"How could you get injured at work?" Gloria was confused, especially since Spencer was not at a high-risk job.Accidents can happen," Spencer justified.Lulu could tell that Spencer was not willing to talk more about it, so she tried to save the situation. "Aunt Gloria, why don't we let him rest in the room first?"Hearing this, Gloria stopped questioning and said, "Yes, we should let him rest first."Lulu helped Spencer upstairs, while Gloria followed behind.When they reached the first floor, Samuel, who had heard the commotion, came out from his room. As he saw Spencer, Samuel teased and said, "Are you trying to be like me?""My condition isn't as serious as yours." Spencer rolled his eyes at Samuel and entered his room.Gloria warned Samuel angrily, "You better stay away. He's already injured, and you still have the mood to joke around!""Mom, don't worry. His injuries don't look serious at all." Samuel shrugged his shoulders. What injury could Spencer suffer from playing t
At the time of the accident, Spencer had already managed to pull Icyln away. He was sure that neither of them suffered severe injuries. So why would Icyln's condition be this serious?Icyln's personal assistant choked for a second, paused for a moment and continued speaking. "Mr. Spencer, could you come over and visit Icyln now? I'm worried that if something happens, I won't be able to make any decisions.""Uh..." Spencer was hesitant, but what if Icyln was really in a serious situation?However, Lulu had already taken over his phone and spoke calmly. "First of all, you're going to find the doctor now. Then, follow whatever arrangement and decisions the doctor makes. Secondly, Spencer is also injured and requires rest. Even if he were to be there, there's not much he can do. Lastly, if you really must have someone there, I'll be there to represent Spencer.""In that case... it's fine. I'll get the doctor for now," the personal assistant replied, voice quavering before she hung up t
"Sure. Then we won't keep you any longer." Gloria then called the butler and instructed him, "Get the driver to take Lulu home, please.""Of course," he responded and left to make the arrangements.Lulu initially wanted to decline, but the butler had already left, so she expressed her gratitude, "Thank you, Mrs. Riddle.""No need for formalities. We're going to be family!" Gloria smiled affectionately.With the car prepared, Lulu left the Riddle residence.The remaining people also went back to their rooms.After coaxing Nolan and Lana to sleep, Nicole and Jared returned to their own room."You look tired. Why don't you take a relaxing hot bath?" Jared suggested as he prepared the bathwater, inviting her to unwind.Nicole smiled tenderly when she saw everything was set up, including the bubble bath and scented candles. "Thank you."Jared ruffled her hair lovingly. "Take your time and relax."As Jared left, Nicole undressed and lowered herself into the bathtub.Lying comforta
Nicole racked her brain, but she still felt puzzled. 'What's going on? Did I lose my memories again?'"Awake?" Jared's eyes opened as he sensed Nicole's movement."Um..." Nicole felt embarrassed, so she pulled the covers and shifted away from Jared.However, Jared noticed this, and he immediately reached out, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her into his embrace."Hey!" Nicole's cheeks flushed when she realized that she was pressed against Jared, naked.Jared gazed at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "You've tortured me all night, so how do you plan to make it up to me?""Me? Torture?" Nicole felt unexpectedly guilty. She genuinely had no recollection of last night, but she was absolutely not going to admit that."Really?" Jared's eyes traced down the curve of Nicole's neck, though he could not see anything due to the covers. But Nicole understood his implication.Her cheeks grew even hotter. She attempted to push Jared away and escape, deciding to simply
After having breakfast, the pair left the Riddle residence.Jared took Nicole to her office. He watched her go in before instructing Max to drive away."Any updates on Preston?" Jared asked in a serious tone, reclining in his seat."Not yet. He just sent a message saying he's already contacted Ryder and Gary. Both of the brothers agreed to help," Max replied."Okay." Jared was satisfied. After a brief thought, he added, "The Finley's are working on a network intelligence company. Arrange for someone to negotiate investment."Max paused for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Sure."In actuality, the Finley family's project did not quite fit with the investment criteria of the Johnston Group. Jared's decision was made more for the sake of his wife. He did not want to owe people too many favors. This way, it was a mutual exchange of help.With the arrangements settled, Jared picked up the documents next to him and began reading them with a solemn expression.Meanwhile in the F
Ryder furrowed his brows and said, "It's probably because we accepted this task."Since Jared was involved, there was only one possibility—it was for Nicole's sake."Oh." Gary also realized it. "We're helping Nicole, and Mr. Johnston doesn't want to owe us a favor."He actually felt that Jared was overthinking. They were helping Nicole willingly, and regardless of how Nicole perceived it, Gary believed they were friends."This way, we'll end up owing Mr. Johnston," Ryder said with a serious tone."What?" Gary was puzzled."Nicole helped me back then, so I suppose I'm repaying her favor now." Ryder believed that helping Nicole was only fair.Preston glanced at the two of them and said, "Stop dwelling on it. This is a good thing. Weren't you two always looking for investors for your new company? Having the Johnston Group invest is a solution to your major problem."Furthermore, with the help of the Johnston Group, he believed this new artificial intelligence company would thrive.
Lulu bit her lip and hesitated for a moment before whispering, "If I tell you, will you think I'm narrow-minded?""Well, you have to tell me first so I can decide." Nicole chuckled. How could she make a judgment without knowing the details?Lulu then explained her thoughts to Nicole. As Nicole listened, she fell silent, and Lulu grew nervous as she wondered if she was wrong about it."It's not entirely impossible." Nicole agreed with Lulu's assumption after thinking about it."You think so too?" Lulu's eyes brightened. She felt relieved to have someone agree with her thoughts.Nicole nodded. "While we don't have evidence yet, your theory does make sense.""Even if we had evidence, there's not much we could do. What can we do?" Lulu sighed in frustration.Icyln's behavior was self-destructive, and while they might feel annoyed and angry, there was not much they could say or do about it.Nicole squinted slightly. If they had evidence, that would change the situation. However, sin
On the surface, Lawrence appeared supportive and willing to accompany Nicole for her examination. However, now that Nicole reflected on it, she realized that each time she had gone for her check-ups and treatments, Lawrence's anxiety seemed to be greater than hers. At the time, she had thought that Lawrence was just being concerned for her, but now she could not help but feel differently.Especially this time when Lawrence had proactively suggested finding a doctor for her, which made her even more suspicious."What's wrong?" Lawrence asked softly when he noticed Nicole hesitating."Nothing," Nicole replied, masking her thoughts with a faint smile. "Though I don't have high hopes, it's worth trying."Lawrence reassured her, "Even though there hasn't been any progress for all these years, you're now back in San Joto. You're in a familiar environment, so things might turn out differently."Nicole nodded with a slight smile, saying, "Thanks, Lawrence."There was a brief, strange mom
"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