The two arrived at the front hall, and the people around them walked over to toast them. Barely a few came in. Mr. Rogers Sr. was already a little tipsy. Shawn looked on coldly at his trembling hand, yet he did not say anything, nor did he stop him. Mr. Rogers Sr., however, noticed that and quickly brought Shawn over to Jared as he said, "Mr. Johnston, this is my youngest son, Shawn. Shawn, say hi to Mr. Johnston!"Shawn had noticed this man a long time ago. Since the beginning, there were more people on that person's side than those around the birthday star, Mr. Roger Sr., and he did not know who that person was.When he heard Mr. Rogers Sr. introduced the man like this, Shawn immediately responded, "Hello, Mr. Johnston. Thank you for taking the time to attend our humble banquet. It is an honor!"Jared looked at that well-rehearsed yet still distant platitudes with not many emotions in his eyes. "Mr. Rogers Sr., It's about time now. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave first
Harvey gave Mr. Roger Sr. a respectful handshake, and like performing a magic trick, he pulled out an intricate-looking box. "Mr. Roger Sr., the elders in my family, are busy, so they've gotten me to pass on this small gift to you. If you would."Mr. Rogers Sr. was not feeling well, and as he heard that, he nodded, asking Shawn to receive the gift in his stead.After Harvey greeted Mr. Rogers Sr., he turned his gaze toward Jared, his smile was like a spring breeze, and one could not sense any hostility in it."Mr. Johnston, today's Mr. Johnston's jubilee. Leaving just like this isn't good optics."Jared had initially just ignored him. Seeing that Harvey spoke, he stopped as he gave the latter a glance. "These are words that should be said by the Rogers. What do you mean by that?"Noticing that the two young men were at each other's throats, Mr. Rogers Sr. felt like even his soul got a violent jolt. Upon hearing what Jared said, he immediately interceded. "Mr. Johnston, please trea
Upon seeing a Riddle, there was a tinge of color in Jared's eyes, but he still did not show much enthusiasm.After all, he had heard from Nicole that her uncles had quite a turbulent relationship with her family.Damien had been in this circle for so long now and knew very well what the latter's indifference meant. Since Jared had already received his name card, he had no need to keep bothering him.Although the Riddle family was an established family in Northon, as time passed, it seemed like it was very difficult for them to get into such top societal circles and gatherings. They could not afford to coil around Jared so shamelessly anymore.But Miley was a little anxious. When she found out that Jared was engaged to Nicole, she was extremely shocked.Now that she had seen Jared, with his money and status, even the Rogers family had to pay respect to him. 'If my daughter can supplant Nicole's place and marry Jared. Who will dare to look down on me ever again?'It was a pity that
The two looked on at Nicole as they started laughing sarcastically.Nicole had an indifferent look as she looked on impassively at the two bodyguards.In her eyes, the two of them were nothing but clowns.Seeing her reaction, the two bodyguards looked at each other, and the one on the right laughed first, "Girl, seeing that you are quite pretty, how about you follow me. I cannot guarantee you much, but I can at least guarantee you a position at the gate of the Rogers' manor. How about that?"Hearing that, Nicole looked at him, a cold glint flashing past her eyes. Yet, the bodyguard felt a chill down his spine and thought it was just an illusion.He did not want to admit that he was scared by a little girl, and so his embarrassment turned into fury. "Know your place, girl! Don't you know who the master of this place is? If you dare cross me, I'll make you crawl for the rest of your life!"It only then did Nicole take a proper measure of him. Her face was still frosty cold, her tone
Both Damien and Miley looked at Nicole as they watched her sit down at the table filled with prominent people. However, their status meant that they could not go there at all. Otherwise, they would have gone over to question Nicole!'Why did she not tell us that she knew Christo Rogers?'Yet the two of them never thought that they were the ones who looked at her with disdain when she first returned. Now that even the master of the Rogers master was treating Nicole so respectfully. What was going on?Could it be that everyone already knew that she was Jared's fiancé?'Must be that!' Otherwise, they cannot figure out how a person like Nicole could get involved with such an elite circle.Nicole did not know that Damien was here. After all, the two were seated very far back. Seeing that Mr. Rogers Sr. got her to sit at this place, and then seeing a few familiar faces before her, she impassively chose a position away from them and stood for a while, showing no intention to sit.Jared
Harvey paused as he looked at the leaving duo with a half-smile as he simply said, "Yes, she's a junior in school."Mr. Rogers Sr. continued to ask, "Ah, I forgot to task, Mr. Harvey, that young lady that came with you earlier..."When Harvey attended banquets like this, he would bring Snow with him from time to time, but now he had no mood for banal exchanges, so he said softly, "Mr. Rogers Sr., that's my own private matter."Guessing that Jared and Nicole were already long gone by this time and sensing the impatience in Harvey, Mr. Rogers Sr. smiled. "You are right, Master Harvey."At this moment, Mr. Wyance seemed to have keenly noticed something. As he looked at the grinning Mr. Rogers Sr., he asked, "Mr. Rogers Sr., did you say the girl was named Riddle?"Ever since Nicole arrived, Mr. Rogers Sr. felt that his chest was much relieved. He was no longer that temperamental as he said slowly, "Yes. She's a Riddle, a very beautiful young lady, and I could not believe that she actu
Nicole did not look away as her pair of eyes looking at him was not that frigid. Instead, it was like a calm lake, beautiful and enchanting.Jared looked away and said, "If there's something like this in the future, I'll take you along."When he heard that, Max, who was driving, gave Jared a surprised glance.'His boss had never attended a banquet with a female companion before!'However, when he recalled his boss' not-so-closeness toward the ladies seemed useless against Nicole, he was relieved.Jared then casually continued, "The girl sitting beside me today is Mr. Rogers Sr.'s granddaughter. Today is, after all, his birthday banquet. I was giving him face, so I did not chase her away."Nicole nodded when she heard that as she looked at him.Max could see from the rear mirror the confusion in Nicole's eyes, seemingly not understanding why Jared was telling her that.Seeing this, Jared swept a cold glance over, and Max immediately looked away.Jared looked at Nicole's emotion
Her opponent seemed to know Nicole's strength well, and to avoid the kick, he immediately let her hands go as he darted backward, causing the kick to miss.In that brief exchange, Nicole had achieved what she wanted. As she looked over coldly, a look of shock flashed across her eyes.The person was looking downwards, seemingly entranced at her hand.He finally caught her, even though it was only for a few seconds.A deep look gradually appeared in his eyes. Even though it was just a few seconds, it could be a few minutes, a few hours in the future.'Does that not mean that he could hold on to her forever and ever?'He then looked up; his expression was wholly creepy.Nicole started at him and frowned. She did not expect this at all.It was actually Harvey!Thinking of his earlier behavior, a cold glint flashed past Nicole's face."Harvey Ellison, did you do that on purpose?"Harvey saw her looking at him. Her eyes were bright, like a snow plain under a bright sun. It was every
"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