Even though they had a big family, everyone had their own thoughts, and the atmosphere at the table was not as relaxed as it should be.Occasionally, someone would chat in a low voice, but most of the time, they ate in silence, creating a somewhat stifling atmosphere."Damien, you asked all of us to come back, but why aren't you saying anything?" Dillon felt pressured by Mr. Riddle Sr.'s gaze, so he tried to shift everyone's attention."I've been coming back frequently these days and felt that the house still feels quite empty as I am alone. So, I wanted everyone to come back and liven things up," Damien calmly responded, seeing through Dillon's thoughts.Dillon's expression froze for a moment, resenting the fact that Damien seemed determined to hold him accountable. 'How annoying!'"Let's eat," Mr. Riddle Sr. said, not wanting to listen to their endless arguments."Alright, let's eat," Dillon replied, deciding to stay silent from now on and act like he was invisible.With Dillo
Karen knew Gloria was blaming her and said displeasingly, "I was just being nice. It's not like I did it on purpose.""Karen, no one said you did. But if you can't even hold a spoon steadily, why don't you let someone else do the job?" Daniel was irritated, annoyed that Karen could still act so righteous after she had burned someone."I'll do it." Emma came to the rescue when she noticed the unsettled mood of the room. Everyone was together having a meal, and it would not look good if they argued in front of Mr. Riddle Sr.Emma began to serve the soup to everyone while the others calmed down. However, the atmosphere in the room was even more eerie.Gloria, face pale, worried about Nicole as Daniel softly comforted her. Deep down, Karen was quite satisfied with the situation now, but she did not dare to show it and pretended to look aggrieved. In fact, she had done it on purpose.Just as Nicole was about to refill her bowl, Karen had let go of her spoon to let it fall into the soup
"We should go down too," Sean said to Nicole calmly.Nicole shrugged, standing up. "Let's go then."It was best to leave discreetly after achieving their goals since the trap had already been set. Soon the two went downstairs and back to the dining table."Nicole, is your arm alright?" Gloria asked in concern.Nicole smirked and comforted her, "No big deal. I applied some ointment. It'll be better after a few days of rest."Gloria continued to worry about Nicole. She decided to wait until they got home to ask again. She understood Nicole could not simply accuse Karen with so many people present. It was best to settle down for now."Since you're fine, come join us," Mr. Riddle Sr. said while his gaze landed on Nicole's arm."Don't worry, Grandpa. I'm fine." Nicole chuckled, deliberately moving her arms."Be careful. Don't move it around," Mr. Riddle Sr. admonished with concern.Nicole then turned to the crowd, reassuring, "There's no need to worry, guys. Let's eat.""Right, co
A smirk appeared on Nicole's lips when she noticed Karen's visibly agitated appearance. She genuinely hoped Karen would go up and check the situation. It's hard to even imagine how suspicious Karen would look once people start to notice how involved she was during the situation.The dining room fell into silence, everyone waiting quietly. All had the same thought in mind, thinking what could have happened.Finally, Mr. Riddle Sr. returned downstairs with heavy steps."Dad, what's wrong? You don't look well." Daniel instantly got up, helping Mr. Riddle Sr. to sit on the couch.In such circumstances, no one was in the mood to enjoy their meal. Therefore, everyone gathered in the living room."Dad, did something bad happen?" Dexter asked with concern."Well..." Mr. Riddle Sr. sighed. "Someone broke into the house.""Is anything missing?" Dillion asked, with an unusual expression. 'Damien gathered us all here today, and coincidentally there was a break-in at home? The Riddle manor h
Nicole had humiliated Raine just a while ago, so there was no way Raine would let Nicole off the hook now.Nicole raised an eyebrow. "Guilty? Did you see me do it?""Only Sean and you went upstairs just now, and now something has happened. Can you really blame us for suspecting you?" Raine grew more convinced as she thought about it. At first, Raine just wanted to press Nicole's buttons, but now she realized only Sean and Nicole had gone upstairs.Hearing Raine's words, Karen immediately chimed in. "Now that you've mentioned it, there were indeed only you two who went upstairs."Nicole moved her arms and said meaningfully, "Have you forgotten why I went upstairs?"Karen turned stiff. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision to provoke Nicole. If she had not done it, Nicole would have had no reason to go upstairs."Maybe she hit your spot. If you hadn't been burned, you might have other excuses to go upstairs," Raine said indignantly, convinced that something was wrong with Nicole."
"Don't worry. It'll be back." Mr. Riddle Sr. stood up.Seeing Mr. Riddle Sr. preparing to go back to his room, the butler asked, "You haven't finished your dinner. Why don't you eat some more?""I'll pass. I have no appetite." Mr. Riddle Sr. sighed.The butler helped Mr. Riddle Sr. up the stairs and comforted him, "Don't worry, Nicole would never do such a thing. It must be a coincidence.""I know she didn't." A thought flashed through Mr. Riddle Sr.'s mind then. It seemed as if Nicole was giving that person a chance to commit the crime. Perhaps Nicole had already figured something out.Mr. Riddle Sr.'s decision to have the four families investigate was merely a compromise. The situation happened right under their nose when everyone was present. It was only natural to have everyone investigate it. No matter the result, the outcome would be accepted collectively. However, Mr. Riddle Sr. still held hope in Nicole, thinking she might know something.Meanwhile, Damien and Dillion had
"Come on, you're the boss. I'll come to get the result when the time comes." Preston was still happy after being scolded. He cheerfully got into the car and left."Hey, I didn't promise you anything." Steve rolled his eyes in exasperation. This was not what he meant by asking Preston to leave.Ellar's expression lit up as he realized the cheat code and bowed toward Steve. "Thank you, Steve. I'll also be leaving now."Ellar then quickly pulled Dexter and Emma into the car and ran away, fearing that he had to stay back to investigate the matter."Hey! You guys have gone too far!" Steve fumed, anger boiling in him. 'How could they? They actually shifted all the responsibilities to me, and are waiting to take advantage of what I find!'Looking at the empty crowd, Steve rolled his eyes in frustration."Steve, you have to investigate this matter thoroughly. After all, it concerns your older brother and sister," Gloria said with a worried look.Seeing Gloria's concern, Steve could only
As Nicole was thinking of Preston and Ellar, she helplessly shook her head and chuckled softly. She wondered if Mr. Riddle Sr. would be angry if he knew about Preston and Ellar's behavior when the property deeds for the Riddle family manor were lost.'Even if they believed me, aren't they curious about who exactly took them?'Meanwhile, Damien had already returned home."Go upstairs and check on Chloe," Damien said, glancing at Miley."Okay," Miley replied and went upstairs."Dad, any updates?" Everett eagerly waited until Miley's figure disappeared at the top of the stairs before asking.Damien shook his head. "No.""Why is it taking so long?" Everett furrowed his brows slightly as his expression turned solemn."Don't worry. The arrangements were made with trustworthy people. They won't have other intentions," Damien whispered. Besides, those things were only useful in his hands, and not in anyone else's."I'm just worried that delays may lead to more complications." Everett'
"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