."You got it now?" Nicole looked at them."Yeah, I'll give it a try," Harvey said, excited to give it a go.He looked at the plushies in the machine and had no idea as to which one to get.Then, he turned to Nicole and asked, "Which one do you think looks good?"Nicole took a good look at the contents of the machine and said, "That round and white polar bear. That one is really cute.""Alright, I'll get that one," he said.Harvey, upon confirming that Nicole liked the polar bear, proceeded to make that particular plushie his
"That was close. Let's give it another shot.""Ah...""Let me do it," Harvey interrupted, wishing to get the toy himself, as she could not wait any longer."You want to give it a go?" Nicole looked at Harvey with a brow raised."Yeah, I was observing Kelly's strategy, and I'm quite certain I'll be able to get it right this time round," he said. 'Even if I can't get it right in one go, I'm sure a few more tries will do the trick.'"Harvey will definitely get it this time round." Kelly said, cheering him on by his side.Harvey held onto the joystick with great confidence and maneuvered the hook towards the polar bear. With all of the tricks he had learned from his observation, he tapped the button right when he should. As expected, he managed to grab the bear.Harvey clenched his fist as excitement flooded him. This time round, the bear was positioned close to the funnel, and so, the moment he got it, the bear went right through the hole, allowing them to claim it from the dispens
"Both of these designs are unique in their own ways, but I think the first design is better," a middle-aged man said, voicing his opinions to everyone within earshot."I share his view," another man said. "The first design is better suited for the current market. Besides, it is also simpler. In terms of difficulty when it comes to production, the first design would be relatively easier to produce and manufacture."Yeah, that makes sense," echoed those who agreed."I don't think so," another one of the men argued. "Although the first design is much better suited for the current market, I wouldn't say it matches entirely. We have to bear in mind that our product might not be introduced to the market anytime soon. So, if we are making an assessment based on the data we currently have, it wouldn't be ideal at all.""In that case, what do you suggest we refer to? Data from the future?" one of them replied sarcastically.The room burst into laughter."We shouldn't be dismissing that as
"Let's go, it's time to head down. The ceremony will start soon."The group laughed and talked as they left the bridal suite. Jared and his friends, Spencer and Preston, were also guided out by everyone.Now, only the family of four remained in the bridal suite, getting ready for their big entrance."Mommy, it's almost time. Let's get ready," Nolan said, pulling on Nicole's hand.Nicole gently patted Nolan and Lana's cheeks, whispering, "Okay."As she made to stand, Jared extended his hand toward her. Lifting her gaze, she caught Jared in a moment of elegance, his charm unmistakable. A smile bloomed on her face as she placed her hand in his.With a gentle tug, Jared drew her up, his touch tender against her palm.In a swift move, he pulled Nicole into his arms, his other hand circling her waist to pull her close.As Jared looked at Nicole, admiration shimmered in his eyes. "You look truly beautiful today," he remarked."Daddy, Mommy is beautiful every day," Lana chimed in, til
Nicole laughed off the debate between Lulu and June, saying, "Both are lovely. I'm happy with either."Both sets of jewelry were beautiful, and she felt that either would do."Exactly. Nicole will shine in anything," Cindy said, picking a set. "Let's go with this one."Lulu gave June a victorious look. "Told you this was the one."Cindy then suggested, "Why not wear this for the ceremony and switch for the reception? That way, we use both.""Great idea," June agreed, smiling at Cindy's suggestion.Nicole smiled. "Sounds perfect."With everyone agreeing, the stylist went ahead with preparing Nicole.Lulu watched Nicole, amazed by how calm she seemed. "Aren't you a bit nervous?" she asked. Lulu remembered her own wedding jitters.Nicole bit her lip, a hint of nerves showing. "I'm more excited than anything," she admitted.She had been looking forward to this day, ready to face the future with Jared with hope and joy."Just finished," the stylist announced, stepping back to adm
"Do you think I don't want to meet someone? I just haven't found the right person," Gary said somewhat resignedly. He had long regarded Nicole as just a friend."Why don't we just try the dates our families set up?" Ryder suggested, calm and collected. He figured since finding someone on his own wasn't working, maybe arranged dates could help. In their circles, it seemed like good matches were meant to be."Arranged dates don't sound great. You hardly know the person. Are we really okay with deciding to spend our lives together like that?" Preston wasn't too keen on the idea."Emery's doing pretty well with it, you know," Ryder said confidently. "I trust our families. They wouldn't set us up with someone terrible. They've probably made sure we'd be a good match."Gary thought it over. "You might be right. Our families aren't just trying to make deals; they want us to be happy."As Gary and Ryder seemed more into the idea, Preston was still unsure. "You guys are serious?""Why not
