A few minutes later, Jared brought Nicole to the front door of the Riddle residence, Then, he rang the doorbell without giving Nicole any time to react.Niki was shocked as she widened her eyes. "What are you doing? I didn't say I wanted to go inside!"She figured that it would be inappropriate for her to show up uninvited at the home of the people she did not know anymore."But they've been thinking about you every day." Jared argued.He had tried to delay this meeting for three days now, thinking that Nicole would have more time to prepare herself mentally. However, he and the Riddles had been dying to see her for the longest time.Niki widened her eyes, not knowing what he was talking about.All of a sudden, a butler with a headful of white hair came outside, and as soon as he saw Nicole, he stood there, rooted in disbelief.The butler was shocked to see Nicole as he quickly opened the door and rubbed his eyes, afraid that he was just hallucinating. "M-Miss Nicole? Is that yo
It was then that they suddenly saw two figures coming inside, the sight of which left the five men dumbfounded."Stanley, a-am I seeing this correctly? I think I saw Nicole!" Samuel widened his eyes, thinking that it was all just an illusion.Spencer stuttered. "I-I saw her too!"Shocked, Stanley sputtered, "It's real! It's really her!"Sean and Steve, who were stunned too, were both at a loss for words.Nicole had been missing for five years, and the last thing they had ever expected was to see her again.However, Jared had never given up on searching for her, and at long last, he found her!"It's really Nicole!"Gloria was overwhelmed with excitement as tears began streaming down her face. She could not help but cry out loud upon finally seeing the person she had been yearning for after so long."My daughter! You're finally back!"She had been away from home for so many years, and just a year after she had returned, she was caught in a plane crash, causing the separation to
It was then that Niki realized that she had said something wrong."Uh... I gave birth to a pair of twins five years ago.""A pair of twins?" Samuel and Spencer exclaimed, becoming even more surprised as Nicole's children were twins, just like them!In addition, Jared was just as surprised as the rest of them, for he did not have one child, but two!Nike scratched her head. "Yeah... a boy and a girl."It was her first time reuniting with her family and she felt weird sharing this kind of information with them. However, she figured that it would not be right for her to withhold it after seeing the happy faces of her family."How wonderful!" Daniel, who had been silent all this while, said after taking a deep breath.He was feeling so emotional moments ago that he could not find the right words to utter. Then, after knowing that Nicole was already a mother of two, he heaved a sigh of relief.However it was then that Samuel noticed something peculiar.Feeling uneasy, he instinctiv
Noticing how incorrigible the little guy was, Jared grabbed him by his collar and lifted him off the ground. "That's just a temporary name your mother has been using for the past five years. This is her home, and now that she's back, she'll be called by her real name, Nicole!"'How dare you try to change my wife's name, you little brat? That's not your decision to make!' he fumed."My other daddy gave Mommy that name. You can't change it!" Nolan swung his little arms at Jared, though he could not hit him.Jared's gaze darkened as soon as Nolan had uttered those words. "Little brat! Your mother and I are legally married! I'll decide what her name is!"Noticing the tension building up between them, Nicole stepped up and took the kid away from Jared."That's enough. Why are you arguing with a child? It's just a name anyway. I'll change it when I return home," she said."Mommy!" Nolan looked at Nicole with a pout. "How could you change your name?"Nicole smiled at Nolan. "Silly Nola
"I don't mind spending money on Nolan at all." Samuel eagerly said. "If Nolan had grown up with us, we would definitely have given him more! These gifts are nothing!""That's right. It's only right for me to spoil my nephew," Spencer rightfully stated.Nicole looked at them, feeling embarrassed and at a loss for words. Then, she subtly glowered at Nolan.'I can't stand this little brat at all!' she fumed.However, Nolan did not seem to be bothered at all, even when he realized that his mother was glaring at him. Instead, he was delighted. It was only then that he realized how wonderful it felt to be loved by so many elders!Nicole kept her eyes on the gleeful expression on Nolan's face as if he had completely forgotten about his resistance toward Jared.Then, she grabbed his arm and said, "Do you realize how inappropriate this is, you little brat? How could you ask for gifts when you've just met them? This is a very impolite thing to do."Nolan chuckled, and mischievously, he be
With that in mind, Nicole did not resist.However, Nolan responded by puffing his cheeks up angrily."Nicole, where have you been staying for the past two days? Were you staying in your new house with Jared?" Gloria asked.'My new house?' Nicole asked herself.Taken aback and not knowing what to say, Nicole remained silent.But it was then that Jared smiled and said, "Yeah. She has been staying in our manor lately. I had decorated the master bedroom years ago, and nothing has changed."Though he had uttered those words affectionately, Nicole was still shocked. 'God! The place that I've been staying in was the bedroom for him and his wife! It's so strange that I haven't noticed that at all...'"That's good. After all, you guys are married... and it's only right for you two to stay together," Gloria agreed, although her eyes still betrayed hints of reluctance.Having noticed that, Jared smiled and said, "Don't worry. If Nicole wants to come back for the upcoming days, she's free
Samuel noticed something was not right and immediately held Nolan up. "Hey, let's not meddle with your parents' affairs. Come on, I'll show you my basketball that has Kobe Bryant's autograph on it!""No..." Nolan struggled.However, Spencer proceeded to follow them and block his view. And just like that, Nolan was taken away by two of Nicole's brothers.For some reason, Nicole was relieved after Nolan had left. She really did not want the father and son to argue in front of her family anymore...After that, they continued to chat. Daniel and Gloria went on to ask where Nicole had been living all these years and what she had gone through, during which Nicole would answer them while avoiding the heavier topics. Meanwhile, throughout it all, Jared listened quietly at the side as if he was looking for some clues.At night, the family had a reunion dinner together. Nolan got tired soon after, whereupon the nanny took him to the nursery upstairs to get some sleep.Nicole's brothers not
'What a jerk! I knew nothing good was going to happen if I shared a room with him! Still, I did not expect him to be so aggressive!'She did not believe that Jared would do anything to her in her own house. And despite the look of resistance on Nicole's face, Jared still looked at her affectionately.He then took a deep breath and said, "If I really wanted to do something to you, I wouldn't have waited until now."He did not like Nicole being afraid of him.Nicole calmed down a little, but she still angrily asked, "Why did you pin me down like this then?"Jared's eyes were like a whirlpool, rearing to suck her in.All of a sudden, he released her hands and hugged her tightly. He rested his chin on her shoulder and laid beside her. In a flash, their position switched to one where he embraced her.Nicole's breath seemed to stop at that moment, and all she could smell was the faint fragrance of cologne lingering on his person.'I'm going crazy. I've only met him a few times, but I
"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