"Of course." Jared nodded his head, eyes full of confidence.Lana smiled brightly. "Then, birth father, do you have money?"This sudden question stunned Nicole. 'Nolan and Lana are twins. They're both smart.'Jared raised his eyebrows and said nonchalantly, "Yes.""Then... birth father, do you have a big house?" Lana asked innocently, staring at Jared with her big eyes.Jared grinned confidently and replied, "Of course!"Jared carried Lana over to the balcony, before pointing to the manor next door. "That's the house I bought for your mother.""Wow!" Lana had her mouth agape, trying to maintain her composure. "Then... do you know kung fu?"Jared nodded. "Of course. Your father is an all-rounder in civil and military affairs."Lana smiled. "That's amazing!!! All the kids at kindergarten will be jealous that I have such an amazing father!"When Jared heard Lana's explanation, he could not help but laugh. 'How can a kid this young know how to show off? Kids these days are really
Nicole reached out and patted the back of his hand. "It's all in the past."Nicole did not care if anyone around her was concerned about the matter."It's not." Jared slowly let go of her, pulling her wrists away and checking her wrists to see the scar on the tendon of her arm."Before this, you were able to do anything. Even I couldn't lay a finger on you, but now... you're much weaker in strength..." Jared looked at Nicole with a troubled look, before reaching out and tucking her hair behind her ear. Jared's action was so natural which caused Nicole to blush, but she did not shy away from it.Nicole felt relief in her heart, knowing that she did not jerk away from his touch."It's okay. It doesn't matter anymore. I'm at the age where I don't have to bother using any strength. Plus, now that I'm home, I doubt there'd be anyone who'd dare bully me."Jared had a dead set expression. "Whoever dares to hurt you again, I'll let them suffer the consequences."The serious look on Jare
Jared's actions were smooth like butter. Nicole had almost believed that they were an old married couple.Lawrence noticed Jared's actions and copied them. He poured a glass of warm water for Nicole. "You should eat less of the raw food. It's not good for your health."Jared and Lawrence both looked at each other. If they were in a comic, one would see the lasers zapping out from their eye contact. Nicole wished the earth would open up and swallow her to get her away from all the embarrassment."Thanks, guys," Nicole said before lowering her head in embarrassment.However, the battle between these two men was not over yet. Jared served Nicole a bowl of soup. "Here, have some soup. It's more nutritious than water."Lawrence ignored Jared and gave Nicole a smile before putting some vegetables onto her plate. "Don't drink too much soup. Here, have some veggies."The jealousy between the two men made Nicole extremely uncomfortable.Jared was unwilling to admit defeat. He noticed a g
Jared stared at the arm Nicole had broken away from. At that moment, he felt like he was the third wheel.Jared faked a smile and said, "In that case, you treat your guest well. I shall leave." After the words fell, Jared turned around and left.Seeing this, Lana started screaming, "Dad! Are you leaving?"Lana's aggrieved look made Jared and her uncles feel distressed when they saw her. Even if Jared was upset, he could only say, "I'll be right next door. You can come visit me if you want to, Lana.""Okay..." Lana nodded and pursed her mouth in an angry manner.Though Jared by nature was soft-hearted, the situation had forced him to leave temporarily. He needed time to sort out his emotions.Nicole watched Jared leave, thinking that she would be feeling relieved, but her heart was inexplicably heavy. Nicole stared at Jared with some reluctance in her eyes while Lawrence's eyes were filled with glee.Smiling, he said, "I'm sorry I made you guys fight about me."Nicole shook her
There was a hint of skepticism when Lawrence deliberately refused Nicole returning to the country. The excuse of him not having enough power and influence in San Joto was suspicious enough.'Lawrence was a very cautious person to begin with. He never does things he's unsure of.' Nicole took a deep breath, as if to organize her thoughts. She stretched out her hand to Lawrence."Thank you so much for always being considerate of me. But don't you worry. Now that I'm home, you're still my friend and it won't ever change. I must congratulate you for getting into Hustuaburg though if there's anything you need help with. Don't be afraid to ask me for help." Nicole smiled brightly. Her face was filled with sincerity.Lawrence's mood somewhat eased a little after listening to Nicole's words.'It seems like she believes me, which is enough for me.' Lawrence reached out his hand to shake Nicole's, smiling. "Alright, I should congratulate you too, CEO of the Riddle Corporation."Nicole was ta
Lana hugged Nicole's neck affectionately and said sweetly, "Mommy, I really like Daddy. Can you not ignore him?"Nicole was startled. Unable to control her expression, she did not expect Lana to display such affection toward Jared in a short amount of time. 'I guess it's the biological bonding at work.'Nolan was angry at Lana's words and could not help frowning. He did not want to argue with his sister nor make her cry at this time. Nolan knew that he would support his godfather until the very end, especially since he made a secret promise with his godfather. He believed that his godfather was the only person fit for his mother.Nicole came back to reality shortly after. She did not know how to respond to Lana, so instead she changed the topic. "Okay. Since lunch is over, it's nap time for the two of you.""Okay." Nolan obediently climbed onto his bed.Nicole was taken aback by his obedience. 'Why is he being so obedient? It's weird...'Nicole watched as Nolan shut his eyes. Thu
"Come and sit by grandma." Gloria waved the two children over, wanting to hold the both of them in her arms.Everyone else wanted to do the same but did not dare fight Gloria for it. After all, for the past five years since Nicole's disappearance, their mother had not laughed at all. It was a rare scene for everyone to see."Let's dig in!" Gloria did not mind her sons' wishful thinking of wanting to hold their niece and nephew.Daniel gave their sons a look that said, 'Not a chance. Don't even think about it.'"Okay," Spencer and Samuel agreed in unison, tacitly knowing what their father was referring to.Nicole watched as she observed the actions of her parents and older brothers. The corners of her lips curled into a slight smile. Her heart was warm, feeling content. Though she could not recall her memory, seeing her family being together again was an irreplaceable feeling.Nicole was just about to lower head to take a bite of her food when suddenly, a shadow appeared behind he
Jared's sudden closeness had Nicole's heart fluttering faster than usual. She took a while to process what he had said. When she did, her pupils dilated. "What are the results?"Nicole did not expect him to tell her this information. His speedy resolution of the situation was commendable. She could tell there was something odd with Mr. Riddle Sr.'s medicine. However, she needed to identify the exact issue using professional laboratory tests to curate a remedy to the case.Jared's eyes darkened, and his voice revealed a hint of coldness. "Mr. Riddle Sr.'s medicine is specially formulated. There were toxic ingredients added to the original nutrient neurovascular formulation. It was hard to detect the toxic ingredient and with prolonged use...""Chronic poisoning. Something that couldn't be detected medically." Nicole instantly understood. Her eyes turned cold. If Mr. Riddle Sr. continued the prescription, he would die of organ failure, and no one would have discovered the poison."Th
"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