"What makes you so sure?" Nicole asked out of curiosity."Although Cherry is a bold person, I can tell she has a calm and rational mind. When she has her eye set on someone, I'm sure they won't fall too far off the mark. If both of them are willing to work hard for a chance at a future together, they will definitely succeed."And as long as they lead a happy life, the Jean family would slowly come to accept them for who they were."I've met that man once. Although we were quite far apart, I could tell that Cherry was relaxed and happy when she was with him." Nicole nodded, sharing the opinion that Cherry had a good eye.While they were chatting, they heard a sudden knock on the door."Are they here to provide us with some updates?" Lulu got up and strode over to open the door.As expected, the men standing at the door were the ones who Lulu had assigned to investigate the financial crisis at Ellison Group. Upon seeing Lulu, they handed a set of documents to her.Once she had gra
In a soft and calm voice, Patricia replied, "Once a scab forms, the wound will become less painful and itchy."The sight of Ellar giving her a pitiful and pathetic look annoyed her. At this rate, his lies and pretenses were working on nobody. She knew for a fact she was not sold on them herself.The moment Ellar knew that his excuses and intentions had been exposed for what they were, he smiled. "Perhaps my physique is different from others."However, this only caused Patricia to roll her eyes harder and reply, "Since you are recovering faster than the rest, you definitely have a better physique than others."Ellar's eyes were twinkling a mere few seconds ago, but the instant she made that remark, it quickly darkened as if Patricia had told him off."Alright. I see that your wounds don't require extra attention anymore. I'll be heading back to the headquarters first," she announced.And after Patricia had thrown the bandage into the garbage bin, she reminded Ellar, "Don't forget
By then, Patricia had already knocked and entered Nicole's office.Seeing that Patricia had returned, Nicole exclaimed in shock, "You're back!""Yes." Patricia replied. "Am I retaining my previous job?""Sure." Nicole nodded.Patricia was a little surprised that Nicole did not ask her anything about Ellar. To confirm if she was seeing it right, she glanced at Nicole once again, only to see that she was busy with her work.Relieved, she sighed, turned around, and walked away.What Patricia did not realize was that Nicole had looked up to catch a glimpse of her. The gaze in Nicole's eyes hinted at her skepticism of her to say the least.Once Patricia had left, Lulu came barging into the office. "Nicole, did Patricia mention anything?""No." Nicole shook her head, having not queried Patricia about anything else.A confused Lulu then proceeded to ask, "Why do I feel that something is wrong with Patricia? When I asked her about it, she told me there's nothing.""Don't worry. Patri
"So that's the case." Mrs. Wallace Sr. stole a glance at Tia, as if she was relieved to hear that."Grandma, what made you think of it all of a sudden?" Nicole asked, having noticed Mrs. Wallace Sr. 's discreet gaze."Nothing. It's just a random thought." Mrs. Wallace Sr. smiled and changed the topic of conversation.In truth, however, she was a little worried. She had actually seen Stanley sending Tia home, so she was concerned about the dynamics of their relationship. Mrs. Wallace Sr. had even attempted to remind Tia about the matter, but all she got in exchange was a piece of information which meant nothing out of context: Cherry was leaving. Other than that, Tia had not mentioned anything else.Now that Mrs. Wallace Sr. understood the situation in its entirety, her worries began to fade.After Mrs. Wallace Sr. had spoken, she snuck another glance at Tia. This time however, her gaze was brimming with pity and concern.Sensing the old woman's gaze, Tia lowered her head in a hur
While waiting for Tia to pick the kids up, Stanley glanced at Tia from the back, his gaze strained and intense."We're done eating breakfast. What other excuses do you have now?" Gloria questioned Stanley with a dour look on her face."Alright Mom and Dad." Stanley put on a more serious look. "This is what actually happened..."After narrating the entire story to Gloria and Daniel, Stanley felt a huge weight lifted off his shoulders at an instant. Now that he had finally gotten it out of his chest, the family would no longer pester him about Cherry anymore."So, your relationship with Cherry has all been an act?" Gloria choked."Yes." Stanley nodded and apologized. "I'm sorry. I'm afraid I've let you down.""But, how are you going to explain this to the Jean family, then?" Gloria asked, becoming worried sick.She always thought that Stanley was a well-behaved child. The fact that he would engage in something so questionable was something Gloria could not comprehend."We'll have
"I'll be with her soon." Stanley answered and walked off.His statement left Gloria to mutter while pondering aloud, "Soon? Well, that's not right. Does that mean..."Stanley, does that mean you don't have a girlfriend yet?!" Gloria yelled upon realizing what was going on.'The nerve of that brat! How dare he lie to me? If what he said is true, doesn't that mean that he is still single? Why would he even claim that he has a girlfriend then?' Gloria wondered."Mom, let's wait for a tad longer. Perhaps what Stanley was trying to say is that he has someone he likes, but that person hasn't given him a reply." Nicole comforted her mother the instant she saw how sour Gloria's face was."That's right. Since Stanley has been honest enough to reveal this much to us, we should definitely give him some time." Daniel replied, echoing Nicole's words. "Say what you want, but the issue with the Jean family hasn't been resolved yet. We can't simply set him up on a blind date for him now."After
Perhaps those at Eastern Falcon would let down their guard if Jared's men loosened up a bit. That way, it would be easier for Zane to conduct his investigations and gather all the needed intel about them.Understanding Jared's motives right off the bat, Max nodded and replied, "Understood, sir. Don't worry, I'll take care of it.""Great." Jared smiled and leaned back against his seat while looking out of the window.Meanwhile, in the headquarters of Riddle Corporation, both Lulu and Patricia had followed Nicole into the office."Nicole, we can now finish up on our operations at Ellison Group." Patricia stated calmly."Okay." Nicole nodded. "It's about time.""Yeah, I think we should make a move on my end now." Lulu grinned."Of course." Nicole smirked, knowing it was time for Lulu to do her worst."Alright, you may sit and wait for the good news from me." Lulu raised her brows.After Lulu had spoken, she turned around and marched out of the office. All the preparations she had
"Sure." Nicole agreed, as she did not mind the idea of having anything good for lunch today.The instant the women arrived at the restaurant, they ordered a hot fondue fountain and dug in happily."Harvey must be doomed this time." Lulu gloated with a smile plastered on her face."I guess so. But we'll still have to keep our guard up before everything has been sorted out," Nicole reminded them calmly."Don't sweat it. We're at a crucial stage now, so we can't afford to be lax, even if we want to anyway," Lulu replied in a serious tone of voice."Yes." Nicole nodded.It was not that she doubted what Lulu was capable of; it was just that they had to be extra careful during such a crucial stage, which might make or break their plan.After giving it some thought, Lulu added, "Thomas seems to be unusually quiet for the past few days. Is he doing fine?""He's fine," Nicole answered in a low voice.Indeed, there were no problems on Thomas' end. All that was plaguing him was this cons
"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