Samuel and Spencer both shook their heads. "That's nothing. No one would dare to say a word even if we're late."Nicole raised her eyebrow. "That's because..."Samuel, in a somewhat miffed tone, said, "We don't want you to get married to Jared so soon."Thinking that the two of them had decided things over a meal, the two brothers were not very happy about it.Nicole smiled playfully. "Being jealous now? Then the two of you can consider getting married early too."With Nicole twisting their words against them, the two of them found themselves at a disadvantage."We... didn't mean that..." Samuel was embarrassed.However, Nicole continued to tease them. "But you're all adults now and should be thinking about your future. Hurry up and find yourselves a girlfriend."As she said that, Nicole opened the door and got into the car.Samuel and Spencer awkwardly followed her into the car. "We want to, but we don't want to just make up the numbers."Nicole raised her eyebrow. "To me, L
Alfred then led Jared and Mr. Johnston Sr. into the manor.The moment he stepped through the door, Mr. Johnston Sr. exclaimed, "Mr. Riddle Sr., the day has finally come!"Mr. Riddle Sr. quickly got up. "Indeed. The feeling is mutual!"Mr. Johnston Sr. looked at Mr. Riddle Sr. and smiled happily. "We didn't arrange this marriage for nothing, so I came here bearing a grand gift."Mr. Riddle Sr. did not expect Mr. Johnston Sr. to jump straight to gift giving the moment he stepped into the house. He found himself in an awkward situation. "Oh no, you didn't have to.""Why not? It's an honor for my grandson to be able to marry a girl like Nicole! So, as his grandfather, I must of course have something to show for!"As he said that, Mr. Johnston Sr. motioned to a follower behind him to bring something forward.When the big object covered in red cloth was brought over, everyone could not help but turn to look at it.Mr. Johnston Sr. smiled happily as he pulled the red cloth away.A br
After accepting the gift, Mr. Riddle Sr. led Mr. Johnston Sr. and Jared to the dining hall. At that moment, the chef and servants had already prepared a lavish feast.Seeing that, Mr. Johnston Sr. could not help but say, "Oh, you didn't have to do this, Mr. Riddle Sr."Mr. Riddle Sr. smiled genially. "Think nothing of it. You've prepared such a big gift for us. This is only natural."The two elderly men politely bowed to each other and took their seats. Mrs. Wallace Sr. was arranged by Daniel to sit beside Mr. Riddle Sr.Mr. Johnston Sr. gave Mrs. Wallace Sr. a glance. "Is this... your missus?"After some hesitation, this was the guess Mr. Johnston Sr. made.However, Mr. Riddle Sr.'s wife had passed away a long time ago. When did he take a new wife?Mrs. Wallace Sr. suddenly found herself in an awkward spot. She had never encountered such a situation before and did not know what to say.Yet, Mr. Riddle Sr. smiled. "She isn't my wife, but this is Mrs. Wallace Sr. who had raised
Seeing that Mr. Johnston Sr. regarded Nicole so highly, the entire Riddle family was moved beyond words.It was an absolute blessing for Nicole to be able to find such in-laws.But they also knew that Nicole's brilliance and excellence was the thing that made Mr. Johnston Sr. hold her in such high regard.Even if the five brothers could not bear to see their little sister marry out of the family, upon seeing how sincere Mr. Johnston Sr. and Jared were, they could only give her their blessings.The meal was a very harmonious one.When it came to determining the date, everyone looked at Jared.Jared looked at Nicole in the eyes and said, "I can't wait to marry Nicole and I plan to go to Panem with Nicole to register our marriage. Then our wedding will be held half a month later at Bailey Island."When she heard that Jared was planning the wedding at such a romantic place, Gloria was touched. "Jared, you sure have it all planned out."But Nicole's focus was not on that. "So, the w
"Yeah Nicole, you're just so multi-talented!" Samuel was surprised.However, Nicole shook her head. "It's just something I picked up in the organization. Everyone there knows it."The more she tried to understate things, the more they felt Nicole was more than she let on.Daniel looked at the time and saw that it was already late and they should be going back. "Alright, Grandpa's tired too. Let's go back first. We'll be very busy for the coming days.""Yes. After this, all of you must help out with Nicole's wedding. No one's allowed to slack off.""Don't worry about it." Samuel nodded."Yeah, just tell us what we need to do, Mom," Spencer added.It was only then that Gloria felt relieved. "Good."The family chatted with one another as they prepared to bid Mr. Riddle Sr. goodbye.Yet, unexpectedly, Damien suddenly entered through the front door.When he saw that Daniel and the rest were about to leave, his expression was dark.He had only heard that the Johnston and Riddle fa
Damien totally did not expect Mr. Riddle Sr. to be so frank with him.Although Damien was a little taken by surprise, he decided to be frank as well. "I'll readily admit that the reason the company's doing so well right now is because of Daniel's family. But the reason we survived this long is because of me breaking my back running the company. You shouldn't just discard my past contributions just like that..."Mr. Riddle Sr. frowned. "Since when did I discard your past contributions? I just want you to make way for your betters. The Riddle family isn't yours alone. Only when the family and the company is in a good spot will everyone in the family enjoy its benefits. The company should be run by those who are most capable. You, of all people, should know this logic best."When he heard the words 'make way for your betters', Damien clenched his fist tightly.He could not help but to say mockingly, "So, father, you feel that I'm just hogging the position and doing minor work, like an
"It's true that I don't have much. But for these two things, you can take it if you dare." Nicole sarcastically said, "Being able to depend on others is also an ability. I guess you don't even have that ability. Do you only know how to be unreasonable like your wife?"Those words came one after another. Damien was speechless at Nicole's sarcasm."What a great show, Nicole. I can't fight you now, but you better remember this, good tunes come from an old fiddle. It won't be good for you once you offend me." Damien gave Nicole a death stare. His gaze was like a wolf's scowl.Nicole could sense the threatening tone in Damien's voice. She turned around, glanced at Mr. Riddle Sr., and said, "Grandpa, it seems like the Riddle family is separated now. Previously, we only separated the shares. Now that we have to protect the company, I guess we'll have to split up the company too. Since Uncle Damien's so confident, he can just lead his own department as an individual division. That way, he w
The burden she had to face for not getting a good night's rest, the back pain she had to suffer when she went to school... Nicole did not want him to stay anymore. She wanted to rest at night."After the weekend, we'll be husband and wife legally. What's so bad about living together a few days earlier?"Nicole looked at him with a firm gaze. "Of course it's a bad thing! My back is in pain!"Jared immediately understood what she meant and smiled wickedly. "Then, for tonight, I'll be a little gentler.""Shut up, you brute! I won't let you touch me even once tonight!" This guy really had no self-control. Nicole could not let Jared have his way.Jared pursed his lips. "You don't have a say... Come, let's take a shower first."As soon as he finished talking, Jared carried Nicole in his arms."You! Let go of me!" Nicole was blushing while wriggling.However, Jared raised his eyebrows proudly. "You could scream louder... I don't mind it if mom and dad hear you.""You!" This nasty fel
"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