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
A series of knocks echoed as Lulu and Patricia entered. "Nicole, the documents," Lulu said, placing them down."Leave them here," Nicole instructed."Ms. Riddle, was that..." Patricia hesitated.Nicole calmly replied, "Zane. He'll send someone over.""Just for Everett?" Patricia was surprised. She couldn't believe they had to go to such lengths just for Everett."Everett is just the start," Nicole added with a meaningful tone. Or rather, Everett was just a catalyst for a real investigation to address the Eastern Falcon issue once and for all."Just inform me if you need assistance, Ms. Riddle," Patricia said, her tone turning more serious."Don't fret, even if there are missions, they won't assign us anything too critical," Nicole said, lifting her gaze to Patricia with a gentle expression."Yes," Patricia respectfully replied.As Nicole watched Patricia leave, she opened the documents and resumed her work.Two days flew by. The initial batch of raw materials had safely reach
In Nicole's quiet office, she was sorting through many papers during a busy time.Over at SeaQuartet Holdings, an assistant rushed into Mr. Wright's office, blurting, "Mr. Wright, about the port...""Calm down. Just tell me clearly," Everett said, a bit annoyed.After a moment to collect himself, the assistant shared, looking serious, "We just found out Riddle Corporation's materials from abroad are stored in Johnston Group's special warehouse."Everett went pale. Before this, he was struggling to understand why he couldn't get updates on the material stuff. He thought Jared was helping Nicole, and he was sure she was depending on Jared for more help. So, Everett had a plan to mess up Jared's support later.But, surprise! Nicole had it covered. She and Jared were working together smoothly."Mr. Wright, what should we do next?" the assistant asked seriously."Check all the port records. Figure out when Nicole's other shipments are coming," Everett said. He was sure moving such
Following Patricia's lead, the group dispersed, with a few genuinely departing while two covertly shadowed Patricia, tracking the elusive figures."Captain, do you think those could be Everett's men?" one of them quietly conjectured.Patricia let out a derisive snort. "Only one way to find out—follow them."At this juncture, Everett was the prime suspect in their minds.Mid-conversation, Patricia's phone buzzed. Casting a quick glance at the screen, she promptly ended the call."Captain, should we proceed? We'll keep you in the loop," another team member offered, ready to spring into action.Patricia hesitated briefly before deciding, "No, let's stick together."The call she'd ignored was from Martin, likely wondering why she hadn't shown up at his lab yet. She deemed it inappropriate to delve into explanations then and there, planning to address it later.Upon Patricia's arrival at the lab, it was evident Martin and Cindy were growing restless.Spotting Patricia, Cindy expres
After her words, Cindy turned and quickly jogged away.Martin watched her departure, his brow furrowing slightly. But he chose not to call out to her. He let out a sign, took a moment to tidy up, and then slowly made his exit.The next morning at the port, Patricia and her team were stationed near Warehouse 3, anticipation hanging in the air.The individuals who had come to investigate the area the previous day were identified as Everett's operatives. Having reported back, it was anticipated that Everett would initiate some action. Yet, the night had unfolded without incident, leaving Patricia to ponder Everett's motives."Captain, Nicole is here," someone quietly informed Patricia.Swiftly turning, Patricia indeed spotted Nicole making her way toward them. She quickly approached to greet her: "Ms. Riddle, what brings you here today?""Was everything quiet last night?" Nicole inquired, her expression marked by a subtle concern.Patricia had briefed Nicole on the previous night's
"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