"Yeah, I don't know how mum and dad are doing now," Nicole replied."I'll accompany you after work to pay them a visit." Jared suggested out of the blue."You want to accompany me?" Nicole looked at him in surprise, as she wondered if he really was asking to visit the Riddle family. 'What has gotten into him?'"That's right. Didn't your parents mention that they haven't seen me in a long time? I've always wanted to visit them. Since I'm pretty free today, let's pay them a visit after work." Jared calmly explained to Nicole."Okay, but you'll have to pick me up then," requested Nicole."No problem," he said.Suddenly, an idea popped up in Nicole's mind. She turned to Jared and looked at him shyly as she did not know how to bring it up."What's the matter?" Jared posed the question, as he realized that Nicole had something to tell him."The last time I returned home, my parents asked me about our wedding." Nicole glanced at Jared awkwardly.Jared understood what she meant and re
Gloria, who was sitting in the living room, heard Nicole's voice. Then, she stood up to welcome her daughter. "Nicole, you're here?""Oh, Jared is here too?" An expression of shock appeared on Gloria's face when she saw Nicole and Jared together."Mrs. Riddle, it has been a while. You're looking much better from the last time I met you." Jared greeted Gloria warmly."Really? I've been feeling better too. I guess it wasn't just a feeling. Come on in." Gloria led them into the living room."Where's dad?" Nicole asked as she noticed that Daniel was missing as soon as she entered the living room."He's in the study. I'll text him." Gloria flashed Nicole a grin."It's fine. I'll go and surprise him myself." Nicole got up with a smile on her face and went upstairs."That little girl of ours is really close to her dad. He'd be delighted when he finds out that she's back," Gloria explained to Jared."Here, have some fruits, Jared." Gloria served Jared the plate of fruits affectionately
"Yes. The agreement was signed when Henry was still around. After he left, I took over some responsibilities. After all, these projects belong to the Johnston Group. Someone has to take over and protect the company's reputation." Jared replied with a hint of embarrassment.Although Henry had left the company, Jared would not use his resignation as an excuse to go against the agreement. That would just tarnish the reputation of the company. Moreover, Fiorella would never let it slide if he did.Daniel sighed. "Henry really did stir a lot of crap!""Let's not talk about him anymore. It's been a while since the kids have visited. Let's talk about something else," Gloria commented on one side."Yes, yes, yes. Jared, how's your grandpa's recovery thus far?" Daniel asked, immediately changing the topic of conversation by shifting it to Maximillian's situation."He has been recovering well. Sometimes, he would get down off the bed and move around a little." Jared replied."Really? That'
"Yes.""Alright, I'll be there tonight." Sean said, giving an affirmative reply."Okay then, don't forget to inform Steve. We'll be waiting for you at home." Daniel hung up as soon as he was done speaking."Will do," Sean said."Dad, what did Sean say?" Nicole immediately asked as soon as Daniel hung up."The second I told him that you’re back, he said that he'll be coming back tonight." Daniel replied to her with a smile."That's great! The house will be a lot livelier tonight." Gloria exclaimed."Let me give Stanley, Spencer, and Samuel a call and see what time they will be home." Daniel immediately started dialing on his phone as soon as he had uttered the last word."Where are you guys at? Why is it so noisy there?" Daniel asked as he heard the sound of loud music coming from the other side."Dad, why are you calling?" Samuel said after he shifted to a much quieter spot."Nicole and Jared are back. All of you better be home earlier tonight. Is that clear?" Daniel ordered.
"It is no wonder that your smile is so lovely, just like a flower. You must have inherited it from your mom." Jared gazed at Nicole and admired her.The instant Nicole heard his compliment, she instantly blushed. She was obviously talking about Mrs. Riddle, and yet Jared had shifted his attention to Nicole instead."Don't move." Jared suddenly stated."What's the matter?" Nicole immediately froze as she asked Jared with a look of shock on her face.Once she saw that Jared was pointing his phone at her, she finally understood what he was intending to do.A beautiful smile gradually formed on her face, "Are you taking a picture of me?""Yeah. I want to capture each and every beautiful moment of you." Jared quickly snapped a number of candid pictures of Nicole."Are you done? I want to have a look," Nicole asked as she looked at him."Yeah, I'm done. Come take a look." Jared looked through the photos on his phone and was seemingly satisfied with them.Nicole grabbed his phone to
"Are you serious about that? You won't go back on your word, will you?" Nicole squinted her eyes and questioned him."I won't. I always stay true to my words." A devilish look formed on Jared's pretty face.Nicole took a deep breath and scanned her surroundings. Seeing that no one was around them, Nicole gave him a light peck on the cheek.Then, she looked at him and said, "Remember to send the photos to me!""Don't worry." Jared smiled.He never expected that he would actually get a kiss in exchange for a few photos. 'It's such a good bargain. Had I known this, I'd have brought her out on holidays more often.'"Nicole, would you like to continue with the travel plans we've discussed about?" Jared asked her."Travel? I would love to, but what about the chip?" Nicole gave Jared a helpless glance."Well, it's still in the early stages of development. Why not put the project on hold and continue working on it after we're back from our trip?" Jared asked."I'll leave that up to yo
"That's good," she said."Can you be a peach and fall asleep on my shoulders all the time?" Jared requested out of the blue."What do you mean?" Nicole looked at him with her brows raised. 'What is wrong with him? I've never heard of anyone asking others to fall asleep on their shoulders."If you do that, I can always get a massage from you." Jared smiled at her."In your dreams!" Nicole pushed his arm away at once."Anyway, let's head inside," Nicole said, as she was preparing to stand up.It was then that Jared grabbed her by the arm and said, "Everyone's coming back for dinner tonight. If anyone asks us about our wedding during dinner, what would you say in response to them? Have you thought about it?""I don't think anyone would ask." Nicole frowned and looked at Jared nervously."That might not be the case. This time around, we came here to visit them together. Someone might accidentally let the question slip," Jared replied with a suggestive look on his face."If anyone
Sean looked at Nicole with doting eyes, "Now, can you tell us the real reason as to why you came back so suddenly?""Actually, I'm working on an experiment now, but the equipment and materials back there were insufficient. Therefore, I gave it some thought and decided to come back. I could gain the support I need from you guys, so I just came back. That's all." Nicole explained to them with a blank stare on her face.She did not make mentions of her chip project to them. In the end of the day, it was a corporate secret which involved Jared's company. Because of this, she had to keep it private from them for the time being.Sean grinned and said, "I knew it. It's impossible that you can't fit in there. In the end, it was because of their inability to accommodate your plans. Since you're back, you should just focus on your experiment. If you need anything, just let me know. I'll make sure to get you whatever you need.""Well, I guess I'll have to thank you in advance." Nicole smiled
"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