"Damien and Dillon aren't worth your sympathy. Let the kids handle it," Gloria said to comfort Daniel."I get it. I feel it's too much on the kids. They're forced to deal with their ill-intentioned uncles," Daniel said. He was a little chagrined, not understanding why his older brothers acted like this."After so many years of enduring, how did it end up like this?" Gloria responded. They were still oppressed and looked down upon by their brothers. Now that their children were doing great, they finally gained some dignity."I know." Daniel nodded. He was not sympathetic to Damien and Dillon. He just thought they were family and it would be best if everyone worked together. Unfortunately, not everyone had the same goal in mind.Jared dropped off Nicole at the entrance the Riddle Corporation building. He watched Nicole go inside before instructing Max, "Drive.""Yes, sir." Max obeyed and started the car. He then reported, "Mr. Johnston, Lawrence disappeared the moment he reached Mec
"That's it?" Nicole replied calmly.Lulu widened her eyes in disbelief. "Isn't it enough? It's not just a fluctuation in their stock prices this time. Their stock prices plummeted. It won't be long till it hits the limit."The losses were not ordinary. This would lose how much money? But the more Lulu thought about it, the more excited she was.Nicole's gaze darkened. 'These alone aren't enough. Was there something they missed on Dillon's side? This speed was disappointing. Are they quiet quitting or simply not investigating at all?'"Nicole?" Lulu softly called out, noticing Nicole's silence and increasingly gloomy expression."It's nothing. Let's wait a little longer. There should be updates," Nicole said. She could only conclude that Dillon was actually incompetent if there was no other news.Observing Nicole's composed demeanor, Lulu chuckled and shook her head, admiring her friend's composure."If there's nothing else, I'll get back to work." Lulu calmed down. While she enj
Dillon glanced at Raine with displeasure and said, "What else is there to do? I'm not going to jail.""No, I didn't mean that," Raine explained. "I meant that we can't just let Damien take advantage of us."Since they knew Damien was the one behind this, they could let Damien suffer the consequences."There's no evidence," Dillon said in a depressed tone. He found out Everett was the one who did it, but he did not have direct evidence against him. He could not convict Everett of the crime. Worst-case scenario, Everett might even make a false counterchange and claim he was making him false accusations, causing more trouble."Are we just going to be forced into silence?" Raine choked with rage, and her teeth clenched in anger.Dillon narrowed his eyes. How could he lose? Even though he did not have any evidence in this matter, he had no intention of taking the fall for Damien."You should leave." Dillon waved his hand, signaling Raine to get out.Raine furrowed her eyebrows but le
Lulu complained in defiance, "He should still be sentenced for poor supervision. He's the president of the company.""At most, he'd be fined." Nicole shrugged. If Dillon was willing to go to jail, he would not have put the charge on someone else."Well, we let him off easy this time," Lulu said depressingly. Though Dillon was obviously at fault, it was upsetting that he was able to avoid punishment.Nicole remained indifferent. "It's alright. The show has just begun.""What?" Lulu blinked her eyes in bewilderment. The case seemed to be closed, awaiting trial and judgment.Seeing Lulu's confusion, Nicole replied cryptically, "We should just sit back and watch the show unfold without getting involved."Lulu blinked her eyes and quickly reacted, "Oh, yeah, I almost forgot about this."Previously, Damien tried to trick Dillon and them. But since Dillon found out about it, how could he let this matter rest?"It's time to clock out. Let's go." Nicole got up calmly. "I have other thin
"Dad, why did you call us here today? Did something happen?" Dexter asked directly after sensing everyone's silence.To be frank, everyone had more or less heard the rumors. But Dexter did not understand why Mr. Riddle Sr. called them back, seemingly wanting to say something after things had already come to an end."I have no idea either. Let Dillon speak." Mr. Riddle Sr.'s expression turned gloomy as he glanced at Dillon."Dillon?" Dexter and Daniel turned their gaze to Dillon, realizing he was the one who gathered them here today.Nicole too realized this fact just now. 'Seems like Dillon has yet to say anything. He must've wanted to directly address Damien in front of everyone. As for me, maybe Grandpa decided to call me back at the last minute, and it had nothing to do with Dillon.'Dillon did not expect Mr. Riddle Sr. to call Nicole back to the Riddle family manor. But since the story had played out like this, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and talk.Gritting his te
"Dad, why don't you let Grandpa be the judge of it." Nicole nodded toward Daniel. She understood Daniel was doing it for her. However, Nicole had long been aware of the situation, so she did not feel aggrieved.Receiving Nicole's message, Daniel gritted his teeth and compromised with a sigh. After Nicole finished, the others shifted their attention to Mr. Riddle Sr., waiting for his decision."Dillon, what do you want me to do?" Mr. Riddle Sr. had read all the documents. He still looked calm and composed, so no one could tell his true thoughts on this matter."Dad, Damien has gone too far. Not only did he want to harm me, but he also even wanted to ruin Nicole. If I hadn't got the evidence, I would've never relayed this matter to the headquarters. In that case, I would've not ended up in this situation," Dillon said with a look of remorse and anger.Nicole sneered with a hint of mockery. 'Dillon was quite skilled in shifting the blame to others, attempting to whitewash himself and
"That's your business. If you hadn't framed others, why would your man be in lockup? He's taking the blame for you. This is the sacrifice you have to make. What does it have to do with us?""Well, aren't you simply heartless and malicious? You wanted to kill two birds with one stone, so now you're saying I shot myself in the foot.""Isn't that the truth?""Why, you!"Damien and Dillon's argument slowly heated up. They even seemed like they were going to start fighting physically the next second.Mr. Riddle Sr.'s expression turned gloomy, and he could not endure it any longer. "Shut up! Am I invisible to you?!"The living room was instantly silent. Only Damien and Dillon's rapid breathing could be heard from the early quarrel. Mr. Riddle Sr. glanced at them with displease, thinking, 'They're both simply unfilial bastards. They said they wanted me to administer justice, but both were clearly at fault. What did they want me to do? Punish them each by slapping them eighty times?'"C
"Alright." Mr. Riddle Sr. raised his head to look at his third son.Daniel wanted to leave, but Nicole shook her head toward him. So Daniel sat back down again. In the end, Dillon had no choice but to leave reluctantly.After everyone was gone, Nicole advised Mr. Riddle Sr. with a smooth tone. "Grandpa, you should really leave this matter alone.""How can I not worry? They think they're clever clogs and try to deceive others like fools." Mr. Riddle Sr. was in a horrible mood. Two of his disappointing sons added up were not even as clear-headed as his granddaughter.Mr. Riddle Sr. knew very well that they were intrigued with each other, and tricking Nicole, his precious granddaughter. This knowledge made him so furious that he wanted to kick them out of the house."Grandpa, don't worry. No matter what they do, I'm not a fool," Nicole said with a pouty look, comforting Mr. Riddle Sr.The older man was originally in an irritating mood, but Nicole's words uplifted him."Dad, are you
"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