"No freaking way! This is just insane!" Spencer exclaimed, gawking at Nicole.And he was true, for the whole thing was utterly absurd. They were dining on money stolen from the very people who had now walked right into their trap, only to be humiliated. When Mr. Howde finally realized the truth, his face turned a sickly shade of green."No way! I hired the Hunters, the best freaking hackers in the world! How could it be her?" Mr. Howde asked himself, unable to believe that this young girl could be the legendary hacker he was after.Nicole saw his disbelief and decided to drop the act. "Mr. Howde, you wired me ten million this afternoon. Want me to recite your account number for you?"At this juncture, Mr. Howde and Colton could not deny it any longer—she even knew Mr. Howde's account number, and thus, she had to be the real deal."You! You scam artist! Give me back my money!" Mr. Howde roared, charging at Nicole.However, it was then that Samuel and Spencer, like two bouncers, bl
The Riddle family had suffered enough in Howde's hands, and were always avoiding confrontations with him. But after this incident, Howde would likely think twice before messing with the Riddles again.Noticing Sean and Steve's excitement, Daniel could not help but join in. "Now that we've crippled Colton's right-hand man, Howdy Corporation is in for a world of pain. I bet Colton must have been working behind Mr. Howde's back. I do think that Mr. Howde won't be keen on working with Colton once he comes to his senses."Hearing this, Stanley breathed a sigh of relief. "Without Mr. Howde, other companies working with Fisher Group will think twice before taking on Riddle Corporation. This is a huge win for us."Samuel and Spencer, pumped up, praised Nicole. "Nicole, you're incredible!" "Who would've thought the money you treated us with came from scamming Mr. Howde?"Steve raised an eyebrow. "Hey, wrong choice of words! Scamming? Nicole worked for it, didn't she? He wanted everything, b
Hearing that Damien was looking for a doctor, Miley felt a hint of gratitude.She knew he would not abandon Chloe. "Is there really a doctor who can cure Chloe, given the condition she is in?"Damien took a deep breath and said, "Of course there is. I've heard of a renowned doctor, James Dade, who has cured patients with severe paralysis. Chloe has only just been paralyzed as of recent, so there might be hope. And at this crucial moment, you're stirring the pot for me!"He had been swamped with work every single day, and not only could Miley not help, she had also added to the chaos, driving him up the wall."How was I supposed to know you were looking for a doctor? But this famous doctor, I've heard he's elusive and not many can find him. It's better for us to just get the money."What Miley said was true, for their dividends had dwindled significantly, and they had to consider Chloe's ongoing treatment expenses on top of that."What do you know? James Dade has an apprentice who
Miley felt a moment of embarrassment at that instant. She had not been involved in her son's life and did not know him well, and had always created a distance between them.But with Damien's words and Chloe's situation, she realized someone had to take care of them when they grew old. "I understand. I'll be kinder to Everett."It was only after she had spoken that Damien was satisfied. He then proceeded to give her a few more instructions before heading upstairs.Miley watched Damien leave and could not help but sigh with relief.'When did my life become all about pleasing others? When will it end?' she asked herself.After the weekend, Nicole resumed her normal routine, going to school during the day, and heading to filming in the evening.Upon seeing Nicole, Nachelle whispered, "You really do understand Lloyd. As you have predicted, his mood has improved significantly today."Nicole allowed herself a tiny smile. "That's good. You don't have to worry about him anymore."Nachel
Thus, whenever there was free time, Nicole would observe how others shot their scenes. Another advantage was that her acting skills as an undercover agent were top-notch.Upon receiving Nicole's praise, Lloyd flashed a slight smile. "You're too kind. As a newcomer, your acting is on par with mine, and everyone admires it.""Thanks for the encouragement," Nicole modestly replied, shaking her head.Lloyd did not say much more, choosing to gaze at Nicole fondly instead. He had been feeling a little frustrated, but after not seeing her for a day, he missed her terribly and could not help but strike up a conversation. Fortunately for him, Nicole was gracious and had not held anything against him. With that thought, he felt more at ease.Soon, the two began rehearsing their lines, and after a few regular scenes, they moved on to a breakup scene. Unexpectedly, as Nicole was turning to leave, Lloyd suddenly grabbed her, taking her aback. Due to Jared's pressure, the production team had alr
Quickly changing their clothes and makeup, Nicole and Lloyd moved on to the next scene.In this scene, the female lead would be caught in the rain and would be brought home by the male lead to get a change of clothes. Nicole, following the script, emerged from the bathroom wearing only one of the male lead's large T-shirts.Catching sight of Nicole in the black T-shirt, Lloyd could not help but pause. He knew black suited her well, but it was her exposed thighs which stirred his imagination. Swallowing hard, Lloyd felt a possessive urge toward Nicole, not wanting the other actors to see her in the way she was.Thinking fast, he tossed her a towel. "Wrap it around your legs."Everyone hesitated for a moment, but Nachelle, seemingly used to Lloyd's improvisations, did not call for a cut and allowed the scene to continue. Nicole, also uncomfortable with the outfit, took the opportunity to wrap the towel around her slender waist, tying it into a knot. As she walked, the side slit of th
'How am I supposed to stomach this?'Then, he immediately rushed forward and gave Lloyd a kick.'Thank goodness I came in time!' he thought.The panic Nicole was feeling as she was held by Lloyd slowly dissipated the instant she allowed Jared to hug her.After that, she whispered, "I'm fine. Your timing was perfect."As of a minute ago, Lloyd was behaving as if he had lost his mind.'He actually tried to take advantage of the scene to force a kiss upon me?!' Nicole thought in disbelief.To make matters worse, Nachelle knew all about this, and yet, she had allowed her son to do as he pleased without calling for a cut to the scene at all.Lloyd knew all too well how Nicole operated and how she would react. In fact, she nearly fell victim to his tricks. The humiliation she had been given made her furious.It was then that Nachelle rushed over with her crew to help Lloyd up. "Lloyd, are you alright?"She was appalled to see her son lying in a pile of broken glass with his back bl
"Lloyd, I've only agreed to do all of this because you've aided me back then. However, you've made me extremely uncomfortable today, and I've decided to stop the shoot for now. Don't worry, I'll repay you what I owe, but in another way," she said.Indeed, it was not like Lloyd's intelligence could not be bought with money. It was just that she had no need for them before. As of now, she no longer wished to cooperate with this insatiable mother-and-son duo. If anyone else could provide her with the intel she needed for a price, she would pay even more money to get it done.At that instant, Lloyd felt a wave of numbing coldness radiating from within."Nicole..." he uttered, still wanting to say something.However, Nicole had already lost her patience. "Let's go. Take me away from here."She was really tired and only wanted to leave this place.Seeing that, Jared held onto Nicole and walked her out in domineering fashion, and as he did so, no one dared to try to stop him, not even N
"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