Jared held Nicole close and looked at her. "After we get married, we'll move to the estate," he said.Their future home would be just theirs.He thought it was good for Nicole to spend more time with her family since she hadn't been with them for five years. But they knew they would move to the estate later."Okay," Nicole said, nodding. She was happy Jared made the estate close to her family, so she was okay with moving.Jared gently touched her hair and kissed her...****Time flew, and soon it was Nicole and Jared's wedding day.From the morning, San Joto was alive with excitement. Everyone was talking about Jared and Nicole's wedding.Politicians, business leaders, close friends, and business partners all came to wish the couple well.The Riddles were busy welcoming the guests, making everything look amazing."Patricia, hurry up, Charlie's here," Ellar called out as he spotted Charlie. He quickly got Patricia to come and greet him. Max, hearing the fuss, came over too.C
"You really need to rest. You shouldn't work for the next few days. Stay home and rest. A bride has to look her best," Gloria said, looking at Nicole and making the decision for her."Bride!" Nicole was surprised because she hadn't talked about any wedding yet."Yes, now that everything is settled, it's time for your wedding with Jared," Gloria said, deciding firmly. She used to think it was best for the kids to decide for themselves, but after several delays, she felt waiting longer made no sense. The wedding should happen soon."I was thinking that too," Jared said. They had planned the wedding after solving the Everett problem, but then they found out Lawrence had hurt Nicole in the past, causing more delays. Now, with everything sorted out, they saw no reason to wait. The wedding was the next big step.Nicole looked at Jared and, with a smile, agreed, "Okay." Their wedding had been waiting for five years; it was time, with no need to wait any longer."That's so cool, I'm the f
Patricia felt a mix of reluctance and happiness as she prepared to part ways with Charlie.Jared glanced at Charlie and said, "It's about time for us to board." He tenderly held Nicole's hand and led her toward the boarding gate."I need to go through the boarding procedures too," Patricia said, biting her lip. "You must find happiness as well.""I will," Charlie assured her with a gentle smile, giving her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "You've grown up, too. You don't need to cling to me anymore. I believe Ellar will take great care of you."Patricia nodded, then, leaning closer to Charlie, she whispered, 'When Mr. Johnston and Ms. Riddle get married, make sure you bring my future sister-in-law back with you.' Caught off guard, Charlie playfully scolded her, "You little rascal."Doretta, standing not too far away, overheard Patricia's whispered words. Her cheeks turned even redder."Let's go," Patricia announced, then turned to Doretta, adding, "We'll meet again.""Goodbye,
Lying in bed with Nicole cradled in his arms, Jared whispered gently, "Sleep for a bit.""Mhm." Finally feeling at peace, Nicole smiled slightly, and she quickly fell asleep.As Jared listened to her soft breathing, his eyes softened with affection, and he too closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.The next morning, as the group got ready to head back to San Joto, Zane and Doretta came to say goodbye."I still have things to finish here, but I promise to be at your wedding," Zane said with a big smile."And I'll be there to wish you well, Nicole," Doretta added.Saying goodbye is always hard, but everyone knew they had their own journeys to continue."Great, we'll see you in San Joto," Nicole said with a bright smile."It's time to go," Zane said, knowing they couldn't wait any longer without risking missing their plane."I've got the paperwork," Patricia said, ready to help with the travel documents for Jared and Nicole. Then, looking at Charlie, she asked, "Need help with
Nicole was quiet, thinking about everything. 'If I hadn't remembered everything, maybe Lawrence and I could have stayed friends. But after finding out about the airport, it's impossible...'Not only had she regained her memory, but she had also learned about the airport incident. Lawrence had gone to great lengths to prevent her from returning to San Joto."Thanks for saving me before, but you also hurt me. We're even now," Nicole said calmly, looking at Lawrence like he was someone she didn't know anymore.Jared squeezed Nicole's hand gently. "Let's go."They decided to leave the rest to Zane and head back."Wait." Lawrence's voice stopped Nicole. He sounded almost like he was begging. "Please, don't tell Nolan about this."Nicole paused, then said, "I won't tell him. Not for you, but because I don't want Nolan to see how bad people can be."With that, Nicole walked away with Jared.Lawrence sat down, watching her leave, with mixed feelings."Let's go too," Patricia said to C
"Your robots don't work anymore," a voice said, sounding very pleased. Then, a person came out from behind the crowd, looking pretty proud of himself."Carl!" Nicole was shocked to see him. 'It's Carl!'"It's been a while." Carl smiled and waved at Nicole.Carl had come as soon as Zane told him about the problem. He couldn't just do nothing when Nicole needed help.He didn't expect them to act so soon, which is why he was a little late. But he was still in time to help. Carl was surprised by Lawrence's robots at first, but luckily, the weapons he brought, which he had been working on for years, stopped the robots. This was a big help to everyone."We really need to thank Carl; we would have been in big trouble without him," Zane said, feeling relieved.Zane had asked Carl for help, hoping it would make them more likely to win, but Carl ended up being very important."Thank you," Nicole said with a warm smile. It was nice to see an old friend again."No need to thank me. I'm jus