"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,
"I really don't need to go to the hospital," Tia protested when she heard the mention of the hospital.She believed her injury was just a minor one."If you don't want to go to the hospital, rest up," Stanley said, his voice firmer than usual.Tia hesitated, swallowed, and after a moment, she said, "Alright, I get it."She thought she could agree now and do whatever she wanted tomorrow when nobody was around to look.Stanley gave her a knowing look, but opted not to confront her about it. "Alright. Rest up for now.""I..." Tia began to rise, but stopped short when Stanley interrupted her."I'll check on Mrs. Wallace. If she needs help, I'll provide it for her," he stated."Thanks," Tia said gratefully.Stanley shot a brief glance at Tia, hesitated for a moment, then silently walked away.Now alone in the room, Tia was finally at ease. With Stanley around, she had been feeling an unusual tension. She found it surprising that Stanley had made it a point to check on her over suc
"I had a chat with Stanley. Let's go," Nicole said, linking his arm with Jared's.Jared glanced down at her, his tone affectionate. "Did you enjoy visiting your grandma?""Yeah, we were reminiscing about my childhood," Nicole replied, her eyes sparkling with joy and nostalgia.Touched by her happiness, Jared softly suggested, "When things settle down, we should go back for a visit.""That sounds great," Nicole replied, her eyes wide and hopeful. 'That's a good idea. I bet Grandma would love to see the old house again.'Back in their room, Nicole began humming a tune as she headed to the bathroom. The idea of visiting her childhood home filled her with anticipation. And as Jared watched her, a small smile played on his lips. He was planning to take her back to see where she had grown up once everything that had been playing.The next morning, after breakfast, Nicole and Jared dropped Nolan and Lana off at preschool and made their way to DillCorp. Although Nicole owned the company,
'Is Lawrence the key to all this? Does he know something?' Jared thought.Meanwhile, Nicole strode into DillCorp's CEO's office, and when she arrived, she looked around the refurbished room with a satisfied smile."Nicole, you made it!" Lulu exclaimed, entering the room with several people in tow, each holding a folder."Ms. Riddle," they greeted with a nod, and lined up before her.Nicole took her seat, briefly met their eyes, and began, "Fill me in.""Due to poor management, DillCorp has gotten itself embroiled in financial troubles, making it hard for it to achieve significant progress soon," one of them stated."We've noticed discrepancies in our accounts and are looking into them.""I also believe we should reconsider the employment of some of our staff. Some might not fit into our vision."Hearing the reports, Nicole massaged her temples. She knew DillCorp had its share of issues, but she had not realized the extent of them.Taking a deep breath, Nicole replied, "I get i