"What's going on? Did Ike ask you out?" Harvey looked at Nicole with his forehead creased."Yeah, Ike invited me to an exhibition with him," she replied. "Let's go back to the hotel now.""What exhibition, and are you the only one invited?" Harvey's expression darkened. 'Did Ike really ask Nicole out to an exhibition? Doesn't this mean that he's trying to woo her?'"A tech exhibition. He probably invited me alone, since he didn't mention anyone else in the call," Nicole said, holding back the fact that she was surprised too."The only thing Ike thinks about are beautiful women!" Harvey purposely grumbled next to Nicole."Do you want to go as well, Harvey?" Nicole asked and looked at him."So what if I do? No one invited me anyway." Harvey said, his eyes downcast as he glanced over at Nicole.'He's waiting for me to invite him.' Nicole knew what he was thinking, so she smirked and asked, "What if I invited you?""If you invite me, I think I might be able to come with you," Harve
Nicole observed her surroundings carefully. If there was an adversary in the area, she might very well be exposed to their line of sight as well.At that exact moment, Harvey called her. "Nicole, I found Kelly.""Where is she?" Nicole asked sharply."In a restaurant near the movie theatre," Harvey said, sounding relaxed.Nicole was relieved and said, "Stay where you are. I'll come over to you.""Okay, we'll wait for you here." Harvey gave Kelly a look of resignation after he ended the call."Why didn't you answer my call moments ago?" Harvey glared at Kelly, though he was actually concerned.Kelly shrunk as she looked at him. "There are way too many people here, so I didn't hear the ringtone."Harvey shook his head and issued a sigh.It was then that Nicole walked in. She immediately understood what had happened when she saw that Kelly was safe and was holding a bag of snacks. "You went off to buy some snacks?""Yeah, I noticed that you didn't eat much back in the barbeque re
Ike was already waiting outside of his car downstairs, and when Nicole approached him, he opened the door for her like a gentleman would.Nicole smiled and said, "What's with the sudden display of chivalry?"Ike smiled. "Am I not supposed to? Ladies first."Nicole glanced at Ike and got into the car as Ike climbed onto the driver's seat and ignited the engine, whereupon they drove to the technology exhibition.Noticing that Nicole had been silent, he brought his hand up to the stereo to turn the radio on, which was playing Nicole's favorite song. A smile crossed her face. "You have a good taste in music."Ike flashed her a smile of his own upon hearing that. His preparations did not go to waste.Seeing that Nicole was in a good mood, he started a conversation. "What did you do yesterday?"Nicole recalled the feeling she had when she was caught in the spat with Chloe. "Nothing much. I just bumped into a Karen."Ike frowned. "Who pissed you off? Do you want me to take care of h
A man with glasses smiled and took to the stage."Today, I'm here with a presentation regarding manned flying cars. Our company has designed a chip that would bring us a step further toward achieving the dream of manned flying cars by way of incorporating the chips into the systems of modern cars, along with state-of-the-art mechanical designs."As the man made his impassioned announcement, Nicole heard the keyword. "A chip?"Her eyes sparkled.She had just started developing manned flying cars, and after all the research that had been conducted, it was concluded that the chip was the magic bullet. She was already in the midst of programming the codes of the chip, but as she had never studied about it, she still needed a lot of information. Little did she know that someone in the exhibition had already produced a chip, and as Nicole was an expert in mechanical design, obtaining a chip would bring her much closer to her end goal.Nicole's eyes lit up when she thought about this.I
Ike watched Nicole's eyes light up, but unbeknownst to him, there was a pair of eyes staring at him, its gaze dark and cold.Sensing that, Ike looked over, and that was when he spotted a face that he did not wish to see."Why the hell is he here?" Ike asked with a frown.Nicole tracked his gaze and saw both Harvey and Kelly standing at a spot not far from them.Upon being noticed, Kelly waved at them at once.Nicole arched her brows as she knew that Kelly had no interests in technology or exhibitions of the sort. It was the reason as to why Nicole did not even bother to invite her in the first place, but what surprised her even more was the fact that Harvey was there with her.Seeing that Nicole had noticed him, Harvey walked over to Nicole whilst pretending as though Ike was not there at all.Nicole shot both Harvey and Kelly a frown as she asked, "Why are you here?Then, she looked at Kelly and remarked, "I thought you weren't interested in tech exhibitions."Kelly automatic
He knew that something was up with Ike, and as expected, he had other intentions when he invited Nicole out.To add to that, he had never touched Nicole, but Ike had done so with ease. As soon as he recalled the mental image of Ike holding Nicole's arm, he got worked up.Kelly could feel the change in his demeanor too, and this prompted her to ask, "D-Do you want to move forward too?"'Why is Harvey upset after Nicole and Ike moved to the front?' she thought.Harvey looked like he was waiting for her to say that, so he flashed her a fake smile and said, "Sure."Then, he started walking towards Nicole and Ike. Noticing the gap between the pair, he shamelessly squeezed in and stood in between them, blocking Ike. This caused Nicole to shoot him a frown, as she felt that it was getting packed in here.In response, she moved to the right, but halted as soon as she noticed that Kelly had also stepped in to form a row with the four of them. "What are you watching, Nicole?"Nicole sighe
'I had no other option, because Nicole had already agreed.'Several people walked out of the exhibition hall together, ready to head out for dinner, and Ike was about to escort Nicole to the car when Harvey suddenly interrupted."I just sent a message of confirmation for the location. You can come with me." Harvey said as he reached out to grab Nicole."I know. I can do it myself," Nicole subconsciously withdrew her hand.Harvey's expression soured at once, and Ike could not help but feel a little pleased. However, the smirk on his face did not last, as he then saw Harvey's car pulling up on the driveway, whereupon Nicole approached it.Seeing that, Ike could not help but be annoyed that his car was parked a little too far away. It was getting late, and he could only watch as Nicole climbed in.Kelly, who was watching as Nicole got in, could not help but feel a little embarrassed for herself. Harvey had already left, and he didn't even spare her a glance.Then, she looked at Ike
Ike was a local, and thus, he knew everything there was around these parts like the back of his hand.Having said that, Nicole a realization dawned on Nicole. The look in Harvey's eyes became sullen. However, this was not the first time that Harvey had done this, and it was not something for her to be concerned about.Concurrently, he also looked indifferent, and proceeded to say, "Mr. Ike you flatter me."Ike's expression darkened at an instant, and he thought, 'Who told him that it was a compliment?'Harvey, who was disinterested in trading blows with Ike, took the menu from the waiter and handed it to Nicole. "Their dishes here are very unique. You can order whichever ones you like."Nicole glanced at the menu, narrowed her eyes slightly, and said, "Yes they are, and the price isn't that exuberant either."'Can't this guy just keep a low profile when he travels abroad? This is just over the top.'"Oh yes, I was looking at this too," Harvey said, pretending to not understand.
"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