"Did he mention anything else?" Nicole squinted her eyes, thinking that Lawrence would not usually be so nosy.Nolan shook his head and replied, "No, he only asked if you're back. Then, he asked about what Lana and I have been up to recently.""That's all?" Nicole raised a brow, doubtful. 'So he was genuinely missing the kids?'"Oh, Godpa also asked if you've been busy recently." Lana asked innocently.To that, Nolan added, "Yeah, I said you're not that busy. All you've got going for you is work.""Okay." Nicole said, and rested the case.She was worried that the kids might get suspicious if she prodded with more questions, so she changed the topic of conversation at once. "Is Leo still online?""Ye-" Nolan looked at the screen.Then, he frowned and said, "Now he's not."He was online just a few seconds ago, so it was strange that he logged off all of a sudden.Nicole stood beside the computer and stared at Lawrence's message to Nolan. [I have some urgent matters I need to ta
"It is exactly because of this very concern that he needs to use Nolan to achieve what he wants." Jared held Nicole's hands gently. "At the end of the day, none of us have seen the Water Crest before. No one knows what it looks like either. The only way he could crack it and not catch your attention is by enlisting Nolan's help."If Lawrence approached Nicole directly, the outcome would be predictable; Nicole would be able to tell that the object in question was the Water Crest. In addition to that, Lawrence would have to forego his right to own the Water Crest, hence he would not risk it.After hearing Jared's explanation, Nicole nodded. "You're right.""I'll get Max to verify it." Jared's eyes became frosty.If that was indeed the truth, Jared would never allow Lawrence within an inch of the Water Crest. For someone as evil as Lawrence to own the Water Crest would spell unimaginable disaster for everyone else.As Jared and Nicole were discussing the issue, they did not realize t
Stanley paused for a moment before replying, "Alright.""Please let me know if there are any updates," Nicole requested, and brought the kids into the car.Knowing that Stanley was going out to look for Tia, Nolan and Lana did not bother to follow him. Instead, they got into the car and went to school right away.Meanwhile, Stanley had just entered the house in the backyard, which was unusually quiet."Tia?" Stanley called out to her."Mr. Riddle, is that you?" Tia asked, her voice hoarse.Stanley could already tell that she was weak, and upon hearing Tia's voice emanating from the room, he rushed over.As soon as he opened the door, he saw Tia lying in bed, looking ill, causing him to frown and ask, "What happened?""I think I'm down with a co...."Before Tia could finish her sentence, she began to cough.Seeing that Tia was in such a terrible condition, Stanley walked over and placed his hand on Tia's forehead. She was indeed having a bad fever."Your body is very warm. I'
Her intentions of not wanting to interfere with his work were genuine. But there was another reason, and it was that his presence made her feel uncomfortable."You haven't had breakfast, right? I'll go and buy something." Stanley could sense that Tia was beginning to feel uncomfortable, so he got up and left.Tia quietly heaved a sigh of relief. Seeing Stanley leave, her energy seemed to improve."Tia!" a loud yell sounded.As Tia looked up, she was shocked by what she saw. "Sir, what are you doing here?""I've told you before, don't call me 'sir'," Martin said, sounding annoyed as he entered the room. "Just like how you call Nicole, you can call me Martin.""Martin." It sounded a bit forced, but Tia called him by his name.Martin scanned their surroundings and saw that no one was there. "Tia, you're sick. Are you here on your own?""It was Stanley who brought me here," Tia explained.Martin immediately understood the situation. "Oh, so it's Stanley. Where is he?"He could no
At Riddle Corporation, Nicole arrived at the company building and entered her office."Ms. Riddle, we've made some progress in our project with Ellison Group," said Patricia, placing a document in front of Nicole.Looking at the details on the document, Nicole seemed to be satisfied. "Great, it looks good.""Will Harvey follow our plan?" Patricia asked worriedly. After all, he was not a kind-hearted person if he could get his hands on the Ellison Group."It doesn't matter. If he notices it, we'll come up with another plan. If he doesn't realize it, we'll just act according to plan." Nicole smiled coldly.If Harvey wanted to create more problems for her, Nicole would let him make the first move. She wanted to see if Harvey still had the energy for that."Noted. I'll send someone to keep an eye on him," Patricia replied firmly. By keeping an eye on Riddle Corporation, it would ease their plan for what's to come.Nicole placed the document to one side and turned to look at Patricia
As the sun set, Nicole and Jared picked their children up. When the kids heard that Tia had been admitted to the hospital, they requested to visit her.As Nicole was also worried about Tia's condition, she agreed to their request.They bought some fruits and went to the hospital ward."Nicole!" Tia was surprised to see Nicole and the family there. They went out of their way to visit her!"How are you feeling now?" Nicole asked in concern."I'm feeling much better now," Tia replied."Ms. Tia, I'm glad you're feeling better. We're all worried about you." Nolan and Lana surrounded Tia by the bedside, wearing sad expressions.Tia smiled. She seemed to be more energetic when she saw the little kids."I'm fine now. You guys don't have to worry about me. You see, I took the drip and some medicine. I'm all better now," she said, to comfort them."Ms. Tia, please recover soon. We prefer it when you fetch us for school," said Lana, shaking Tia's arms lightly."Sure. I'll be out of this
"They're used to Tia bringing them to school, so there's no doubt they're dependent on her." Martin smiled and approached Tia's bedside. "How are you feeling?""I feel much better now. I could be discharged tomorrow," Tia replied."May I ask who this is?" Cherry found Martin familiar, but she just could not recognize him."His name is Martin, and he's in the medical profession," Tia introduced. She did not mention Martin's background as he did not like to brag about it outside."Her name is Cherry, Stanley's..." Tia paused and changed what she was going to say. "She's Stanley's friend."Tia originally wanted to say Cherry was Stanley's girlfriend, but Tia did not know if Stanley wanted to make the information public, so she paused before saying it out loud."Hi." Cherry instantly remembered when she heard Martin's name, but she played along and did not expose his hidden identity."Hi there," Martin responded, looking at Stanley meaningfully.Noticing Tia's pause, Martin analyze
"Well that was...?" Martin turned to Nicole after noticing the weird atmosphere between Cherry and Stanley. He looked eager for gossip.Nicole had no choice but to disappoint him. "Cherry Jean."Martin pressed his lips together and responded with a wry smile, "Alright then."Nicole did not want to dwell on the topic, so she remained silent."Nicole, it's getting late. You should head home. I'll be fine by myself." Tia bit her lip. She hesitated before saying, "Nicole, could you take Stanley with you?"Tia did not want Cherry to get the wrong idea, but she could not convince Stanley to leave. So she had to rely on Nicole to get Stanley home."I think it's best to let Stanley decide that for himself." Nicole shrugged. She did not want to make decisions on Stanley's behalf and have him blame her for it later.The situation today unraveled a mystery in her heart, and it was up to fate to decide what would happen in their future.Tia looked surprised at Nicole, not expecting Nicole
"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