'Okay, now she's being too generous.'"It's a deal." Jared's mood improved tremendously.The smile at the corner of Nicole's mouth widened as the two of them continued to sweet talk one another throughout the night.During the next day itself, Nicole had packed their belongings and moved back to the Riddle residence along with Samuel and Spencer, who had done the same. When Nicole arrived home, she noticed that Sean had brought Mrs. Wallace Sr. to the Riddle residence. There, she saw that her parents were chatting with Mrs. Wallace Sr."Nicole, your brother suddenly came to my place and brought me over here asking me to live here. Is everything alright with you?" Mrs. Wallace Sr. asked.She had been living with Tia at the Sea View Villa, and though she felt lonely, she had already gotten used to the peace and tranquility. Thus, she knew something was up when Nicole suggested that she moved in with them.Nicole looked at Mrs. Wallace Sr. and couldn't help but smile. "I'm fine, Gra
Nicole raised her eyebrows slightly, 'I did not expect her to be so courageous by slashing her throat and committing suicide...but then again, she didn't die, so it's very likely that it was just another one of her tricks.'She then looked at Daniel and Steve before asking, "Well then, why did you ask me to come here?"'I am not interested in Norah's affairs, and I don't even wish to pay attention to any of it,' she thought.Daniel sighed. "Norah may be out of prison for now, but we're afraid that once she gets discharged, she might think of ways to hurt you again..."Not expecting her father to have so much care for her, Nicole beamed, unable to hide the smile any longer."It's okay, she won't be out of jail for long," she replied.'Though it was one of Norah's diabolical plans, she had underestimated what Jared was capable of. But to think of such petty ways to escape being imprisoned? That's clever of how. I've got to give her that,' Nicole thought."Really?" Steve was taken
'However, I've been thinking about what happens after I retire, and if I could, I'll definitely be of help to the Riddle family,' Nicole thought as she was dumbfounded for a moment.'Once, Jared had mentioned about it before, and here I am, thinking about retirement...Men are indeed toxic.'After the meeting at Daniel's study had ended, Nicole headed downstairs where the Riddle family proceeded to eat in peace. The family then discussed about the company's annual meeting, which would be held on the weekend.Spencer and Samuel were both in a pickle. "The clothes for the annual meeting are ready, but our plus one..."Stanley, who was seated beside them, sighed. "How are you two? It's totally normal for people your age to not have any plus ones.""Who said so? Stanley, it would be embarrassing if you show up without a plus one."Once these words were uttered, Stanley's expression turned sour, "Who told you that I'm not bringing a plus one?"As those words left his mouth, everyone a
Steve could not help but click his tongue. "It seems to me the three of you are all grown up."In response, Stanley looked at Steve and joked, "Oh, you're too kind, but we're not like you. For you, plus ones are never in short supply."Stanley's words were so abrupt that Steve almost choked on the water he was drinking."Stanley, stop spewing hogwash, will you?" Steve said.At that moment, something came to mind and Samuel joined in on the joke. "Yeah! I heard that Steve always has different women as his plus ones for every event."Steve eyed his father's expression with a hint of guilt on his face, after which he glared at Samuel."Shut up. Enough with the nonsense. They're my colleagues from my company," Steve argued.However, the way Gloria had interpreted it, sounded like something entirely different.Then, she gave Steve a friendly smile. "Steve is getting old as we speak. You are now at the age when you're supposed to get your own girlfriend now. If there's a person you l
Samuel had gotten the wrong idea. "Why should I shut up? We're twins. If you're the only one to have a girlfriend, then others would laugh at me. How could I be left behind!?""You!" Spencer uttered, and was left speechless soon after. 'His brain cells are literally close to none!'Gloria was amused, and Daniel covered his mouth in a fit of pigeon laughter, entertained by the silliness displayed by Samuel. Meanwhile, Sean and Steve, who could no longer hold laughter back, busted out in a fresh gale, leading the entire family to burst into a laughing fit, leaving a confused Samuel at loss."What? Did I say something wrong?" He joined them in merriment as he watched his family guffawing away at him.The Riddle family on Daniel's side were filled with laughter, but at Damien Riddle's residence, it was dark and gloomy."Damien, what's been going on recently? There were rumors in that b*tch's circle that the fourth son of the Riddle family is now in charge of the company. Do you know h
This was something which the other three families did not have."Mr. Riddle Sr., how could you do that? Stanley hasn't graduated yet! Even if we had not provided you a grandson, there's Preston from your second son and Emery from your third son! Why did you have to favor your fourth son?"Miley's face turned red, and she could not resist from throwing a tantrum. Everett seemed to be used to seeing his mother's shouts, as he only stood there and calmly watched.On the other hand, Damien was getting annoyed. "Enough! Gloria was fertile. Not only did she give birth to five sons, her daughter is also competitive. She's nothing like you!"Miley was left utterly flabbergasted by the sudden reprimand, as Damien would usually pamper her. Deep down, she could not help but wonder if he hated her now.Chloe, who had been sitting at the corner in silence, went off on her father after witnessing Miley getting an earful. "Dad! How could you use such mean words against Mom? If Nicole had not got
'I did not expect these people to start hunting for the Crest. To add to that, this person knows about the existence of The Hunter. He or she must not be an average Jane or Joe.' Nicole pondered, as she observed that a number of hackers had enquired about the mission.Nicole could not help but grow curious about who that person was. She attempted to track the sender's IP address. However, the sender in question seemed careful as well. There was no specific IP address available. She could only get a hold on the general location, and as it turned out, the person was located at San Joto."San Joto..."Things were getting more interesting. Nicole really wanted to know who the person hunting for the other Crest was.As she was thinking, a notification tone emanated from her phone. It was a video call.Nicole raised her eyebrows, 'Oh gosh, it's that brat, Jared again. He's starting to do video calls.'After giving it some thought, she ended up answering the call."Why are you video ca
Nicole rolled her eyes, "It seems to me that Mr. Jared Johnston hasn't been that confident these days."Jared remained silent for a moment. Then, the corner of his lips lifted slyly.'This lady really has a way of riling me up these days,' he thought."Why would I? I don't really care about them. The only person I care about is you and you only." Jared's eyes deepened, almost capturing Nicole's eyes and heart."Fine. I'll let you be my partner for the night. Stop fooling around." Nicole looked away in annoyance.Jared had succeeded in doing what he had set out to do, and so, he gave her a devilish smile and remained quiet.Nicole finally heaved a sigh of relief. "Alright then, I'm going to take a shower now."As she spoke, Nicole was ready to hang up.However, Jared observed her for a moment. "Okay...I've already allowed you to see me after I've exited the shower. After you're done...""Don't even think about it! You pervert!" she shouted.And with a bam, she hung up at once,
"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