"Spencer is right." Stanley nodded. "Come on, let's go. There are still guests at the entrance."He then brought two of his brothers to the entrance.Damien stood before them. He was ushering the guests in initially, but it was then that the people who had seen everything that happened earlier went on to greet the brothers, completely ignoring him. None of them cared that Damien was the eldest son of the Riddle family.It was bad enough that Daniel had dwarfed them in status and prestige, but now that Daniel's sons were more considered more significant than him, the crushing embarrassment began to gnaw at Damien and his wife from the inside out.Dillion and his wife were even more ashamed. The people who were talking to them had all gone off to talk to Sean and Steve instead, leaving them with nobody around them. This only served to leave Dillion feeling even more humiliated!"I'm going to look for dad! I need to know what's going on!" Dillion fumed, certain that Mr. Riddle Sr. ha
Though Chloe was upset, she figured that there was truth in what Everett had said, and so, she just rolled with the punches.As time passed, most of the families had already arrived, with the banquet being about to start when the Holder family suddenly arrived. Nachelle, who had turned up with the movie star, Lloyd, began to garner quite a lot of attention."Oh my God, Lloyd is here!""It's the A-lister, Lloyd Holder!"Chloe immediately looked over when she heard the commotion.She was nothing but a lackey in the entertainment industry because of what Nachelle and Lloyd had done. When Mr. Riddle Sr. kicked her out years ago, the Riddle family had no time to take care of her, so she could only live her sad life abroad.She was gritting her teeth as soon as she remembered how they had stood against her.Still, her parents had tried their best to hash a plan that would allow her comeback. She knew that there were many rich people around today, and as her grandfather was too busy to
Lloyd nodded as he did not find anything odd. "Sure."He then hurried into the Riddle family's mansion.Samuel could not help but look at Spencer. "Is it okay to let him in?"He shrugged. "What can I do? This is a banquet, so I can't kick him out now, can I?"Besides, their grandfather would never allow them to do such a thing."But he won't annoy Nicole, right?" Samuel asked.When Nicole got engaged, the Holder family had only sent a younger member of the family as their representative to the party. None of them came, as though they were afraid that it would hurt Lloyd. However, the truth would soon be revealed, as Lloyd had showed up today."Don't worry, I believe Nicole will know what to do." Spencer replied, confident in Nicole."You're right." Samuel nodded and continued ushering the guests in.At that moment, Mr. and Mrs. Fisher arrived at the scene. Initially, they had planned to visit in a discreet manner, but they had received an invitation to attend the banquet befor
At the corner of the banquet was an orchestral band that was performing a symphony. The entire place was as extravagant as it could be, so much so that even the Fisher family would not have money to spend like this. Indeed, the Riddle family had really spent a fortune on this.Mr. Fisher, who had become slightly nervous, immediately got himself a glass of wine when a server passed by.Mrs. Fisher could not help but ask, "This banquet is a little too loud. Did the Riddles hit the jackpot? Why are so many socialites in his house all of a sudden?"It was then that Mr. Fisher finally said, "Not only did they get crazy rich, but they will also have control over the entire field of business..."Both Fiorella and Mrs. Fisher were left with their jaws hanging."What do you mean?" Fiorella asked. 'Is he joking? We're over even constitutional monarchies in this day and age, so what family would hold such power?'Mr. Fisher did not know how to explain to the young Fiorella.And just when h
Harvey and Martin were so surprised that they were rendered speechless after seeing how gorgeous Nicole looked. In addition, Gary was stunned too.Even though the five brothers of the Riddle family had seen how beautiful Nicole could look during the engagement party many moons ago, they were still in amazement because the dress she was wearing looked a lot more elegant as compared to the last one she had worn.'Our sister looked out of this world!' they thought.Lloyd was staggered by her beauty too. He could not help but take two steps forward when Nicole came down. He would already be in Nicole's face by now if Nachelle had not stopped him.Nachelle only did that because he knew that Nicole was not someone that they could mess with.As all of this went on, Nicole and Jared were already standing in front of the crowd at this time.The prince of Yamenia looked at Nicole before shifting his gaze to Jared, whom he had met before.Then, with a smile on his face, he said to Jared, "
Jared was surprised to see the Holders coming forward, but he did not show his displeasure openly.The item that Nachelle had gifted them was actually a classical painting that bore a history of more than a thousand years. As expected, it was a priceless work of art.Lloyd was appalled by the gesture. 'What's wrong with mom? Why would she give Nicole such an expensive gift?'Furthermore, if he remembered correctly, that particular painting was his grandfather's favorite.It was only then that Lloyd realized that something was not right. 'So many members from the Riddle family are here today, and all of them are dressed in the most decadent garments. What's going on?'Nicole looked at Nachelle, and was about to decline the gift when he took the painting with a smile, as he knew what Nachelle was thinking. "I'll accept this gift on behalf of Nicole. Young people like her don't know how to appreciate works of art like this."Nicole knew that her grandfather did not wish to offend an
Emery shook her head as soon as she saw her brother and Preston's look of doubt."I mean, you're a nerd, so you won't know anything anyway," Ellar said in a scathing remark of his introverted brother.Hearing this, Emery quickly pinched his ear.At that moment, a voice was heard behind them. "You're all from the Riddle family, and yet none of you cared to learn about the origins of our genealogy?"All of them turned around to see Everett walking towards them with a glass of wine in his hand.Everett had always been around to help Damien. Though he did not hold a high position in the company as of yet, he was still rather familiar with the family's business."Everett? You know about it?" Ellar asked without hesitation, as he was still pretty young.Preston and Everett shared a neutral relationship, so he just shot Everett a glance while Emery continued sipping on her drink, as she did not seem to be interested in this subject at all.Everett looked at Ellar and flashed him a pol
"Serve you right." Ellar poked his tongue out at her. 'Serve her right for trying to mock Nicole.'Emery pulled him aside, signaling Ellar to not be so brazen in his act, but the latter ignored him anyway.At that moment, Snow heard everything and was left feeling extremely shocked.Such was why Nicole was being given the attention she had been receiving, and that was also why Uncle Daniel and his family would witness a meteoric rise in their fortune. With that said, there was no longer a place left for Uncle Damien or her parents in their ranks.She balled her hands into a fist. Even if Nicole had helped her out by retrieving her pink diamond, Snow was still extremely jealous, as the former had stolen her thunder, taking all of the attention away from her within the Riddle family. Yet, as far as she was concerned, she could watch as Nicole stood in the limelight.When she saw Harvey and Mr. Ellison handing their precious gifts to Nicole, as the former sported a cheeky look on his
"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