"What?" Patricia turned back, puzzled by his sudden call."If you feel not okay and hesitant to call me, just ring up Charlie instead," Ellar suggested, then hit the gas and drove away.Patricia stood there for a moment, mulling over his words. Without having promised to contact Ellar, he seemed to assume it could be inconvenient for her and recommended reaching out to Charlie instead.As Ellar's car disappeared into the distance, a hint of sadness flickered in Patricia's eyes. She thought, 'I can imagine how difficult it must have been for him to say that.'"He's gone. Come on, let's head back," Charlie's voice came from behind, making Patricia jump. She turned to him, asking, "When did you come down?""Just now," Charlie sighed, "Maybe you should think about leaving this job.""I don't want to retire," Patricia said, biting her lip.Charlie patted her shoulder, "Mr. Johnston has already agreed; this decision won't change.""But—"Patricia started to argue, only to be interru
As Lulu departed, Nicole's gaze sharpened slightly. She was certain Everett's resurgence was more than just a strike against her. There were deeper layers to unravel.Lost in thought for a brief moment, Nicole then made a call to Preston. "I need a favor," she said succinctly."What's going on?" Preston's voice was edged with gravity."I need someone to shadow Everett. I want a detailed account of his activities," Nicole's tone was tinged with an icy resolve.There was a brief pause on the line before Preston responded, "Understood. I'll handle it.""Good, that's all for now," Nicole was ready to end the call, but then Preston chimed in, "You're holding up okay, right?"Nicole understood that Preston was already clued in about the current predicament. His tardiness in getting back to the Riddle family manor was due to other commitments. "I'm managing," she responded, her voice steady."Good to know," Preston replied, then added a reminder, "Remember, you can reach out to me for
As Everett made his exit from Lawrence's office, Ian stepped in, his curiosity piqued."Mr. Royce, what's going on?" Ian asked, his eyes following Everett's retreating figure.Lawrence, displaying a flicker of irritation, explained, "It appears I've thrown a wrench in his schemes, much to his displeasure."Ian, taken aback, questioned, "So, he's operating on his own agenda?"Lawrence snorted derisively, "Did you ever think he's straightforward? A man who doesn't hesitate to plot against his own kin is anything but simple."Frowning slightly, Lawrence added, "Check what he's been up to."He had a feeling that Everett's visit was more about showing off than anything else."I'll get on it right away," Ian responded, quickly setting off to investigate.After a while, Ian returned and briefed Lawrence on the situation at Riddle Corporation."Keep an eye on him," Lawrence ordered, his expression growing darker. Everett's return was not going to be low-key, and Lawrence wasn't certai
Nicole couldn't help but give Steve a playful eye roll. "What kind of brothers are you two?"Steve laughed heartily. "Well, it's not like you're an ordinary little sister.""Alright, we're off to a meeting," Sean said, his mood lightened a bit.After Sean and Steve left, Nicole took a deep breath and a warm smile on her lips. She wasn't going to be affected by the current situation, especially with her family's unwavering support.Returning to her desk, Nicole picked up some documents and got busy until it was time to leave."Nicole, let's go," Lulu called her."Okay," Nicole agreed, standing up from her desk.Together, they headed downstairs and out of the company, where the driver had already brought the car around.Once inside the car, Lulu asked, "I wonder how Patricia is doing?"They hadn't seen her in a few days and hoped for some improvement."Martin thinks there's been some improvement, so he asked me to come over and see if the medication needs adjusting," Nicole rep
"Patricia, shall we take you home?" Lulu offered."No need, I can manage on my own." Patricia guessed Nicole didn't stay for dinner because she had other matters, and she didn't want to delay them.Taking a deep breath, Patricia earnestly said to Nicole, "Ms. Riddle, I'll be fine. I'll come to the company tomorrow.""You could rest a bit longer," Nicole still seemed a bit concerned about Patricia's health."I'm okay, and I don't want to stay at home all day." Being alone made her prone to overthinking, so Patricia preferred to work.Moreover, she had heard about Everett's situation and felt it was important to be with Nicole to ensure her safety.Hearing this, Nicole thought for a moment and then agreed, "Alright, come to the company tomorrow.""Yes," Patricia said before hailing a taxi and leaving.Watching Patricia leave, Lulu mused, "Something seems off with Patricia's mood, doesn't it? And Ellar's absence is also unusual. Could there be some problem between them?"Nicole's
Curiously, Patricia hadn't seen Ellar in the past few days, and she found herself feeling a bit lost without his presence.Perhaps, she thought, returning to work at the company would improve her mood after being alone at home for so long.At the Riddle residence, after dropping Lulu off, Nicole returned home. There, she found Daniel and Gloria in the living room with Nolan and Lana, but Jared was nowhere to be seen.Guessing Jared was still busy with work, Nicole didn't inquire about his absence."Mommy," Nolan and Lana greeted her joyfully, opening their arms.Nicole smiled and sat down on the couch, hugging Nolan and Lana close."Mommy, why isn't Daddy back yet?" Lana asked, looking up."Your father is still working," Nicole gently explained, stroking Lana's head."Why is Daddy always so busy?" Lana frowned."He'll be back once he's done with his work," Nicole assured her with a smile.Just then, Jared's voice echoed from the entrance, "Who's missing me?"Lana, bright-eye
"In one month, we will get married," Jared said, giving Nicole a peck on the lips before carrying her towards the bed...The next day was bright and sunny.After breakfast, Jared dropped Nicole off at Riddle Corporation.As Nicole got out of the car, she waved at Jared.With a smile, Jared said, "I'll pick you up after work.""Okay," Nicole agreed, smiling as she turned to enter the company.Jared watched her for a moment before instructing Max, "Drive.""Yes," Max replied, starting the car.Leaning back in his seat, Jared spoke again, "Continue preparing for the wedding. It will be held in a month.""A wedding!" Max sounded excited, "Alright, I understand."Preparations had already been underway and were nearly complete, only delayed by recent events. Now, the plans were back on track.Jared and Nicole's wedding was a big event, eagerly anticipated by everyone.Meanwhile, Nicole had entered her office.Patricia, who was now delivering the documents, was greeted by Nicole
Nicole had called several raw material suppliers from different areas, but none of them had a good solution.Finally, Nicole turned on her computer and logged into an international supply website. She worked on this until nearly noon, eventually finding the right solution."It's done." Nicole closed her computer, stood up, and stretched her neck and arms.Lulu let out a sigh of relief. "Great, it's finally sorted out.""Today, some of the materials will be sent, and the rest will arrive over time. When they're here, we'll get them to work right away. It won't delay our project," Nicole explained."Got it." Lulu nodded, then asked Nicole, "Did you figure out who was behind this?"They were facing a serious threat, and whoever was behind it needed to be dealt with.Nicole shook her head. "Not yet, but I suspect it's Everett."Lulu muttered, "That sounds right. He's the only one who'd stoop so low.""Let's not focus on that now. Make sure someone keeps an eye on this new batch of