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.
While speaking, Jared looked at Nicole with nothing but sincerity in his eyes.Nicole caught Jared staring at her, and almost instinctually, she averted her gaze. Due to the fact that they had not reconciled after the incident that had drawn her ire, she had not been keeping in contact with Jared for the past few days. In addition, she did not even expect that Jared would be here at all.Jared noted her act of avoiding eye contact, so he turned his attention to Kelly, who immediately got up from her seat and moved over to give him some space. She went and sat next to Ike, who had since remained silent after Jared's arrival.'Harvey's arrival was problematic enough already, and now that Jared is here, things are even worse,' Ike thought.Ike looked Nicole in the eye, hesitant as to what he should say, but he also knew the relationship between the two of them. He did not dare to mess around in front of Jared, and thus, he restrained himself, with Harvey doing the same. As expected, H
Nicole couldn't help but raise her eyebrows and glance at Harvey. 'Can this guy stop adding fuel to the fire?'Before Nicole could say anything to him, however, Jared spoke first. "There is no need for that Nicole doesn't like drinking soup."As he spoke he grabbed the pot of coffee brought over by another server. "Here are the coffee beans. I just handed some to the restaurant for our coffee. You can try some of it."Unbeknownst to all of them, Jared had brought her favorite coffee beans, causing Nicole's eyes to light up.In spite of the fact that she was a little unhappy, the thought of his intentions and actions made her bow her head and say, "Thank you."Harvey, seeing that Nicole was still holding Jared's cup of coffee, froze. 'This Jared is really crafty. He even brought coffee beans to the restaurant.'It was at this moment that Nicole took a sip of the coffee. The taste was mellow, and was not as flavorful as the homebrewed coffee that Jared had always made her.Jared,
Harvey was still intent on coming along, but Kelly stopped him.She could not bear to see Harvey getting hurt again, so she could only pull him aside and shook her head as she said, "Mr. Ellison, Mr. Johnston is already here. Don't go chasing after them."These words seemed to remind him that it was time for him to wake up. He had no chance of being alone with Nicole anymore. In the past, Harvey used to rely on Jared's absence to do so, and those were the times when he could feel as if he was Nicole's guardian angel of sorts. He was not expecting Jared to be here today, but now that the unanticipated had occurred, his dream of being with Nicole completely disintegrated.Harvey's footsteps grew louder and heavier as he watched Nicole saunter off. He did not know how to keep up. He could only clench his fists, gritting his teeth as he glared at the back of Jared.'One day, I'll surpass Jared Johnston and have Nicole for myself!'After the three of them had left the establishment, Ja
Nicole gave him a blank stare. "You can think as you wish, but don't mention anything weird. I need Ike's help while I'm abroad for the time being."He noticed that Nicole did not seem to be having any problems, and this gave him a sense of relief. "If you need to use the R&D lab, I can help you with the preparations right away."Nicole sighed. "That won't be necessary. I won't be using it for a long time. Hell, I may already be on my way home after you're done setting the lab up."Knowing how competent she was, he stopped querying her, and agreed to accompany her to Ike's R&D lab.Noticing the stern look on his face, Nicole raised her brow and asked, "Jared, did you really get the news from here?"In response, Jared nodded. "I didn't lie to you. I don't really need to come here to do the work, but then, you're here."A sense of warmth filled her heart up upon hearing the second half of his sentence as he had said it with such sincerity. "Alright, I get it. Well, you should go an
Without knowing it herself, Nicole had been working until the dead of night, and she came to her senses after all of the R&D personnel outside the office had left. It was only after Ike came walking in with dinner that she was able to snap out of it."Let's eat something first. The chip can't be completed in a day." Ike said, making her realize that she was really hungry."Oh, good," she said and was about to rise to her feet when she found that they had been rendered numb after so many hours on the chair.She staggered a little, and that was when Ike rushed over to keep her supported. "Are you okay?"Nicole shook her head and was about to speak when another voice came streaming in from the door."What are you doing?"Ike looked toward the door of the office where the tall and straight figure of Jared Johnston stood. Jared did not expect that he would come across a scenario like this just as he had walked past the door. He quickly strode in to help her up, and that was when he sh
"I've booked you another room in another wing. It's closer and more convenient for you, and it'll save a lot of time," Jared looked at Nicole as he explained."Thank you." Nicole looked at Jared with nothing but warmth in her eyes. "That's very thoughtful of you.""Let's head inside." Jared got out of the car and was able to help her up, but she refused."It's okay," she said. "I'm fine now."'It was not that big a deal,' she thought. 'What happened earlier at the office was just leg numbness. It had recovered on the way to the hotel, and to let him continue holding me up isn't what I'd allow.'"Try walking around." Jared kept his hands in a supporting position, afraid that Nicole would fall again.The instant he saw that she was fine, he felt relieved. Then, he took her hand and walked her toward the hotel's entrance.Now in the room, Nicole sat down to catch some rest while Jared poured her a cup of water.Then, he walked up to her side with a look of seriousness and said, "T
After some time, Nicole got up from the warmth of his chest and looked at him, "What are we having today?"Jared looked at her dotingly and said, "Well, what do you want to eat?""Oat milk." Nicole looked at him and took the words right out of his mouth."Alright, I'll ask someone to bring it over." Jared got up, picked up the phone, and dialed a number.Then he made his way back to the bed and looked at Nicole. "Get up and go get ready. I think the food will be delivered soon.""Okay." Nicole stretched, and got up from the bed to wash up while Jared accompanied her to the bathroom.Love filled their eyes as they both stood and stared at each other in front of the mirror.Hearing the ringing of the doorbell, Jared finished rinsing himself and walked over to open the door."Mr. Johnston, this is the meal you've requested for," the server said."Okay." Jared took the tray and made a beeline for the dining room.After a while, Nicole came sauntering out of the bathroom and into
"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