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
Everett's assistant, too, found it hard to believe that anyone could remain so calm in such a situation, yet Nicole appeared entirely unaffected. Additionally, there was no sign of any countermeasures from Riddle Corporation regarding the raw materials problem.The assistant was more inclined to believe that Nicole's team hadn't found a solution. After all, Everett's maneuvers had blocked all obvious paths.After thinking for a moment, Everett instructed, "Have someone dig deeper into this. We must be missing something." His tone was ice-cold. He was convinced, 'This isn't normal; Nicole isn't one to surrender easily.'"Yes, sir," the assistant responded and exited the room.Everett got up and walked over to the window, his gaze dark and thoughtful as he stared outside.'Nicole wouldn't just sit back and do nothing. There's something I'm not seeing...'As the day turned to evening, Nicole exited the company building to find Jared waiting for her.He greeted her with a smile. Nic
Nicole's expression showed her surprise as she asked, "Is this happening every day?" This was indeed unexpected to Nicole. Ellar assisting Patricia with her treatment shouldn't require such irregular hours. She thought to herself, 'What could he possibly be involved in?'Emma's worry deepened at Nicole's response, "You don't know about it either?"She felt that If Nicole was in the dark, it seemed unlikely anyone else knew. Ellar and Nicole had been close since childhood, and it was unusual for him to keep things from her.."I'll have my people look into it." Nicole assured Dexter and Emma. She could see Dexter and Emma's growing concern. "If Ellar is in trouble, I'll find a way to help.""Well... okay." Emma sighed, saying, "Thank you for doing this." She understood the desire for privacy, recognizing that if the younger generation chose not to share, they likely had their reasons."Try not to worry. I doubt it's anything serious. If there were a real issue, Ellar wouldn't be abl
Ellar's tired and downcast appearance immediately caught Dexter and Emma's attention, deepening their concern."Mom, Dad, why are you just getting back?" Ellar asked with a hint of confusion."We were visiting your Uncle Daniel," Dexter responded. He then turned the conversation towards Ellar's late arrival, "Why are you out so late again? What's keeping you?"Ellar gave a half-hearted response, "Just had to work some overtime."Dexter frowned, not convinced. "That's not true. You weren't at the office when it closed, and there wasn't any overtime scheduled."Ellar looked taken aback. "How did you know?" He had left the office early, using overtime as an excuse to avoid questions from his parents, not knowing how else to explain his actions.Emma gently explained their concern to Ellar, "We've noticed you're not yourself these days, and it's worrying us. That's why your dad went to check at your office. We just want to know if everything's alright."Ellar scrambled for an excuse
"I just wanted to check on Nicole," Ellar explained, trying to appear composed.Internally, his world wasn't calm at all. Observing Patricia from a distance in the past few days brought him comfort, and seeing her well added to that. Now, being so close and talking to her, he couldn't contain his emotions."Ms. Riddle should be here soon," Patricia said, quickly regaining her composure.After putting the papers on the desk, she turned and walked away. Ellar's sudden appearance had surprised her, stirring up different feelings. Right now, all she wanted was to get away.Coincidentally, Nicole arrived and encountered Patricia at the door."The documents are on the desk, Ms. Riddle. I'll handle other matters," Patricia reported."Sure." Nicole noticed Patricia leaving in a bit of a hurry but didn't pay it much mind and walked into the room.As soon as Nicole saw Ellar, a realization struck her. 'Oh, it's because he's here.'"What brings you here?" Nicole asked Ellar."Good mornin
"Leave it," Nicole told the secretary, her eyes fixed on the door. 'Wasn't that Patricia just now? So she must have heard what Ellar said.'Once the secretary left, Nicole turned to Ellar and asked, "Are you really giving up? Don't you want to give it another shot?"Ellar shook his head. "It's not that I don't want to fight, but I can't. If this is Patricia's decision, I don't want to complicate things for her. I just want her to be happy."Nicole sighed, saying, "Forget it. Sort it out yourself." She figured if Patricia didn't explain, there wasn't much to say. She'd let Ellar figure things out on his own."What do you mean?" Ellar asked, a bit puzzled.Nicole didn't elaborate. She simply looked at Ellar and said, "You should go back to BayCorp.""Okay." Ellar checked the time and agreed, "Sure, I won't keep you from your work.""If you're really set on this decision, change your current life. If you're unsure, then figure it out yourself," Nicole advised before letting him go.
"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