Nicole held Jared's hand and walked toward the bedside, saying, "Alright, let's go to bed."She had been stressed for the past two days. She knew it was the same for him too. Since there was no other way now, they could only quietly wait for the results.At this moment, in Mecrounia, Lawrence leaned against the sofa with a dark gaze.The investigation in San Joto had been making no progress. 'Who could've done this, and why is it so mysterious?''Is it also because of Nicole's Fire Crest, or is it for something else?' he wondered.His phone suddenly rang. He saw that it was from Ian and answered it."Mr. Royce, I feel like our investigation is being hindered. It's like there's a force that's confusing our vision," Ian said helplessly.Their investigation always seemed like they were about to get results, but in the end, it all turned out to be empty.Thinking it over, he always felt that someone must have manipulated things behind the scenes for it to turn out like this.Lawre
After a while, Lawrence roared, "You have three more days. If you can't crack it by then, you can all get the hell out of here!""Yes." Once they responded, the sound of keyboard tapping filled the room once again.Lawrence stormed out of the room and went upstairs.The lights in the base gradually went out, leaving only one room still illuminated.The next day, the weather was gloomy.After Nicole and Jared dropped off the children at the kindergarten, they arrived at Riddle Corporation.Jared did not leave and followed Nicole into her office. Soon, Sean and Steve also joined them."Max, tell them." Nicole's expression was somewhat grim."Yes, Mrs. Johnston," Max responded and then carefully reported the findings of the investigation."According to her deduction, Charlie went to investigate near the scene. Sure enough, suspicious individuals were found. After their kidnapping attempt failed, they disguised themselves as nearby residents, planning to quietly leave after the si
Anyone who even thinks of laying their hands on Nolan and Lana should be aware of the consequences.Nicole arched an eyebrow as she looked at Jared. "What are you going to do?""Nothing. You should ask Grandpa this question instead," Jared said indifferently.Nicole quickly understood that Benjamin would soon find out about this, and he probably would not let Chloe off the hook easily."Let's go back to the family manor tonight." Jared stroked her hair and continued, "Let's focus on work now.""Sure," Nicole responded, watching him leave. She sat down in her chair and bit her lip. 'Turns out everything was caused by Chloe. Well then, don't blame me.'After a while, Patricia returned and said, "We got it.""What?" Nicole raised her eyebrows."Chloe's still not giving up. Those people said that after they kidnapped Nolan and Lana, they planned to demand a huge ransom. Chloe probably wanted to use the money to threaten you to give up the management of NandoCorp," Patricia said wit
"Maybe." Nicole did not want to talk about Chloe, so she changed the subject. "Since you're back, let's have a welcoming dinner tonight."June and Lulu exchanged a glance and said, "Forget it. Let's do it in a few days. There are too many things happening at home recently.""It's okay. It's just the three of us, so no one else is invited." Even though it was called a welcoming dinner, it was actually just a gathering of a few good friends.Upon hearing this, the two agreed, "Okay then."If it was just the three of them, it would be fine. They had to eat dinner anyway, so a simple meal together was good enough."What should we eat?" Lulu asked them."How about some fish?" June suggested. She always wanted to eat fish whenever she ate out."Okay," Nicole agreed.Soon, they all reached an agreement and decided to go for dinner together after work.When the sun set, Nicole went to the dinner gathering while Jared went to the family manor alone. He had also arranged for a driver to
"Damn it, Nicole!" Chloe gritted her teeth in anger.Although the butler had not said a thing, she knew for certain that Nicole was involved in this."Do you think she did this?" her assistant asked in concern. "Do you think it's possible that she knows about the kidnapping?""Hah, even if she knows, what can she do? Running to Grandpa and telling him about it is all she can do. Other than that, she has no way to get to me." Chloe bragged.She had been very careful, so much so that even if the truth was revealed, nobody would be able to trace it back to her. After all, she could not afford to make the same mistake twice."But it seems that Mr. Riddle Sr. is furious now. What will you do in the future?" her assistant asked.Even if Nicole could not do anything to them, their lives from here on out would no longer be smooth sailing, especially with Benjamin holding off on the treatment funds."I'll think of another way," Chloe said with spite.She was determined to not let Nicole
"Really?" Nicole touched her cheeks. "Do you think so?""Not only have you lost weight, but your complexion also doesn't look healthy either," June added. "We noticed that a long time ago."However, they figured that Nicole might have been under a ton of pressure as of the recent weeks, and that was why they decided not to ask her about it any further."Don't overwork yourself. Now that I'm back, I can share some of the workload at the company," Lulu advised.After giving everyone a good look, Nicole smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'm fine.""Don't go around shouldering everything by yourself. If you ever need us, just tell us. Even though we're not interested in managing the company, we won't ignore you if you need help," Spencer looked at Nicole, his eyes brimming with sympathy.Nicole smiled, knowing that her siblings and friends truly cared about her. "Don't worry. I'm really okay, and you all have your own stuff to take care of.""What the heck does Chloe really want?" Lulu
"I didn't expect that so much had happened back at home during our honeymoon." Lulu sighed."Don't think too much about it. Get yourself a good night's sleep and head back to work tomorrow," Spencer comforted her as he held her hand.After flashing him a smile, Lulu asked, "There's a chance that I'll get really busy starting from tomorrow. Will you ever feel as if I'm neglecting you when that happens?""No, it's fine. I have a backlog of work to clear as well, but it's not too much. I can still take care of myself and you as well." Spencer returned her smile.Lulu's cheeks reddened at once, giving her an even more endearing look.Meanwhile, Nicole and Jared were on their way to the Riddle residence."You came back from Grandpa's place. Why didn't you just go home?" Nicole asked.She had not expected Jared to come and get her. If anything, she thought he had gone home on his own."I thought you wouldn't take long," he replied.Initially, he had planned to go home to the Riddle
Having understood what Jared was referring to, she glared at him. Still, she went on to wipe the corner of his mouth anyway.Jared happily grabbed the paper towel and placed it on the table. Then, he held Nicole's hands and brought her up to the first floor. By then, everyone in the house was already in bed, including Nolan and Lana. Thus, Jared and Nicole went right back to their room.Just as Nicole was about to step into the shower, her phone blared with a message.She shot her phone a glance, and that was when her eyes narrowed. It was a message from Lawrence.Noticing that Nicole had a weird look on her face, Jared asked, "Who's that?""It's from Lawrence. He's saying that Everett has nothing to do with this incident. However, he's asking me to be careful as Everett is in close contact with Chloe." Nicole explained.She was dumbfounded by the fact that Lawrence was helping her keep an eye on Everett. 'Aren't Everett and Lawrence working together?'"Good to know," Jared said
"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