Nicole remembered how things were easier for Stanley when Spencer and Samuel were still single.Jared looked at Nicole, his eyes full of questions. "You feel a lot more stressed out now, don't you?""Shouldn't I be off the hook now? I have you, Nolan, and Lana," Nicole replied, her voice tinged with uncertainty.Jared smirked in reply. "Maybe, but it seems like your parents are even more anxious now, don't you think?"Nicole shot Jared an annoyed glance, unable to deny that he did have a point. "Let's head home."Then, she sighed and thought, 'How did I even end up becoming the center of discussion?'With a warm smile, Jared took Nicole's hand and led her to the car, and after a short drive, they pulled up at the Riddle residence. Nolan and Lana, still awake, were watching TV with Gloria in the living room."Mommy!" The kids exclaimed and rushed over as soon as they spotted Nicole and Jared.Nicole gently tousled their hair. "Still up, huh?""We were waiting for you," Nolan sa
"What happened, Mom?" Nolan asked, noting Nicole's hesitation."Someone was trying to break in," Nicole said with a touch of regret. "They were really careful. I almost managed to trace them, but they slipped away."Nolan sighed, looking disappointed. "They're pretty sneaky.""If they didn't get what they wanted this time, they'll definitely try again," Jared added, walking over to the computer. "They won't back down. They're definitely after something you're getting."Nicole bit her lip, realizing she was not the only one after the five crests. Since her announcement, others had been attempting to get their hands on them as well."You know, maybe it's time to set and arm a trap instead of just a firewall," she said.Nodding at Jared's idea, she added. "Rather than always being on the defensive, let's invite them in."With renewed focus, Nicole began typing away on the computer, safeguarding crucial information before laying her digital trap, and once she was done, she turned to
'So, Snow's in a vegetative state and James is in jail. Raine has vanished, and no one knows where she is. Meanwhile, Dillion and Karen seem to be doing alright. But now, they're planning to sell their house and move to a hotel?' Nicole wondered.Lulu's expression then shifted to one of seriousness. "I've gotten some folks to watch them. We are trying to figure out their plans.""Alright," Nicole responded. "We'll just have to watch and see what Dillion and Karen are planning."Then, she paused, picking up the phone to call Preston."Nicole, what's up?" Preston's voice blared out once he answered."Did you know your parents are selling the family house?" Nicole asked directly.Preston paused, clearly taken aback, before replying, "No. What happened?""No major reason." Nicole said, filling him in on what Lulu had discovered."I see," Preston sighed. "Guess we should let them decide."Nicole hesitated. "You know, if you want to keep the family mansion, I can buy it back for you
"Just some family related stuff," Preston said.Gary shot him a look of doubt, though he decided against prying. "How's things going on your end? I've got some updates here.""I'm almost there." Preston's focus intensified, and he began working even quicker.Then, in a tone of triumph, he declared, "Got it!""Nice job!" Gary exclaimed, grinning. "Keep it up. If we manage to crack the next one, we'll be able to discover who this person is.""Alright, let's do this."The two then continued, driven by their determination.Near the end of the workday, Nicole received an email from Preston. The email in question contained an address and a name, though there were no photos or any solid identifications. Seeing this, Nicole instantly realized this was the identity that Preston, Ryder, and Gary had been working on discovering. Impressed by their quick progress, she replied with a 'thanks' and forwarded the information to Max for further investigation. She preferred to keep Lulu out of su
"I'll come with you," Lulu said, eager to accompany Nicole, who raised her brows right away.Noting Nicole's hesitation, Lulu quickly added, "I can help, you know."Hearing this, Nicole replied, "Alright. We'll head there tomorrow.""Great." Lulu smiled in relief.The elevator reached the first floor, and the three of them stepped out."If anything happens, let Sean and I know," Steve said."Don't worry," Nicole replied with a confident edge to her voice.'Even though Everett has lost his mind, I doubt he'll dare to mess with me,' she thought.Outside the company building, Lulu noticed that Spencer had not shown up yet, and that was when she stated, "You should go ahead. Don't keep Mr. Johnston waiting.""Alright, I'll see you later."After saying goodbye to Lulu, Nicole walked over to Jared's car, and once she was seated, she leaned back and issued a quiet sigh.Jared glanced her way and asked, "Tired?""Not really. Steve said Everett is targeting DillCorp. They just elude
"So, since the ceremony is the only thing that is missing, why not have it soon?" Gloria suggested.Feeling really annoyed now, Nicole replied, "Mom, I'm already married. And hey, at least I'm not in Stanley's shoes. He doesn't even have a girlfriend. Maybe you should focus on him?"With that said, Nicole took Jared's hand and made a beeline for the dining room, wanting to distance herself from the subjects.Feeling that the spotlight was back on him, Stanley sighed. "Alright, I'll post an ad on a dating app tomorrow."All of a sudden, there was a thud, and someone gasped. Everyone's eyes then centered on Tia, who was walking in with a plate of snacks."Hey Tia, what's up?" Nicole greeted, giving her a once-over.Tia quickly set the plate of mini muffins down. "Mrs. Wallace was feeling good today. She made these since she knows how much you love them and asked me to bring them to you."Nicole's eyes lit up at the sight of the muffins. "Thanks, Tia. How's Grandma been lately?""
The kids each took a muffin, bit into it, and nodded enthusiastically. "Wow, these are so good!""When I was little like you guys are, these were my favorite. Grandma made them for me all the time," Nicole said."Great grandma sure knows how to bake," Nolan and Lana said before proceeding to munch on their second bite.Seeing the kids' delight, Nicole grinned. "She would be thrilled to know you guys love them."Reaching for a muffin as well, Stanley said, "I've got to try one of these."Daniel and Gloria looked at one another before they took one each for themselves. They wanted to try the treats that had sparked the sudden return of one of Nicole's memories, thinking they must be unique.After dinner, Nicole said to Nolan and Lana, "I'm heading over to visit my grandma. You guys want to come?""Yeah," Nolan and Lana chimed in together.Nicole then turned to Stanley. "And you?""Me?" Stanley was taken aback."I think Tia might've hurt her leg," Nicole said and paused, leaving
"You don't have to." Nolan shook his head.Mrs. Wallace Sr. gave them a look of puzzlement. "Why? You said they were delicious.""It's not that. Making those muffins is a lot of work. We can help out next time," Lana chimed in.Mrs. Wallace Sr. laughed heartily, her mouth wide in amusement. "Such good kids. Just like your mom, always caring for others from a young age.""Well, we are Mommy's kids," Nolan and Lana replied with a hint of pride.Their playful attitude made Mrs. Wallace Sr. burst into laughter, thoroughly enjoying the moment with them."I can make them too. Next time, we'll do it for you," Tia said, emerging from the small kitchen, her eyes twinkling as she brought a plate of fruits to them.Nicole took the plate. "Your leg is hurt. Go treat it before it gets worse.""It's fine," Tia replied, cheeks reddening in embarrassment. "It's just a minor bump. No big deal.""Go apply some ointment on it. You need to take care of yourself so that you can look after Grandma,