When Jared saw Nicole approaching him to discuss the matter, he felt a lot better.He could tell that Nicole had no feelings for Ike, and thus, he accepted the request. "Alright. Since Nicole had agreed, I have no further comments."Ike was overjoyed. "Thank you, Mr. Johnston. Thank you, Nicole!"Yet, it was then that Nicole began to scrutinize Ike.He used to enjoy his freedom, and no matter how many investors approached him, he would never sway. This time around, he actually made a request on his own to join Jared's team. Although something smelled fishy, Nicole still needed such talent.Throughout the whole meal, Ike enjoyed it happily. He even discussed the issue of artificial intelligence with Nicole from time to time.This made Jared jealous in the process. "Let's not talk about work while eating.""O-okay..." Ike agreed, whereupon he quickly finished his meal.Soon, dinner was done. Ike waved and bade both Nicole and Jared goodbye. The both of them watched as Ike drove a
"Yes! It looks like a pair next to Mr. Jared's car.""Yes. Yes. I can tell the price is really high," the ladies at the side of the driving course exclaimed one by one.A number of young men also looked over with envy in their eyes.Nicole drove the car into the distance with all their eyes fixed on her. After she had taken to the road for a certain distance, she made a heroic drift and zoomed her way back to the end point.With the car buzzing, everyone erupted into loud cheers and applauses."Wow! That's such a cool car!""Yeah! That car is impressive!"Seeing how everyone was looking at Nicole with much envy, Jared smirked. Then, he got into the other car, passed them the money, and prepared himself for a drive on the course with Nicole.Previously, Nicole was the one who had driven his car. When she was on the race course, Jared was not able to get in either. This time round, they could finally drive together.Nicole was in the car, and she darted Jared, who was beside her
Nicole's car was already on the verge of going downhill. But after it had collided with Jared's, it steered back to the main road.It continued spinning for two more rounds, and after countless sparks released, the car finally came to a stop."The car has been successfully parked," the artificial intelligence responded.Nicole heaved a sigh of relief, for it seemed that the car had finally stopped, but if Jared had not reacted soon enough, she would have been in deep trouble.As soon as Nicole thought of Jared, she immediately came back to her senses. She had been knocked from the side, and that was still fine, but Jared had been struck right at the front.With that thought in mind, Nicole quickly got out of her car."Jared! Are you okay?" She instantly went to the side of Jared's car.As expected, Jared had fainted, but after being shaken by Nicole a few times, he slowly opened his eyes.Fortunately, he wore a helmet. Jared removed it, shook his head, and came back to his sens
Soon, Jared and Nicole left the hospital, got into the car, and went back home.Jared looked at Nicole and playfully, he said, "I don't feel well. I think you'll need to accompany me to my place."As Jared spoke, he held his forehead as if he was suffering from a headache.Nicole sighed upon seeing that. "I've seen the report. It's just a minor concussion. You'll be fine after you get some sleep. If I accompany you, I think you won't be sleeping at all."For his own sake, Nicole could not go to his place.Otherwise, this man's mind will be filled with all the different ways on how he could mess with her.Realizing how serious Nicole was, Jared sighed. "Okay, fine. In that case, I'll send you back first.""No, I'll send you back tonight." Nicole asserted.Hearing that, Jared could only agree. "Okay then."Facing Nicole's insistence, Jared leaned back on his seat and closed his eyes to get some shuteye.Nicole could tell that he was not feeling well. When they arrived at the de
At this moment, Nicole had already gotten down from the car. Under Max's watchful eye, they entered the garage in which the car was kept.This entire time when Nicole had returned home, she had not been investigating. But she did not forget the basics. Once she had entered the garage, she began to look for traces of evidence.The damaged car had been towed back there. Although it was in a terrible condition, there were still some clues to be found.Max had never seen this side of Nicole. After they had entered the garage, they had examined the footprints on the floor and the car's body. While she was at it, she really looked as though she was professional policewoman in the midst of an investigation in a crime scene."Miss Riddle, you're amazing." Max always felt that he was very meticulous when he conducted his investigation, but most of it was done through CCTV.Nicole's methods, however, were similar to that of a police officer's."Usually, I won't use such methods. But I'm in
Nicole's heart skipped a beat when she felt her lips brushing against Jared's sexy lips."Bye now!" Nicole spun around.Jared smiled with satisfaction as he watched her leave.Then, Max stood before him and said, "Mr. Johnston, Miss Nicole found a few fingerprints last night, and I've identified two of them..."Jared's eyes darkened. "Get every single one of those scums.""Yes, sir." Max nodded, knowing that both Jared and Nicole meant business this time.Nicole arrived at school just then, but her brothers were already waiting for her."Nicole, why didn't you come home yesterday?" Samuel looked at Nicole with a worried expression on his face.In reply, Nicole whispered, "Jared got into some trouble, so I had to take care of him."Spencer then looked at Samuel. "See, I knew it. Dad and Mom definitely got a call from Nicole. That's why they weren't worried."Samuel flashed them a look of embarrassment. "Nicole, do give me a call next time if you're not coming back home. Otherw
Nicole then smirked. "Then you've found the right person. You can't crack it, but I can."Nicole managed to stun Ryder through that remark, as most people would not be able to crack the virus they had created. 'This girl can develop a virus and crack it herself?! Isn't it a virus code that she had casually made yesterday?'That was the moment Ryder realized that he might have underestimated Nicole. 'Who is this girl?!'Unable to help it, he asked, "You can crack it?"Nicole laughed. "Obviously. Ever heard of the saying, 'we should always solve the problems we create'? I created the virus, so naturally, I should be able to crack it. Don't you think so?"However, her response served to embarrass Ryder even further. 'She can crack her own virus, but as a senior, I failed to do that even after staying up all night. How can I even call myself San Joto's computer expert?'He desperately wanted to push Nicole aside and leave. He did not want to give her the satisfaction, and he did not
Gary thought that his brother was exactly just like his past self. 'He's really underestimated her. Look at her. She even picked a fight with him.'Gary had a little background in martial arts, and yet, he was still afraid of Nicole.Ryder, on the other hand, had only focused on coding, and so, he did not have any experience when it came to martial arts at all. 'Of course he'd get tripped...'Nicole placed her bag down and looked at Gary with an arched brow. She had started to find him more pleasant these days."I can't believe that you don't feel sorry for your brother."He scoffed. "He used to hit me a lot when we were younger, so why would I feel sorry for him?"Nicole found it interesting as she took a seat.Yet, Gary still went up to her and asked, "But can you really destroy that virus? Does that mean that my brother's laptop can still be fixed?""I thought you didn't feel sorry for him. Why do you ask?" Nicole furrowed her brows.Giving an honest opinion of his brother,
"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