"But I can't just let this go."Raine's anger had subsided a little, but she was still fuming mad.'If it was a failure on my part, I would not have such a hard time accepting this. But losing to Nicole? Right in front of her face too? It's a direct slap to my face,' Raine thought."Alright, alright. We ought to bear this burden of humiliation but remember, it's all for our future," James continued through gritted teeth."Sooner or later, I'll bring her down.'"Let's go home." James dragged Raine into the car after he noticed she had finally calmed down, whereupon they left the place.On the other hand, it did not take long for Nicole and Lulu to conclude their business meeting and get into the car."Nicole, I didn't expect it would go so smoothly," Lulu remarked, feeling very impressed by herself when she landed the project with Mr. Harmon.It was also her very first project after joining Riddle Corporation. Therefore, it filled her with excitement just thinking about it."I
'There were many people before her who wanted the inheritance too. It would be almost impossible for her to wait until it was her turn. Who was next in life after me?'"She can't but there could be someone who is willing to let her have it.' An icy glint flashed in Nicole's eyes. "James is not an easy person to deal with."Nicole was unfamiliar with James, but after the fiasco that had occurred earlier today, Nicole was certain that James was brilliant in scheming.'People from the less influential families are not favored by our family as they have no status nor power, but it's a certainty that James harbors lofty ambitions. It's just that he is much better at hiding it,' Nicole thought."I really underestimated that fella." Steve scoffed, having been swayed by Nicole's words.'Now, with Raine's brilliant mind and abilities, how could she possibly join the working team in the company and expect to inherit the Riddle Corporation? She's known to be reluctant and powerless. However,
"Yeah, he also called to chat with me for a bit." Lawrence looked at Nicole with eyes beaming with hope as Nolan had given him some pep talk to work harder during the night prior.Otherwise, someone else might just whisk her away.Lawrence came to approach Nicole for that exact reason, as his masculine senses had informed him that it was a crisis. Before this, Nolan had contacted Lawrence to help him find occasions and circumstances in which he could set them both up. Nolan had been urging Lawrence to work hard to woo his mother, adding that he would not stand a chance if he did not.Though Lawrence had attempted to gather some information from Nolan regarding his desperate desire to get him to pursue his mother, there was no success, as he could not discover anything. All he could tell was that something must have happened.Nicole's pupils shrank slightly; she understood that Nolan must have said something to Lawrence, prompting him to come over for a visit today."Leo, the kids
Lawrence shot a cold look at Ian. "How are things going with Holder Entertainment?""Everything's good. The Johnston Group has not given a response afterwards. It seems like they're admitting defeat and are letting us have the project," Ian said gleefully."It was that easy?" Lawrence's eyes squinted, not believing that it would be this easy.'Something is wrong here.'"Yeah. We've been keeping an eye on Holder Entertainment for a while now. It wouldn't be much of a problem," Ian promised.Lawrence nodded his head. "Okay. Keep a close eye on them."'Jared is not an easy person to deal with. I know for sure I cannot afford to be unprepared when it comes to him. I can't relax until we've secured our deal.'Ian nodded his head in response. "Yes, Mr. Royce. You can leave it to me."Then, Lawrence leaned back against his seat and pondered, 'Today's persuasion had made one thing clear. Though Nicole has not fully recovered her memories and there is little to no progress between Jared
Nicole was at a loss on how to respond and so, she said, "Don't sweat it. I feel much better now."She was too focused on cracking the system during the evening and had forgotten to catch a break. However, she was all good now."You must rest, or I will make you," Jared threatened, noticing that Nicole had no intentions of resting.Nicole froze, smoothed her hair awkwardly, and averted her gaze. In all her shrewdness, Nicole did not ask Jared about the methods he would employ to make her rest. She could already feel that his answer would put her in an awkward position.Helpless, Nicole did as she was told; she laid down and began to get some shuteye. This was the safest option for her. Seeing that Nicole had settled down, Jared nodded in satisfaction and pulled the blanket over her."Just stay here. I'll be back soon."After Jared had left, Nicole breathed a sigh of relief. 'Why do I feel so nervous when Jared comes near me?'Staring at the ceiling, Nicole got lost in her though
"Well, the current situation is still a little too much for Nicole to handle. It would have been better if she had recovered her memories," Spencer sighed.He felt that if Nicole had regained her memories first, these things would not be much of a challenge to her."Well, this... Ugh." Everyone breathed a collective sigh.Although they did hope that Nicole could regain her memories sooner than later, all of them understood that it was not easy. Otherwise, Nicole would not have gone for five years without recovering any of her memories."Dinner is ready," the butler came over and said."Come on, Mom. Let's eat first,"Regardless of what happened, they still had to pull themselves together."Alright, let's eat," Gloria agreed.She then looked at the two kids and said, "Nolan, Lana? Do you want to eat some more?"Both of them shook their heads together and replied, "No thanks, Grandma. We've eaten enough in kindergarten.""Alright then, you guys be good and watch TV. We are goin
"Grandma, I want to sleep. Why don't you tuck me in?" Lana softly pleaded with Gloria, having understood what her brother was trying to do."Alright, Grandma will stay with you," Gloria's eyes wrinkled with a smile.Lana had her ways of touching people's hearts.As Gloria led Lana away, the latter signaled Nolan with a glance, to which he nodded his head. Only then did she walk off with a smug sense of satisfaction. Although Lana could not understand what Nolan was doing, she knew he wanted to avenge their Mommy. That was enough for Lana, as the bad guys should be taught a lesson.After Gloria had taken Lana away, Nolan continued typing away on his computer. Soon, he raised his chin in triumph and keyed one last line in. He then closed his computer in contentment, happy at the masterpiece he had created. After giving himself a rinse, he climbed into bed, covered himself with a blanket, and slept.Nicole, who knew nothing about anything, simply ate dinner and prepared herself for s
"Are you done?" Jared's voice sounded out outside the bathroom door.Hearing that, Nicole instantly tensed up and she stammered, "E-Em yes. I'm ready."After dawdling for a while, Nicole came out of the bathroom with the intention of leaving it for Jared. While he was at it, she would seize the opportunity to hurry downstairs. However, to her surprise, she ran directly into a sturdy embrace and was forcefully kissed the instant she stepped out of the bathroom."Hmm..." Nicole was about to protest, but then, her delay in reaction gave Jared a chance to take control right away as his sense of rationality began to slip.After a passionate kiss, Jared released Nicole with a satisfied smile. "Wait for me."With that, Jared went into the bathroom, leaving a dazed Nicole to snap back to reality and grit her teeth in frustration. "Jared!"A low, soft laugh came from inside the bathroom, making Nicole even more frustrated and helpless."Mommy," The room door opened, and Nolan and Lana po
"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