However, Nicole was not going to express any opinion on this matter. After all, win or lose, it all depended on one's abilities.What made her feel angry was the fact that Lawrence would actually make a move on Jared. She never expected that to happen. Yet, she knew that this was not just business competition."If you help him, maybe he might lose a little less," Jared said jokingly.Nicole could not help but roll her eyes at Jared. "Are you mocking me?""If you knew about this, would you have helped him?" Jared questioned."You're being childish." Nicole looked away and chose not to answer his question.If she had known earlier, she would definitely not give Lawrence a helping hand. In fact, she might advise Lawrence to stop. That way, Lawrence would not suffer such a huge loss as well.Looking at how Nicole reacted, Jared got the answer to his question. A smile formed on his face.Then, he tilted his head downwards and left a kiss on Nicole's forehead. With a wide smile, Jare
DING!A notification came from the computer. Jared and Nicole instantly became serious."That's early. I didn't know she was such an impatient person." Nicole gave a look of disdain. Initially, she thought that she would have to wait past midnight for Iris to make a move."She must have thought that no one had noticed her movements yet." Something flashed in Jared's eyes. This was the reason why he did not show any reaction to the matter during the day. He was also trying to make Iris lower her guard by doing so.Nicole nodded slightly as he understood Jared's intentions. However, Nicole wanted Johnston Group to return back to normal after this particular night.Standing in front of the computer, they could see that someone had entered the system. Since there were no warnings that popped up, they were sure that it was Iris who entered the system using the password.Nicole quickly went to work on the computer and searched for Iris's location.Max roughly heard some noise, so he k
It was not up to a secretary to talk about Nicole and Jared's affairs."You don't deserve to be with Jared!" Iris shouted furiously."I don't deserve to be with him?" Nicole snorted. Then, she calmly turned to Jared and said, "It's a pity that we're getting married soon.""No! That can't happen! It's impossible!" Iris instantly broke down and shook her head like a madwoman. She refused to believe it.Nicole narrowed her eyes and spoke in a cold voice. "These are none of your business. No matter what the reason is, they're not valid reasons for you to harm the company. Especially if it's because of your one-sided feelings."Jared did not wrong Iris. And yet, Iris took advantage of his kindness and wanted to ruin Johnston Group completely. That was simply unforgivable!Nicole's words caused Iris to tremble even more. Iris even looked at Jared instinctively.However, she did not expect Jared to ignore her totally. She did not even give Iris one glance.Iris gritted her teeth, and
Iris was trembling badly, as if a basin of cold water had just poured on her head.It made sense. She had lost her chance and she made too many mistakes. It never occurred to her that Nicole was already Jared's wife.By chance, Iris had heard that Jared had a wife in the past. But from what she understood, the lady was long gone. And now, she suddenly returned and was alive with two kids.The siren of the police car sounded in Iris's ears. She knew that everything was over for her. Her face turned pale.Iris remained silent the whole time when she was being brought onto the police car. She seemed to have lost the will and energy to live. Even her eyes looked as if she were in a daze.After watching the police car leave, Max ordered his men to leave. When he was finally alone, he heaved a sigh and shook his head.'Iris is such a fool! Even if Ms. Nicole never returned, Iris would've never had a chance,' Max thought.'If Ms. Nicole never returned and disappeared forever, Mr. Jared
"Alright, why don't you ask them when they're gonna get married? Tell them not to wait any longer," said Gloria.They chatted while munching on their breakfast.Lana, with a sparkle in her eyes, tilted her head and asked, "Mommy, can I go to Uncle's house tonight?"Nicole seemed unsure and replied, "Are you really eager to go, sweetie?""Yeah, Daddy, Mommy..." Lana said with a hint of sadness. "Ever since you stopped picking us up, we haven't spent much time together with you."Jared scooped up Lana and said, "Alright, we'll all go together tonight.""Sounds good," Nicole nodded. "After work, you pick them up, and I'll head to June's place on my own."Tia thought it might be a hassle for them, so she chimed in, "I can take Nolan and Lana there. Then I'll come back on my own."Stanley said, "Tia, we can just come back together."Just as Tia was about to explain why she wanted to come back, Stanley surprised her by saying, "I'll arrange for someone to take care of Mrs. Wallace S
"Hey, come on, it hasn't been easy for her," Nicole said, her eyes showing a bit of coldness."Oh, by the way, didn't Ellar mention seeing James with some girl before? I think I saw them together that day too," Lulu suddenly remembered, lowering her voice as if afraid someone might overhear.Nicole narrowed her eyes, thinking it was important to find out who this woman was and what she meant to James. 'Is James falling for someone else, or does he want to take over the whole Riddle family business?'"Nicole, what's going on in your head?" Lulu whispered, noticing Nicole's silence.Nicole's face turned serious, "Let's have someone thoroughly investigate this matter, leave no detail unchecked.""Sure, got it," Lulu replied, her expression becoming serious as well.The situation with James might have seemed like a coincidence once, but not twice. It was important to take it seriously.While waiting anxiously in the DillCorp's office, Raine couldn't help but pace back and forth unti
"Don't worry, I'll be with you all the time," James reassured Raine, giving her a hug.Raine blushed and smiled, leaning on James. It didn't matter that he didn't come from a fancy family. Right now, he was helping her, and that meant the world.As the sun went down, June's apartment was crowded."You guys really here to celebrate with me?" Samuel asked, looking a bit unsure as he glanced at his brothers. He felt like they were teasing him."You've got such a serious face, I bet your proposal didn't go well," Spencer said, teasing Samuel."Ha! Don't act like you had better luck," Samuel replied, giving Spencer a challenging look. "You're not fooling anyone either."Spencer was surprised for a moment, then he frowned at Samuel. "Well, at least I didn't get caught by paparazzi while dating someone."There was no denying it. Samuel had indeed been caught red-handed, so now he had to make the most of the situation and propose."Did June not agree?" Stanley asked in a hushed voice.
"Hi, Aunt June!" Nolan and Lana greeted as they saw June walking into the room.June was taken by surprise to see the little kids call her an aunt. The greeting had rendered her completely speechless."Aunt June! Are you not going to invite us in?" Lana asked, batting her eyelashes innocently.It was only then that June snapped back to her senses, and clumsily invited them in, "Yeah, erm, come in."Then, Tia led both Nolan and Lana into the house where the twins obediently went on to greet everyone who was present."Come and let me see you guys. I missed you guys so much!" Samuel exclaimed, missing them as he had not seen the twins for several days now.Nolan took a glance at Samuel's cast and asked, "Uncle Samuel, does it hurt a lot?""It doesn't hurt anymore now that I get to see you guys," Samuel replied with a smile on his face."Can you get married now since it doesn't hurt anymore, Uncle Samuel? Can I be the flower girl?" Lana raised her eyebrows as she bombarded Samuel w
"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