Even if the legal team were capable of conducting an investigation of their own, the fact remained that the lawyer would still be a sham. Thus, the information they could gather would be limited, and there would be no way for them to discover the lawyer's identity if they did not look hard enough. Naturally, this would affect their next step."Understood." Sean nodded in understanding.He had to make it clear that anything outside of the legal team's investigation must be left to Jared's men, as this was all they could do at the moment."If that's the case, let's start working on our part." Steve suggested once he was certain that everyone was on the same page.Steve had broken into cold sweat when he and Sean heard the news. Thus, he wanted to settle the matter as soon as possible. Otherwise, he would lose sleep over it.With the plan in action, Sean looked at Nicole, gave her a nod and left."We're leaving now. Don't you ever hide anything from us again. We nearly got a heart a
Deep down, Ellar was stewing in bitterness and despondency.He gritted his teeth, looked at Charlie, and said, "You better treat her well. Or else, I swear I won't let you go."After Ellar had spoken his last, he spun around and stormed out of the room.He couldn't figure out what Charlie had that he didn't, and most of all, he couldn't understand why Patricia wouldn't give him a chance, even when she wasn't dating anyone. But since Patricia had made up her mind, Ellar knew he couldn't change it. All he could do was respect her decision and quietly watch over her from a distance. If Charlie ever treated Patricia badly, Ellar was ready to step in and help her."Hey, what did you just say—" Charlie began, but before he could complete his sentence, Patricia had stopped him."It's fine," she said.Charlie looked at Patricia with his brows raised, and after a moment of contemplation, he widened his eyes in surprise and asked, "Are you for real?"Patricia avoided his gaze, after which
Ellar was caught off guard, quickly composing himself as he rolled down his car window. Spotting Samuel, he couldn't resist an eye roll and asked, "Why does it have to be you?"Samuel, with a curious tone, responded, "Funny, I was about to ask you the same thing. What brings you here? Why parked your car here?""Just gearing up for work," Ellar responded, attempting to sound casual."I might as well join you then," Samuel declared, opening the car door and hopping in.Ellar shot him a look. "You're surprisingly free today, aren't you?"Samuel shrugged. "Sort of. Had an event, but it was a no-go. Now I'm here, ran into you by chance."With no real alternative, Ellar started the car, muttering, "Lucky me."'Can't a guy even wallow in self-pity in peace?' he thought, a twinge of irritation surfacing. 'Is it too much to ask for a moment alone with my thoughts about a love that never started?'Samuel, picking up on the mood, tilted his head. "Something up? You seem a bit out of sort
"To keep them from suspecting anything, our legal team is still on it, but Max has taken over the next steps," Sean explained."Good," Nicole nodded. The subsequent arrangements indeed needed Max's involvement.Steve, looking a bit worried, asked, "Could they have already gotten a lead?"Nicole looked up at Sean and directed, "Have the legal department keep an eye on their movements."If they didn't show up, it might mean they already had a lead. But if they continued as usual, then Damien was likely testing them. This meant there was still a chance."Okay, I'll take care of it," said Sean."Hey, remember, they might try to deceive you," Steve reminded.Nicole nodded in agreement. "Got it, I'm aware."Soon after, Nicole left Sean's office and returned to her own. She pondered for a moment and sent the information to Max, instructing him to have someone keep watch.After Nicole put away her phone, her eyes narrowed slightly. 'With such tight security, Damien must also be cautio
"Okay," Nicole agreed, hanging up the phone.Nicole had Lulu arranging for someone to pick up Samuel and Ellar. After Lulu did so, she returned to Nicole's office."What's going on with him?" Lulu asked, clearly puzzled.Nicole shrugged helplessly, "Guess he was just feeling down." She briefly explained to Lulu what Samuel had told her.Lulu nodded in understanding. "Ah, so he was just putting on a brave front. Warned Charlie to treat Patricia well, then turned around and ended up crying himself.""What else could it be?" Nicole sighed, seeing that Ellar genuinely liked Patricia."But I'm curious," Lulu said, frowning slightly. "Patricia and Charlie don't really seem like a couple, do they? I mean, they care about each other, but it doesn't feel like a romantic thing."Nicole raised an eyebrow slightly. Lulu was quite perceptive.She hesitated to discuss Patricia and Charlie's relationship, considering their identities. Revealing too much could endanger their safety."Lulu, wh
Sean and Steve also arrived at Nicole's office after hearing the news.Glancing at Ellar, Sean suggested with a frown, "Maybe we should just take him home.""That won't work, he refuses to go," Samuel explained. "I tried convincing him earlier, but he's adamant. He says he can't go home like this, it would worry his family.""Are you sure he's worried about his family, and not just embarrassed?" Steve asked skeptically."Even if that's true," Samuel shrugged, "sending him home in this state would definitely worry Uncle Dexter and Aunt Emma."Nicole agreed, "Sean, let's just keep him here. It's better not to worry them.""Alright, we'll leave him here. But is it okay for you?" Sean asked, still hesitant."It's fine. This way, I can keep an eye on him," Nicole nodded. Seeing Ellar out-of-it, she felt more at ease monitoring him herself."I'm here too, don't worry," Samuel volunteered.Steve glanced at Samuel with slight annoyance. "This mess is your doing, after all.""I didn't
Patricia quickly regained her composure and said, "There's been movement from the Eastern Falcon at the hospital. Some of our guys got hurt, so I think we should discharge Charlie.""Recovering in the hospital is faster, but it's too dangerous now," she added with concern.Nicole raised an eyebrow slightly and replied, "That's up to you guys to decide."Patricia bit her lip, then spoke seriously, "I suggest we keep Charlie's discharge secret and then arrange for..."Understanding Patricia's intention, Nicole pondered for a moment before responding, "That could work. Let's try it.""Can I manage the personnel for this? I'll take responsibility for the whole thing," Patricia asked, eager to take the initiative, especially since Max was busy and Charlie, being injured, couldn't be involved in the mission."Sure, I'll leave it to you," Nicole agreed, realizing it was probably the best course of action. Max was occupied with more critical tasks, and Patricia, who proposed the plan and
Patricia bit her lip, looking at Ellar's sad expression. She couldn't help but feel a tug at her heart."You should forget about me. It's impossible for us," she said, her voice filled with a mix of struggle and restraint.Deep down, Patricia knew their relationship couldn't be, constantly reminding herself to keep her distance. Yet, somehow, Ellar had managed to creep into her heart.She cared about him, wanted to know his feelings, worried, and thought about him often.But all these feelings could only lead to the painful truth that it was impossible. She couldn't afford to give him or herself any hope."Patricia, does he treat you well? Better than me, I bet," Ellar murmured, his voice filled with a mix of hope and sadness."I..." Patricia started to say but was cut off.Thud!Ellar fell off the couch."Hey, be careful," Patricia quickly helped him up, her voice laced with concern.Ellar, feeling a bit hurt from the fall, opened his eyes groggily. He saw a blurry figure th
"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