Nicole spoke up after a while of hesitation. "Why don't you give a call to his office and see what's going on?""Oh, right. I'll give them a call." Lulu immediately picked up her phone and dialed the number."Hello, is Spencer in?" Lulu questioned anxiously as soon as the call was connected."He went to the hospital," replied the person over the phone.Lulu's face immediately turned pale. "W-what? Which hospital is he at?""John—"Lulu hastily interrupted and hung up. "Okay, thanks.'She turned to look at Nicole and said, "They said Spencer is in the hospital. I think something might've happened. I'll go have a look."Nicole looked at Lulu who was frantically trying to flag down a taxi, but to no avail."It's not easy trying to flag down a taxi during peak hours. Here, take my car," said Nicole."Where's Jared?" Lulu asked instinctively."I told him not to come," said Nicole as she flicked out her phone to text Jared to inform him that the company's driver would be driving t
Lulu slowly nodded her head, not wanting to be the unsympathetic one in this situation. Nicole patted Lulu's shoulder to assure her to trust Spencer and not beat herself up too much from overthinking."Are you guys... alright?" Spencer looked at Nicole and Lulu, furrowing his eyebrows. He felt an eerie chill down his back as he stood between them two.Lulu turned to look at Spencer with a forced smile. "We're great! How's Icyln doing?""The doctor said she's got hypoglycemia. She's getting an IV drip. She's going to be fine," explained Spencer. He left when he saw her waking up, though she was weak at least, she was out of the woods."Oh. Are you going to leave or stay with her?" asked Lulu."I was about to call you to pick you up, but you're here..." Spencer thought that since he did not have to pick her up, he could bring her straight to dinner then send her home.Lulu looked at Spencer, waiting for his response.Suddenly, a nurse came and interrupted. "Excuse me, sir. Your gi
Icyln silently gritted her teeth. She was dying on the inside, yet she had to pretend she was fine and calm on the outside."I'm sorry my illness caused him to pick you up late. I apologize for the trouble I caused you and to have you come visit me in person."Lulu walked over to Icyln's bed and looked at her IV bag, "You're utmost welcome. I'll be your sister-in-law soon anyway. Your IV seems to be almost finished. Looks like you're going to be fine."Icyln's heart was wrenching. She mustered up a smile. "Yeah, I feel better now."Lulu snorted mentally. 'She just said she wasn't feeling well and asked the nurse to inform Spencer. What a joke, this two-faced bitch! The nurse clearly would not have misunderstood the situation if she had not inputted.'Once he knew that Icyln was fine, Spencer asked, "Icyln, are you going to stay here for observation tonight or are you going back home to rest?""I..." Icyln gritted her teeth. Her initial plan was to stay and ask Spencer to stay wit
At the Riddle's residence, Nicole and Jared had just reached home."Have you both eaten?" Gloria asked as she saw them walk through the door."Not yet," replied Nicole."Spencer's junior, Icyln, had gotten sick. We went to the hospital to check on her and came back."Gloria immediately called the butler. "Alfred, can you get the cook to prepare dinner for them?""Yes, ma'am." Alfred quickly headed toward the kitchen as Nicole and Jared walked to the dining room."Mommy, we'll accompany you." Nolan and Lana turned off the TV and followed Nicole.Nicole pinched Lana's button nose and asked, "Are you hungry?""No.' Lana scratched her head. "Can I get dessert?""You're so cheeky. Do you want dessert, or do you want to accompany us?" asked Nicole."Of course, I want to accompany mommy and daddy!" Lana nodded vigorously, hoping Nicole would buy it.Lana's actions made everyone burst into laughter. Gloria ordered Alfred to prepare some dessert for Nolan and Lana.Gloria smiled con
It was not until later that Nicole found out that Jared was not spying on her, but he was just particularly concerned about her. That was why Jared always knew about her latest updates.Jared's stare included a tinge of disinterest as he realized Nicole was okay, and he stopped asking. He looked at her and held her hand. "I'm glad everything's fine. Time for bed.""Yeah," Nicole responded.The curtains were closed, and the lights in the room dimmed. In the quiet of the night, all was silent. Only the gentle glow of starlight remained in the brightly lit city.Amidst the darkness, one house continued to shine with its lights on, particularly eye-catching.In the living room, Harvey leaned against the sofa with his legs crossed, staring coldly at the person sitting on the side. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "This is the brainless Raine you talked about?"If it were not for Raine, their plan would have succeeded. They never expected to end up losing everything."I never knew Rain
Harvey had no intention of letting Nicole go this time. He would not allow himself to miss out again.Time passed, and three days went by in the blink of an eye. For the past few days, however, San Joto seemed unusually calm, a calmness that carried in it an eerie feeling.As soon as Lulu arrived at the company building, she hurriedly entered Nicole's office."Why has it been so quiet these few days? Is something wrong?" Lulu whispered with a frown.Nicole's eyes narrowed in response. "Well, I'm afraid that it only seems so on the surface."The more peaceful things seemed to be, the more intense and chaotic it would be behind the scenes."Are they waiting for the perfect timing?" Lulu solemnly asked.Such silence and tranquility had made Nicole uneasy. Everyone was hiding in the shadows without making any moves at all. No one could predict when the enemy was going to make their move.As such, Lulu was worried that Nicole would get involved or end up in danger.With a single gl
"Where could she be? I heard Dillion has been searching for her," Lulu said.If anything, Dillion ought to be enraged with Snow because she almost cost DillCorp a significant amount of money."It's alright. You'll see. She'll be back," Nicole shrugged, feeling indifferent to it all.In Nicole's opinion, Snow would eventually show up, no matter how long she stayed in her hole. Snow's absence only meant she was at a place where no one was keeping their eyes on. She would definitely not be staying in a hotel, as that was the easiest place for her to be caught. As such, she would most likely be holed up in a private house or a mobster's hideout.As things had happened so suddenly, Snow must have not brought enough money when she decided to leave. This would thus lead her with no other way out in the long run.Lulu nodded after hearing Nicole's explanation. "That's true. She can't hide forever."Without further thought, Lulu left the office, whereupon Nicole gave the documents a glanc
The passerby exchanged glances and dispersed soon after, leaving behind two black-clad individuals with grim expressions on their faces."Begin your investigation. I'll inform Max.""Sure thing."The two then went their separate ways.Meanwhile, the ambulance delivered Nicole and Lulu to the hospital, whereupon the paramedics hurried her into the ER.Lulu's hands and shirt were covered in blood as she stood perplexed in front of the emergency room, looking distraught and heartbroken. The people who had rushed over after receiving the news about Nicole were all worried sick after seeing Lulu in the state she was in."Hey, Lulu," Spencer approached Lulu and held her in his arms. "Don't worry. I'm here now."Upon noticing Spencer, Lulu gave him a blank stare, and in a second, she burst into tears. "Nicole's hurt! No matter how many times I called out to her, she just wouldn't answer back. I'm so scared...""Don't panic. What did the doctor in the ambulance say on the way here?" Sp
"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