Thinking about Ellar's drunken state, Patricia couldn't shake off a feeling of sadness. Yet, she knew there was nothing she could do but endure."Captain, there's some movement," Glenn alerted her. Patricia, lost in thought, didn't respond at first."Captain?" Glenn raised his voice."What is it?" Patricia snapped back to reality."There's some activity outside," he pointed out.Patricia stood up, her demeanor turning cooler. "I'll check it out."She opened the hospital room door and saw only a nurse passing by with a cart. Relieved, she closed the door and returned, muttering, "False alarm."Sitting back down, Patricia bit her lip, annoyed at herself for getting distracted. She tried to force herself to stop thinking about Ellar, but the more she tried, the clearer his image became in her mind."I need a break," Patricia said, feeling increasingly restless. She got up and left the room.Walking down the corridor, seeing other team members hidden around, helped Patricia regain
The dagger came down hard, but instead of hitting its target, it stabbed into the bedding."Something's off!" shouted one of the intruders, realizing they must have fallen on to a trap.Lights in the room snapped on in an instant, and both groups were instantly locked in a wild scuffle. Patricia understood they'd taken the bait, and her main aim now was to nab these two intruders.Patricia hadn't forgotten the last ambush. This time, she made sure the area outside was empty, with only her and Glenn in the room, to avoid alerting the intruders."Glenn, let's make this quick!" Patricia shouted, knowing they had to act fast. She was aware that there were likely more people outside waiting to back up the intruders."Got it," Glenn replied, intensifying his movements.Patricia didn't waste any time either, launching a rapid attack. Soon, she gained the upper hand.With a powerful kick, Patricia knocked one of the assailants to the ground. The person clutched their chest, struggling t
Patricia agreed, stepping back. "You should get some rest too."Charlie hesitated before asking with concern, "Your injury seem serious.""It's nothing," Patricia downplayed, avoiding Charlie's gaze as she turned to leave."Will the captain be alright?" Seth asked Charlie, worried."Let's give her some room," Charlie said, getting up slowly, his eyes showing his worry. He could tell the cut on Patricia's face was worse than she was letting on. Even with years of training under her belt, he understood that a scar on her face could still be a big deal to her.'Will she get through this?' he wondered, deeply concerned for Patricia. 'I should have asked her to leave this dangerous life a long time ago.'Charlie sighed, thinking it might be time to discuss this with Max, and hoped Jared and Nicole would agree.Meanwhile, Patricia returned to her apartment.The moment she closed her door, all her pretenses collapsed. She didn't bother turning on the lights, just sat on the couch in t
Nicole didn't exactly agree with Patricia's approach, but she got where she was coming from."I'll whip up some easy pasta for you," Lulu said, already on her way to the kitchen.Twenty minutes later, she returned with a plate of pasta, setting it down in front of Patricia and encouraging her, "Try some, okay?"Patricia paused for a second before responding, "Thanks." She was aware of everyone's concern for her and didn't want to let them down.Once she finished eating, Patricia looked up at Nicole. "Ms. Riddle, why do you want me to come with you?""We're going to see Martin," Nicole answered truthfully.Hearing this, Patricia instinctively touched her cheek, understanding Nicole's intention. She knew Nicole wanted to ask Martin if there was any other way to treat her face.She didn't want to go, not wanting to give herself false hope, but looking at Nicole and Lulu, she found it hard to refuse and finally agreed, "Okay.""Let's go, we'll see what can be done, and then you can
Sighing, Martin and Nicole exchanged a serious glance. Without speaking, they both understood how serious the cut injury on Patricia's face."It's not possible, is it?" Patricia asked, already guessing the answer from their silence.Seeing Patricia's calm demeanor, Martin decided to be direct. "I can't completely rule it out, but your case is indeed serious. The cut is deep, and the angle makes it difficult to heal properly."Patricia listened, her expression indifferent as if Martin was talking about someone else's problem.Martin, surprised by her composure, turned to Nicole. "She's definitely one of your people."Usually, people would be devastated, but Patricia's calmness was rare. Her situation was too obvious to hide, making even attempts at consolation seem superficial.Martin asked, "You seem to understand the situation well. Do you want to try my treatment? I can't guarantee full recovery, but I can try."Patricia hesitated. The uncertainty meant there was a high chance
After leaving Martin's lab, Patricia felt a mix of emotions. 'Ms. Riddle hasn't given up, so how can I just give up on myself?' she thought.During the car ride, Lulu kept comforting Patricia, who gradually started to open up a bit more.Once they got back to the apartment, Nicole and Lulu watched Patricia go inside before instructing the driver to leave."Nicole, can Patricia really be okay?" Lulu asked, her calm demeanor fading into worry.In front of Patricia, she had been careful not to show her concern. Patricia was already feeling down, and Lulu didn't want to add to her stress.But now, alone with Nicole, Lulu couldn't hold back her worries anymore."We'll figure something out with Martin," Nicole said with determination in her eyes."But even Martin didn't seem sure," Lulu sighed. "In this world, it seems like only two people might be able to save Patricia.""Two people?" Nicole looked at Lulu, puzzled."'Doctor Miracle' and 'Ghost Hand'," Lulu shrugged, referring to t
"If even Nicole can't find a way, then it's really hopeless," Jared said, his eyes narrowing slightly.Known secretly as 'Ghost Hand,' a famed yet enigmatic doctor, Nicole, along with Martin, was their best shot. If even they couldn't sort out Patricia's facial injury, it really did seem like a tall order."Mrs. Johnston is working on a solution. I believe she can handle it," Max said with a bit of confidence.Jared nodded, knowing Nicole would do everything she could. He then asked Max about the preparations for their next move."Everything's ready, just waiting for them to act," Max replied seriously."We must ensure it's foolproof," Jared said, his demeanor cold and decisive."Mr. Johnston, don't worry," Max assured him.After Max left Jared's office, he conveyed the information to Charlie.Charlie, upon hearing the news, felt a sense of relief and joy. 'Patricia can get out safely, no strings attached,' he thought, feeling thankful.In their line of work, leaving the organ
After dinner, Tia, blushing at Stanley's response, wheeled Mrs. Wallace Sr. out of the room. Stanley followed, offering to help.Gloria watched Stanley's caring gestures and felt a sense of relief. "I can finally relax now," she said, smiling contentedly.Nicole joked with Gloria, "Guess you don't have to worry about any of us anymore."Gloria turned to Nicole, and sensing Gloria's next question, Nicole quickly changed the topic. "Mom, I'll go check on Nolan and Lana," she said, pulling Jared with her as they quickly went upstairs.She had a hunch that if they stayed, the conversation might turn to her and Jared, which she wasn't ready for.Gloria shook her head at Nicole's hasty departure. "This girl...""Don't interfere in her matters," Daniel advised Gloria. He knew about Nicole and Jared's situation and didn't want to pressure them.Gloria sighed, agreeing not to pry. She trusted Nicole and Jared to sort things out on their own."Let's go rest," Daniel suggested, and they h
"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