"There's no need to. I feel like I'm going to puke everything out."After having seen a restroom, Nicole became silent and made an immediate beeline for the women's restroom.'I doubt he'll still be able to follow me this time!' she thought.Harvey glanced at the icon on the women's restroom, shaking his head.'It seems that I'm not going to succeed this time. I'll let her go for her lunch,' Harvey thought as he turned around to leave the place.Nicole came out of the restroom after a while, and just as she was about to leave, she bumped into the duo of Ryder and Gary who had just exited the men's bathroom.The eyes of the two brothers lit up the instant they saw Nicole. "Nicole? What are you doing here?"Nicole shot them each a glance and asked, "You two. Do you always go to the restroom together?"The two brothers looked at each other in embarrassment. "Um, we happened to bump into each other by coincidence..."Nicole gave them both a look with one of her brows raised. "I'm
Claus frowned when he noticed that Gary had ordered a steak for Nicole.He had been ordered to keep an eye out for Nicole, to prevent any of the other men from making any advances on her. 'This kid even ordered food for Nicole?'Claus thought about it and looked at Nicole with a haughty expression. "Miss Riddle. Do you want the steak?"Nicole shook her head. "No, just give me some pasta and some desserts after.""Okay!' Claus said loudly, after which he repeated the order. "Two steaks, one pasta, three coffees, and two desserts. I'll be right back!"Then, Claus turned around and left.Ryder and Gary could not help but look at each other with their brows raised in suspicion after that interaction. "What's the matter with that guy?""Shouldn't he be giving us what we want after we've made our order? Why did he ask Nicole about it so specifically before removing one of our orders?""I'm a regular customer here, he knows what I want and what I don't want. You guys don't have to wor
Gary nodded and darted his eyes at Nicole's direction.Then, something clicked in Ryder's mind. 'Is it possible that the owner of this cafe is Jared?! In which case, wouldn't Nicole be the proprietress of this place?!'The thought that was racing across his mind almost made Ryder spit his mouthful of coffee out.Still, he forced himself to swallow the coffee before coughing out loud. "Really?"Gary nodded with a serious look on his face."So, that's why you know the store manager so well," Ryder said awkwardly.'It would be weird if he didn't know the taste and preferences of his boss' wife well. It won't be wise for him to mix it all up,' he thought.Nicole noticed the weird behavior among the two brothers, and that was when she guessed that Ryder knew about her relationship with Jared.Therefore, she did not deny it. "Yeah."Ryder looked at Nicole in embarrassment, not expecting her to answer it so plainly.'If this were someone else, they would be over the moon to own such
As they were being stared at by Jared, Gary and Ryder felt the overwhelming presence looming over them.However, Gary tried his best to resist Jared's presence nonetheless, and in a tone indicative of his dissatisfaction, he replied, "Nicole and I are classmates. Isn't it normal for us to know each other well?"Seeing how headstrong Gary was, Jared looked at Ryder and mocked, "Then, is Ryder classmates with Nicole too?"Ryder did not know how to explain himself, and as such, he could only reply awkwardly, "We joined a competition a few days back. I guess we can be considered as teammates."After all, the three of them were in a team. This, it was not wrong for him to refer to himself as one of Nicole's teammates.However, Jared felt as though the two of them were simply giving excuses.The Finley brothers were really timid people. It was obvious that both of them had feelings for Nicole, and yet, they could have a meal with Nicole together. This made others wonder what their actu
"Hey! This is a school!"Indeed, it was, but Jared had paid it no mind and had gone in for a kiss just like that."So what? You're going to be my wife soon. Do I have to bother about what other people think when I kiss my wife?" Jared asked, feeling unbothered.Hearing that, Nicole was almost rendered speechless. "That's enough. I'm not in the mood to talk to you."Then, she walked into the school, looking crestfallen. 'This b*stard always acts like that. I'll have to be wary of him next time.'Noticing how skittish Nicole was, Jared got into the car happily. "Let's head to the office.""Alright." Max replied and started the car engine.Soon, however, Max received a call. "Mr. Johnston, it seems that there's an issue at the Riddle Corporation."Jared frowned a little. "Turn around and make our way to the Riddle Corporation."Since Max had mentioned to Jared that there was a problem, Jared must not take the matter lightly and brush it off."Noted." Max nodded, after which he i
"I'm not really sure either. But thankfully, Jared came over today. Otherwise, things would have gotten worse." Daniel issued a sigh of relief."Jared came over?" Nicole asked, not expecting Jared to have gone all the way there to help."Yeah, it was a good thing that Jared was calm. We managed to provide evidence that the company is going through the procedures of splitting. We also provided evidence that Dillon's department is independent from the company," Daniel said.Nicole gradually breathed a sigh of relief. "That way, the company won't be fined, right?""Yes. After that, the tax bureau went through the head office's accounts and found no issues. So, they called it a day. However, Sean and Steve are still working at the office. They want examine all the accounts in thorough detail." Daniel sighed again, his facing.Nicole nodded. "It seems that the splitting process must be expedited. We can't allow our company to be affected again.""Yes. Stanley is working on the follow
Nicole rolled her eyes at him. "Who said I missed you?"They had just met earlier in the day, and Nicole was not the clingy type.However, Jared teased her, "You don't miss me? I'll leave then."As he uttered those words, Jared got up, ready to walk out.Seeing that, Nicole had no choice but to reply, "Fine, quit that act. Tell me, what happened at Riddle Corporation today?"Even if she did not feel like seeing Jared, Nicole still wanted to discover the truth of the situation from him.Jared pursed his lips, looked at her, and purposely said, "A minute ago, you were chasing me away. And now, you're asking me to stay? Aren't you being a little insincere?"Nicole could tell that Jared was just messing around, so she walked over and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Is that enough?"Nicole blushed as she did so. She was still not used to it.Jared did not continue to annoy her.Instead, he hugged her and said, "It's enough."As soon as had spoken, he pulled Nicole into his arms, l
Gloria could not help but laugh. "Hey, you don't have any issues with your academic performance. You shouldn't burden yourself."While speaking, Gloria grabbed Nicole by the shoulders and marched her into Jared's embrace. "Go ahead and have fun. Leave matters related to school to us.""Thank you, Aunt Gloria." Jared smiled happily.His mother-in-law was so supportive that all he could do was accept it. Unable to do much about it, Nicole followed Jared into the car.There were hints of sadness in the eyes of Nicole's brothers. However, they had always hoped that Nicole would find the right, forever partner to live with. Either way, they could only watch as Nicole took a seat in Jared's car and left.Happily, Gloria remarked, "This boy is still calling me Aunt. He should switch to using a different term when he's back."Daniel laughed. "Yeah, hopefully they'll be back soon."The journey was smooth, and once they arrived at the airport, they boarded the plane. Nicole looked at Jare
"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