"It's a deal." Lawrence then said with a bright smile, "I'll be looking forward to that feast.""Sure. You can choose the time and place," Nicole happily agreed.Lawrence had helped her, and it was right for her to thank him with a meal."Okay then, I won't disturb your work any longer." Lawrence said his goodbye as he stood up.Nicole stood up too. She watched Lawrence leave before returning to her desk and sitting down.Sometime later, Nicole received an email from Ian. She opened it and read it, nodding approvingly. "It's a very good project, indeed."After reading it, Nicole forwarded the email to Sean and asked him to consider the collaboration project.After Sean told her that he had received it, Nicole then closed the document and attended to other tasks.With this project from Interstellar International, the Riddle Corporation could finally make a breakthrough after getting stuck in expanding the business.During the five years Nicole was away, Stanley and Sean did a p
"He's going to visit Grandpa," Gloria said.Nicole frowned. "Is Grandpa not feeling well again?"'Grandpa should be fine now that he's taking the right medications and receiving needle technique treatment.'With a smile, Gloria replied, "Don't worry. Grandpa's fine. Your dad is simply going to see him.""Oh." Nicole felt relieved after hearing that and suggested, "I've been so busy since coming back, so I didn't really get a chance to talk to Grandma. Mom, would you like to see her with me?""Sure. She's been asking about you lately," Gloria said as she went to Mrs. Wallace Sr.'s room with Nicole."Eh? Why is no one here?" Nicole was a little surprised. 'Where is she?'Gloria looked at the time and made a guess. "She's probably on the balcony, getting some sun."So, Nicole and Gloria went to the balcony and saw Mrs. Wallace Sr. there with Tia."Grandma." Nicole walked over and saw the radiant look on Mrs. Wallace Sr.'s face. Then, she smiled in relief.Although Nicole had no
Nicole could tell that Tia was trying to endure the pain while walking. She frowned a little. But before Nicole could make a move, someone was one step ahead of her.That person approached Tia, took hold of the wheelchair, and said, "Let me do it.""Master Stanley..." Tia wanted to reject him, but Stanley had already pushed Mrs. Wallace Sr. away.Tia slightly bit her lip and followed after them.Staring at the backs of those two, Nicole's eyes narrowed. A strange feeling crossed her heart."Let's head down first. You need to pick Nolan and Lana up later," Gloria reminded Nicole.Looking at how casually Gloria acted toward the situation, Nicole felt a lot more at peace. Then, she headed downstairs with her mother."Mummy!"Unexpectedly, just as she reached downstairs, Nolan and Lana ran toward her."Why are you guys back so early?" Nicole was surprised. She looked up and saw Jared walking in."I heard you're not feeling well?" Jared immediately questioned as soon as he entered
Jared decided not to tell her at the moment, about her ownership of the Fire Crest. Nicole had no memory of it. Even if she were to know about it, it would be another burden for her. Not many were aware that the Fire Crest had gone missing, so most people would still assume that Nicole was the owner.After hearing Jared's words, Nicole raised her eyebrows slightly and said with a smile, "You have such confidence in me."She dared not guarantee that those families would continue partnering with the Riddle Corporation. And yet, Jared was quite confident."Because it's you." Jared's gaze softened as he spoke to Nicole.In the past, Nicole had surprised him unexpectedly. He believed that even with a loss of memory, she was still the same old Nicole."Thank you for your kind words." Nicole smiled. Although she was unsure of how things would turn out, Nicole was exactly how Jared had described her to be. She had decided to fight for all the deals with all her might.A hint of tendernes
After making up her mind, Nicole got up and headed downstairs. Soon, she reached the lobby."Nicole!" Lulu and June waved their hands enthusiastically when they spotted Nicole."Lulu! June!" When she reached the girls, Nicole smiled. "Since it's lunch time, let's have lunch together.""Sure! We were thinking of treating you to a meal too." It was an opportunity for them to get together as well. It had been five years. There had not been any news about Nicole for five years and the girls were worried sick.Nicole brought them to a restaurant near the office building. They found a table somewhat hidden from view and sat down.After they had ordered, Lulu asked impatiently, "Nicole, what have you been through in the past five years? Why didn't you return for so long?""I ran into some problems." Nicole thought twice and still decided not to tell Lulu and June the truth.Nicole did not know how to break the news to the two girls. She was not sure if they could accept the things whic
Hearing this, Nicole seemed to have a thought. She asked Lulu, "If you really want to switch jobs, would you be willing to jump ship and work for our company?""Riddle Corporation?" Lulu was so stunned that her mouth gaped wide open. This was something she dared not even dream of."If you want, you can report to work at our office on Monday. But if you don't want to, I won't force you either. You can make this decision yourself." Nicole shrugged her shoulders and spoke calmly."Alright, I'll think about it carefully," Lulu answered solemnly.June rolled her eyes at Lulu in annoyance. "You're only thinking about it?"The Riddle Corporation was not a company where anyone could just join. Now that Nicole had given the invitation, Lulu should have just accepted it. She was actually going to think about it first?Lulu scratched her head awkwardly. "I just thought of going through some professional books later when I head back. If I see any potential in this, then I'll go for it. Other
It was still early. Nicole was a little reluctant when she was woken up by her daughter. "Lana, it's too early."This little one would stay in bed when she had to go to school, but she could wake up this early during the weekends."But I'm so excited that I can't sleep anymore!" Lana did not feel any sense of guilt. In fact, she was determined.Jared got up and carried Lana up. "Alright, I'll help you get ready. We'll let mommy sleep for a bit more. Is that okay?""Okay," Lana agreed happily. She was extremely satisfied.Nicole's lips twitched. 'This little one did not come here for me at all.'However, Nicole really did not have a good sleep, and it was too early in the morning. After Jared had carried Lana out of the room, Nicole pulled the blanket over herself and continued sleeping.When Nicole woke up once again, she found the two little ones staring at her while resting their chins in their palms.Nicole was instantly tickled with joy by that sight. She could not help it
"I did it with daddy too!" Lana was very happy to be praised. She hugged Jared's arm to emphasize that point. She seemed to be waiting for Nicole to praise Jared as well.Nicole was laughing while covering her face. She could only utter a word of gratitude. "Thank you."She really did not know what to praise Jared for. It seemed no matter what she said, it would seem weird."It's my job. You're welcome." Jared looked at Nicole and gave a devilish smile.Nicole rolled her eyes at Jared. 'Can't this guy speak normally?'Lana covered her mouth and giggled. She secretly sneaked a wink to Jared. It was as if she was saying, 'Go, daddy, go!'Jared looked at Lana lovingly. Then, he lifted his hand and patted Lana on the head.Nolan could not help but roll his eyes at Lana. He crossed his arms in front of his chest with an angry look on his face, as if he was a little adult.Unsatisfied, Lana looked at Nolan and raised her chin at him. After that, she proceeded to hug Jared's arm tight
"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