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.
Having ordered, Lulu and Nicole settled at their table, anticipating their meals."Is Ellar okay now?" Lulu asked, finally getting the chance to check in after a busy morning."He should be fine," Nicole assured.Lulu looked a bit surprised. "Should be?"Nicole shrugged. "Well, whether there's an issue or not, it's up to him.""So it's not sorted out yet," Lulu sighed, understanding the situation.Nicole smiled, reassuring Lulu, "Don't worry. When the time comes, things will fall into place.""Okay," Lulu nodded, acknowledging there wasn't much else they could do. She sensed that Ellar and Patricia had been through a lot, yet she wondered when they would fully embrace each other's feelings.Changing the subject, Lulu added, "Oh, by the way, Patricia mentioned this morning that the shipment has been sent out. It should arrive in a few days.""Yeah, that's probably why she left the office," Nicole nodded."Oh, got it," Lulu said, understanding. Patricia seemed pretty focused wh
"Ms. Riddle, you should head back. I'll handle this," Patricia whispered."Be careful," Nicole cautioned, then entered Riddle Corporation building with Lulu.Patricia went to the lobby but avoided heading upstairs like Nicole and Lulu. Instead, she strolled toward the emergency exit and left through the side door, circling around to approach the main gate.Now, Patricia had a clear view; indeed, someone had been following them, or more precisely, monitoring Nicole. Patricia's eyes narrowed slightly as she discreetly concealed herself, waiting for these two individuals to leave before following suit.When Patricia returned, it was close to the end of the workday."How was it?" Nicole asked Patricia."They're Everett's men. They probably haven't found out our actions, so they sent someone to keep tabs on us," Patricia said with a cold expression."So, does that mean our raw materials can arrive smoothly?" Lulu speculated, thinking that if Everett hadn't discovered their movements
"Stanley took them to the backyard," Gloria chuckled. "Said they wanted to check on Mrs. Wallace Sr. and Tia.""But Tia just brought them back from school, didn't she?" Nicole found it amusing."That's right. Tia brought them back, but they seem eager to play in the backyard," Gloria explained with a laugh."Let them be then," Nicole thought they could play for a while before returning."It's just us for dinner today. Let's not wait any longer; let's start," Daniel suggested.The group gathered in the dining room."Nicole, did Ellar come to see you?" Gloria inquired."He did. Please assure Emma that Ellar is fine," Nicole responded.After a moment of hesitation, Gloria gently asked, "Is there something difficult to talk about regarding Ellar? Why is nobody discussing it now? Does the silence mean it's serious?""Mom, don't worry. He's okay," Nicole reassured Gloria with a smile."Really?" Gloria remained somewhat skeptical.Nicole placed a serving of food in front of Gloria
"Mr. Johnston, there's an update," Max conveyed with a serious tone. "Everett has taken charge of the Eastern Falcon, and some members are now following his lead.""How resourceful," Jared remarked, his tone icy. Everett's sudden return had triggered Jared's suspicions, and Max's investigation confirmed them."It's likely more of his men will come to San Joto soon. Should we prepare?" Max asked.Understanding Max's concern, Jared advised, "Not yet. Let them come first." He believed that intercepting now might only lead to new replacements. Waiting would make it easier to identify the targets."Okay," Max agreed.Jared added, "Get Charlie to have someone shadow Nicole. We can't afford any mistakes on her end."After giving a few more orders, Jared hung up. Turning around, he found Nicole standing behind him. He reached up and smoothed her hair, saying, "You caught all of that.""Yeah, I guess I've underestimated Everett," Nicole admitted, her expression darkening. Everett's capab
"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