Nicole raised her eyebrows as she looked at the commotion on the stage. 'Zeke is being way too careless with his effort in keeping his identity a secret. His life will not be peaceful in the near future.'Zeke's complexion became very pale as the host excitedly trotted over. As of now, Zeke was expressionless."It's no wonder Zeke here was so brilliant tonight! He's none other than one of the most well-known hackers in the international stage! This must be an easy competition for you, don't you think? Are you aiming to win first place?" The host bombarded him with compliments without missing a beat, while the other contestants sitting in the audience were demotivated by the sudden realization that Specter was in the competition.Director Monroe, on the other hand, had a ubiquitous expression on her face. In spite of the fact that she knew how capable Zeke was, there was no way in which she could have foreseen that he was one of the greatest hackers.'Come to think of it, both Ryder
"You!!" Ryder was flabbergasted as he did not expect Mr. Hardy to speak so harshly.He had to restrain himself while none of the others dared to step forward.Nicole raised her eyebrows and rubbed her ears before retorting, "This teacher here is swearing like a sailor. Talking much about keeping the rights of a quality a teacher should have and what not. He must be really shameless considering that he is one himself."Nicole's voice was not loud, but it was clear enough for everyone in the audience to hear it.When Mr. Hardy noticed that it was Nicole, he bellowed, "What right do you have to speak to me? This is all about skills. The Finley brothers have none, and you should remember that!"Zeke, who was still onstage, noticed that Mr. Hardy was going to provoke Nicole once more. He quickly rushed off the stage without an ounce of care for what the host wanted to say."Mr. Hardy!"Noticing that Zeke was coming toward him, Mr. Hardy's pride swelled to astronomical proportions."
While the students of Royal Creek were bummed out, the students of Northon Institute were celebrating. Everyone gathered around Zeke when he returned to his seat."Zeke, why didn't you tell us you were Specter!?""That was one crazy competition!""I heard you've partnered with the number one hacker!""Have you met her in person?"Many in Zeke's entourage bombarded him with question after question. The barrage left him with a headache, and he silently looked at Nicole's direction.'These people are already excited to know that I'm ranked second. If they knew that Nicole is here, wouldn't they all sh*t their pants? I guess Mr. Hardy will be in for it later, Nicole seems to be seething...,' Zeke thought to himself.The competition progressed on, followed up by contestants completing their turns, with more than half being eliminated. On the main seat, Sebastian was spectating the entire competition where he often peered over to look at Nicole from time to time.'This girl seems to
"Won't you just look at who's on my team?" Gary said from the bottom of his heart.Ryder thought that Gary was talking about him, and so, he mustered an affectionate smile. "You jerk. You've finally come to your senses. Don't you worry, I'll do my best to bring you guys to the next round."Gary was stunned as he realized that Ryder had misunderstood what he just said.He was about to explain himself, but Ryder had already put on his pair of earphones, prompting Gary to shake his head and give up on the idea.'I guess it's good for him to regain some of his confidence first,' he thought to himself.Nicole was already by then, casually waiting for the contest to begin.Then, Ryder said, "Even though our opponents aren't from Northon Institute, they're still very capable. So, we can't underestimate them. I'm going to be very aggressive in the beginning. All you guys have to do is support me."Gary looked at Nicole awkwardly. 'It's sad that Ryder still doesn't know what's going on.'
Ryder was all set to begin his invasion as he was about to signal Nicole and Gary to back him up. However, it was then that he realized that Nicole was already a few steps ahead of him! Suddenly, Nicole had taken the lead!Ryder was shocked. "Nicole! What are you doing? Don't act rashly!"Gary looked at him awkwardly and thought to himself. 'Does he still think that he's the best among us?'Nicole swept her gaze across Ryder. "I don't really like these three people. Just sit there and catch a break.""What?!" Ryder was stunned. 'What does she mean? Did she just ask us to do nothing in this team battle?'However, Gary did not listen to her. He could not just sit there and do nothing when he finally had the chance to work with his idol."No way. Nicole, please tell me what to do. I'd like to help you!" he protested.Hearing that, Ryder had no idea what was going on. "Gary, what are you doing?"'Is he cracking a joke? Why does he wish to back Nicole up?!' he wondered.Gary looked
Ryder asked with a curious look on his face without stopping what he was doing. He began cooperating with Nicole, using the data from his analysis of the master hacker's style, and... it actually worked!'God, what's happening!?' he asked himself.Gary turned around and looked at Ryder. "Have you only gotten to know about this now? How dim-witted of you."Ryder widened his eyes as soon as he heard what Gary had said. "No way... H-how is this possible?"As it turned out, Ryder and Gary had been looking up to the same person. They had also been trying very hard to learn and analyze their techniques, and that person...was one of the best hackers in the world!Ryder could not believe that the person in question was in their school, let alone sitting beside them."I thought so too. I feel like I'm dreaming!" Gary mused as he supported Nicole passionately.Ryder could not help but look at Nicole curiously after noting the excited look on Gary's face.Suddenly, he felt as though he co
Gary and Ryder looked very thrilled.Ryder thought that they could only win by way of a meticulous plan, but unexpectedly, Nicole had actually secured the victory for them in just about ten minutes.By then, he was even more convinced of who she was. 'Nicole... is Lucifer!'He looked at Nicole as he thought about that, and his eyes lit up a little.However, the only thing Nicole did was look at them and said, "Not bad."Gary smiled. "Won't you look at who our leader is!?"It was then that Ryder finally realized that Gary's praise was for Nicole, not him.He could not believe that he had actually thought that he was better than Nicole.Scratching his head awkwardly, he asked, "Gary, why didn't you tell me about her real identity earlier?!"Ryder felt extremely humiliated as he had repeatedly embarrassed himself, and it was all because Gary had concealed the truth from him.Gary smiled. "I only knew about it today. Nicole's identity is a secret. I couldn't tell you about it if
Zeke was at a loss for words, and there, he gave up on the idea of telling Mr. Hardy the truth.Even though he knew that his chances of winning were not high, Mr. Hardy was right. He was representing Northon Institute.'It seems that I've got to be serious this time,' he concluded."I got it, Mr. Hardy," Zeke said.Mr. Hardy heaved a sigh of relief when he had finally received some reassurance from Zeke's eyes. "Do your best if that's the case. Don't let me down."However, Zeke sighed after hearing Mr. Hardy's words.He had started out hacking for fun, and he was not expecting pressure like this at all.Undoubtedly, Nicole had gained a lot of attention after her performance at the semi-finals, so much so that even Rowdon became a little curious. 'The way she codes looks really familiar...'However, he did not dare to think any further than that. He had already met a master in Zeke, and he could not afford to go up against another genius in this contest.Rowdon then took a deep
"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