"Alright," Nicole replied. She led Lulu back to their office."I wonder how long Martin will take to get the results," Lulu remarked impatiently, glancing at the time. She wondered if Martin had just returned to his research office.Just as she finished speaking, Nicole's phone rang."Martin?" Nicole answered the call, her voice tinged with some apprehension. 'Why's Martin calling so soon?'"The results are in. It's some nerve suppressant drugs. They might affect your memory recovery." Martin sounded serious.It was clear that the other party did not want Nicole to regain her memory and was willing to physically harm her to prevent it.Nicole's expression darkened. 'Why would Lawrence do this? Does he not want me to regain my memory?!'Nicole's sulked slightly as she sighed. 'Lawrence hadn't been enthusiastic about recovering my memories in the past, but he had never actively tried to stop it. Why did that change now?'"Do you know what's going on with Lawrence and Hanwick?" Ma
"I'll have someone else handle this matter." Lulu wanted to help too, but Nicole looked up at her and said, "If there's a need for your help, I'll let you know."Nicole knew that Lawrence was not just a businessman as Lulu thought. His world was much more complicated than Lulu could possibly imagine, so Nicole would try her best not to involve Lulu in this matter."Alright then." Seeing that Nicole had made up her mind, Lulu could only agree, although she felt a bit guilty deep down.Lulu wanted to help but was afraid that making mistakes would only make things worse, especially since she knew that dealing with Lawrence would definitely not be as easy as dealing with Raine and James.Nicole patted Lulu's shoulder comfortingly. "Don't worry. This matter can't be resolved in a day or two. I think you should just relax and prepare to be a bride."Lulu's cheeks turned red, and she replied shyly, "Why bring that up all of a sudden?" Lulu was worried about Nicole, but here Nicole was, r
If Lawrence simply did not want her to be with Jared, that would not make sense because she and Jared were already a couple."There must be something that happened over the past five years that he's trying to keep from you." Jared's voice was tinged with an icy edge. He thought, 'This seems to be the only reasonable explanation, but what could Lawrence possibly fear Nicole finding out?'Locking eyes with Jared, Nicole shook her head. A look of confusion crossed her face. "I haven't found anything unusual."Actually, as far as she could recall, Lawrence had always been caring toward her and the children, and had been a great support during her toughest times. She felt a sense of gratitude toward him. So she found it hard to believe he could be hiding anything from her.As if he could read Nicole's mind, Jared said solemnly, "Something must've happened from the time you first disappeared until you truly accepted him."Nicole's face tensed a little. 'A lot happened during that time,
"Didn't we just go there yesterday?" Lana blinked her big eyes, wondering if they could go again today.Smiling, Jared picked Lana up. "We're going to another great grandpa's house.""Another one?" Nolan furrowed his eyebrows, thinking, 'Are there many great-grandpas?'"It's my grandpa," Jared explained.Nolan and Lana exchanged glances. 'Daddy's grandpa?'Lana was surprised. "Daddy has a grandpa too?"Jared, finding the situation humorous, said, "Of course, I have a grandpa. It's just that your mommy couldn't remember, so she didn't tell you guys."Understanding dawned on Nolan and Lana as they nodded. 'No wonder we never heard about it!'After a while, the car drove into the Johnston family manor. After Jared and Nicole got out of the car, they took Nolan and Lana into the mansion. Maximillian was clearly waiting for them. As soon as they entered, he kept his eyes on Nolan and Lana, smiling broadly."There you are!" Maximillian waved at Nolan and Lana, his smile so broad tha
Glancing at Nolan and Lana, Maximillian realized he might have been too eager and said, "Alright.""Wow! Great grandpa, this house is so big and pretty!" Lana exclaimed, looking around."Haha, it's a shame it's just me living here. How about you two stay and keep me company?" Maximillian asked.Nolan and Lana both looked at Nicole, their faces a mix of hope and apprehension. Nicole looked to Jared, herself unsure, wondering if they should stay or leave."Let's stay then," Jared replied, not wanting to decline."Thanks for letting them stay, Grandpa," Nicole said, nodding in agreement with Jared."I'm always happier when you all visit. The house just feels so much livelier," Maximillian replied with a grin. Living in such a big place by himself could get lonely."Skylar, can you get some rooms ready?" Maximillian asked his butler, Skylar Merrill."Of course, sir," Skylar responded, quickly heading off to make the arrangements."How about we grab a bite now? Nolan, Lana, are you
"I tried searching online too, but couldn't find anything," Nicole said, sounding disappointed. 'Will we ever get any clues?'"Do you think they might be from somewhere other than San Joto?" Maximillian pondered. 'We need to search worldwide. I'm sure we can find these people.'"After Nicole's incident, everyone believed she was dead. Why would anyone continue to pursue her? She was attacked the moment she set foot in San Joto," Jared said, shaking his head. The pieces just were not fitting together."There's someone who knows," Maximillian replied, looking at Nicole. "Where have you been these past years? You might've been spotted.""I was living on a remote island with just regular fishermen. They had no idea who I was," Nicole replied. 'Why would anyone there want to harm me?'"You mean there weren't any outsiders on the island?" Maximillian asked, looking more puzzled as he felt the situation getting weirder."I met Lawrence on the island, but after that..." Nicole's voice fa
"That dude seems legit, but he vanished for three hours after passing through customs. No one knew his whereabouts during that time. When he returned, his behavior had changed," Max explained."Even Hanwick's assistant felt something was off. It's like, he'd become a different person," Max continued."So, Lawrence got someone to impersonate Hanwick just so he could administer fake meds on Nicole to prevent her from regaining her memories?" Jared asked."Possibly," Max replied in a low voice.Jared's eyes narrowed, his voice hoarse and stern. "Have someone check on Hanwick. See if he's back to his old self. After all, he's here for a medical seminar. An imposter won't be able to keep the charade for long.""You mean after the imposter's done, they'll bring the real Hanwick back?" Max asked, a sudden realization dawning upon him. "I'll get on with it. If he's back to his old self, we're on the right track."As Max was about to leave, Jared instructed, "Also, further your research o
"Yeah, I picked it up early today from his research room," Lulu said, handing the small bag to Nicole. "Take this. It's really important."Nicole grabbed the medicine and replied, "Right. Let's get in.""Sure," Lulu said, linking arms with Nicole and flashing her a big smile. "Samuel invited us over for dinner tonight. You in?""Absolutely," Nicole said.After the cryptic call from Samuel insisting that she came, she decided that it was not an invitation that she could decline."What's he planning, being all secretive like that?" Lulu asked, her face brimming with curiosity.Nicole shrugged. "Don't know, but judging by his excitement, it's probably something great.""He did mention that he'd treat us to a meal after he has completed his recovery," Lulu said after a moment of consideration. 'Is this his way of making good on that promise?'"We'll see when we get there," Nicole replied."True that." Lulu laughed.As soon as they arrived at the office wing, they got busy with th
"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