"Why didn't you tell me that you've returned?" Harvey gritted his teeth, feigning calmness and composure."I didn't tell you, but you still found out, didn't you?" Thomas retorted.Rendered speechless, Harvey was forced to change the subject. "Since you're back, I must inform you that Ellison Group is facing an issue now, and we need your help."Thomas glanced over at Harvey and pushed the document on the table in front of him to his grandson. "Take a look at this first. If you agree to the terms and conditions, I'll help you out. If not, you may look for another solution."It was then that Harvey realized that Thomas was privy to everything that had been transpiring. 'So that was why he looked so calm when I came over. He was expecting me.'Harvey opened the document and studied it, but after he had understood the contents, he became furious and shouted, "Are you insane?! Why would you let Nicole oversee Ellison Group?!"'What am I then? A dog who'll be forced to be subservient
"Mr. Ellison, why don't you... just sign it?" the assistant timidly advised.At this point, they had been left with no other way out. By signing the document, they could at least retain ownership over Ellison Group, allowing Harvey to continue managing the company so long as he did not step out of line. Even with Nicole serving as the additional overseer from then on, it would not affect the company's operation.Meanwhile, Thomas remained tight lipped. After the assistant was done advising Harvey, who was speechless and unresponsive, he backed off and maintained his silence.For the next few minutes, the room became exceptionally quiet, creating a somewhat palpable tension.Eventually, Harvey picked the pen up, placed his signature on the blank section, and threw the pen down before leaving briskly.Thomas then sighed, feeling a sense of relief as he watched Harvey's figure recede from view. At the very least, he had dealt with one half of the problem. Now, the rest would be up to
"So, with such an important task assigned to me, don't you at least plan to reward me, Mr. Ellison?" Nicole joked.Taking on this task meant she would likely have to deal with Harvey even more frequently in the future, and any further involvement with him in her life was the last thing she needed."What do you want? Just say it. After all, I had hoped you would become my granddaughter-in-law back when you were younger. Unfortunately, we lost you. Now, I really can't think of anything I can offer you in return." Thomas replied jokingly, as his mood had improved significantly."Well, then..." Nicole paused. "Just stop feeling sorry for your grandson.""Hahaha... As long as you keep him alive, I won't meddle in anything else." Thomas laughed."Well, he won't lose his life. That much I can guarantee. At most... he'll live in despair."Of course, she would not actively seek vengeance against Harvey if he wisened up and stopped trying to make her life a living hell. If he did, he would
Nicole smiled when she understood what Jared meant. "Sure."With this document in her possession, she would not need to deal with Harvey personally anymore. She could always assign someone capable of handling him to liaise with him, ensuring that he would not cause any problems for them again.Moreover, after this experience, Harvey would likely be down in the dumps for some time. Knowing Harvey, signing this document was nothing short of a significant blow to him and his ego.After signing the document herself, Nicole looked at Jared and asked, "Did you come all the way here just for this?""Yes," Jared replied with a light snort."Do you really find Thomas untrustworthy?" Nicole asked, unable to help but find this situation amusing.She understood that Jared's sudden appearance was likely due to him having gotten word that Thomas had come to see her. He was probably worried he might put her in a difficult position.However, none of them had anticipated the decision Thomas had
"The entire ordeal with Harvey has finally come to an end. We should be able to live in peace for now," Nicole sighed.At the very least, Harvey would no longer be among the list of people trying to make life difficult for her.Jared looked at her and gave her a reassuring smile. "Let's eat. There's no need to worry about people who don't matter.""You should go ahead too," Nicole smiled and reached over to feed Jared some of what was on her plate.With a shared glance, the couple proceeded to enjoy their lunch joyfully and affectionately.Meanwhile, the atmosphere was much darker in Harvey's office back at the headquarters of Ellison Group."Mr. Ellison, it's lunchtime. Are you really not eating?" his assistant whispered, attempting to persuade Harvey to have a bite."I'm not eating. Get out!" Harvey roared angrily, leaving the assistant with no choice but to leave.The office fell silent again, and that was when Harvey leaned back against his chair, his grimace sour and terri
They would not be able to manage Harvey's company forever as they did not have that much free time in their hands.Optimistic, Nicole smiled and said, "Let's get through it for now and we'll decide what to do once Harvey has regained consciousness."The fact that he could be unconscious for so long was truly frustrating.In the world of business and commerce, failures or financial crises were not guaranteed death sentences to the businessmen affected. As such, avoidance of the issue was not the solution going forward."I'll tidy up and head over," Lulu said before leaving.Nicole shook her head slightly. Right now, all she could do was hope that Harvey would recover quickly.If his mental health continued to decline at the rate it was, they would have no choice but to brace for more headaches.An entire afternoon passed without Nicole receiving any news of Harvey regaining consciousness, causing her to grow even more anxious. 'What if Harvey has experienced so much shock that he
Jared went on to follow his family into the house, while Stanley stayed behind.Nicole arched her brows as she observed Stanley's actions, a smile creeping up her lips.She had deliberately mentioned to Stanley that they had just returned, and much to her amusement, Stanley seemed to have understood what she meant. If he did not, he would not have looked in the direction of Tia's quarters located at the backyard. At this time, he should be able to see Tia.Indeed, Stanley was looking at Tia. Though he had caught nothing but a fleeting glimpse of her back, which quickly disappeared into the house, his gaze remained fixed and unwavering.After a moment of hesitation, Stanley made a beeline to Tia's quarters in big strides.Things had settled down now that Cherry had left. However, he still could not shake the feeling that Tia had become more distant for the past few days.Today was a good opportunity for him to make his feelings obvious to her, so Stanley wondered, 'Why not clarify
"Let me help you with that." Stanley stood up.Stanley offering to help with clearing the table was something Tia did not see coming. She was so shocked that she almost dropped the plates she was holding."It's fine. I can do it myself," Tia declined, figuring that it would be inappropriate to let Stanley wash any of the dishes."Don't worry. I can help." Stanley said, holding the dirty cutleries and plates as he made his way to the kitchen.Seeing that, Tia could only follow him from behind. "Just leave them there. I'll wash them."Stanley, however, did not leave when he saw Tia rolling her sleeves up to wash the dishes. Instead, he simply stayed put and stared at her.Naturally, his gaze made Tia feel uneasy, which in turn made her clumsy. Even the clattering of the dishes in the sink became louder as she inadvertently struck them against one another. Stanley, however, was nothing short of happy. He could not help but smile upon hearing the clinking of the dishes.'If we ever
"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