Karen was not expecting her daughter to be so foolish that all it took was a few words from Nicole to get her to expose her crimes."You stupid girl! What kind of crap are you spewing?" Karen jabbed Raine's head angrily, but it was already too late, for the damage had been done.As Raine had told them the full account of her actions, Mr. Ellison could not turn a blind eye on this matter."It seems to me that the truth has been unveiled. Raine, do you have anything else to say?" Mr. Ellison coughed, prompting everyone to fall silent again."Mr. Ellison, it was a mistake. I didn't think before I said what I said! No, I saw them throwing the flowerpots but I didn't instruct them to do so!" Raine's face blanched as she tried to convince Mr. Ellison her innocence.It was then that Lulu became sick of the lies coming out of Raine's mouth. "At that time, school was over for a while, and those who wanted to leave had already left! If you weren't the one who started this, how could you be
Karen suddenly burst into tears, "Mr. Ellison, you can't do this to us!"Raine and Snow were both students at Royal Creed, and everyone in the family looked up to them. If Raine got expelled, what good would it bring to their reputation?"Get out of my office now, or else I'll get security.""Mr. Ellison, please don't. I know what I did was wrong, but can you not expel me?" Raine pleaded.It was only when it was too late that Raine realized that she had messed up and hurriedly begged Mr. Ellison for mercy."It's too late now. If you had admitted to the truth earlier, I would have been more lenient. Now, please leave my office." Mr. Ellison urged both Karen and Raine to leave his office immediately, having lost his patience with them.The parents of the two other students breathed sighs of relief knowing that Raine had been expelled."Yeah! Hurry up and leave! Don't embarrass yourselves further!""That's right! If Royal Creed kept a student like you, it would tarnish the school'
Lulu nodded; she knew that Nicole had said this to make her feel better."No matter what, I still have to thank you Nicole." Lulu looked at her sincerely.In return, Nicole smiled. "Let's go. Don't take it so formal. We have to go back to do some self-studying.""Let's go!"The two of them went back to class together, but as soon as they arrived, they bumped into Ms. Emerson. "Nicole, where have you been?"Ms. Emerson had come to check on the self-study class and found that Nicole was nowhere to be found, and the class the Vivian was managing was an utter mess.Nicole proceeded to give her an honest answer. "I went to the principal's office.""The principal was looking for you?' Ms. Emerson was surprised but did not press on further. "In that case, off you go. Hurry up and go back to your class. It's a mess without you.""Okay." Nicole nodded and walked into the classroom while Ms. Emerson issued a sigh of relief, as she could not do anything without Nicole's help.As soon as
Lulu and June rolled their eyes at him. 'He just knew this? How dense could he be!?'"You're so thick in the head! Stop blabbering if you don't know crap."Bradley gave them an innocent stare in return. "I-I was just guessing...""Let's go, Nicole." June left the school with Nicole as she did not want to talk to Bradley anymore.But Bradley was still confused as he thought, 'I'll never understand girls.'Then, Nicole bade Lulu and June farewell before walking to the school entrance. Meanwhile, Spencer and Samuel were already waiting for Nicole anxiously over there.Nicole saw how worried they were and asked, "What happened?"Spencer gave Samuel a look of defeat. "I have no idea. Mom called us and she sounded very worried when she told us to take you back home once we're done with school. I think it has something to do with Uncle Dillion..."Nicole immediately understood what was going on when she heard that; Karen had caused a scene.Nicole did not expect Karen to be so shamel
At that moment, Nicole had already walked into the living hall. "Grandpa, I'm home."Mr. Riddle Sr. looked much calmer when he saw Nicole. "Aw, you're back! Come, have a seat!""Dad, how could you let this girl sit down?! She did such terrible things to Raine and I today! She deserves to stand on her feet as punishment!" Karen pointed at Nicole and scowled.However, Nicole immediately sat down the moment she heard Karen saying that.She looked at Karen with her chin up and asked, "Aunt Karen, can you please tell us what I did that was so terrible that grandpa has to punish me?"The arrogant look on her face seemed nothing like the sort of expression that a guilty soul would show.Dillion was livid when he saw Nicole acting like that. "Don't you know what you did?! You went to the principal's office to tell on Raine, didn't you?! You got her expelled!"Gloria and Daniel had not arrived yet, so when Spencer and Samuel saw how Dillion and Karen were ganging up on Nicole, they quick
Karen and Dillion were stumped.Though Nicole had mentioned that she was hurt, she did not show anyone the injury in the principal's office, so they all thought that the injury was minor. None of them knew that Nicole was so badly hurt.At that moment, Mr. Riddle Sr. decided that he could not bear to watch any further. "Raine, what do you have to say for yourself?!"The moment her grandfather yelled at her, Raine immediately knelt down. "G-Grandpa..."She herself was not aware that Nicole was suffering such a serious injury as the latter still looked fine and dandy. She was able to argue her case with much conviction too.Karen's heart broke the instant she saw her daughter kneeling down. "Dad, Raine didn't know that Nicole was so badly injured... Please forgive her...""Did grandpa not forgive her, or were you and your daughter just trying to argue about who's right and who is wrong, Aunt Karen?" Nicole scoffed. 'Now you're backing down? Too little too late!'Mr. Riddle Sr. had
"Nicole Riddle! I'm going to kill you!" Karen shrieked.However, before she could dash to Nicole, Samuel blocked her by pushing her away. "Watch yourself, Aunt Karen!"Samuel was strong. Though he was just 20 years old, he was a foot taller than Karen, and so, Karen immediately staggered when he shoved her."Darling!" Thankfully, Dillion managed to catch his wife in time.It was the first time Karen was treated like this in the Riddle family, and therefore, she glared at Samuel angrily. "You! How dare you push me?!"Nicole did not think that Samuel would protect her too. She then stood in front of Karen.Though Karen could never hurt Nicole one bit, Samuel's actions warmed Nicole's heart."So what if I did? With me around here, no one can hurt my sister!" he argued.Raine's act of hurting Nicole had already left Samuel's heart broken. Now, if Karen would do so too, he would not tolerate it."You're asking for it at this point!" Dillion's blood boiled as he raised his arm, read
"Let's go home. Mom and dad are probably worried about Nicole," Spencer softly said as they got into the car.When they had arrived back home, they realized that their whole family was in the living room, as if they were waiting in anticipation for any updates.Gloria immediately stood up when she saw Nicole walking in. "Nicole, Samuel, and Spencer. Are you all okay? Did Dillion make things difficult for you?"Nicole quickly smiled when she saw Gloria's worried look.She comforted her and said, "No, grandpa protected us. We came back right after it was over."Seeing that Nicole was not lying, Daniel was relieved. "So, what happened? Why did Dillion go to your grandpa?"They wanted to make their way to Mr. Riddle Sr.'s manor as well, but as Mr. Riddle Sr. had only requested Nicole's presence, they were worried that Nicole was going to get bullied.Nicole wanted to get it over with by giving them a brief explanation.However, Samuel was not able to hold it in. "It's all because o
"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