""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
"Yes, we miss you when we can't see you," Gloria affirmed with a smile, her love for Nolan and Lana shining in her eyes.While the kids enjoyed their time with Daniel and Gloria, Nicole and Jared found themselves at a dining room for a late-night snack.As they sat there, Nicole couldn't help but watch the four in the living room, her eyes brimming with warmth. She felt an overwhelming sense of contentment, thinking, 'This kind of family moment is so precious, it's hard not to cherish it.'After a long day, the quiet of the night embraced the Riddle household. Nicole and Jared, having tucked Nolan and Lana into bed, retreated to their own room, the peacefulness of the home enveloping them.Feeling the day's weariness in her muscles, Nicole stretched her neck, trying to ease the tension. Jared, ever attentive, noticed her fatigue and offered a gentle shoulder massage. "If you're tired, you should go to bed early," he suggested with genuine concern in his voice."Mhm." Nicole nodded
"Okay," Lulu said, turning to leave the office. She nearly bumped into Ellar just outside.Noticing Ellar's haggard look, Lulu frowned with concern. "Why do you look so tired?""You're here," Ellar replied, a tired note in his voice as he walked into the office.His eyes widened slightly when he saw Nicole inside. "Nicole, what are you doing here?""I heard from Lulu you weren't feeling well. Came to check on you," Nicole said, her gaze lingering on Ellar.Ellar felt an uncomfortable twinge of guilt. Trying to mask any strangeness, he said, a bit stiffly, "No, just busy, that's all. Just tired."Nicole's eyes narrowed a fraction. "You look more than just tired," she said, skepticism lacing her words. She wasn't buying the mere fatigue story.Ellar, now more nervous, gave a forced chuckle. "What else would it be? Honestly, just tired." He gestured to the mountain of paperwork on his desk. "See? So much work lately. Some I can't even finish in one day.""It's not the work that's
Nicole excused herself from lunch with Lulu, saying, "Now that everything seems okay, I'll head back to the office."She had come out of concern for Ellar, but seeing him seemingly alright, she felt it was time to leave."Do you think you can manage the work alone?" Lulu asked Ellar."I'll be fine," Ellar assured with a nod."Just remember, if you need help, have your secretary send the crucial documents to the team," Lulu reminded him as she prepared to leave."Got it," Ellar responded, escorting Nicole and Lulu to the door.Once they were gone, Ellar collapsed onto the couch, a wave of exhaustion washing over him."Sir, these are the documents," his secretary announced, entering with a stack of papers and a bottle of medicine. "Ms. Riddle asked me to give this to you."Holding the medicine, Ellar felt a mix of warmth and guilt.He hated keeping things from Nicole, yet he knew revealing his plans would stop her from letting him proceed. He was trapped between a rock and a har