"I'm not in a hurry. After all, I've got nothing else to do today. I thought I'd just check out how things are progressing on site," she said."If you need a space, I can rent one that will fulfill all your needs. Then, you wouldn't have to go around the bush with Harvey," Jared offered, wholeheartedly wishing to prevent Nicole from meeting Harvey.He did not want his own fiancée to constantly associate herself with a selfish man like Harvey."It's fine. There's a free one available, so why would we spend money on rent? Why should I say no to freebies?" Nicole declined, for although she knew that money was not an issue for Jared, she felt that there was no need to waste it on rent."Okay then, whatever makes you happy," he said.Jared had already tried his best to persuade her, and he knew that he could not force her into it.Then, they continued with their lunch.After lunch, Nicole bade Jared goodbye and immediately drove to where Harvey was."Harvey, are you free now?" Nicol
A thing to note is that the real estate prices in that area were steep. And yet, Harvey had given her an entire floor to utilize. 'Isn't that too much of a favor?'"Harvey, I won't be needing that much space!" Nicole explained to Harvey."It's fine. You can just leave the corner empty if you don't need it." Harvey answered her in a casual tone of voice.It had taken him a lot of time and resources to clear the floor for her, and he had done all of that to ensure that Nicole would have enough space to work."Leave it empty?" That would be such a waste!" Nicole yelled.'He really is ignorant about money,' she thought. 'He doesn't have the brains for business at all. But having said that, this is definitely an excellent location for me. When I buy more equipment in the future, I can expand my business right away. It's amazing!'Nicole felt that there was a possibility for her to occupy all of the space in the future."Harvey, I noticed that all the other floors are occupied. Why is
"Now that you mention it, it seems to be a clever idea, after all. Anyway, I would never collect rent from you. If you really feel bad, then just take it and owe me that favor." Harvey looked at Nicole.Deep down, he was really satisfied. Indeed, it would be great news for him if Nicole owed him a favor.Seeing that Harvey was persistent about not collecting rent, Nicole could only give up on that idea."Fine then, I'll owe you one, but you are not to make any absurd requests," Nicole told Harvey in a solemn tone of voice."But what if I really want it?" Harvey said in an attempt to challenge Nicole."In that case, you better take the rent." Nicole replied in a serious manner."Okay, okay, I was just messing with you." Harvey said, switching his tone from one of seriousness to playfulness.He did not want to offend Nicole. After all, he wanted to utilize that favor for something beneficial.Nicole rolled her, evidently unhappy.Then, she said, "Well, that's all for today. I'm
Nicole kept her eyes on Harvey, who was nothing short of awkward, and thought that it was funny. She had deliberately done that that so that Harvey would have no choice but to use up that favor that she owed him. That way, she would not have to feel as if she was beholden to it.However, Harvey was adamant about not mentioning it. Instead, he stayed in her car and refused to get off.The both of them sat in the car, refusing to give in for a few minutes. Seeing that Harvey just would not get out of the car, Nicole could only ignite the engine and drive off to the Sea View Villa.On the way there, Harvey made himself at home in Nicole's car. Unconsciously, he reached out to switch the music player on, but Nicole immediately reacted by smacking his hand away."Weren't you taught to not simply touch other people's belongings?" Nicole shot him a glance."I just wanted to play some music, How is this considered as touching other people's belongings?" Harvey ignored her and proceeded to
"I have not watered them yet. Since you're here today, would you like to give it a try?" Mrs. Wallace Sr. asked."Sure. How could I miss out on such an interesting experience?" Harvey took off his coat and rolled up his sleeves as he spoke.He was ready to do it.Seeing Harvey's enthusiasm, Mrs. Wallace Sr. was beaming with joy."There's a bucket and a ladle here. Fill the bucket with water, and then use the ladle to pour water over each plant," Mrs. Wallace Sr. said, guiding Harvey at the side."Got it. Grandma, you can just sit at the side and watch me." Harvey grabbed the bucket and confidently strutted toward the faucet.After filling it up, he carried the bucket of water to the garden.Then, he turned around and looked at Mrs. Wallace Sr. "Grandma, can I start from here?""Sure. Be careful, don't slip and fall over." Mrs. Wallace Sr. reminded him kindly."I'm fine, don't worry." Harvey proceeded to scoop some water out of the bucket with the ladle and watered the vegetabl
"Harvey, you should just simply wash off the mud on your face and hands. Then, Tia will lead you to the shower so that you can wash up." Mrs. Wallace Sr. told Harvey in a caring manner.Harvey looked at her and replied, "Alright.""Oh yeah, let Tia clean your dirty clothes after you've changed," she added."Okay." Harvey then went made his way to the bathroom with Tia leading the way."Grandma, let's head inside." Nicole helped Mrs. Wallace Sr. up and brought her to the living room."Nicole, go and prepare a set of fresh clothes for Harvey." Mrs. Wallace Sr. ordered."Grandma, I don't think we have any clothes for men in this house." Nicole looked at Mrs. Wallace Sr. in embarrassment."I think those oversized clothes you usually wear will fit him. Why don't you grab one of your shirts for him?" Mrs. Wallace Sr. stared at Nicole with her brows raised.Nicole began to blush, 'How could I let Harvey wear my clothes? Besides, they are all filled with my scent.'"Grandma, all of my
As soon as their eyes met, the atmosphere became tense with awkwardness."I didn't see anything," Tia said, after which she hurried out."Harvey, what the hell are you doing?" Nicole looked at him in disbelief and asked."I..." Harvey did not know how to explain himself as he thought, 'I couldn't say that I was busy admiring her clothes, now can I? That would be too vulgar.'"I'm looking at these clothes and they seem to be a little small," Harvey said as he immediately eased into the subject of clothes.Nicole looked at the clothes she had picked out for Harvey at once.She wanted to laugh at and ridicule him, but instead of doing so, she said, "The clothes do look a little bit small, but they suit you.""You think this suits me?" Harvey eyed Nicole with a skittish expression on his face and asked her to take a closer look."Yeah, take a look for yourself. It showcases your figure perfectly, don't you think?" Nicole praised as she looked at Harvey in the mirror."Yeah, it rea
"Have a seat in the living room, Mrs. Wallace Sr. is waiting for you there." Tia looked at Harvey and said."Okay. I'll go and talk to Mrs. Wallace Sr.," he said, after which he unconsciously glanced up at the flight of stairs."Harvey, did you get hurt from the fall earlier?" Mrs. Wallace Sr. asked Harvey when she saw Harvey approaching her."No." Harvey flashed her a slight smile."I think this dress kind of suits you, it's just that it's a little small. Fret not, there aren't any outsiders here." Mrs. Wallace Sr. looked at him and assured.Harvey nodded and narrowed his eyes. 'How did Mrs. Wallace Sr. know that the clothes belonged to Nicole?'He was embarrassed, and thus, he did not dare to ask any more questions.In the bedroom, Nicole had thrown herself on her bed, burying herself under her quilt. She was still thinking about everything that had happened in the bathroom.'What is wrong with me?' she thought. 'Why do I keep thinking about the moment our noses met?'Sudden
"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