"Take care of everyone and make sure they're safe." Jared sped off, leaving the words hanging in the air.Lulu bit her lip as she looked out the window with worry written all over her face. She had to force herself to calm down, as acting out in a panic would do her no good.She figured that Jared had ordered her to stay behind because there was nothing she could do to help, and since that was the case, she decided that it would be in everyone's best interest for her to stay put and ensure that the rest of the family were safe. In all likelihood, there was grave danger involved, or else Jared would not have dashed off while telling her to take care of everyone without further elaboration."Lulu? Do you know what's going on?" Gloria asked, her forehead creased in concern.The sudden escalation had made everyone realize that something was amiss, giving them an oppressive and lingering feeling of anxiety."Oh, since the package was delivered by an unknown sender, Nicole was worried t
Deep down, Nicole knew that letting the bomb go off would be much more ideal than defusing it. This would trick Damien into thinking that his plan had succeeded. The flip side to allowing the blast to occur, however, was that Nicole's family would be in for a shock of their lives.And since she did not want her family to think that the blast had affected her, she decided to defuse it."I trust that you know what you're doing, but we don't have any tools to work with. Can you do it?" Jared asked.After all, Nicole was once the Turmann family's chief weapons designer. Thus, defusing a simple bomb would be a piece of cake for her. However, Nicole did not have the tools she needed at the moment, prompting Jared to wonder how it would be possible.Resourceful as always, Nicole smirked at the look of doubt on him. Then, she pulled a bobby pin out of her hair, and with a slight twist, the pin transformed into a long needle, one end with a sharp, jagged tip.Pleasantly surprised by what s
June sighed. "He really is off his rocker, isn't he?""How did you find out?" Spencer shuddered with horror.This incident might have escaped their notice entirely had they been totally clueless about Damien's little scheme.After issuing another sigh, Lulu went on to narrate the entire story of Damien's escape, and Patricia's efforts at tracking him down."Thankfully, you're here." June nodded, knowing full well that everyone would have been in grave danger if Nicole was not here today."What are you planning to do next?" Spencer asked.At present, Damien was still on the loose. In addition, he had the backing of someone who wielded great power, so there was still much danger lurking in the dark."It's time to wrap things up." Nicole looked up, her eyes burning bright with crimson fury."Huh?" the others asked in confusion."We're going to seize Damien, or else, he'll be gone before we know it," Nicole declared, her voice dark and deep. 'We will capture both Damien and the ma
Dawn arrived eight hours later, with the sun showing its first blossom at seven. After breakfast, Nicole and Jared got into their car and made their way to Riddle Corporation.However, Lulu was not the only one waiting for Nicole today, as Spencer, Samuel, and June were there as well."Have you heard from your men?" they anxiously asked upon spotting the couple."Charlie and Patricia are not back yet," Nicole replied. "Let's wait for them in my office.""Alright." They nodded in agreement, after which they entered Nicole's office together.After sitting down, Lulu gritted her teeth and asked, "Why have we not received any news from them? Are they in trouble?""No way," Nicole shook her head.If something had occurred while they were on their mission, they would have gotten wind of it by now."Let's wait a moment," June advised in an attempt to calm Lulu down.Though everyone was worried sick, there was little they could do but wait for word to return to them. The ones whose li
Soon, a group of bloodied and battered operatives descended from the ridge, carrying with them a bunch of men whose hands and feet were bound with iron leashes. The latter were none other than Damien and his contacts."Cap, will they be fine?" someone asked in concern."They will be," another replied firmly, though his words sounded as if they were said in an effort to reassure oneself.It was an accident, one that they could never have anticipated. They, too, were praying that an ill-fate did not await them.Nicole and Jared soon received the news, causing the air in the office to become even gloomier and more suffocating."You can relax a little now that we've captured them. You guys should leave and get on with your day," Nicole said to the others."Okay, but you should check on them in the hospital." The others nodded, knowing that there was much to be done without them getting in the way."I'm coming with you," Lulu said, standing up.Nicole turned to Lulu and nodded. Afte
After gaining a complete grasp of the dynamic between the two operatives, Nicole raised her brows and asked, "So you've decided to let Patricia go because of Charlie?"Looking at Nicole, Jared said meaningfully, "Charlie was the one who relieved Patricia of her duties, but he didn't do it because of Ellar."Nicole bit her lips and tilted her head. "So Charlie doesn't approve of Ellar?""That's a possibility," Jared said, indifferent to the personal lives of others as always.Whatever the case was, Charlie was not the sort of person who would approve of anyone dating his sister.Looking at the door to the operating theater, Nicole mumbled, "I hope Charlie will get through this."If Charlie ended up crippled or worse, dead, it would be a double whammy for Patricia. Even after a long wait, during which Patricia was done treating her wounds, Charlie's rescue was still ongoing."Is he not out yet?" Lulu asked, after which she turned to look at Patricia, who was pale and disheveled. "
"Thank you," Patricia nodded.She knew Nicole was now privy to their relationship, while Lulu was not. In fact, Lulu had promised her that she would take care of Charlie because she wanted Patricia to rest easy."Oh, don't mention it. Now, go ahead and get some rest," Lulu urged.Once Patricia had walked off and disappeared into her ward, Lulu sighed. "She's pretty damn stubborn, isn't she?""Lulu, are you sure you can stay back? We still have a few loose ends to tie up," Nicole asked."Oh, yeah, sure." Lulu promised. "Go ahead. I'll be here. You don't need to worry about me."Nicole and Jared nodded and left the building, not in the least worried about Lulu being there with Charlie and Patricia. She was more than capable of taking care of herself anyway.After the couple had stepped out of the foyer, they noticed that Max had already arrived, so they got into the car right away."Mr. and Mrs. Johnston?" Max called out. "Things turned out exactly like what Zane had discovered.
Max paused for a moment before hazarding a guess. "By that, you mean they might continue contacting Lawrence?""Even if they are not doing so, we must still keep an eye on Lawrence," Nicole said, though her attention was more focused on the Water Crest itself rather than Lawrence."Yes, I will." Max nodded in acknowledgment.Time passed, and in a blink of an eye, dusk arrived. The good news of the day had finally arrived too: Charlie had finally regained his consciousness in the hospital.Lulu proceeded to call Patricia, who rushed over and knelt before Charlie, her eyes wet with tears. "You shouldn't have saved me! What should I do if something happens to you?""Oh you silly girl," Charlie forced a smile, not regretting what he had done, for he was ready to give his life to ensure her safety."Erm, I-I'll go buy you guys dinner," Lulu informed and left the room in a hurry, as she could not stomach the awkwardness there.Once outside, Lulu began to frown in confusion. She could
"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