"So, during the first project seminar, Harvey was a no-show! Instead, he sent a secretary to represent him. But Snow wasn't one to back down easily. She tried every possible way to meet Harvey, but nothing worked. "Undeterred, she decided to go straight to Harvey's company to find him. And you won't believe what happened next!"Nicole chuckled, amused by Lulu's enthusiasm. "She ended up in a deadlock, didn't she?"Lulu looked disappointed that Nicole guessed it right away. "How did you know so quickly? It's no fun if you're not surprised.""Well," Nicole replied calmly, "you did mention she kept running into roadblocks."Lulu couldn't help but ask, "Is there anything that can still surprise you?""We'll find out when you share the rest of the story," Nicole said.Even if Nicole would not be surprised about that happen to Snow, it would still be good to hear about her misfortune."So here's the deal. Harvey didn't throw her out. Instead, he got the secretary to welcome her. She
"That's it," Nicole nodded.Lulu turned around and left the office. Then, she picked the document on the table up and started working on it.Meanwhile, at DillCorp, Snow was wearing a sour grimace as she was sitting at her desk. She was frustrated, as she could not believe she had allowed such a good opportunity to go to waste. The more she thought about it, the more discontented she felt.With her fists clenched, she thought, 'No, this can't be it. It's not easy to come upon such a chance. I sure as hell can't give it up.'Snow gritted her teeth. She was determined to get Harvey to meet her even if he was reluctant to do so.In the afternoon, the warm rays of the sun poured into the room. After she had eaten her lunch, Nicole took a break, until there were three knocks on the door.Confused, Nicole declared, "You may enter."Nicole could not figure out who would come knocking at this hour. It could not be Lulu, as she had just gone out.The door opened, and Lawrence entered wi
Lawrence flashed her a sheepish smile. "It seems to me that you won't be in any disadvantage."Lawrence was worried that Harvey would not accept his requests and would even pose a threat to Riddle Corporation in the near future.'Perhaps I'm overthinking this. She does not have to go through me for whatever decision she is going to be making. I guess I'll have to put my trust in her,' Lawrence thought to himself.Nicole bit her lip and shot him a glance. "I must still thank you for this."'With all said and done, he has personally shown up to provide me with such information just in time. I ought to thank him for this,' thought Nicole."There's no need to thank me for this. Just take it as a gesture of good will," Lawrence replied with a smile."Cut the crap. Me helping you is how things should be now. You've given me enough aid before this," Nicole said as she returned the smile.'There will be no end to it if we keep repaying each other's favors.'"That's a completely differe
After a moment of hesitation, Nicole solemnly agreed, "Alright, I know what to do."Nicole was still in the mist on why Steve was being such a worry wart but knowing that he did indeed look out for her, she had promised him just so that he could be at ease."Just be alert, okay?" Steve reminded, knowing that he and Sean were not going to give up on their investigation easily.Nicole nodded and changed the subject, "Okay, is there anything else?""Yeah, here.' Steve handed a document over to Nicole. "Sean has gotten his hands on some info about Everette. It seems that he has been getting closer to this unknown figure as of recent. We've yet to find out who."Nicole's eyes flickered back and forth from the document, after which she grabbed it. "Okay.""Sean has gotten people to keep an eye on him. I think you should be the one to see this first. If you have any ideas, you can come to Sean and me," he reminded."Okay." Nicole nodded in agreement.Then, after seeing him off, she re
Nicole chuckled a little, after which she told Lulu, "I don't know if they're going to be unfortunate, but what I do know is that I might have solved a mystery because of this.""Is it Everett or Snow?" Lulu asked, her eyes brimming with curiosity.Nicole shrugged. "Everett.""She's just," Lulu guffawed.The product Riddle Corporation had released had overtaken the beta version of the same item that his company had doled out. 'I discovered what he was up to in the nick of time. If and when he finds out, he will be pissed.'Meanwhile, at NandoCorp, Everett came rushing into the office in a panic, his face grim and sullen."Mr. Riddle? What should we do now?" his assistant anxiously asked.No one at the office had envisioned that this would happen, especially after they had bagged such a successful project from the Riddle Corporation."What should we do? What can I even do?!" Everett shrieked, irritated at her assistant.Startled, his assistant lowered his head, and the rest of
"Of course, when you all get married, your mom and I can finally be at ease." Daniel looked at Stanley and Spencer, as if to suggest that the both of them were the odd ones out."Don't look at me, you should be saying this to Stanley," Spencer quickly protested, arguing that he had a girlfriend, and that Stanley was the only one among them who was still single.In a split second, Daniel redirected his glance to Stanley, who threw his arms up as if in surrender. "Pretend I never said anything."Stanley had always been a person who did not have a hoot to give about relationships, let alone marriage. As such, he did not mind if his younger siblings got hitched way before he did.Daniel and Gloria both exchanged glances, after which they each issued a sigh of defeat. Both were praying that Stanley would soon understand where they both were coming from.Stanley quickly scarfed his food down to divert everyone's attention."Forget it. Let's dig in." Daniel said, giving up on convincing
"Very clever, indeed." Jared bopped Lana's nose with a smile.In turn, Lana giggled with satisfaction."Mommy, should we continue to wait for him?" Nolan asked, glancing at Lana before turning to look at Nicole."Let's wait for a while longer," Nicole replied. 'This might be our only hope.'"Okay." Nolan nodded obediently, not daring to make any decisions on his own.Then, Nicole softly caressed Nolan's head. "Come on, let's go to bed.""Okay." Nolan nodded in agreement.After that, Jared shot them one last glance and said, "I'll go put Lana in bed.""Goodnight, Mommy. Goodnight, Nolan." Lana waved her tiny arms."Good night." Nolan waved back."Go take a shower and get ready for bed." Nicole patted Nolan on the back to usher him to the bathroom.Nolan then grabbed his pajamas and waddled to the bathroom, and not long after, he emerged wearing them.Nicole watched as Nolan climbed onto his bed, after which she tucked him in."Mommy, are you and godfather never going to be
Jared gently placed Nicole down on their bed, whereupon he smoothed her hair out and gave her a peck on her lips.With their breaths hitching as they both ascended to cloud nine, Nicole kissed back, succumbing to the heat of the moment. The couple then got lost in one another's presence as Jared deepened the kiss.The next day, the sun shone bright and warm as Nicole flickered her eyes open. She pecked Jared in the cheeks, which turned red at once."Come on, let's get up," Nicole said, gently patting on Jared.In response, Jared curled his lips into a smile, "Okay."Soon after, the two of them got themselves ready and went downstairs for breakfast. And one after another, the entire family slowly came down and sauntered into the dining room."Steve, why are you here?" they asked, surprised to see Steve at the dining table having breakfast."Did you guys fight?""Did you do something to hurt her?"A barrage of questions struck Steve, who turned to glare at Spencer and Stanley. "
"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