Nicole, deep in thought, wondered, "Is there really no better way to help Patricia?" She was determined, though. "I won't give up. There has to be a way."She was set on finding a solution for Patricia's recovery.Lulu, tilting her head, suggested, "Why not ask your mentor for help?"Nicole sighed, "I've tried reaching him, but he might be in seclusion again." She had already informed her mentor about Patricia's situation but got no response.Lulu, feeling sorry, said, "Why is Patricia so unlucky? Who can help her?"It seemed they had to stick to the slower approach Nicole and Martin were taking, hoping for the best solution eventually.Arriving at Riddle Corporation, Nicole and Lulu got out of the car.Nicole noticed a car that had been following them. It stopped by the roadside. The driver and passengers didn't seem suspicious, so Nicole guessed Jared had sent them. This thought brought a small smile to her face."What are you looking at?" Lulu asked, seeing Nicole pause."I
Gloria raised her eyebrows, "Could it be that he's got a girlfriend now?"Everyone was curious about Ellar's secretive behavior.Emma shook her head, "I don't think so. I haven't seen any girls around him, and there's no hint of one either."She would have been less worried if Ellar was just making new friends."Then it must be something work-related, which you all aren't part of," Daniel suggested quietly.Dexter agreed, "Maybe."They weren't involved in the company's affairs and couldn't really help."It's time to eat," Benjamin announced as everyone arrived."Okay," the family replied together and headed to the dining room."Is BayCorp very busy lately?" Lulu whispered to Nicole, sitting next to her.Nicole thought for a moment, then shook her head, "I'm not sure, but it doesn't seem overly busy."Lulu, still puzzled, whispered, "It's weird. If he's so busy, how does he find time to follow Patricia every day? Maybe he's gone to see Patricia."Considering Ellar's recent t
Initially, Ellar's condition seemed okay, but soon he turned pale and started to shake."Get the antidote, Cindy," Martin said quickly, worried.Cindy handed him the antidote right away.After giving Ellar the antidote, Martin used Nicole's golden needles to detoxify him.Ellar, who was almost out, slowly came back to his senses."Still not right," Martin sighed, relieved that Ellar was awake, but disappointed that the formula wasn't working yet.After resting a bit, Ellar felt a little better and said, "Let's take it slow. It's just the beginning."He knew it wouldn't be easy and was ready for it."You should go home and rest. I'll figure out what's wrong," Martin told him, seeing how pale he was."No, I'll go by myself. My driver's outside," Ellar said, trying to stand up.Watching him wobble, Martin helped Ellar out.When Ellar got in the car, Martin said, "Rest well. Don't come tomorrow if it's too much. Take a few days off.""I'll be here after work tomorrow," Ellar re
""Mom, really, there's no need to trouble everyone. I'll be home soon. Let's not talk about it anymore." Ellar ended the call, feeling he couldn't hold on much longer if they kept talking.He wiped the sweat from his forehead, leaning back in his seat and gazing at Patricia's window.For him, these moments weren't about pain; they were filled with a bittersweet feeling.At the Riddle family manor, the atmosphere was warm and lively. The family was together, enjoying each other's company.After the call, Emma informed Benjamin, "Dad, Ellar's still tied up with work. He really can't come tonight."Benjamin wasn't upset. In fact, he was quite pleased with Ellar's commitment. "It's good that he's dedicated to his career."Dillon suggested to Benjamin, "Dad, it's getting late. We should all head home, and you need to rest."Daniel and Dexter agreed, "Yes, Dad, we'll leave now and come back another day."Nolan and Lana, sweetly saying goodbye to Benjamin, added, "We're going now, gre
Nicole, her eyes twinkling with a smile, softly replied, "Mm."Her voice was lazy and tender, especially alluring just after waking up.Jared's gaze deepened. He leaned down and pecked Nicole's lips, then, feeling unsatisfied, kissed her again, more passionately.Their embrace was so intense it nearly made them lose their senses, raising the temperature of the bedroom, creating a romantic atmosphere...When Nicole and Jared finally got out of bed, it was already breakfast time.Downstairs, Nolan and Lana tilted their heads in confusion, "Dad, Mommy, were you too tired yesterday? Why are you up so late today?"Nicole, a bit embarrassed, quickly changed the subject, "Are you two going to school today?""Can we?" Nolan and Lana asked excitedly.Staying home was a bit boring, and they preferred the fun of kindergarten with their friends."If you want to go, then let's go," Nicole said with a smile."Yeah, we want to," Nolan and Lana nodded vigorously."After breakfast, we'll tak
"Mr. Royce?" Ian called out, noticing Lawrence lost in thought.Snapping back to reality, Lawrence said, "Scorpio will give me instructions."Ian, concerned, asked, "So, Scorpio will force your hand?"Lawrence scoffed, "Even with new people, Scorpio's weakened after his last failure. He's testing my commitment."Ian, deep in thought, inquired, "What's your plan?""I'll follow his lead, for now," Lawrence replied, knowing appearances mattered."But if he targets..." Ian began.Lawrence cut him off, "I'll comply only if Nolan and Lana aren't involved."He'd protect Nicole if it came to that, seeking both the Crests and her safety.Ian, understanding Lawrence's position, assured him, "I'll inform you immediately if Scorpio contacts me."Lawrence just hummed in response, picking up a document from his desk.Ian left to handle Lawrence's assigned tasks.That afternoon, under the bright sun, Nicole and Lulu strolled back to Riddle Corporation after their lunch. The restaurant was
"Got it," Nicole said, her eyes lingering on the document.It was indeed important, but it was something Ellar could handle. She wondered, 'Is there some issue at BayCorp that Ellar hasn't mentioned to me?'Recalling Ellar's absence at dinner the previous night, where he claimed to have social commitments, Nicole speculated if he might be facing some problems.After a moment, Nicole called Lulu over."Lulu, can you check on Ellar? See if he's run into any trouble." Nicole briefed her on the document and asked her to look into it."Alright, I'm on it," Lulu said, accepting the signed document and heading to BayCorp.Nicole then dove back into her work. Time flew, and soon it was time to leave.She checked the clock, tidied her desk, and left.Lulu hadn't returned, which worried Nicole a bit. It seemed there might indeed be a problem. But without any word from Lulu, Nicole guessed it wasn't too serious.Deciding to pick up Nolan and Lana first, she thought of Jared. They had agr
"Mhm." Nicole nodded, her face a mask of calm. She didn't want the children to pick up on any unease.As she watched the kids devour their food, a gentle smile graced her lips. Above all, she hoped their lives would remain simple and untouched by chaos.Meanwhile, Lawrence sat in his car a short distance away, his expression clouded with dark thoughts.His eyes, fixed on the image of a joyous family of four, felt a sting of irritation. Once, he had dreamed of such a life – a peaceful existence with Nicole and her two children."Mr. Royce, Scorpio wants us to kidnap Nicole and deliver her to him. But I'm concerned..." Ian began, aware of Scorpio's sinister intentions toward Nicole."We must take her," Lawrence stated firmly. 'But whether I hand her over to Scorpio or not, that decision is mine alone,' he thought resolutely.Deep inside, he was determined not to let Nicole fall into Scorpio's clutches.Ian, pushing for clarity, said, "But if we do this, Nicole might..."The conse