He watched as the trio walked further away, eventually disappearing at the entrance, well away from sight. The air was cold around Lawrence, and he kept quiet, with nobody able to tell what was on his mind.Concurrently, Jared got into the car with Nicole and Nolan outside of the restaurant.Nolan quickly scooted over to the furthest end of the seat after Jared had released him, looking slightly awkward. 'It's such a weird feeling. I kind of hate this guy, but I felt something that I cannot explain when he was carrying me just now.'Nicole bit her lips when she saw Jared igniting the engine. "Do you have someone or something to tend to? I can take Nolan home myself, actually."He had probably left Max behind because he needed Max to take his place in a meeting. At the same time, Nicole became cognizant of why Jared had showed up at the restaurant. Mixed feelings arose within her when she realized that Jared had pushed his work aside just to take her and Nolan back home."Nolan had
"Jared, is there really no way to help Nicole regain her memories?" Gloria asked as tears began to well up in her eyes.Daniel chimed in as well. "I remember a famous doctor called James Dade. Can we contact him?""No one knows where he is." Jared shook his head.Indeed, the only person who knew James had lost her memory, so it was impossible for them to reach that man."Doesn't he have an apprentice? Someone by the name of Ghost Hand, I think," Daniel responded.'If we can't get a hold of that doctor, contacting his apprentice should be good enough. It's not impossible to reach that apprentice of his, right?' Daniel wondered."How do you know so much?" Jared replied to Daniel with a question of his own instead.In truth, Nicole was Ghost Hand, but even she could not treat herself."I heard my brothers talking about this before," Daniel answered candidly.If he had not overheard their conversation, he would not have known this much either.Jared realized that Damien had tried
"Run along then. I'll pick you up after work." Jared smiled, as he knew that Nicole already had a plan in mind.Even though she had lost her memories, she still had some aces up her sleeves. It was safe to say that anyone foolish enough to mess with her would not live a good life.Nicole's cheeks flushed as she got down from the car.She only turned around to enter the office building after Jared had driven away."Hey, Sean." Nicole greeted Sean right after she had gotten out of the elevator."I was just looking for you. Come to my office with me," Sean said as he made a beeline for his office.Nicole could tell that Sean was serious, so she followed him.Steve entered Sean's office a few minutes later and joined them after they had gotten in."What happened? Why do you want me to cancel the project?" Steve asked, clearly upset.'This is money! It's our loss if we don't go through with it.'"Take a look at this." Sean threw a file on the table.Steve flipped it open as Nicol
"Mr. Johnston's investigating him|? Did something happen?" Sean's eyes widened.In an instant, he had figured that things were not as simple as Nicole had described."Can you not be so astute?" Nicole flashed him a helpless smile.All she had given him was a vague reminder, and yet, he had managed to intuit the complexity of this case. However, she really did not want to burden her brother by getting him tangled in her own issues. Jared being on the case was good enough."I'm right, then. But since you don't want to talk about it, I'm going to stop asking. Still, I must ask that you do not hide it from us if you ever find yourself in danger," Sean offered, understanding Nicole's intentions."Sure." Nicole replied as she felt the warmth in her heart."Well then, let's start according to the plan," Sean said affirmatively.Having reached an agreement, Nicole and Steve left Sean's office.Once they were outside, Steve gave Nicole a reassuring look and stated, "Don't worry. Things
"It's okay. Nolan can hang out with his godfather if he wants. But he has to come home after visiting him." Jared smiled.'This girl looks innocent and cute on the outside, but she's actually really clever. Looks like she won't be easily fooled by nasty boys when she grows up,' he thought."Nolan misses godfather very much nowadays." Lana shrugged with a disdainful look on her face.'I mean, is there anyone who couldn't tell what Nolan is thinking? It's painfully obvious. Nolan is a smart boy. He could even do what Mommy does as a hacker. I just don't get why he can't understand this.''If Mommy and Godpa were meant to be, they would have been together a long time ago. Why would they wait until now? Why can't he just try to get Daddy and Mommy back together instead? Daddy is handsome and rich! Most importantly, he is very loyal to Mommy. How nice!' Lana wondered.Lana issued a sigh as she dwelled in her thoughts. 'Did Nolan put all his intelligence into hacking? Is that why he doe
"Yeah, take them outside. It's the weekend after all," Gloria chimed in.Nicole gave in when she saw Stanley and Spencer looking at her. "Okay. I'll take the two of you out to play."As expected, Lana was satisfied.She then looked at Jared and said, "You have to start preparing, Daddy!"Jared arched his brow when he heard Lana's remark. Then, he turned to Nicole, who rolled her eyes at him in response.After dinner, everyone chatted away in the living room for a while before they retired to their rooms.Nicole and Jared left the kids' room after the twins had fallen asleep.Taken aback, they simultaneously uttered, "He's asleep.""She's asleep.""Yeah, Lana fell asleep pretty quickly," Jared responded.Nicole looked at Nolan's room and lamented, "Nolan seems to have something on his mind, but he has fallen asleep too.""It probably has something to do with Lawrence." Jared's gaze darkened.He knew what Nolan was thinking, but he could not understand why Nolan was so persis
Nicole smiled and agreed. "You're right.""Okay, I'm just here to bring you this piece of good news. I'm leaving now." Steve waved and left.Nicole was in a good mood as the plan was going smoothly. She felt a lot more relaxed when she looked at the documents too.On the other hand, the air in Damien's office was extremely oppressive."What happened?! Somebody tell me what happened!" Damien roared as black thoughts raced through his mind. 'How did they f*ck this up?!'"Uh…" Someone stuttered.It was too late for them to say anything at this point."You can all leave now," Everett told them in a cold voice.They then glanced at Damien, waiting for his permission."Piss off." Damien waved his hand in annoyance.They immediately scrambled out of the place as if their lives had just been spared.After everyone had left, Damien's voice deepened, and he asked Everett, "What do you want to say?"He knew that Everett would not get them to leave without a good reason, so he probably
"Forget it, then. She has already made a move against us, so we can't just sit back and do nothing. From now on, let's just focus on managing the company," Damien said.Damien believed that if there was no evidence, it meant that there was nothing wrong. In the end of the day, the conclusion was still the same – they could not allow Nicole and her family to be the ones with the upper hand. All of them had the right to inherit the Riddle family's wealth and power.Damien squinted as he thought about the inheritance, revealing a sinister glint in his eyes. They were so close to succeeding when Mr. Riddle Sr. was at his limits, but Nicole just had to return and treat him.'How infuriating!'"Got it," Everett responded.However, he did not wish to give up. He had a feeling that Nicole was shrouded in a veil of mystery, and whatever it was that lied behind that veil was crucial for them and their success.Leaving the office, Everett ordered his assistant, "Continue the investigation.
"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